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Rangers are now on red alert in the transfer race to sign Shea Charles from Southampton, who are set to make their decision on selling the Manchester City graduate, according to reports.

Danny Rohl has settled well at Ibrox, much to the 49ers’ relief, and for the first time this season there is reason to be optimistic at Rangers. Their recent victory over Dundee made it three league wins from three for the new manager, who has already earned more points than predecessor Russell Martin in the Scottish Premiership.

Any talks about a potential title comeback are still incredibly premature, but the Gers are at least up to fourth and now just five points behind Celtic in second. For the first time in forever, both Old Firm sides have the task of catching alternative leaders Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

There will be no one more relieved than Kevin Thelwell after Rohl’s solid start. The transfer chief has come under fire for his decisions over the summer and the role he played in hiring Martin.

There’s no doubt that he’s got plenty of making-up to do and that may well start in the January transfer window. On that front, Rangers are already reportedly interested in signing Lennon Miller from Udinese and Mujaid Sadick.

Ferguson 2.0: Rangers' "best player" is now more important than Tavernier

Rangers’ “best player” who is reminiscent of Barry Ferguson has emerged under Danny Röhl and it is not captain James Tavernier.

By
Ben Gray

Nov 14, 2025

A move for Miller would particularly make sense. He’s struggled since leaving Motherwell in the summer and a return to Scotland would certainly help turn his recent fortunes around.

He’s not the only name on Rangers’ reported shortlist, however. The Scottish giants have also set their sights on reuniting Rohl with former Sheffield Wednesday star Charles.

Rangers on red alert in Shea Charles race

According to Sports Boom, Rangers are now on red alert in the race to sign Charles from Southampton, who could look to sell the Man City academy graduate as part of a winter clear-out.

The Northern Ireland international has started 12 of Southampton’s 15 Championship games so far this season, but has failed to prevent a slump which has featured just four wins.

If an exit is now on the cards for the 22-year-old, then Rangers should take full advantage of their Rohl connection. The German manager worked with Charles at Sheffield Wednesday last season as he proved his worth in England’s second tier. Full of praise for his midfielder at the time, the Rangers boss described him as “fantastic”.

If Rangers want to hand Rohl an instant show of confidence in the winter window, then they should go all out to reunite him with a player who he rates so highly and worked so well with just one season ago.

"Huge potential" Rangers star can become the new Sima & Cerny under Rohl

Neymar has seen another transfer door open in front of him, with Boca Juniors captain Leandro Paredes claiming that the Argentine outfit are prepared to “wait” for the Brazilian superstar. Neymar is in the process of running down his contract during a second spell at Santos, with it previously being suggested that he could reunite with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami once hitting free agency.

Santos struggle: Neymar ready for another new challenge

The 33-year-old playmaker appears destined to accept another new challenge early in 2026. An emotional return to where it all began for him at Santos has not worked out as planned – with Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer enduring more injury issues while becoming wedged in an unexpected relegation battle.

A parting of ways there appears inevitable, with Neymar looking to make a fresh start ahead of next summer’s World Cup. A return to Europe for the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward has been ruled out, with it likely that he will remain in the Americas.

AdvertisementGettyBoca captain in contact with Neymar

There has been talk of rival outfits in his homeland expressing interest, while a move across the border to Argentina would allow him to link up with ex-PSG team-mate Paredes in Buenos Aires.

With Boca Juniors having Copa Libertadores action on their agenda for 2026, Paredes has told of potentially welcoming a familiar face to La Bombonera: “I talk to Ney a lot. The truth is, I have a very good relationship with him. We're friends. We're always in contact, but he's at his club, we have to respect the other clubs, the decisions of the other players, so I can't say much.”

Paredes went on to say with a smile: “We'll wait for him if he wants!”

MSN reformed: Will Neymar join Messi in Miami?

Boca will likely face competition for Neymar’s signature from Inter Miami, with ex-USMNT goalkeeper Brad Friedel telling GOAL recently of why a deal that could see the fabled ‘MSN’ attacking unit reformed makes sense: “I think it would be a risk on anyone’s behalf; I think it just depends on how you would structure the contract. You also have to weigh the pros and cons — when you sign legends of the game like Neymar, you also have to take into account the commercial opportunities that go with it, and it coincides nearly every time with the salary and wage packet that you are going to give.

“The plus side is, it is a league that is a step down from where he is playing. Lionel Messi is the greatest of all time, but he can play many more years in MLS. It is a league that will allow players to do that, so I think Inter Miami need to weigh the pros and cons of what they can earn off the field and try to get it correct.

