The 2025/26 campaign has deepened and we now have a clear picture of how things are going. For Liverpool, improvements are needed across the board.

Arne Slot has cut a dismayed figure over the past several months, unable to grasp how his high-flying squad have been grounded so miserably. A run of six defeats from seven in the Premier League before the weekend win over West Ham United has cast doubt over his tenure.

With the January transfer window less than a month away, FSG are attentive to potential opportunities, and it’s no secret that Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo is at the top of the Merseysiders’ Christmas list.

Liverpool's winter transfer plans

While the thought of activating Semenyo’s £65m release clause next month is tempting, he is not the only talented (and versatile) winger on the market.

And Liverpool are not the only club looking to seal his signature. Semenyo is also on Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur’s radar, with the latter “intensifying their interest”, according to Sky Sports.

But Liverpool have earmarked a number of potential signings, and Caught Offside have revealed that they have been boosted by Real Madrid’s transfer-listing of rogue winger Rodrygo for around €85m (£75m), whose fortunes at the Santiago Bernabeu have been sour for a while now, and is surely set for an exit in 2026.

Rodrygo has not been in good form for Los Blancos this season or last, but there remains a world-class talent in there, and he could finally reach his potential in a leading role at Liverpool.

Why Liverpool want Rodrygo

Rodrygo is one of the most talented forwards in the world. Rodrygo has also gone 30 La Liga matches without a goal.

It’s clear that he needs to leave Real Madrid and restore his reputation as a “world-class superstar”, as he has been called in the past by former teammate Luka Modric. This is a versatile and multi-faceted forward who has proved himself on the biggest stages time and time again.

Cody Gakpo is a consistent force down the left for Liverpool, but he’s not Sadio Mane, who was one of the best players in the world when in his prime. Now, Slot could land such a player in Rodrygo, who is out of sorts under Xabi Alonso’s wing but still, even at an ebb tide, ranks among the top 14% of positional peers for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive carries and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

The Brazil international hasn’t actually played that much football on the left flank, but that is his preferred position. Right-footed, he is at his most prolific when cutting inside and striking on goal, all the while retaining a creative flair that sets him apart from so many other talented wingers.

Right winger

148

34

31

Left winger

89

23

18

Centre-forward

85

22

8

Attacking midfield

4

–

1

Mane was also a versatile and dynamic forward, devastating in the final third. Now 33 and playing in Saudi Arabia, Liverpool have sorely missed their one-time talisman’s presence, accentuated by the sale of Luis Diaz this summer, who was never quite on his predecessor’s level.

Liverpool’s data analysts are among the finest in the game. They will know to overlook Rodrygo’s woes in recent times and look at the wider picture. For example, he scored only five goals in La Liga last season, but Sofascore show that he missed only one big chance, emphasising the kind of clinical, Mane-like returns Slot would receive.

Big boots to fill, but the South American is one of the most accomplished wingers in the game,

Rodrygo is still young – the same age, in fact, as Mane when the Senegalese completed his move to Merseyside.

The fact he has accomplished so much already is a testament to his quality and will to win. Liverpool could do with a bit of that, and if they bring such a complete and dangerous player to Anfield, it might prove to be the catalyst for sustained change.

He's like Arteta: Liverpool line up "best coach in the PL" to replace Slot

Arne Slot is under intense pressure at Liverpool after a shocking run of form.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Dec 2, 2025

And what’s the highest first-class total to not include any extras?

