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Manchester United have joined the race to sign Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck, and the Bundesliga club’s stance on cashing-in has now been revealed.

Man United have taken major strides over the past month or so, having taken 11 points from their last five matches, but it would be fair to say their defensive record still needs major improvement.

Ruben Amorim’s side have shipped 18 goals in their opening 11 games, the joint-highest number of any side above 16th in the Premier League table, failing to keep a clean sheet since the 2-0 victory against Sunderland at the beginning of October.

Both Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt have impressed in an attacking sense, with the former scoring the winner at Anfield, while the Dutchman recently received high praise from Rio Ferdinand, who said: “De Ligt’s been our best defender this season”

“I think he’s been outstanding for us. He’s even adding goals like the last-minute equaliser the other day.”

That said, Amorim clearly needs to tighten things up at the back, given the sheer number of goals his side have conceded, and the Red Devils have now set their sights on a new target.

Man Utd join race to sign Nico Schlotterbeck

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man United have now joined the race to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck, who is about to enter the last 18 months of his contract with the German club, meaning a bidding war could be on the cards.

Liverpool have also emerged as potential suitors for the centre-back, who has earned comparisons to Virgil van Dijk, in light of his composure under pressure, which has been on display in the Champions League.

Dortmund may need to cash-in due to their financial situation, as they are currently at risk of losing the 25-year-old on a free transfer, and there is no shortage of interest, with Barcelona currently believed to be leading the race for his signature.

The defender’s ball-playing ability, coupled with the fact he is left-footed, is said to make him perfect for Amorim, and the Dortmund star has earned high praise from former Premier League chief scout Mick Brown.

Brown said: “He’s a dominant centre-back, a regular for Germany, and a very defensive option who likes to win tackles, win headers and take charge of the back line.”

Impressively, the German is also very comfortable in possession of the ball, as displayed by his performance across some key passing and dribbling metrics over the past year.

Nico Schlotterbeck’s passing and dribbling statistics

Average per 90

Passes attempted

84.06 (97th percentile)

Progressive passes

7.43 (99th percentile)

Progressive carries

1.29 (89th percentile)

Successful take-ons

0.48 (92nd percentile)

Schlotterbeck is experienced at the top level, having amassed 22 caps for Germany and 35 Champions League appearances, and he could be the ideal option for Amorim at left centre-back.

What Man Utd plan to do to hijack Real Madrid's move for Marc Guehi What Man Utd are ready to do to hijack Real Madrid's move for Marc Guehi

He could be a superb signing for the Red Devils.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 4, 2025

تعرض قائد منتخب البرتغال، كريستيانو رونالدو، للطرد في مباراة مساء الخميس أمام نظيره منتخب أيرلندا في إطار التصفيات المؤهلة إلى نهائيات بطولة كأس العالم، نسخة 2026.

وحل منتخب البرتغال ضيفًا على خصمه منتخب أيرلندا في إطار منافسات الجولة قبل الأخيرة من تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم.

وتعرض منتخب البرتغال للهزيمة أمام أصحاب الأرض بهدفين دون رد، في مباراة شهدت طرد النجم كريستيانو رونالدو في الدقيقة 61، بعدما اعتدى على مدافع الخصم بالمرفق دون كرة (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وسيغيب كريستيانو رونالدو عن مباراة الجولة الأخيرة من التصفيات ضد أرمينيا يوم الأحد المقبل، مع العلم أن البرتغال لم تتأهل بعد البطولة.

وذكرت صحيفة “ذا صن” الإنجليزية أن كريستيانو رونالدو قد يغيب عن أول مباراة لمنتخب البرتغال في بطولة كأس العالم الصيف المقبل، حال تأهله، وذلك بسبب السلوك العنيف لنجم النصر السعودي، والذي قد يستدعي الإيقاف مباراتين.

وسيبت الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، فيفا، في الأمر حيث إنه الجهة المسؤولة عن إصدار القرار كون كأس العالم يُقام تحت مظلته.

