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Looking to add to their Ibrox arrivals after confirming Max Aarons, the 49ers and Glasgow Rangers are reportedly ready to win the race to sign a player who has been dubbed the ‘Brazilian Paul Pogba’.

Aarons "delighted" to join Rangers

Getting to work straight away after completing their takeover of the club and hiring Russell Martin, the 49ers have already secured both Aarons and young Scotland talent Lyall Cameron. Aarons particularly stands out as an impressive coup on loan from Bournemouth given the experience that he built up in the Premier League.

After arriving at Ibrox, the defender told the club’s website: “I am delighted to be here, as you can see it’s a huge club and you realise that when you walk through the doors, I can’t wait to get going.

“I’ve got a lot of experience now in different leagues and I have played a lot of games. I think I can bring that experience, I can bring a new energy, and I think Rangers fans can be excited – I am really looking forward to it.”

A Bassey repeat at Ibrox: Rangers agree deal to sign a new "sensation"

Rangers have reportedly agreed a deal to sign a star who could be a repeat of Calvin Bassey.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 30, 2025

Martin, equally delighted, then said: “Max is a player who I have always kept a keen eye on since he was emerging through the youth ranks while I was coming to the end of my time at Norwich as a player.

“He is a wonderfully talented player who is hungry to develop, improve and help deliver success for his side. We are pleased to bring him on board for this season, and I believe he will be a fantastic addition to the squad.”

The Scottish giants will be hoping that Aarons’ arrival is the first of many amid links to the likes of Conor Coady and an impressive midfielder who has reportedly been handpicked by the 49ers.

49ers now ready to battle for Metinho

According to The Scottish Sun, the 49ers are now ready to win the race to sign Metinho ahead of Champions League side Basel this summer. The American owners reportedly handpicked the Troyes midfielder as someone they wanted to invest in before arriving at Ibrox and now have the perfect opportunity to do so.

Earning high praise from scout Kai Watson, who described the midfielder as a “strong passer of the ball”, Metinho has also been dubbed the ‘Brazilian Paul Pogba” in the past – highlighting the talent that Rangers could be signing.

Fending off interest from Basel won’t be easy, however, after the 22-year-old spent last season on loan in Switzerland, but the 49ers will be hoping that their newest project will be enough to build a strong case. After Aarons, Metinho would certainly only continue a promising start to Rangers’ summer window.

Tottenham Hotspur had their defensive woes last season thanks to a plethora of injuries which debilitated their squad, and with Cristian Romero heavily linked to Atlético Madrid, it isn’t inconceivable to think they could be adding a centre-back this summer.

Thomas Frank confirmed as new Spurs head coach

We knew that Thomas Frank would be landing at N17 for the last few days, but on Thursday evening, the Europa League champions officially announced his arrival as new head coach to replace Ange Postecoglou.

Talks held: £190k-a-week Tottenham star may have "played his last game"

His agents have held exit talks.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 12, 2025

The Dane is set to lead Tottenham into their first campaign back in the Champions League since Antonio Conte’s final season in charge, and has an almighty task on his hands to inspire momentum from the club’s triumph in Bilbao.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

According to some reports, Frank has already made some Spurs transfer decisions behind-the-scenes, with the 51-year-old eager to keep hold of Mathys Tel on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich (TEAMtalk), and requesting that chairman Daniel Levy target a move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze (GiveMeSport).

He also has a key call to make in regard to the future of Lilywhites legend Son Heung-min, who is attracting serious interest from the Saudi Pro League and could depart Spurs after 10 years of faithful service.

Saudi have reportedly held talks with Son’s camp already, but Frank will unlikely be comfortable losing both the South Korean and Romero in one window.

The latter is a top target for Atlético, and some media sources believe that Romero has informed Levy of his desire to leave Tottenham, regardless of their Europa League final win last month.

Meanwhile, his central defensive partner, Radu Dragusin, is now also attracting interest from abroad.

Suggestion Tottenham could be offered Fikayo Tomori in Radu Dragusin swap deal

According to Calciomercato.it, Spurs actually reached an agreement to sign AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori in January, but the move ultimately failed to materialise.

However, they suggest that a swoop for the 27-year-old could be back on the cards, namely due to Milan’s strong interest in signing Dragusin. The Romanian’s agent, Gabriele Giuffrida, held a three-hour-long meeting with Milan chiefs earlier this week, with Dragusin “hoping” to make a return to Serie A.