“If they can structure the contract correctly, then it limits the risk. Having Neymar alongside Messi again — I am not sure. We will wait and see, but the league needs to do something commercially.”

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GettyHomecoming for Dybala? Another option for Boca

While waiting to discover what Neymar has planned, Paredes has also reacted to the news that Argentina international team-mate Paulo Dybala could head home if he chooses to sever ties with Serie A side Roma.

Paredes, who played alongside his fellow World Cup winner in Italy, added: “Having a player like Paulo on the team, with his quality and stature, would be spectacular. I'll let each person make their own decision; I can't interfere, it's not my place. There are so many things to consider, and he's about to become a father too. I hope he makes the best decision for himself and his family. We're waiting for him here with undiminished hope.”

Dybala’s contract in Rome is due to expire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign. It may be that he decides to head home – having left Argentina for Italy in 2012 – while Neymar also faces a huge decision on what the immediate future holds for him as questions are asked of whether he is still capable of delivering moments of match-altering brilliance.

Manchester United dropped yet more points at Old Trafford after another lacklustre performance under Ruben Amorim. The Red Devils were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened West Ham United, failing to create many substantial chances despite having the lion’s share of the possession.

Indeed, the first half went by without the home side creating too many chances of note. The closest they came was thanks to an effort from Joshua Zirkzee.

The Dutchman, who was one of the best players in Red on the night, saw his well-directed effort cleared off the line by former United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

It took United until the second half to break the deadlock. It was a rare Premier League goal from Diogo Dalot, which was enough to put Amorim’s side ahead, and what a strike it was.

The ball dropped to the wing-back in the penalty area, and after a superb first touch, he fired the Red Devils ahead.

United never looked like doubling their lead, with Amorim making substitutions but once again opting against bringing Kobbie Mainoo on.

They paid the price with seven minutes left. The Hammers equalised thanks to a late strike from player of the match Soungoutou Magassa.

Indeed, Amorim’s underwhelming substitutions did not help United’s cause.

Amorim’s in-game management vs. West Ham

One of the biggest criticisms against the United manager throughout his 12-month tenure has been his in-game management. Well, the substitutions he made against the Hammers on Thursday night were underwhelming.

Zirkzee, who was linking up play nicely, was replaced by Mason Mount, and Manuel Ugarte was also brought on. That meant there was once again no place for Mainoo, who still cannot get the chance to showcase his skills for an extended period in the Premier League.

Lisandro Martinez also came on with the score at 1-1. It was a positive thing to see the 2022 World Cup winner coming stepping onto the Old Trafford pitch for the first time since February, but bringing a centre-back on when your side is chasing a goal to win the game is a strange call.

United social media presence, Alice said, the manager’s “subs and in-game management is shocking time and time again.” She also called out the decision to take Zirkzee off, and bringing Ugarte on over Mainoo when the Red Devils “need control” to help get over the line.

However, there was one substitution Amorim did get right, taking off one player who struggled.

The United star who's been overhyped

It was not the return from injury that Matheus Cunha may have hoped for. He was replaced by Ugarte on the 77-minute mark, after a performance which was “ineffective”, according to journalist Laurie Whitwell.

Indeed, the Brazilian struggled to get into the game against the East Londoners. He only had 46 touches across the 90 minutes, losing the ball 18 times and failing to create a chance in that time.

Off the ball, United’s number ten won just three from 11 duels.

Touches

46

Number of times ball lost

18

Pass accuracy

69%

Duels won

3/11

Key passes

0

Crosses completed

0

Expected goal involvements

0.29xGI

His disappointing performance earned him a 5/10 rating from Goal journalist Richard Martin. He noted that Cunha failed to make any sort of impact, describing his efforts at Old Trafford as ‘underwhelming’.

It remains to be seen if Amorim will keep Cunha in the starting lineup for the next game, a trip to his former club, Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Brazilian has not really hit the ground running for the Red Devils so far, with just one goal and no assists in 11 Premier League games.

Whilst that is not necessarily just his fault, United fans may well have wanted more from one of their marquee summer additions. Perhaps there was an element of Cunha getting overhyped, with CEO Omar Berrada suggesting he could be “Cantona-esque” for the club.

That is a lot of pressure for someone to have placed on them immediately after joining a huge club, despite the Brazilian’s obvious confidence.

Things have not really gone that way for Cunha so far in a United shirt, and his performances have certainly left a little to be desired, as the game against West Ham showed.