وقد يتمكن رونالدو من خوض أول مباراة لـ البرتغال في كأس العالم، حتى حال إيقافه مباراتين، وذلك حال عدم تأهلهم مباشرة إلى البطولة ولجوئهم إلى خوض الملحق (ثم التأهل)، حيث ستطبق العقوبة على تلك المرحلة.

Leeds United now have time to dust themselves down and reassess with another international break in play.

It has been far from a nightmare start for Daniel Farke’s Whites back in the Premier League, with two league wins already on the board, but that could well have been bumped up to three last time out, if it wasn’t for some fortunate deflections handing Tottenham Hotspur a 2-1 victory at Elland Road.

While there were plenty of positives to cling onto as Noah Okafor grabbed another strike in West Yorkshire, there were also other individuals on the day that let the side down, who will be fearing for their starting spots when Leeds travel to Burnley when the break has finished.

Leeds' biggest underperformers vs Spurs

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is one figure who will surely be anxious about his starting position as Leeds’ main marksman after another goalless showing versus Thomas Frank’s side.

So far this season, the former Everton striker has already missed five big chances, with another added to his unwanted resume when squandering a major opportunity against Spurs.

Mathys Tel would show Calvert-Lewin how to finish in style; on the contrary, as the Frenchman only needed 13 touches of the ball to place a fierce effort past Karl Darlow.

Gabriel Gudmundsson also looked uncharacteristically shaky during the Saturday lunchtime kick-off, after a solid start to his Elland Road career otherwise, with the number 3 run ragged by Mohamed Kudus’ pace for Spurs’ second-half winner.

Still, with Calvert-Lewin scoring against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Gudmundsson winning 4.9 total duels per match this season in the Premier League, there is some credit in the bank on both ends.

While both are likely to keep their place once Premier League football returns after the break, the same cannot be said for one of Leeds’ longest-serving players.

Leeds star is now on borrowed time

Time be given to both the Englishman and the Swede, with Calvert-Lewin a proven Premier League goalscorer when he gets going, while his Scandinavian counterpart will require time to get up to speed with what is expected of him week in week out on English soil.

On the other hand, patience could be wearing rather thin with long-standing Leeds servant Pascal Struijk now, especially after both of Spurs’ goals last time out were deflected off the “unfortunate” Dutchman, as he was branded by Leeds journalist Beren Cross.

Still, Struijk standing off the lightning quick number 20 almost invited him to have a pop at Darlow’s goal, with the 26-year-old looking in over his head again when it comes to consistently battling it out in the top-flight.

To date, the former Ajax youth product turned Leeds first-teamer only has a worrying 13 Premier League sheets next to his name from three full seasons at the level, with iconic journalist Phil Hay even noting that “he might not be Premier League quality” way back in 2023.

Games played

92

Goals scored

4

Assists

1

Completed passes

4032 (85%)

Total tackles

198

Total duels won

401

Clean sheets

13

With 92 games at the very top of the English game now under his belt with Leeds, the overarching worry will be whether Struijk will ever improve and not look so shaky in the daunting division, having also been a part of the Whites’ defence that was humbled 5-0 by Arsenal earlier this season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Jaka Bijol might well fancy his chances of coming in and taking over from the 26-year-old imminently, having been dubbed a “monstrous” presence previously by analyst Ben Mattinson for his assured performances in Serie A.

Bijol, who cost Leeds a significant £15m this summer, would jump at the chance to impress, having picked up eight clean sheets last season in Italy, when also winning 4.8 duels per Serie A clash.

However, the forceful Slovenian is yet to get up and running at Elland Road, with a recurring spot on Farke’s bench all he has been afforded so far in the Premier League.

This could soon change, though, with a concern that Struijk staying put in the heart of defence might culminate in another devastating relegation occurring.

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Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City have reportedly sent scouts to monitor Bayern Munich’s 17-year-old sensation Lennart Karl, who continues to impress under Vincent Kompany. The Premier League giants are keeping close tabs on the prodigious attacker, who is represented by ex-Chelsea star Michael Ballack, after his stunning rise through Bayern’s ranks and recent first-team heroics.