Calciomercato warned to pay “special attention” to him and a potential San Siro move, adding that Tottenham’s January agreement for Tomori could help to instigate a swap deal involving Dragusin.

Tomori is homegrown, out of contract in 2027 and may be keen on coming back to the Premier League after falling slightly down Milan’s pecking order. Valued at around £26 million, any swap deal involving Dragusin could also bring this price down further, and allow Spurs to reinvest the saved cash into bringing in other crucial new additions.

Tomori has serious credentials as well, having earned plaudits for his growth in Italy.

“He was very brave in going to another country and stepping out of the shadows of Chelsea to test himself,” said TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand about Tomori’s development.

“I saw a quote the other day from him saying a lot of the Italian strengths in defending he has started to pick up and learn. One of the things that stand out immediately is his tenacity and pace.

“He is remarkably quick, but the way he comes out and closes down people and spaces is tremendous to see. He would have learnt. He is a student of the game, he is intelligent, he will keep on growing.”

Chelsea have been handed a boost in their pursuit of a new striker, as a key target of theirs would apparently love to join them regardless of whether they achieve Champions League football for next season.

Chelsea seal huge Man United win in race for Champions League place

Marc Cucurella’s strike twenty minutes from full-time sealed a precious three points for Enzo Maresca on Friday night, with the Spaniard scoring Chelsea’s only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Man United.

Chelsea have held talks with £70m rival forward who allegedly wants to join

The west Londoners could go for him this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini May 14, 2025

The victory at Stamford Bridge puts Chelsea in a very good position heading into their final Premier League game of the season against Nottingham Forest, and even if Nuno Espirito Santo’s side beat West Ham on Sunday, Maresca knows that a win at the City Ground would guarantee Champions League football next season.

“Very important. At this stage of the season it’s important to win games,” said Maresca about Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Man United.

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Chelsea

66

5. Aston Villa

66

6. Man City

65

7. Nottingham Forest

62

“We also pay attention in the way we win the game. I think tonight we struggled on the ball because we didn’t expect them to be so aggressive man-to-man. I used to watch five, six, seven games of the other team. I’ve never seen them so aggressive man-to-man. So they surprised us a little by that.

“I think between the first half and the second half we created enough chances to deserve to win the game.

“It’s very important for sure, but the reason why I was so happy at the end is because United beat City away, drew with City at home, drew with Liverpool, drew with Arsenal. So they know how to play against a big team. So I expected, drew with us away, so I expected a very tough game.

“The reason why I was happy was especially because we beat a team that against Arsenal, Liverpool, City, it was difficult to beat them.”

The importance of a top five finish cannot be understated, especially when it comes to the club’s transfer plans, and Maresca has already confirmed their European status will have a direct effect on their summer recruitment.

Victor Osimhen keen to join Chelsea regardless of Champions League football

That being said, there is one target who’d be eager to make the move to west London anyway – Napoli outcast Victor Osimhen.

The £172,000-per-week marksman, currently on loan at Galatasaray, was a top target for Chelsea last summer before his temporary switch to the Turkish Süper Lig giants, but a move ultimately failed to materialise.

As per journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea remain in the race for him this year, and it is believed that Osimhen would still love to join the Blues, even if they don’t end up qualifying for Europe’s most prestigious competition.

“Chelsea are ‘still there’ for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen,” said Phillips. “The player has always been keen to join Chelsea regardless of Champions League football, and he is still keen now. The deal was worked on hard last summer, and the belief from our insiders is that his wage demands would not be as astronomical as the media are portraying.

“Chelsea can easily go back into the deal and our sources believe that it wouldn’t even be that difficult to come to an agreement.”

The 26-year-old would still be expensive, though, and Chelsea would still have to break their wage structure to seal a deal, Phillips later explained.

Even so, Osimhen’s goalscoring form over the last few seasons heavily suggests he’d upgrade Maresca’s striker options.

An “unbelievable” Premier League player is now at the “top” of Tottenham Hotspur’s list of targets to replace Cristian Romero in the summer, according to former goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

Romero heading for the exit door

At the end of April, it was revealed Romero has informed Tottenham that he wants to leave this summer, amid interest from La Liga giants Atletico Madrid, who have been working on a deal for the centre-back for several months.

With Daniel Levy open to selling the defender, it is now looking increasingly likely he will be on the move this summer, and Spurs’ performance in the Premier League is unlikely to do them any favours when it comes to holding on to their best players.