With other options, such as Mount and Mainoo, at Amorim’s disposal, he may well make the bold decision to rotate his number 10 out of the starting 11 next Monday. Cunha can certainly add a little bit extra in the final third to make him a more dangerous option going forward.

£30m Man Utd flop has been so bad he makes Ugarte look like a good signing

INEOS have made great strides of late with regard to Man Utd’s recruitment, although it hasn’t all been perfect.

1 ByRobbie Walls Dec 4, 2025

If he decides to stay on, will he be getting in the way of the team’s growth?

Nagraj Gollapudi24-May-20251:26

Bangar: If I was Dhoni I would say ‘enough’

It is a question that has been asked of him repeatedly since he retired from international cricket. With that handsome and enigmatic smile, MS Dhoni has always responded, in his own idiosyncratic way: you will have to wait till next season. So, as Chennai Super Kings wind up a forgettable IPL, where they finished last for the first time, the question will once again gather momentum: is time finally up for Dhoni?What if, though, we tweak that query? If Dhoni decides to continue, will he not be getting in the way of CSK’s future growth?No athlete is bigger than the sport they play, but in the case of Dhoni and CSK, the former has acquired godlike status due to what he has achieved for the franchise from the time he was made captain in 2008. He has been central to all their success – five IPL titles, numerous playoffs, and innumerable games where he rescued them from utterly rubbish positions. The franchise has relied on him on the field and off it. No decision is taken without his counsel and his word is final, and that is how it has been virtually throughout Dhoni’s 18-year relationship with CSK, one that is familial more than anything else.Related

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Dhoni on his IPL future: I have four-five months to decide

'Nothing for me to decide as of now' – Dhoni on his IPL future

CSK face a tricky situation with Dhoni the batter

Dhoni has already said that he will review his future based on how his body feels closer to the 2026 season. That has been his parting line after the final match of every season for the last five years. By the time the next IPL rolls around, he will be 44 years old. If fit – as he has largely shown he is again this season – he will conceivably be as sharp as ever behind the wickets. His captaincy skills remain strong. But can Dhoni, the batter, walk into the best CSK XI?Early this season, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he came in at No. 9 in a 50-run defeat. In CSK’s next match, another chase, against Rajasthan Royals, he came in at No. 7, when the match was in the balance, but made a stuttering 11-ball 16 in a six-run defeat. Early in May, in another live chase, against RCB again, Dhoni said he took the blame for CSK’s two-run defeat, admitting he failed to step on the accelerator when he came in, in the 17th over, when 42 runs were needed.MS Dhoni: a past master at leaving things till the end•AFP/Getty ImagesAfter the defeat against Royals, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming said Dhoni decided his entry points based on the match situation, but that he could not bat too many overs anymore, following his knee surgery after the 2023 IPL. But with Dhoni’s weakness against spin well known, opposition teams keep at least an over of spin in the bag for when he comes out.In the 2024 IPL, Dhoni consciously came in late to bat, his sole intent being to wallop the ball: among batters who made at least 100 runs in that tournament, Dhoni’s strike rate of 220.54 was the second highest. In 2023, hobbling on a dodgy knee, he lifted first the Player of the final, Ravindra Jadeja, and then his fifth IPL title as CSK captain. In terms of runs scored by Super Kings batters in the last two seasons (2024 and up to May 24 this year), Dhoni is fifth on the list, with 357 runs in 24 innings at an average of over 32, a strike rate of nearly 164, and 25 sixes, which is the second highest for the team. The legend of is built on such stuff.However, to fit Dhoni in the side, Super Kings are forced to play one specialist batter fewer – who could be good against spin, or who could float in the order. So far they have seen that as a fair gamble.There is no doubt Dhoni will have dealt internally, within the CSK management, with the question of when to retire more than once. Perhaps he thinks a major part of his responsibility in this regard is to get the timing right: when he is confident the transition will be smooth. However, transitions rarely are.Despite his cult status, Dhoni has maintained it is not about the individual, it is about what is good for CSK. Ahead of the 2022 mega auction, he said it was important to build a core group that would stay together for the next ten years or so. There has been another mega auction since then, last November, and Dhoni remains part of the core group four seasons on from that 2022 auction.Knee be damned: Dhoni gets a load of his main man, Ravindra Jadeja, after the 2023 final•BCCIDhoni’s Super Kings stuck to their template regardless of how a season ended, and more often than not, it was successful. At the last mega auction, CSK decided again to pick a number of players who were close to the end of their careers, including some who had seemingly plateaued. Most of those players are likely to be released soon. There is increasingly talk about the franchise moving in a new direction, by intending to retain and invest in younger talent. But the longer Dhoni sticks around, the harder it could get for them to do this.Among Dhoni’s strengths as a leader was knowing when to pass the baton. He did that with Virat Kohli in 2014 in Test cricket, then in white-ball cricket in 2017, and he identified Ruturaj Gaikwad for the Super Kings job. One of Dhoni’s other strengths is not extending his stay. If he seems to have stuck around at CSK to the point of overstaying, it is perhaps due to a sense of obligationPerhaps it is not just the sense that he needs to oversee a smooth transition that has stopped him from going. Perhaps it is the emotional bonds he has built with the franchise and CSK fans, which have taken deep root. After a fairy-tale title-winning run in 2021, Super Kings owner N Srinivasan said: “There’s no CSK without Dhoni and no Dhoni without CSK.” Srinivasan is no longer actively involved in the running of the franchise. Does Dhoni think he cannot leave until he thinks Gaikwad is completely secure in his leadership role?There has been no other player who has been indispensable to his franchise the way Dhoni has been. CSK fans probably refuse to think of life after him. But even his most die-hard devotees might probably now admit, in private at least, that the time has come for a new beginning. Or do they still believe in their beloved ?

