All posts by h716a5.icu

The centre-forward position at Celtic has been a tricky one for Brendan Rodgers to deal with for a long time now, possibly stretching back to January 2024.

Adam Idah was brought in to compete with Kyogo Furuhashi in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, before they battled it out again in the 2024/25 season.

Both Idah and Kyogo left the club this year, the latter in the summer and the former in January, and Kelechi Iheanacho is currently the first-choice number nine at Parkhead.

Why Celtic may sign another striker in January

Iheanacho has scored three goals in six matches for the Hoops in all competitions since his move to the club on a free transfer from Sevilla, but two of those three goals came from the penalty spot, per Transfermarkt. One goal from open play in six matches is not an ideal return for the Nigeria international.

Celtic bid £10m to sign Kasper Dolberg from Anderlecht on deadline day, only to miss out on his signature to Ajax, which suggests that there is cash in the bank to spend on a striker when the January window rolls around.

This means that the Hoops may dip back into the market to sign a striker in the hope of bringing in a reliable goalscorer who Rodgers can trust to deliver consistent quality.

The arrival of a new centre-forward at Parkhead in January could spell the end of Johnny Kenny’s time at Celtic, as he has not kicked on in Glasgow this year.

Why Johnny Kenny is on borrowed time at Celtic

The Irish number nine returned to the club in January after a loan spell with Shamrock Rovers to play a supporting role in the second half of last season.

Kenny scored one goal in eight appearances in the Scottish Premiership as a back-up to Idah and was only handed one start by Rodgers. This did not suggest that he was likely to kick on and become a regular in the 2025/26 campaign.

English League One side Bolton Wanderers had a bid of £500k turned down by the Hoops during the summer transfer window, as they decided to keep him as part of their squad for the first half of this season.

Appearances

8

3

Starts

1

0

Unused substitute

6x

2x

Goals

1

1

Big chances missed

2

3

Big chances created

1

0

Assists

1

0

As you can see in the table above, Kenny has only made three appearances as a substitute in the Premiership so far this term, which shows that Rodgers does not trust him to play regular minutes.

At the end of last season, former Fulham and Leeds star Ross McCormack suggested that he needed to go to League One or the Championship in England.

McCormack said: “I would imagine you’re probably looking at maybe a loan down south somewhere, bottom end of League One or top end of the Championship and see how he goes.”

Bolton are currently ninth in League One in England, so not quite the bottom end of League One. They were willing to pay £500k to sign the Irishman from the Hoops in the summer, and that would have given him an opportunity to go away and play regular minutes to develop as a player.

Instead, Kenny is rarely getting on the pitch for Celtic. His development is stalling by not gaining experience in a competitive environment, which is why he should be looking to move on in the next window to take the next step in his career.

Rodgers must sell Celtic flop who's now worth even less than Adam Idah

Celtic must sell this flop whose value has dropped millions and is now worth less than Adam Idah.

ByDan Emery Oct 14, 2025

When you take that and the idea that Celtic may want to enter the market to sign another striker in January, the Irishman may be on borrowed time at Parkhead, as moving away from the club could be the best for all parties involved.

Experienced coach rewarded after leading Renegades to first WBBL title last season

Alex Malcolm18-Jun-2025Melbourne Renegades title-winning coach Simon Helmot has re-signed for a further three years after helping the club claim their first-ever WBBL trophy last season.Helmot has vast experience in the men’s game across international, domestic and franchise cricket, and took the job as Renegades’ WBBL coach four years ago. Despite an indifferent first three seasons, he helped the club claim a title last season, forging a strong bond with the group and skipper Sophie Molineux.”Last season was an incredibly special one for our playing group and staff, and I’m thrilled to be continuing as head coach,” Helmot said.Related