A 2-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace is the latest poor result for Ange Postecoglou’s side, in what has frankly been a terrible Premier League campaign, with the Lilywhites sitting in 17th place, having now lost 20 matches.

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Spurs are leading the race for a midfielder, despite interest from Manchester United.

ByDominic Lund May 11, 2025

Bizarrely, Tottenham still have a chance to make a success out of the 2024-25 season, however, as a triumph in the Europa League final would end their 17-year trophy drought, while also securing qualification for next season’s Champions League.

Speaking to Tottenham Hotspur News, Robinson has now revealed that victory in the Europa League could be crucial when it comes to attracting their top target to replace Romero, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.

Robinson said: “With Romero leaving, it’s looking more and more likely day by day that he’s going to move on. So you could argue that Tottenham are already a centre-half short.

“Guehi would be top of the list if they can beat anyone else to his signature. But without Champions League football, finishing 16th, potentially 17th in the Premier League, is that an attractive proposition? Or can Newcastle offer Champions League football and a better salary? And that’s where Tottenham are at the moment. There’s so much hanging on their Europa League success.”

Guehi could be "unbelievable" Romero replacement

Guehi showcased exactly why he is at the top of the shortlist on Sunday afternoon, putting in a commanding performance in his side’s 2-0 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The centre-back made 14 defensive actions throughout the match, the highest number of any player, while also winning six out of the seven ground duels he contested, which secured the 24-year-old an 8.3 SofaScore match rating.

Not only that, but the £60m-rated England international has now established himself at international level, most notably making six appearances for the Three Lions at Euro 2024.

Anthony Gordon lauded Guehi as “unbelievable” in light of his performances at the Euros, and having followed that up with an impressive campaign for Palace, there is every indication he could be a fantastic replacement for Romero.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is facing an absolutely huge week in N17 amid mounting pressure on the Australian, with an all-important Europa League quarter-final clash against Eintracht Frankfurt on the horizon.

Ange Postecoglou facing key Tottenham decisions

However, before their most vital game of the season to date, Spurs must get past bottom side Southampton in the Premier League – and nothing but a win will do for Postecoglou as serious doubts surround his future.

Related Tottenham ready to move for "elite" Postecoglou replacement after Chelsea loss

The Australian is treading on very thin ice right now.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 4, 2025

The 59-year-old must get supporters back onside and inspire unity once again – a mountainous task for Postecoglou considering his row with the Tottenham away end over Pape Matar Sarr’s introduction during their 1-0 loss to Chelsea on Thursday.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Southampton (home)

April 6th

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Following a dismal campaign, with Spurs languishing fairly near the relegation zone after 16 league defeats, reports claim chairman Daniel Levy is in the market for a new manager, and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola is Tottenham’s top target.

“It’s been a ridiculously challenging season on all fronts and every fan has the right to show their frustration and again,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham’s disappointing 2024/2025.

“I think at times it has overstepped and when it oversteps, I will not stand for it because I am a little bit old school with that, but they have every right.

“I think I said before the game it is up to us to try and find a way to get them back on board with what we’re doing. I still can’t get away from the fact we have a real massive opportunity for ourselves between now and the end of the season.

“I think it would be different if that didn’t exist. It would be a tougher road to navigate, but I am hoping that irrespective of how the fans feel about me, what I’m doing and the project we’ve embarked on, I hope when the games come around, they just get behind the players and the team because they can make an enormous difference.”

Ahead of their clash with the Saints, a report by journalist Dan Kilpatrick has shared how Postecoglou is planning to shape up.

Tottenham to recall Porro whilst dropping Maddison and Son

According to the Standard Sport reporter, Postecoglou will likely completely overhaul his starting eleven and drop key men, with their European bout against Eintracht firmly in the tactician’s thinking.

It is believed the Spurs boss will recall right-back Pedro Porro to the starting lineup versus Southampton, having recently lost his place to the rejuvenated Djed Spence, while big-name duo James Maddison and Son Heung-min will be dropped and rested for Frankfurt.

Criticism has centered on Son this season, with the South Korean megastar failing to replicate his best form this term and talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara questioning his leadership qualities.

“Son Heung-min did not show the demeanour of a captain,” said O’Hara on Son after the defeat to Chelsea.

“Son Heung-min is a player who sets an example, and he did so in the past, but that is no longer enough. Son Heung-min cannot dominate opponents and his sharpness has diminished, failing to make a difference.”

