A similar injury had ruled the allrounder out of the ODI series in the West Indies in July

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Sep-2022

Ravindra Jadeja played crucial roles in India’s wins over Pakistan and Hong Kong•AFP/Getty Images

A right knee injury has ended Ravindra Jadeja’s Asia Cup campaign. Axar Patel, who was initially named as a stand-by player, will join India’s main squad as a like-for-like replacement.This is not the first time Jadeja has been troubled by his right knee. An injury to the same joint had forced him to miss the ODI leg of India’s tour of the West Indies in July. The BCCI press statement that announced the latest injury did not specify its severity or estimate a recovery window.Related

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Jadeja at No. 4 forced Pakistan to change plans

India will hope Jadeja can recover quickly, with the men’s T20 World Cup in Australia less than two months away. Before that, they will complete the Asia Cup and play bilateral home series against Australia and South Africa.Jadeja was a key performer in both of India’s matches at the Asia Cup so far. Against Pakistan, he bowled two economical overs before being promoted to No. 4 in India’s chase of 148, specifically since he was the only left-hand batter in India’s top seven. He steered India towards victory with a 29-ball 35, and ensured that Pakistan held back left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz’s fourth over until the final over of the match. Against Hong Kong, he dismissed top-scorer Babar Hayat and only gave away 15 runs in his four overs.Axar is a similar player to Jadeja, batting left-handed and bowling economical left-arm spin, and has filled in for the senior allrounder on many occasions. But given the importance of Jadeja’s role, how well Axar slots into it could be key to India’s progress through the Super 4s stage of the Asia Cup and beyond.Among the three stand-by players – Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar are the others – only Chahar has been in Dubai, training with the team. Axar will fly in on Friday night to join the team.Hardik Pandya was Player of the Match against Pakistan before being rested for the Hong Kong game•AFP/Getty Images

Hardik trains alone after sitting out Hong Kong match
Hardik Pandya was the only India player to undergo a training session at the ICC Academy on Thursday, even as the rest of the team enjoyed a day off. Hardik was accompanied by Soham Desai, the trainer, and Paras Mhambrey, the bowling coach.Hardik began by doing light sprints and stretching exercises that were monitored by Desai, before he went through a short bowling session. Hardik’s workload is being monitored closely by the team management. His bowling sessions, especially, have tended be short and sharp.He was Player of the Match in India’s win over Pakistan, before being rested for the game against Hong Kong. He also opted to rest from training before the game along with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.India’s next match is on Sunday, against the winner of Friday night’s match between Pakistan and Hong Kong.

Fit-again Jemimah Rodrigues has returned to India’s 15-member T20I squad for the Women’s Asia Cup to be held in Bangladesh from October 1-15.Rodrigues missed the ongoing England tour because of a wrist injury that she picked up during her stint at the Women’s Hundred with Northern Superchargers. Since her return, Rodrigues has undergone three weeks of rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.Rodrigues’ inclusion is the only addition to the squad that lost 2-1 in the T20I series against England. Richa Ghosh, who impressed with her lower-order hitting during the series, retains her place as the frontline wicketkeeper.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

That meant Taniya Bhatia, who was the first choice wicketkeeper at the Commonwealth Games and didn’t get a game in the T20Is against England, has been consigned to the standby list along with medium-pacer Simran Bahadur. Hard-hitting top-order bat Kiran Prabhu Navgire, who made her debut during the England series, retains her place in the squad led by Harmanpreet Kaur.Meghna Singh and Renuka Singh are the two frontline seamers, with allrounder Pooja Vastrakar being the third-seam option. India’s spin stocks, meanwhile, are significantly varied. They have two left-arm spinners in Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Radha Yadav, while Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma, both allrounders, offering right-arm variety.The Women’s Asia Cup is returning after a four-year gap. The seven-team tournament will be played in a round-robin format, with each team playing six matches in the league phase, before the top four advance to the semi-finals.India begin their campaign on the opening day (October 1) against Sri Lanka, before taking on Malaysia and debutants UAE on October 3 and October 4 respectively. They will then play Pakistan and Bangladesh on October 7 and 8 before rounding off their league engagements against Thailand on October 10.All matches will be held in Sylhet, where India last played during the T20 World Cup in 2014. Bangladesh are the current defending champions, having beaten India in a last-ball thriller in 2018 in Kuala Lumpur.India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, S Meghana, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Dayalan Hemalatha, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Radha Yadav, Kiran Navgire. Standby players: Taniya Bhatia, Simran Bahadur

Marseille sporting director Medhi Benatia has denied reports that two players have refused to play alongside Mason Greenwood.

