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Aston Villa have now held “exploratory talks” over a move for an “unbelievable” striker with a £64m release clause, according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol.

Villa set to bolster their attacking options

The summer transfer window is edging ever closer, and it is becoming apparent that Villa are keen to bolster their forward options, with a new attacking midfielder clearly of particular interest.

Rosenborg’s Sverre Nypan is the main subject of the Villans’ desires, with sporting director Monchi recently travelling to Norway for talks over a deal, while they have also joined the race for Athletic Bilbao star Oihan Sacet, as Unai Emery is a big fan.

Not only is signing a new attacking midfielder on the agenda, but there may also be a desire to bring in a new striker, given that Emery is yet to replace Jhon Duran, who moved to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr near the end of the January transfer window.

He could be Tielemans 2.0: Aston Villa ready move for £50m "wizard"

Aston Villa are already thinking ahead to next season

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 21, 2025

Aston Villa are now stepping up their pursuit of a striker, having made contact over deals for multiple targets, including Fiorentina’s Moise Kean, submitting an enquiry over the possibility of signing the Italian forward earlier this month.

There has now been a new update on Villa’s striker pursuit from Solhekol, who took to X to say: “Four Premier League clubs, as well as Manchester United, want to sign Matheus Cunha this summer. Arsenal and Aston Villa are among the clubs who have held exploratory talks about signing him this year. Saudi Pro League clubs are now willing to trigger his £64m release clause.”

Emery’s side are making moves to sign Cunha, but there is a feeling that Manchester United could be best-placed to win the race for his signature, as the Brazilian is not put off by their current league position and “loves” the club.

"Unbelievable" Cunha could be top signing for Villa

Marcus Rashford has been given the nod at striker in recent weeks, bagging from the penalty spot in the 2-1 defeat at Manchester City last time out, but there is no guarantee the Manchester United loanee remains at Villa Park beyond the summer.

As such, Emery may be tasked with bringing in a new striker, and the Wolves star could be a top signing, having displayed his goalscoring abilities by netting 14 Premier League goals this season.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

28

14

4

FA Cup

2

2

0

Given the level of the Brazil international’s performances, he was lauded as “unbelievable” by teammate Mario Lemina earlier this season, and at 25-years-old he is at the right age to be a long-term success at Villa Park.

There may be a temptation to keep hold of Rashford this summer, but with Barcelona now interested in the England international, it could be difficult for Aston Villa to orchestrate a deal, and Cunha could be a fantastic alternative option.

His fifty was central to tourists’ best day of a series that has already passed them by

Vithushan Ehantharajah26-Jul-2024Before the , there was .Diary of a CEO reels. Mark Wahlberg’s daily routine. Dubai-based influencers flexing (rented) wealth. All of which are still going, of course. Don’t you see – hustle culture never dies.But amid the glorification of unreasonable work hours and unsustainable sleeping patterns under the banner of “rise and grind” was a central pillar that, ultimately, spoke of a broken society. One that needed to be gamed as much as played. Where all you could really do was gamble and barter for incremental moments of success. Success that was fleeting, merely leading to another stage of the cycle with no guarantee of happiness the more you went around.Earlier this week, Cricket West Indies chief executive Johnny Grave told BBC Stumped that hosting the T20 World Cup last month and with England to come at the end of 2024 makes it “three good financial years” in a row after Covid decimated the business. The visits of England and India in 2022 and 2023 were crucial money spinners.Time to put the word out there that Caribbean cricket is back? Not quite. The success of those years will only really be felt in the upcoming fallow ones of 2025 and 2026, when CWI can at least continue their investment in infrastructure across the men’s and women’s game, and reinforce their grassroots systems, while feeling the pinch. India are due to return in 2027 to replenish the pockets and on the grind goes.Related