Steven Lynch30-Sep-2025Abhishek Sharma hit his 50th T20 international six in just his 20th innings. Has anyone reached the milestone faster? And who holds the corresponding record in Tests and ODIs? asked Ayan Ghosh from India
India’s Abhishek Sharma hit his 50th six in T20Is with the second of his five against Pakistan in Dubai last week. It was his 20th innings, in his 21st match. Abhishek was the third to reach 50 sixes in his 20th T20I innings, after Evin Lewis of West Indies and Austria’s Karanbir Singh, who has hit 113 sixes in 36 innings so far.But there is one man who got there quicker: Aaron Johnson, who was born in Jamaica but plays for Canada, hit his 50th six in his 19th T20I innings. For the list of most sixes in T20 internationals, click here.The quickest to 50 sixes in one-day internationals is the New Zealander Corey Anderson, who got there in his 33rd innings, one fewer than England’s Liam Livingstone. The fastest in Tests is Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, in 46 innings, ahead of the Indian pair of Rohit Sharma (51) and Rishabh Pant (54).In Derbyshire’s recent match against Kent, Luis Reece opened the batting and scored a double-century, and in the second innings he opened the bowling and took five wickets. Is this unique? asked Evan Sweney from New Zealand
That performance by Derbyshire’s Luis Reece against Kent in Canterbury last week – 211 after opening then 5 for 63 after taking the new ball – wasn’t quite unique, but it does place him on a very select list.There have been only five previous instances in first-class cricket of an opener scoring a double-century and also taking a five-for after opening the bowling. Three of those were by WG Grace, with 217 and 5 for 72 for Gentlemen vs Players in Hove in August 1871; 261, 5 for 62 and 6 for 77 for South vs North at Prince’s (Chelsea) in June 1877; and 221, 6 for 45 and 5 for 75 for Gloucestershire vs Middlesex in Clifton in August 1885.The feat was also achieved by the future Australian captain Herbie Collins, with 235 and 5 for 52 for the Australian Imperial Forces against South Africa in Johannesburg in October 1919, and Gloucestershire’s Reg Sinfield, with 209 not out and 5 for 56 against Glamorgan in Cardiff in August 1935.What’s the highest first-class total that did not include any extras at all? asked Clive Bartram from England
The highest such total is 647, by Victoria against Tasmania in Melbourne in February 1952. It’s a long way in front of the next-most, MCC’s 484 for 4 declared against North Eastern Transvaal in Benoni in December 1948, the innings in which Denis Compton reached 300 in 181 minutes, still the fastest on record by time.The highest Test innings without any extras is India’s 329 against England in Chennai in February 2021, which beat the previous record by one – Pakistan’s 328 against India in Lahore in January 1955.Younis Khan was only ever dismissed once in the 90s in the course of amassing 10,099 Test runs•Getty ImagesIn Hamilton in 2008-09, New Zealand scored 279 in their first innings against India, and then 279 again in their second. How many times has this happened? asked Jatin Das from India
There have now been nine Tests in which teams made an identical score in both innings. The first such instance was in Wellington in 1953, when New Zealand totalled 172 in both innings against South Africa, and that has been followed by New Zealand making 208 and 208, again against West Indies in 1956 in Wellington; India 136 and 136 vs Australia in Calcutta in 1956; India 201 and 201 vs Australia in Sydney in 1981; New Zealand 161 and 161 vs Australia in Hobart in 1993; Sri Lanka 306 and 306 vs South Africa in Cape Town in 1998; Bangladesh 148 and 148 vs Pakistan in Chittagong in 2002; India 407 and 407 for 9 declared against Pakistan in Kolkata in 2005; and finally New Zealand’s 279 and 279 against India in Hamilton in 2009.Mohammad Azharuddin played 99 Tests and was only out once in the nineties. Among batsmen with 5000+ Test runs, is this the fewest? asked Yasser Rizwan from Australia
Mohammad Azharuddin scored 6215 runs in his 99 Tests, and was only out once in the nineties (for 97 against West Indies in Nagpur in December 1994). It’s not the record though, as Don Bradman was never out in the nineties in amassing 6996 Test runs with 29 centuries. The nearest he came to 100 without getting there was when England’s Alec Bedser dismissed him for 89 at Lord’s in 1948. Michael Vaughan made 5719 Test runs without ever being dismissed in the nineties, and Ian Botham 5200.Of those who had one dismissal in the nineties, Younis Khan ended up with the most Test runs (10,099). Wally Hammond (7249), Chris Gayle (7215) and Greg Chappell (7110) also scored more than Azharuddin.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Celtic’s new head coach Wilfried Nancy will already have plenty on his plate in the coming weeks after taking over the club midway through the season, in the midst of a Scottish Premiership title race.

