أعلنت مجلة “فرانس فوتبول” عن قائمة المدربين المرشحين لجائزة أفضل مدرب لفريق للرجال لعام 2024.

وتكشف “فرانس فوتبول” عبر حساباتها على وسائل التواصل الإجتماعي عن قوائم المرشحين لجائزة الكرة الذهبية “بالون دور 2024”.

اقرأ أيضًا | مباشر.. المرشحون لجائزة الكرة الذهبية 2024

ويعلن أيضًا عن المرشحين لجائزة أفضل مدرب للرجال وللسيدات، وأفضل نادِ للرجال والسيدات، جائزة كوبا لأفضل لاعب شاب، وجائزة ياشين لأفضل حارس مرمى 2024. المرشحون لجائزة أفضل مدرب 2024

تشابي ألونسو، باير ليفركوزن.

بيب جوارديولا، مانشستر سيتي.

جيان بييرو جاسبريني، أتالانتا.

لويس دي لا فوينتي، منتخب إسبانيا.

كارلو أنشيلوتي، ريال مدريد.

ليونيل سكالوني، منتخب الأرجنتين.

وقاد جوارديولا مانشستر سيتي للتتويج بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ودرع المجتمع الإنجليزي.

فيما قاد أنشيلوتي فريق ريال مدريد للقب الدوري الإسباني ودوري أبطال أوروبا والسوبر الأوروبي.

وقاد جاسبريني فريق أتالانتا للقب الدوري الأوروبي، وحقق تشابي موسمًا مميزًا مع باير ليفركوزن وتوج بالدوير الألماني وكأس ألمانيا.

ولويس دي لا فوينتي قاد منتخب إسبانيا للتتويج بكأس أمم أوروبا “يورو 2024″، أما سكالوني قاد الأرجنتين للقب كوبا أمريكا 2024.

The Red Dragons have let a number of household names go after reaching League One, and the United States' flagship competition must capitalise

Wrexham have done it again. The Red Dragons followed up their National League title success by finishing second in the 2023-24 League Two table, sealing a return to the third-tier of English football after a 19-year absence.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have completely transformed the Welsh club since completing their takeover back in February 2021, capturing the imagination of fans across the globe. The Hollywood owners' hands-on approach has also made them popular within the Wrexham dressing room, though some difficult decisions have had to be made regarding which players will be sticking around for the next stage of their remarkable journey.

The promotion celebrations were cut short for some last week, as Wrexham announced their retained list for 2024. Club-captain Ben Tozer and first-team skipper Luke Young were not offered new contracts, while Rob Lainton, Aaron Hayden, Jordan Tunnicliffe, Callum McFadzean, Owen Cushion and Dan Davies were also released, and now have to endure the uncertainty that comes with being part of the free agency pool.

It shouldn't take too long for Wrexham's eight castoffs to find new homes, though, especially if they are open to taking on a new challenge across the pond. MLS clubs have a huge chance to capitalise on the Red Dragons' unprecedented popularity in the United States by targeting these players in the summer transfer window, and would be foolish to pass it up.

Getty/FX'Welcome to Wrexham'

Reynolds and McElhenney's smartest move to date was getting the Disney and HBO documentary'Welcome to Wrexham' off the ground, which has helped them tap into a new audience. The ground-breaking series gives viewers a sneak peak into how the club is run, but also shines a light on the working-class town and how much the Red Dragons mean to the community.

American fans probably only tuned in out of curiosity initially, drawn in by the two Hollywood stars at the center of the project, but the fact 'Welcome to Wrexham' is already into its third series proves that they are now emotionally invested in the fate of the club. According to statistics for the past month from , the demand to watch the documentary is 17-times that of the average series in the U.S., and it is in the top 2.7 percent in its market.

'Welcome to Wrexham' was named the outstanding unstructured reality program at the 2023 Emmys, and Reynolds joined 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' star McElhenney on stage to accept the award as Deadpool – the world-renowned Marvel character he has now played in four different films (including 2009's -:Both men are marketing geniuses, which is why it has been suggested that 'Welcome to Wrexham' will run for at least two more seasons, and the players have all benefited from being inexorably tied to the American duo.

