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Manchester City aren’t exactly the most conservative club when it comes to splashing the cash, with their business back in January showing off a club that’s still unafraid to flex their muscles in the transfer market.

Omar Marmoush would join the elite Premier League side’s ranks for a whopping £59m from Eintracht Frankfurt, with his unbelievable goal return of six strikes from 13 league outings already justifying the excessive spending.

Moreover, both Nico Gonzalez and Abdukodir Khusanov would relocate to Manchester for a combined £83.6m, with City’s notable transfer activity showing no signs of slowing down as we head towards the dramatic summer window reopening.

Manchester City's pursuit of Florian Wirtz

Already, Pep Guardiola’s men have been linked with a barrage of exciting names to improve their midfield options, with Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White reportedly attracting the attention of those at the Etihad.

Other midfield targets on City’s radar include ex-Norwich City ace Gabriel Sara and Newcastle United fan’s favourite Sandro Tonali, but the main superstar that is dominating most of the conversation in this regard is Bayer Leverkusen hero Florian Wirtz.

The FA Cup finalists have been linked frequently with the electric German, with a wild price-tag of £101m allegedly above the 21-year-old’s head amidst growing interest.

The latest on any such deal is that Man City are still in the conversation for his signing, but according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich are ‘continuing to work on a deal behind the scenes.’

City will still hope they can power ahead to the front of the queue to land the much-talked-about Leverkusen number ten, but they could have avoided another splurge in the transfer department…

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Man City sold their own Florian Wirtz

City have dropped the ball a few times in recent years when letting some top talents depart the Etihad, with the example of Cole Palmer no doubt stinging to this very day.

Julian Alvarez is another sale that will hurt Guardiola and Co.

Across 103 games donning City sky blue, the explosive Argentinian would notch up a sturdy 36 strikes and 19 assists, with Alvarez adept at either leading the line for his ex-employers or slotting in as an option just behind the lone striker.

As it happens, his form since leaving Manchester behind has seen him compared to Wirtz, with data-led website FBref determining that the German is the third most similar player in this season’s edition of the Champions League.

Why? Well, Wirtz also boasts similarly devastating numbers for Leverkusen – seen in his ever-growing count of 56 goals and 63 assists from 194 clashes.

But, sticking with Alvarez, not allowing him to leave for pastures new at Atletico Madrid would have saved Guardiola’s men a lot of hassle and cash in their ongoing pursuit of a new classy performer in attack.

Alvarez’s G/A numbers for Atletico
Competition	Games played	Goals scored	Assists
La Liga	33	15	2
Copa Del Rey	7	5	2
Champions League	10	7	1
Sourced by Transfermarkt

After all, the 25-year-old is now tearing it up in his new Spanish location as a force to be reckoned with, seen in his mightily impressive tally of 27 goals and five assists from 50 appearances at Atletico.

This amazingly betters Wirtz’s own total for the season under the tutelage of Xabi Alonso who has 28 goal contributions next to his name, culminating in Alvarez being heralded as the “best forward in the world” at the moment by journalist Roy Nemer.

City won’t be plagued with regret for too long if they do end up winning the services of their £101m-rated target, but in an alternate reality, Guardiola’s men wouldn’t need to flex their muscles again, knowing they had a Wirtz-like talent already at their disposal.

Better than Sara: Man City keen on signing "world-class" £55m star

Manchester City might well have an upgrade on Gabriel Sara up their sleeve.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 1, 2025

“There’s the real sense of calm out there when you know you’ve got someone that good,” says Australia captain Pat Cummins

Alex Malcolm03-Mar-20242:12

Cummins: Green as sharp as I have seen him

You couldn’t see the glint in Nathan Lyon’s eye behind his trademark tinted sunglasses, but you could tell it was there.It was there during his press conference after day three when he spoke with overwhelming confidence that Australia would create the seven chances necessary to win the Test match.It was there on the morning of day one when he ran his hand over the verdant Basin Reserve pitch and felt a dryness and hardness underneath that suggested sharp spin and bounce was on offer.Related

