Marco Rose has confirmed RB Leipzig's stance on selling Benjamin Sesko this January amid reports of Arsenal making an opening bid for the striker.
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Arsenal make opening bid for SeskoRB Leipzig not keen on letting striker leaveRose confirms that Sesko will remain at RB LeipzigFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?
Arsenal's season has been impacted heavily by the lack of a proper number nine with Kai Havertz struggling and Gabriel Jesus out for a long spell after sustaining a serious knee injury. As such, Mikel Arteta has been keen to sign a striker in January as the Gunners in a bid to boost their Premier League and Champions League title hopes.
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On Wednesday, it was revealed that Arsenal had submitted an official bid to RB Leipzig for Sesko. However, the Bundesliga side were said to be unwilling to sell the striker, rated at £70 million ($86m) by Leipzig's top brass. Head coach Rose has now doubled down on the club's commitment to keep the Slovenian at Red Bull Arena until the end of the season.
gettyWHAT ROSE SAID
When questioned by Sky Germany's Philipp Hinze whether it was still the case that Sesko wouldn't be sold this month, Rose simply responded: "Yes, that’s still the case!"
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The Slovenian striker has had an average first half of the season as he has only found the back of the net on 14 occasions in 26 matches. As such, Rose will be keen to unlock Sesko's best form as RB Leipzig look to qualify in the Champions League-paying positions.
Says Morgan and Southee have no “right to take moral high ground” regarding overthrow incident
Sidharth Monga30-Sep-202110:29
Chopra: Spirit of cricket is mythical, not worth debating
R Ashwin has said he didn’t know the ball had deflected off Rishabh Pant’s body when he took the overthrow that offended the Kolkata Knight Riders fielders. Ashwin, however, defended his right to take the overthrow even if he knew it had deflected off a batter’s body. The incident in the 19th over of Delhi Capitals’ match against Knight Riders caused an on-field confrontation between Ashwin and Knight Riders’ Tim Southee and Eoin Morgan. Ashwin tweeted that Morgan called him a disgrace for taking that overthrow.Related
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Deflected overthrow causes tempers to flare in Capitals-KKR match
Overthrows off a batter’s body is a peculiar arrangement in cricket. These runs are perfectly legal under the laws of the game, but batters usually don’t run for these extra runs if the ball deflects off their body. Having said that, if the deflection rolls away into the boundary, the umpires have no choice but to award those extra runs, which the batters can’t decline.In a series of tweets on Thursday, Ashwin first narrated the sequence of events and then said Southee and Morgan had no “right to take the moral high ground”.
In a series of tweets earlier today, R Ashwin narrated the sequence of events in the game against #KKR and said that the players should not be vilified if they are not playing according to a certain section's way of looking at it#IPL2021
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 30, 2021
“1. I turned to run the moment I saw the fielder throw and dint know the ball had hit Rishabh,” Ashwin tweeted. “2. Will I run if I see it!? Of course I will and I am allowed to. 3. Am I a disgrace like Morgan said I was? Of course NOT.”Ashwin raised the larger point of different interpretations of the spirit of cricket, and that the players should not be vilified if they are not playing according to a certain section’s way of looking at it. “There are millions of cricketers with several thought processes that play this great game to make it their careers, teach them that an extra run taken due to a poor throw aimed to get you out can make your career and an extra yard stolen by the non striker can break your career,” Ashwin tweeted.”Do not confuse them by telling them that you will be termed a good person if you refuse the run or warn the non striker, because all these people who are terming you good or bad have already made a living or they are doing what it takes to be successful elsewhere.”Give your heart and soul on the field and play within the rules of the game and shake your hands once the game is over. The above is the only ‘spirit of the game’ I understand.”Ashwin has previously divided opinion by running out non-strikers who leave their crease before he has let the ball go. Again, it is a dismissal that is perfectly legal under the laws of cricket – in fact, a change in the ICC playing conditions in 2011 facilitated this dismissal – but a host of cricketers criticised Ashwin for it.