England sweep series 3-0 after Wood finishes off West Indies resistance

Jamie Smith stars as England turn the tables after West Indies' flying start

West Indies look for building blocks in the rubble after spirit-sapping defeat

Kevin Sinclair the latest casualty as Mark Wood steps up pursuit of 100mph

Atkinson four-for highlights 13-wicket opening day

It’s galling to think of the governing body of a Test nation operating on such gig-economy terms. But as most with the power to fix a broken system shrug their shoulders, West Indies crack on. After the ECB agreed to three extra T20Is on 2023’s limited overs tour, they asked if they could assist with anything this Test tour. CWI, sensing the need to future-proof what Test stocks they have, asked for help in facilitating an Under-19 tour to the UK.For the first time, maybe ever, CWI as a body feel more in step with its players, who are among the most accomplished traversers of increasingly absurd terrain. And it was one of them in Jason Holder who was central to West Indies’ best day of a series that has already passed them by.Two outstanding catches at the end of Friday at Edgbaston supplemented a 59 from Holder that did more than just delay an impending collapse. An opening stand of 76 became 115 for 5, and thoughts immediately turned to Sunday’s botch job in Nottingham. Holder, with the familiar help of Joshua Da Silva in a stand of 109, were able to stave it off. With England 38 for 3 at stumps, West Indies’ 282 does not look as light as it initially seemed.This was Holder’s first half-century in 16 months. But much like West Indies cricket as a whole, the truth lies a little deeper. An unbeaten 81 against South Africa came just eight innings ago before two Tests against India were followed by a brief sabbatical from the format at the start of this year. After rejecting a CWI contract, Holder opted out of the tour of Australia to ply his trade in the ILT20, citing practice for the upcoming T20 World Cup.Jason Holder raised a battling half-century•Getty ImagesAs the world lamented another nail in the coffin of Test cricket, Holder made it clear his Test career was not over. Those words were backed up with a stint in County Cricket for Worcestershire. Not that they needed to be, of course. The 32-year-old, weighing up financial gain and personal preference, happened upon a happy medium for him.It felt oddly in sync in a fractured world that at 5:17pm – the time Holder was yorked by a late-swinging delivery from Gus Atkinson – Nicholas Pooran, arguably the most talented batter of his generation and yet without a single Test cap, rocked up at Headingley.Just 36 hours earlier, his MI New York had been knocked out of the MLC 2024. Now, he was donning the purple of Northern Superchargers for the start of a £125,000 stint. Cold work for some, necessary for a player who continues to gamble on himself – and win.Holder came up short of his own gamble out in the middle here. Alzarri Joseph’s brief, breezy cameo meant three more partnerships at most. The former West Indies Test captain had grand ambitions of being “more expressive”, flicking through his options and setting a path for the future… one which was destroyed in an instant by Atkinson’s yorker.Jason Holder was bowled by a beauty from Gus Atkinson•Getty Images”At the stage when I got out, I was trying to get past the two spells, of Woakes and Atkinson,” Holder explained of his thinking at the time. “The ball was starting to do a little bit more; it was quiet for a bit but then it started to swing a bit more.”I knew Woody was deep into his workload in terms of the amount of overs he was asked to bowl. Obviously coming with a short ball plan on a very slow wicket, it takes a lot of effort. I wasn’t really expecting him to come back too soon after, so maybe Bashir would have come back and I’d try to push the game on a little bit more.”The calculations were sound. Holder had looked settled when Wood tried to go at him earlier, and largely dominated the 27 deliveries he had previously faced from Bashir, which included stepping to the off spinner and planting him into the sightscreen for six. Their return would have signalled a mini-win that could in turn have lifted West Indies to 350.Though Kraigg Brathwaite had notched a tidy 61 and Da Silva had looked steady for his 49, Holder was far better equipped than two red-ball specialists for the situation after the top-order collapse, and the circumstances that lay ahead.Holder only added five runs to his score after Da Silva’s dismissal. All the grinding and computing he had done for the late charge had come to nothing. And it was ultimately not enough to cover for the Kirk McKenzie’s shortcomings and Alick Athanaze’s frustrating decision to try and pull a ball not quite there that was always going to be the last ball before lunch.Just as it is in the system, this match will require constant ducking and diving. That West Indies ground and ground some more to finish day one in a good position in this Test puts them no closer to being surer as a Test nation. But as the game continues to shrug, they continue to hustle.

The quick bowler went more than 600 days between first-class appearances after his return to New South Wales, but made up for lost time last season

