India’s coach also suggested that the team might continue to rest and rotate players over the coming 12 months

Sreshth Shah21-Nov-20211:46

Should Axar, Ashwin, Chahal and Harshal be in the squad for India’s next series?

India may have just swept the T20 World Cup runners-up 3-0 in his first series as full-time head coach, but Rahul Dravid wants to take a “realistic” view of where the team stands. He is mindful, in particular, of New Zealand’s hectic schedule: they began this T20I series just three days after their World Cup final defeat in Dubai, while missing their captain Kane Williamson.Watch live cricket on ESPN+ in the US

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from India vs New Zealand live in the US. Match highlights of the third T20I is available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).

“We have to keep our feet on the ground and be realistic, especially with bigger things down the line in the next 12 months,” Dravid told host broadcaster Star Sports after the third T20I in Kolkata. “It’s not easy for New Zealand to play a World Cup final, turn up three days later, and play three games in six days. We knew it was never going to be easy on them.”While New Zealand were without Williamson through the series and rested stand-in captain Tim Southee for the last match, India, too, missed key personnel, with Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja rested. Dravid said the big positive from the series win was the performance of the players who got chances in the absence of the seniors.Harshal Patel was one of the finds of the series, taking four wickets in two games and contributing a lower-order cameo in Kolkata•Getty Images

Harshal Patel picked up four wickets in two games while returning an economy rate of 7.28, and also contributed a useful lower-order cameo in Kolkata. Axar Patel, standing in for Jadeja, played all three games and ended the series with a Player-of-the-Match-winning three-wicket haul in the final T20I. There were promising displays from the debutant allrounder Venkatesh Iyer and the back-up opener and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan as well.”It’s been great to see the younger guys come through, we’ve given opportunity to some of the guys who haven’t played too much cricket in the last few months with the seniors taking rest,” Dravid said. “The greatest takeaway for us is to see the skills available to us. We need to continue developing those skills.”Related

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Dravid said that with player workloads in focus over a packed upcoming 12 months, India are likely to continue resting key players across the year and giving new players regular game time. That thought process was in full view in Kolkata, where KL Rahul and R Ashwin – two players who are set to feature in the upcoming Test series – were rested after victory was secured in Ranchi.”It’s really nice that we have options,” Dravid said. “We can mix and match. Its going to be a long season, lots of games to be played till the next World Cup and we need to do that [rest and rotate] with some of our players and be realistic about how much cricket needs to be played.”

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement is finally beginning to see the fruits of his labour with regard to how his signings from the summer transfer window are performing.

A rebuild was certainly required at Ibrox, with plenty of high earners being sold or released, while a host of young talents arrived in Glasgow, along with a few experienced players.

With a few months of the season now completed, several players have established themselves as key members of Clement’s squad. Connor Barron, for example, has played in every single match this season so far, shining in the heart of the midfield.

Vaclav Cerny is another who has recently put a couple of bad performances behind him to embark on a wonderful run of form over the previous few weeks.

Indeed, the Czech winger has scored five goals and grabbed three assists in six games and there is no doubt the 27-year-old has cemented his place in the starting XI.

Others haven’t quite lived up to the hype on their arrival, especially a defender signed back in August…

How much Rangers paid for Robin Propper

One area which Clement needed to bolster during the summer was the Light Blues’ defensive options. Connor Goldson was sold after six years in Glasgow, while Leon Balogun was likely to enter his final season at the club.

This saw the Belgian turn to Europe in order to add some reinforcements to his squad, making a move for FC Twente captain Robin Propper.

The Dutchman had played over 200 times in the Eredivisie throughout his career, so it was clear the 31-year-old was experienced enough to take over from Goldson at the heart of the Gers defence.

Clement didn’t exactly have the biggest budget to play with, yet he managed to secure Propper’s signature for a fee in the region of just £1.5m due to a clause in his contract.

On the surface, it appeared to be a smart piece of business, yet after a few months, the centre-back hasn’t quite performed at his best for the Light Blues.

Robin Propper’s Rangers stats

Since making the move to Rangers, Propper has featured 14 times across all competitions, although he has had to settle for a place on the bench in the club’s last two domestic matches.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

The former Twente captain has started three of their four Europa League ties, although his three starts have seen the club concede five goals, including four at home to Lyon in October.

During those games, Propper has won just 48% of his total duels each match, lost possession on average 9.5 times per game and completed just 80% of his passes.