As Matt O’Riley packed his bags for Brighton at the climax of the window, those of a Celtic persuasion may well have been fearing the worst for the season ahead, with the Old Firm giants having lost such an influential figure in the heart of the midfield.
The former MK Dons playmaker had been simply masterful in 2023/24 after registering 19 goals and 18 assists in just 49 games in all competitions, taking his total tally for the club to 62 goals and assists in 124 outings.
Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley.
A £25m talent such as that is hard to replace, not least for a fraction of the cost, but to the Hoops’ credit, they do look to have recruited effectively in order to fill that creative void.
To steal a phrase from Moneyball, Brendan Rodgers and co appear to have replaced the Denmark international ‘in the aggregate’, rather than with one sole purchase, bringing in three permanent additions in those attacking midfield berths in the form of Luke McCowan, Paulo Bernardo and Arne Engels.
Despite a shaky showing away at Ross County last time out – in which the Belgian was hooked on the hour mark as the visitors trailed – it has been a particularly solid start to life in Glasgow for that man, Engels.
Arne Engels' start at Celtic
As stated, the former Augsburg starlet – who signed on a club-record £11m deal in the wake of O’Riley’s exit – was far from at his best last time out, having notably squandered possession on 15 occasions in what was a rather anonymous showing.
That said, from just seven appearances for the club thus far, the 21-year-old boasts a promising return of two goals and three assists in all competitions – a fine way to begin repaying that sizeable transfer fee.
That haul of five goal involvements places Engels alongside the likes of Alistair Johnston and Callum McGregor among the Celtic ranks, with the club captain notably also starring in the midfield, with four goals and one assist thus far.
Only Kyogo Furuhashu (six goal involvements), Daizen Maeda (eight goal involvements) and Nicolas Kuhn (14 goal involvements) have contributed to more goals to the side so far, indicating just how effective both Engels and McGregor have been in the centre of the park.
Their record is, however, being matched or bettered by a former Parkhead star who is currently shining away from the club, having been allowed to leave under Ange Postecoglou on a free.
Olivier Ntcham's season so far
Described as “highly gifted” and a player who “has everything” by Rodgers upon his arrival at Celtic Park from Manchester City back in 2017, Olivier Ntcham went on to enjoy a successful four-year stint at the club, winning nine domestic trophies in all in that time.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.
After chalking up 37 goals and assists in 124 games for the club across all fronts, the Cameroon international eventually opted to move in the summer of 2021, having previously spent a half-season on loan at Ligue 1 side, Marseille.
Despite Postecoglou’s suggestion that Ntcham wanted to stay put in Glasgow, the midfielder eventually departed following the expiry of his contract, moving on to Swansea City in England’s second tier.
Olivier Ntcham
That stint yielded 18 goal involvements in 82 games, although it is at current side Samsunspor where the 28-year-old has truly found his feet, after arriving in Turkey back in 2023.
Since then, the French-born maestro has registered ten goals and one assist in just 35 games, having particularly impressed in the early knockings of this season.
Much like McGregor, Ntcham has scored four times – and contributed one assist – in eight Super Lig outings, ensuring he has surpassed Engels’ return in front of goal.
As club legend Chris Sutton stated, the one-time Genoa man’s career was “on the drift” during his final days at Celtic, with it pleasing to see that he has now found his feet elsewhere.
8 games (8 starts)
4 goals
1 assist
1 ‘big chance’ created
0.9 key passes*
85% pass accuracy*
0.3 interceptions*
1.3 tackles*
6.1 balls recovered*
1.5 successful dribbles*
52% total duels won*
11.8x possession lost*
A player who could produce moments of magic in his pomp – including that winner against Lazio – Ntcham certainly had enjoyed a level of success in a Celtic shirt, albeit while enduring something of a turbulent end to his time in Scottish football.