Tottenham are reportedly looking at signing a new centre-forward ahead of the January transfer window, which opens in just over a month’s time.

It’s been a promising start to the season for new manager Thomas Frank on paper, with his new-look Spurs side remaining undefeated in the Champions League and fifth in the Premier League table. However, it is worth nothing that a few of their on-field performances have left a lot to be desired so far.

The north Londoners were booed off following an abject 1-0 home defeat to Chelsea in the London derby recently, finishing the 90 minutes with just one shot on target all game as Frank’s side continued their atrocious home form.

Spurs have won just three of their last 20 Premier League matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Frank’s only top flight victory on home turf remains that 3-1 win at home to league newcomers Burnley on the opening weekend.

The Dane has attracted some criticism over Tottenham’s ‘one-dimensional’ style and serious lack of creativity in open play, but he hasn’t been helped by a plethora of injuries to key attacking players.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Playmaker James Maddison will miss practically all the 2025/2026 season after rupturing his ACL in pre-season, while last season’s second top scorer and club-record signing, Dominic Solanke, continues his slow recovery from what was a ‘minor’ ankle problem.

Solanke is apparently ‘unlikely’ to return for this weekend’s pivotal North London derby as well, leaving Frank to once again call on either the out-of-form Richarlison or Mathys Tel to lead the line.

Reports suggest that Frank views Richarlison and Solanke as ‘expendable’ members of his Spurs squad, and Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport believes that Tel is ‘unhappy’ at Tottenham with a potential loan move to Roma on the cards in January.

These claims will fuel other reports that Tottenham are prioritising the signing of another centre-forward.

Former Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who’s been in red-hot form for Al-Ahli since his 2024 move to the Middle East, is believed to be on both Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange’s radar ahead of January.

Tottenham hold 'preliminary talks' to sign Ivan Toney

While the England international outcast has bagged 41 goals in 59 appearances for the Saudi Pro League side, he’s largely been excluded from Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions squad, bar the one call-up earlier this year.

With the 2026 World Cup looming, it is believed that Toney could instigate a return home to increase his chances of returning to the England fold.

According to TEAMtalk, the 29-year-old has already informed Al-Ahli of his desire to leave in January, and Spurs have taken the lead in the race for his signature.

Frank views him as the ‘clinical’ striker that Spurs need to propel them towards major silverware, with Tottenham holding ‘preliminary talks’ over signing Toney, who’s also willing to take a seismic 50 per cent pay cut on his rumoured £427,000-per-week wages to make a move happen.

Appearances

59

Goals

41

Assists

8

Bookings

7

Red cards

0

Minutes played

4,796

Toney bagged 20 Premier League goals in his best season at Brentford under Frank, with the tactician labelling him England’s second-best striker behind Harry Kane at the time.

Other reports claim that Al-Ahli value him at around £30 million for a permanent deal and Toney has already ‘directly’ spoken to Frank about a move to Tottenham.

However, a loan deal may be more feasible due to complications surrounding what would be a very large tax bill if Toney comes back to England permanently so soon after arriving in the Gulf.