AdvertisementGetty/InstagramBecoming 'America's team'

There is no other club outside the Championship that enjoys the same level of publicity as Wrexham. Star names such as Paull Mullin, Elliot Lee, Tozer, Ollie Palmer and Thomas O'Connor have experienced new levels of fame, and at this point they are probably as well known in the United States as they are in Wales.

“There’s probably 5,000 U.S. households that have an annual subscription to watch Wrexham games live,” club director Shaun Harvey told in March. “In isolation that might not sound like a lot, but it’s a massive amount in comparison to the majority of other clubs in the EFL.”

Reynolds and McElhenney have also paid for two promotion parties in Las Vegas, and the squad have rubbed shoulders with more high-profile celebrities during the latest one, including Dutch DJ Tiesto and rapper Lil Jon – who wore a Wrexham scarf while performing at the Hakkasan nightclub.

“One of my intentions is to make Wrexham ‘America’s team.’ I don’t know why we couldn’t do that," McElhenney declared back in 2022. Just two years on, that goal no longer feels unrealistic.

Alexis Guerreros, co-host of CBS Sports Golazo’s ‘Morning Footy, is among those who feel the club is on the right path, as he said after seeing them get out of League Two at the first time of asking: “Wrexham and their TV show and their rise up the ranks is doing as much for soccer in America as probably the MLS is doing right now."

GettyMLS' big problem

According to data from between January 1 to April 14, 2024, Inter Miami are the only MLS side more popular than Wrexham in the United States, based on top searches. There are also just five MLS clubs who are more popular than the Red Dragons outside of their own state (Charlotte FC, New England Revolution, FC Cincinnati, DC United and Sporting KC), which shows that the country's top soccer competition is still struggling to generate national interest.

As great as Lionel Messi is, he can't carry MLS single-handedly. Miami are becoming a major force on and off the pitch due to his presence, but the rest of the division is now lagging behind, and jumping on the Wrexham bandwagon could be a way to start bridging the gap.

Five of the players that Red Dragons boss Phil Parkinson deemed surplus to requirements are aged 30 or over, but that doesn't mean they have nothing left to offer; Tozer was on Newcastle's books in the early stages of his career and McFadzean has extensive League One experience under his belt from spells at Sunderland, Crewe and Plymouth. Then there's 27-year-old Wolves academy graduate Hayden, who would have played more often in recent years had it not been for bad luck with injuries.

All three defenders could be useful squad players at MLS level, if not fully-fledged starters, but more importantly hold commercial value that could help boost the profile of a number of soccer franchises. The option to invest in potential is also there, with teenage duo Owen Cushion and Dan Davies now on the market, and it would be a great story for any club if they were able to turn either of the Wrexham boys into household names in the future.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyStrike while the iron's hot

Wrexham embarked on a pre-season tour of the U.S. in 2023, which was a huge success. Parkinson's side pulled off memorable wins over the LA Galaxy and Manchester United, and Americans from North Carolina to California turned up to the club's fan parks to pose next to cardboard cut-outs of Reynolds and McElhenney and sample Welsh cuisine.

The Red Dragons will be back again this summer for friendlies against Premier League sides Bournemouth and Chelsea, and will also be heading to Canada to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps. The tour will begin the day after MLS' primary transfer window opens, at which point Wrexham fever will be gripping the States once again, which may be the ideal time to swoop for their latest crop of released players.

Careful consideration must always go into filling international roster slots given MLS clubs are only allocated eight, but giving one to a Wrexham hero definitely wouldn't be a waste. Even if they didn't end up playing that many minutes, the potential marketing benefits alone justify the relatively small salary outlay.

They would have to move quickly, though, because players like Tozer, Young and Hayden will definitely attract interest from other lower-league English teams. All three could conceivably continue earning a living in League Two next season, but it's likely that any offer from MLS would turn their heads, and it makes sense to strike while the iron is still hot from Wrexham's latest promotion success.