Andrew McGlashan26-Sep-2022Chris Tremain, the New South Wales pace bowler, was one of the few professional cricketers in Australia who wouldn’t have minded last season not coming to an end in late March.”I was probably the only one,” he says with a laugh.Tremain is in his second spell with New South Wales having started his career there before moving to Victoria. The return, six years later, came ahead of the 2020-21 season but he ended up not featuring in the first XI the entire summer.Last November, when he finally found a place in the Sheffield Shield team, against his former team Victoria, it had been 634 days between first-class matches. In that time, during which the world had been taken over by the pandemic, his professional outings had amounted to three BBL games for Sydney Thunder.He quickly made up for lost time, ending the Shield season with 24 wickets at 15.95 in five outings and was named New South Wales’ men’s player of the season. However, as the new campaign begins, with Tremain certain of his place in the team, he admits his immediate feeling was not one of savouring his much-awaited success.”I didn’t actually let myself enjoy it that much. I wasn’t very modest about it, either,” he tells ESPNcricinfo. “People would come up and say ‘gee, you bowled well today’ and I would say ‘f****** surprised, are you’, especially when it was blokes from New South Wales saying ‘you bowled really well’. I was like ‘yeah, I’ve been doing it against you guys for the last five years’.”Then to balance that out, I never really stood back and said I’m proud of how I’ve bounced back. Even with the awards, I spent a lot of the time saying it’s great to win an individual award, but I really want to win Shields, win trophies, because with a career getting into the 30s you are closer to the end than you are the start. You really just want be in a successful team.”Kurtis Patterson, the New South Wales captain, conceded their previous selection was proved wrong. “He was fantastic when he came in last year,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “Certainly as an organisation we can put our hand up and say we got that one wrong, leaving him out of the side for as long as we did, because he really led from game one and was rightfully our player of the year.”**Chris Tremain walks off the SCG after taking five wickets against Tasmania•Getty ImagesLooking back on his season – and more – on the sidelines, a situation exacerbated by the need for Covid bubbles and hubs that made it very difficult to find playing opportunities at short notice, Tremain reflects honestly on how it played out.”Maybe not second thoughts [about the move], think I did the right thing, but I was sort of left in limbo,” he says. “Sitting on the sidelines for those 18 months was horrid. I hated it.”I contemplated retirement quite frequently, my wife talked me out of it so many times. It was just a really challenging period. If I was injured or not bowling well then it would have been okay because I’d have had a little carrot dangling in front of my nose. But I was just fishing in the dark a little bit for that 18 months, waiting and waiting. But I knew when I got an opportunity, when I picked up the tools and went back to work, that everything would be okay.”However, to get that opportunity he needed misfortune for a team-mate. There was some 2nd XI cricket to keep him ticking over, and he captained the side, but even that created some mixed messages about whether he actually had to prove he should be recalled. A conversation with Shawn Bradstreet, the NSW assistant bowling coach, provided some clarity.

I went, this is the most dysfunctional relationship I’ve ever been in because they show you a little bit of interest, you come crawling back, then they throw you away and go with someone else. Then you get better, come crawling back again, and they discard you againChris Tremain on putting aside the Australia dream

“When you are sitting on the sidelines kicking cans because you aren’t playing, the guys who are playing, your team-mates and your mates, they know for me to get a go they had to get injured or bowl poorly,” Tremain says. “No one wants that to happen. It was a really hard balancing act. I actually spoke to a handful of boys about it. I would say, ‘it’s not that I think I’m better than you, or you can’t do this job, I just want to get to a point where I’m able to do it with you’.”There was a lot less cricket. You just had to try and get the load in at training but it was never the same. That was a little challenging, mentally I was a shot duck for a lot of the time. I was sort of getting information that you don’t need to prove anything, then from other people I was getting you need to prove you are better than these guys to get a spot, but I had no way of doing that.”[Shawn] sat me down and said, ‘mate, they’re both right. You do need to prove it, but you don’t need to do anything differently to prove it…it will prove itself’. Had we not had the conversation, I would probably have come into the first Shield game trying to prove I still had it.”In the end, it was the injury scenario that played out to open the way for Tremain when Trent Copeland and Liam Hatcher were both sidelined. After the match at the SCG had been delayed by a day when Will Sutherland tested positive for Covid, New South Wales batted first and made 233 thanks to the efforts of debutant Hayden Kerr.Then, having waited more than 600 days, Tremain had ball in hand. With his first delivery, he found the inside edge of James Seymour. Two balls later, Peter Handscomb was lbw. In his next over, Matthew Short was caught a second slip. After two overs, Tremain had 3 for 2.”When I got that opportunity I just said I’d go and do my job again, it’s worked for the last seven or eight years so it will work again. And it did. I just knew I needed a crack at it.”