Metric (per 90)

Premiership

Europa League

Accurate passes

70.1

34.5

Tackles

1.9

1

Possession lost

8.7

9.5

Total duels won

6.1

3.5

Dribbled past

0.7

0.8

The defender has committed 1.5 fouls per game too, while being dribbled past on 0.8 occasions each match. Is he struggling with his discipline?

Question marks still surround Propper and his performances of late haven’t exactly convinced the Ibrox faithful that he is the right choice to be the leader in the heart of their defence.

Should the Gers have gone all out for a transfer target in 2023 who is now starring in the Champions League? Rather than wait another year for Goldson’s inevitable decline and having to replace him within a matter of weeks.

Auston Trusty was someone Michael Beale wanted, yet he ended up joining Celtic this summer.

Rangers' pursuit of Auston Trusty

Beale faced a similar conundrum to Clement during his first summer transfer window in charge, as a major rebuild was required at Ibrox.

One area which needed some overhauling was the defence, which led the Englishman to add several targets from down south to his list.

Trusty was one name that appeared quite frequently. In May 2023, the then Arsenal starlet was linked with a move to Ibrox, with the club reportedly even submitting a bid in July to secure his signature.

He ended up joining Sheffield United for the 2023/24 campaign, ensuring he got some first-team football in the Premier League.

It looked like the boat had sailed with regard to signing him during the summer, with Celtic eventually securing a deal for the defender, spending £6m to bring him north of the border.

The move looks like an inspired one, that’s for sure.

How Auston Trusty compares to Propper

Hailed by former teammate George Friend for being “incredible”, Trusty has shone for the Parkhead side during his first few months in Scotland, especially in the Champions League.

The American has played in all four of Celtic’s European games so far this season, as they have recorded two wins, a draw and a solitary defeat to Borussia Dortmund.

Across three starts in Europe’s premier club competition, Trusty has succeeded with a staggering 96% of his passes, has been dribbled past just 0.3 times per game, won 4.5 total duels per game – a success rate of 62% – and has also lost possession just 2.3 times per match, showcasing his class on the biggest stage of all.

Compare these stats to Propper’s from the Europa League mentioned earlier, and they are night and day, with Trusty looking like the real deal in Europe.

Signing a competent defender can make all the difference when performing in continental competition.

This is one area in which Clement has struggled, and it is clear the Ibrox side blundered massively by failing to sign Trusty back in 2023.

Of course, the £5m asking price that Arsenal demanded was clearly too much for the club. Instead, they splashed money on players such as Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers and Danilo instead.

It remains to be seen what the Gers will do in the January window, especially as Balogun enters the final six months of his contract. With the midfield improving after every game while Cerny and Nedim Bajrami settle in nicely, might another defender be signed?

If they can land someone similar to Trusty, then the second half of the season may see a change in fortunes, no doubt about that.

Rangers loan star is now worth £20m & better than Bajrami after leaving

Rangers had the chance to sign a former loan star for £5m…

ByRoss Kilvington Nov 9, 2024

James Anderson has called for English cricket to “redress the balance” between red- and white-ball formats, throwing his weight behind Joe Root’s demand for a “reset” in priorities.In the aftermath of England’s innings defeat in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, which saw Australia take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series and retain the Ashes, Root implicitly criticised the standard of County Championship cricket and said that a third successive thrashing in an away Ashes series should prompt changes in England’s approach to developing Test cricketers.”It’s a big part of where the game is at in our country right now that the only place you can really learn [to play Test cricket] is in the hardest environment for what is quite a young batting group,” he said. “You look back at 2015 and the reset that happened in white-ball cricket, and maybe that’s something that needs to be happening in our red-ball game as well.”Anderson, speaking to reporters at England’s optional training session in Melbourne on Thursday following another round of PCR tests, echoed Root’s comments and admitted that England’s recent performances had been “inconsistent”.Related

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“What I will say is, I think that there has been a big push with white-ball cricket since the 2015 World Cup,” Anderson said. “So I just would like to think that maybe the balance between red- and white-ball cricket is there, going forward. At the minute, it’s tipped slightly towards white-ball, and it has been for the last few years.”If you look at our performances in Test cricket over the last few years, they’ve been pretty inconsistent. So, from that point of view we can hopefully just redress that balance a little bit.”The standard of the county game has come under fire in the early stages of the inquest into England’s defeat but Anderson denied that it had dropped since his first-class debut in 2002. However, having taken 41 first-class wickets at 8.87 for Lancashire since the start of 2019, he suggested that the standard of pitches has dropped in recent years.Anderson has taken 41 first-class wickets for Lancashire at 8.87 across the last three years•Getty Images

