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Celtic appear set to conclude yet another very successful season in style.

On Wednesday night, despite the fact Brendan Rodgers made wholesale changes, the Hoops won 5-1 at Pittodrie, thanks to goals from Maik Nawrocki, Yang Hyun-jun, Luke McCowan, young striker Johnny Kenny and then Adam Idah.

Idah’s goal was his 20th of the campaign across all competitions and, given that Nicolas Kühn and Daizen Maeda had already reached this milestone, this is the first time since 1969/70 Celtic have had a trio of players register 20+ goals.

The Hoops will be presented with a record-equalling 55th Premiership trophy on Saturday, before seeking to complete a sixth treble in just nine seasons when they meet Aberdeen again in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden a week later.

However, Rodgers is never satisfied, so he is targeting a new winger, in a deal reminiscent of, arguably, the best player he’s ever had across his two stints as Celtic manager.

Scott Sinclair's Celtic career in numbers

When Scott Sinclair arrived at Celtic from Aston Villa for a reported fee of £3m in the summer of 2016, his career was at a bit of a crossroads, looking to rediscover his best form, joining to link up with Rodgers, who’d previously been his manager at Swansea.

Well, few could’ve forecast how good the Englishman would prove to be, scoring 25 goals during his first season in Glasgow, named Celtic Player of the Year, both the Players’ and Supporters’ awards, PFA Players’ Player of the Year as well as SFWA Footballer of the Year, a clean-sweep of all the individual accolades.

In total, Sinclair scored 62 times in 167 appearances for Celtic, averaging a goal every 185 minutes, and he remains the highest-scoring player at the club under Rodgers across both his tenures as boss.

Highest-scoring Celtic players under Brendan Rodgers

Players

Appearances

Goals

Scott Sinclair

148

60

Moussa Dembélé

94

51

James Forrest

207

45

Daizen Maeda

85

43

Callum McGregor

246

37

Leigh Griffiths

87

37

Kyōgo Furuhashi

82

31

Adam Idah

70

29

Odsonne Édouard

68

27

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table outlines, Sinclair is still clear by quite some distance at the top of this ranking although, if Maeda continues to score at this season’s rate next time round, who knows, he could overtake the Englishman by Christmas.

Fast-forward to the present day, with Jota sidelined for up to nine months, Celtic are in the market for a new wide attacker this summer, so they could go into the market to land a replacement

Celtic could sign their new Sinclair

According to a report by Stephen McGowan of the Herald, Celtic are ‘monitoring’ winger Tyrhys Dolan, who is expected to leave EFL Championship club Blackburn Rovers following the expiration of his contract, thereby becoming available for a ‘minimal compensation fee’.

Blackburn manager Valérien Ismaël was desperate to keep the 23-year-old at Ewood Park, labelling him an “important player”, adding that “he’s at a really good age… but [has] a lot of experience already”, however, Rovers were unable to convince Dolan to sign a new contract.

Elliott Jackson of the Lancashire Telegraph believes Dolan is “absolutely terrific”, while writer Kai Watson describes him as “quick” and a “direct… goal threat”, assertions that are supported by the table below.

Tyrhys Dolan EFL Championship statistics 2024/25

Statistics

Dolan

Championship rank

Minutes

3,175

86th

Goals

7

42nd

Assists

6

18th

Shots

50

61st

Shots on target %

44%

20th

Shot-creating actions

99

41st

Goal-creating actions

17

7th

Attempted take-ons

152

7th

Progressive carries

94

27th

Carries into the final third

72

15th

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

As the table outlines, Dolan’s primary strength is his dribbling, with only six players registering more attempted take-ons, despite the fact he only featured in 77% of Blackburn’s total minutes.

Just like Sinclair, Dolan has shown plenty of promise at Championship level.

Before joining Celtic, Sinclair’s most productive campaign came during Swansea’s promotion season under Rodgers of 2010/11, scoring 27 times across all competitions, including a hat-trick in the play-off final victory over Reading at Wembley.