Maddison, meanwhile, has been in and out of the line-up recently despite bagging 11 goals and seven assists this term.

Southampton were hit with a hammer blow on Saturday when they conceded in the 97th minute to lose to Millwall at The Den in their last Championship game of the month.

After fighting to make it 2-2 through Fin Azaz, the Saints defence fell asleep at a crucial moment to allow Tristan Crama to sneak in unmarked at the back post to score the winner.

It was a brutal way to lose a game of football, but it was also the first loss of Tonda Eckert’s time in interim charge, after four wins in his first four games in the dugout.

The latest on Tonda Eckert's future at Southampton

Football Insider recently reported that the German tactician is in the driving seat to land the role on a permanent basis, thanks to winning his first four matches in the Championship.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

The outlet claimed that the former U21s boss is the leading candidate to take the job from Sport Republic, ahead of more experienced managers who have been on the shortlist, including, but not limited to, Russell Martin.

However, Football Insider added that Eckert will still be given more time before a final decision is made, and that a permanent appointment is not imminent at this moment in time.

With this in mind, there is still time for Southampton to look elsewhere for their next manager, which is why they should push to hire Brendan Rodgers, who was linked with the role shortly after Will Still’s departure.

Why Southampton should hire Brendan Rodgers

Sport Republic, as they will, need to consider the short and long-term consequences with their next managerial appointment, because there are two elements at play.

In the short term, they need a manager, whether that is Eckert or someone else, who can guide the team up the table and into promotion contention to get back to the Premier League.

However, in the long term, the Saints need a boss who can then guide them to safety in the top-flight, because Martin was unable to do that after winning promotion with the club, which illustrates the importance of hiring a manager who can achieve both tasks.

Rodgers, once described as “world-class” by Gabby Agbonlahor, is a highly experienced Premier League manager who knows what it takes to be successful at that level, having managed Leicester, Liverpool, and Swansea in the top-flight.

Brendan Rodgers (Premier League)
Season (club)	Games	Position
22/23 (Leicester)	28	19
21/22 (Leicester)	38	8th
20/21 (Leicester)	38	5th
19/20 (Leicester)	38	5th
18/19 (Leicester)	10	9th
15/16 (Liverpool)	8	10th
14/15 (Liverpool)	38	6th
13/14 (Liverpool)	38	2nd
12/13 (Liverpool)	38	7th
11/12 (Swansea)	38	11th
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the only season that Rodgers did not have his team competing for a top-half finish was when he was sacked with ten matches to go in the 2022/23 campaign.

His overall history in the division suggests that he has the managerial chops to keep the Saints in the Premier League if they earn promotion, whilst Eckert has no previous experience at that level and would go in as a novice in that respect, just as Martin did.

Meanwhile, Rodgers is also coming off a second stint with Celtic in Scotland, where, as shown in the graphic above, he won four trophies in two full seasons in Glasgow.

The Northern Irish boss won four Premiership titles in four full seasons with the Hoops over two spells with the club, per Transfermarkt, which shows that the experienced manager also knows how to coach a team to win matches on a consistent basis.

That is further backed up by the fact that he won the Championship play-offs to win promotion to the Premier League with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign, before finishing 11th in the top-flight with the Welsh outfit.

Rodgers is, therefore, a manager who has a proven track record of being able to achieve what Southampton need in the short and long-term, whilst Eckert has made a strong start to life in the Championship but does not have a proven record, with no top-flight experience.

"Really great coach" in pole position to be named permanent Southampton manager

The Saints are now edging closer to appointing a permanent manager.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 28, 2025

This is why Sport Republic should push to appoint Rodgers as their new permanent manager, if the former Hoops boss is willing to make the move, because he could be a big upgrade on Eckert with his reputation and proven coaching ability.

Manchester City are the closest challengers to Arsenal in the 2025/26 Premier League title race. We are only 11 games into the new season, with Pep Guardiola’s side four points behind that of his protege Mikel Arteta.

Last Sunday’s 3-0 thrashing of Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium was a performance which emphasised how deadly the Citizens can be at their best. It was certainly a statement to the Gunners, who might not have as much of easy a run at the title as one might think.

With the January transfer window around the corner, City might well look to add to their squad to boost their title hopes. Here is a look at their dream lineup if they manage to bring a few new faces into the club in January.

