All posts by n8rngtd.top

Quinton de Kock has also linked up with Super Giants but who will make way for him?

Hemant Brar06-Apr-20234:47

Moody: Stick with Mayers and bat him at No. 3

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Kyle Mayers was part of Lucknow Super Giants’ squad in IPL 2022 but didn’t get a game. Had Quinton de Kock not been on national duty, Mayers wouldn’t have started this season either. But now he has two swashbuckling half-centuries in two games to give Super Giants a happy headache.With de Kock available and having smashed a 44-ball 100 against West Indies recently, do Super Giants drop Mayers? That will be sacrilegious. If they play both, who sacrifices the opening slot? Plus, who misses out in that case – Nicholas Pooran or Marcus Stoinis? Pooran made useful contributions in both games, while Stoinis gives them an extra bowling option, even though he is yet to bowl this IPL.After starting their campaign with a win at home, Super Giants went down to Chennai Super Kings in their next match. Now that they are back in Lucknow, can they return to winning ways?Sunrisers Hyderabad too are coming off a defeat; they were thrashed by Rajasthan Royals in their opening game. But there are plenty of reasons for Sunrisers to put that hammering behind them, the biggest being the availability of their South African players.Related

• Kyle Mayers had one shot, and he didn't let it slip

For the Royals game, they were without their captain Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen. Now that the trio has joined the squad, they have all eight overseas players to pick from. And like de Kock, all three carry excellent form with them.

Team news

Both teams get reinforcements with their South African players who were part of the Netherlands series available now. Apart from Super Giants’ Mohsin Khan, there are no known injury concerns.

Toss and Impact Player strategy

Lucknow Super Giants
With de Kock a shoo-in, Stoinis may have to miss out. When it comes to Impact Player, Super Giants could start with Ayush Badoni if they are batting first. Jaydev Unadkat or Yash Thakur could replace him in the second innings. Vice versa if they are bowling first.Probable bat-first XI: 1 KL Rahul (capt), 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Deepak Hooda, 4 Quinton de Kock (wk), 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Ayush Badoni, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 K Gowtham, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Mark WoodProbable bowl-first XI: 1 KL Rahul (capt), 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Deepak Hooda, 4 Quinton de Kock (wk), 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 K Gowtham, 8 Avesh Khan, 9 Jaydev Unadkat/Yash Thakur, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Mark WoodAiden Markram will take over the captaincy from Bhuvneshwar Kumar•BCCI

Sunrisers Hyderabad
Given Klaasen’s recent form, and that he is a regular wicketkeeper, he could replace Glenn Phillips in the starting XI. Jansen may have to wait for his turn, though.Abdul Samad and Kartik Tyagi could be Sunrisers’ Impact Player pair.Probable bat-first XI: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Aiden Markram (capt), 5 Harry Brook, 6 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Umran Malik, 11 T NatarajanProbable bowl-first XI: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Aiden Markram (capt), 5 Harry Brook, 6 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Adil Rashid, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Umran Malik, 10 T Natarajan, 11 Kartik Tyagi

Stats that matter

• Since the start of the last IPL, Super Giants have won eight out of nine games when batting first. But when it comes to chasing, they have won only two out of eight.
• Mayers’ strike rate against pace is 149.54. But against spin, it drops down to 103.15.
• Pooran has a great strike rate against both pace and spin, but Adil Rashid has been able to keep him quiet. In 36 balls to Pooran, he has conceded just 31 runs while getting him out twice.
• Since the start of 2022, Mark Wood has picked up a wicket every eighth ball.

Pitch and conditions

Teams batting first have fared slightly better at this venue, with 17 wins and 14 defeats from 31 T20s. When it comes to bowling, spinners (6.49) have been more frugal than fast bowlers (7.87).