Alas, he is now thriving in pastures new, while Celtic, meanwhile, look set to maintain their domestic dominance backed by a new crop of exciting midfield assets.
Got Soro instead: Celtic once wanted to sign a £27m star in the making
The Hoops were interested in a deal to sign the midfielder from the Premier League.
Hard-hitting batter joins Naveen-ul-Haq at Grace Road for 2022 season
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2021Rahmanullah Gurbaz will join his fellow Afghanistan international Naveen ul-Haq at Grace Road next season, after signing for Leicestershire for their Vitality Blast campaign.Gurbaz, who turns 20 next month, scored a 37-ball 46 in Afghanistan’s 130-run victory over Scotland on Monday, including four sixes.He made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe in 2019, aged 17, and has since scored 492 runs at 35.14 with a best of 87 and a strike-rate of 141.78.In domestic T20 cricket, that strike-rate rises to 152.85, and he is also a capable wicketkeeper, having deputised for Mohammad Shahzad on a number of occasions in his short Afghanistan career.”It has always been my dream to play county cricket,” Gurbaz said. “I can’t wait to join the Foxes at the Uptonsteel County Ground and from the moment I heard that there was interest, it was an easy decision to make.”Naveen spoke so highly of the Club and I was desperate to be part of that and show the fans what I can do.”Head Coach Paul Nixon added: “We have been keeping a very close eye on Rahmanullah [Gurbaz] for a couple of years now.”Rahmanullah is one of the most exciting young players in the modern game, his 360-degree clean power hitting ability is to be marvelled at.”He has a class and a raw power fused into his game and it creates match-winning abilities.”
Graeme Murty’s Sunderland U-21s had until last week endured a difficult start to the season. In their first five games in the Premier League 2, the Black Cats picked up just four points and were left dangling dangerously near the bottom of the table.
Things, however, have been looking up in recent weeks, with Murty’s side having won all of their last three games in all competitions. First, they beat Lyon Reserves in the Premier League International Cup, before they then thrashed Derby 6-0 in the league. Earlier this week, they then made it three wins on the trot with an impressive 3-2 victory over Huddersfield U-21s in the Premier League Cup.
One man who has been integral to Sunderland’s change in fortunes has been striker Aaron Connolly, who joined the club in late September on a one-year deal. He bagged a goal against Derby on his debut and then scored twice in the win over Huddersfield. Speaking after the victory at the John Smith’s Stadium, Murty expressed his delight at Connolly’s impact.
“He’s a very good finisher, you see that in training all the time, but for him to do that today and last week, as you said, it shows that he’s going to be a threat,” said the Scot. “He was supposed to come off at sixty [minutes], but he wanted to stay on which is brilliant for us and it’s a great example for the young players.”
Murty could leave soon
Earlier this week, National League side Hartepool United sacked manager Darren Sarll after just 15 games in charge. Under Sarll, the Pools had won just four of their 13 league games this season. The club currently sit 16th in the league as a result of their poor form.
After Sarll’s departure, it was suggested on social media that Hartlepool United were taking an interest in Murty. Those reports have now been addressed by BBC journalist Rob Law, who has shared an update on the chances of Murty filling the vacant position.
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“Understand the 49-year-old, who was born in Saltburn, has a desire to step back into a first team role & would be interested,” Law wrote in a post on X, the platform previously known as Twitter. Law added, however, that Murty “is just one name under consideration by the club”.
Murty’s managerial story
Murty, who spent most of his playing days with York City and Reading, moved into management in 2016 when he was appointed as the head coach of Scottish Premiership club Rangers’ development squad.
The following year, he stepped in twice as the first-team’s caretaker boss after the sackings of first Mark Warburton and David Weir then later Pedro Caixinha. After an impressive second spell as caretaker, he was then handed the role permanently until the end of the season. The former Scotland international was sacked before the campaign concluded, however, shortly after his side suffered an embarrassing 5-0 defeat at the hands of their biggest rivals, Celtic.