The duo share many of the same attributes: explosive pace, high-quality dribbling skills and an eye for goal.

Thus, if Celtic are able to get this deal over the line, especially considering Dolan is set to become a free agent on 1 July, they’d get their hands on a fantastic new wide attacker.

​​​​​​​

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Posts ByDan Emery May 15, 2025

Manchester City’s strong end to the season continues.

On Friday night, the Sky Blues beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 at the Etihad with, who else, Kevin De Bruyne the only scorer.

Having now won four Premier League games on the spin, Pep Guardiola’s team now have second place well within their sights, widely expected to continue their winning streak on Saturday, considering they’ll be facing rock-bottom Southampton.

Despite this recent upturn in form, which includes reaching a third successive FA Cup Final, Guardiola still insists that this season has been a disaster, hence why he’s planning to spend big this summer, so could he go shopping within the league?

Manchester City's midfield target

The Blues are lining up a big-money move this summer with the likes of £100m-rated Morgan Gibbs-White now in their sights and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz also a target.

That said, could it be another Premier League star who Pep and Co turn to?

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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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Indeed, according to a report in Spain, Manchester City ‘have submitted’ an offer of £55m to Tottenham Hotspur for the services of James Maddison, who they claim is viewed as the long-term ‘successor’ to the outgoing De Bruyne.

Maddison would surely add a touch of creativity and vision to Man City’s midfield, something that has been lacking throughout this season.

The 28-year-old England international joined Spurs from Leicester City for a reported fee of £40m two summers ago but, with Tottenham currently down in 16th, no European football next season could force them to sell key assets, unless they’re able to win the Europa League of course.

So, would Maddison be a good signing for Manchester City, and which recent move would this be reminiscent of?

How Maddison compares to Jack Grealish

Of course, the Sky Blues are no strangers to signing high-profile English international attacking midfielders from within the Premier League, breaking the then-British transfer record to secure the services of Jack Grealish for £100m in 2021.

Now coming towards the end of his fourth season at the Etihad, Grealish’s Man City career can be split into two distinct parts, as the table below outlines.

Grealish’s Manchester City career in numbers

Statistics

21/22

22/23

23/24

24/25

Appearances

39

50

36

31

Minutes

2,730

3,487

2,114

1,520

Goals

6

5

3

3

Assists

4

11

3

5

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the numbers emphasise, during Grealish’s first two seasons in Manchester, he was a regular starter and key contributor, but this has certainly not been the case during this campaign or the last, starting only one Premier League fixture since Christmas.

So, would Maddison be able to replicate the form of great Grealish should he make the move to the Etihad?

Well, let’s compare the duo this season to help answer that question.

Grealish vs Maddison 2024/25 comparison

Statistics

Grealish

Maddison

Appearances

31

45

Minutes

1,520

2,717

Goals

3

12

Assists

5

11

Goals – xG

+0.1

+4.2

Shots on target %

32.3%

46.6%

Pass completion %

87.7%

81.5%

Attempted take-ons

37

106

Take-on success %

37.8%

41.5%

Big chances created

3

8

Progressive carries

92

62

Progressive passes

71

221

Touches per 90

36

66

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, FBref.com and SofaScore

As the table highlights, Maddison’s statistics this season are almost universally more impressive than Grealish’s for every metric included.

He’s certainly a more progressive passer, while simply on goals and assists alone, the Spurs star – who is “unbelievable” in the eyes of Sky Sports pundit Darren Ambrose – has a lot more end product.

The one problem could be that Maddison’s season may actually be over.

Ange Postecoglou stated that he is “concerned” his star midfielder could require knee surgery, which would be a major blow because, as Jack Pitt-Brooke of the Athletic argues, he might just be Tottenham’s most-important player, given ‘how good he is at finding those pockets of space’.