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• Benatia hits back at reports
• Greenwood in dire form
• Benatia furious with claims

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Benatia has furiously denied reports that Greenwood is at the centre of a row within Marseille, with reports having suggested that two senior players demanded he be removed from the starting XI amid reports questioning his attitude. The former England international has scored just once in his last five outings, and the club were recently thumped 3-0 by Monaco.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A recent report claimed that former Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and ex-PSG star Adrien Rabiot have refused to play alongside the Manchester United loanee as well as Luis Henrique. Now, though, Benatia has strenuously denied the claims, insisting that the midfielders are professionals who have no issues with Greenwood.

• WHAT BENATIA SAID

  Benatia told La Provence via the Mail: "Can you imagine? He didn’t come to see me. And what’s more, do you think I need a player to tell me that?

  "Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is one of the most professional in the locker room, a guy who only wants to unite and carry everyone along with him, like Rabiot.

  "Today, Adri is dying inside, he only wants one thing: to reach the Champions League. These two are truly two examples, and at no point did they come to see me to dismiss Luis Henrique or Greenwood. The people who say that don't want the best for OM."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Marseille play Montpellier on Saturday evening. They are currently third in Ligue 1, one point behind second-placed Monaco.

Leeds United were not in action in the Championship this weekend as they prepare to take on promotion rivals Burnley at Turf Moor in a huge clash on Monday night.

It has been a good weekend of results for the Whites, however, as Sheffield United were hammered 3-0 by Hull at Bramall Lane and Sunderland conceded in stoppage time to draw 2-2 with Plymouth Argyle.

This means that the West Yorkshire outfit remain top of the Championship table and that will still be the case after Monday’s match, unless Burnley win by at least four goals.

The Whites beat Norwich City 2-0 in their last outing in the second tier, thanks to goals from Manor Solomon and Dan James, and will be hoping for a similarly convincing scoreline against the Clarets.

Despite the terrific position that Leeds are in at the moment in the Championship, Daniel Farke could still look to utilise the January transfer window before it slams shut in just over a week.

In fact, the club have a reported interest in signing a player from a Premier League side to come in and add to their options at the top end of the pitch.

Leeds chasing ambitious Premier League deal

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a swoop to sign Evan Ferguson on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion before the end of the window.

Transfer Focus

The report, firstly, explains how Bayer Leverkusen have joined the race for Aston Villa attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia, which could blow the Whites out of the running for the Argentina international, who previously worked with Farke at Carrow Road.

It then adds that the West Yorkshire outfit have also already missed out on the chance to sign central defender Andrew Omobamidele from Nottingham Forest, as the Ireland international has completed a move to Strasbourg on loan with an option to make the deal permanent.

TEAMtalk reports that the 49ers are, now, chasing an ‘ambitious’ deal to sign Ferguson from the Premier League side on loan, in the hope of not missing out on him in the same way that they look to have with Omobamidele and Buendia.

It is an ambitious attempt by Leeds because there is plenty of interest in the striker from teams in the top flight, with West Ham reportedly keen to sign the £100m-rated forward whilst Bournemouth and Arsenal are also said to be keen on the young marksman.

If the 49ers can convince Brighton to send the forward on loan to the Championship, perhaps with the incentive that he could drop down a level and score goals on a regular basis to boost his confidence in front of goal, then they could land a second impressive Premier League loanee, alongside Manor Solomon.

Manor Solomon's form for Leeds this season

The Tottenham Hotspur loanee joined the Whites in the summer to bolster Farke’s options on the left flank and made a slow start to life in Yorkshire, with a return of zero goals and one assist in his first eight appearances.

It was a difficult start for the Israel international and that may have been down to the fact that his last competitive appearance for Spurs was back in September 2023, which meant that he did not arrive at Elland Road with much match sharpness.

Since that less-than-impressive opening eight matches in the Championship, the 25-year-old dynamo has established himself as a star for the Whites and currently looks undroppable as part of the attacking unit for Farke.

Appearances

21

Starts

12

Goals

5

Big chances created

7

Assists

5

As you can see in the table above, Solomon has offered a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Whites in the second tier, with ten direct goal contributions in 12 starts.