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He was right on both fronts, and he and Cameron Green were the chief architects of Australia’s 172-run win.Lyon put on a masterclass of offspin bowling on the fourth and final day, becoming just the 10th spinner to take 10 wickets in a match in New Zealand and only the third to do so in the long history of the Basin Reserve, behind two spin bowling luminaries in Muthiah Muralidaran and Australia’s current bowling coach Daniel Vettori.He also achieved the rare air of becoming just the third Test bowler to take five-wicket hauls in nine different countries behind Muralidaran and Shane Warne.You could not wipe the smile off Pat Cummins’ face after Lyon had spun his side to victory yet again.”Captain’s dream really,” Cummins said. “There’s the real sense of calm out there when you know you’ve got someone that good on a wicket that’s giving him a little bit of help.”You can get creative with some of the field placements knowing he’s going to land it exactly where you want it to. I thought he was brilliant over the last couple of days bouncing through a few different plans but just always felt like he was in control and always felt like we had Plan B, C, D that we could go to as well but never really felt like we had to. Yeah, an absolute dream.”Rachin Ravindra walks back disappointed after falling in Nathan Lyon’s trap•Getty ImagesThey tried plan B very briefly on the fourth morning with Lyon switching to the R.A. Vance stand end first up despite his first six wickets, and Glenn Phillips’ five, falling from the Southern end. The idea was to give Mitchell Starc a chance from the Southern end to see if he could swing the 41-over old ball with the help of a south-westerly breeze. But Starc was unable to find much movement, and Lyon was not extracting as much spin and bounce from the R.A Vance end and after two overs Cummins went back to plan A.It took Lyon three balls to break the game open from his preferred end. He found some extra bounce and Rachin Ravindra miscued a cut straight to point. Three balls later he had Tom Blundell caught at short leg for the second time in the match and the game was all but over.Lyon had forecast his plans in his press conference the night before. There was no secret sauce. He would bowl around the wicket with overspin and try and challenge the sticker of the bat with short leg and leg slip in place.ESPNcricinfo LtdNew Zealand knew the plan. They just could not throw him off it. Two balls into Lyon’s next over Phillips glanced one inches short of leg slip. Two balls later Phillips played back again to a quicker ball that spun sharply and was pinned plumb lbw.It had taken Lyon all of 22 balls on the fourth morning to take three wickets and get into New Zealand’s tail. He would pick up a sixth of the innings when Tim Southee holed out to long-on after deciding his defence was not good enough to withstand the pressure.It was a meek end from New Zealand. But it was a credit to the irrepressible and ageless Lyon. He has made no secret of the fact that he wants to keep playing until the end of the 2027 Ashes and his captain said he will continue in the job as long as Lyon is still going.”I’d love for him to keep going until 2027,” Cummins said. “I think the only barrier I think really is his body.”If he looks after his body and makes sure he’s right for whatever it is, 10 Test matches a year, I’d absolutely love if he was playing until 2027.”I don’t think there’s much that’s going to get in his way. I’ve already told him the day he retires I’m definitely giving up the captaincy because it makes my life a hell of a lot easier.”

England wicketkeeper reveling in moment after starring in back-to-back Test successes against New Zealand

Vithushan Ehantharajah20-Jun-2022Among the glazed eyes of those packed into Nottingham’s Mega Munch in the early hours of Wednesday, several of whom had secured a stunning victory at Trent Bridge against New Zealand, stood one looking the freshest of the lot.Ben Foakes was propped at the greasy counter, cap on, seemingly with his wits in check while those around him sported tell-tale ruddy cheeks. His aura was as it was at the end of the first and second Tests when he helped England home: calm and unflustered after the chaos. Amid the bombastic exploits this last month, he has been the designated driver.A few days on, Foakes admits to ESPNcricinfo his look was deceiving. “I didn’t feel fresh,” he laughs. “I think it’s the first time I’ve actually been out this year. The next day was a complete write-off.” As for his order, he went healthy (ish). “I didn’t go chips, just a fried chicken burger. It was good, actually. Though I suppose everything at 4am is.”Memories of getting back to the hotel are understandably hazy. But the imprints of a series win, moreover how England chased down 299 in 50 overs on the final day to secure it, will have greater permanency. From the dressing room to the bar and on to late-night kebab shop, many of the chats between players, even members of the public – some of who had been in the stands earlier that day – circled back to the efforts of that day.Related

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There is a tangible sense of fun around the men’s Test side. A renewed freedom under the leadership of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, both in their expression and the fact they were out that late at all. The midnight curfew that had been in place since the end of 2017 momentarily lifted to savour their feat.”Any time there is a Test like that, which is very rare, you can feel it in the stadium and around,” says Foakes. “The atmosphere inside was incredible and you could see that filtering out of the ground. After a tough couple of years [in which England won just one Test in 17], it was a really good buzz in English cricket. With the new era, the way it’s talked about how we are going to play, it’s all blended in as positive vibes.”In the infancy of such upward flux, there is a tendency to laud two wins picked up against the reigning (if slightly weathered) World Test Champions as totems rather than merely early foundations. Cynics might regard a blowout with five Tests still to come this summer, and indeed the final match against New Zealand this Thursday, as a premature celebration. Sure, it’s been fun. But the dry mouth and headaches won’t be far off.Except, for those involved, this feels different. McCullum’s approach may have a whiff of “no tactics, just vibes”. But there is a belief among those who go out there and live it that he is instigating a shift in what English Test cricket should be, how it should feel and who it is for. The best encapsulation came in that final tea break, with 160 runs still to get.”Baz’s team talk at tea – it was like William Wallace!” Foakes says. “After he was done, everyone was desperate to get out there.”The traditional Test approach in that situation would be ‘see how it goes, see how many wickets we’ve got left, then if the situation isn’t there, do we shut up shop?’ He was like, ‘Nah, we’re not doing that. We’re winning this game. If we don’t, so be it – we’ve done it the right way. It doesn’t matter if we don’t win this game.’ And it took the pressure off.”To English cricket’s conservative ears, it is inspirational talk bordering on heresy. The gloom that has encapsulated the Test set-up is because it matter when they don’t win. It is why Joe Root had to step down from the captaincy, even in the form of his life. Why others beyond the field of play have lost their jobs. Why, going into the Test summer, there was such widespread disillusionment with the format in this country. All the more reason, according to Foakes, why such talk needs to be so strong. Any alterations to the fabric of Test cricket require the players to do the sewing.