Tottenham Hotspur currently sit in fifth place in the Premier League having won four of their past five matches, with the issues before the festive period now firmly behind them

Manager Ange Postecoglou was swiped from Scottish Premiership champions Celtic in the summer and proved himself to be a success with his early-season exploits, leading Spurs on a ten-match undefeated run that took them to top spot, before a skid in November – caused by injuries and suspensions – unravelled the progress.

Fine form over recent weeks has settled the equilibrium and the returns of stars such as Micky van de Ven and James Maddison from injury will leaven the implementation of Tottenham's already-exciting style.

Postecoglou hopes for reinforcements across the park and this looks like it might come to fruition with the imminent arrivals of centre-back Radu Dragusin and forward Timo Werner, but the work will not stop there.

Spurs transfer news – Lloyd Kelly

According to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, Tottenham continue to monitor versatile Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly after failing to convince the player to sign after presenting a £20m proposal to the Cherries.

The 25-year-old's contract at the Vitality Stadium is set to expire at the end of the campaign and there has been little sign of a renewal at this stage, meaning Spurs could soon pounce.

Serie A giants AC Milan and Juventus are also understood to have a "concrete interest" in Kelly, and given that foreign outfits are now fee to enter formal negotiations with the player, it might be wise for Spurs to make their move quickly to convince him to remain on English soil.

Lloyd Kelly's style of play

Journalist Jamie Weir has claimed that Kelly is "comfortable playing a high line, homegrown and has leadership qualities" and this is obviously essential for Postecoglou's scared-of-nobody system.

The £30k-per-week ace signed for Bournemouth from Bristol City in a £13m deal in 2019 and has since made 126 appearances for the south coast club, scoring two goals and supplying seven assists.

Former boss Scott Parker is among those to have been dazzled by Kelly's dynamic abilities, saying in 2022: "I think Lloyd Kelly has got the attributes and the ability to be a top Premier League centre-half. And I think we are blessed and very, very lucky to have someone of his quality, really.

"You take players like Lloyd probably for granted in the sense that he makes things look very effortless and easy."

Well, with Bournemouth achieving promotion in 2021/22, Kelly was able to showcase his skills on the major stage and indeed had a marked effect on the club's successful bid for survival last year, starting 23 times (not making more appearances due to injury), completing 81% of his passes, averaging 4.3 clearances per game and impressively succeeding with 60% of his duels.

As per FBref, Kelly ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for clearances and the top 19% for aerial duels won per 90, emphasising the zap in his defensive duties and the assuredness that he boasts in his defensive duties.

Lloyd Kelly: Key Characteristics

Strengths

Weaknesses

Ball retention

Crossing

Blocking

Tackling

Concentration

*Sourced via WhoScored

The Cherries star has even been hailed as a "Rolls-Royce" by Jonathan Woodgate and offers the confidence and spirit to slot right into Spurs' system, with his ease at left-back and in central defence only furthering the argument that he should be signed.

Genoa's Dragusin is sure to be arriving soon but that does not mean a player such as Kelly, scouted and available, should not follow him, especially considering Eric Dier's possible transfer to Bayern Munich.

Kelly offers the versatility to really make a difference, with a certain similarity in style to Manchester City titan Josko Gvardiol too.

How Lloyd Kelly compares to Josko Gvardiol

Manchester City signed Gvardiol from RB Leipzig in a £78m deal in August having risen to prominence with his excellent performances with Croatia at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, having been hailed for his "fearless" efforts by pundit Rio Ferdinand.

Gvardiol, also left-footed, has made 15 appearances in the Premier League and perhaps gone somewhere under the radar with his displays, completing 88% of his passes despite often featuring at left-back, making 5.1 ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 54% of his duels.

Lloyd Kelly: Most Similar PL Players

#

Player

Club

1

Lisandro Martinez

Manchester United

2

Josko Gvardiol

Manchester City

3

Harry Maguire

Manchester United

4

Wesley Fofana

Chelsea

5

Joel Matip

Liverpool

*Sourced via Football Transfers

A creative and enterprising defender, the 21-year-old ranks among the top 6% of centre-backs for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for passes attempted, the top 4% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.