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“Winning a title is never easy, which makes being part of this group all the more special. Led brilliantly by our general manager, James Rosengarten, and our captain, Sophie Molineux, achieving what we did was incredibly rewarding.”We’ve got a great core group of players and people who are passionate about the club, and who are fully invested into achieving more. I’m excited by what we can do next.”Renegades have re-signed West Indies star allrounder Hayley Matthews for next season ahead of Thursday’s WBBL overseas draft but are still to lock away Molineux and fellow Australia star Georgia Wareham who are both currently uncontracted. Renegades have poached up-and-coming Victoria allrounder Tess Flintoff from Melbourne Stars but have lost Victoria duo Ella Hayward and Georgia Prestwidge to their cross-town rivals.Renegades have also signed former Victoria and South Australia fast bowler Rob Cassell as an assistant coach for the BBL team under head coach Cameron White. Cassell has also been appointed as Victoria’s men’s bowling coach under head coach Chris Rogers, taking over the role vacated by Adam Griffith, who was appointed as Australia’s national fast bowling coach earlier this year.Cassell has moved to Victoria from Tasmania where he was the bowling coach for the men’s program and is highly regarded, having done some brief secondments with Australia’s men’s team under Andrew McDonald in recent years when senior bowling coach Daniel Vettori has been absent.

Arsenal remain top of the Premier League table for another week.

On Saturday evening, in a game that was far from thrill a minute stuff, Mikel Arteta’s team battled to a 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage against Fulham; Gabriel’s flick-on from a corner bundled over the line by Leandro Trossard’s thigh.

Cue the familiar song: set piece again, olé olé!

That makes it five wins on the spin across all competitions for the Gunners while, in a second successive Premier League match, their opponents failed to register a single shot on target, the first time Arsenal have achieved this since doing so against Birmingham and, coincidentally, Fulham during the Invincibles season of 2003/04.

While man of the match Bukayo Saka and match-winner Trossard, more on him in just a second, will get the headlines, another of Arteta’s most-trusted disciples also underlined his importance to this team in West London.

Arsenal's star man against Fulham

With Eberechi Eze deployed centrally to fill Martin Ødegaard’s void, the biggest team selection headache facing Arteta on Saturday was who to deploy on the left wing.

Both options had been on target during the international break; Trossard netted for Belgium in Cardiff, while Martinelli scored for Brazil in Tokyo, but Arteta will certainly feel vindicated in his decision.

Having scored as a substitute against Athletic Club and Port Vale last month, Trossard has started each of the last five Premier League and Champions League fixtures, forcing over the line his first league goal of the campaign at the weekend, and what an important one it could prove to be.

This, though, is nothing new, with the Belgian taking his tally to 31 goals and 25 assists for the Gunners, averaging a goal contribution every 130 minutes.

In fact, since his debut in January 2023, only Saka (42 goals) has scored more times for Arsenal than Trossard, just ahead of Kai Havertz and Martinelli, both on 29 goals.

So, while Trossard will rightly get plenty of plaudits, which other Arsenal player deserves to be spotlighted for their eye-catching performance at Craven Cottage?

Mikel Arteta's new favourite chaos merchant

The emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly was one of the key storylines of last season.

In the space of only five months, the teenager went from playing in the EFL trophy in front of 2,400 people to starting Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

This season though, the England international is yet to start a Premier League match, through no fault of his own, it should be reiterated, purely because Arteta is enamoured with what Riccardo Calafiori offers.

The Italy international accumulated just 1,497 minutes during his first season in North London, starting only 16 matches across all competitions, but has started all eight Premier League fixtures to date this time round, so far managing to remain injury-free.

His performance at Fulham on Saturday evening was Calafiori at his chaotic best.

Expected goals

0.04

9th

Shots off target

1

3rd

Defensive actions

5

6th

Clearances

4

4th

Accurate passes

27

9th

Pass completion %

87%

9th*

Duels contested

9

6th

Aerial duels contested

5

4th

Touches

50

9th

Average rating

6.8

11th

*minimum 16 passes completed.

As the table outlines, while Calafiori’s statistics don’t stand out for any one metric in particular, he ranks highly for a wide variety of numbers, underlining that he is contributing all over the pitch.

Early in the first half, the £42m Italian thought he had broken the deadlock, only for his thunderous volley to be disallowed due to offside, one that journalist Charles Watts posits may be one of the best disallowed goals in modern Arsenal history.

Now that you’re thinking about it, Pépé vs Chelsea in the FA Cup Final, Trossard at Leicester and Gabriel against Bournemouth are the other leading contenders.

Back to Calafiori, he continues to impress, with Andrew Mangan of Arseblog labelling him ‘defensively very solid again’ while, paradoxically, James Benge of CBS asserts that he is “the most electrifying man in sports entertainment”.

Chalkboard

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

To support this, amazingly, the left-back has attempted 16 shots in the Premier League this season, scoring at Old Trafford on the opening day of course, the second-most of any Arsenal player, behind only centre-forward Viktor Gyökeres.