“I had a few questions and didn’t want to be too indecisive and not know how I am meant to be playing. [McCullum] has been really clear with the doubts I had and it was good for me to be open with him”

“It has changed the way I look at Test cricket,” Foakes says. “With playing for England, there are obviously a lot of pressures, a lot of criticisms and things like that. If you think about that too much, it weighs on you. But over the last two weeks, it’s clear to see the positives and how amazing playing for England can be. Baz and Stokesy, the way they are, promote that.”‘Ground-breaking’ is too big of a word. But when I think about it, my approach to Test cricket has always just been about endurance, mentally slow for a reason, and meant to be calculated. When you play for England, there is another side to it – the entertainment factor.”I guess it’s similar to the New Zealand game a year ago [at Lord’s, where England declined to chase 273 in 75 overs]: we could have gone for the win, but didn’t. For pure entertainment value, within the crowd and at home, even if you lose that game at Trent Bridge, you’re probably doing more for Test cricket. There’s a balance in the game and trying to improve the viewership of it as well.”During the post-tea carnage in Nottingham, when England went from 139 for 4 to 272 for 5 inside 11.3 overs, 93 of those 133 runs from the blade of Jonny Bairstow – the man dismissed, having made 136 – Foakes was in a unique position. He had access to one of the best views in the house in the home dressing room, while burdened with impending responsibility as the next man in. Usually “really nervous” while waiting his turn, he was uncharacteristically at ease. “I usually pop out the back to keep myself busy. I must have gone to do it 10 times but every time there was a six, so I kept coming back to see what had happened.”We needed a lot of runs and it should have been a tight finish. But I was so chilled. When Jonny did get out, I was shocked because I was nestled in watching the game. Everyone during their partnership was like, ‘what the hell is going on?!'”Having snapped out of spectator mode, he went out to the middle and accompanied Stokes to the conclusion. He even had to push the skipper ahead of him, insisting he lead the pair off having finished unbeaten on 75. “I’ve just tapped it around for 12,” was the rebuff when Stokes insisted the pair walk off Trent Bridge together.He had a similar walk at Lord’s the week before, albeit with Root further ahead following his 115 not out to Foakes’ 32. Nevertheless, he was clapped through the Long Room, fulfilling an experience he had always wished for as a kid.That was an overdue home debut, coming as a new era lock rather than a seat-filler as the previous 11 caps abroad had been. His work behind the stumps so far has been as you’d expect from the poster boy of glovemanship. The two finishing cameos speak of assurance, along with 56 in the first innings of the second Test, a welcome third fifty-plus score in his career. His previous one, a half-century against Sri Lanka in November 2018, followed on from a debut knock of 107 the match before.Foakes hugs Ben Stokes after the latter hit the winning runs at Trent Bridge•Getty ImagesAs expected in almost four years since that bright start, form has fluctuated and, in turn, technique tweaked. A first-class average of 24.58 in the 2019 summer elicited a change from a more open stance brought about by adjustments made to county bowlers going wide and moving the ball back into right-handers. His back hip was coming through too much, creating unforced errors against the moving Dukes ball. He has also changed his bats to the shorter blade version used by Gray Nicolls stablemate Ollie Pope.The next thing Foakes wants to get right is his approach. Even in this “express yourself environment”, there is plenty of critical thinking taking place.”In the first Test at Lord’s in the first innings, I ended up playing a crappy shot just because I was a bit in-between. Batting with Jimmy [Anderson] I was thinking, ‘what am I meant to be doing here?’ And I ended up playing a wishy-washy shot to a ball I would have left from Tim Southee.”The issue to overcome, he says, is acquiring the flexibility to be a No. 7 in this XI, straddling the fence between the full-time batters and the tail. The difference between operating as a facilitator or aggressor is just one ball at the other end. For someone accustomed to batting five at Surrey, it is not a natural fit. He has picked McCullum’s brains to untangle his own.”I had a few questions and I didn’t want to be too indecisive and not know how I am meant to be playing. He’s been really clear with the doubts I had and it was good for me to be that open with him. It means I’m going out into in every innings knowing I have backing.”I don’t have a massive power game. But I can use my feet, do different sorts of things to accelerate my scoring without being reckless. Going back to that Southee ball – how do make that a ball I can score off by doing something different? I’ll never do what Rooty did and scoop Southee over my head. I’m never going to try it, but I might be able to do things with my strengths.”It will take time before we can say the McCullum-Stokes axis has reinvigorated English Test cricket, beyond the third Test at Headingley and even this summer. It’s too soon to say they have reinvented the long-form game. They are merely rolling the dice, trying to get some change.Any long-term change requires the likes of Foakes to seize the opportunities to truly reframe England’s psyche. It is a different kind of responsibility, one which will feel heavier once this honeymoon period is over.Right now, though, it feels like a privilege. “I just think it’s a really fun time to be involved,” Foakes beams. “That’s the way I’m looking at it.”

