All posts by h79snht.top

Will Regis Le Bris etch himself into the Sunderland history books at Wembley?

The Frenchman could well be the much-loved manager to finally catapult the Black Cats up to the Premier League after a long eight-season exodus, but Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United wait in their path, attempting to ruin a memorable day out to the English capital.

The Blades were even in the automatic promotion reckoning in the Championship before a late collapse, meaning Le Bris’ men will have to thwart many a dangerous United shirt if they want to return to the big time.

How Sunderland can stop Sheffield United at Wembley

if it hadn’t been for an extremely damaging late patch of losses, Wilder’s men could well have been in the hunt for a space inside the top two right up until the final day.

Instead, they’ve had to make do with a spot inside the nerve-wracking playoffs, but their 6-0 win against Bristol City over two legs to reach the final was done with an unbelievable swagger.

The Wearside giants will have to keep the likes of Callum O’Hare quiet who scored twice over the course of the two action-packed legs, alongside ensuring they’re aware of Harrison Burrows when he bursts forward from left-back after he picked up a goal and three assists himself.

Moreover, Le Bris will pray Wilson Isidor packs his shooting boots for the trip to Wembley, as Michael Cooper added two more clean sheets next to his name against the Robins to boost his already sturdy pile of 21 during the regular season.

That’s before you even mention the constant heroics of Gustavo Hamer, with the former Coventry City attacking midfielder picking up a hefty total of ten goals and seven assists from 47 games this campaign.

This scintillating form for the Blades has been recognised, considering Hamer was awarded the esteemed honour of Championship Player of the Season recently, but Sunderland do currently possess an equally bold midfielder who now has a higher transfer worth than the United number eight.

Sensational Sunderland star now worth more than Hamer

Wilder’s men are no doubt worried that failing to win promotion could see some of their top stars leave, with Sunderland also in the same anxiety-ridden boat.

Le Bris’ camp is overloaded with entertaining youngsters, as seen in 17-year-old Chris Rigg previously being on the shopping list of Manchester United, alongside Jobe Bellingham now attracting interest from the likes of Eintracht Frankfurt.

It will be a very tough ask on Sunderland’s end to keep Bellingham around past this season, therefore, with plenty more expected of the 19-year-old gem if he was to move onto more luxurious pastures after picking up four goals and three assists under Le Bris.

Bellingham could be the bright spark the Black Cats need to win a one-off tie at Wembley, but if they were to fall at the final hurdle, they should at least be able to sell on the 19-year-old on for a far higher amount than his original £3m price-tag.

Bellingham’s overall Sunderland numbers

Stat

Bellingham

Games played

89

Goals scored

11

Assists

4

Champ TOTS

1x

Champ YPOTS

1x

Value when joining

£3m

Value now

£22m

Sourced by Transfermarkt/Football Transfers

Now, according to Football Transfers, any suitor this summer attempting to land Bellingham will have to dish out a steep £22m. To add context, Hamer is worth a far lesser £13m according to the same source.

That’s the case despite Hamer’s glowing achievements to date in South Yorkshire

Indeed, the “sensational” Sunderland midfielder – as he’s been lauded in the past by journalist Josh Bunting – potentially possesses the ability to be a world-class performer in Germany if he does depart the Stadium of Light.

Before any big summer move occurs, however, Wembley will be the grand stage for the two attacking midfielders to battle it out, with only one being able to triumphantly head up to the Premier League.

Related He was saved by Ballard: Le Bris must axe 5/10 Sunderland star at Wembley

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Posts 3 ByKelan Sarson May 14, 2025

Glasgow Rangers supporters still do not know who the club’s next head coach is going to be, as Ibrox chiefs continue to run the rule over a number of candidates.

It has been reported by the Daily Mail that Andrew Cavenagh is set for face-to-face talks, alongside Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart at Rangers, with managers, including Davide Ancelotti and Russell Martin.

The same report, though, added that Steven Gerrard, who won the Scottish Premiership with the Gers in the 2020/21 campaign, is still in the running for the job.

Part of what made the English manager’s team at Ibrox so successful was that they were able to successfully recruit domestic talent, including central midfielder Glen Kamara.

Why Glen Kamara was a key signing for Steven Gerrard

The Finland international, who came through the Arsenal academy, made his big breakthrough in senior football with Dundee in the Premiership, playing 64 games in 18 months at Dens Park.