I never really gave myself the time to sit back and give myself a pat on the back and say, well done

When the Shield resumed after the BBL – where Tremain did not get on the park for Thunder; he has now moved to Hobart Hurricanes – he took five wickets in a victory against Queensland at the Gabba (also making vital runs in a low-scoring encounter) and seven in a win over Tasmania at the SCG, the two games New South Wales won in their truncated season.”Even when we were playing in Shield finals [for Victoria], the best thing about it was we knew the season was coming to an end,” he says. “Win, lose or draw, you just knew the season was done. Not that we don’t enjoy doing what we do, it’s just there is always a relief when you can put your feet up and say that was an okay season, a good one or there’s stuff to work on. [But] for me, [last season] was five games, a couple of one-dayers and no Big Bash so I would happily have kept going.”**Tremain tried to find some overseas opportunities this winter but has not played enough games for Australia to qualify for the County Championship. He had planned to go to Darwin with the Melbourne Renegades’ squad for some T20, but injury put paid to that. In fact, having been largely injury-free for six years, he’s been hit by a couple of problems in the lead-up to this campaign.The first was a small stress fracture in a rib – “a strange place to get it for a fast bowler,” he says – then he damaged the cartilage in his ribs when he was leaning over a gate at home. “So the last month or so my ribs have been taking a beating, but everything is shaping up well.”Tremain is a believer in the best way to stay fit to play cricket is by playing cricket. He admits the medical staff sometimes see it differently, but everyone has reached the start of the season with him able to get into the Marsh Cup side ahead of the Sheffield Shield beginning against Western Australia on October 3.Which leads to what another successful summer could mean. Tremain is still only 31 and averages 23.58 in first-class cricket. Since his debut, only four bowlers have taken more Shield wickets. His recent Victoria team-mate Scott Boland burst onto the Test scene at the age of 32 last summer with the magical spell of 6 for 7 at the MCG. Does Tremain, who played four ODIs in 2016 as part of a second-string bowling attack that also included Boland, still harbor those dreams?A pumped up Chris Tremain celebrates•Getty Images”I haven’t allowed myself to feel that way for a long time because I feel it’s a little bit counterproductive,” he says. “I spent a lot of my 20s with that a driving force, that I really want to get that Baggy Green. I got to 26 or 27, probably when I came back from India on an A tour [in 2018] and didn’t get picked in a Test squad to the UAE when I was probably at the peak of my powers.”I went, this is the most dysfunctional relationship I’ve ever been in because they show you a little bit of interest, you come crawling back, then they throw you away and go with someone else. Then you get better, come crawling back again, and they discard you again. So I just wiped it and thought, well, look, you have my number, if you want me to do a job give me a call, if not, the only thing I care about is putting my name on trophies.”Sadly we have fallen short of that in the last couple of years but having only played first-class cricket, the feeling of winning Sheffield Shields is the best I’ve achieved so to recreate that is now goal number one. Playing for Australia, or advancing a personal career, is a byproduct of doing that.”Tremain has featured for Australia A again since 2018, against England Lions in 2019, and he does add that, as Boland shows, “there is always time.” But however that plays out, it is not at the forefront of his mind. With a career back on track, he hopes to be less hard on himself this summer.”I never really gave myself the time to sit back and give myself a pat on the back and say, well done. Fingers crossed if there’s moments this season when things go well, I can sit back, have a beer, and go that was a good shift today.”

India have largely had a smooth ride, while Australia have overcome a sluggish start to get to the title round

Sruthi Ravindranath06-Mar-2020ESPNcricinfo LtdAustraliaLost to India by 17 runsAustralia were completely bewitched by Poonam Yadav’s legspin, but were left with one positive from their defeat. Their star opener Alyssa Healy, who had been going through a lean patch, hit a half-century in that match, and she has managed to carry her good form since then. The four-time champions will be looking to exact revenge on their in-form opponents, in front of what is expected to be a record crowd for a women’s game at the MCG on Sunday.Beat Sri Lanka by five wicketsIt seemed like Australia’s confidence had taken a major hit after the loss against India, as the No. 1-ranked side scrambled to a five-wicket win against Sri Lanka in their second group fixture after an almighty scare. Chamari Atapattu dazzled with a 38-ball 50 and made the hosts toil hard, and a number of handy contributions in the middle order took Sri Lanka to 122 for 6. The prolific fast-bowling duo of Udeshika Prabodhani and Shashikala Siriwardene bowled a probing spell with the new ball, which left Australia at 10 for 3 within the first four overs of the chase. Thanks to a 95-run stand between Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning, though, Australia won the day with just three balls remaining.1:24