Poor weather and cancellations have left the squad under-prepared for England’s three-match visit

Matt Roller16-Sep-2025

Paul Stirling has expressed his frustrations at Ireland’s sparse schedule this summer•Associated Press

Paul Stirling has admitted that his Ireland team are “underprepared” for their T20I series against England, voicing his frustration at a sparse summer schedule that has seen them go three months without a men’s international fixture.Ireland’s men have only completed three matches during their home summer, losing another three to the weather when West Indies toured in May and June. A planned incoming tour by Afghanistan was cancelled, with Cricket Ireland (CI) citing “financial reasons”, while the planned European T20 Premier League (ETPL) was again postponed.While England’s saturated schedule has prompted them to rest several multi-format players for this week’s three-match series in Malahide, which starts on Wednesday, their Irish counterparts have been crying out for more competitive cricket. Those frustrations will not be helped by a poor weather forecast for Friday and Sunday’s late-summer fixtures.Ireland’s winter programme should be busier, with a tour of Bangladesh later this year and some fixtures in the Middle East before the T20 World Cup. But Stirling admitted his frustrations that he had played so little this summer, and said that weather had hampered Ireland’s preparations to the extent that Tuesday’s training was their only full session before the series.Related

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Saqib Mahmood ruled out of T20Is as Scott Currie earns maiden call-up

“We’ve probably been under-prepared, would be the honest answer,” Stirling said. “It’s nice to get together as a squad for the first time in about four months. We got a little bit of work done yesterday at the HPC [High-Performance Centre], not much done on Sunday, and a good session in today. That’s about all we’ve had.”We’re looking forward to giving it a good go against England. We’ll need things to go our way probably. It’s just nice to get together. It feels like the beginning of our winter programme, rather than the end of our summer programme. That’s the stage we’re at. Certainly, it feels like the start of something, rather than the end.”This week’s short tour was initially slated as a three-match ODI series in June in the ICC’s Future Tours Programme, but was changed last year to a T20I tour with an eye on next year’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka and moved to mid-September.CI scheduled a short ‘best vs best’ 50-over series earlier this month to fill the gap left by the ETPL, but only one of the three fixtures was completed. “We were supposed to have three or four weeks of highly competitive franchise cricket here, if things went well,” Stirling said. “In theory, it would’ve been fine, but in practice, it isn’t.”The primary reason for the slimline fixture list is funding, with CI regularly citing the exorbitant costs of transforming club grounds into international venues with temporary infrastructure. The issue should be alleviated in years to come by the proposed development of a permanent stadium at Abbotstown in time for the 2030 Men’s T20 World Cup.But Stirling said that his players were “obviously disappointed” at such a limited international schedule. “We can’t hide that fact,” he said. “We want to play as much cricket as we can. We’re going to be judged on our performances on the pitch and to not have consistent cricket, which allows you to bring the best of yourselves throughout a summer, is tough.”It is tricky, because you’re expected to deal with those things no matter what. That’s why international cricket is so hard: no-one will remember this in 18-24 months, when we hopefully do have cricket, that, ‘Oh, by the way, their preparation wasn’t good in 2025.’ It’ll be, ‘X, Y and Z didn’t do this, didn’t do that.’ It’s really important that you’re able to use your experience.”It’s not ideal. There’s no hiding that fact. We want to play more cricket and fingers crossed, hopefully, we’re going to travel to Bangladesh in October-November, from there, for 12 or 18 months, it’s packed full of cricket. That’s our hope. But it’s certainly disappointing that in the summer months in Ireland, as a professional cricketer, you’re not playing enough cricket.”

كشفت تقارير صحفية تطورات الدولي البرازيلي فينيسيوس جونيور، من تجديد عقده مع الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وكانت الشكوك تحوم حول استمرار فينيسيوس مع ريال مدريد وكثرت الأنباء عن رحيله الصيف المقبل، خاصةً وأنه عند بدء الحديث عن تجديد عقده بعد كأس العالم للأندية باءت كل المفاوضات بالفشل.

كان فينيسيوس يرغب في أن يكون الأعلى أجرًا في الفريق أو على الأقل يتساوى مع الدولي الفرنسي كيليان مبابي، وهذا ما رفضته إدارة ريال مدريد.

وينتهي عقد فينيسيوس جونيور مع ريال مدريد في 30 يونيو 2027، ويتقاضى حاليًا أجرًا يُقدر حوالي 15 مليون يورو في الموسم الواحد.