Two of those goal involvements came in the win over Norwich in midweek, scoring after 30 seconds and assisting Dan James in the second half, and he will be hoping to add to his tally in Monday’s clash with Burnley.

Solomon has, therefore, been a successful Premier League loanee and Leeds could land another one by bringing in Ferguson, who could also thrive alongside the Spurs man.

Why Leeds should sign Evan Ferguson

The 20-year-old striker has failed to break into the starting line-up at Brighton and his recent injury issues may have played a big role in that. He has missed the last seven games with an ankle issue and was out between April and August with an ankle injury last year.

This means that it would be a gamble for Leeds to sign the Irish marksman this month because there is no guarantee that he will be able to overcome his injury issues to become a regular starter in the second half of the season.

However, Ferguson has the potential to be a “phenomenal”, as dubbed by teammate James Milner, player when he is fit and available, which could make the gamble worth it for the Whites.

As you can see in some of the clips above, the young gem can score goals at Premier League level and has an incredible knack for being in the right place at the right time.

The Irish ace has already scored 13 goals in 59 appearances in the top-flight, despite his age, and has more than made the most of the chances that have come his way.

22/23

5.67

6

+0.33

23/24

3.97

6

+2.03

24/25

0.66

1

+0.34

Total

10.29

13

+2.71

As you can see in the table above, Ferguson has consistently been a strong finisher for Brighton in the Premier League, outperforming his xG every season.

This could make him a particularly attractive target for Leeds given that they have scored 51 goals from 55.6 xG in the Championship, which suggests that they could benefit from having a clinical finisher in their squad.

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1 ByDan Emery Jan 22, 2025

Solomon could also thrive with a ruthless finisher ahead of him in the team. He has only recorded five assists from seven ‘big chances’ created and Ferguson could boost the winger’s assist tally by making the most of the big chances that the forward can create on a regular basis.

Leeds could, then, have two Premier League loanees with the ability to make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch, propelling the side to promotion.

Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has hinted that Xabi Alonso could be on his way to Real Madrid to replace Carlo Ancelotti.

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Leverkusen CEO dropped major hint on Alonso's futureClub have a 'gentlemen's agreement' with the Spanish coachAlonso favourite to replace Ancelotti at Madrid Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

reported earlier this week that Ancelotti is expected to leave Real this summer and accept the role as Brazil's new permanent manager ahead of the 2026 World Cup. With the intention of meeting the Italian coach, the Brazilian Football Association (CBF) had reportedly sent a representative to Madrid to watch the second leg of the club's Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal, as the reigning champions were knocked out of the competition.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

With Ancelotti all set to depart Santiago Bernabeu, Bayer Leverkusen boss Alonso is poised to return to his former club as their new head coach, and now the CEO of the German club has dropped a major hint over the Spanish coach's future.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

Speaking to , Leverkusen chief Carro said: "He has no exit clause, but we have a gentlemen's agreement. If a team he has played for comes, we will sit down and talk about it and we will not put any obstacles in the way."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR XABI ALONSO?

For now, Alonso remains focused on the reigning German champions and will be next seen on the sidelines in the club's Bundesliga fixture against Augsburg on April 26.

With Raphael Wicky having now been ruled out of the running to take over at the Hawthorns due to a disagreement regarding his background staff, West Bromwich Albion’s priorities won’t be able to shift towards the busy transfer window just yet.

When the time comes, plenty of incomings will presumably be targeted by whoever does officially take on the Championship club’s reins as Carlos Corberan’s successor, but there will also be the added worry of some outgoings from the building, with Tom Fellows one player already being eyed up by Premier League suitors.

The promotion candidates will hope they can stand their ground and fend off those higher-up parties looking at their top assets, but it will be easier said than done.

The players that could soon leave West Brom

Many of West Brom’s star performers might well fancy their chances of moving straight up to the Premier League this January, over working tirelessly to get up to the promised land with the Baggies.

Fellows was reportedly being looked at by Everton, off the back of picking up ten assists this season in Championship action, with David Moyes perhaps fancying this acquisition as well now he’s taken on the Toffees job after Sean Dyche’s abrupt dismissal.

The electric 21-year-old has often linked up with West Brom sharpshooter Josh Maja to devastating effect this season, with the ex-Sunderland man also a wanted man this month, as Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur surprisingly begin to take note of his EFL goalscoring heroics.