How India made it to their maiden T20 World Cup final

Beat Bangladesh by 86 runs Australia were back to being the Australia we know as they made easy work of a sloppy Bangladesh line-up at Manuka Oval. On the back of a record 151-run opening stand – Australia’s highest first-wicket partnership in T20Is – between Healy and Beth Mooney, the hosts dominated big time. Chasing 189, Bangladesh lost their plot in the middle, and left Fargana Hoque to struggle all by herself, as they crumbled from 76 for 3 to 102 for 9. Megan Schutt was the destructor-in-chief as she bagged 3 for 21 with support from Jess Jonassen, who finished with 4 for 17.Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney prepare to start the Australia innings•Getty ImagesBeat New Zealand by four runsIn the winner-takes-it-all contest, Australia showcased their big-match temperament as they edged New Zealand in a close contest at Junction Oval. The hosts put together a decent target and then defended it to bring New Zealand’s campaign to an early end. Mooney made yet another half-century, which helped put up a target of 155, following which a pivotal spell by wristspinner Georgia Wareham strangled New Zealand in the chase. She plucked out the dangerous Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, and then sent back Maddy Green to stifle the run-flow in the middle overs. Scutt then picked three quick wickets in the end as Katey Martin’s lone fight went in vain.Semi-final: Beat South Africa by five runsAhead of the semi-final, Australia were left to grapple with the injury to star player Ellyse Perry as well as the possibility of a washout in Sydney, which would have given South Africa a pass to the final. Australia rose above it all, as they overcame a Laura Wolvaardt cameo to seal a final berth for the sixth consecutive time. Captain Lanning anchored the Australia innings, making a run-a-ball 49 against a disciplined South Africa bowling attack, which troubled the rest of the order. However, South Africa’s run chase fell flat after Sophie Molineux and Schutt left them at 24 for 3, as they fell short of the 134-run target despite the best efforts of Wolvaardt, who made a 27-ball 41.IndiaBeat Australia by 17 runsIndia could not have had a better start, as they opened their campaign with a comprehensive win against the defending champions and hosts. It was Poonam Yadav’s day, as the wristspinner bagged 4 for 19 to throttle Australia in their 132-run chase. India’s batting fell away in the middle after being put in, but a cool-headed Deepti Sharma made a 46-ball 49 to take India to a competitive total in front of a record crowd for a standalone women’s game in Australia. Ash Gardner and Healy tried their best for Australia, making 51 and 34 respectively, but Yadav, along with Shikha Pandey, stifled the opposition and removed eight batters for single-digit scores to guide India home.Beat Bangladesh by 18 runsIndia kept the momentum going with yet another comfortable win, this time against Bangladesh. Their batting show was powered by Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues, who put together an excellent powerplay, following which valuable contributions from the middle-order took them to 142 for 6. In the chase, Bangladesh were reeling at 66 for 4 in 12 overs but Nigar Sultana kept them in the game with a 26-ball 35. Bangladesh were also given reprieves throughout the innings but they never capitalised on them, with Yadav and Pandey starring once again with the ball for India.Go outside the off stump and swing to leg – Shafali Verma wants to try it all•Getty ImagesBeat New Zealand by three runsIndia survived an Amelia Kerr scare to march into the semi-finals after beating New Zealand in a close game. Pandey held her nerve as she defended 16 off the last over against a red-hot Kerr, who had just blasted 18 runs off Yadav in the penultimate over. But the day belonged to Verma, who wowed the Melbourne crowed with some spectacular shots on her way to a 34-ball 46, while the rest of the line-up struggled on the sluggish surface. India, in turn, turned the screw on New Zealand, resorting to bowling slow deliveries that gave them good returns to leave the opposition reeling at 77 for 4. In came Kerr at No. 6 as she set out to put up a one-woman show for her side, but her efforts went in vain as she ran out of effective batting partners at the other end.Beat Sri Lanka by seven wicketsVerma was one of the obvious choices in the ‘players to watch out for’ category, and she proved why she was one in the match against Sri Lanka. India’s spinners strangled their opponents and were left to chase a below-par total at Junction Oval. Radha Yadav, well supported by Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Sharma, picked up her career-best figures as Sri Lanka put up yet another timid batting show. Verma led the strong reply, displaying a range of shots as she made a 34-ball 47 and attacking the experienced Shashikala Siriwardene in particular to all but seal the game for India. A run-out ended the chance of her getting a half-century and left India at 88 for 3 in 10.4 overs, but with just 28 runs required to win, it was an easy job for the rest of the line-up from there.Semi-final v EnglandIndia were rewarded for their clean sweep in the group stage as they advanced to the final of the World Cup, for the very first time, after the semi-final against England was washed out. No reserve day meant India, who had one win more than their opponents in the group stage, got a pass to the final.

Shohei Ohtani is on a heater. The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar homered in his fourth consecutive game on Tuesday night, blasting an opposite-field job in the ninth inning that proved purely cosmetic as the home team fell to the Minnesota Twins, 10-7.