Premier League trio scouting Bayern’s Karl

According to , Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City dispatched scouts to watch Bayern Munich wonderkid Karl in action following his remarkable breakthrough season. Journalist Christian Falk revealed that the Premier League trio have been tracking Karl live in recent weeks, viewing him as one of Europe’s brightest emerging talents. The 17-year-old joined Bayern’s academy from Viktoria Aschaffenburg in 2022 and has since made rapid progress, earning his senior debut at the Club World Cup and scoring twice already in the 2025/26 season.

Despite his age, Karl has quickly established himself as a valuable squad option for Kompany’s high-flying Bayern side, contributing goals in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. The teenager’s composure, creativity, and ability to find the back of the net have caught the attention of top European scouts eager to identify the next generation of attacking stars. Falk also noted that the youngster’s form has sparked discussions within Germany about whether national team boss Julian Nagelsmann should consider him for senior selection in November.

Adding intrigue to the situation is Karl’s connection to Chelsea legend Ballack, who now represents the player and recently brokered a contract renewal with Bayern through until 2028. While it remains unclear whether Ballack’s influence could give Chelsea an advantage in any potential pursuit, the Blues’ interest signals the level of competition surrounding Karl’s future. For now, Bayern appear relaxed, confident that their long-term deal will protect them from unwanted bids — at least until Europe’s elite clubs make formal approaches.

AdvertisementAFPKompany and Matthaus shower praise on Karl

Karl’s emergence has come at a perfect time for Bayern Munich, who have managed to maintain a 100% this season despite Jamal Musiala’s long-term injury. His two goals in consecutive matches against Club Brugge in the Champions League and Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga have showcased a maturity well beyond his years and earned him glowing praise from both Kompany and German legend Lothar Matthaus. Kompany, in particular, lauded the youngster’s mentality, stressing the importance of staying grounded amid the growing hype.

“He’s now scored two goals in a row, he’s having a good momentum,” Kompany said after Karl’s latest strike. “When there’s a lot of hype, which is normal at a club like Bayern, the key is to have a calm entourage and to keep working. And when there’s criticism, you keep doing the same thing. Then everything will be fine for Lenny.” Matthaus has gone one step further, comparing Karl’s playing style and mentality to Musiala, suggesting the youngster could become Bayern’s next homegrown superstar if managed correctly.

Matthaus wrote in his Sky Sports column that Kompany’s faith in the player will be key: “Can Karl follow the path Jamal Musiala took before him? The possibilities are there; it’s up to the player himself, and he needs a coach who trusts him. I think Kompany trusts him based on recent performances and isn’t afraid to bench a senior player for him.” With Bayern extending Kompany’s contract until 2029, the youngster looks set to benefit from a stable developmental environment in Munich — one that may deter potential Premier League suitors in the short term.

Karl’s playing style makes him very adaptable

Karl’s technical and physical attributes make him one of the most complete teenagers in Europe. Standing just under 5ft 6in allows him to navigate tight spaces and break defensive lines with ease. Comfortable across the attacking midfield line but most dangerous when cutting in from the right onto his stronger left foot, Karl’s playing style has drawn comparisons to Arjen Robben, particularly after his curling strike against Gladbach mirrored the Dutch legend’s signature move.

His quick rise through Bayern’s academy is no coincidence. Having joined the club’s youth system at 14, Karl has amassed over 30 goals and 10 assists across his U17 and U19 seasons. Scouts from England’s top clubs reportedly view him as a player who fits seamlessly into modern Premier League football — technically gifted, tactically versatile, and confident in possession. The hype has also been amplified by Bayern’s flawless start to the season, with Karl’s contributions helping the team equal AC Milan’s European record of 13 consecutive wins across all competitions.

Behind the scenes, Bayern have already secured Karl’s long-term future. Kicker reports that his current deal includes an automatic clause that will convert his youth contract into a multi-year professional deal when he turns 18 in February 2026, ensuring a significant salary increase.