It’s for that reason that he has, undoubtedly, been just as important as star man Saka of late.

Indeed, the fact the defender is able to combine being an excellent defensive presence with being a chaotic on-ball contributor, something this Arsenal team often lacks, especially when coming up against a low block, is absolutely invaluable.

Saturday saw Arteta’s team keep their eighth clean sheet in just 11 matches across all competitions this season, staggering numbers that would not be possible if one quartet of their back four was in any way a defensive liability.

William Saliba and Gabriel rightly get plenty of plaudits, while Jurriën Timber’s exceptional performances this season have earned plenty of praise too, but Calafiori’s contribution should not be overlooked, given that he offers this team so much, literally all over the pitch.

As bad as Gyokeres: Arteta must boldly drop 6/10 Arsenal star after Fulham

Arsenal won 1-0 at Craven Cottage but it wasn’t all plain sailing for Mikel Arteta’s side.

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 19, 2025

Carlos Baleba has been backed to become Manchester United's own Rodri despite Casemiro's resurgence at Old Trafford. In recent weeks, the Brazilian has reminded fans exactly why he’s one of the finest defensive midfielders of his generation. Yet, Ruben Amorim feels that he needs to add more steel in midfield, and a summer bid for Baleba has not been ruled out.

Casemiro’s renaissance, but time is ticking

Casemiro's performances have been nothing short of vintage. He scored and assisted in United’s 4–2 win over Brighton, and before that, he produced a commanding display in the club’s first victory at Anfield in almost a decade. Add to that his match-winning strike against Chelsea in September, and it is clear Casemiro’s hunger is far from fading. Yet behind the resurgence lies a reality that can’t be ignored. He is 33 years old, and with countless miles already on the clock, he is definitely not getting any fresher. Amorim has managed Casemiro’s minutes with care, and the Portuguese manager is convinced that, although the veteran has shown no signs of slowing down, another marquee addition is necessary.    

AdvertisementGOALA £115 million dream that slipped away

United had been tracking Baleba for months. But Brighton, ever the masters of the market, slammed the door shut. They valued Baleba at no less than £115 million ($153m), which is the same figure Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo. United’s hierarchy balked at the price, and the deal was shelved. Now, with Amorim’s midfield plans for next summer already in motion in the boardroom, and Casemiro still holding the fort, calls to reignite that pursuit are growing louder, led by none other than Louis Saha, the former Old Trafford striker. 

Speaking to OLBG, Saha said: "Fabinho was very powerful for Liverpool and Rodri happened to be the same for Man City. When you have this very strong midfielder that provides in the transition, the power and the stability at the same time, that's a top player and there are not so many who are able to actually dictate midfield as much. We’ve heard that there were talks with Brighton for Carlos Baleba who was very close to joining and I really like his style.  

"Everyone can see that there is a gap and a need for power and the ability to change the tempo of the game. Sometimes United play to stay secure and slow the pace and that is not helpful for United’s strikers so we need something better." 

But Saha was equally quick to praise Casemiro’s current form, insisting that his recent resurgence should not go unnoticed.

"I have to say that Casemiro has done really well, not because he’s scored goals, but more his capacity to represent stability and resilience," he said. "That's really important when you are under pressure and I think he's managed the pressure really well because the expectations are enormous. I think he's done really well. He gives a new tempo and new belief to Manchester United and I do think that he needs credit for that."

Baleba is the midfield engine United crave

Baleba has an explosive engine and the tactical intelligence to read danger before it happens. Those qualities have drawn comparisons not just to Rodri but to former United star Michael Carrick. Saha believes it’s those physical and mental attributes that make Baleba such a perfect fit for Amorim’s system. 

He said: "Give me back Michael Carrick! I think when you look at the need for power and the legs to cover ground I think Baleba is a little bit more useful because I think you can then have Bruno Fernandes repositioned a little bit. You could have another player, even Kobbie Mainoo, who can do that if he had maybe a better understanding of positioning and the momentum you need to bring to the game."

Saha also explained that Amorim’s pressing system requires a midfielder with relentless stamina. And Baleba is a player capable of pushing the defensive line 10 yards higher and then recovering instantly.