“I don’t think [the standard has dropped],” he said. “There’s a bit more cricket now, I guess. There are more competitions to think about.”I think that the one thing for me is that potentially the wickets aren’t as good as they used to be. You see a lot more result pitches now in county cricket. So perhaps, with the bigger picture, that’s something we can think about in the future.”Anderson also gave Root his backing to continue as captain and said that England would need to “block out what’s happening off the field” in the final two Tests, with seven members of the wider touring party testing positive for Covid-19 in recent days.”Everyone thinks so highly of him [Root],” he said. “Not just as a bloke but as a cricketer, and as a captain. So yes, hopefully he will continue.”We are just hoping it’s not spreading any further and we can make sure everyone is safe and able to travel to Sydney. We’re trying to control the spread as much as possible and use the safety protocols around the hotel.”It’s not ideal but it’s been that sort of tour. Something has been happening all the time. We have to restore some pride and try and compete – that’s our main focus as players. We have to block out what’s happening off the field and focus on the fourth and fifth Tests.”It can be difficult at times, especially for guys experiencing the Ashes for the first time who are not that experienced with Test cricket and touring. That’s where the more senior players come in, we have to try and rally round, make sure everyone is in a good place and a good headspace.”

With the January transfer window on the horizon, it could well prove to be a nervy month for those of a Celtic persuasion, with talk already rife regarding significant interest in emerging superstar, Nicolas Kuhn.

Reportedly on the list for the likes of Premier League side Brentford – amid suggestions of a £25m price tag – the German has caught the attention after a stunning start to the campaign, scoring ten goals and providing a further 11 assists in just 17 games in all competitions.

Having been signed for roughly £3m back in January this year, the Hoops look set to make a significant profit on the 24-year-old in the near future, albeit amid the hope of keeping the wing wizard on board for a good few years yet.

Debate over whether or not the former Rapid Vienna star will leave in the winter is perhaps for another day, with it instead best to celebrate the impact that Kuhn is making in the here and now.

Season

Player

Games

Goals

2024/25*

Nicolas Kuhn

17

10

2023/24

Matt O’Riley

49

19

2023/24

Kyogo Furuhashi

50

19

2022/23

Kyogo Furuhashi

50

34

2021/22

Kyogo Furuhashi

33

20

2020/21

Odsonne Edouard

40

22

2019/20

Odsonne Edouard

47

29

Praise should most certainly be directed toward the recruitment team and manager Brendan Rodgers, with the club having enjoyed a fair few hits in the market of late, despite some early misses…

Rodgers' recent Celtic signings

The Northern Irishman’s second stint in charge at Parkhead began in auspicious fashion, with the summer window in 2023 going down like a lead balloon.

Among those signed, Gustaf Lagerbielke has since been shipped on loan to FC Twente – with Hyeok-kyu Kwon also now at Hibernian – while Marco Tilio returned to Australia faster than you could blink.

Equally, both Maik Nawrocki and Odin Holm have still yet to settle after making just four appearances combined this term, while Luis Palma has also tumbled down the pecking order after starting just two games so far in 2024/25.

Those may be the negatives, but it has been a largely positive tale since then, with Kuhn arriving in January, before the likes of Kasper Schmeichel were added in the most recent window.

The experienced Dane – who was acquired on a free transfer – has since kept 11 clean sheets in just 18 outings in all competitions, while ahead of him, young loanee Alex Valle has slotted in smoothly, with three assists to his name already.

More will be expected of £9.5m man, Adam Idah, in attack, after a return of just five goals thus far, although in the midfield ranks, the Matt O’Riley void has been somewhat filled with the additions of Arne Engels, Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan.

One further capture that certainly raised a few eyebrows was that of Auston Trusty, but the former Sheffield United man is swiftly repaying his £6m transfer fee.

The Celtic star who's on par with a £68m sensation

Celtic supporters may have been fearing a Lagerbielke or Nawrocki repeat when Trusty rocked up in Glasgow over the summer, with the centre-back ranks having endured something of a merry-go-round of late.

Early performances were hardly too inspiring either, with the United States international looking uncomfortable lining up in a right centre-back berth, in the absence of compatriot Cameron Carter-Vickers, having notably been part of the side that shipped seven away in Dortmund.