1 GK – Gianluigi Donnarumma

One of City’s marquee summer signings was Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain. Despite signing James Trafford as well, the Euro 2020 winner has been Guardiola’s first choice.

He’s played 12 times so far for the East Mancunian outfit, keeping an impressive six clean sheets and conceding just seven goals. Standing at six-foot-five, he has a large wingspan, which makes it nigh on impossible to score past him.

This save against Bryan Mbeumo’s strike in the Manchester Derby, his debut for the club, was an example of how colossal he is.

2 RB – Ben White

The first hypothetical new addition to this City side comes at right-back, and, interestingly, from their title rivals Arsenal. Journalist Graeme Bailey recently revealed that City are “keeping tabs on his situation” at the Emirates Stadium. A price was not named by Bailey.

It has not quite been the season the England international may have expected. White has struggled for regular game time under Arteta, with Jurrien Timber the first-choice at right-sided full-back.

White has only played six games across all competitions, with just one of those appearances coming in the Premier League. The 28-year-old is incredibly comfortable on the ball, averaging 5.99 progressive passes per game in the last 365 days. He seems like an archetypal Guardiola full-back and could bring plenty of quality in that position.

3 CB – Ruben Dias

One of the two first-choice centre-backs under Guardiola this season has been Ruben Dias. The Portuguese star has played 15 games across all competitions, and it is no secret the quality that he brings.

Composed on the ball, exceptional out of possession, and a brilliant leader, the 28-year-old has long been one of Guardiola’s most trusted lieutenants. City Director of Football, Hugo Viana, called him “the ultimate professional” in the summer, highlighting his importance to City.

4 CB – Josko Gvardiol

The other half of City’s centre-back pairing is Josko Gvardiol. The Croatian star can also operate left-back, but this term, he has found himself alongside Dias at the heart of the Citizens’ defence.

It is a role he has excelled in, too. Gvardiol is one of the best ball-playing defenders in the league, averaging 5.62 progressive passes and 1.03 progressive carries per 90 minutes, which really highlights his on-ball quality.

5 LB – Nico O’Reilly

It has been a breakthrough campaign for the versatile Nico O’Reilly. He has cemented his place in the City side at left-back, despite being a number ten by trade, and has made 14 appearances across all competitions.

Naturally an attacking player, the City academy graduate has chipped in with one goal and four assists, so he is having a productive season going forward.

This might be one of the things that caught the eye of Thomas Tuchel. The defender has been named in the last two England squads, amid hopes of securing a World Cup place next summer.

6 DM – Nico Gonzalez

Figuring out how to cope without Rodri in the side has been a conundrum for Guardiola over the last year. However, the form of Nico Gonzalez over the past few weeks has been a huge bonus. The Spaniard is finally starting to show why City paid £50m to get him from Porto last winter.

Once the best midfielder on the planet, the last 12 months have not been easy for Rodri, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the start of last season. He’s only played 415 minutes this term as he continues to be plagued by injuries.

Gonzalez has stepped up in his countryman’s absence. Guardiola clearly sees a lot in his talent, having described him as a “mini Rodri” last season. The former Porto star has played 16 games across all competitions, and it will be hard to displace him from a side in great rhythm.

7 CM – Phil Foden

This season, one of City’s academy graduate gems, Phil Foden, is thriving in a new role. Previously operating as a winger, the England star has excelled in a deeper number eight berth, with Guardiola giving him more responsibility in build-up and from deeper areas of the pitch.

In that deeper role, BBC Sport analyst Umir Irfan said he has “been one of the best players this season.”

Goals & assists

0.5

7

Key passes

3.1

38

Dribbles completed

0.8

10

Tackles and interceptions

1.5

19

Expected goal involvements

0.44xGI

532xGI

The stats from this season highlight how well the midfielder has played. For example, he averages 3.1 key passes and 1.5 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes.

8 CM – Aleksandar Pavlovic

Partnering Foden in this City dream lineup could be Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic, the second new signing. The 21-year-old is reportedly a key target for City, as they look to boost their midfield stocks, amidst Rodri’s injury issues and Bernardo Silva’s contract, which will expire this summer.

The midfielder, who could be worth as much as £43m, is well thought of around Europe. Journalist Manuel Veth has even suggested he can follow in the footsteps of a German legend and be “the next Toni Kroos,” which would surely appeal to City fans.