Rangers swooped to sign him for £50k in the January window of 2019, as his deal was due to expire that summer, and it was a move that was later described as the “steal of the century” by Scott Arfield.

His 64 appearances for Dundee meant that Gerrard was bringing in a proven Premiership performer who could hit the ground running in the Premiership as an impact signing, rather than needing time as either a young player or as someone who was not used to Scottish football.

Kamara went on to play 193 games for Rangers, scoring nine goals and providing 11 assists, before being sold to Leeds United for £5m in 2023.

He was a key signing for Gerrard, though, because his ability to hit the ground running allowed him to be a star from the get-go, and he went on to play a significant role in the title-winning side, starting 28 of the 38 league games and completing 91% of his attempted passes.

Rangers, and potentially Gerrard if he gets the job for a second time, could repeat that masterclass by swooping for another Dundee star this summer.

Rangers have held talks to sign Dundee star

According to Daily Record reporter Scott Burns, Rangers have held talks over a deal to sign Dundee right wing-back Josh Mulligan, who is out of contract, in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Light Blues have explored a move to land the 22-year-old ace, although they face competition from Charlton Athletic, but have put talks on hold for now until their managerial pursuit comes to an end.

Whilst talks are on hold for the defender, who was dubbed a future Scotland international by Kai Watson, the club should look to pursue this further as soon as possible because he could be Glen Kamara 2.0.

Why Josh Mulligan could be Glen Kamara 2.0

The versatile Scottish ace, who can play as a wing-back or as a central midfielder, as outlined by Watson, could be a repeat of the masterclass that Gerrard played with Kamara because he is a proven Premiership performer with time ahead of him to develop and improve.

Mulligan, who was described as a “Rolls-Royce” and as a “powerful” player by Simon Ferry, is only 22 but has already racked up 122 appearances for Dundee, 63 of which have come in the Premiership.

24/25 Premiership

Josh Mulligan

Appearances

34

Big chances created

9

Assists

5

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.5

Duels won per game

5.2

Error led to shot

0

Error led to goal

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the young defender offered solid defensive work, with zero errors that directly led to shots or goals, whilst also providing a creative outlet down the right flank.

These statistics show that Mulligan is a solid and reliable Premiership performer, despite his young age, in both his work in and out of possession, as he can step in to make vital tackles and interceptions without making many mistakes, and has an impact in the final third.

This means that the Ranger transfer target could follow in Kamara’s footsteps as a proven Premiership star coming to Ibrox directly from Dundee to hit the ground running in Glasgow.

Mulligan could make an instant impact on the pitch for the next manager, given his performances for Dundee in the division this season, and that is why he could be an excellent, and bargain on a free transfer, addition to the squad.

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Posts ByDan Emery May 28, 2025

A whopping 102 days on from Philippe Clement’s sacking at Ibrox in February, Rangers finally have their man.

On Thursday morning, Russell Martin was unveiled as the 20th permanent manager in Rangers’ 153-year history, and he has a big job on his hands.

His first competitive fixture in charge of the Gers, coming up on 22/23 July, will be a big one, as his new team face a Champions League qualifier, ten days before the start of the new Premiership campaign.

The identity of their opponents will be confirmed on 18 June.

So, with plenty of work to do before then, we look at a dream line-up Martin could field when he takes charge at Ibrox for the very first time next month.

1 GK: Liam Kelly

One of the first major decisions Martin will have to make straight away is picking a number one goalkeeper.

After arriving in 2023, Jack Butland was the undisputed first-choice for so long, starting 100 of 109 matches across all competitions, that is until a string of errors saw him dropped by Barry Ferguson back in April.

Thus, Liam Kelly came in for the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club, memorably saving Álex Berenguer’s late penalty in front of the Broomloan Road Stand, preserving a goalless draw on the night.

Thus, Kelly concluded the campaign as the number one, doing very little to suggest he was not worthy of that jersey, meaning the gloves are currently his to lose, even if Butland will certainly fight for his place.

2 RB: James Tavernier

James Tavernier is a bona fide Rangers legend, having made 513 appearances since arriving from Wigan Athletic a decade ago; only ten men have featured on more occasions for the club than the current captain.

Now 33 years old, his position did come under some scrutiny last season, hence why interim boss Ferguson trialled him as both a wing-back and a right-sided centre-back in a three.