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Getty Images SportKarl remaining focused on Bayern for now

For now, Karl’s focus remains firmly on Bayern Munich’s ongoing campaign, with the club eyeing a historic domestic and European double. His next challenge will be maintaining consistency in a squad stacked with attacking talent.

Karl claimed that he wants to establish himself at Bayern regardless of first-team minutes: "I really want to establish myself here at Bayern … I always want to play and prove myself, whether it's with the first team, the U19s or the U17s. I intend to always give my all in order to continue to develop."

However, Kompany is expected to continue easing him into the lineup gradually, balancing opportunities for growth with the need to protect the teenager from excessive press

Tom Taylor continued his excellent form with another four wickets as Worcestershire bowled Warwickshire out for 227 on the opening day of their Rothesay County Championship match at Visit Worcestershire New RoadTaylor took four for 37 as Warwickshire, having been strongly placed at 161 for two thanks to Sam Hain (86 from 152 balls) and Tom Latham (59, 153), lost their last eight wickets fell for 66 runs.Worcestershire then rounded off a very satisfactory day’s work by reaching a composed 53 without loss with Jake Libby on 39 (54) and Gareth Roderick 13 (42).Warwickshire chose to bat but had to work hard for runs in the morning session as the seamers found plenty of lateral moment. Rob Yates perished to the seventh ball of the day, Taylor’s first, when he edged an attempt to force through the offside to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick. Alex Davies fell to the 118th when he was pinned plumb lbw by Matthew Waite.Latham and Hain retrenched, the former solidly, the latter sketchily at first before settling into some glorious shots, notably sixes down the ground off Taylor and pulled off Ethan Brookes. The third-wicket pair batted diligently to add 109 in 32 overs and were moving their side into ascendancy when Worcestershire struck three big blows in seven overs.Brookes dismissed Latham with a lovely outswinger which took the edge through to the keeper and Beau Webster who sliced a drive to point. Ed Barnard, warmly applauded to the crease at his former home ground, soon returned to the pavilion nursing a 12-ball duck after edging Jacob Duffy to first slip.Hain passed 50 for the first time this season and was within 14 of building it into a century when he edged Waite to second slip. Henry Nicholls accepted that catch and another one 18 balls later when Kai Smith edged Taylor to first slip.Zen Malik dug in for a well-constructed 34 (58) which included a straight six off Waite to raise the 200 but his departure, lbw to Taylor, triggered the loss of the last three wickets for four runs in four balls. Taylor trapped Ethan Bamber in front and Chris Woakes, playing his first championship match of the season and only his tenth in seven years, edged Duffy to second slip.It was an excellent collective effort from the home seamers, led by Taylor who has taken 15 wickets in the first innings of the last four championship games.Worcestershire’s reply started at a gallop with 12 from the first over from Bamber. Against an attack including Woakes and Chris Rushworth, each playing their first game of the season after injury, openers Libby and Roderick put 50 on the board from 68 balls.

Never before has the expression dead man walking applied so aptly to a manager but, for now, Russell Martin remains in charge of Rangers.

The atmosphere at Ibrox last weekend was absolutely mutinous, with the Hearts supporters signing “you’re getting sacked in the morning”, only for the home fans, the ones who remained anyway, to join in.

That 2-0 defeat means the Light Blues have failed to win any of their first five league matches to start a season for the first time in 47 years and, should results go against them, they could be bottom of the Premiership by the time they’re next in action at Almondvale against Livingston on 28 September.

Before then, Hibernian will be the visitors for a League Cup quarter-final on Saturday and, having lost just one of nine outings since the start of August, David Gray’s team will more than fancy their chances of victory.

Should the Hibees book their place at Hampden, the 49ers could be holding an emergency meeting by Saturday night, so which manager should they be targeting, if a vacancy were to arise soon, which appears the most-likely outcome?

The leading candidates to be the next Rangers manager

Right now, the two front-runners to succeed Martin at Ibrox are Steven Gerrard and Sean Dyche.