Thus, any potential summer sale would be a massive blow for Spurs but, on the flip side, this would be a major coup for Man City.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson May 4, 2025

Liverpool owners FSG are considering selling an “outstanding” player in a potential £68m move this summer, according to a new update regarding his future.

Summer departures expected at Liverpool

While much focus is on which players the Reds could sign in the summer transfer window, it could also be a relatively busy period when it comes to departures.

Caoimhin Kelleher looks almost certain to move on to pastures new, for example, with the Republic of Ireland international constantly playing second to fiddle to Alisson. With Giorgi Mamardashvili also coming in from Valencia, his minutes could become even more limited.

Kostas Tsimikas could also possibly move on, as Liverpool target a new left-back, with Andy Robertson then becoming more of a squad player, and Trent Alexander-Arnold is also leaving to join Real Madrid.

In attack, both Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota may be sweating over their Anfield futures, following disappointing seasons, with the former feeling particularly likely to find a new club. He has flattered to deceive throughout his three years at the club, and this summer feels like the right time to cut ties.

Liverpool could sell Luis Diaz despite Slot admiration

According to Caught Offside, FSG are considering selling Liverpool forward Diaz this summer, amid interest from Saudi Pro League clubs – a £68m price tag is mentioned in the report. The update does also say that Slot would “rather not sell” the Colombian, however, seeing him as an important figure moving forward, unlike Nunez, who is expected to depart.

Diaz may not be perfect, sometimes being criticised for lacking an elite level of end product, but the positives still outweigh the negatives with him, so it would be preferable for Liverpool to retain his services. The 28-year-old has had a good season for the Reds, playing an important role in them winning the Premier League title, scoring 16 goals in all competitions and being hailed by Virgil van Dijk.

“If you watch the game he wasn’t really a No. 9. He played through the middle but he obviously played in midfield as well. It is very difficult for defenders when you don’t play against a direct opponent because there is so much movement. Lucho did it outstanding today again and that is what we need.”

Even if Diaz stays, Liverpool still need to be targeting at least one new attacker – a centre forward and a versatile winger would be ideal – putting more pressure on the £55,000-a-week Colombia international to find another gear.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 9, 2025

If he does end up leaving, it wouldn’t necessarily be a disaster, but Slot is right to value him and may only be fully appreciated after he leaves, both in terms of his quality and work ethic.

Leeds United are now eyeing a shock move to appoint an attacking 4-3-3 manager who has been called “successful”, according to a recent report.

Daniel Farke’s Leeds future cast into doubt following promotion

After being one of the strongest teams in the Championship, the Whites confirmed their place in next season’s Premier League by winning promotion last week. Leeds bounced back from play-off disappointment last season and now have not only sealed promotion but could also win the Championship title.

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Posts 1 ByHenry Jackson Apr 26, 2025

However, that might not be enough for Daniel Farke to keep his job, as it’s been claimed by the Daily Mail that the 49ers could be ready to sack Farke and bring in a replacement. It is reported that the hierarchy could be tempted to move on from Farke, and while a decision hasn’t been made yet, they have a list of names who could replace the German.

The 49ers believe that Farke may not be the man who can lead Leeds in the Premier League, given his record in that division when he was at Norwich City. José Mourinho has been talked about making a return to England and taking over at Elland Road, but that may be considered very ambitious by the newly promoted side.

Leeds eyeing shock move for Russell Martin

There is now a new name that is in the frame who could possibly replace Farke at Elland Road. According to Give Me Sport, Leeds are showing an interest in appointing Russell Martin as their new manager.

The report states that the Whites are considering a move to appoint the Scotsman as their next boss. The Championship side have sounded Martin out about returning to the dugout and what his vision is for the future which is part of the club’s plan to look at who they could appoint as their manager if they decide to move on from Farke.