That said, ever since the heroic performance in Bergamo against Europa League holders, Atalanta – which pundit Frank McAvennie described as his “best game for Celtic” – the lanky left-footer has looked far more composed, having ousted the reliable Liam Scales as the starting partner to Carter-Vickers.

The Premiership may not always provide the strongest test, but Trusty has shown his class, and then some, on the Champions League stage, having also been “phenomenal” in the deserved 3-1 win over RB Leipzig earlier this month, as per Chris Sutton.

It is performances like that which have ensured that the one-time Arsenal man – who notably shackled a certain Benjamin Sesko when facing the Bundesliga side – now ranks as the top defensive centre-back outside of Europe’s top five leagues, as per the great minds at CIES Football Observatory.

Interestingly, that top ten list also includes Sporting CP sensation, Ousmane Diomande, with the Ivorian starlet placing just behind Trusty in third, having also dazzled in Portugal of late under Ruben Amorim’s watch.

Why is this important? Well, it is worth noting that Diomande – like Kuhn – is courting the attention of clubs across Europe, with the likes of Arsenal and Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur both chasing the 20-year-old, who boasts a £68m release clause in his contract.

Again, it is not as if the Old Firm side will – or should – be contemplating making a possible profit on Trusty so soon into his Parkhead stint, yet that comparison to Diomande illustrates the impact he is making in his new surroundings.

A £68m valuation is fanciful for the American machine, but what can be said is that perhaps the centre-back’s £6m fee no longer looks that hefty. Instead, if current performances are anything to go by, it could prove a bargain.

He's outscoring Kuhn: Rodgers could land his next Dembele at Celtic

Celtic are believed to be in the market for another centre-forward

ByRobbie Walls Nov 14, 2024

Phil Parkinson admits that the knee injury picked up by Andy Cannon during Wrexham’s win at Mansfield looks to be a “bad” one.

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• Midfielder forced off vs Stags
• Studs caught in the turf
• Required oxygen on the field

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 28-year-old midfielder starred for the Red Dragons last season as they secured automatic promotion out of League Two. He has not been a guaranteed starter in the third tier, but has still registered four goals through 28 appearances in all competitions.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It remains to be seen whether Cannon will take in any more before the 2024-25 campaign comes to a close. That is because he required oxygen on the field before being stretchered off in Wrexham’s 2-1 victory at Mansfield. He went down after appearing to get his studs caught in the turf at Field Mill.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Cannon signalled to the bench straight away that he required treatment, with the game being halted for several minutes. A full diagnosis is yet to be delivered on the problem that he picked up, but the outlook appears bleak.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT PHIL PARKINSON SAID

  Red Dragons boss Parkinson concedes as much, telling reporters when asked for an update on Cannon’s condition: “Andy looks like a bad injury. His knee. But we don't know the extent. It's not easy when a great lad like Andy is stretchered off. I said to the lads at half-time, ‘C'mon, let's do this for Andy'.. They did that.”

There has been no Snicko available throughout the Test, to add to the lack of no-ball monitoring

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Dec-2021

Malfunctioning technology has continued to hamper the officials in the opening Ashes Test in Brisbane with the absence of Snicko coming to the fore on the third day.The Snicko system, used to detect edges, has been unavailable throughout the match with Cricket Australia saying border restrictions prevented getting technical support to the venue to fix an issue. Both teams were kept aware of the situation by match referee David Boon who has ensured the DRS has been kept consistent throughout, but it has meant a less complete version is available.It was centre stage when Australia called for a review in England’s second innings against Dawid Malan, who was on 16, when they thought he had edged Josh Hazlewood. There was a suggestion of a faint mark on the bottom of the bat from Hot Spot but third umpire Paul Wilson did not believe it was sufficient evidence to overturn the on-field not-out decision.Australia thought they saw a mark on the bat but accepted that the lack of Snicko left the TV umpire no option.”I was at first slip, I didn’t hear a noise but the other four guys around me were adamant there was bat,” Marnus Labuschagne said. “For us on-field, obviously we are a long way away, it looked like it had hit the bottom of the toe. We thought there looked like there was a mark on the bottom of the toe when you pointed the toe more towards the camera. But when you don’t have Snicko that decision is never going to get turned over.”Malan was always confident he was safe. “I didn’t hit, I missed it by a mile,” he said.The absence of Snicko was first apparent on the opening day when Australia reviewed for a leg-side catch against Jos Buttler although on that occasion there was clearer evidence from Hot Spot that it had only brushed the thigh pad.Another key part of the technology missing throughout the game has been the camera system which allows the third umpire to monitor and call no-balls. That was revealed when Ben Stokes overstepped with his first three deliveries on day two, then claimed David Warner with his fourth only for it to be chalked off because the front foot was checked due to it being a wicket-taking delivery.This match is being played under the previous protocols where the on-field umpires call no-balls and only when a batter is dismissed is the front line checked.It is expected that the full complement of DRS technology will be available for the second Test in Adelaide. Queensland’s closed borders created challenges ahead of the opening game with the England squad and a significant number of Australia’s needing to quarantine ahead of the game, as well as officials and those involved in putting the match on.