Gerrard would certainly be the populist choice, having been in charge of the club for 192 matches between 2018 and 2021.

The Englishman only won one trophy in charge of the club, but it was quite an important one, collecting the club’s sole Premiership title since 2011, crucially stopping Celtic from becoming the first Scottish side in history to achieve ten in a row.

Of course, other Rangers managers have had more trophy-laden stints in Govan, but Gerrard took over a complete mess and transformed the club, leading them into the Europa League group stages in four successive seasons, winning 12 qualifiers, victories that were so crucial both from a financial standpoint, but also re-establishing the club at continental level.

Gerrard laid the foundations for successor Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who guided the club to the Europa League Final just six months after Gerrard’s departure, as well as back into the Champions League group stages, so he could be the right man for what the club needs right now.

Dyche meantime, may well be the safe option, epitomising the archetypal safe pair of hands.

He has been out of work since being sacked by Everton in January, but is vastly experienced, taking charge of 557 fixtures as a manager to date, of which 332 have come in the Premier League.

However, given that the clubs on his CV are Watford, Burnley and the aforementioned Everton, it is difficult to forecast how Dyche’s methods would translate if he was coaching a top side in a division, albeit does that apply to tenth-placed Rangers?

Nevertheless, there might be another available English coach who could prove to be the best fit for this vacancy.

Who the 49ers should target for Rangers

Back in the summer, it was reported that Gary O’Neil was among the many candidates on the Rangers managerial shortlist.

The 49ers, of course, opted for Martin instead, but should they reignite their interest in the 42-year-old?

As a player, the central midfielder made 539 senior club appearances, representing Portsmouth and Middlesbrough over 100 times, as well as stints with West Ham, Norwich, Bristol City, Queens Park Rangers, Bolton, Cardiff and Walsall.

He then began his coaching career in charge of Liverpool’s youth teams, similar to the path followed by Gerrard, before moving to Bournemouth to be the assistant manager to Jonathan Woodgate and then Scott Parker.

When the latter was sacked, following a 9-0 annihilation at Anfield, O’Neil became a senior head coach for the very first time, leading Bournemouth to 15th place, enjoying historic victories over Liverpool and Tottenham.

Thus, there was widespread outcry when he was dismissed the following summer, replaced by Andoni Iraola, but he soon found himself another crisis club, this time in the Midlands.

In August 2023, just a few days before the start of the season, Julen Lopetegui resigned as Wolverhampton Wanderers manager, with O’Neil thereby taking the reins at Molineux, similarly guiding them to safety, ending the season with a respectable 46 points.

He was sacked by Wolves last December, after yielding just one point from the first eight Premier League fixtures, but the 42-year-old has shown himself adept at coming in and making an immediate impact at a club, as the table below documents.

O’Neil statistics

Season

Matches

Points-per-game

2022/23

34

1.06

2023/24

38

1.21

2024/25

16

0.56

Note: league games only

via Transfermarkt

Of course, O’Neil’s record at Wolves last season was pretty miserable but, as we’re seeing now, with the Old Gold rock-bottom of the Premier League table, yet to pick up a point, perhaps he wasn’t the problem at Molineux.

Ahead of a meeting between the two clubs, Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe labelled his opposite number “tactically astute”.

Meantime, speaking on Match of the Day in February 2024, Shay Given praised the “phenomenal” job O’Neil did at Wolves, given the difficult circumstances under which he was forced to work. He was even tipped to be the next England boss by Micah Richards.

In an interview with the Guardian this summer, O’Neil himself stated that he believes his team can be very “adaptable”, adding that he is capable of getting a “whole group of players from different cultures to buy into my way”.

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Both of those sound like the exact opposite of what Martin is doing in Glasgow right now, so perhaps O’Neil might be the perfect man for the job, having excelled mid-season and in crises before.

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Tottenham Hotspur continued their impressive start to life under Thomas Frank with a 3-0 win over West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday.

Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergval, and Micky van de Ven scored the goals for the Lilywhites to claim all three points against their London rivals, taking them to three wins from four matches.