"There is an element that can compensate where we need power, but we need those legs to be able to really impose the pressure that Amorim wants, maybe 10 yards further up the field. When you do that you need the ability to come back on the pressure, on the counter-attack, so I think that Baleba is more suited to that," he added. 

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Getty Images SportThe transfer battle ahead

Despite United’s renewed interest, Brighton have made it clear that Baleba is not for sale in January. The Seagulls see him as central to their long-term project and will resist any bids mid-season. That means United must either wait until the summer to submit an official bid. However, they are also looking at other targets as backup. Among them is Elliot Anderson, the Nottingham Forest midfielder who is admired by Amorim for his versatility. Another name on United’s radar is Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace. Angelo Stiller of Stuttgart, meanwhile, could represent a more attainable target. The German midfielder has a £35 million release clause, and sources suggest he is open to a Premier League move. But the most realistic and immediate option might be Conor Gallagher, as Atletico Madrid might sanction a loan move until the end of the season in the winter. 

Mitchell Perry also added a half-century to grow a big lead before the home side claimed an early wicket

AAP15-Jul-2025Liam Scott, Josh Philippe and Mitchell Perry turned the screws on Sri Lanka A on day three to put Australia A in command of the four-day game at Darwin’s Marrara Oval.After the hosts resumed on Tuesday on 241 for 4 in reply to Sri Lanka A’s 272 – and lost Nathan McSweeney to the day’s first ball for 94 – batters six, seven and eight completed impressive half centuries to build Australia A a formidable first-innings score.Related

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When the innings came to an end around an hour before stumps, Australia A had gone from a shaky 127 for 4 on day two to be all out for 486 – a lead of 214.In reply, Sri Lanka A were quick out of the blocks with Lahiru Udara taking 12 runs from Perry off the first five deliveries of the innings. He soon fell, however, skying an attempted pull off paceman Henry Thornton to keeper Philippe on 17.McSweeney had resumed seeking six more runs for the century that would shore up his message to national selectors, after being overlooked for Australia’s current tour of the West Indies.Instead he was out on the first delivery of the morning, bowled between bat and pad by a sharp delivery from paceman Pramod Madushan which moved back off the seam, his innings ending off 220 balls and including six fours.McSweeney’s South Australia team-mate Scott began the day on 52 and added 42 more off 104 balls as he and Philippe put on 98 for the sixth wicket.But Scott also departed for 94, this time off 221 balls, the allrounder holing out to mid-on against left-arm spinner Sonal Dinusha, who was the pick of Sri Lanka A’s bowlers.Philippe and Perry kept the runs coming in a 58-run stand before the former was trapped lbw to Nishan Peris for an aggressive 85 off 107 deliveries, with five fours and a six.Perry continued in building a more steady 61 before he was also caught off Dinusha, mistiming a drive to extra cover.

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes took home the first of what could be many more league awards in his career Monday, winning NL Rookie of the Year after a historic first season in the MLB.

Skenes made his Pirates debut in early May but quickly took the big leagues by storm, routinely spinning triple-digit heat as he pitched to the brilliant tune of a 1.96 ERA with 170 strikeouts in 133 innings and earned an All-Star nod. He joins Jason Bay (2004) as the only two Rookie of the Year winners in Pirates franchise history.

The 22-year-old star was all smiles as he accepted the prestigious award alongside girlfriend Livvy Dunne in a special on-air moment. During the Zoom ceremony on MLB Network, Skenes was asked what he loved most about pitching in the MLB, and he had an intriguing answer for his fans.

“I think the coolest part is seeing lineups multiple times,” Skenes said. “And figuring out how to get them out different ways. I faced the Cubs four times this year, I faced the Reds three times, and I thought it was a huge deal in college, two years ago now, when I faced Arkansas twice in one year. So I’m growing up quick on that end.”

Skenes could be in line to take home another of the league’s top honors, the NL Cy Young Award, which will be announced Wednesday.

Chelsea star Axel Disasi, who was long relegated to the club’s infamous "bomb squad", was reportedly spotted training with the first team despite Enzo Maresca repeatedly insisting there is "no way back" for the French defender. The 27-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, has been frozen out since the summer. But fresh images from Cobham appear to show Disasi back among the first team players as he was spotted sprinting after Liam Delap in a drill, as reported by the Daily Mail.