When he won the Under-19 World Cup as part of Kohli’s team, the world was at his feet. But his career didn’t quite take off and he says that’s okay

Shashank Kishore in Rajkot11-Mar-2020Twelve years ago, Shreevats Goswami was part of Virat Kohli’s batch of India Under-19s that became World Cup champions in Kuala Lumpur. Within a week of his arrival in India, he had an IPL contract with Royal Challengers Bangalore, had the kind of money “which kids could only dream of”, bought his first car, shared a dressing room with Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis. And to top it all, he finished the inaugural edition with the emerging player award. The world was at his feet, everyone assumed.”Even before that Under-19 World Cup final, the BCCI had announced each franchise could pick two players from our squad. We had already started dreaming and thinking about IPL, Dav Whatmore (head coach) had to strictly tell us ‘listen boys, there’s a World Cup final coming up.’ It was that mad,” Goswami, now a mature 30-year old, tells ESPNcricinfo. “We all got carried away by the attention, money. Virat (Kohli) and I were picked for RCB. Everyone called it a party franchise. We didn’t win much that year, but we were a rocking team with the glamour element. It was a different world.”But he’d soon realise, the initial name and fame was meant to last for “a while” and once the novelty factor vanished, it was back to the hard grind. When the realisation hit Goswami, he had to contend with being an understudy to Wriddhiman Saha at Bengal. It remained that way for a better part of his first seven years as a first-class cricketer, until 2015. His career is a mirror to Saha’s and his struggles because of being an understudy to MS Dhoni during his prime. That explains why Goswami has managed to play just 55 first-class games in close to 12 years. And this season, having featured in 10 matches, he had to make way for the returning Saha in the grand finale.

“I’ve never felt pity on myself. If I keep thinking I am a victim of circumstances, I will never enjoy my cricket”

You throw this comparison to Goswami, half-expecting him to play the victim card. Refreshingly, he looks at his situation in a lighter vein, without blaming circumstances or luck. It’s not common, and most certainly very rare in cricket, with stifling competition all around.”Even in the IPL, Wriddhi is ahead of me in the pack at Sunrisers Hyderabad,” Goswami laughs. “But look, we are good friends, we have a good vibe together. Sometimes, I put on a third person’s hat and think: ‘If I was in his shoes and there was someone else behind me, would it have been any different? The answer is no.”When you stop thinking about yourself and look at it from a neutral perspective, you get clarity. That has helped me calm down. This is how sport is and I have to accept it. I’m not the first person, I won’t be the last to be in such a situation. So I’ve never felt pity on myself. If I keep thinking I am a victim of circumstances, I will never enjoy my cricket. And you play for a short time, 10 years, maybe 12-15 if you’re fortunate. Why not play it with happiness? I cherish the travel, the friendships I’ve forged, the bonds, the feeling of being in a team and winning tournaments. I’m that kind of person.”Shikhar Dhawan and Shreevats Goswami walk out amid fireworks•BCCIGoswami finds it hard to say if he lost his way, but certainly looks back at a few vital moments and wonders what could have been. Like in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2009-10, where he finished as the highest run-getter in the competition as a 20-year old, ahead of Cheteshwar Pujara, Shikhar Dhawan, Kedar Jadhav, Robin Uthappa and Abhinav Mukund, to name a few. That season, he struck 568 runs in seven innings, with three centuries and a half-century as Bengal finished runners-up to Tamil Nadu.”I won’t say I lost my way,” he says. “Let’s be honest. Selection criteria in cricket has changed. When I was the highest run-getter in the domestic 50-over competition, I didn’t get picked either in the India Emerging squad or for India A. Today, if a 20-21 year old, straight out of a successful Under-19 World Cup does that, chances are he will be fast-tracked. Maybe it was also the timing.”When I scored those runs, I was playing as a specialist batsman and not keeping, because Wriddhi was. So you could say bad timing. After my first IPL season, I won the emerging player’ award, I hardly got chances in the second season. So there have been a few moments that could have panned out differently. In Ranji Trophy cricket, I’m the first one to say I haven’t done so well to be noticed. My keeping has been good, batting numbers not so good. People judge you by numbers. I got just one game for India A a couple of years ago, when Rishabh Pant was injured. I did decently, I thought, but it is what it is.”