One thing Spurs have not had so far this season, though, is an academy graduate playing any minutes in the Premier League, as they are still looking for their next Harry Kane.

Why Spurs need to find their next Harry Kane

Not every supporter will feel this way, or as strongly as others do, but it can be a source of pride to have a player from the team’s academy shining week-in-week-out. One of their own.

Kane was the ultimate version of that. He burst through the academy and loan systems to emerge as an incredible performer, moving on from North London in 2023 with a club-record 280 goals in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

As well as being one of their own, England’s all-time top scorer was also the king of derby day for Tottenham with an impressive goalscoring record against Arsenal.

Kane achieved all of this, though, after he scored two goals for Leicester City, five goals for Leyton Orient, nine goals for Millwall, and no goals for Norwich City on loan before his first-team breakthrough, per Transfermarkt.

With this in mind, Spurs may be brewing their next version of Kane in one of their current young talents who are struggling out on loan at the moment, Mikey Moore.

Why Mikey Moore is the next Harry Kane in the making for Spurs

The 18-year-old winger was sent out on loan to Glasgow Rangers during the summer transfer window, but has not had the best start to life north of the border.

In five appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, Moore has yet to find the back of the net and his only assist came against Alloa Athletic, a lower league outfit in the League Cup, per Transfermarkt.

The England youth international has not hit the ground running for Russell Martin’s team at Ibrox, particularly in the Scottish Premiership, since completing his first loan move away from Spurs.

25/26 Premiership

Mikey Moore

Appearances

3

Starts

2

Shots on target

0

Goals

0

Key passes

1

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

Dribble success rate

17%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Moore has struggled in his first three league outings for Rangers, with no shots on target and no ‘big chances’ created for his team.

The 18-year-old talent is still finding his way at first-team level, though, and these are negative experiences that will provide the harsh lessons that he will need to learn from to kick on and progress, as Kane did after struggling in his loan spells away from Tottenham.

Moore, who analyst Ben Mattinson claimed has “superstar potential”, caught the eye at academy level for Spurs with a return of 19 goals and 13 assists in 24 matches for the U19s, per Transfermarkt.

These statistics show that the English youngster has the potential to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis, but it is down to him to start to show that in the first-team when he returns from Rangers next summer.

Spurs will be hoping that Moore, who has scored one goal for Tottenham’s first-team, uses the 2025/26 campaign as a big learning experience to teach him what to and what not to do at senior level as a regular starter.

Kane used his time at Millwall, Norwich, Leyton Orient, and Leicester to propel him to glory in the first-team, and Moore may well be on his way to following the England captain’s footsteps.

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At the age of 18, the winger has so much time left ahead of him to grow and develop. Hopefully, he will eventually be able to star for Spurs as their first-choice left winger in the future.

CA chief executive Todd Greenberg expressed “disappointment” that the final could not be played at Adelaide Oval

Alex Malcolm14-Mar-2025

South Australia’s bid to host the Sheffield Shield final at Adelaide Oval has been blocked by the AFL with the decider to be played at Karen Rolton Oval as it was originally scheduled.The South Australia Cricket Association and South Australia premier Peter Malinauskas had led a public push to play the final at Adelaide Oval after South Australia locked in hosting rights with a win over Victoria last Sunday.Cricket Australia had originally expected the final to be played at Karen Rolton Oval, starting on March 26, given the drop-in pitches had already been removed from Adelaide Oval for the start of the AFL season. But CA were happy to support Malinauskas and the SACA in their bid to stage the game at the iconic venue which would have required to match to be moved forward two days to start on Monday March 24 to allow for Adelaide Oval’s ground staff to drop a single pitch into the middle of the venue the day after an AFL game that will staged there on Saturday March 22.Related