However, Leeds are not the only team chasing Martin, as surprisingly, Southampton are contemplating bringing Martin back to St Mary’s. The Saints sacked the 39-year-old earlier this season, but he still has admirers at the club, and discussions have been had about trying to bring him back as they prepare for life back in the second tier.

A positive for Leeds, it’s claimed that Martin is unlikely to head back to Southampton after his recent sacking.

Russell Martin’s Premier League record compared to Daniel Farke

Martin

Farke

Games

16

49

Won

1

6

Drawn

2

8

Lost

13

35

Points

5

26

Points per game

0.31

0.53

A move for Martin, who likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 formation, by Leeds may come as a considerable shock to their supporters, especially when you consider that Martin has a worse Premier League record than Farke and both have been managers who have struggled in the top flight.

Despite Martin’s struggles in the Premier League and lack of wins, he is a manager who has been lauded as a “successful” coach, whose teams are a “joy to watch”, according to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.

Martin may well be open to the idea of taking over at Leeds, given the size of the club and the fact they are a Premier League team, so it could be one to watch.

Liverpool find themselves on the cusp of Premier League glory and have now turned their attention to a prolific striker on the market, per reports.

Liverpool set to cement themselves as champions ahead of busy summer

Since arriving at Anfield, Arne Slot has earned due adulation as his side canter towards a second top-flight title of the modern era, which will undoubtedly raise levels of expectation heading into next season.

Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have committed their futures to Liverpool and have played a major role in upholding standards while on Merseyside. Still, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s uncertain situation threatens to become a sizeable blow should he depart for Real Madrid.

Work has to be done in the market this summer if the Reds want to retain their impending status as Premier League champions next term. Their rivals will likely tool up in the off-season to bolster squad depth in the face of a heavy fixture schedule.

Looking to make a statement, Liverpool are confident they can beat Manchester United to Hugo Ekitike after finding out that a fee of £80 million could secure his signature from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is a known Reds target amid his rapid rise to prominence, and talks have been held with his camp over the last few weeks.

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Posts 2 ByBrett Worthington Apr 17, 2025

For now, finishing the season with a flourish will be the priority before celebrations begin after Liverpool win the title. Slot and company will enjoy the moment, though there is plenty of work going on behind the scenes to ensure they aren’t knocked off their perch.

Planning for the future, the Reds boss now has a prolific marksman in his sights who could be the man to spearhead their attack come 2025/26.

Liverpool ready to strike for Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are closely monitoring Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins amid fears that they could be priced out of a move for Newcastle United star Alexander Isak. Marcus Rashford moving to Villa Park on a permanent basis could free up the England international, who has dropped to the bench in recent weeks as opposed to being a regular starter.

Ollie Watkins’ key statistics in Premier League – 2024/25

Goals

14

Assists

6

Non-penalty XG

12.68

Chances created

21

Shots on target

35

Touches in opposition box

154

Labelled “terrific” by Phil Jones, Watkins has scored 165 goals in 455 career games and is firmly in his peak, which has also brought Arsenal to the table.

The outlet claim Luiz Diaz could be sold to create room for the former Brentford man on Merseyside. Liverpool may be tempted by a bid north of £60 million, with the Saudi Pro League emerging as the Colombian’s most likely destination.

Either way, there could be sizeable changes on the way at Anfield as the Reds go all out to retain their spot at the top of the English pyramid next campaign.

After reaching a seventh successive FA Cup semi-final on Sunday, Manchester City’s focus now turns back to ensuring they’ll be in next season’s Champions League.

With nine Premier League fixtures to go, Pep Guardiola’s team are fifth, thereby occupying the final Champions League position, but they’re far from guaranteed to stay there, given that five clubs are four points or fewer behind.

With a Manchester derby to come at Old Trafford on Sunday, it is imperative that the Sky Blues beat bottom-three dwellers Leicester at the Etihad on Wednesday night.

As Guardiola targets three points from that seeming home banker, he should unleash Man City’s “quality” youngster ahead of Abdukodir Khusanov.