How Disasi landed in Chelsea's bomb squad

Disasi was signed from Monaco in January 2023 for £38.5m. He made 61 appearances before his sudden demotion with the other outcasts. He had the opportunity to go out on loan again last summer, with West Ham, Bournemouth and Sunderland all interested. But he rejected each offer as he preferred a move abroad instead. That move never materialised, and now he waits for a January escape.

During the summer, several senior players were told to train away from the squad while their futures were sorted, banished to the so-called "bomb squad". Disasi was among those axed, joining Raheem Sterling, Renato Veiga and others in the outcast group. In August, Disasi made headlines by giving supporters a rare look inside the bomb squad’s makeshift quarters. In an Instagram post simply captioned "Life", he shared pre-season photos and one of which showed the barren room changing room. There were no plush leather chairs, but just wooden benches, small windows, and an old air-conditioning unit.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDisasi's professionalism wins admirers

Despite being exiled, Disasi has not sulked. In fact, he has embraced a mentoring role within the academy. Recently, he captained the Under-21s to a commanding 4-1 win over Reading. He earned praise internally for his attitude, and his professionalism has not gone unnoticed. 

However, Chelsea legend Pat Nevin warned that the outcasts must be handled with care, as he feels that they could negatively impact the spirit of the dressing room. 

He told BetIdeas.com: "The PFA is not the main problem. The main problem is bigger than that. Your main problem is if you treat two players like that and the rest of the team sees it, which they will, because it's their mates – and I know players can be selfish and are selfish and have to be selfish – they all know that's what I'm going to get. Now, management doesn't always think along these terms because it's short term. There's a big danger there. And it is a warning. Being on just about every side of the game and seeing it, it can damage spirit. 

"Players are selfish and they take care of themselves. But Raheem Sterling is liked, he's popular within that dressing room. You certainly don't just blank your mates. So Chelsea need to be careful because in the end if they have got these players that are in six, seven, eight year contracts. Nicholas Jackson was the main man. He's great. And then suddenly he's in the bomb squad. And then he's not, ‘We want you back in’. So be careful because everybody now knows that's what happens. I promise you that's dangerous. When you treat workers like that, the other workers know this. Just be careful."

No way back at Chelsea

Maresca didn’t mince his words when questioned last month about the bomb-squad players.

He said: "They are Chelsea players because they have a contract with the club," the Blues boss said. "In this moment, they are still training apart. The idea is to continue in exactly the same way. Since we started the season, I didnt see one of them. I didn't see Renato (Veiga), I didn't see Axel (Disasi), I didn't see Raheem (Sterling), because they train at a different time on a different pitch. I haven't seen them since we started the season."

When asked whether any could return, the Italian was blunt: "With us? No."

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Getty Images SportThe January exit plan

Although the defender trains with the first team, Chelsea reportedly intend to offload him when the January window opens. However, the Blues have registered both Disasi and Sterling in their Premier League squad, which could benefit them in the busy festive period, which includes two Champions League games against Barcelona and Atalanta and a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Cardiff City. In the short term, the Blues return to Premier League action on November 22 with a trip to Burnley. Whether Disasi will be anywhere near the matchday squad remains to be seen.

Liverpool are a team with distinct flaws, and yet they are also breathtaking and brilliant when firing on all cylinders.

Too often this season, Arne Slot’s side have failed to get going, outthought and outfought across the past few months, losing six of seven matches across all competitions before a controlled win over Aston Villa in the Premier League stopped the rot.

The 1-0 victory over European nemeses Real Madrid was something different, though. Anfield roared and cheered Virgil van Dijk and his Redmen, bayed and bellowed at Los Blancos and ex-Liverpool man Trent Alexander-Arnold, who received a frosty reception when welcomed after 80 minutes.

1

Goals

0

2.51

Expected goals (xG)

0.45

17 (9)

Shots (on target)

8 (2)

4

Big chances

1

111.4km

Distance covered

112.7km

38.8%

Possession

61.2%

4

Corners

2

45%

Duels won

55%

This is the Liverpool we know. Energy and intensity and purpose across every area of the field. However, while Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate stood firm against Kylian Mbappe, with the full-backs excelling too, the plain truth remains of the Merseysiders’ desperate need for reinforcements in central defence.

Liverpool searching for a centre-back

Of course, Liverpool did sign a centre-back this summer, adding Giovanni Leoni to their ranks for a £26m fee. The 18-year-old is worth his wait in gold, but ruptured his ACL on his debut against Southampton and now sits sidelined for around a year.