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The AFL had initially stated it was open to cooperating to allow cricket to use the venue but that changed when concerns were raised about the condition of the playing surface for the footballers if a pitch was dropped in and then removed again on Saturday March 26, the day after the five-day final had been played, before another AFL game was set to take place on the ground on Sunday March 27.CA chief executive Todd Greenberg issued a statement expressing frustration that the final would not be played at Adelaide Oval.”We are disappointed South Australia has been prevented from hosting the Sheffield Shield final at Adelaide Oval,” Greenberg said.”The Sheffield Shield final is a significant event for Australia’s national sport, and we believe Adelaide Oval would have been the most appropriate venue.”I would like to thank Premier Malinauskas for his advocacy in this matter and his passionate support of cricket and the South Australia Cricket Association which made an extremely compelling case to host the final at Adelaide Oval.”March is a very important month for cricket including the Sheffield Shield and Premier and club cricket finals.”We will continue to work collaboratively at all levels to ensure cricket gains and provides appropriate access to shared venues across the country.”Malinauskas had earlier in the week told 5AA radio in Adelaide that his office had received a “galling” request from an AFL “entity”, likely one of the Adelaide based AFL clubs, for financial insurance cover in case an AFL player was injury due to the surface being unstable if the Shield final was staged at the ground.”We have received a request, it’s not from cricket, I won’t say what entity it is in footy,” Malinaskas said.”What I would say is we are asking for people to act rationally and pragmatically in the interest of fans.”I’ve got to say it’s a little bit galling that people are trying to use an opportunity to look after fans as an opportunity to slug the taxpayer and I won’t be having it.”I’m not naming any names, I’m just saying my government is not going to be giving cash so they get out of the way of something everybody thinks should happen.”The Shield final has not been hosted at a multipurpose venue in Australia since 2012 due to the encroachment of the AFL season into the month of March, which had notionally been a cricket month in Australia as Greenberg alluded to.South Australia is hosting their last home and away game at Karen Rolton Oval this weekend against Queensland while the Adelaide Crows will host their first AFL game of the season at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia and Victoria are all vying for the other spot in the final as the final Shield round begins on Saturday.

Alexander Isak has achieved greatness at Newcastle United, bestowing upon Tyneside a new form of striker over the past three years and crowning his journey with a triumphant Carabao Cup campaign last year.

He scored in that Wembley final against Liverpool, but it’s the Reds who the Sweden star may well be playing for this time next month, with FSG having seen a £110m offer rejected last week. They are primed to jump back in.

Isak’s goals have helped Newcastle along to Champions League-qualifying campaigns in two of the previous three Premier League terms, and he reached a new level last year, his complete and destructive performances at the front of the pitch leading pundit Jamie Carragher to name him “the best striker in the Premier League.”

Replacing him will be no easy feat, but that is the present task of new technical director Sudarshan Gopaladesikan, who has overseen a first formal offer for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

Newcastle pushing for new centre-forward

Though Sesko’s future remains up in the air, Newcastle are engaged in a direct tussle with Manchester United for the Slovenian striker, and both Premier League clubs have placed bids.

There’s a growing sense that the Red Devils are encouraged in their pursuit, which could lead to Eddie Howe being forced into seeking alternative options once again.

It’s been a testing transfer window for the Toon, who have missed out on any number of top targets. Anthony Elanga was signed from Nottingham Forest for £55m, ending an interminable search for a right-sided forward, but more is clearly needed.

Well, according to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, Newcastle have engaged in club-to-club talks with Chelsea for striker Nicolas Jackson, who is surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge following the latest overload of arrivals there.

Man United are also keen on the Senegalese, but would not move ahead with a deal should they secure Sesko’s signature this month.

Jackson is thought to be valued at £70m by his employers.

Why Newcastle could sign Nicolas Jackson

Chelsea signed Jackson from Villarreal in 2023, and he has since made steady progress on English shores. Sure, he’s ebbed and he’s flowed, but the mobile striker has proven himself in the Premier League across two campaigns, capable of sustaining runs of prolific form.

However, there’s no denying that the 24-year-old needs to be more consistent. Although you wonder whether he would find more stable soil underneath his feet at St. James’ Park, for he would be entrusted with the leading role in Howe’s frontline, flanked by Elanga and the ever-dangeous Anthony Gordon, who may well be promoted to talismanic status if Isak leaves.