Aside from the obvious objectives, which include making it to the next stage of the Europa League, winning the league title, and winning the two domestic cups, the French boss also needs to develop players.

One player who desperately needs to kick on after an underwhelming start to the 2025/26 campaign is central midfielder Arne Engels, who must show his quality under the new boss.

Why Nancy needs to get more out of Engels for Celtic

Celtic splashed out a club-record fee of £11m to sign the central midfielder from Augsburg in the summer of 2024 under Brendan Rodgers, and he enjoyed a strong first season at Parkhead.

Engels delivered ten goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops in his debut season, per Transfermarkt, yet he has only managed two goals and four assists in 23 games in the current campaign.

This shows that the Belgium international needs to improve his performances under Nancy to prove that he was worth the £11m that the club paid for him last year, and to attract interest from other clubs to potentially be sold for a profit in the future.

Whilst Celtic’s club-record signing is yet to raise his value at Parkhead, there is a former Hoops talent who is now valued at even more than Engels.

The former Celtic star who is now worth £20m

In the summer of 2024, Rocco Vata, despite the club’s and Rodgers’ attempts to keep him, decided to leave at the end of his contract to sign for Championship side Watford.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

The Premiership champions raked in a compensation fee of £225k for the Ireland international, who came through the ranks at Parkhead, and he is now worth a staggering £20m 18 months on from that move.

At the end of November, the Daily Mail reported that Crystal Palace, Fulham, Atalanta, and Eintracht Frankfurt are all interested in signing the Irishman, who is valued at £20m by the Hornets, ahead of the January transfer window.

Vata’s journey gives off shades of Ben Doak. The winger left Celtic to join Liverpool for a compensation fee of £600k in 2022 and was sold to Bournemouth for £25m in 2025, after making just two first-team appearances for the Hoops.

The 20-year-old talent, Vata, has provided six goals and six assists in 47 games for Watford, per Transfermarkt, and his impressive play on the left wing has clearly attracted interest from some big clubs across Europe’s major leagues.

Vata was described as a “potential superstar” by analyst and Watford content creator Louorns on X last year, which now looks like a terrific take when you consider the clubs interested in him and the valuation on his head at the age of just 20.

Hibernian

6

Ross County

1

Kilmarnock

22

Motherwell

11

Aberdeen

3

Buckie Thistle

26

Yet, as you can see in the table above, the versatile attacker barely got a look-in during his time at Celtic, with zero starts in his six first-team appearances for the club.

It is easy to say with hindsight, but Celtic should have offered him more chances on the pitch at first-team level to show the talented youngster that there is a pathway to regular football at Parkhead.

Perhaps Colby Donovan’s emergence, with 516 minutes under his belt this season, is an example of them having learned from their mistake with Vata last year and with Doak in 2022.

Now, Vata is shining in England with Watford, with 12 goal contributions since the start of last season, and could seal a £20m move away from the club in January if any of the aforementioned interested parties are willing to seriously pursue a deal.

This shows the kind of value that can be generated by simply giving young players an opportunity to shine, as Watford have done with Vata, as he is now valued at more than Celtic’s club-record signing, Engels, was signed for.

First big call: Nancy must now boldly bin Celtic's "player of the year"

Celtic are heading into a new era, following the belated confirmation of Wilfried Nancy’s appointment.

ByRobbie Walls Dec 4, 2025

Hopefully, Donovan’s emergence this season is a sign that Celtic have learned from their mistakes with Vata and Doak and will be able to keep hold of their emerging talents in the future, instead of losing them for compensation fees.