Despite being so young, he is well-trusted by City great and current Bayern coach Vincent Kompany. The Belgian has played Pavlovic 14 times this season. As for the Kroos comparison, well, that stems from his excellent passing ability. In the last year, Pavlovic has averaged 7.59 progressive passes per 90 minutes, ranking him in Europe’s top 8%.

9 RW – Rayan Cherki

The summer was a busy period for City, who looked to enhance the quality of the squad. In signing Rayan Cherki, it is fair to say they did just that. The Frenchman only cost £34m from Lyon, but has taken to life at City like a duck to water.

The France international is a versatile attacker who can play as a number 10 or off the right. Wherever he is operating, though, Cherki has shone this season despite injury issues. He already has six goals and assists in nine games, averaging a goal involvement every 535 minutes.

10 LW – Jeremy Doku

Last Sunday, against Arne Slot’s Liverpool, the Etihad Stadium witnessed one of the best performances in a long while from Jeremy Doku. He scored the third goal and completed seven dribbles, terrorising the Liverpool defence.

Already this season, the tricky Belgian winger has chalked up seven goals and assists this term. He has shone under Guardiola, with Irfan even going as far as saying he is “one of the best in the world” right now.

They are turning Ahmedabad into a fortress, where they have beaten Mumbai Indians four out of four times

Sidharth Monga29-Mar-20251:40

Pujara: Good to see Prasidh developing variations

Gujarat Titans (GT) have now beaten Mumbai Indians (MI) in all their four matches at home in the IPL. A young team beating one of the most successful T20 franchises so regularly is impressive in itself, but what’s even more impressive is that they have always had sound theories on how to beat their western-Indian neighbours.The first two wins came in IPL 2023, when GT managed to win four Ahmedabad matches out of seven when batting first. Despite dew, they did so through an early window of movement for fast bowlers. They had Mohammed Shami to exploit it. Both their wins against MI that year were on red-soil pitches where they scored 200-plus when asked to bat first and broke the game open with the new ball when defending. GT could play that way because MI didn’t have Jasprit Bumrah or a fast bowler to exploit these conditions.GT won the title in their debut season and came within one good ball of defending it next year. MI, of course, went shopping and took away their captain Hardik Pandya in 2024. They also put together a side full of big hitters. Bumrah was also fit. This time GT switched to a lower par-score pitch. Now they defended 168 successfully through change-up bowlers Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore and Mohit Sharma.Related

• Hardik the bowler gets the better of Gill the batter, again

• Hardik: 'Batters have to come to the party, hopefully soon'

• 'You know the match is almost done' – Gill's praise for Prasidh's match-winning spell

• Titans off the mark with a thumping win over Mumbai Indians

• Sai Sudharsan, Prasidh Krishna consign MI to big defeat

Cut to their fourth encounter against MI at home. Even though captain Shubman Gill said their choice of a black-soil pitch was not specific to the opposition, Parthiv Patel, the assistant coach, said during a spot interview that they wanted to play MI on a black-soil pitch. Not only would it neutralise the threat of Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar with the new ball, it would also take MI away from the comforts of red-soil pitches that they are used to at the Wankhede.It also turned out that GT have a side more suited to under-200 games rather than the 240 one they ended up losing against Punjab Kings (PBKS). They have the most efficient anchor batter in all T20 cricket in Jos Buttler, and also B Sai Sudharsan, who capitalises on the powerplay and can anchor in the middle overs. The core of their batting is good enough to adapt to slightly difficult batting conditions.Most of all, GT have tall, into-the-pitch fast bowlers who can make use of variable pace and bounce in a surface. The pitch looked like the one used for the 2023 ODI World Cup final, played like it, and brought back memories of tall bowlers stifling batters. Only Mumbai Indians, not Indian.Apart from displaying that GT know how to win at home, this win showed the synergy between the franchise and the ground authorities. Given the short duration of the contest, T20 matches can turn on events as small as losing a wet ball with a six that goes out of the stadium. The only way to come close to guaranteeing consistent success is to maximise the home advantage.Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who hardly ever miss the IPL playoffs, do so because they win twice as many matches as they lose at home, comfortably the best win-loss ratio at home among IPL teams. Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) dominant run came when they could use their spinners on low-scoring home surfaces. As early as the first IPL, Shane Warne turned Sawai Mansingh Stadium into a fortress for Rajasthan Royals (RR), winning all seven matches at home. It is no surprise that GT have become a formidable team in their short existence: they hold the second-best win-loss ratio at home overall.1:06