Nevertheless, in Martin’s system that prioritises possession, Tavernier will be able to operate high-and-wide, providing him with a platform to get back to his best.

3 CB: Harry Darling – new signing

Rangers surely need to bolster their centre-back options this summer, so could they sign a player the new boss knows rather well?

Robin Pröpper did not impress much after arriving a year ago, while Leon Balogun cannot be relied upon week in week out, as he’s now 36 years old, so could Harry Darling be the new central defender the Light Blues are looking for?

The 25-year-old played for Martin at Milton Keynes, before he also signed him after joining Swansea City, which is where Darling has been ever since, making 112 appearances to date for the Welsh EFL Championship outfit.

Reports have suggested that Martin would like Rangers to make a move for Darling this summer, who is out of contract in South Wales, thereby available for free, so could the prospect of reuniting with his former boss once more convince him to choose a move to Govan?

4 CB: John Souttar

Alongside, John Souttar was indisputably Rangers’ best defender last season, with Scotland captain Andy Robertson describing his performances as “unbelievable” and “different class”, adding that he “showed his quality”, following the Dark Blues’ 2-1 victory over Poland in Warsaw in November.

The 28-year-old, who has endured such horrendous luck with injury throughout his career, suffering two anterior cruciate ligament injuries, managed to start 38 games in all competitions last season, racking up over 3,400 minutes, the most in a single campaign of his entire professional career.

Thus, Souttar was a reliable figure, both in terms of performance and availability, so should be a central pillar for Martin.

5 LB: Rıdvan Yılmaz

Left-backs Rıdvan Yılmaz and Jefté appeared to have some sort of timeshare agreement last season, but most would agree which of the pair impressed more.

The Türkiye international did have to deal with various injury issues throughout the campaign, but did impress when available, with then-manager Ferguson stating “he’s become a big player”, adding “he’s one player I can rely on”.

Still only 24 years old, Yılmaz has the potential to get even better too, so he can be trusted to start on the left side.

6 CM: Metinho – new signing

According to widespread reports, including by the Daily Record, Rangers are interested in signing midfielder Metinho, claiming that the 22-year-old is valued at £5m by his parent club Troyes, who are owned by the City Football Group.

The defensive midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan at Basel, helping the RotBlau win the Swiss Super League and Coupe de Suisse double, starting as they beat FC Biel-Bienne in the final of the latter in Bern last Sunday.

He has previously been nicknamed ‘the Brazilian Paul Pogba’ due to their stylistic similarities, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes he is “very talented”, suggesting Metinho would be worth spending £5m on.

7 CM: Nicolas Raskin

Rangers’ Player of the Season, and rightly so, was Nicolas Raskin, so keeping hold of the Belgian international this summer will be vitally important.

Former manager Philippe Clement stated recently that his compatriot “would fit perfectly in the Premier League”, with Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider having previously documented Leeds United’s interest, following their promotion.

Nevertheless, if the Gers harbour any hopes of negotiating Champions League qualifying, and ultimately wrestling the title away from Celtic, they simply cannot afford sell the Belgian.

8 CM: Mohamed Diomandé

Another Rangers midfielder earning admiring glances from south of the border is Mohamed Diomandé, with TEAMtalk claiming that Everton are one of six Premier League outfits chasing the Côte d’Ivoire international’s signature.

The 23-year-old racked up 54 appearances across all competitions last season, scoring six times, including in the League Cup Final against Celtic, as well as during the 4-1 Europa League demolition of Nice by the French Riviera.

Ivory Coast manager Emerse Faé praised Diomandé’s “great season”, with the midfielder having become a regular for les Éléphants during the last year, so he is one Martin will want to build around.

9 RW: Largie Ramazani – new signing

In search of greater attacking firepower, could Rangers’ new owners use their connections to get this deal over the line?

49ers Enterprises have now completed their takeover of Rangers, and they also own Leeds United, with Paraag Marathe the Chairman at Elland Road.

Thus, according to reports, they are planning to use this connection to make a move for Largie Ramazani, who is expected to leave Leeds this summer, having seen only 963 minutes of action during his debut campaign in West Yorkshire, starting a mere 17 EFL Championship fixtures.