The £200k-per-week dynamo has also been dubbed a "Rolls-Royce" by journalist Zach Lowy and offers the multi-functional style to provide Pep Guardiola's intricate system with the fluency it needs in the backline, and Kelly could genuinely have something of a similar effect down the N17.

He's renowned for his combative ability and passing skills, and while Kelly cannot claim to be at the same level at this current moment, there is no question that the Bournemouth man offers attributes that would provide Postecoglou with a player of similar ilk.

With Destiny Udogie proving to be such a success down the left channel for Spurs this season, Kelly would hardly need to be brought in as a first-choice but the quality in depth is exactly what is required to prosper on the continental stage, which is where the Australian manager is indeed seeking to guide the Lilywhites.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero form a mighty defensive axis but both have been in and out of fitness and availability and it would be wise to sign Kelly to complete the backline, joining fellow arrival Dragusin as Spurs aim to conclude what would be a dream window from a defensive point of view.

MatériaMais Notícias

O início de ano está agitado para o Juventude. Após confirmar o seu acesso à elite do futebol nacional, o Jaconero trabalha de maneira incessante para fortalecer o elenco do técnico Marquinhos Santos.

+ Para fechar com chave de ouro: veja o time LANCE! para a última rodada no Cartola

Porém, a preocupação da diretoria não está resumida ao time principal. A categoria de base também recebe atenção e o volante Kelvi, de 18 anos, prolongou o seu contrato por mais três temporadas com o time gaúcho.

Ao site oficial do Ju, Kelvi não escondeu a sua alegria pelo vinculo renovado e espera mostrar cada vez mais o seu valor.

+ Super quinta! Veja os prováveis times para última rodada do Brasileirão

‘O sentimento é de gratidão. Muita felicidade por todo processo que passei aqui no Juventude, tudo que batalhei para chegar até aqui. É uma alegria muito grande estar renovando com o clube que me abraçou e que está me ensinando muitas coisas. Espero evoluir muito ainda, aproveitar esses treinos com o grupo profissional para crescer ainda mais e no futuro conquistar grandes coisas com essa camisa’.

RelacionadasOddsApostas: Cotações para Inter x CorinthiansOdds25/02/2021Futebol InternacionalMané admite que Liverpool não tem mais chances na Premier LeagueFutebol Internacional25/02/2021Ponte PretaTratado como promessa na Ponte Preta, Pedrinho vive expectativa por início do PaulistãoPonte Preta25/02/2021

Half-centuries from New South Wales openers Daniel Hughes and Nick Larkin helped the Blues push beyond 300 on a vital opening day against Tasmania in Hobart.Needing a victory to all-but assure a spot in the Shield final against Victoria the Blues were sent in on a Bellerive pitch that has been brutally tough to bat first on all season, but Hughes and Larkin weathered the incessant swing and seam movement to post a 99-run opening partnership.Hughes was particularly fluent, striking 11 boundaries as he passed 50 for the sixth time this season. He fell to an incredible reflex catch from Matthew Wade at first slip. Hughes edged a ball off the back foot from Jackson Bird straight to Alex Doolan at second slip, Doolan spilt the chance but Wade’s stunning reflexes scooped the rebound inches above the turf.Larkin’s vigil last much longer. He absorbed 153 balls for his 67 and lost his stand-in skipper Kurtis Patterson in the process before he guided an outside edge straight to Doolan at second slip off Simon Milenko.The allrounder also picked Moises Henriques in the same spell before Bird returned to remove debutant Nick Bertus to leave the Blues vulnerable at 5 for 189.But youngsters Jason Sangha and Jack Edwards steadied with a 74-run stand before both fell to the second new ball.Sangha was trapped lbw by Bird for a patient 37 to give him three wickets for the day and do his Ashes hopes no harm. Edwards struck six boundaries in a brisk 44 before edging Riley Meredith to first slip.That would be Tasmania’s last wicket of the day as debutant wicketkeeper Baxter Holt and Trent Copeland added an unbeaten 46 in less than 10 overs to take the Blues past 300 at stumps. Copeland reached 30 not out from just 31 balls with five boundaries and will have a licence to press further on day two.