After all, he has been deadly enough in the second tier to warrant both London giants sniffing around, with 12 strikes powered home from 26 league outings making him a target for many a club wanting to boost their firepower.

Away from individuals West Brom would be gutted to lose, there is also another senior face in the Baggies camp that looks to be heading for the exit door without his team putting up too much of a fight.

Jed Wallace's future at West Brom

Indeed, that figure is Jed Wallace, who is allegedly being looked at by the likes of Blackburn Rovers this January amidst doubts over his long-term West Brom future.

The experienced 30-year-old midfielder was a consistent first-teamer last season under Carlos Corberan with 44 league appearances under his belt, only to now be relegated to a presence on-the-fringes this campaign.

Wallace has only made three starts for this side in the Championship during 2024/25, with zero goals or assists coming his way, as the likes of the aforementioned Maja and Fellows shine as bright sparks in the team whilst the ex-Millwall man becomes a forgotten name.

Therefore, it would be a logical next step to try and move the EFL veteran out of the door at some point during this hectic month, with his high wage in the camp also a cause for concern whilst he remains glued to the substitutes bench.

1. Mason Holgate

£70k-per-week

2. Daryl Dike

£32.3k-per-week

= 3. Darnell Furlong

£25k-per-week

= 3. Jed Wallace

£25k-per-week

5. John Swift

£22.5k-per-week

Amazingly, even as he slides dramatically down the pecking order, Wallace still rakes in a hefty £25k-per-week salary, which sees him remain in the top five highest earners bracket at the Hawthorns.

On the contrary, Maja only earns £17k-per-week despite his key ongoing role in his team’s promotion story, whilst Karlan Grant – who has managed to turn around his Baggies career whilst Wallace’s own tale has gone sour – only earns £20k-per-week, despite also firing home six league strikes of his own.

Whilst the 30-year-old has proven his worth to the cause previously – with ex-Sheffield United defender Jack O’Connell even labelling the midfielder’s ability as “unbelievable” once upon a time – the West Brom number seven won’t want to overstay his welcome now, which could result in a bittersweet January departure.

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ByKelan Sarson Jan 11, 2025

Manchester City are poised to be the biggest spenders of any club in this January transfer window.

The Sky Blues are closing in on deals to bring Vitor Reis, Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush to the Etihad, set to spend in excess of £120m on the trio.

This would see two defenders and a striker arrive, but Pep Guardiola would also surely like some midfield reinforcements too, given that this has been a problem position ever since Rodri ruptured his ACL against Arsenal in September, so could the Citizens land one of the best midfielders in the world?

Manchester City aiming to sign world-class midfielder

According to reports from Spain, Manchester City are “interested” in Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni.

Transfer Focus

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

The report reveals that an asking price for the player has been set by los Blancos and they would be looking to recoup the €80m (£67m) paid to Monaco for Tchouaméni’s services three years ago.

They are not actively looking to sell the Frenchman but would listen to offers.

Since moving to the Spanish capital, the 24-year-old has made 112 appearances for los Merengues, winning eight major trophies, including last season’s La Liga and Champions League double.

He has also quickly established himself as a key player for Didier Deschamps, starting five of France’s six matches at Euro 2024 as les Bleus reached the semi-finals, captaining his nation against Israel and Belgium in October, taking his tally to 38 caps.

How Aurélien Tchouaméni would improve Manchester City

Of late, due to long-term injuries suffered by Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Éder Militão, Tchouaméni has been forced to fill-in at centre-back for Real Madrid, most-recently doing so in Sunday’s Supercopa de España Final, in which his side were smashed 5-2 by Barcelona in Jeddah.

Nevertheless, his best position is undoubtedly at the base of midfield, with journalist Muhammad Butt on Twitter describing him as “a world-class defensive midfielder”, adding that he’s an all-round “magnificent footballer”.

So, if he is on the market, it’s no surprise that Europe’s biggest clubs are chasing his signature.

Given that Rodri is the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, he is the gold standard for all defensive midfielders, especially at Man City, with İlkay Gündoğan and Mateo Kovačić struggling to fill the void vacated by the Spaniard since suffering a season-ending injury.

So, let’s see how Rodri and Tchouaméni compare.

