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Mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar part of ODI squad but has been demoted to reserves in the T20I side

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2025Left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi and allrounders Gulbadin Naib and Karim Janat have been left out of Afghanistan’s squads for the upcoming white-ball series against Bangladesh in the UAE.Bashir Ahmad, the tall left-arm seamer, has made both the white-ball squads as a like-for-like replacement for Farooqi. Bashir, 20, is uncapped in international cricket and has 14 T20s so far, taking 12 wickets at an economy rate of 9.06. Top-order batter Wafiullah Tarakhil is the other new face – the 18-year-old has been picked only for the T20Is.In the recent Shpageeza Cricket League, Tarakhil emerged as the third-highest scorer, with 298 runs in nine innings at an average of 37.25 and strike rate of 155.20.Seamer Abdullah Ahmadzai, meanwhile returned to the main T20I side. Both Ahmadzai and Tarakhil were among the reserves for the Asia Cup, where Afghanistan failed to make it out of the league phase.Mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar is part of the main ODI side, but has been named as a reserve player for the T20Is along with batter Rahmat Shah.”After a long six-month break from international cricket following the ICC Champions Trophy, we are now entering a packed season with many T20I games scheduled,” ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said in a statement. “This provides the team with an incredible opportunity to prepare for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup next year.”The performances in the Asia Cup 2025 were not as expected, but ups and downs are part of the game. As always, we remain hopeful that AfghanAtalan will bounce back strongly and make our nation proud in the upcoming events.”Despite the absence of Ghazanfar for the T20Is, Afghanistan have plenty of spin depth in the form of captain Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi.Nangeyalia Kharote has been included in Afghanistan’s ODI squad•ICC/Getty Images

Hashmatullah Shahidi will continue to lead the ODI team, which is also similarly spin-heavy. Rashid, Nabi, Ghazanfar and Nangeyalia Kharote could prove effective in Abu Dhabi as well. Bilal Sami and Faridoon Dawoodzai were named as reserves for the ODIs.Sharjah will host the three T20Is on October 2, 3 and 5 before the teams shift to Abu Dhabi for the three-match T20I series, which will run from October 8 to October 14. This white-ball series will complete the second part of what was originally supposed to be an all-format engagement in July 2024, comprising two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is. The schedule was initially revised to include only white-ball matches, but that series, due to be played in Greater Noida, was postponed with weather conditions and Bangladesh’s packed schedule in mind. The teams played the three-match ODI leg of the tour in November 2024, with Afghanistan winning 2-1.Afghanistan had lost their most recent international fixture against Bangladesh – a T20I in the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi – by eight runs.

Afghanistan T20I squad

Rashid Khan (capt), Ibrahim Zadran (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohamamad Ishaq (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Bashir Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Abdullah Ahmadzai.Reserves: AM Ghazanfar and Rahmat Shah

Afghanistan ODI squad

Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, AM Ghazanfar, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem SafiReserves: Bilal Sami and Faridoon Dawoodzai

Half-centuries from Nathan McSweeney and Jack Edwards, and Manav Suthar’s five-wicket haul, headlined the opening day of the second four-dayer between India A and Australia A in Lucknow. Picked as the lone specialist spinner, Suthar took 5 for 93, reining Australia A’s middle order in, on a mixed-soil pitch.After Shreyas Iyer, who had led India A in the first four-dayer withdrew from the second, Dhruv Jurel took over as captain and shared the wicketkeeping load with N Jagadeesan. Both wicketkeepers are likely to be picked in India’s squad for the two-match Test series against West Indies starting October 2. Allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was playing his first competitive game since suffering a knee injury on the England tour, bowled eight overs and went wicketless on the first day.Incumbent Australia opener Sam Konstas, who scored a 122-ball century in the first four-dayer, played a more subdued innings in the second, scoring 49 off 91 balls before falling to Mohammed Siraj, who had been drafted into the team for this game along with KL Rahul, in the lead-up to the West Indies Test series. Siraj had Konstas nicking behind, with Jagadeesan taking the catch having just switched keeping duties with captain Jurel three overs ago.This was the second time in two matches during this series that Jurel and Jagadeesan had switched keeping duties in the middle of an innings, with the latter taking over the gloves from Jurel at the beginning of the second day’s play in the previous four-day game.Nathan McSweeney and Sam Konstas played out most of the first session•Tanuj Pandey/UPCA