It has been learnt that Rashid will not be available for the entire ILT20 and is likely to be around until December 20 before leaving for SA20

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2025

Afghanistan legspinner Rashid Khan has replaced England allrounder Jordan Thompson in the MI Emirates squad for the ongoing ILT20 2025-26. Thompson has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to injury.Rashid, 27, is no stranger to the MI franchise. He is the captain of MI Cape Town in SA20 and led them to their maiden title earlier this year against Sunrisers Eastern Cape. He has also played for MI New York in Major League Cricket (MLC) in 2023 and 2024, but opted out this season. Rashid played two games for MI Emirates back in 2023, where he took four wickets.It has been learnt that Rashid will not be available for the entire ILT20, which runs till January 4, 2026 and is likely to be around until December 20 before travelling to South Africa for SA20 2025-26, where MI Cape Town play the season opener against Durban’s Super Giants on December 26.MI Emirates, the ILT20 2024 champions, will start this season against Gulf Giants in Dubai on December 4. Led by Kieron Pollard this season, they have reached the playoffs in each of the previous three seasons.The current season began on December 2, with Desert Vipers beating last year’s champions Dubai Capitals.

Chelsea have now submitted a £53m opening bid for an “incredible” Champions League star, with the same agent as Malo Gusto.

Blues make offer for Champions League star

Although the Blues were unable to hold on to all three points, they should take a lot of confidence from the performance against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, with Enzo Maresca’s side picking up a 1-1 draw despite having just 10 men for the majority of the game.

Maresca had to make do without Cole Palmer, who didn’t make it off the bench after recently recovering from a freak toe injury, while Jamie Gittens also remained unused, with Pedro Neto and Estevao getting the nod on the wings.

As such, the manager clearly has a lot of depth in attacking areas, with the Italian likely to be very impressed by Estevao’s performances in the Champions League this season, having netted three goals in his opening five games.

However, the west Londoners are still keen to get another attacker through the door, according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea have now submitted a huge bid of €60m (£53m) for Newcastle United winger Harvey Barnes.

Manchester United have also tabled an offer of the same amount, so there could be fierce competition for his signature, with both Premier League clubs of the belief Barnes would be a perfect fit for their respective playing styles, meaning they are making aggressive pushes to get a deal done.

The Blues are looking to sign the Newcastle star in the January transfer window, and he welcomes the interest from two of England’s biggest clubs, despite remaining happy at St. James’ Park.

"Incredible" Barnes on fire in the Champions League

Lauded as “incredible” by Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, the 27-year-old has been particularly impressive in the Champions League this season, having netted four goals in his opening five games, while also picking up one assist.

The former Leicester City man has also caught the eye in the Premier League as of late, bagging a brace to fire the Magpies to a 2-1 victory against Manchester City earlier this month.

However, there are doubts over whether the Englishman, who is represented by the same agent as Gusto, would be a necessary signing, given that Chelsea already have Pedro Neto and Gittens to choose from at left-wing.

Chelsea now ready to trigger £44m release clause for "unstoppable" striker

The Blues are looking to sign a new centre-forward, who has been in fantastic form so far this season.

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 30, 2025

Instead, it may be better to invest the money into other areas of the squad, with bringing in a new centre-forward perhaps more important, given that Liam Delap and Joao Pedro haven’t exactly been prolific so far this season, netting five goals between them in all competitions.

They finished on 338 for 1 on day two, and it has aggregated to be one of their most substantial day of top-order batting in any format