Before that however, the winger had impressed at Almería, with Karim Bouaicha​​​​​​​ of Breaking the Lines describing him as a breakout star in La Liga, adding that he possesses the quality to perform at a “high level” in one of Europe’s best leagues, hence why Leeds paid a reported £10m to sign him in the first place, but could Rangers secure a cut-price deal?

10 ST: Jamie Vardy – new signing

In potentially one of the blockbuster signings of the summer, could Jamie Vardy be heading north of Hadrian’s Wall?

Now 38 years old, the striker has left Leicester City, having scored exactly 200 goals in 500 appearances for the Foxes, very aesthetically pleasing numbers for fans of symmetry, with whom he won the Premier League title and the FA Cup.

Now, reports, via the Daily Mail, claim that Rangers are one of the clubs in contention to sign Vardy and, despite his age, he’d surely score a bucket load of goals in Scotland.

Newcastle United have accepted that a move for long-time transfer target Bryan Mbeumo may not work out this summer, with the Brentford forward reportedly preferring to sign for Manchester United.

Whether that will happen is another matter, and no longer the Magpies’ concern, for Eddie Howe and the powers that be have turned their attention to alternative options, Anthony Elanga and Mohammed Kudus among the targeted.

While Newcastle are in talks with Callum Wilson for a new contract, the ageing striker failed to register a goal contribution in the Premier League last season as he battled through injury problems, and some extra firepower to complement Alexander Isak wouldn’t go amiss.

Newcastle plotting to sign new striker

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro is right at the top of the shopping list, but Newcastle may well be plotting to sign an even more exciting centre-forward.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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According to Football Insider, Newcastle are considering an official move for Porto’s Samu Aghehowa in the coming months, having been keeping tabs on the prolific striker.

Though the 21-year-old has an £82.5m release clause in his contract, he could be sold for considerably less, with a fee of £63m mooted.

Manchester United are also interested as they search for an upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund, and the Premier League competitors may well battle it out for the number nine.

What Samu Omorodion would bring to Newcastle

Tall, powerful and blessed with swift pace, Aghehowa has the fundamental skills to become a fearsome marksman in the Premier League, more still a perfect counterpoint to ther breezy dynamism of Isak.

He might not be the finished article, but this wouldn’t actually be a negative: Aghehowa would join a Newcastle team blessed with “the best striker in the Premier League” in Isak, as has been said by pundit Jamie Carragher, and Wilson, an experienced poacher.

It’s a fantastic mix, and one which could see Aghehowa springboard into the ascendency. Who knows, he might even prove an even bigger star than Pedro with some careful man-management over the coming years.

Though Pedro has impressed since joining Brighton from Watford in a deal worth around £30m two years ago, scoring 30 goals and providing ten assists across 70 matches, 18 of those strikes have come from the penalty spot.

Aghehowa’s ceiling is higher.

Joining Porto from Atletico Madrid last summer just weeks after a move to Chelsea collapsed, Omorodion has thrived in Portugal, scoring 25 goals across 42 matches in all competitions, including a six-goal haul in the Europa League that saw him fire two past Man United.

League 24/25 – Samu Omorodion vs Joao Pedro

Stats (* per game)

Omorodion

Pedro

Matches (starts)

30 (23)

27 (23)

Goals

19

10

Assists

3

6

Shots (on target)*

2.7 (1.1)

1.7 (0.7)

Big chances missed

18

7

Pass completion

79%

75%

Big chances created

5

11

Key passes*

0.6

1.1

Dribbles*

0.4

1.1

Duels won*

3.3

4.9

Stats via Sofascore

Hailed as a “monster in the making” with a “complete profile” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Aghehowa has the mark of an elite-level goalscorer, and while Brighton’s Brazilian forward is more creative and dynamic, Newcastle must invest their chips in the man who could become one of the deadliest number nines in the business.

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Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 10, 2025

It’s been a crazy few weeks for Tottenham Hotspur.

After delivering the North Londoners their first piece of major silverware for 17 years, it was announced that Ange Postecoglou was sacked on Friday afternoon.

While the timing of the decision may feel harsh, it’s not that difficult to see why Daniel Levy and Co made it, as the Australian had won just 47 of 101 games in charge of the club.

While nothing has been officially announced at the moment, it is looking more and more likely that the next man in the Lilywhites hot seat will be Thomas Frank, and based on other reports, he’s already told the club to sign someone who’d be a dream Brennan Johnson upgrade.