في خطوة جديدة ضمن مسار الأزمة المشتعلة بشأن مباراة القمة، تقدم النادي الأهلي بمذكرتين قانونيتين، إحداهما إلى رابطة الأندية المحترفة يؤكد خلالها صحة موقفه في أزمة لقاء الزمالك الذي كان مقررًا يوم 11 مارس الجاري.

واستعرض الأهلي في مذكرته كافة المستندات التي تدعم تمسكه بقرار الرابطة السابق بإقامة المباراة بطاقم تحكيم أجنبي، والذي تم تغييره لاحقًا، ما أدى إلى رفض الفريق خوض المواجهة.

وفي السياق ذاته، أرسل الأهلي مذكرة أخرى إلى اللجنة الأولمبية المصرية، ردًا على البنود التي تضمنها بيانها الأخير بخصوص الشكاوى التي قدمها النادي، مؤكدًا على تمسكه بحقوقه القانونية في القضية.

طالع أيضًا | اللجنة الأولمبية تعلن أسباب رفض شكوى الأهلي وتأييد قرارات رابطة الأندية في أزمة القمة

وكان الأهلي قد أعلن انسحابه من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز لموسم 2024-2025 احتجاجًا على أزمة القمة، قبل أن يتقدم بشكواه الرسمية للجنة الأولمبية.

وعلى إثر ذلك، أعلنت رابطة الأندية عن العقوبات الموقعة على النادي باعتباره خاسرًا أمام الزمالك مع خصم ثلاث نقاط من رصيده في نهاية الموسم، وتحميله الخسائر المالية للمباراة.

ولجأ الأهلي إلى اللجنة الأولمبية للطعن على القرار، إلا أن الأخيرة أيدت موقف رابطة الأندية والاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، وقررت تثبيت العقوبات، مع توصية بضرورة منح الأندية فترات زمنية كافية مستقبلًا لاستقدام حكام أجانب عند وضع جدول مباريات المراحل الحاسمة من البطولة.

Rangers are already plotting for the January transfer window as they look to recover from a woeful start to the season under Philippe Clement.

Rangers well off the pace

After finishing as runners-up to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership and the Scottish Cup last season, Rangers were expected to challenge once more this term as Clement appeared to have figured out a winning formula.

However, that has proved far from the case, and the Ibrox side have made a horror start to the Scottish season. Knocked out of the Champions League in the qualification stage by Dynamo Kyiv, they also sit a massive nine points off the pace in Scotland at the November international break.

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Behind both Celtic and Aberdeen, who have won all but the game between each other, Clement’s side have lost three times already this campaign – already half as many times as they did throughout the entire first phase of the 23/24 season.

It has left Clement’s future at the helm in doubt, with the Rangers boss in need of a strong set of results to begin turning things around. One silver lining has been their Europa League campaign so far, with the club having picked up two wins and a draw from their opening four games and on course to qualify for the knockout stages as things stand.

But one problem continues to dominate the headlines – and now Rangers may have found a solution.

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington Oct 24, 2024 Rangers ready to sell "exceptional" defender

That comes as Football Insider reports that the Scottish giants are ready to part ways with James Tavernier, and could set the wheels in motion for his exit as soon as the January transfer window as the club have now started to seek a replacement.

The long-term servant and club captain has endured a rough few months under Clement. The Rangers boss dubbed him “exceptional” after he broke the British goalscoring record for defenders in March, but his defensive capabilities have always been questioned, and they have once again reared their head this season, leading to Tavernier being left on the bench for their 1-1 draw with Olympiacos.

James Tavernier in the SPFL 24/25

Appearances

11

Goals

0

Assists

3

Yellow Cards

2

He was strongly linked with an exit over the summer but opted to stay in Scotland, where he still has 18 months to run on his £30,000-a-week deal.