Mohammad Isam12-Nov-2025Bangladesh have finally seemed to have found their batting chops in Sylhet after their top order put Ireland to task. That they have a 52-run lead, but more importantly, there are runs on the board without many wickets against it, says a lot.There has been some scrutiny on Bangladesh’s top order lately, given the big scores haven’t come. Before this Test, their top three averaged 23.34, the third-worst after Ireland and West Indies since the beginning of 2024. The top two stands have yielded 168 and 170-run stands, the first time that the Bangladesh top order has two 150-plus stands. Mahmudul Hasan Joy has returned to the Test side with an unbeaten 169, while Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque have both reached the eighties.Bangladesh finished on 338 for 1 on day two, and it has aggregated to be one of their most substantial day of top-order batting in any format. Bangladesh’s top three has only scored more than 329 runs just once in Tests before, when Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes and Mominul Haque put up 377 runs in the Khulna Test against Pakistan in 2015.Shadman, who added 168 runs for the opening stand with Mahmudul, said that the two big partnerships boosted the team’s confidence.”A good opening partnership always gives a good message to the team,” Shadman said. “A partnership is always helpful in any format. Our target is to build partnerships as it always helps in a batter’s scoring. We work on certain areas during practice and then during the partnerships, we talk to each other about how we can build a good stand. During this particular partnership, I think we accessed the boundary balls pretty well since the morning session. That’s what Joy and I were talking about during our partnership.”Shadman Islam and Mahmudul Hasan Joy put on a big stand•BCB”We are progressing according to our plans. We always wanted a good opening stand, which always helps the batters who comes afterwards. We have had both, from the openers and the one-down batter. We have batted well today, and we hope to bat well tomorrow so that we can put up a good total.”Shadman backed Joy to get to a double-century on day three. “Joy has batted beautifully. He is still at the crease,” Shadman said. “We are hopeful that he will continue to bat for a long time tomorrow, I am hopeful that he can reach more milestones. Joy has been batting well so he should be making it a bigger innings. We are on a good path, and Joy is taking us forward.”Shadman, though, regretted missing out on his own century. “I will try to score a hundred the next time I get into such a position,” he said. Shadman made 80 before edging Matthew Humphreys while trying to play a cut. He started strongly, running several singles and twos, before latching onto boundaries. Mahmudul, meanwhile, was nervous to start with, but soon began playing the strokes confidently. The pair raced to a century stand in the first session, before consolidating in the middle period.Bangladesh will be pleased that their top order has capitalised on this opportunity against Ireland. They will hopefully look to build on this when they face higher-ranked teams.

Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Moeen Ali, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Spencer Johnson are also being released by the franchise

Nagraj Gollapudi15-Nov-2025Venkatesh Iyer, who made a name for himself and was elevated to the national team following a strong IPL debut season in 2021 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), is among the players being released by the three-time champions.ESPNcricinfo has learned that Iyer, who was bought for a record INR 23.75 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction by KKR, who used a right-to-match card to get him, is part of a lengthy list of high-profile names who are not being retained by the franchise.The other high-profile players being let go are the South African duo of Anrich Nortje (bought for INR 6.5 crore) and Quinton de Kock (INR 3.6 crore), Australian quick Spencer Johnson (INR 2.8 crore), Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz (INR 2 crore) and England allrounder Moeen Ali (INR 2 crore).Related

• RR trade Samson to CSK for Jadeja and Curran

The uncapped Indian pair of Luvnith Sisodia and Chetan Sakariya, who had replaced the injured Umran Malik last season, are also being released.After making a big impression in his debut IPL season – which came after he had starred for Madhya Pradesh in the domestic limited-overs tournaments in 2020-21 – Iyer had a quiet IPL 2022, but was again a star for KKR in IPL 2023, when he scored 404 runs, including a century, to average 28.86 at a strike rate of 145.85 for the season.A key part of the team, he has even led the side on occasion and, last year, was talked about as a possible captain before Ajinkya Rahane was handed the reins. As it happened, Iyer scored just 142 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of 139.22.KKR, who won the IPL in 2024, finished near the bottom of the table the following season. Among the players to perform poorly was de Kock (152 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 129.91), while the likes of Nortje, Johnson, Gurbaz and Moeen didn’t get too many opportunities for one reason or another and weren’t too impressive when fielded.