Tottenham's transfer targets

Now that Spurs appear to have identified their new manager, it’s worth looking at some of the talented players they’ve been linked with in recent weeks and months, such as Eberichi Eze and Xavi Simons.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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The former enjoyed a superb season with Crystal Palace this year in which he helped the team win the FA Cup and racked up a tally of 14 goals and 11 assists in just 43 games, in turn, more than justifying the £68m release clause reportedly in his current deal.

Likewise, Simons managed to score 11 goals and provide eight assists in 33 games for RB Leipzig this season and would cost around as much as the Englishman at £65m.

However, to really upgrade on Johnson this summer, Tottenham would need to sign an out-and-out rightwinger, someone like Bryan Mbeumo.

Well, according to a recent report from the Mirror, that might be what they end up doing.

The report claims that Frank has instructed Spurs that he wants the club to sign the Cameroon international and make him his first summer acquisition.

To do that, the North Londoners would have to stump up a fee of around £60m and, more crucially, hijack Manchester United’s now well-documented efforts to bring him to Old Trafford.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but one well worth fighting for, as Mbeumo would be the ideal upgrade on Johnson.

How Mbeumo compares to Johnson

Now, while Mbeumo can play up top or even as a second striker, his most played and unquestionably best position is off the right, which would put him in direct competition with Jonnson next season.

So, with that said, who comes out on top when we compare the two?

Well, when it comes to their raw output, it’s actually the often “unplayable” Brentford star, as dubbed by Frank, who comes out on top, with 20 goals and nine assists in 42 appearances, totalling 3577 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.44 games, or every 123.34 minutes.

In contrast, the former Nottingham Forest star scored 18 goals and provided seven assists in 51 appearances, totalling 3316 minutes, which comes out to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.04 games, or every 132.64 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Welsh international, the one-sided nature of this comparison only grows when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Mbeumo vs Johnson

Statistics per 90

Mbeumo

Johnson

Non-Penalty G+As

0.58

0.58

Progressive Passes

3.72

2.93

Progressive Passes Received

9.26

8.14

Progressive Carries

3.43

2.48

Shots

2.08

2.23

Shots on Target

0.90

0.83

Passing Accuracy

66.1%

70.4%

Expected Assists

0.25

0.08

Key Passes

1.85

0.79

Passes into the Final Third

1.66

1.03

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.56

1.45

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.50

0.25

Live Passes

30.7

25.8

Shot-Creating Actions

3.80

1.90

Goal-Creating Actions

0.53

0.29

Tackles

1.29

1.61

Successful Take-Ons

1.37

0.79

Ball Recoveries

4.12

2.60

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season

For example, the “incredible” Bees star, as dubbed by Frank, comes out ahead in the vast majority of relevant metrics, such as progressive passes and carries, shot and goal-creating actions, shots on target, successful take-ons, expected assists and many, many more, all per 90.

Ultimately, even though Johnson enjoyed a decent campaign for Spurs this season, Mbeumo is the superior winger in every measurable way.

Therefore, the club should do everything possible to sign the Brentford star this summer and reunite him with their soon-to-be-manager in North London.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 7, 2025

Arsenal are attempting to sign another player with Brentford’s Christian Norgaard and Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, with the Gunners reliably reported to be closing in on deals for the latter two.

Related Agbonlahor slams "very odd" Arsenal transfer decision as Berta agrees deal

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Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 27, 2025

Earlier this week, following quick-fire talks with Brentford, Arsenal agreed a fee of around £10 million, plus an additional £5 million in add-ons, to sign the Denmark international as a replacement for Thomas Partey.

Norgaard has also been allowed to undergo a medical at Arsenal before signing his contract as the north Londoners’ third signing of the summer, following the reliably reported arrivals of Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Straight after sealing a move for the 31-year-old, sporting director Andrea Berta immediately began work on Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera too. Arsenal opened talks with the La Liga side over a deal for Mosquera on Thursday, and he could cost under £17 million given the player is entering the final 12 months of his contract.

The 21-year-old can play both as a right-back and centre-back, with Mosquera said to have already agreed personal terms over a switch to the Emirates Stadium. Amidst all of these negotiations, though, Berta is still trying to bring in a new striker for Mikel Arteta.