“Earlier, if nobody picked me, I’d be like ‘no worries’. Now when I reflect, I guess I may have been wrong. But I can’t worry about it now”

Goswami admits this kind of maturity has taken a while to come. He wasn’t this way during his “carefree” younger days. It’s time and experience that has lent a new dimension to his overall outlook. One look at his Twitter feed, and you’d know how genuine his feelings are towards team-mates, both seniors and juniors, who have done well for Bengal or for their respective IPL teams. For him, these things are as valuable as runs and wickets.”Back then, I was a different person,” he says of his teenage days. “If nobody picked me, I’d be like ‘no worries’. Now when I reflect, I guess I may have been wrong. But I can’t worry about it now. Now, even if I score 2000 runs in a season, there will be those who will say, ‘oh, he’s 30’. So yes, now it’s more about playing without worrying about what the future holds.Shah Rukh Khan gives Shreevats Goswami a kiss•AFP”I keep looking at my cricketing journey and think: ‘how many people have had a chance to play with geniuses like Dravid or Kevin Pietersen, Mark Boucher – I have. For me, it’s the memories of being part of winning teams, sharing dressing rooms with legends, relishing friendships I’ve made along the way – all these things matter.”Goswami is spontaneous when asked about who his biggest critic is. “I am,” he responds. “I always criticise myself. In India, there are thousands of people to tell you what to do, but not many to tell you how to do it. So all that doesn’t matter. I have looked at myself harshly at times. So I am my biggest critic.”For an Indian cricketer to be so articulate about his thoughts, have this kind of self-awareness is very rare. Surely, he must be well-read, drawing inspiration from someone, somewhere? Goswami’s case is different. He has no idols to speak of, and prefers to draw inspiration from every day life.

“I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m excited. End of the day, if you can wake up with that feeling, you can’t ask for anything more”

“I don’t draw inspiration from a particular person,” he says. “It’s every day life I look at. Like in the semi-final, Anustup Majumdar bailing us out from 67 for 6 on a green wicket to make 149 was inspirational, match-turning. Manoj Tiwary making a triple century was inspirational. Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar, coming from the backgrounds they do to play and be the champions. They are is inspirational. Shahbaz Ahmed rescuing is in the quarter-final with bat and ball – these are the kind of things that inspire me.”All along this up-and-down journey, Goswami hasn’t let his parents get involved in his cricket, hasn’t let his emotions show. Both during the good and bad times. “I know they’ve always supported me,” he says. “I didn’t go much to school because of cricket. The only option I had was this game. I was playing for Bengal since Under-14 days. They said ‘this is his career, this is what he wants to do, let him pursue it’. My wife today says the same. Whether it’s a good day or bad day, she’s always supportive, says the right words.”Someone so serious about his thought process may need a release from time-to-time, you’d think. For Goswami, that comes in the form of annual vacations, impromptu trips with his wife Payal, a sports rehabilitation specialist and trainer from South Africa. She works with orthopaedic patients, chronically ill individuals and disabled sportspersons.”Coming from sports background, she has sound understanding of a sportsman’s mind,” he says. “We train together while I’m away from cricket. We plan a yearly holiday after the season is over, sometimes pack our bags and head off spontaneously. We’re not someone who plan trips. Right now, I’m in this kind of space where I’m very happy. The thirst for success drives me, but that is subjective. End of the day, you have to be happy. I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m excited. End of the day, if you can wake up with that feeling, you can’t ask for anything more.”

Federal authorities are investigating a youth baseball company owned by the MLB Players Association, ESPN reported on Thursday.

The company, named Players Way, was founded by the MLBPA in 2019. In a statement to ESPN, MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said the aim of the company "isn't to become just another cog in the youth sports machinery, putting profits over players. It aims higher: to meet players where they are, teach the game the right way, and to foster lifelong lessons creating lifelong fans."

The federal investigation was launched by an anonymous whistleblower complaint in which Players Way was cited. According to ESPN the complaint accused director Clark of "self-dealing, misuse of resources and abuse of power at the union," and of nepotism in regards to his dealings with Players Way. Additionally, sources told ESPN investigators were asking about "whistleblower allegations of excessive union spending on international and domestic trips for Clark and other senior union executives."

The MLBPA decried the allegations as "without merit" and Clark, who has not been charged with a crime, denied them and said they are "baseless" in a statement to ESPN.

ESPN reports the events Players Way puts on are few and sparsely attended. Consequentially the company has generated "barely six figures in revenue" since its founding. The union has invested $3.9 million into the company, according to the MLBPA's public documents, but the union declined to explain how that money was spent. ESPN further reports the true number is closer to $10 million, and that those funds "largely paid the six-figure annual salaries of its executives and consultants," which include "a handful of former major leaguers, some of whom were simultaneously working other full-time jobs outside the union."

Multiple former union officials said Players Way operates with "no standard accounting practices" and "no annual budget circulated among senior finance officials." Clark was idenitifed as the driving force behind the union's involvement with the company, but a former official said there were no events, actitivies, or partnerships with other youth baseball companies. ESPN sources said Players Way "appeared to be a landing spot for Clark's loyalists," and few players in the union knew about it.

Federal investigators declined to comment. ESPN reports this investigation is part of a larger inquiry into the MLBPA's financial dealings with another company called OneTeam Partners from last spring.