He later returned to his role in Rangers’ development squad before eventually leaving for Sunderland in 2022, where he’s since earned plaudits for his work with the U-21s.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson revealed the one thing Mo Salah "doesn't like to do" after seeing the Egyptian star bag a brace against Bournemouth.
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Liverpool beat Bournemouth in Premier LeagueSalah scores twice in winAlisson discusses team-mate after gameFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Salah played a starring role for Liverpool again on Saturday as the Reds beat Bournemouth to move nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table. The forward now has 21 goals and 13 assists in just 23 games for Liverpool this season in the league in what is another stunning campaign from the Egypt international.
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Alisson also played a key role in the victory and was happy to heap praise on his team-mate after the victory at Bournemouth. While Salah is clearly enjoying himself this season, Alisson did reveal there are some facets of the game that the 32-year-old really does not like.
WHAT ALISSON SAID
He told Sky Sports: "That second goal is Salah's quality. We know how important he is for the team when he scores these kind of goals. But we have to highlight his hard work for the team. Defending is something he doesn't like to do much, but he does it for the team.”
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DID YOU KNOW?
Salah has now overtaken Chelsea legend Frank Lampard to sit sixth on the list of all-time Premier League scorers with 178 goals.
Tottenham Hotspur endured a tough final outing before the ongoing international break, losing 3-2 to Brighton despite holding a two-goal lead at the break.
The absence of Premier League football has undoubtedly given boss Ange Postecoglou an opportunity to mull over the embarrassing defeat, conjuring a plan to avoid such a result in the future.
Before the loss on the South Coast, Spurs were enjoying a five-game winning run, but it all came to a crashing end, either the supporters hoping that the result doesn’t derail their Champions League aspirations.
However, the international fixtures over the last few days have prevented Postecoglou from working with his side ahead of the return of club football this weekend.
It has allowed some players to star for their respective nations, potentially helping them arrive back in North London full of confidence ahead of the derby meeting with West Ham United.
Spurs' best players on international duty
Striker Dominic Solanke has already found the back of the net three times for Spurs since his club-record move this summer, allowing him to finally become part of the England national team.
The 27-year-old received his first call-up in seven years and whilst not starting the meeting with Greece last week, the forward did lay on the assist for Jude Bellingham, as Lee Carsley’s side fell to defeat at Wembley.
The international break couldn’t have come at a worse time for winger Brennan Johnson, after his career-best run of scoring in six consecutive games for Postecoglou’s side.
However, the Welsh star has continued his personal run, scoring in the 2-2 draw with Iceland and taking his run to seven games for club and country.
Full-back Pedro Porro has been handed a regular starting role for Spain during this round of fixtures after Dani Carvajal’s ACL injury – with the Spurs ace taking his opportunity with both hands.
The 25-year-old was hugely impressive on Tuesday night, registering an assist and helping the European Champions keep a clean sheet in the 3-0 win over Serbia.
However, despite the aforementioned trio’s impressive performances, one other first-team star excelled last night – producing some mind-boggling stats in the process.
Spurs ace stars on the international stage
Midfielder Pape Sarr had already impressed at club level so far during the 2024/25 campaign, registering two goals and one assist – with both of his strikes coming in the Europa League.
He didn’t start the latest defeat to Brighton, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute, but the international break has allowed the 22-year-old to star for Senegal, producing some incredible figures in their 1-0 win over Malawi on Tuesday.
Sarr featured for the entirety of the victory, registering a whopping total of 102 touches and completing 65 passes at a completion rate of 91%.
Minutes played
90
Touches
102
Passes completed
65/71 (92%)
Key passes
3
Dribbles completed
7/12
Duels won
17
Tackles won
3
Interceptions made
2
He also completed seven dribbles as he played a huge role in progressing the play in possession, but it was his numbers out of possession that caught the eye.