It was Ohtani's 36th homer of the season and tied him with Eugenio Suarez for the National League lead. And it was one of the more impressive as he simply reached out and poked a 100-mph Jhoan Duran fastball the other way with remarkable ease.

This is the first time in his already-storied career that Ohtani has homered in four straight games, which puts him halfway to tying the Major League Baseball record of eight—a mark shared by three players.

Because baseball happens and Ohtani is immensely popular, his dinger was secured expertly in the air by a Dodgers fan wearing a No. 17 jersey. And that fan was extremely fired up. Perhaps a bit shocked too.

That's awesome. One minute you're sitting there coming to grips with your beloved Dodgers dropping another game due to shaky bullpen work, thinking about the traffic there will be to navigate after the game and the next you're in a highlight with one of your favorite players.

People will tell you not to bring your baseball glove to a game once you get to a certain age but this is a perfect example of the upside of such a decision. No way that Ohtani homer was being caught with just bare hands.

Martin O’Neill signed off his second spell with Celtic in style with a 1-0 win over Dundee at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday night.

The experienced interim won seven of his eight matches in charge of the club after Brendan Rodgers resigned at the end of October, and Wilfried Nancy will take on the role from Thursday.

Daizen Maeda scored the only goal of the game for O’Neill’s side as he bravely competed to head into the back of the net after Hyun-jun Yang’s effort was saved, which led to him wearing a bandage for the remainder of the night.

Ranking Celtic's best performers against Dundee

The Japan international was, of course, one of the top performers on the night for the Hoops because it was his goal that ultimately sealed all three points to send Celtic level on points with Hearts at the top of the table.

He was not the top performer on the night for the Scottish giants, though, as a couple of other players were ahead of him in that respect, because the striker also missed a ‘big chance’ and lost five of his six duels, per Sofascore.

Reo Hatate was one of those two players. The Japanese whiz created two ‘big chances’, including Yang’s initial shot before the goal, and won four of his seven duels, per Sofascore, in what was a masterful showing in the middle of the park.

Ranking Celtic’s top performers vs Dundee

Rank

Player

1

Colby Donovan

2

Reo Hatate

3

Daizen Maeda

4

Hyun-jun Yang

5

Kasper Schmeichel

As you can see in the table above, Yang and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who pulled off three saves and three run-outs to keep his clean sheet intact, were also among the top performers on the pitch.

However, we have ranked Colby Donovan as the best performer on the night for the Scottish giants, as he provided a reminder of his quality after a shaky game against Hibernian.

Why Colby Donovan is undroppable for Wilfried Nancy

On Sunday, the Scottish full-back lost two of his three ground duels, per Sofascore, and was subbed off at half-time after being booked for a late challenge on Jordan Obita.

After that disappointing showing at the weekend, Donovan may have known that he needed to respond with a big performance against Dundee to ensure that the new manager does not drop him for the game against Hearts on Sunday.

Now, the Scotland U21 international is surely the first completely undroppable player for Nancy at Parkhead, because he was the best performer in the last game before his first match in charge.

Donovan won three of his four ground duels and three of his three aerial duels, winning 87% of his total battles, per Sofascore, whilst Maeda, for example, lost five of his six duels and struggled on that side of the game after scoring his goal.

Vs Dundee

Donovan

Celtic rank

Sofascore rating

8.3

1st

Duels won

6

1st

Aerial duels won

3

1st

Aerial duel success rate

100%

1st

Tackles won

2

1st

Touches

91

4th

Successful crosses

3

1st

Key passes

2

2nd

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the academy graduate also added creativity in possession to go along with his outstanding defensive work, as only Reo Hatate (five) made more key passes on the night, whilst no one completed more crosses.

Donovan showed Nancy, who was unveiled before the game kicked off, that he is capable of delivering a quality performance at both ends of the pitch from the right-back position, which is why he should already be undroppable.

With Alistair Johnston still sidelined with a hamstring injury, the Scottish youngster should be the first name on the teamsheet ahead of the clash with Hearts on Sunday.

That is also influenced by Anthony Ralston’s disappointing form. Pundit Chris Sutton described his play as “really shaky” when he came off the bench against Hibernian, whilst he was also caught out twice by Mikel Gogorza in the Europa League clash with Midtjylland.

Given Ralston’s lack of form and Donovan’s impressive showing on Wednesday night, the 19-year-old defender will surely already be undroppable for Nancy in the short term.

New York Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s tenure with the Miami Marlins was fairly successful—but successful doesn't necessarily mean smooth.