Now though, Football Insider claims that Rangers are “planning to offload James Tavernier at the end of the season” amid “a growing feeling from the Ibrox hierarchy that it is time for both parties to move on”.

It is added that “his declining performances have raised major red flags behind the scenes”, and that a replacement could be signed as soon as January, with a list of targets already being drawn up.

Though given his “continued importance to the team and the dressing room”, a January exit is deemed “unlikely”. Meanwhile, any January addition will depend on finances at Ibrox, with the club having shelled out £14m over the most recent summer transfer window and yet to see a significant return on their investments.

For Tavernier, it would be an ignominious exit after a decade at the club, where he will be remembered as a legend.

Potentially falling victim to their own recent success, Sunderland could now lose as many as three players in 2025 amid interest in Chris Rigg, Dennis Cirkin and more.

Sunderland transfer news

Still top of the Championship despite their recent 2-2 draw against manager-less Coventry City, Sunderland couldn’t have asked for a much better start under new manager Regis Le Bris, but that start may yet come at a price. Recent reports have been quick to link some of the Black Cats’ most promising stars with a move away from the Stadium of Light in recent weeks.

Cirkin, fresh from his goal stunning strike last weekend – has reportedly emerged as a January target for promotion rivals Leeds United in what could certainly be an interesting transfer saga. The left-back has started in every one of Sunderland’s Championship games so far this season, highlighting just how important a role he currently plays.

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Meanwhile, young star Rigg has also been linked with an exit recently. Recent reports have gone as far to suggest that some of England’s top clubs such as Manchester United and Chelsea are interested in the 17-year-old’s signature. But even after Rigg, the transfer rumours don’t come to an end.

According to reports in Spain, Borussia Dortmund are now plotting a move to sign Jobe Bellingham in what would of course be a repeat of their move to sign Jude Bellingham back in 2020. His older brother has become one of the world’s best at Real Madrid since then, much thanks to Dortmund’s influence, and now another Bellingham could follow suit.

With promotion in sight, however, Sunderland have reportedly placed a hefty fee on their young midfielder in an attempt to prevent what would be a disappointing exit and hugely damaging mid-season exodus.

"Strong" Bellingham has big decision to make

For the Bellingham family, it could be a case of not fixing what’s not broken if Dortmund complete the set by signing the second of their two talented midfielders. But Bellingham, himself, must consider his options. With Sunderland closer to the Premier League than ever since his arrival from Birmingham City – albeit with a long way to go – Bellingham may be wise to choose game time and a shot at the top flight over following in his brother’s footsteps.

Le Bris is certainly a fan of the 19-year-old too, telling reporters in pre-season as relayed by We Are Sunderland when asked about Bellingham’s best position: “He has the great potential to press because he is physical and strong and energetic. That part of the game he can be very strong.

“Then from this position as a number eight on the left he can create a relationship with Jack, for example, or Dennis. Of course they need experience together to improve that triangle but I think that it could be a good position for him.”

As exit rumours continue to arrive, Sunderland must ensure that they don’t suffer a triple transfer blow in 2025.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has responded to pundit Jamie Carragher's comments regarding Erling Haaland not playing against Real Madrid.

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Haaland sat out Real Madrid clashCarragher questioned supposed injuryGuardiola slams commentsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

On Wednesday evening, Guardiola made the crucial call to leave Haaland on the bench for Manchester City as they tried to come back from a 3-2 deficit against Real Madrid in their Champions League knockout round play-off. The Norwegian had come off injured in the Premier League champions' massive win against Newcastle United days earlier and the Norwegian's availability was in doubt for the trip to Santiago Bernabeu, and former Liverpool star and CBS Sports pundit Carragher had questions over this turn of events.

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Despite losing 6-3 on aggregate, Haaland remained on the bench and Carragher questioned whether Haaland had requested Guardiola to remain on the bench, suggesting he was intimidated by Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger. Carragher probed whether the 24-year-old striker was actually injured or if he had 'Rudiger-itis'. Guardiola has now slammed these comments.

AFPWHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

When questioned about Carragher's comments, Guardiola said: "Oh, God, did he say that? Jamie Carragher said that? Oh God.

"Don't laugh. I don't know why he makes that suspicious, you know that? Did he say that Haaland didn't want to play the game? It's not nice – and it's not true. He (Haaland) was crazy to play the game. He had a problem with his knee and he could not play."

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WHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND?

The Norwegian striker's fitness remains in question as City shift their focus towards their Premier League clash against Liverpool at the Etihad on Sunday.