The midfielder won a staggering 17 duels during the victory, whilst also completing three tackles and making two interceptions – playing a vital role at the heart of the Senegal side.
Such figures will give the youngster a huge confidence boost ahead of the return to club football in the coming days, doing his chances of a start under Postecoglou no harm.
Sarr’s display showcased how capable he is as a box-to-box option, providing that solidity that the Spurs midfielder looked to have lacked before the recent international break.
1 goal & 1 assist: Spurs ace dropped a perfect display for his country
The international break came to a close with one Spurs star shining on Tuesday evening.
“Haven’t heard anything spoken about it, I’m not sure anything from that game will come into it.”
Deivarayan Muthu09-Nov-2021England vs New Zealand in a World Cup: here we go again. In 2019, nothing but boundary countback separated the two sides in the 50-over World Cup final at Lord’s as England snatched the title. Two years on, they will face each other in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.Eight players from that 2019 squad, including the injured Lockie Ferguson, are part of the 2021 group that has made the semis. However, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has insisted that the dramatic result from 2019 will not impact Wednesday’s fixture.Related
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“I haven’t heard anything spoken about it [2019 World Cup final here] here,” Stead said. “I think the guys are looking forward to the prospect of facing England again. As I said, they’re a quality side and yes, we just look forward to the challenge of playing the best side as well. So, I’m not sure there will be anything from the 2019 game that will come into it…maybe a Super Over it might.”England will be without Jason Roy for the rest of their campaign after the opener suffered a calf injury. Despite the enforced absence of the opening batter, Stead was wary of England’s white-ball might, but said that New Zealand won’t veer away from their original plans.”He’s obviously a quality player and first and foremost you don’t want to see anyone go down injured like that,” Stead said of Roy. “I mean we had the same with Lockie [Ferguson] and we know that we felt that as a big loss; I’m sure England are as well. I expect someone like Bairstow to probably go up to the top of the order and they’ve got a number of players that can do that.”But they’ve also toyed with the idea of floating different players at different times, so maybe they’ve got match-ups they can do against us. But I don’t think that will change the way that we approach the game. We’re looking forward to playing England again and being I guess a one-off game, where anything can happen.”Stead hailed New Zealand’s progress to the semi-finals, and they are now two steps away from holding two world titles in the same year, having already won the inaugural World Test Championship in June earlier this year.”Personally, I’m very, very proud of the team – the way they keep finding ways to fight and to adapt on the biggest stage,” he said. “I’m not sure when you line each player up – man for man – a lot of people that perhaps give us the credit that some of these guys deserve. It’s a pretty experienced group of guys now who know each other’s games very, very well and know the skills of each other. As a collective group, we do fight and fight hard. That’s all I keep asking for. The results, at the end of the day, will look after themselves if we do those little things well.”One of the little things that made a big impact for New Zealand in a virtual quarter-final for them against Afghanistan was their fielding, according to Stead. It’s often an over-rated aspect in modern T20 cricket, but New Zealand showed that it could still make a difference.After Devon Conway set the tone with a fantastic catch behind the stumps, despite being wrong-footed, Jimmy Neesham and Kane Williamson pulled off tumbling catches. Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips also aggressively patrolled the boundaries as New Zealand pinned down Afghanistan to 124 for 8.”We held onto some very, very good catches, in particular, and I guess you start to see the skills of the modern-day cricketer as well,” Stead said. “What Daryl Mitchell did [in] the first ball of the last over was incredible really. I think [he] not only saved four runs, but possibly saved another 10-12 runs in the context of what might’ve been in that over. So, that put us on the right foot, and I guess gave us that real high and lift leading into our batting innings as well that it was 125 and not 140 potentially.”You never know with those little things, but they do make a big difference and I thought Kane took a great catch, Jimmy Neesham took a great catch, Devon what he did as a keeper there to get the first wicket as well with the one-handed grab. They were all really important things for us. So, we pride ourselves on that and hopefully it backs up the job the bowlers are doing as well.”