Rodri vs Aurélien Tchouaméni (23/24 & 24/25)
Statistics	Tchouaméni	Rodri
Appearances	76	67
Minutes	5,831	5,686
Touches	3,996	5,625
Attempted passes	3,532	5,177
Pass completion %	91.8%	92%
Progressive passes	317	546
Tackles	90	103
% of dribblers tackled	47.4%	51.2%
Interceptions	92	39
Errors leading to a shot	2	5
% of aerials duals won	69%	68%
All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

Since the start of last season, Tchouaméni has racked up exactly 145 more minutes than Rodri for club and country, despite the fact the Spaniard has not seen any action since September, albeit this makes comparing the duo interesting.

Rodri’s figures when it comes to touches and attempted passes are both exponentially higher, but this is to be expected, considering how Man City and Spain play, so it’s impressive that, given that context, Tchouaméni’s passing accuracy metric is a mere 0.2% lower.

The Frenchman has the edge when it comes to interceptions as well as the percentage of aerial duals won, potentially due to the fact Carlo Ancelotti has been forced to deploy him as an emergency centre-back on countless occasions during this time frame.

Nevertheless, Tchouaméni’s numbers are comparable to Rodri’s across the board – notably in tackle percentage – which is really the biggest compliment one could give a defensive midfielder.

Thus, if Real Madrid are open to offers, Man City should break the bank to secure his signature.

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Dan Emery

Jan 14, 2025

The January transfer window officially slammed shut on Monday of last week and it was not a particularly busy month for Celtic in the market.

Brendan Rodgers made two first-team signings before the deadline passed, with Jeffrey Schlupp arriving on loan from Premier League side Crystal Palace on deadline day.

Portuguese forward Jota also made a permanent move to the club from Rennes earlier in the window and scored his first goal on his second debut for the Hoops against Motherwell.

Celtic did, though, cash in on centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi, who completed a permanent switch to Rennes, and that left a void in the striker position, with Adam Idah the only other senior, recognised, marksman.

It was not one that was filled externally, however, as they failed to agree a deal with Brondby to sign Danish number nine Mathias Kvistgaarden, who was valued at £10m, and youngster Johnny Kenny stepped up to the first-team instead.

The Scottish Premiership leaders were also in the market to add another winger, on top of the signing of Jota, but failed to land a second wide man.

Celtic's interest in young winger

Celtic allowed Luis Palma to join Greek giants Olympiacos on loan until the end of the season and were reportedly eyeing a young forward from Norway to replace the Honduras international.

The Hoops were interested in a deal to sign Sarpsborg winger Sondre Orjasaeter to come in and compete with the likes of Daizen Maeda, Jota, Hyun-jun Yang, and Nicolas Kuhn.

Transfer Focus

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph reported on the 30th of January that the Scottish giants made an offer of £4.6m to sign the 21-year-old attacker, only for it to be rejected by the Norwegian side.

The reporter added that Sarpsborg were determined to turn down interest in their star youngster during the January window, but that Celtic were still pursuing a deal for him and negotiations were continuing beyond that rejected offer.

Joseph claimed that the Eliteserien outfit were holding out for a fee of at least £7m for the Norway U21 international and, ultimately, the Hoops did not sign the young dynamo before the deadline passed last Monday.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Premiership champions are prepared to hold out until the summer to pursue him again ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, or if this is the end of their interest in the 21-year-old talent.

Missing out on him was a blow for the Bhoys and Rodgers because his form for Sarpsborg in the 2024 campaign suggests that he could have been a quality addition to the group for the second half of this season.

Why Sondre Orjasaeter could have been a good signing

The Norwegian starlet joined his current club from second division side Sogndal in January of last year, after he caught the eye in the second tier in his home country.

Orjasaeter produced six goals and two assists, whilst averaging a whopping 6.4 successful dribbles and 1.7 key passes per game, across 30 appearances in the second tier for Sogndal in 2023.

His form in that campaign earned him a move to the top-flight with Sarpsborg for the 2024 season, and he hit the ground running at a higher level as an electric left-winger who can score and assist goals.

Orjasaeter started all 28 of his appearances in the 2024 Eliteserien season, which shows that his manager trusted him to start week-in-week-out, and he offered an impressive level of production in those matches.

Appearances

28

Goals

5

Big chances missed

5

Assists

5

Big chances created

12

Dribbles completed per game

2.4

As you can see in the table above, the £7m-rated star provided a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals, cutting in on his right foot from the left wing to make things happen in the final third.