The inability to prise Marc Guehi away from Crystal Palace, however, is surely the bigger blow. A deal was almost in place on deadline day, but the Eagles had not found a suitable replacement, and with such little time to pull out the stops, the move disintegrated, with the player having been permitted to carry out a medical with the Anfield side.

It still could come together. Guehi, 25, has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park and has no desire to pen a fresh deal. The issue now is that a host of Europe’s top outfits want his signature, though Spanish paper AS have confirmed with week that, alongside Bayern Munich, the Reds are still leading the race, ahead of the likes of Real Madrid.

Liverpool will hope to snap Guehi up on a Bosman by the end of the campaign, but if they fall short in that race, sporting director Richard Hughes has lined up the perfect alternative in Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni.

As per further Spanish sources, Liverpool have been named as potential suitors for Italian defender Bastoni, with FSG considering making a €100m (£87m) bid this January.

The veracity of this developing story is uncertain at this stage, but the 26-year-old is undoubtedly talented enough to stand out under Slot’s wing, with the style and experience to make a marked difference as Van Dijk inches ever closer to the autumn of his illustrious Anfield career.

What Bastoni would offer Liverpool

Liverpool need a centre-back; they’ve needed one for some time. While Guehi was the first-choice option this summer, Bastoni might actually prove a more compelling option for the Anfield side, having been hailed for his “world-class” ability by commentator Matteo Bonetti.

This is a defender who is at the top of their game, one of the most important cogs in an I Nerazzurri machine that has won two Scudettos and two Coppa Italia titles in five recent seasons, winner of the 2021 European Championship with Italy besides.

And, aged 26, he falls into a similar bracket as Guehi: a centre-back with the talent to make an instant impact and the prime years still ahead to grow deeper into their role in Slot’s squad and reach entirely new levels of performance.

He’s one of the best players in his position worldwide. In Serie A this season, Bastoni has scored a goal and supplied two assists across nine outings, winning 70% of his aerial duels and averaging 1.8 tackles per game (data provided by Sofascore).

A strong passer and outside-the-box thinker, he could even trump Guehi across ball-playing metrics, with the Palace man renowned for his cool, composed and creative presence on the ball.

Goals

0.05

0.06

Assists

0.05

0.09

Touches

89.54

60.67

Pass completion (%)

86.5

83.5

Progressive passes

5.29

4.09

Shot-creating actions

2.36

1.53

Progressive carries

1.88

0.77

Successful take-ons

0.31

0.26

Ball recoveries

3.53

4.12

Tackles + interceptions

2.62

3.12

Clearances

2.85

4.56

Aerial duels won

1.53

1.91

As you can see, Guehi has been more active in defensive contributions over the past year. This you would expect from an outfit like Palace in the Premier League when compared to Italian giants like Inter. But Bastoni is slicker and more able on the ball, and that when Guehi shines in that regard.

Sure, Guehi is a free agent come the end of the campaign, and that counts for a lot, but whether Liverpool and FSG would be willing to pass up an opportunity to sign a talent of Bastoni’s ability is another question entirely. After all, the reports suggest that a bid is currently being packaged together.

Here is a fearsome centre-half with the passing range of a maestro. Liverpool could do a lot worse than add Bastoni to their ranks, securing a long-term Van Dijk heir with the perfect skillset to ease the agony of his moving on.

Bastoni. The perfect, elite bastion to secure Liverpool’s backline for many years to come. He has a wealth of experience at the highest level and the hunger to achieve even more.

He is immensely talented, perhaps more so than Guehi, and Slot’s defence would reach frightening levels of security and balance and progression with him added into the mix.

Not Bradley: Liverpool have found the new Trent & he's not even a defender

Arne Slot has now uncovered Liverpool’s next Trent Alexander-Arnold, and it’s not Conor Bradley.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 6, 2025