Alec Stewart is to resume his role as Surrey’s director of men’s cricket with immediate effect, the club have announced.Stewart, 62, stepped back from working full-time at the Kia Oval after the 2024 season, in order to help care for his wife, Lynn, who died of cancer in April. He remained involved in a new role as high-performance advisor, with Surrey opting not to appoint a successor.However, after one season away, he is set to retake the reins in the pursuit of more success. Stewart, who returned to the club where he spent his playing career as director of cricket in 2013, oversaw a strong player development pathway alongside four County Championship triumphs, including three in a row at the end of his first stint.”Surrey has always been my home and I am now ready to return to full-time duties with the club again,” Stewart said. “My priorities have always been to support the cricket management team and the squad to be the best county in the country, to bring cricketers into our professional squad through our pathway system and help players to fulfil their dreams of representing their country.”Related

• Batty praises 'irreplaceable' Stewart as Surrey seal three titles in a row

• Alec Stewart takes up new advisor role in extension of Surrey career

• Rory Burns reaps the benefit as Surrey set sights on four in a row

• Lynn Stewart, wife of Alec, dies after 12-year cancer battle

Surrey remained the team to beat in 2025, but were pipped by Nottinghamshire in the final rounds of the season to end up second on the Division One table.Stewart will be reunited with head coach, Gareth Batty, and captain, Rory Burns, as they look to re-establish their dominance of county cricket’s oldest competition.Oli Slipper, Surrey chair, said: “Alec is a legend of Surrey and we are looking forward to having him back in his role as director of men’s cricket. Alec’s record speaks for itself and he’s been the driving force in so much of the club’s success over many, many years.”Steve Elworthy, CEO at Surrey, added: “Alec’s commitment, drive and attention to detail has built the team into the side it is today and we know he will continue to progress the team as he resumes his role at the helm on the men’s game in the county.”Alec has remained an important part of the cricket management team over the last 12 months and he continues to drive the highest of standards across the club.”

Tottenham number one Guglielmo Vicario faces an uncertain long-term future amid reports of Inter Milan’s interest, with his personal stance on an exit now also coming to light.

Guglielmo Vicario criticised after recent Tottenham outings

Vicario’s tenure at Tottenham appears increasingly uncertain following his costly error against Fulham, which added to the concerns surrounding his capability as their first-choice goalkeeper.

The 29-year-old endured a nightmare moment during Spurs’ 2-1 home defeat to Fulham last Saturday, rushing needlessly off his line before playing a weak clearance straight to Josh King.

Harry Wilson capitalised spectacularly, curling home from near the touchline to double the visitors’ advantage inside six minutes.

Related Tottenham could prove 'irresistible' to manager who Levy was urged to hire before Frank

He’s on the verge of leaving his current club.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Dec 2, 2025

The blunder sparked an immediate negative reaction from frustrated Tottenham supporters, who booed Vicario throughout the remainder of the first half.

Thomas Frank defended his goalkeeper afterward, questioning whether those jeering could be considered true Spurs fans, with damage to the relationship between keeper and supporters appearing pretty significant.

Much was already made of the Italy international’s weak command of his area, with pundits suggesting that opposition teams should target Vicario as a weak link in Spurs’ side.

Frank has also been urged to drop the ex-Empoli star by former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy, who called Vicario ‘nervous as a kitten’ with his distribution.

Despite his torrid time lately, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Inter hold a serious interest in Vicario, and the prospect of a 2026 transfer back to Italy isn’t ruled out.

Now, Italian newspaper La Gazetta dello Sport have shared their own update on the matter.

Guglielmo Vicario yearns for Tottenham exit and sends message to his agents

Indeed, Vicario has apparently communicated his growing frustration with life at Tottenham to his representatives, revealing his weariness and how he’s ‘yearning’ for a Serie A return.

La Gazzetta claim the shot-stopper has grown tired of difficult seasons at Spurs and has informed his agents that the current term could mark his final year in English football.

The newspaper suggests a powerful emotional pull toward his homeland is driving his thinking, with a permanent return to Italy now firmly on his mind.