New Zealand’s opening batter looks to put the disappointment of a group-stage exit at the home ODI World Cup in 2022 behind her

Valkerie Baynes19-Oct-2024While a T20 World Cup final represents a prime opportunity to inspire young children to start playing cricket, this one in particular carries important meaning for another group – women in their mid-to-late 30s who are not ready to give up on sport. And nor should they, says Suzie Bates.Bates, New Zealand’s 37-year-old opening batter – and sometimes closing bowler, says she is proud to fly the flag for women against “ageist” attitudes.”I probably take it for granted, but the fact that I’m over 35 and still competing and that I’ve never given up on my dream, I think as females you do feel societal pressure to give up on pursuing your dreams,” Bates said. “People expect you to do other things at a certain age, and that is what is so exciting about women’s sport, it is just growing and growing and we are breaking down barriers every single day.Related

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• Beyond the big three – doing it despite 'not having it like others'

• The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the South African sky

“It’s not just the young players, it’s players in our team coming back after having children. I’ve even been in the team with two parents [Amy Satterthwaite and Lea Tahuhu] who are able to have a career and have children. I just think we can be a little bit ageist and even more so with females in terms of what they can and can’t do. So I’m happy to wave that flag.”I keep myself young by hanging out with people who are a lot younger. When I hang out with people my same age, I’m like, ‘oh yeah, that’s right, grow up!’ But there’s a lot of potential to challenge those notions. At the end of the day, age becomes a factor, but as long as you can keep contributing, it shouldn’t matter.”She was speaking on the eve of Sunday’s T20 World Cup title clash in Dubai, where New Zealand will play last year’s runners-up South Africa, guaranteeing a new champion.But throughout almost three weeks of competition, many stories involving players approaching the age of 40 and performing at the highest level have come up.New Zealand have Bates, 35-year-old captain Sophie Devine, and seam bowler Tahuhu, who just turned 34 but whom Bates jokingly considers a fellow “grandma” of the team.Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Lea Tahuhu all have been playing international cricket for over 15 years now•ICC/Getty ImagesLegspinner Afy Fletcher, who was part of the West Indies side knocked out in the semi-finals by New Zealand, is a 37-year-old mother to a toddler. She ended the tournament with ten wickets, which before the final was equal to Nonkululeko Mlaba of South Africa and just two behind leading wicket-taker Amelia Kerr of New Zealand, drawing praise from coach Shane Deitz for her ability to reinvent herself as a bowler at this point in her career.”Age is just a number for Afy, so we don’t worry about her age,” Deitz said. “Our bowling coach, Ryan Austin, has done a really good job with her. They sat down and had a chat early in the year… he challenged her to be the highest wicket-taker for this year in the team.”She really took that on board and got more variations and she’s worked really, really hard on her fitness and all aspects of her game and batting as well. And now she’s got a few more years left in her, I hope.”Pakistan’s Nida Dar will turn 38 in January, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur is 35 and Sri Lanka have three bowlers – Inoshi Priyadharshani, Inoka Ranaweera and Udeshika Prabodhani – aged 37, 38 and 39 respectively.But age and experience has done nothing to dampen the excitement of taking her team into a first World Cup final in 14 years for Bates, at least not once the tension of an eight-run win over West Indies had eased.

“I keep myself young by hanging out with people who are a lot younger. When I hang out with people my same age, I’m like, ‘oh yeah, that’s right, grow up!’ But there’s a lot of potential to challenge those notions”Suzie Bates

“It wasn’t actually until today when I went and had a swim in the beach that it hit me and I got a bit teary-eyed,” Bates said. “With the adrenaline and everything that’s going on, you’re in a bit of shock.”If you’ve been a White Ferns fan while I’ve been in the team, there’s been a lot of ups and downs, highs and lows, and they’ve ridden that rollercoaster with you. So we’re carrying those emotions, that they’ve got something to celebrate as well as us.”The celebrations are all the sweeter now, not only because New Zealand came into this tournament on a ten-game losing streak, but the fact that they failed to get out of the group stages in their home ODI World Cup in 2022.”When you get one opportunity in a career to have a home World Cup and you don’t quite nail it, that comes with a lot of disappointment,” Bates said. “We had a really great fan base during that World Cup and we had some really tight matches and we were so close to getting through to that semi-final stage, so personally that’s really motivating.Suzie Bates is happy to fly the flag against “ageist” attitudes•ICC/Getty Images”Especially from where we’ve come from, when a team’s been able to bounce back after ten losses in a row, the pride and the resilience that we have as a group makes it so special and we’ve never given up on each other.”And that’s the support staff, [head coach] Ben Sawyer, he’s been through the wringer trying to get this team believing in themselves, and a huge credit has to go to him for just keeping on backing that same group when results weren’t coming our way.”As this will certainly be Devine’s last T20I as captain following her decision to hand over the team to the next generation of leaders, New Zealand’s desire for her to sign off with a title burns bright.”When you play team sport, your goal, your ultimate goal is to be a world champion,” Bates said. “It’s been all those tournaments that have motivated me, and I know Sophie as well. It feels like it’s just all built to this moment and we get one more opportunity tomorrow to have a good dig. The most overwhelming thing about it was it has felt like a really long journey to get back to this point.”New Zealand cricket and women’s sport is all the richer for the fact that players like Bates have stuck around for so long.

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Na condição de representantes de Flamengo, Palmeiras e São Paulo, os presidentes Rodolfo Landim, Leila Pereira e Julio Casares se reuniram na manhã desta terça-feira (07) para discutir novas ações de apoio aos clubes gaúcho, em razão da tragédia causada pelas fortes chuvas no Rio Grande do Sul. O trio disponibilizou seus CTs e estádios para Grêmio, Internacional e Juventude.