The Italian has been simultaneously laying groundwork on moves for both Sporting CP’s iktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, before deciding which transfer is most feasible for Arsenal to pull off (BBC).

News surrounding the centre-forwards has been more scarce than usual this week, thanks to Arsenal’s many other transfer deals, but an update has now come to light on their chances of signing Sesko.

Arsenal in ongoing talks for Benjamin Sesko who wants to join

As per Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, the Slovenia international wants to join Arteta’s side, and he’s posing absolutely no issues when it comes to agreeing personal terms, contrary to some reports that he wants high wages.

Arsenal remain in ongoing talks over a deal for Sesko, and negotiations are ongoing with both the player’s representatives and Leipzig themselves. O’Rourke’s sources insist that this potential move isn’t being held up by the 22-year-old’s demands, so the indication is it must be a club-to-club issue.

It’s an increasingly confusing situation, as while reports suggest Sesko has a release clause near £70 million, others state that Leipzig could still demand as much as £85 million to let their star striker leave.

He bagged 21 goals in all competitions last season, his best return to date since moving to Germany, and Sesko has been praised for his physicality in particular.

“Benjamin Šeško is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player,” said former Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell.

“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who despite his 1.95m (6’4″) is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”

Mayers is expected to link up with the West Indies squad on Saturday

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jun-2024

Brandon King injured himself during the game against England•ICC/Getty Images

West Indies opening batter Brandon King has been ruled out of the remainder of the T20 World Cup 2024 due to a side strain he suffered during West Indies’ Super Eight loss against England on June 19.Left-hand opening batter Kyle Mayers will replace King in the squad for the rest of the tournament. Mayers is likely to link up with the squad on Saturday.Having been sent into bat by the England captain Jos Buttler in Gros Islet, King smashed 23 off just 12 balls, which included a 101-metre six off Reece Topley in the third over. But, on his 13th ball, King, in a bid to charge down the track to smash Sam Curran through cover, injured himself. He received treatment from the medical staff but failed to carry on and retired hurt on 23 with West Indies eventually going down by eight wickets.Related

West Indies wait on King scans after 'worrying' side strain

King did not field in the run-chase with Shimron Hetmyer filling in for him. He travelled to Barbados for West Indies’ Super Eight fixture against USA on Friday, as he awaited the results of his MRI scans, but has failed to pull through.”The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 has approved left-handed batter Kyle Mayers as a replacement for Brandon King in the West Indies squad,” an ICC release read. “Mayers, who has played 37 T20Is, was named as a replacement after King was ruled out due to a side strain. Mayers is expected to join the squad on Saturday.”King’s absence is a big blow to West Indies’ fortunes. He has been the team’s leading run-scorer in T20Is since the start of 2023, with 651 runs in 23 innings, which includes four fifties. He was also the highest run-scorer in their 3-0 T20I series sweep over South Africa heading into the tournament.The 29-year-old didn’t set the T20 World Cup alight though managing just 86 runs in five innings with a highest score of 34 against Papua New Guinea.His replacement Mayers was widely considered unfortunate to miss the initial cut having had a decent 2024. In 11 T20 games this year, the left-hander has scored 367 runs, striking at 155.50. He has also picked nine wickets with his medium pace.West Indies won four out of four games in the group stage but started the Super Eight with a loss. After their USA fixture on Friday in Barbados, they will play South Africa on Sunday in North Sound, Antigua.

كشف نادي مانشستر سيتي بشكل رسمي اليوم الإثنين، عن الفائز بجائزة أفضل لاعب في صفوف الفريق وذلك عن شهر أغسطس الماضي.

مانشستر سيتي خاض 3 مباريات خلال شهر أغسطس الماضي في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، والذين كانوا أمام ولفرهامبتون، وتوتنهام هوتسبير، وبرايتون.

أقرأ أيضًا .. أسطورة مانشستر سيتي: إيدرسون غيّر مفهوم حراسة المرمى في كرة القدم

وحصل الوافد الجديد إلى خط وسط نادي مانشستر سيتي، تيجاني ريندرز، على جائزة أفضل لاعب في صفوف النادي الإنجليزي عن شهر أغسطس.

ولم تشهد قائمة اللاعبين المرشحين في صفوف مانشستر سيتي لجائزة أفضل لاعب في شهر أغسطس تواجد النجم المصري عمر مرموش.