Inter have emerged as the frontrunners for his signature, with reports in Italy indicating the Nerazzurri have already opened discussions with Vicario’s representatives.

The Serie A champions are said to view him as an ideal long-term replacement for veteran Yann Sommer, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are reportedly already scouring the market for potential replacements.

Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen has been identified as a potential option, with TEAMtalk reporting earlier this week that Spurs have made contact over the keeper who Bayern are also looking at as an heir to Manuel Neuer.

Chelsea star Raheem Sterling has been urged to push for a sensational transfer to Wrexham and end his struggles at Stamford Bridge. The winger is part of the club's infamous 'bomb squad' and is training away from the first team in west London. Former Wales and Liverpool striker Dean Saunders says a transfer to Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac's side would be a great bit of business.

• Sterling out in the cold at Chelsea

  Sterling has been deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea which has led to speculation over his future, and talk of a sensational transfer to Wrexham. The winger's last competitive appearance came back in May, at the end of his loan spell with Arsenal, and it remains to be seen when he will return to action. With the January transfer window now just weeks away, Sterling's future is likely to come under the spotlight once again. Saunders has been left baffled by Sterling's situation at Chelsea and feels a shock move to Wrexham is not out of the question.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Wrexham told Sterling 'not over the hill'

  Saunders told BOYLE Sports who offer the latest football betting: "Raheem Sterling to Wrexham? Why not? You might see some big players that have watched the documentary and they think, ‘I'll have a bit of that. I'd love to play for them, Wrexham.’ You might get somebody like Raheem Sterling saying that. I can't get my head around his situation. What's going on? He’s not over the hill. He's a very good player. Having said that, the Championship's not easy to play in. I've managed in the Championship and sometimes Premier League players come down and play in it and they can't believe what's going on. We're playing all the time and every game's a battle. Millwall away on a Tuesday night. When the ball's up in the air all night, some of them find it difficult."

• 'Everybody wants to play for Wrexham'

  Saunders also feels that Wrexham is an attractive club to join following their rapid rise up the leagues under Reynolds and Mac, and the Hollywood duo's subsequent heavy investment in the first team.

  "I always thought that if we could get Wrexham back in the league, I thought our team would be better than most of the League Two teams. If you get in League Two, you can go up again to League One.  Now, when you get to League One, the budgets can be five million, then you get teams like Sunderland who are in there with twenty million," he added.

  "You get a few big clubs trying to go up. To get into the Championship, once you get into the Championship, I thought we could get to the Championship, but then you're competing with three Premier League teams who've just got relegated. A couple who tried to go back up but never made it, with massive playing budgets and Premier League players in it. And I thought that might be the difficult bit because you have got to put your hand in your pocket then to try and compete in the Championship. And to be fair, they have.

  "I mean, I'm hearing what some of the players are earning now. You know, they've signed Josh Windass, they've signed Nathan Broadhead, Kieffer Moore. They can play at that level every day of the week and all day long and have an impact most weeks. Fair play to the manager because they've turned the players over ruthlessly so they've kept momentum.

  "If Wrexham get to the Premier League I'll be delighted because it's a great club. They've got great, great supporters. And there is a massive catchment area around Wrexham, in between Wrexham and Cardiff, there's a catchment area which they're getting players through now into the academy. 

  "Obviously not far the other way is Man City, Man United, Liverpool, Everton. So they normally nick the best young kids. Then you've got Stoke not far away. So they have had all the best players nicked off them, but now everybody wants to play for Wrexham, don't they? Famous all around the world. It's an incredible story."

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  Sterling to move on in January?

  Wrexham have been tipped to spend again in January as they bid to secure promotion to the Premier League. Phil Parkinson's side currently sit 10th in the table but are only three points off the final play-off place. It's not clear yet if Sterling could be tempted to head to Wales, but it certainly would be no surprise to see the 30-year-old move on in a bid to try and resurrect his career after losing his place at Chelsea.