Australia quick fit and firing for spell with Nottinghamshire as he seeks route back into Test side

Jon Culley14-Apr-2019Australia fast bowler James Pattinson is back in England at the start of an Ashes summer and, without making brash predictions, is clearly optimistic he can play a part, even though it is now more than three years since his last Test appearance.Pattinson played an impressive role in helping Victoria regain the Sheffield Shield at the end of the Australian season and believes his planned three-month stint with Nottinghamshire gives him the perfect opportunity to prove his form and fitness following major back surgery in November 2017.Pattinson, who turns 28 next month, was out of competitive cricket for 15 months before and after the operation, which was aimed at stopping the recurring stress fractures that threatened to end an injury-plagued career.He returned to Shield cricket last November and after a carefully managed comeback came into his own as the tournament reached its climax, culminating with seven wickets in the final as Victoria beat New South Wales. He was subsequently backed by his coach, Andrew McDonald, as an Ashes match-winner.”There is a long way to go before then and obviously there is a World Cup too,” Pattinson said after checking in at Trent Bridge on Saturday and facing immediate questions about his Ashes prospects.”It is about playing cricket and building up my strength and stamina. I didn’t bowl a heap of overs in the Shield games – I think the most was 26 overs in a game. So the next step is to see how I cope with more overs and see how my body responds.”But at the moment my back feels as good as it ever has. It is too early to be looking too far ahead but I feel it’s promising times.”A big bonus, Pattinson said, was how he felt after stepping off the plane. “I’ve just had a long flight and in the past after sitting around for so long it would be hard to get moving again,” he said. “I would need two or three days just to loosen up. But this time I’ve pulled up really well.”I haven’t had to do much different in the way I bowl. I have been managed carefully in terms of how many overs I have been able to bowl in Shield cricket and it has helped not having to bowl so many overs.”But I haven’t probably tested my back out fully yet to see what I can do and how many overs I can cope with.”He believes that the plans Nottinghamshire have for him could provide the ideal build-up to reaching that point.The county have up to 10 matches in the Royal London Cup before they return to Championship action on May 14. Pattinson was part of the Nottinghamshire team that won the 50-over competition by beating Surrey in the final at Lord’s in July 2017, which turned out to be his last cricket before surgery.”We’ve got a pretty heavy one-day schedule with eight games and potentially some finals in a short space of time but with not having to bowl more than 10 overs in any game you can plan and prepare quite well,” he said.”With four-day cricket you don’t know if you’re going to be playing 30 overs or 50 overs and it is hard to plan for sometimes. But a run of one-day games will hopefully put me in good stead for the longer spells.”Nottinghamshire rather hope that will prove to be the case. In just five Championship appearances in 2017, he took 32 wickets at 12.06.Pattinson paid tribute to the coaching staff at Victoria for the faith they have shown in him as he made his comeback.”Andrew McDonald, the coach, and the physio over there, Nick Adcock, have been awesome,” he said. “They have been a tremendous help to me in getting back to where I want to be and the Shield final was all the more special for being able to share it with the physios and coaches who have put a lot of faith in me.”Pattinson admitted there were moments before and after surgery when he wondered whether he would play again.”There are always those doubts, but there are a few guys who have had the same thing before me and they have come out the other side okay and that helped me stay optimistic,” he said. “But coming here in the taxi from the airport it came into my mind that at one time I sometimes thought I might never get back here.”I had a fantastic few months here the last time and had some success with a fantastic bunch of guys, so it is a great feeling to be here again.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be hoping to return to winning ways against West Ham United this afternoon following their recent 1-1 Premier League draw against Nottingham Forest.

Gary O’Neil’s men couldn’t add to Matheus Cunha’s equaliser against Forest and the 40-year-old will be looking for his side to be much more clinical against a team who have conceded 30 goals in the top flight this term – the joint fourth-worst defensive record.

The Old Gold will also need to improve defensively against West Ham and this could suggest that O’Neil may make a change or two to his backline.