Yes, Chisholm reached two postseasons and made an All-Star team. On Wednesday, however, he alleged to Chris Kirschner of that he had to weather a difficult, old-fashioned clubhouse culture—including from now-Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, who Chisholm alleged ruined custom cleats of his by cutting them up and pouring milk into them.

On Thursday, Rojas responded to Chisholm's allegation.

"There's people who are going to air out what happened in a clubhouse," Rojas said via Fabian Ardaya of . "I have my own opinions on what transpired, but I'm going to be professional and keep it in-house."

Chisholm and Rojas are now on opposite coasts, and Rojas's Dodgers topped Chisholm's Yankees in the World Series last year.

For Chisholm, however, the alleged slights of their shared Marlins years—and they ways he felt like his individuality was stifled—aren't easily forgotten.

"Baseball is a white sport," Chisholm told . "I feel like white people criticize everything that a Black man does. Black men are outspoken. They say what's on their minds."

There are very few things Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t achieved in football, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner winning three Premier League titles, two La Ligas, five Champions Leagues and a whole host of other major honours.

However, it is a testament to the 40-year-old’s work ethic and sheer determination that he still feels like there is more to do, and the fairytale ending to the forward’s international career would be lifting the World Cup with Portugal next summer.

There is also more to achieve at club level, with Ronaldo making it clear he wants to reach 1,000 goals earlier this year, despite his family telling him to call time on his illustrious career.

The Al-Nassr star said: “People, especially my family, say: ‘It’s time for you to stop. You’ve done everything. Why do you want to score a thousand goals?”

“But I don’t think so. I think I’m still producing good things, I’m helping my club and the national team, and why not keep going?

“I’m sure that when I finish, I’ll be fulfilled, because I gave it my all. I know I don’t have many more years, but the few I have, I try to enjoy to the fullest.”

Ronaldo closing in on 1,000 goals

The legendary forward is now closing in on the unbelievable milestone, having made a fantastic start to the Saudi Pro League campaign, scoring eight goals in seven games, with the recent brace against Al-Fahya taking his total tally to 952.

Remarkably, 143 of those goals have been for Portugal, with the Real Madrid legend breaking the international goal-scoring record all the way back in 2021, and having lifted the Euros in 2016, winning the World Cup, the one trophy that has alluded him, will undoubtedly be a priority.

‘GOAT’ rival Lionel Messi famously got his hands back on the trophy back in 2022, with Argentina becoming champions of the world for the third time, courtesy of a dramatic victory against France on penalties, after what was an enthralling final.

Since then, both Ronaldo and Messi have left Europe to try something new, with the Argentina legend maintaining a remarkable goal and assist record at Inter Miami, amassing 111 goal contributions in 84 appearances.

Given that the 38-year-old is over two years younger than his long-time rival, he is still trailing in terms of goals, currently 60 behind, having scored 892 in 1132 career appearances, excluding club friendlies.

Ronaldo

952

Messi

892

However, the Inter Miami star is some way out in front for assists, having created 399 goals, compared to 140 from Ronaldo, which arguably showcases that he is a more well-rounded player.

Regardless of who you consider to be the ‘GOAT’, both Messi and Ronaldo have enjoyed unbelievable careers, and there may still be plenty left to come, with neither player currently showing any signs of slowing down.

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ByCharlie Smith Oct 22, 2025

Liverpool fans gave Trent Alexander-Arnold a frosty reception upon his return to Anfield on Tuesday night, and the Real Madrid defender’s reaction was caught on video.

There were early signs the right-back wasn’t going to be welcomed with open arms by certain sections of the fanbase, with his mural being defaced on the morning of the game.

Considering Trent played a key role in the Reds winning every top honour during his time with his boyhood club, there has been a mixed reaction to the boos he received on Tuesday, although Jamie Carragher has come out batting for the supporters.

Upon hearing Peter Schmeichel brand the behaviour as “disgusting”, Carragher responded: “I don’t agree with what you’ve said there.

Trent receives boos during the warm-up

With the 27-year-old only being brought on in the 81st minute, there were limited opportunities for Liverpool fans to show him how they felt, but the defender’s reaction to the boos when his name was announced during the warm-up was caught on video.

From the outside, the England international seems unfazed, seen laughing and joking with his Real Madrid teammates, but it will surely have hurt, even if it was to be expected, given the manner in which he left the club.

Arne Slot clearly still has respect for his former player, however, with the Dutchman being pictured embracing him at the end of the match.

With the academy graduate moving on, Slot has rotated between Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley and even Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, and the Hungarian put in a fantastic performance against Arsenal at the end of August, scoring a remarkable free-kick.