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➡️ Chuvas no RS: CBF adia jogos de gaúchos, mas mantém disputa do Brasileirão; saiba motivo

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As três agremiações afirmaram que se solidarizam e lamentam profundamente a tragédia provocada pelas fortes chuvas no estado. Além das ações já realizadas e de outras que serão promovidas, eles decidiram colocar suas infraestruturas à disposição de Grêmio, Internacional e Juventude. Desse modo, estas equipes, fortemente impactadas pelas consequências do desastre natural, poderão utilizar as instalações para alojamento, treinamentos e jogos, se assim desejarem.

O Flamengo disponibiliza o CT George Helal (Ninho do Urubu); o Palmeiras oferece a Academia de Futebol, o Allianz Parque e a Arena Barueri; o São Paulo propõe acolhimento no CT de Cotia e no Morumbis.

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Da mesma maneira, os três clubes dizem crer fortemente que a CBF, em seu papel de entidade máxima do futebol nacional, possa disponibilizar a Granja Comary como mais um local de abrigo aos clubes gaúchos, entre outras formas de apoio. Eles reafirmam a certeza de que o futebol brasileiro se unirá cada vez mais pelo povo do Rio Grande do Sul.

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FlamengoPalmeirasSão Paulo

Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness has lavished praise on head coach Vincent Kompany, describing him as "a mother hen" who protects his players while simultaneously teaching and improving them. This comes as Bayern enjoy a flawless start to their Champions League campaign and sit top of the Bundesliga, with Hoeness crediting Kompany's management style for the club's current success and unity.

• Hoeness hails Kompany's 'mother hen' approach

  Hoeness, the influential honorary president of Bayern, has offered a glowing assessment of Kompany's tenure as head coach. Speaking on the podcast, Hoeness highlighted Kompany's nurturing yet demanding approach as a key factor in the team's impressive form.

  "Today we have a coach who is like a mother hen, who wonderfully protects the players and yet teaches them everything on the training pitch, and most importantly, he makes every player better," Hoeness stated. He further praised Kompany's squad management, noting, "At the moment, I have to say that the opposite is true, because our coach is playing with us by not complaining."

  Hoeness pointed to Kompany's successful integration of young talents like Lennart Karl and Tom Bischof as evidence of his positive impact. "That hasn't happened in a long time. Josip Stanisic and Aleksandar Pavlovic are also homegrown talents. That's obviously the secret, and that's why we're in such a good position right now, because we have relatively few players who don't identify 100 percent with this club."

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  Bayern's blistering form in Bundesliga and Champions League

  Munich are currently enjoying a rich vein of form across all competitions. In the Bundesliga, they sit at the top of the table with 31 points from 11 matches, having won 10 and drawn one. Their most recent league outing saw them thrash Freiburg 6-2 at the Allianz Arena, with goals coming from Lennart Karl, a brace from Michael Olise, Dayot Upamecano, Harry Kane, and Nicolas Jackson.

  Their Champions League campaign has been equally impressive, with a flawless record of four wins from four group stage matches. They have scored 14 goals and conceded only three, placing them at the top of the table ahead of their upcoming clash with Arsenal. Hoeness described the club as "truly a fortress again at the moment," emphasizing the "good numbers," "ambitious team," and "outstanding coach."

• Kompany aiming to 'solve' Bayern weakness before Arsenal clash

  Despite Bayern's rampant performances, Kompany is not completely satisfied with his side. Seeing his side go two goals down against Freiburg before a sensational 6-2 comeback win on Saturday angered the Belgian coach, exposing their need to improve how they defend set pieces. With a Champions League showdown against Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, a team famous for their deadly dead ball attacks, he is seeking an immediate solution to their weakness.

  "I'm calm. We made mistakes in these phases as a team. We shouldn't hide, we should show personality and character to defend them," Kompany said. "We're also a good team in attacking set pieces, we scored from a corner today. We just have to stay calm and work to get out of this phase and show that we're also good in this department. 

  "Everyone saw it, you'll write it now, the English press will say it too, Arsenal's analysts will see it as well. Every team we play against will now believe this is our moment. Then you can't hide. You have to show personality, character, and defend it. We have to solve this!"

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  Champions League's top two go head-to-head

  Bayern will look to maintain their perfect Champions League record when they travel to face the London side on Wednesday. The two teams are level on points at the top of the table, having won all four of their matches so far. Bayern have scored 14 goals and conceded three, while Arsenal have the same goal difference with 11 scored and none let in. 

  Arsenal have suffered just one defeat this season and head into the midweek clash off the back of a 4-1 win against Tottenham on Sunday, with new signing Eberechi Eze shining with a hat-trick.

Manchester City return to action in the Premier League this afternoon as they welcome Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth to The Etihad.

The Cityzens booked their place in the last eight of the League Cup on Wednesday night with a 3-1 win against Championship side Swansea City away from home.