اقرأ أيضًا | مبابي مهاجمًا أحد الصحفيين: لا يوجد هذا الشيء في ريال مدريد

ويحصل لاعب باريس سان جيرمان السابق على 15 مليون يورو صافيًا بموجب عقده، بالإضافة إلى مكافأة توقيع سنوية قدرها 8 ملايين يورو صافية من موسم 2024-2025 حتى 30 يونيو 2029، بإجمالي 23 مليون يورو صافيًا، و46 مليون يورو إجماليًا.

لكن وفقًا لمصادر لصحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية فقد يجدد فينيسيوس جونيور عقده مع ريال مدريد خلال الأشهر القليلة المقبلة بعدما وافق على تخفيض مطالبه المالية.

يأتي هذا الخبر بعد فوز ريال مدريد الصعب على أولمبياكوس بنتيجة 4/3 في دوري أبطال أوروبا، على أرض اليونان وهو ما لم يحدث منذ خمسينيات القرن الماضي.

هدف إدارة ريال مدريد الآن إتمام هذه الاتفاقية الجديدة خلال الأشهر المقبلة، لكن ولأن كل شيء وارد حدوثه في كرة القدم، في حال عدم التوصل إلى اتفاق، يحق للاعب التفاوض بحرية مع ناد آخر بدءًا من 1 يناير 2027.

“If he is available, no doubt the selectors will put him in,” Alex Carey says of Pat Cummins, who has been included in the squad for the third Ashes Test

Matt Roller10-Dec-20253:24

Miller: Bazball is dead because England don’t believe

Alex Carey believes England’s players will benefit from their mid-Ashes trip to Noosa but insists that memories of the 2023 series will help Australia guard against complacency at 2-0 up.England arrived in Noosa, the affluent resort town on the Queensland coast, on Tuesday for a four-night mini-break, and will train three times in Adelaide ahead of the third Ashes Test. Their preparation has consistently been questioned throughout this tour, despite Brendon McCullum’s claim that they had “over-prepared” ahead of their eight-wicket loss at the Gabba.Players were photographed by Australian media on Tuesday swimming at the beach and drinking at bars, while former England captain Nasser Hussain wrote in his column: “I can’t understand England’s schedule for the week ahead.”Related

Trouble in paradise as Noosa tightens on England's Ashes hopes

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But Carey, who scored 63 and took seven catches in Australia’s eight-wicket win at the Gabba, said that a mid-series break was “not new stuff” and that his team-mates were expecting England to respond strongly in Adelaide next week.”I think it’d be a nice holiday,” Carey said at a Woolworths Cricket Blast event in Adelaide. “It’s a pretty big series, with lots of time between games. For the Australian cricket team, we get to go home for a few days and be with families, so touring parties have got to find time to fill in those little windows.”I’m not sure you need to do it [but] it’s totally up to the touring groups to find ways to take your mind off cricket for a little bit. The Ashes is very hotly contested. You don’t want to be thinking of cricket every single day of the tour. If you do have a little break, it’s probably not a bad time to refresh the batteries.”Carey said that media interest in England’s Noosa trip was unsurprising. “Look, we’re in a pretty lucky position that we’re playing professional sport and people want to follow the journey,” he said. “If the media likes to follow certain teams around, that’s totally up to them to do. We understand that comes with the privilege of playing the game.”1:26

Swann: Tongue and Bethell should play in Adelaide

Australia’s efforts in the first two Tests extended their recent record in home Ashes series to 15 wins, two draws and no defeats in their last 17 Tests. But Carey played down the prospects of a 5-0 whitewash, instead reminding his team-mates that they left a 2-0 lead slip in the 2023 series in England, which ended in a 2-2 draw.”We know England are a very good team. We also understand we were in a position like this a couple of years ago in England,” Carey said. “We weren’t able to win that series, but we were good enough to retain the Ashes. We’re really excited for the opportunity we’ve got, but we understand we’ve got to keep playing good cricket.”We are not looking too far ahead either. I think this playing group has been able to adapt really well, stay really present and again find ways to improve. We all know the threats that England pose, but for us to focus on our best stuff is a pretty good way to go about it. We’re definitely not taking the foot off the gas at all.”2:19