These statistics illustrate why Orjasaeter could have been a great signing for Celtic, as he is a young talent who has showcased his ability to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

Rodgers, however, may already have his own version of the Norway U21 international brewing at Parkhead, in the form of South Korean forward Hyun-jun Yang.

Why Hyun-jun Yang could be Celtic's Sondre Orjasaeter

Firstly, the 22-year-old attacker is similar to Orjasaeter in the sense that he is also a right-footed, young, winger who can play on the left, cutting in on his right, whilst also being able to play on the right to go down the outside of full-backs.

He is a young talent with plenty of time left to develop and improve over the seasons to come, which is what the Norwegian ace also would have been at Parkhead, and this means that there is still time for him to emerge as a regular starting XI option for Rodgers.

Gangwon president Kim Byung-ji believed in the youngster’s potential when the move was made official in the summer of 2023, as he compared him to Premier League icon Heung-min Son.

He said: “I hope Yang will continue to grow. He could easily become a world class player like Son Heung-Min. He was a mainstay for our team and was an inspiration. I look forward to watching him produce brilliant performances for Celtic in the future.”

The South Korean winger is yet to fulfill that potential, with three goals and six assists in 52 appearances for the Hoops to date, but he did provide a timely reminder of his quality in the 5-0 win over Raith Rovers on Saturday.

As you can see in the highlights above, Yang was directly involved in three of the five goals for the Scottish giants, with one goal and two assists on the night.

The Celtic youngster is yet to prove that he can deliver goals and assists consistently, as he did with eight goals and four assists in 31 K League 1 games for Gangwon in 2022, but there is still time left for him to develop that consistency.

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Therefore, Rodgers could unearth his own version of Orjasaeter by helping Yang to find consistency in the final third, as he has the potential to be an electric left winger for the Hoops with his raw attributes.

Everton have finally managed to put some breathing space between themselves and the bottom three, with David Moyes getting his first victory against Tottenham at the weekend, with a 3-2 win at Goodison Park.

The Toffees now sit 16th in the Premier League on 20 points, with Wolves and Ipswich below them on 16 points in 17th and 18th place.

The biggest problem for Everton this season has been sticking the ball in the back of the net, scoring just 18 goals in 22 games, making them the second-lowest scorers in the division, only Southampton scoring fewer with 15.

Everton are currently averaging 11.3 shots per game (6th lowest in the division for this metric), which shows their shot creation could be far better in attacking areas, meaning a January addition could be on the cards in order to give Moyes the tools required to avoid that relegation battle.

Moyes chasing exciting winger at Everton

According to reports from a journalist working with Caught Offside, Everton have enquired about Sporting CP star, Marcus Edwards.

The 26-year-old has just 18 months left on his current deal, which is raising eyebrows at Everton as a potential opportunity to sign the English ace.

Transfer Focus

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

The English winger predominantly operates as a right-winger, looking to cut inside on his stronger left foot, but has also shown the ability to play off the left, taking it to the byline and delivering crosses to his teammates. Edwards has, of course, played in England before, coming through the academy ranks at Tottenham.

Edwards has only made ten appearances for Sporting in all competitions this season, scoring three goals and totalling just 346 minutes. His lack of game time could provide the opportunity for Everton to strike, obtaining an extremely talented player for a fair price.

How Edwards compares to Everton target Nuamah

Another name Everton have been linked to in the window, is Olympique Lyon winger, Ernest Nuamah.

The 21-year-old winger has made 19 appearances for the French outfit in all competitions this season, scoring one goal, providing one assist and totalling 763 minutes played so far.

That said, his numbers are considerably worse than Edwards if we compare them across the last two campaigns.

Goals

0.23

0.12

Assists

0.23

0.12

xG

0.30

0.24

xAG

0.41

0.16

Progressive Carries

5.21

4.94

Progressive Passes

4.88

3.61

Total Shots

2.19

2.82

Key Passes

3.07

1.20

Passes into Pen Area

2.51

1.81

Shot-Creating Actions

5.77

4.46

Successful Take-Ons

2.05

1.45

When comparing Edwards’ metrics from last season due to lack of minutes this term with Nuamah’s numbers in 2024/25, you can see Edwards ranks ahead in all but one of the metrics analysed.