Highest individual score of 2025 competition confirms knockouts spot

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay22-Aug-2025Gloucestershire 343 for 7 (Bracey 186) beat Nottinghamshire 291 (Hameed 80, Haynes 57) by 52 runs Gloucestershire confirmed their qualification for the knockout stages of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, making it six wins from six matches after James Bracey pummelled Notts Outlaws with a magnificent 186, the highest individual score of the 2025 competition to date.The 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter – dropped on 58 – numbered six sixes and 20 fours in an exhilarating 150-ball innings and though no other Gloucestershire batter made fifty, with skipper Cameron Bancroft’s 46 the next highest score, the Group A leaders still piled up 343 for 7 in their 50 overs.It was 52 too many for the Outlaws, bowled out for 291 in the 48th over, their qualification chance hanging by the thinnest of threads, if not mathematically dead. Matt Taylor, Jack Taylor and Craig Miles took two wickets each.Rob Lord (2 for 60) was the pick of the home attack but it was with the bat that the Outlaws needed to shine. Skipper Haseeb Hameed made 80 from 88 balls and Jack Haynes continued a good run of form with 57 from 66 but a relatively inexperienced batting line-up needed more from both.Bracey’s score is the second highest in his county’s List A cricket history – bettered only by his own unbeaten 224 against Somerset two years ago. He led partnerships of 121 for the first wicket with Bancroft and 101 with Ollie Price for the second.The left-hander looked sharp from the outset, punishing Lord with a pull for six and three back-to-back fours as Gloucestershire cruised to 50 without loss in 10 overs.After reaching 51 from 51 balls, his one big moment of good fortune came shortly afterwards as Ben Slater put him down at long-off and a breakthrough for the home side did not happen until the 23rd over when Bancroft was taken at mid-off. He and Bracey had shared their second three-figure opening stand of the campaign.Bracey completed his fourth List A hundred, the first of this season, from 98 deliveries, needing only another 30 to turn it into 150. His partnership with Price ended when the latter top-edged to mid-off for 34 but at 256 for 2 with 10 overs left, Gloucestershire had the platform for a substantial score.In the event, the home attack landed a few blows, Lord taking two in two to dismiss Ben Charlesworth and Miles Hammond, James Hayes deflecting Graeme Van Buuren’s drive into the stumps to run out Jack Taylor and having Daaryoush Ahmed caught on the boundary.Bracey was ultimately caught at short fine leg reversing James, who conceded 20 from his last over towards a total that looked daunting enough.An early wicket apiece for Matt Taylor and Josh Shaw did not improve the outlook for Notts as Slater was caught at slip and Ben Martindale chipped to mid-on.It left much responsibility on the shoulders of Haynes and Hameed. Haynes responded with his fifth half-century in seven innings in the competition but was caught behind off the glove attempting to pull Miles, by which time Gloucestershire’s bowlers were applying the squeeze.James was caught on the cover boundary off Ahmed, the right-arm seamer who is the least experienced of this Gloucestershire bowling attack and with the required rate pushing towards 11 an over, Sammy King perished for 21, caught at the second attempt by Ahmed behind square on the leg side off Miles, before van Buuren picked up a well-deserved wicket on his 35th birthday as Hameed miscued to extra cover.Jack Taylor removed Joe Pocklington and Dane Schadendorf (28 off 22), Matt Taylor dismissed Lord (27 from 18) and Price wrapped up the win as Brett Hutton was caught on the long-on boundary.

Former MLB pitcher Brian Matusz, who passed away on January 6, died from a suspected drug overdose, according to a report from the Phoenix Police Department that was obtained by . Matusz, who was 37, spent the majority of his eight-year career with the Baltimore Orioles.

According to the report, Matusz's mother Elizabeth went to his house to check on him. When there was no answer at the door, she entered the residence through a bathroom window and discovered Brian laying on his back on a couch in an upstairs room. Matusz was cold to the touch with a white substance in his mouth, and drug paraphernalia in the form of a lighter, a straw and a small piece of aluminum foil were discovered on the floor near his right hand.

The Phoenix Police Department said there were no apparent injuries, trauma or signs of foul play.

Matusz, who had a history of substance abuse, was advised to seek the help of a mental health professional after he was taken to the emergency room two days before his death. The reason for the visit was redacted in the report. Matusz's mother told police that he made comments like "there is nothing left for me" and that he used to "have it all."

After a standout career at the University of San Diego, Matusz, the fourth overall pick in the 2008 MLB draft, became a full-time starter in his second season in the big leagues, tossing 175 2/3 innings for Baltimore in 2010. During his career as both a reliever and a starter, he, somewhat famously, became known for his effectiveness against Hall of Famer David Ortiz, whom he held to a .138 batting average in his career. In 280 games, Matusz recorded a 4.92 ERA.