How Abdukodir Khusanov has performed at Man City

As noted by Philip Buckingham of the Athletic, Manchester City outspent the other 19 Premier League clubs combined in January, splashing around £180m on five new recruits, including Khusanov, who arrived from Lens for a reported fee of £33.8m.

The 21-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise, considering he was playing for Enerhetyk-BDU Minsk in the Belarusian top division as recently as July 2023, becoming the first Uzbek to feature in the Premier League 18 months later.

The defender debuted against Chelsea in January, ‘thrown in at the deep end’ according to Jordan Campbell of the Athletic, before making an almighty error less than three minutes in, his ‘undercooked’ back-header gifting the Blues an early opener.

Luckily for him, Man City roared back to win 3-1.

After a difficult start to life in Manchester, Khusanov was named the club’s Player of the Month for February, as voted for by fans, with the club’s official channels already believing he has ‘captured the hearts’ of supporters.

Nevertheless, this didn’t save him from being taken off at half time of the Citizens’ FA Cup tie at Bournemouth on Sunday, with Man City a goal down and Khusanov having been booked.

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So, it remains to be seen if he’ll keep his place in the starting lineup against Leicester, although we’re advocating for Pep Guardiola to unleash a home-grown youngster instead.

Man City's best replacement for Khusanov

Man City’s come-from-behind 2-1 victory at Bournemouth is largely credited to Guardiola’s decision to replace Khusanov with Nico O’Reilly at the interval in Dorset.

Within four minutes, O’Reilly had put the ball on a plate for Erling Haaland to equalise before also getting the assist for Omar Marmoush’s winner later on.

Speaking to Gabriel Clarke of ITV after full time, Guardiola praised the 20-year-old’s impact as “outstanding”, adding “he’s going to play in the semi-final for sure”, given his form in the FA Cup to date.

Emlyn Begley of BBC Sport notes that O’Reilly is an ‘attacking midfielder… by trade’, but he is certainly versatile and he’s been catching the eye for a number of months yet. Perhaps the best source of praise came from City content creator Steven Mcinerney, who stated that “Nico has that La Masia intelligence with the physicality of someone like Rice.”

Meantime, Ben Fisher of the Guardian emphasises that the introduction of the £2.9k-per-week earner ‘transformed’ Man City’s performance at Bournemouth, thanks to his ‘seemingly bottomless energy’, becoming the first substitute to register two assists for the Sky Blues since İlkay Gündoğan at Leeds in December 2021.

So, let’s assess his statistics for the club so far.

Nico O’Reilly’s senior Man City career in numbers

Statistics

Nico O’Reilly

Appearances

10

Minutes

553

Goals

3

Assists

2

Chances created

8

Passing accuracy %

90.36%

Take-on success %

51.39%

% of ground duels won

63.7%

% of aerial duels won

60%

Interceptions

1

Clearances

7

Tackles

19

Ball Recoveries

34

Touches per 90

77.65

Stats via Transfermarkt, Sofascore & Squawka

As the table outlines, O’Reilly is very much still the new kid on the block, playing little over 550 senior minutes so far, while four of his ten appearances have come as a substitute, debuting in the FA Community Shield back in August.

Nevertheless, he’s already shown his quality, and the fact he can play multiple different positions makes him an invaluable asset for Guardiola, so we’re sure the Man City faithful would love to see him handed a first-ever Premier League start when Leicester visit the Etihad on Wednesday.

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Posts ByJoe Nuttall Mar 31, 2025

Nottingham Forest are now targeting an “incredible” Europa League midfielder, amid Elliot Anderson continuing to attract attention from some top clubs.

Anderson's City Ground future up in the air

Forest could have their work cut out trying to keep hold of Anderson, given that the midfielder is of major interest to the Premier League’s biggest clubs, with it recently being revealed that Manchester United have identified him as their number one target.