Australia face big selection call on Khawaja

Australia named a 15-man squad for the third Test on Wednesday, with Pat Cummins’ return as captain confirmed. Nathan Lyon will come into contention to play in Adelaide after he was left out of the pink-ball Test in Brisbane, while Usman Khawaja has been included after recovering from his back problems. Jhye Richardson will also join the group in Adelaide to “continue his preparations” as he continues his return from shoulder surgery, CA said.”He looks like he’s moving really well,” Carey said of Cummins. “You’ve probably seen that in the nets. It’s probably just about the body of work he’s put together and being Test-fit. He’s been around the group the whole time, with lots of energy, so if he is available, no doubt the selectors will put him in.”He also expected Lyon to have “a really big role” in the final three Tests, having bowled two overs in Perth before losing his place in Brisbane. “You want guys being disappointed, not being selected,” Carey said. “You want that hunger and we are really lucky to have a squad of 15 who are all ready to go… No doubt, Nathan probably has a big role to play in this Test match.”Meanwhile, Jhye Richardson will join the Test squad to continue his return to action from shoulder surgery. Richardson was impressive against England Lions with 4 for 35 in the first innings and, significantly, sent down 26 overs in the game in his first first-class match in over a year. Australia’s selectors have previously said they hoped he would be an option for the later stages of the Ashes.Richardson will miss Perth Scorchers’ opening BBL match against Sydney Sixers on December 14 but is expected to be available for the game against Brisbane Heat on December 19.Australia squad for third Ashes Test Pat Cummins (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

Glasgow Rangers officially confirmed that both CEO Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell left their roles at Ibrox on Monday after the club’s underwhelming start under the new ownership.

Chairman Andrew Cavenagh revealed that the ownership believes that they need different people in those roles in order to bring success back to Ibrox in the months and years to come.

Thelwell was let go by the Gers after he played a key role, as sporting director, in the appointment and firing of Russell Martin, as well as the signings throughout the summer transfer window.

The former Everton chief was given the funds to retool the squad for the head coach in the summer, but after that appointment and the signings he made, Rangers won one of their first eight Scottish Premiership matches.

However, Thelwell would be far from the first sporting director to make some mistakes in the transfer market. Former Gers technical director Nils Koppen, for example, made his fair share.

One signing that officially went through in the summer but was sanctioned before Thelwell’s arrival was the permanent addition of Oscar Cortes.

Why Oscar Cortes has been a waste of money for Rangers so far

The 21-year-old forward initially joined on loan from Lens for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, and produced one goal and one assist in six games in the Premiership, per Sofascore.

That convinced the Scottish giants to sign him on a season-long loan with an obligation to make it permanent at the end of the season in the summer of 2024, which led to him signing for £4.5m earlier this year.

He is currently the ninth-most expensive signing in the history of the club, with that £4.5m move from Lens, and the Gers have simply not got enough back from him on the pitch to justify that expense.

In the 2024/25 season, the Colombian winger made ten appearances in the Premiership without delivering a single goal or assist for the team, whilst he also missed out on 22 matchday squads and was an unused substitute on six occasions, per Transfermarkt.

Despite his dismal form last term, Rangers had to sign him permanently for a hefty fee of £4.5m because it was an obligation that was put in place in the previous summer. That led to him leaving on loan to Sporting Gijon this season.

Appearances

5

Starts

1

Unused sub

6

Goals

0

Key passes per game

0.0

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, Cortes has struggled badly in Spain since his temporary switch to the second division outfit, with more games left sat on the bench than appearances in LaLiga 2.

His lack of goal contributions for the Spanish side means that he still has not provided a goal or an assist since registering one of each in a 5-0 win over Hearts in February 2024.

With over three years left on his contract at Ibrox, it remains to be seen whether or not the 21-year-old whiz will make a success of his Rangers career or not, but it is not looking good on current evidence.

With his form for the Gers and out on loan, Cortes currently looks like a big waste of money for the significant fee that the club agreed to pay Lens for him, unfortunately.

Whilst Thelwell did not have any say in that move, it was going through irrespective of anything he did after becoming sporting director in April, one of his own summer signings looks to be an even bigger waste of money than Cortes.

Chalkboard

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

The former Light Blues chief opted to splash the cash on Portugal U21 international Youssef Chermiti, and the early signs from his Ibrox career are far from promising.

Why Rangers should not have signed Youssef Chermiti

Thelwell agreed a deal with his former club Everton to sign the striker for a fee of £8m. That made him the most expensive signing made by the Gers since they signed Tore Andre Flo for £12m in 2000.

When signing a player for that kind of outlay at Ibrox, it is fair to expect that they should be able to make a relatively immediate impact for Rangers, even if they are not the finished product, because Chermiti is their most expensive signing in 25 years.

Unfortunately, though, the Portuguese marksman has failed to prove his worth to the Light Blues on the pitch with his performances so far in the 2025/26 campaign, with just one goal to his name so far.

The former Premier League flop has produced one goal and one assist in 13 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not offered a regular threat at the top end of the pitch.