Sesko, 22, is a talented number nine, but he’s hardly proven on the grandest stage, and his return of 27 goals and seven assists across 64 Bundesliga matches aligns quite similarly to Jackson’s haul in the Premier League.

24/25 – Chelsea

30 (28)

10

5

23/24 – Chelsea

35 (31)

14

5

22/23 – Villarreal

26 (16)

12

4

21/22 – Villarreal

9 (0)

1

0

Sesko, indeed, scored 13 goals across 33 matches in the Bundesliga last year, and on the basis of the evidence, is there really a concrete chance that he would bring a surpassing level of central striking threat to Howe’s project?

Moreover, Jackson developed his goalscoring potential as a foreigner in La Liga, as was the case with Isak at Real Sociedad. This linearity of progress emphasises Newcastle’s interest, and indeed why they could do a lot worse than sign the Chelsea striker.

Praised for his “special” skills by journalist Rahman Osman, Jackson is also more dynamic across the board, technically and physically. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 18% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for pass completion, the top 17% for progressive carries, the top 21% for assists and the top 22% for shot-creating actions per 90.

Clearly, he’s got the wide-ranging qualities to make a real difference at Newcastle, should Isak leave. The Sweden striker is, after all, his most statistically comparable player, according to the data-driven website.

Thus, he could become the Tyneside outfit’s ready-made replacement, combining with the squad’s existing wide forwards to maintain a sense of fluency and oneness that Howe has so carefully woven together since replacing Steve Bruce at the helm.

For example, Gordon should stay, but it’s actually Elanga who could combine with Jackson over the coming years to become Howe’s latest Isak-Gordon duo.

Gordon is a high-speed winger, and Elanga considers himself to be “one of the fastest players in the league.” Across two campaigns with Forest, he has posted 11 goals and 21 assists across all competitions, instrumental in securing European football last season.

Though Jacob Murphy has plied such fine work on the right wing, this injection of depth will only be a good thing for a Toon team on the up.

The likes of Elanga and Gordon playing either side of Jackson might just prove to restore a sense of fluency that will seem to many to be lost if Isak does leave for Anfield.

Yes, Jackson could be cooler, more composed in the final third at times, but his overall play and athleticism and energy make a firm comment on his place at the Premier League’s round table of star strikers.

Is Howe not one of the finest managers and tacticians in the game? He will surely fashion a new partnership for the ages in Elanga and Jackson.

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Jaiswal moved back to third among batters while Mehidy is now the third-ranked allrounder

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2024Kagiso Rabada has leapfrogged Jasprit Bumrah, R Ashwin and Josh Hazlewood to go top of the ICC men’s Test bowling rankings after his nine-wicket haul in South Africa’s first Test against Bangladesh.Rabada took three wickets in Bangladesh’s first innings, becoming the fastest to 300 Test wickets in the process, and then returned figures of 6 for 46 as South Africa won their first Test in Asia since 2014.Bumrah and Ashwin both had indifferent showings in India’s defeat to New Zealand in Pune, and the two also dropped below Hazlewood to sit third and fourth respectively in the latest rankings.Related

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Pakistan left-arm spinner Noman Ali also saw a big jump, moving up nine places to go eighth after his nine wickets in Rawalpindi. This is the first time he has entered the top ten of the Test bowlers’ rankings.Meanwhile, Rachin Ravindra and Saud Shakeel entered the top ten of the Test batting charts for the first time. Ravindra, who followed up his century in Bengaluru with a half-century in Pune, moved up eight spots to go tenth, while Shakeel shot up 20 places to reach seventh, following his 134 against England.Full rankings tables

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Yashasvi Jaiswal, who dropped behind Harry Brook temporarily, has moved back up to third place, after making 30 and 77 in Pune.Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who made a battling 97 in Bangladesh’s second innings in Mirpur, and claimed two wickets, moved up two slots to go third in the allrounder charts.