Manchester City are currently the favourites to win the race for the former Newcastle United man, however, with the Blues ready to hijack their rivals, given that Pep Guardiola is a huge admirer, and there is a feeling that a deal could be possible for a fee of £88m.

Alex Crook has also revealed that United would probably have to fork out a club-record fee to sign the England international, with the Tricky Trees in a strong negotiating position, given that he remains under contract until 2029.

With Anderson’s future at the City Ground up in the air, Nottingham Forest have now started to run the rule over potential new additions in midfield, according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states they are now targeting Lyon star Tyler Morton.

Morton has put in some eye-catching performances since moving to the Ligue 1 club for £15m in the summer, and he could now be in line for a swift return to the Premier League, with the likes of Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion also keen.

Lyon are reluctant to sell the midfielder, but cashing-in for a higher price than they paid might be too good an opportunity to turn down, considering their financial difficulties, so the door could be open for a move to Forest.

"Incredible" Morton now ready to prove himself in England

The 23-year-old never really managed to make the grade at Liverpool, being shipped out on loan to Hull City and Blackburn Rovers, and never making a Premier League appearance, but he has proven he’s now ready to test himself in England.

The Englishman has emerged as a key player for Lyon in Ligue 1, chipping in with one goal and one assist in 12 outings, while also putting in a solid performance in his most recent Europa League match, with Lyon battering Maccabi Tel Aviv 6-0.

Tyler Morton’s key statistics vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

Number completed

Tackles

4

Interceptions

2

Duels (won)

8 (6)

Accurate passes

60/63 (95%)

Journalist Bence Bocsak is clearly a big admirer of the Wallasey-born midfielder too, saying: “Out of all the young players who left Liverpool this summer I’m absolutely convinced Tyler Morton is the most likely to return. He’s a fantastic footballer. Incredible IQ.”

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Posts ByDominic Lund Dec 2, 2025

While Arne Slot’s side making a move would be understandable, with any luck Nottingham Forest will be able to win the race for Morton’s signature, as he could be a fantastic addition to Sean Dyche’s squad.

Usman Khawaja has kept his place in the squad after the back spasms that limited his role in Perth

Andrew McGlashan28-Nov-2025Pat Cummins has not been included in what is an unchanged Australia squad for the day-night Test against England at the Gabba, but there remains a slim chance he could be parachuted into a comeback appearance if things go well during training in Brisbane.For now, the selectors have retained the 14 players who were on duty in Perth, with Josh Inglis, Michael Neser and Beau Webster among those who did not make the XI.Cummins, who had an extensive training session at the SCG on Friday, when he bowled to stand-in captain Steven Smith, will travel to Brisbane to continue his return to bowling.He is next due to bowl on Monday and, while there is nothing stopping the selectors adding him to the squad nearer the game, the likely outcome is a return for the third Test in Adelaide which gives him another two weeks to prepare and build his loads. However, ESPNcricinfo understands he has not been completely ruled out of the pink-ball Test.During his rehab, Cummins has yet to bowl on back-to-back days and had a three day gap between each of his sessions this after returning from Perth.Related

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Speaking to broadcasters during the Perth Test, Cummins had given himself “half a chance” of being ready for Brisbane and had bowled with the pink ball since returning to Sydney after the two-day finish.”It looked like a player that was nearing the completion of his rehabilitation,” coach Andrew McDonald said after Perth. “The intensity was there, the ball speed was there. There’s a lot of positives, but now it’s just really building that resilience within the soft tissue and making sure that we’re not putting him in harm’s way in terms of accelerating it too much.”Meanwhile, Usman Khawaja has retained his place in the squad after back spasms in Perth limited his role, leaving him unable to open the batting in either innings. Travis Head’s success in the position during Australia’s chase, where he hammered 123 off 83 balls, has prompted debate about whether it should be made a permanent move.Providing Khawaja is fit, he is favoured to retain his spot, although Inglis and Webster are middle-order options should the selectors opt for a change.Speaking at event for his foundation, Khawaja said his recovery was tracking well ahead of his home Test.Pat Cummins runs in with a pink ball•Getty Images