Pujara: Siraj looks fired up again

Because of excessive dew and small grounds, MI and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) can’t quite set out to maximise home advantage. This makes MI’s five titles an impressive feat. Outside them, the teams that generally struggle in the IPL are the ones without a stable home base, and can’t build their teams for specific conditions.Strange events are taking place in IPL 2025. CSK and KKR have gone on record about apparent tension with curators at Chepauk and Eden Gardens not maximising their home advantage. They are both set up for under-200 games for their spinners to come into their own, but the surfaces have denied them that. With administerial turmoil in Rajasthan Cricket Association and with the Jaipur stadium being under the government, and thus not looked after throughout the year, RR are now playing some of their games away from Jaipur, losing out on a home base and conditions they can dominate.In a sport as reliant on conditions as cricket is, home advantage is a valid tactic. That’s why winning away has always been special. However, IPL is a unique case. These franchises don’t keep the grounds running all year round. They are just tenants for a couple of months. They can’t feel entitled to the kind of co-operation a Ranji Trophy team might. The groundsman is well within his rights to ask the franchises to select according to the general conditions. They aren’t out to get the home side, they just loathe having to change the nature of the square.It pays to have a management and team leadership that can build good relations with the state association and the ground staff. All this makes CSK’s case particularly curious because their state association and their IPL franchise have had the closest links. Eden Gardens and Chepauk will be two grounds to watch out for in the coming games. Watch out also for GT’s use of different soils for different teams. Chances are, CSK will not get the black one.

“Eventually the pressure kept on building in the second innings and we couldn’t capitalise,” says India’s stand-in captain Rishabh Pant

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-20253:22

Philander: Bavuma ‘a wonderful inspiration’

“I am not a stats man, I am a win man,” Simon Harmer said when asked by Murali Kartik in the post-match presentation about his returns: his 8 for 51 is the best by a South Africa spinner in a Test in India and second only to Dale Steyn’s 10 for 108 back in 2010.The other South Africans at Eden Gardens could say the same. They started the third day staring at a crisis. They fought their way out of it with the bat, led by Temba Bavuma and Corbin Bosch, and then had Marco Jansen first and then Harmer running through the opposition.All India had in front of them was a target of 124. They only got 93.Related

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“A game like this, you can’t dwell into it too much, because… we should have been able to chase this score, but eventually the pressure kept on building in the second innings and we couldn’t capitalise,” Rishabh Pant, standing in as captain in Shubman Gill’s absence, said. “Definitely there was help in the wicket, a [target] of 120 can be tricky on these kinds of surfaces, but at the same time, as a team we should be able to soak in the pressure.”He pointed to the morning session when South Africa, resuming on 93 for 7, added 60 more runs. “That was the turning point,” Pant said. “Temba and Bosch had a brilliant partnership in the morning and that got them back in the game and that hurt us too much at the end of the game.”Bavuma isn’t the sort to talk big, so he kept it simple.”It was about awareness. Second innings, I didn’t change too much. Fortunately I have played in India before, so I kind of understand the little bit of adjustment that you need to make, and luck also plays a part,” he said of his innings of 55 not out, the only half-century in a game where no innings touched 200.

“Very exciting. We want to be a part of these games and be on the right side of the result. We tried to hold on to our nerves as much as we could. It was tough for us and we needed the bowlers to exploit what was there and the guys did that beautifully”Temba Bavuma

“The captaincy, you are only as good as the players. That I give it to them. Batting, I am just comfortable with myself. And technique: not to worry about trigger and all those types of things. I stand as still as I can, watch the ball. I have a decent understanding of my game. I have come here to India wanting to do well. Not the greatest of records when it comes to these conditions. There’s a bit of that exuberance from my side to see myself doing well in these conditions and implement all the little things that I’m trying here, and keep contributing for the team.”The partnership with Bosch, I think with Marco as well at the end of the day [yesterday], just gave a little bit of impetus. The wicket played a bit better this morning, wasn’t as extreme. We tried to stay in the game as much as we could. It is not all the time that you score 120-125 and that’s a winning score. I think it was a case of staying in the game and keep believing.”Contribute he did, and then turned to his bowlers.3:40

Did India let South Africa off the hook in the morning?