O'Neil could ditch Jonny in Wolves swoop for "uncatchable" £10.3m "animal"

Wolves could make a few signings in the January transfer window to bolster their squad.

ByRoss Kilvington Dec 14, 2023

Hugo Bueno didn’t enjoy the finest of matches last weekend and the former Bournemouth manager might boldly ditch him for the match today.

Hugo Bueno’s game vs Nottingham Forest in numbers

The youngster was deployed on the left side of the midfield as O’Neil started the game with a 3-4-3 formation, and he was looking for Bueno and Nelson Semedo to provide some attacking output from the flanks in order to support the front three.

While the defender did show eagerness at getting on the ball, taking 69 touches during his time on the pitch, his end product was often wasteful, and he registered a pass success rate of only 70%.

Bueno also lost possession of the ball on 20 occasions while winning just three of his eight duels contested, showing his weakness in one-on-one battles during the match.

With O’Neil looking for him to get forward as often as possible, the Spaniard only delivered one successful cross, and he succeeded with 33% of his dribble attempts, indicating that he didn’t exactly provide a reliable attacking source.

The 21-year-old received a match rating of just 6/10 for his performance by journalist Liam Keen from the Shropshire Star and there will be a change for the clash against the Irons.

Rayan Ait-Nouri could replace Hugo Bueno

The Algerian has been missing since suffering an injury against Fulham last month, yet he could be fit for the tie against the Irons today and this would be a major boost for the side.

The 22-year-old has started 12 Premier League matches so far this season, averaging 0.8 key passes per game along with succeeding with 1.5 dribbles per game and being dribbled past just 0.4 times per game, indicating that he has impressed across a range of performance metrics.

With fixtures coming up against West Ham, Chelsea, Brentford and Everton, O’Neil will be aiming for at least two or three wins and this could significantly bolster their top-half ambitions.

Ditching Bueno today would be a wise move and while Ait-Nouri is fighting back to 100% fitness, he could be given a start against David Moyes’ men.

The Molineux outfit have been impressive in spells across the top flight this term, enjoying excellent wins over Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, yet consistency issues have plagued their campaign.

If the Algerian left-back is ready to be unleashed in the starting XI this afternoon, O’Neil must give him a chance to start from the first whistle and boldly drop Bueno to the bench.

The January transfer window officially opened for business at the start of last week and Liverpool continue to be linked with players who could bolster their squad.

Liverpool transfer news – Hayden Hackney

It has been reported by The Standard that the Reds are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Middlesbrough central midfielder Hayden Hackney.

The outlet has named Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool as three of the teams eyeing up the England U21 international, whilst Tottenham Hotspur are also set to join the race for his signature.

However, they may have to wait until the summer to strike an agreement with the Championship side, who will only sell if a 'sensational' bid comes in this month.

Jurgen Klopp must now push for the Reds to sign Hackney, whether it is financially viable this month or – if not – in the summer, as he could develop into a big upgrade on Wataru Endo.

Endo's season in numbers

Liverpool signed the Japan international from Stuttgart last summer and the experienced defensive midfielder has been a solid addition to the squad.

However, he turns 31 next month and Klopp may want to bring in a player with the potential to play at the base of the midfield in the long-term.

Endo has made 15 appearances in the Premier League so far this season and has averaged 1.7 tackles and interceptions combined and 2.8 ball recoveries per match, alongside a duel success rate of 44%.

The £50k-per-week enforcer has also completed 4.86 progressive passes and 0.52 progressive carries per 90 respectively, and does not rank higher than the top 38% of his positional peers in the top-flight in either statistic.

The statistics that show why Liverpool should sign Hackney

Meanwhile, Hackney's form for Middlesborough in the Championship suggests that the potential is there for him to offer more in that area of the pitch.

The 21-year-old ace, who is nine years younger than Endo, has made 2.2 tackles and interceptions and 7.7 ball recoveries per game across 16 league outings this season.

Appearances

Five

Sofascore rating

7.26

Goals

One

Assists

One

Ball recoveries

36

This suggests that, if he can make the step up to the Premier League and replicate similar numbers, the Boro star could win possession back for the team far more frequently than the Japan international.