Bayern Munich and Tottenham have reportedly reached a verbal agreement over a €60 million transfer for wantaway forward Mathys Tel.
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Tel wants Bayern Munich exitLinked with Chelsea and Man UtdTottenham agree €60m dealFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to Sky Germany reporter, Kerry Hau, despite Bayern and Spurs agreeing a €60m (£50m) transfer, the 19-year-old wants to assess his options. He claims although the young Frenchman wants to leave the German giants, it is not clear if he will head out on loan or permanently amid interest from other teams.
AdvertisementSIDWHAT HAS BEEN SAID
According to Bayern director, Max Eberl, Tel is eager to leave the club.
"He has said he would like to leave," he told Sky Sport Germany. "Now we have to think about whether we will do it and what we will do."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Tel, who has also been linked with Manchester United and Chelsea, appeared to bid farewell to Bayern after waving goodbye to the fans after beating Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday night. The youngster has struggled for game time behind striker Harry Kane, so a move may be best for all parties.
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GettyWHAT NEXT?
Despite this interest, the winter transfer window shuts on February 3 so there isn't long for Tel to secure a move elsewhere.
Jhon Duran bailed out Al-Nassr with a brace during a nervy win over Al-Ahli with Stefano Pioli forced to take off a subpar Cristiano Ronaldo.
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Al-Nassr bagged a slender 3-2 win over Al-AhliDuran emerged as the difference-makerRonaldo had an evening to forget away from homeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportTELL ME MORE
It was rather an unfortunate start for Al-Nassr as Otavio injured his hamstring and had to be taken off within the first 20 minutes. Nonetheless, with Ronaldo, Duran and Sadio Mane on the pitch, the visitors did not lack firepower in attack. They kept piling pressure on Al-Ahli's defence and just after the half-hour mark, the Colombian drew first blood, following a sensational give-and-go with Ayman Yahya to continue his fine goal-scoring form in the Middle East. A couple of minutes from half-time, Ronaldo also came close to doubling the advantage but his effort flew whiskers wide of the far post.
The second half was absolute box-office football! Within two minutes after the break, Al-Ahli thought they had equalised. Immediately after the goal, Mohamed Simakan attempted to elbow Ivan Toney and the referee had no qualms about showing the defender a red card. A lengthy VAR check followed and the goal was overturned for a foul on Simakan but the red card stood and the French Under-21s international was in for an early shower.
The hosts ramped up the pressure in search of their equaliser and despite some gritty defending from Stefano Pioli's men, Toney found the net to send the fans into a frenzy. However, their joy was short-lived as Al-Nassr responded within two minutes through Yahya and their lead was restored. However, it was Duran's second that was the best of the night. The striker received a pass just beyond the halfway line, nutmegged his marker, dribbled past another defender and slotted it past the keeper to open up a two-goal advantage. It was a nervy final few minutes for Pioli as Aumayhan Al-Nabit reduced the margin eight minutes into stoppage time but his effort was too little too late to salvage anything for the hosts.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE MVP
It was the Jhon Duran show at King Abdullah Sports City on Thursday evening! While Ronaldo appeared anonymous, the striker stepped up to the occasion and scored two invaluable goals for Al-Nassr to help them clinch the three points and keep their title ambitions alive.
THE BIG LOSER
A brain fade moment from Simakan saw Al-Nassr reduced to 10-men in the 47th minute. The defender had no business trying to elbow Toney and although he could only brush his shoulder, the intent was clear and the striker made the most of the opportunity by immediately collapsing on the ground. It was simply poor from the senior defender!
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WHAT COMES NEXT?
After a thrilling 3-2 victory against Al-Ahli, Ronaldo and Co. will now turn their attention to their AFC Champions League fixture against Persepolis on Monday.