Ollie Peake made 29 off 39 balls before Suthar breached his defences in the 45th over. When Suthar also dismissed Cooper Connolly, for a duck in his next over, Australia A were wobbling at 150 for 4. Their captain McSweeney, though, brought up his first half-century of the tour, in humid conditions, and moved to 74 before Punjab’s towering quick Gurnoor Brar, who has had a stint with the senior India team as a net bowler, had him caught by Ayush Badoni, who had replaced Iyer.”The pitch is playing quite nice,” McSweeney said after stumps on day one. “I think it has a little bit more pace in the wicket than last game, so you get great value for shots. The ball swung around a bit more than probably anticipated. But I thought the way Sammy [Sam Konstas] and I were able to play during that first session set up a decent day. Sammy’s playing beautifully, continuing on from last week. A pretty solid day at cricket.”Suthar was consistent with his lines and lengths. He had an economy rate of 3.32 while all of India’s frontline seamers went at over four an over.”I thought their left-arm spinner [Manav Suthar] bowled beautifully,” McSweeney said. “He bowled quite slow in the first session and the way he was able to be really consistent in the second, changing his pace, he got a few wickets. He was building pressure today. It’s a great template we can follow going into the next innings.”Josh Philippe and Edwards counterattacked, with both batters having strike rates of over 100. While Suthar cut Philippe’s innings short on 39 off 33, Edwards ran away to 88 off 78 balls, including 11 fours and a six. Todd Murphy, batting at No. 10, gave Edwards good company and ensured the innings did not slide to a premature end.Their ninth-wicket partnership ended on 55 when Brar removed Edwards in the 82nd over. Murphy and No.11 Henry Thornton survived the remaining 2.4 overs on the day and took Australia A to stumps.

Jamie Carragher has delivered his verdict on Arsenal and their Premier League title challenge after their dramatic 2-1 loss at Aston Villa.

Arsenal suffer first defeat in 18 games as five-point lead slips

Arsenal’s agonising defeat at Villa has ended the Gunners’ 18-game unbeaten streak whilst threatening their title aspirations, with Man City’s subsequent 3-0 dismantling of Sunderland now reducing the gap to just two points.

Emiliano Buendia’s 95th minute winner highlighted familiar weaknesses that have plagued previous title challenges.

Mikel Arteta’s makeshift defence, deprived of William Saliba and Gabriel through injury, conceded soft goals that championship-winning teams simply cannot afford.

Matty Cash’s thunderous opener exploited Eberechi Eze’s defensive negligence, whilst Buendia’s late intervention punished Arsenal’s inability to clear.

Leandro Trossard’s second-half equaliser briefly sparked hope of a hard-fought victory in the Midlands, yet Arsenal ultimately succumbed to Villa’s relentless pressure.

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While Arsenal have only lost twice this campaign, Arteta will be hoping Saturday’s defeat doesn’t sap his squad’s confidence given the manner of their slip up.

Cristhian Mosquera’s ankle injury compounds their current defensive crisis, forcing 16-year-old Marli Salmon onto the bench against Villa.

Man City ruthlessly capitalised on Arsenal’s hiccup, delivering their arguable most complete performance this season against an in-form Sunderland side.

Rúben Dias opened the scoring with a spectacular 25-yard thunderbolt before Josko Gvardiol doubled the advantage through a towering header from Phil Foden’s corner.

Foden completed the scoring after 65 minutes, converting Rayan Cherki’s outrageous rabona cross for a serious highlight reel moment.

Pep Guardiola praised it as potentially City’s finest 95-minute display this season, emphasising how it is consistency rather than individual results that determines success.