Hackney, who analyst Ben Mattinson hailed as "progressive" and a "controller", also has the quality on the ball to influence matches with his passing.

The 5 foot 10 dynamo currently ranks within the top 1% of Championship midfielders for progressive passes (8.19) and the top 19% for progressive carries (2.25) per 90 this season.

These statistics suggest that the Boro whiz could provide far more quality and progression in possession in comparison to Endo, who has not been outstanding by any stretch in that regard.

Hackney could make far more progressive passes and complete more carries each match to progress his team up the pitch, to go along with his potentially superior defensive capabilities.

Therefore, Klopp could unearth an upgrade on Endo by snapping up the Championship starlet and helping him to develop into a consistent Premier League operator.

Afghanistan rose from being 81 for 6 in the 18th over thanks to fifties from Asghar, Nabi, and Rashid as they beat Ireland by 109 runs

The Report by Varun Shetty08-Mar-2019

Aftab Alam gets a bear hug•AFP

Afghanistan turned the tables on Ireland, mounting a comeback of their own from 81 for 6, and sustaining it for the rest of the match to go 2-1 up with a game left in the series. Captain Asghar Afghan made yet another fifty that held the innings together, and his effort was backed by stalwarts Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan who made fifties of their own down the order as Ireland struggled to close yet another innings after being in a dominant position.Afghanistan made fewer runs than they had on Tuesday in the third ODI, but a bowling line-up strengthened by Aftab Alam, who took 4 for 25, ensured Ireland didn’t get anywhere near the target on the night. With only four batsmen getting into double-figures, Ireland lost by 109 runs. Mujeeb ur Rahman and Rashid – standing in during the bowling innings for the injured Asghar – took two wickets each.After William Porterfield had put them in, Afghanistan’s batsmen repeatedly paid the price for looking to play with hard hands on a slow surface. While it was Hazratullah Zazai’s mandate to be aggressive – and he was before Andy McBrine got him – the rest of the top order was guilty of not adapting. Noor Ali Zadran and Rahmat Shah were caught looking to force shots on the up through the off side, Ikram Ali Khil – coming in for Mohammad Shahzad – reached out and jabbed at a turning ball, and Gulbadin Naib went across the line to be lbw. At that point, Ireland’s bowlers had shared five wickets inside 14 overs. Najibullah Zadran’s watchfulness for 14 balls was an unlikely precursor to his dismissal – chipping one back to James Cameron-Dow, who would finish with 3 for 32 in his ten.Asghar hadn’t changed his style too much despite the wickets tumbling around him, surviving dangerously before nailing the occasional six. He had hit three and was striking at run-a-ball at 81 for 6, but soon picked a more mature approach.This was also what Nabi did at the other end. The pair assessed their scoring options, finding that using their feet against spin was the only way to drive effectively through the covers. Nabi in particular was scrumptious through the extra cover region throughout his innings, while also taking runs off the pacers through point when they dropped short. They put up 50 for the seventh wicket and just when it seemed like Ireland were feeling the pressure – the bowlers suddenly looked meek – they were offered a run-out opportunity that they duly took. Asghar was struggling and had no chance as Dockrell’s throw hit the stumps on the bounce. In the process, he took a tumble as well and injured the right side of his body, possibly in the bicep region.But soon enough, the pressure was back on Ireland. Nabi and Rashid didn’t look for any consolidation, sticking to targeting the straight boundaries until the 45th over. At that point, they took Rankin for three boundaries and showed the first signs of acceleration. Rashid went after Dockrell in the next over as well, carting him over extra cover for six, and pulling to the deep midwicket fence off consecutive deliveries.But Nabi holed out to long-off and sparked another collapse: 217 for 7 turned to 223 all out at the start of the 50th over.Chasing 224, Porterfield used a solid start to launch against Aftab in the sixth over. But his three fours in a row were immediately offset when the bowler switched to around the wicket and cramped him with a full ball. Porterfield didn’t look pleased at the decision, but his foot had been adjacent to leg stump when he was struck after missing on the flick.This was Afghanistan’s opening, and they capitalised almost immediately. Hero of the chase last match, Andy Balbirnie was the next of that long list of batsmen who were out pushing hard at deliveries from spinners. In Balbirnie’s case, it was second ball against Mujeeb, chipping one straight back to the bowler. Two balls later, Paul Stirling, who has swept well all series, dragged his heel out of the crease as he was beaten on a sweep. With toe on the crease, he was adjudged stumped. Inside eight balls, Ireland had lost their best batsmen and were 33 for 3.Afghanistan had Nabi, their second-highest run-scorer in ODIs, at No. 8 and Rashid at No. 9, both of whom have been in pressure situations across many of the world’s best leagues. Lacking that sort of depth down the order, Ireland had no choice but to slow down their scoring massively, unlike Afghanistan during their collapse.Simi Singh, who has batted in four positions in 13 ODIs, and who didn’t bowl on Friday, dug himself into a rut before looking to sweep Rashid to be bowled.With even Kevin O’Brien struggling to find boundaries, and an ever-slowing pitch, players who normally play supporting roles – George Dockrell, Stuart Poynter – were forced to try and up the rate. In both cases, this meant an easy target for the seamers. Gulbadin Naib’s slower ball slid under Dockrell’s step-out-and-heave, while Alam’s short ball came on too slow for Poynter who chopped on. Soon enough, Rashid had McBrine and in the 32nd over, O’Brien chopped Alam on as well. Tim Murtagh opened the prospect of some drama, putting Alam on a hat-trick next ball, but what we would get was a tame end to a toothless chase four overs later.