The cricket world reacts to the incidents of bottle-throwing during the second India-South Africa T20 in Cuttack that caused two interruptions in play

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-20151:45

Agarkar: Crowd reaction was disgraceful

The crowds may be upset with the way India played this evening but the way they are behaving is very disappointing. #IndvsSA

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) October 5, 2015

What a shame ! When we win all is good when we loosing is that how u behave ? Pl show some respect to your players and respect the game

— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) October 5, 2015

Sad to see the reputation of Odisha brought down because of few morons. #INDvSA #disgusting

— Pragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha) October 5, 2015

Really sad and disappointing behaviour from fans in cuttack tonight! Scenes that should not be seen at sporting grounds. #SAvsIND

— Graeme Smith (@GraemeSmith49) October 5, 2015

Disgusting scenes in Cuttack…. So many Venues in India…. Easy punishment…Don't let them host internationals for a few years…#SAvIND

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) October 5, 2015

Disgraceful scenes in Cuttack. Nobody has a right to throw bottles onto the ground. Crowd performance worse than that of the players.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 5, 2015

Fans make heroes out of sportsmen alright, but they can't let the country down with bad behaviour when their heroes let them down #IndvsSA

— wv raman (@wvraman) October 5, 2015

How would you like if people threw bottles at you after a bad day at office? Idiots are everywhere…some have made it to the ground #IndvSA

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 5, 2015

After Melbourne Renegades used Sunil Narine as an opener, we look at other surprises at the top of the order in T20s

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jan-2017Sreesanth: Andhra v Kerala, Inter-state Twenty20 tournament 2007, Score: 19(21)•Associated PressYasir Shah: Chittagong Vikings v Dhaka Dynamites, BPL 2015, Score: 10(9). Next match as opener: 8 (18)•Getty ImagesNeil Wagner: Auckland v Otago, HRV Cup 2011-12, Score: 4(5)•Getty ImagesR Ashwin: Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2013, Score: 11(13)•BCCI

We are only in the second week of the silly season, yet the rumour mill is in full swing, especially so for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side are enduring something of a minor blip in the Premier League and look destined to exit the League Cup, so links to a whole host of attacking stars shouldn’t be all that surprising.

One of the most prominent links has been to Wolverhampton Wanderers’ star Matheus Cunha, although with talk of him signing a new deal with the Old Gold, it seems unlikely that he’ll be going anywhere.

However, there is another Premier League star that the Gunners have been linked to recently, a star who just so happens to have won comparisons to Cunha this year.

Arsenal chase superb Premier League star

According to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal are interested in Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo.

Unfortunately for any fans hoping he might join this month, Plettenberg has revealed that the Cameroon international has been placed on the Gunners’ shortlist for potential summer signings.

The report does not mention a potential price tag, but according to other stories from earlier this month, the talented attacker could be available for around £50m.

It could be a complicated and relatively costly transfer to get over the line, but given Mbeumo’s incredible ability, it’s one well worth pursuing, especially as he’s won comparisons to Cunha.

How Mbeumo compares to fellow Arsenal target Matheus Cunha

So, before we look at a couple of the reasons Arsenal should go out and sign Mbeumo this year, be that this month or in the summer, let’s examine this comparison to Cunha and where it has come from.

It primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Brazilian is the seventh most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Cameroonian over the last 365 days.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, expected goals plus assists, passing accuracy, progressive, live and key passes, shot and goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

However, aside from his similarities to the incredible Wolves talent, there are a couple of other reasons Arteta and Co should look to bring the former Troyes ace in this year.

The first is his incredible output, as in just 23 appearances across all competitions this season, the dynamic attacker, whom pundit Dan Bardell recently dubbed “one of the best players in the Premier League,” has found the back of the net on 13 occasions and provided four assists for good measure.

This means that, as things stand, the 25-year-old ace is averaging a goal involvement every 1.35 games for the Bees.

Finally, on top of bringing more goals to the team, the Avallon-born dynamo would also be the perfect player to cover for Bukayo Saka off the right – to ensure he is no longer overplayed – and he could also rival Kai Havetrz and Gabriel Jesus for the number nine role, ensuring they have to stay on their toes at all times.

Ultimately, while it wouldn’t be cheap, Arsenal should do what they can to bring Mbeumo to the Emirates this year, as his goalscoring abilities and positional versatility would make the team far stronger.