The title race has dramatically intensified, with Aston Villa themselves now genuine contenders sitting third, merely three points behind Arsenal following seven consecutive wins in all competitions.

Make no mistake, it is all to play for, and Carragher is convinced that Arsenal have a ‘huge problem’ in the form of Foden.

Jamie Carragher says Phil Foden is a 'huge problem' for Arsenal

Speaking on Monday Night Football, Carragher insists that the England international, alongside Erling Haaland, poses a massive threat to Arsenal’s quest to win a first Premier League title in 22 years.

After a difficult 2024/2025, Arsenal have every right to be concerned, as Foden is now back to his imperious best.

Foden has emerged as City’s most potent attacking threat bar Haaland during their resurgent title challenge, scoring nine goals across all competitions so far this term.

The 25-year-old has also notched six Premier League goals in thirteen appearances, averaging 0.51 goals per ninety minutes whilst contributing two assists.

His recent purple patch has been particularly devastating, with five goals scored in his last three league games. His goal involvement rate of 0.69 per ninety minutes highlights his constant influence in the final third, with Guardiola praising his exceptional qualities following Saturday’s performance.

Foden already surpassed his career milestone of 100 City goals during the summer’s Club World Cup, cementing his status amongst the club’s elite scorers.

His personal renaissance couldn’t have come at a worse time for Arsenal, but luckily for Arteta, the title is still theirs to lose.

New South Wales allrounder Jack Edwards has been called into his first international squad after being added to Australia’s ODI side for the final match in Sydney while Glenn Maxwell and Ben Dwarshuis are fit to return for the latter stages of the upcoming T20I series against India, with young WA quick Mahli Beardman also called up for the T20Is.Cricket Australia confirmed a host of changes to the two white-ball squads on Friday with Marnus Labuschagne released from the ODI squad ahead of the final game in Sydney on Saturday to prepare for Queensland’s Sheffield Shield clash with NSW that starts on Tuesday at the Gabba.Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott will both miss the back-end of the T20I series against India in order play the round four Shield match for NSW against Victoria which starts at the SCG on November 10. Hazlewood will only play the first two T20Is while Abbott, who is recovering from split webbing in his hand, will leave Australia’s squad after the third T20I in Hobart.Related

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Matthew Kuhnemann, who played in the first ODI against India in Perth but then missed the second in Adelaide when Adam Zampa returned, was recalled to the squad for the third game in Sydney alongside Edwards. Josh Philippe, who also played the opening ODI and then was left out of the second when Alex Carey returned, was added to the T20I squad as the spare wicketkeeper with doubt remaining over Josh Inglis’ fitness as he is yet to return from a calf strain.Maxwell will return for the last three matches of the T20I series having been ruled out of the first two after fracturing his wrist while bowling in the nets in New Zealand late last month. Dwarshuis was ruled out of the ODI series and the first three T20Is with a calf injury but has been named to return for the fourth and fifth matches in Queensland.Mahli Beardman has been called up to Australia’s T20I squad•CA/Getty Images

Beardman, 20, is a surprise call-up for the last three T20Is. The former Australia Under-19 quick was a shock inclusion as an injury replacement on Australia’s 2024 white-ball tour of England having played only one List A game for Western Australia. He is also coming off stress fractures over the winter but he has made an impressive start to his T20 and List A career for Perth Scorchers and WA. He took 3 for 17 in his second BBL game, his last T20 appearance in January, and has 12 wickets at 17.75 with an economy rate of 5.75 from his first four List A games for WA, including 3 for 48 and 2 for 55 in his only two games so far this season coming back from injury.Edwards’ call-up to the ODI squad has come on the back of some excellent performances for Australia A on the recent tour of India. He made 88 in the second four-day game in Lucknow and then took 4 for 56 and 89 off 75 in the second and third 50-over matches in Kanpur respectively while captaining Australia A.His addition to the squad does provide Australia the opportunity to extend their batting and trial an allrounder heavy line-up in the dead rubber in Sydney. Such an XI would present the selectors with the chance to rest either one or both of Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc given there is just one day of rest between the second and third ODI.