“I’m really glad that we got it done that night, because the next day I already had the radiology booked,” he said. “Next day I was going to get an epidural in my back, so I can actually move somewhat. It was a tough three days, but I was trying to do everything I could to actually get on the field and play for Australia … so if the team needed me, I was there.””I’ve never had back spasms before, so it’s very new to me. But the last few days, it’s been good.”The absence of Cummins means that Brendan Doggett, who claimed five wickets in Perth, will likely retain his place, alongside Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.”I am going to control what I can control, keep ticking the legs over, and keep bowling and trying to improve in every session and game,” Doggett said on Thursday. “If I get called on in that second Test, I feel like I am ready to go again.”However, a question mark hangs over the role of Nathan Lyon, given he only bowled two overs in Perth, and did not play Australia’s most recent pink-ball Test in Jamaica. Webster may come into the mix as an extra allrounder which would lengthen the batting or Neser, who is also a capable batter, could be drafted in.Josh Hazlewood, who was never a chance to feature in Brisbane, continued his recovery from a hamstring injury with another light bowl on Friday and there remains a chance he could play a part later in the series.”It’s coming along slowly,” Hazlewood told Fox Sports at the SCG on Friday. “[I have been] running and everything’s going well. It’s probably tough to put a timeline on it. I think ‘Ron’ [Andrew McDonald] probably nailed it the other day…play a part in the back end, hopefully.”Australia will gather in Brisbane on Sunday.Australia squad for second Test vs EnglandSteve Smith (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

The former Rajasthan Royals spin bowling coach replaces Sunil Joshi

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2025

Sairaj Bahutule during a training session•Getty Images

Former India legspinner Sairaj Bahutule has joined Punjab Kings (PBKS) as their new spin bowling coach ahead of the 2026 IPL season. He replaces Sunil Joshi, who held the role from 2023 to 2025.ESPNcricinfo understands Joshi decided to leave as he is set to take over as spin coach at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.”Sairaj’s deep understanding of the game, particularly his extensive experience in grooming domestic bowlers and managing strategy, will be invaluable to our side,” PBKS CEO Satish Menon said. “His expertise aligns perfectly with our vision of building a strong and cohesive bowling unit for the season ahead.”Bahutule joins a backroom team that has Ricky Ponting as head coach, Brad Haddin as assistant coach, James Hopes as the fast bowling coach, and Trevor Gonsalves as assistant bowling coach.”I’m really excited to join Punjab Kings as a spin bowling coach for the upcoming IPL season,” Bahutule said. “This is a team that plays a different brand of cricket, and I can see the potential is massive. They have a bunch of talented players, and I’m looking forward to working with them to refine their skills and help them reach new heights.”Bahutule was the spin bowling coach at Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2025. He had also been RR’s spin bowling coach from 2018 to 2021 before joining the National Cricket Academy and serving as support staff for India A assignments.Bahutule’s exit from RR follows Dravid’s departure from the franchise as head coach. Dravid has been replaced by Kumar Sangakkara.PBKS finished runners-up in IPL 2025 after finishing top of the points table in the league phase. They lost the final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six runs.

Liverpool head into the Champions League tonight against PSV Eindhoven looking like a bruised animal once more.

Last time out at Anfield, Arne Slot’s Reds were convincingly beaten by Nottingham Forest in the Premier League in a 3-0 loss, with the match preceding this humbling defeat on home soil also seeing the Merseyside giants lose by the same emphatic scoreline, away at Manchester City.

Thankfully, the Champions League has been a temporary sanctuary for the reigning Premier League champions, as was evident in their 1-0 win against Real Madrid, the last time they did battle in the illustrious competition.