ريندرز رشح لجائزة لاعب الشهر في مانشستر سيتي إلى جانب كلًا من إيرلينج هالاند وكذلك جون ستونز، حيث نجح الدولي الهولندي في التفوق على الثنائي.

وجاء تتويج ريندرز بأفضل لاعب في مانشستر سيتي عن شهر أغسطس عن جدارة، وذلك بعدما سجل هدفين في مرمى ولفرهامبتون وكذلك نجح في تقديم تمريرة حاسمة.

ريندرز يخوض موسمه الأول مع مانشستر سيتي، حيث وقع الدولي الهولندي مع السيتيزن خلال فترة الميركاتو الصيفي الأخير ، وذلك قادمًا من صفوف إي سي ميلان مقابل حوالي 70 مليون يورو وبعقد مدته خمس سنوات.

وسرعان ما أثبت ريندرز نفسه كلاعب أساسي في تشكيلة مانشستر سيتي وحصل على ثقة المدير الفني بيب جوارديولا.

Sunderland don’t want to just make up the numbers next season in the Premier League.

Indeed, the Black Cats’ early summer business indicates that they are going to splash the cash to try and stave off an immediate Championship return, with a club-record £30m spent on acquiring Habib Diarra from Strasbourg.

That’s before you even consider the long-winding list of names being linked to the Stadium of Light, with ex-Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi one standout face on their reported shopping list, alongside names such as Hamed Traore also being tipped to relocate to Wearside for a high £18m.

Of course, Sunderland are no strangers to such a statement deal when trying to achieve something remarkable like survival in the Premier League, with Enzo Le Fee the talk of the town when he moved to England earlier this year.

Le Fee's early impact at Sunderland

When Le Fee initially linked up with the Black Cats in January on loan, his much-talked-about arrival was secured to try and push Le Bris’ side back up to the promised land.

It ended up being a mission success, thankfully, with Le Fee’s stylish presence helping Sunderland in some nervy promotion-deciding moments, as seen in him registering two vital assists in the playoff semi-final first and second legs versus Coventry City.

Le Fee’s career numbers before joining Sunderland

Club played for

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

Lorient

142

8

15

Rennes

35

0

5

AS Roma

10

0

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Also chipping in with a goal during Sunderland’s intense promotion run-in, Black Cats supporters far and wide must have been scratching their eyes watching such an immense talent strut his stuff in the Championship, considering he was lining up for Italian giants AS Roma just before his switch to Wearside.

On top of that, he also collected a hefty total of 28 goals and assists on the books of both Rennes and Lorient, with Le Bris clearly flexing his ex-Lorient connections to surprisingly pick up Le Fee, who is now a permanent member of his Premier League camp after joining for good for £20m.

Another bold move similar to the Frenchman’s shock switch could soon be signed off on if rumours are correct, with this potential deal perhaps going down as an even bigger signing than the 25-year-old’s entry if the enigmatic star in question can instantly settle.

The "phenomenon" who could be a bigger signing than Le Fee

Le Bris loves hopping into the Ligue 1 market when attempting to unearth potential Sunderland gems, with Diarra the next notable face from the French top division being given a chance to shine in Wearside.

Lyon superstar Georges Mikautadze could be the next to fall off the ambitious Ligue 1 conveyor belt, with French outlet Foot Mercato revealing that Sunderland are one of a number of clubs across Europe keeping a close eye on the entertaining Georgian amidst Lyon’s financial woes.

Mikautadze might end up joining the Sunderland ranks for only £1m more than Le Fee, which would be an almighty steal when you consider the many dazzling performances the 24-year-old forward served up under Paolo Fonseca last season.

In total, the attacking “phenomenon” – as he has been labelled in the past by former boss Emilio Ferrera – would hammer home 17 goals and pick up nine assists in all competitions, even as background noise threatened to unsettle the now Ligue 2 outfit.

Mikautadze’s G/A numbers for Lyon & Metz by season

Season

Club played for

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

24/25

Lyon

47

17

11

23/24

FC Metz

22

14

4

22/23

FC Metz

42

25

9

Sourced by Transfermarkt

When digging even deeper and analysing the table above, his numbers overall when playing in France – away from just being Lyon’s main attacking spark – blow Le Fee’s own tally even more out of the water, with a ridiculous 79 combined goals and assists coming his way for both Metz and his current employers.