Australia ODI squad for the third ODI vs India

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe (wk), Matt Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Australia T20I squad vs India

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott (first three matches only), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman (last three matches only), Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis (last two matches only), Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood (first two matches only), Glenn Maxwell (last three matches only), Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe (wk), Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

يواجه نادي برشلونة نظيره ديبورتيفو ألافيس اليوم السبت، وذلك لحساب منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى على ملعب كامب نو.

ويستضيف برشلونة ألافيس على ملعب كامب نو، ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من الدوري الإسباني.

وفاجأ ألافيس برشلونة في لقاء اليوم واستطاع أن يتقدم بالهدف الأول في الدقيقة الأولى، وذلك عن طريق بابلو إيبانيز.

إيبانيز استغل كرة ركنية لعبت في بداية اللقاء، حيث استغل اللاعب قلة تركيز لاعبي برشلونة ليضع الكرة بسهولة في شباك حارس المرمى خوان جارسيا.

أقرأ أيضًا .. برشلونة يصدر بيانًا بسبب أزمة الجمهور قبل لقاء ألافيس في الدوري الإسباني

لكن برشلونة استطاع أن يدرك التعادل بالفعل عن طريق لامين يامال، وذلك بحلول الدقيقة الـ8.

واستغل لامين يامال تمريرة رائعة من رافينيا من الجهة اليسرى ليسددها في مرمى ديبورتيفو ألافيس معدلًا النتيجة للبلوجرانا. ودخل برشلونة بقوته الضاربة في لقاء اليوم، حيث عاد فرينكي دي يونج للتواجد بشكل أساسي في الدوري، بعدما غاب في الجولة الماضية ضد أتلتيك بلباو بسبب الإصابة، إلى جانب رافينيا دياز.

ويتواجد على دكة بدلاء برشلونة اليوم بيدري، والذي عاد من جديد للظهور مع برشلونة، عقب غياب عن الملاعب تجاوز الشهر بسبب الإصابة.

ويحتل برشلونة المركز الثاني في ترتيب الدوري الإسباني وبفارق نقطة واحدة فقط عن ريال مدريد صاحب المركز الأول.

وبإمكان برشلونة احتلال المركز الأول في ترتيب الدوري الإسباني بشكل مؤقت إذا انتصر اليوم، في انتظار مواجهة ريال مدريد مع جيرونا مساء يوم غدًا الأحد.

 

Celtic have now reportedly been “made aware” of an opportunity to sign Raheem Sterling from Chelsea in the January transfer window, with the winger still frozen out at Stamford Bridge.

It’s a busy time for the Hoops, who were thrown into chaos when Brendan Rodgers made an unexpected decision to resign earlier this season – sparking the return of Martin O’Neill on an interim basis.

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Since then, the 73-year-old has turned back the clock to get Celtic back on track and send the rumour mill into overdrive that he could yet extend his second stint in charge of the club.

O’Neill, however, has often distanced himself from the permanent job and candidates such as Wilfried Nancy and Kjetil Nkutsen are beginning to emerge as potential options to take the reins.

The next two weeks should be crucial for Celtic in their managerial search, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll have a new name in charge by the time that the international break comes to an end.

If their search is ongoing, then O’Neill has reiterated that he’ll be happy to stick around until the club no longer need his services – telling reporters: “I will be here as long as the football board wants me, it’s as simple as that.”

Of course, whoever is in charge will have plenty of work to do in the January transfer window, with Celtic in need of reinforcements and a number of potential options already coming to the fore.

Celtic "made aware" of Raheem Sterling option

As Graeme Bailey told 67 Hail Hail, Celtic have now been “made aware” of the chance to sign Sterling in January, as Chelsea continue to give the four-time Premier League winner the cold shoulder in West London.

Without an appearance all season, the former Manchester City winger desperately needs a move this winter, but must face up to the reality of a significant pay-cut if he is to move onto a club like Celtic. As things stand, Sterling earns an eye-watering £16.9m-a-year at Chelsea.