Bradley also showed he could be up to the task of replacing Trent with a solid performance against Madrid, making a number of important defensive and attacking contributions.

Statistic

Number completed

Clearances

2

Tackles

3

Duels (won)

13 (8)

Dribbles (successful)

4 (3)

Frimpong is yet to truly get going, having already suffered two injury set-backs, but Slot should be happy with the options he has at right-back, and the manager will be hoping his side winning their last two games on the spin can be a turning point in the season.

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 5, 2025

Manchester City began the 2025/26 season with a point to prove after a disappointing campaign last year, where they finished 13 points behind champions Liverpool.

Pep Guardiola’s side were uncharacteristically inconsistent, struggling for rhythm and creativity.

This summer brought change. In came Rayan Cherki, Tiijani Reinders, and Rayan Aït-Nouri to refresh an aging squad, while a handful of younger talents were sent out on loan to gain experience.

City’s start to the new season has been mixed – four wins, a draw, and two losses after seven Premier League games – but one constant has been the form of Erling Haaland.

After scoring the decisive goal in the 1-0 win over Brentford on Sunday, Haaland looks back to his devastating best.

And while he dominates the present, Guardiola’s eyes are firmly on the future.

Most notably, on a 20-year-old striker currently making waves in the Championship.

Erling Haaland's stunning form in numbers

At 25 years old, Haaland remains the spearhead of Manchester City’s attack and arguably the most feared finisher in world football.

Valued at around £165m by Transfermarkt, the Norwegian forward has already scored nine goals in the Premier League this season, adding three more in the Champions League.

His sharpness in front of goal was evident again on Sunday when he scored in the ninth minute to secure three points against a stubborn Brentford side.

Haaland’s record in Manchester speaks for itself: 136 goals in 155 appearances.

His power, timing, and composure make him the ultimate reference point for Pep Guardiola’s tactical structure, even as the manager experiments with a refreshed lineup.

Beyond his finishing, Haaland’s work rate and movement continue to set the standard for the squad’s younger forwards.

Crucially, his form could be what drags the club back into the title race. For club and country, he’s netted a staggering 16 goals in his last nine matches.

Matches Played

7

Goals

9

Assists

1

Progressive Carries

10

Progressive Passes

6

Yet behind the scenes, there is an understanding at the Etihad that Haaland won’t shoulder the burden forever.

The club’s long-term planning is already underway—and that’s where one of England’s most promising young strikers enters the conversation.

Manchester City's future Haaland

Divin Mubama may not yet be a household name among Premier League fans, but those following the Championship will know the Manchester City loanee is beginning to deliver on his potential.

The 20-year-old, who joined City from West Ham after rising through the Hammers’ academy, has impressed on loan at Stoke City – scoring twice while wearing the No.9 shirt.

Stoke currently sit fifth in the Championship, and Mubama has been pivotal to their early-season form.

Having played in all nine matches so far, he’s shown maturity beyond his years.

Analysts predicted his success before a ball was kicked, with Ben Mattinson claiming he would be “one of the best in the Championship” if given a full loan spell.

Statistically, Mubama’s profile is hugely promising. Compared to positional peers in Eurpe, he ranks in the 86th percentile for successful take-ons (1.08 per 90 minutes), showing his confidence to beat defenders; the 91st percentile for tackles (1.21 per 90), evidence of his work ethic out of possession; and the 99th percentile for interceptions (0.54 per 90), highlighting his reading of the game.

Physically strong and dominant in the air, he also ranks in the 73rd percentile for aerial duels won (3.09 per 90) and 76th for blocks (0.81 per 90).

Internationally, Mubama has been capped at every youth level for England and made his U21 debut in a 2-0 win against Kazakhstan.

At club level, his rise has been steady. He scored 16 goals in 14 games for City’s U21s and already has senior experience in Europe, having featured for West Ham in both the Europa League and the Conference League – the latter of which he helped win in 2023.

He even marked his first senior goal for City in an emphatic 8-0 FA Cup victory over Salford City, a glimpse of what might lie ahead.

Mubama’s blend of technical ability, movement, and physicality makes him the ideal apprentice to Haaland.

The two strikers, though at different stages of their careers, embody Guardiola’s long-term vision: an emphasis on power, precision, and adaptability.

With Mubama’s performances at Stoke drawing praise and Haaland rediscovering his lethal edge, Manchester City’s attacking future looks secure.

If the young Englishman continues his upward trajectory, he could well be the next great forward to define Manchester City’s modern era.

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