“Very exciting. We want to be a part of these games and be on the right side of the result. We tried to hold on to our nerves as much as we could,” Bavuma said. “It was tough for us and we needed the bowlers to exploit what was there and the guys did that beautifully. We were able to change our bowlers frequently and that worked for us.”If Harmer is to be believed, the conditions got a bit tougher for him on the third day.”Today, I felt it probably got a little bit flatter as the ball got softer. It wasn’t exploding as much. I was asking myself some really hard questions,” he said. “Nice to contribute. I have been here before and it was a dark place, losing [three out of four Tests in 2015]. So to get here, to be behind the eight-ball again, and for the team to fight the way they did, shows where this group is and what they are capable of and the belief that they have.”I knew I needed to bowl well. I think it was the same when we were batting – it felt like we were one partnership away from getting ourselves into the game. It was the same with ball in hand. We knew we were one partnership away from getting really close. I just needed to try and put as many balls in the right areas and trust that the wicket would do its bit.”

The January transfer window is on the horizon and Celtic may be in the market to do some deals once they have Wilfried Nancy in place as their new head coach.

Whilst the Hoops may look to bolster their squad with incoming signings, due to the centre-forward situation and the long-term injury to central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, there may also be an eye on outgoings.

Kyogo Furuhashi was sold to Rennes for £10m in January at the start of this year, and the Scottish Premiership giants may lose another impressive Japan international in the upcoming window.

The latest on Daizen Maeda's future at Celtic

Earlier this month, the Daily Record reported that Daizen Maeda is ‘poised’ to complete a move away from Parkhead when the January transfer window officially opens for business.

The outlet revealed that sources close to the player have confirmed that there is still plenty of interest in the Japanese star after he failed to land a transfer in the summer.

Celtic were unable to allow him to leave in the summer window because they did not get a replacement, amid interest from Brentford and teams in Germany.

Losing Maeda in January would be a blow for Celtic, because he has scored 37 goals in all competitions for the club since the start of last season, per Transfermarkt, including four this term.

However, the Hoops did sign a player in the most recent summer window who has shown that he can carry the goalscoring burden for the next manager, Benjamin Nygren.

How much Benjamin Nygren's value has grown at Celtic

Celtic signed the attacking midfielder for a reported fee of £1.3m from Nordsjælland to bolster Brendan Rodgers’ options out wide and in the middle of the park.

Despite being a frustrating player at times, there is no questioning that he has made an immediate impact in his first few months at the club.

Nygren scored his seventh goal of the season in the 3-1 win over Feyenoord in the Europa League on Thursday night, which now means that he has scored at least two more goals than any other player in the squad, per Transfermarkt.

This is why there is no denying his usefulness to the Hoops. Goals win games and, at the moment, no one is better at scoring goals for Celtic than the Sweden international, who was once dubbed “fearless” by teammate Alexander Isak.

Ranking Celtic’s summer signings
Rank	Player
1	Benjamin Nygren
2	Kieran Tierney
3	Sebastian Tounekti
4	Marcelo Saracchi
5	Kelechi Iheanacho
6	Callum Osmand
7	Michel-Ange Balikwisha
8	Shin Yamada
9	Jahmai Simpson-Pusey
10	Hayato Inamura
11	Ross Doohan

We, as shown in the table above, have ranked Nygren at the top of the club’s summer signings both for his goal output this season, as well as for his soaring market value.

Per CIES, the left-footed star is valued at between £12m and £14m. That is a staggering increase on the £1.3m that they signed him for in the summer, and is more than they paid for club-record signing Arne Engels.

Celtic paid £11m to sign Engels from Bundesliga side Augsburg in the summer of 2024, and Nygren’s impressive form this season means that he is now valued at even more than that.

The Belgium international has only scored two non-penalty goals, with 11 goals in total, whilst the Swedish ace has soared to seven goals for the Scottish giants in his first few months in Glasgow.

Nygren has been incredibly effective in front of goal, particularly in comparison to his teammates, and that has played a part in his CIES valuation soaring through the roof, from the £1.3m that the Hoops paid for him.

This shows that Celtic hit the jackpot with the 24-year-old star because it suggests that they would be able to cash in on him for a substantial profit if they were to decide to part ways with the attacker.

Celtic man was finished under Rodgers, now he can be undroppable for Nancy

Celtic’s wait for a European away win is over, beating Feyenoord 3-1, with a star Brendan Rodgers once labelled “sloppy” playing like an £100m man.

By
Ben Gray

Nov 28, 2025

For now, though, it does not look like he will be going anywhere any time soon, and Celtic’s new boss may need him more than ever to carry the goalscoring load if Maeda leaves in January.