To put that figure into context, Celtic’s record signing, Adam Idah cost them £11m so, in one swoop, Sterling’s wages alone would beat the Bhoys’ record transfer fee and that’s simply not doable in Glasgow. The Chelsea man will need to make a major sacrifice.

There would also be question marks over Sterling’s ability to make an instant impact. Although former Chelsea boss Graham Potter dubbed the winger “excellent” during his time at the club, those days are long gone and he hasn’t played a senior game since a loan spell at Arsenal last season. Even if he were to halve his salary, it would be an expensive gamble for Celtic.

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In one of the most high-profile player trades in IPL history, Rajasthan Royals are set to trade wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in exchange of allrounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.It is understood that both franchises have spoken to all three players involved but neither franchise confirmed the development when ESPNcricinfo reached out to them.Both RR and CSK have to send an expression of interest naming the three players involved in the trade to the IPL governing council. As per the trading rules, once the players’ written consent comes in, the franchises can have further discussions for a final agreement, which will also be ratified by the governing council.Samson and Jadeja have been with their respective franchises for a long time. Samson has represented RR for 11 seasons, while Jadeja has played for CSK since 2012, barring the two seasons in 2016 and 2017 when the franchises were suspended. Samson had indicated after IPL 2025 that he was looking for a change and wanted to be released by RR.Related

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Jadeja was retained by CSK ahead of the 2025 mega auction for INR 18 crore as the second player after captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Along with MS Dhoni, Jadeja has been a constant part of their core. He has been part of three of CSK’s five title wins.Jadeja played a crucial role in CSK’s win in the 2023 final, with his batting heroics in the last over against Gujarat Titans. It was also his best season with the ball as he finished with 20 wickets. He followed the feat with the bat in 2025, scoring 301 runs in the season, including two fifties.Jadeja has played 254 IPL matches, the fifth-most in the tournament behind Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik. With 143 wickets, he is the highest wicket-taker for CSK with best bowling figures of 5 for 16. He has the most Player-of-the-Match awards (16) along with Dhoni too. In 2022, Jadeja was appointed CSK captain, but handed the captaincy back to Dhoni midway after a poor start to the season.Sam Curran was bought back by CSK in 2025•BCCI

RR was the first team Jadeja represented in the IPL as a 19-year-old, and also the first team he won the title with in 2008. Jadeja played for RR for the first two seasons but was suspended in 2010 by the IPL for trying to negotiate a contract with Mumbai Indians directly. After the ban, Jadeja featured for Kochi Tuskers in 2011 before being bought by CSK for USD 2 million in 2012.After an impressive maiden IPL in 2013, when RR finished third as well as runner-up in the Champions League T20, Samson was the youngest player retained at 19 ahead of the 2014 season. That first stint lasted until RR’s two-year suspension in 2016-17 and Samson rejoined the franchise in 2018. He was appointed captain in 2021 and, in 2022, working with Kumar Sangakkara, RR’s team director, led the franchise to the IPL final for the first time since 2008.Samson has led RR in 33 wins and 33 defeats in 67 matches. In 2024, when RR made the playoffs again, he had a 500-run IPL season for the first time, scoring 531 at an average of 48.27 and strike rate of 153.47. He was one of six players retained by RR ahead of last year’s mega auction at INR 18 crore and he also remained captain. However, a side injury ruled him out of the second half of IPL 2025, and RR kept losing matches from strong positions to finish ninth out of ten teams.Samson is RR’s leading run-scorer with 4027 runs, has the joint-most 50-plus scores (25), the joint-highest score (124), and has taken the most catches (149). After he informed RR that he wanted to be released, the franchise initiated trade talks with several teams.Curran began his IPL career at Punjab Kings in 2019 and played for them again in 2023 – when he became the league’s most expensive player at INR 18.5 crore – and 2024. In between, he played for CSK in 2020 and 2021. Curran was bought back by CSK for INR 2.4 crore in the 2025 season, when he finished with 114 runs and only one wicket in five games.