Now, this isn’t to say Nuamah’s numbers are poor, as most of them rank very closely, but the extra experience of Edwards does shine through in his underlying numbers and output.

Mauricio Pochettino said back in 2016, that Edwards plays like “the beginning of Messi” with Rob Daly then further reporting this and labelling one of Edwards’ runs against Tottenham as “Messi-like”.

That’s certainly evident in the stats as the English winger is a brilliant dribbler, completing 2.05 take-ons per 90 last season, also completing 5.21 progressive carries per 90, showing his quality to dribble and carry the ball out.

As we mentioned at the beginning, Everton lack shot-creation and whilst Nuamah also has brilliant metrics in these departments, and would prove to be an excellent addition to the Everton squad, Edwards offers a more experienced and ready profile to join and make an instant impact, which could be the difference between Everton’s Premier League survival chances.

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Netherlands now rely on UAE beating Namibia to stay in the tournament

Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Oct-2022

Kusal Mendis hit five fours and as many sixes in his 44-ball 79•AFP/Getty Images

Sri Lanka rode on Kusal Mendis’ outstanding 79 off 44 to reach 162 for 6 on a sluggish surface, before their spinners cut Netherlands down – Wanindu Hasaranga getting into fine wicket-taking form ahead of the main draw of the tournament.Although Netherlands were never really ahead of the game, opener Max O’Dowd kept them in the hunt for the duration, getting the requirement for the last over down to 23, following Maheesh Theekshana’s wayward 19th, which cost 16 runs.But seamer Lahiru Kumara held his nerve in the final burst, and Sri Lanka secured a 16-run win, and a place in the next round. Which group they end up in will depend on the results of the evening match between Namibia and UAE.Netherlands will watch that match with particular interest. They need UAE to beat Namibia to get into the next round. The net run rates do not matter – only the result.Mendis feasts on Netherlands’ leg-side offerings
On a pitch that did not allow batters to hit cleanly through the line, and on a ground where the square boundaries are significantly shorter than the straight ones, you probably shouldn’t bowl at leg stump. You especially shouldn’t stray down leg if the batter is Kusal Mendis – an excellent hitter to that side.Mendis got his first boundary via a miscued heave over midwicket in the third over, and he kept finding the ropes in that arc between cow corner and fine leg. He hit each of his five sixes over this region, pulling, slog sweeping, and in the 12th over, wristily flicking Timm van der Gugten into the stands beyond fine leg. He hit five fours too, only two of them on the off side. Sixty-four of his 79 came on the leg side.Through the course of this knock, which went right into the 20th over, Mendis forged several good partnerships, the most fruitful of which was the 60 off 45 alongside Charith Asalanka, whose contribution was 31 off 30. Mendis’ innings meant Sri Lanka made an above-par score on a difficult track.Max O’Dowd’s 71* off 53 went in vain•AFP/Getty Images

Hasaranga decks Netherlands’ middle order
Sri Lanka were already in control before Hasaranga came to the bowling crease, having kept Netherlands to 40 for 2 in the powerplay. But although he conceded seven runs off his first two balls, Hasaranga was quickly among the wickets. He had Colin Ackerman caught and bowled off the leading edge third ball, after the batter failed to adequately play Hasaranga’s googly. Van der Gugten and Fred Klaassen were also bowled by the googly, later in the innings, giving Hasaranga 3 for 28 from his four overs.O’Dowd makes a game of it
With Theekshana also getting wickets, and Sri Lanka fielding well, it did not seem like Netherlands had the measure of their target. O’Dowd did his best to defy the opposition, however, hitting 71 not out off 53 balls.He wasn’t particularly proactive in the first ten overs, hitting just 23 off 21 with two fours. As wickets fell around him in the middle overs, he remained happy to play a measured innings. In fact, at the end of the 17th over, O’Dowd was still 38 off 35 balls, with only three boundaries to his name. Netherlands needed 54 off 18, and had only two wickets left.And yet, O’Dowd, with the help of some Sri Lanka indiscipline, made half a game of it. He hit a six and two fours off successive deliveries from Binura Fernando to reap 15 in the 18th over and then bashed Theekshana for two sixes (one off a no-ball) next over to keep victory within their reach. Theekshana helped out by bowling three extras in a row at the start of this over.But 23 off Kumara, in the company of a hobbling Roelof van der Merwe (who came in at No. 11), proved too much. O’Dowd managed one four over backward point, but only six came off that over.