With all of this on his side, there will be so much hope in the air that Mikautadze can be a rip-roaring success in England, much like Le Fee has managed to be.

If anything, having also been hailed as a “living legend” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Mikautadze might well be even more of an enticing watch, particularly if his enthralling displays ensure immediate Premier League safety.

Related Sunderland plotting bargain swoop to sign "great" Premier League midfielder

The Black Cats could land an excellent deal.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jun 30, 2025

Australia’s national selector says the tournament “is very much on the horizon” for Maxwell and Starc

Andrew McGlashan15-Jul-20241:07

Bailey: Warner should be commended for his career in all formats

David Warner won’t be considered for next year’s ODI Champions Trophy after he said he would be open to playing the tournament despite announcing his international retirement.As Warner did in January when he said last year’s ODI World Cup would mark the end of his career in the format, he repeated his call about the Champions Trophy in a recent social media post following the end of the T20 World Cup which marked the conclusion of his Australia career. But George Bailey, Australia’s national selector, said Warner was considered fully retired and the legacy he has left as an all-format player should be appreciated.”Our understanding is that David is retired, and [he] should be commended on what has been an incredible career across all three formats,” Bailey said. “Certainly, our planning is that he won’t be there in Pakistan.Related

Connolly earns Australia call-up; Fraser-McGurk included for Scotland, England tour

“You never know when Bull’s joking…think he’s just stirring the pot a bit. He’s had a wonderful career, can’t celebrate it enough, and think as time goes by, his legacy of what he has done for Australia and we reflect back on that, the legend of a player is only going to continue to grow. But as far as this team goes and the journey to transition to some different players, in his case across all three formats, it’s going to be exciting.”However, Bailey added that the selectors were not moving on from other players around white-ball cricket even as they shifted focus to the future, particularly with the T20I squad for the tours of Scotland and England which featured a call up for Cooper Connolly and Jake Fraser-McGurk, following the Super Eight exit in West Indies.Matthew Wade has been left out and would appear to have played his last game for Australia but that has not been made official. Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell have been rested from the T20Is but there have not been discussions on their longer-term future in the format ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Australia have nine T20Is left this year (three apiece against Scotland, England and Pakistan) and then do not play the format again until next July in West Indies, which begins a run of 17 games, according to the Future Tours Programme, before the next World Cup.Bailey on Warner: ‘Think he’s just stirring the pot a bit’•ICC/Getty Images

“I don’t think there’s anyone who’s not there that we’ve put a line through permanently besides David,” Bailey said. “This is the way we are going with this squad. If opportunities arise or there are gaps at different points there’s nothing to say that Wadey might not come back, but certainly, at this point, we are excited about giving Josh [Inglis] a run.”The next T20 World Cup is 2026, so I imagine there may be some more changes than what we are seeing in this squad but specifically to those guys [Starc and Maxwell], no we haven’t had any conversations about where they think their T20 journey may finish.”Certainly for Glenn and Mitch, the Champions Trophy is very much on the horizon, [and is a] very important tournament for those guys. And Starcy in particular, I think he’s going to have a huge summer. Clearly, some of the decisions made around this series are around prioritising and getting guys right for what will be a really big summer. As far as ending players, seeing where guys might finish up, we haven’t had those conversations.”Reflecting on last month’s T20 World Cup, Bailey said there was a lingering frustration that it had fallen apart for Australia in barely 36 hours with their defeats to Afghanistan and India having been unbeaten until that point.”Still think that T20 side, the foundation of it, is a really, really good team,” he said. “It didn’t feel like we needed to completely rip it apart and start from scratch. But it’s also a great opportunity to start to explore some other guys. Cooper’s one who hasn’t had an opportunity, [and] there’s a number of guys who have been on some tours and played one or two games but haven’t had a great deal of opportunity yet. So excited to see them get a bit more of an opportunity and start to work out how they fit into that team or into that squad.”He also praised the captaincy of Mitchell Marsh who will lead both squads on the UK tour with Pat Cummins missing the whole trip to work on conditioning ahead of the home summer.”I loved the way he captained through the T20 World Cup,” Bailey said. “He was really clear on how he wanted to lead that team. He was as disappointed as anyone that we didn’t get to the end goal that everyone was hoping to achieve, but if you look at his early success rate as a captain across T20 he’s done a really great job.”