Therefore, Liverpool will be hoping they can lick their wounds again and beat their Eredivisie opponents later on this evening.

If form doesn’t pick up, though, the January transfer window will be a very apt time to try and find upgrades on the underperformers consistently letting the side down…

Transfer latest at Liverpool

Despite their poor form as of late, the Reds will still see themselves as a significant superpower in any transfer window to come.

After all, a colossal £415m was spent just this summer on a raft of new signings, with fresh rumours now indicating that the Slot and Co. could be prepared to drop another £123m on Bayern Munich ace Michael Olise.

Moreover, Antoine Semenyo remains in their sights as another attacking signing that could boost a side let down by the likes of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz to date.

On top of signings to add to their attacking arsenal, Liverpool are also allegedly looking to do battle with Real Madrid over the services of midfield talent Vitinha, according to emerging reports from Spain.

Indeed, the report elaborates that the La Liga giants are preparing a €150m (£131m) bid for Luis Enrique’s prized asset.

Yet, Liverpool are keen to accelerate a deal, as well, by matching the Los Blancos’ amount, ensuring they could actually eclipse the £125m club-record capture of Alexander Isak.

A next step to the Premier League is noted as being very appealing for the Portugal international, if a statement move were to whir into motion.

Vitinha’s arrival at Anfield might not be the news Ryan Gravenberch wants to read, however, with the classy Paris Saint-Germain number 17 a clear upgrade on the Dutchman, as the 23-year-old has noticeably struggled as of late.

Why Vitinha is a clear upgrade on Gravenberch

Alongside the vast majority of his teammates, Gravenberch has suffered from a notable dip in his performance levels in recent matches.

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Once labelled as being “vital” to the way Liverpool tick earlier in the season by ex-Reds midfielder Steve McManaman, the former Ajax prodigy turned Anfield first-teamer struggled to be an influential presence in back-to-back defeats at the hands of City and Forest, with only four ground duels won in total across 14 attempts, as per Sofascore.

To make matters worse, the underperforming number 38 would also fail to notch up a single key pass, leaving him on just the one paltry assist for the campaign.

While Gravenberch has shown visible signs of decline, Vitinha has continued to stand out on some pressurised stages for Enrique’s men, with this wonderful move – which was kickstarted by the 25-year-old’s fierce burst of pace – in last year’s Champions League final, just one reason why his national team manager in Roberto Martinez has glowingly labelled him the “best midielder in the world.”

In league action for PSG, too, this season, he blows his immediate competition out of the water, with one goal and six assists from 12 games – among other numbers – sticking out immediately to Slot, as he attempts to make Liverpool a vibrant and attractive watch in attack this campaign, again, rather than sticking by their current stifled appearance.

Vitinha vs Gravenberch (25/26 League stats)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Vitinha

Gravenberch

Games played

12

10

Goals scored

1

3

Assists

6

1

Touches*

113.8

74.8

Accurate passes*

98.2 (94%)

54.8 (89%)

Key passes*

1.5

0.7

Big chances created

6

2

Ball recoveries*

4.9

3.5

Stats by Sofascore

It’s not just in the attacking department where Vitinha could improve the downbeat Reds, with the 5-foot-8 playmaker also averaging 4.9 ball recoveries so far this season in Ligue 1, next to Gravenberch’s lesser 3.5.

Of course, the Premier League is a different kettle of fish altogether from the French top division, which PSG consistently dominate.

But, Vitinha has actually shown off his swagger against Liverpool at Anfield, with the “incredible” midfield general – as Enrique has also labelled him – dictating play during PSG’s slim 1-0 away win in the Champions League last campaign when amassing a ridiculous 103 accurate passes.

Worryingly, his Dutch counterpart receded into his shell, with zero accurate dribbles registered, and possession was lost a costly 12 times.

The one-time Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee won’t be moving to England on the cheap, but it could be a splurge worth signing off on, as Slot attempts to reinvigorate his options all over the pitch.

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