Chermiti’s form in the Premiership, in particular, has left quite a bit to be desired for a player who is the club’s most expensive signing in 25 years.

FotMob rating

6.48

16th

Goals

1

Joint-3rd

xG

0.3

14th

xA

0.2

15th

Dribbles per 90

0.4

14th

Dribble success rate

16.7%

14th

As you can see in the table above, the Portugal U21 international ranks poorly in the Gers squad in a host of key metrics, and the only reason that he ranks highly for goals is that only two players in the squad have scored more than one league goal.

Chermiti, who was described as a “nothing player” by Portuguese journalist Kevin Fernandes, has simply not done enough with the game time that he has been given, domestically or on the European stage.

The ex-Everton striker was signed for almost twice as much as Cortes and appears to be heading in the same direction as the winger, as another expensive flop who is unable to make a significant impact on the pitch for Rangers.

Therefore, Chermiti looks on course to be an even bigger waste of money than the Colombian forward because he cost £3.5m more and has been just as underwhelming at the start of his Ibrox career.

"Rotten" Thelwell signing is Rangers' biggest waste of time since Dowell

This summer signing by Kevin Thelwell has been as bad as the deal to bring Kieran Dowell to Rangers.

ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2025

It seems like Manchester United will focus the next stage of their rebuild on the midfield. There are a few players who have futures up in the air, at least in the short term. One of those is Casemiro, whose contract expires in the summer, and it is unclear at this stage if he will extend his deal at Old Trafford.

The other player who might not have a clear future at United is Kobbie Mainoo. He has been underused by Ruben Amorim this season, and could depart the club on loan in January, with Napoli one side who could make a move.

If they do leave, there are a few midfielders from within the Premier League that United could target.

United’s main midfield target

A recent report from TEAMTalk suggests that United have three names on their shortlist when it comes to a new midfielder. All of those currently play in the Premier League, with Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton two of those players.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The third man is someone who is one of the most highly rated midfielders in the Premier League right now.

TEAMtalk report that the Red Devils ‘would like to seal a deal’ for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson as one of their key targets in the middle of the park.

This will not be a straightforward deal to do, with the England international a player of interest to former club Newcastle United, too.

However, the Red Devils are showing a keen interest and could look to get a £60m deal over the line. Forest, however, would want closer to £80m if this move were to go ahead.

Man Utd's perfect Carrick successor

There is no doubt that 23-year-old Anderson is one of the most exciting midfielders in England. Described by Thomas Tuchel as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League”, he’s seemingly secured a spot in the German’s starting lineup for the 2026 World Cup.

He has been exceptional this season in the middle of the park for Forest. In a campaign of great turmoil where they’ve had three different managers, the 23-year-old has been incredibly consistent, playing 14 games, scoring and assisting once.

That included a superb assist for Chris Wood on the opening day of the season.

His underlying numbers also reflect just how well he has played. The boyhood Newcastle star ranks in the top 1% of Premier League midfielders for several key metrics, including progressive passes per 90 minutes, of which he’s played 8.82, and ball recoveries, completing 8.36 each game.

Passes completed

63.73

97th

Progressive passes

8.82

99th

Passes into final third

8.55

99th

Take-ons completed

1.27

97th

Ball recoveries

8.36

99th

There are certainly similarities between Anderson and one of the all-time great midfielders in United’s history, Michael Carrick.

The former England international was metronomic at the heart of the Red Devils midfield for many years, shining under Sir Alex Ferguson especially.

He made 464 appearances for the 13-time Premier League champions, winning five of those league titles and one Champions League.

He even chipped in from the base of midfield with 24 goals and 35 assists.

He was a player highly rated by teammates, with Gary Neville saying he brought “authority, control, peace” to the pitch. This is certainly similar to Anderson, who, as the numbers show, is a true controller in the midfield, able to dictate play at will.

Anderson, it feels like, could bring a similar level of composure to the United midfield that Carrick did all those years ago. England boss Tuchel thinks highly of him, describing him as “a very complete, mobile central midfielder.”

However, it is not just their playstyle that is eerily similar. Carrick was born and raised in the North East, just like Anderson, with the pair growing up in close geographical areas. There are a few fair connections between the duo.

In signing Anderson, United could be adding their new Carrick to the middle of the park. He could certainly bring the same sort of brilliance on the ball and tenacity without it that their former number 16 did during his time at the club.

Man Utd have their own version of Semenyo & he's Amorim's "best player"

Manchester United are again being linked with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, heading into January…

ByRobbie Walls Nov 19, 2025