That night in Wales provided some players with an opportunity to show that they deserve to start in the Premier League, and Rayan Cherki grasped that chance with both hands.

The key change Pep must make to the Man City starting XI

France international, Cherki, came off the bench against Villarreal and Aston Villa in the last two games after returning from injury, and finally made a return as a starter against Swansea in the League Cup.

Cherki, as shown in the graphic, was incredibly influential in the 3-1 win over the Welsh outfit, with a staggering 119 touches across the 90 minutes, which led to him creating six chances for the team.

The French magician buried a composed finish into the bottom corner for his goal and played a slick pass through for Omar Marmoush to score in the second half.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Cherki is not the only player who should keep his place in the starting line-up from the win, though, as Pep Guardiola should also unleash Marmoush from the start to make Erling Haaland completely unplayable.

Cherki is not the only Man City star who can make Haaland even better

Haaland has scored 11 goals in nine matches in the Premier League, five more than any other player in the division, so you could argue that he already looks unplayable.

However, the Norway international blanked against Aston Villa last time out in the Premier League, as he only had 0.23 xG worth of chances, with Savinho and Oscar Bobb on the flanks to support him.

Savinho and Bobb, who are goalless in the Premier League this season, did not create any ‘big chances’ between them, which is why Cherki and Marmoush should be unleashed alongside Haaland against the Cherries.

They could provide a tangible threat at the top end of the pitch that the other two forwards have been unable to, which could then create more chances and more space for Haaland because of the attention that they can draw from opposition defenders.

Marmoush, who scored against Swansea, has proven that he can provide a consistent threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals, for Eintracht Frankfurt and since his move to Manchester City in January.

Appearances

17

16

xG

8.87

5.49

Goals

15

7

Minutes per goal

97

170

Big chances created

11

8

xA

4.14

2.12

As you can see in the table above, the Egypt international produced 15 goals and ‘big chances’ created in 16 appearances in the Premier League last season, which shows that he hit the ground running in English football.

Marmoush, who was described as a “proper maverick” by analyst Ben Mattinson, also has good memories against today’s opponents, as he won the club’s Goal of the Season award with a sensational long-range strike.

The former Bundesliga star has the quality to be a real difference maker for the Cityzens, as evidenced by his statistics, and Cherki, given his output against Swansea, falls into the same bracket.

Their combined presence at the top end of the pitch against Bournemouth could draw some of the attention away from Haaland, giving him more space to work with, which could make him completely unplayable.

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ByDominic Lund Oct 31, 2025

The Norwegian star is already the best striker in the Premier League, given his goal return this season, but selecting Cherki and Marmoush could take him to another level entirely.

Pumas are now reportedly happy to let manager Efrain Juarez join Celtic, who could take full advantage of their former star’s secret release clause at the Mexican club.

The Bhoys once again struggled on the European stage in midweek, losing 3-1 against Midtjylland, as Martin O’Neill saw their problems in full for the first time. The interim boss has continued to distance himself from the permanent job, despite recent reports suggesting that he could yet be the next man to take the hotseat.

For now, the 73-year-old is set to remain in the dugout for Celtic’s Scottish Premiership clash against Kilmarnock this weekend, but Parkhead chiefs are continuing their search.

Recent reports have claimed that Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna is now open to joining the Scottish giants, but it remains to be seen whether he’d leave Portman Road in the middle of a campaign which has so far been disappointing.

Meanwhile, Nicky Hayen is also a reported candidate. The Club Brugge manager knows all about beating the top clubs in Scottish football, having smashed Rangers 9-1 on aggregate in the Champions League qualifiers earlier this season and defeated Celtic last season. Now, he could be on his way to the home dugout in Glasgow.

Once again, however, luring him away from Club Brugge will not be an easy task. Instead, the Hoops may have no choice but to turn towards former player Juarez, who has previously shared that he dreams of managing the club.

Pumas happy to let Juarez join Celtic

As reported in Mexico and relayed by Sport Witness, Pumas are now happy to let Juarez join Celtic, who could trigger a release clause that allows the 37-year-old to leave for free when a European club comes knocking.

Related Celtic discover extent of Callum Osmand injury that has "never happened to him before"

More bad news for the Bhoys.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Nov 7, 2025

It would save Celtic a transfer fee and it would welcome someone who knows the standards of the club, given that Juarez played for the Bhoys between 2010 and 2012. Whether he has the right managerial experience for the role is another question, though, and the Scottish club may find that out after reportedly scheduling an interview over zoom.

The former player, who uses a 4-2-3-1 system, has taken charge of just two sides and is yet to even reach 100 games as a manager. At this point in time, it should be questioned whether Celtic can afford to take such a gamble.

Juarez at Pumas

Record

Games

33

Wins

11

Draws

10

Defeats

12

Juarez’s time at Pumas hasn’t exactly been the greatest success, either. The Mexican has lost more games than he’s won and averaged just 1.3 points over 33 games in charge. It suddenly makes the club’s willingness to let him leave make all too much sense for Celtic to make their move.

For the time being, those at Celtic Park should trust O’Neill with the job until a suitable candidate emerges.

Celtic schedule first interview with Efrain Juarez