Manchester United are expected to bring in new players this month and are now reportedly in the hunt for a midfielder who has earned some fairly lofty comparisons, according to a new report.

Manchester United's January plans

In what will be a major relief to most supporters, the transfer window is now firmly underway and Manchester United will have the opportunity to tool up with new additions as they aim to improve on their indifferent Premier League campaign so far under Erik ten Hag.

Back in December, the Dutchman indicated that his squad would be stronger after the window once several players return from injury and arrivals come through the door, as he stated: "The current squad I am happy, as we get our players back, we have a good squad. A lot of the way it went in the first season, the reasons behind because many players were not available. I am sure when all players on board it looks different, Casemiro, [Lisandro] Martinez, [Mason] Mount, we will be much stronger after the window."

Premier League Table: Latest EPL standings for 2024/25 season

Stay up to date with the English Premier League standings after matchday 33.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025

Midfield has been earmarked as an area that the Red Devils could look to strengthen and it is believed that a potential deal for Atalanta's Ederson could now ramp up over the next few days, as per latest reports. Contact has already been made with the Brazilian's entourage to discuss the conditions of a deal and he is seen as a 'promising name' within the walls of Old Trafford as the Red Devils aim to add to their options in the engine room.

Now, a lesser-known player has appeared as a target for Manchester United as they begin to ramp up their transfer activity under Ten Hag's leadership.

Manchester United want Oscar Zambrano

According to Ecuadorian outlet El Futbolero, Manchester United are keen on LDU Quito star Oscar Zambrano, who has been heralded inside Old Trafford as someone with similarities to Chelsea Moises Caicedo.

Oscar Zambrano key statistics in 2023 – LigaPro Serie A (Sofascore)

Accurate passes per game

37.2 (91%)

Accurate passes per game in own half

14.8 (94%)

Tackles per game

1.2

Balls recovered per game

4.3

Average match rating

6.93/10

Luton Town and Brighton & Hove Albion are also believed to be interested in the 19-year-old gem; however, the Red Devils do not want to repeat their previous mistake of failing to sign up his Ecuadorian counterpart Caidedo after they failed to bring the enforcer to Old Trafford earlier in his career.

Rob Edwards' Hatters looked to previously be leading the chase for his signature and had even brought in a top agency to try and seal a deal; however, the Red Devils will now provide some stiff competition in the hunt for the ex-Ajax trialist.

United have lacked drive in midfield this term and Zambrano could offer some dynamism in the middle of the park should he end up moving to Old Trafford.