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell was provided the funds to splash on a host of new signings for Russell Martin during the summer transfer window.

The former Everton surpremo was shaping the squad for the first time since his move to Ibrox in April, and there was plenty of movement in and out of the club.

As you can see in the graphic above, Thelwell was backed by the board when it came to incoming signings, as he splashed the cash on several significant additions.

The most expensive signing of the summer window was centre-forward Youssef Chermiti, who arrived from Everton in an £8m deal. So far, the Portugal U21 international has scored one goal for Rangers.

Bojan Miovski was also brought in for a reported fee of up to £4.2m to bolster the club’s attack. The former Aberdeen man has only scored two goals in all competitions, per Sofascore.

Another Thelwell signing who has been underwhelming since his move to Ibrox in a £3.5m deal from Luton Town has been attacking midfielder Thelo Aasgaard.

Where Thelo Aasgaard ranks among Thelwell's Rangers signings

Thelwell signed eight players on permanent deals in the summer, on top of the Oscar Cortes and Lyall Cameron deals that were agreed before his tenure, and the bulk of them failed to make much of an impact.

Djeidi Gassama has been the best addition to the squad out of those eight players. The French winger has scored six goals and provided two assists in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which is more than any other summer signing has managed.

Oliver Antman, who joined from Go Ahead Eagles for £3m, has the most assists in the squad of any summer signing, with three, per Transfermarkt, and still has plenty of time left to improve at the age of 24.

Chermiti ranks just above Miovski, despite the fee, because he is five years younger than the Macedonia international and has more time ahead to develop and reach his potential at Ibrox.

1

Djeidi Gassama

2

Oliver Antman

3

Thelo Aasgaard

4

Youssef Chermiti

5

Bojan Miovski

6

Emmanuel Fernandez

7

Joe Rothwell

That is also why Emmanuel Fernandez, who has started two games, ranks above Joe Rothwell, who is 30 and did not even make the bench for the 3-0 win over Dundee at Dens Park.

That leaves Thelo Aasgaard in third place. That may sound like praise at face value, but it really paints a picture of how underwhelming Thelwell’s signings have been.

The Norway international has produced one goal and one assist in 16 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and the assist was a short pass to Gassama before his wonder goal in the earlier clip.

Aasgaard was also sent off against Celtic in the semi-final of the League Cup at Hampden Park for Danny Rohl’s side, which means that he has as many red cards as goals for the club so far.

At the age of 23, the former Luton star has time ahead of him and may develop into a future star for the Gers, but his current performance level has been underwhelming, at best.

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That is why there may be some regrets over their decision to part ways with attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi, who was released by Thelwell at the end of his contract in the summer.

Why Rangers must regret releasing Ianis Hagi

The Light Blues chief may regret releasing the Romania international because he would walk into the starting line-up over Aasgaard based on his form for Rangers and his performances for his new club this season.

Hagi currently plays for Analyaspor in Turkey after moving on from Ibrox as a free agent in the summer, despite showing some impressive displays in the Scottish Premiership last term.

After working his way back into the squad under Philippe Clement after a contract issue, the 27-year-old attacking midfielder scored four goals, created six ‘big chances’, and registered five assists in 16 league starts for the Light Blues, per Sofascore.

These statistics show that the playmaker, who former Romanian international Ilie Dumitrescu dubbed “sensational” last term,provided a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Scottish giants, whilst being utilised as a number ten or as a winger.

As aforementioned, Aasgaard has not shown consistency as either a scorer or as a creator since his £3.5m move from Luton, which is why the decision to release Hagi in the summer looks like a misjudged one.

Appearances

9

8

Goals

1

2

Conversion rate

7%

13%

Key passes

7

17

Big chances created

0

2

Assists

1

1

Fouls won per game

1.4

2.5

As you can see in the table above, Hagi’s form in the Turkish top-flight is also vastly superior to the Norwegian midfielder’s for Rangers, as he has scored ten more chances and scored twice as many goals in fewer appearances.

These statistics show that the Romania international has taken the threat that he provided on the pitch for Rangers last season and carried it into his form in Turkey for his new club.

Hagi only turned 27 in October and is not a player who is heading into the final years of his career or is regressing as a player, as evidenced by his form this season, which makes it all the more surprising that the Gers allowed him to leave for nothing.

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Their respective statistics suggest that the Romanian star would walk into the current Rangers team over Aasgaard, and that says it all about Thelwell’s recruitment in the summer, as it stands.

The Houston Astros are set for a reunion with longtime shortstop Carlos Correa after they agreed to a trade with the Minnesota Twins to bring him back ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.

Correa is set to take over at third base in Houston to replace the injured Isaac Paredes, who will miss the rest of the season. The 30-year-old initially left the team after the 2021 season and spent the last four years in Minnesota, but will now to the place where his MLB career started.

Speaking with MLB.com, Correa explained why he opted to waive his no-trade clause for a homecoming with the Astros. He said that the current trajectory of the Twins, who don't figure to be contenders any time soon, wasn't a direction that aligned with what he wanted for his career, so the two sides agreed to find a trade.

"I let them know there was only one team I would allow that to happen," Correa said, via Brian McTaggart.

Correa played the first seven years of his career for the Astros, making two All-Star Games and winning the World Series in 2017. He's under contract through the 2028 season, making an average of $33.3 million per season, though the Twins are expected to take on some of his salary as part of the trade.

With the Astros making some big moves at the deadline, they brought back a franchise favorite in Correa, who made clear there was no other team he'd have been willing to be traded to.

Ireland ended the day six down, still another 333 runs from the target with one day to go

Mohammad Isam22-Nov-2025

[File photo] Taijul Islam is now on 249 Test wickets after day four•AFP/Getty Images

Bangladesh are four wickets short of a series sweep against Ireland, on the day Taijul Islam overtook Shakib Al Hasan as the hosts’ highest wicket-taker. The visitors went to stumps on the fourth day on 176 for 6 in pursuit of an improbable 509, with Taijul having taken three wickets in the innings so far.Taijul took his 247th wicket to lead Bangladesh’s Test bowling charts when he trapped Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie lbw for 13 as the first wicket of the chase in the sixth over. Paul Stirling, the other opener, also fell to Taijul, caught at short leg where Mahmudul Hasan Joy took a simple catch. Hasan Murad trapped Cade Carmichael for 19 in the 20th over and Ireland were 77 for 3 just before tea.Mushfiqur’s memorable 100th Test•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Harry Tector struck three fours off Taijul after the break and brought up his fifty off 78 balls but he handed a catch to Mushfiqur Rahim, who ran in from the deep. Three overs later, Khaled Mahmud had Lorcan Tucker, who was unbeaten on 75 in the first innings, edge one behind for 7 and Ireland were in trouble at 127 for 5.Bangladesh then went on to drop Stephen Doheny three times, leaving the small crowd in Mirpur frustrated. Murad first dropped him at short midwicket on 2 before wicketkeeper Litton Das couldn’t latch on to a sharp chance when Doheny was on 13. Ebadot Hossain also put down a chance when he couldn’t hold on to a catch running in from deep square leg when Doheny was on 14. Taijul finally removed him on 15, when he missed an arm ball.Earlier, Mominul Haque’s dismissal on 87 led to Bangladesh’s declaration shortly after the lunch break on 297 for 4. Mushfiqur was unbeaten on 53, having already struck a century in the first innings.Mominul struck 10 fours in his 118-ball knock, as he continued to look for a century since Kanpur last year. The openers Shadman Islam and Mahmudul also struck fifties, as they added 119 runs and Mahmudul had fallen on the third evening for 60. Shadman’s was the first wicket to fall on the fourth morning when he was lbw to Andy McBrine for 78 and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto who handed a catch to gully for Jordan Neill’s first Test wicket. Mushfiqur joined Mominul and the duo put on a brisk century stand of 123 from 167 balls to power the lead past 500.