Their answer to Isak: Arsenal handed chance to sign £46m "world-class" star

The impressive international would make Arsenal far more dangerous.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 8, 2025

The Argentine scored twice and played a key role in a third to spark a furious comeback in the Champions Cup

Lionel Messi played hero in yet another memorable night of football, scoring twice and orchestrating a third to lead Inter Miami to a 3-2 aggregate win over LAFC and book a spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals. The home side came into the evening trailing 1-0 in the tie after losing the first leg, and after conceding early, had to score three to advance. But Messi worked his typical magic, playing a role in each goal to keep his team alive in a tournament they are favorites to win.

LAFC took the lead inside 10 minutes, Aaron Long hooking a volley into the far corner after Inter Miami failed to clear a set piece. Miami responded, though. They thought they had an equalizer when Messi curled in a free-kick — but saw the goal chalked off after VAR determined the referee hadn't blown the whistle. Messi didn't need long after that to level things, though, weaving through the LAFC defense before finding the top corner with a curled effort.

Miami came alive in the second half. Messi started picking up dangerous pockets of space. Suarez had a long-range effort saved. Jordi Alba clipped the post. Noah Allen grabbed the second, his dinked pass evading two defenders and Tadeo Allende before trickling into the net. Suarez thought he had a decisive third after 70 minutes, but saw a deft flicked header ruled out for a narrow offside. Messi ultimately, inevitably, provided the killer blow. LAFC center back Marlon handled the ball in the box in the 83rd minute. The Argentine stepped up from the spot. LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris didn't move and Messi clipped the ball past him.

There was still drama to be found. Veteran goalkeeper Oscar Ustari made two immense saves for . Tackles flew in. Referee Cesar Ramos was routinely surrounded by angry men. But Miami, amid it all, held on, and, with Messi at the helm, can almost taste Javier Mascherano's first trophy in club management.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Chase Stadium…

• Getty
  

  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Oscar Ustari (7/10):

  Got caught between minds in the LAFC goal, redeemed himself with two vital saves in the final minutes.

  Marcelo Weigandt (6/10):

  Given a real headache by Denis Bouanga early on, but settled in thereafter.

  Maximiliano Falcon (7/10):

  Looked like he wanted to get sent off at times, really flying into tackles. But Miami needed that grit.

  Noah Allen (8/10):

  Scored what might be the most important goal of his Miami career – even if he didn't mean it. Really composed at the back otherwise.

  Jordi Alba (7/10):

  Full of energy and attacking thrust on the left. Put in a few key tackles, too.

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• Getty
  

  Midfield

  Yannick Bright (7/10):

  Flew into tackles and put out fires everywhere. A really good hour of work until he ran out of gas.

  Federico Redondo (7/10):

  Full of legs in center midfield. Helped Miami hold things down after a far too frantic start.

  Telasco Segovia (6/10):

  A bit lacking in his usual attacking quality on the wing. Could have delivered a better pass on a few occasions.

  Tadeo Allende (7/10):

  Very quiet when Miami had the ball. Completed just 13 passes all evening. But indispensable off it, helping cover ground for the immobile Suarez.

• Getty
  

  Attack

  Lionel Messi (10/10):

  Scored a really very silly goal. Created chaos in between, and buried the winning penalty. Magical, match-winning, and so, so, so predictable.

  Luis Suarez (6/10):

  A bit all over the place. Caused problems with his movement, unfortunate to have a goal ruled out, but looked awfully slow at times.

• Getty
  

  Subs & Manager

  Benjamin Cremaschi (7/10):

  Immediately up for the fight. Played a role in winning the corner in the run up to the third.

  Tomas Aviles (N/A):

  Late legs to shore up the defense.

  Gonzalo Lujan (N/A):

  Made an important clearance late.

  Fafa Picault (N/A):

  No time to make an impact.

  Javier Mascherano (9/10):

  His finest moment in management to date. He set up a bit cautiously, packed the midfield, and got the most out of his star. Wonderfully done. Bring on the semis.

We are just over the halfway point of the season, and it would be fair to say things aren’t looking too bad for Ipswich Town.

Now, it is true that Kieran McKenna’s side are sat in the relegation zone, but results have improved in recent weeks, and they are still within touching distance of safety.

Moreover, with the transfer window in full swing, the club have a chance to further strengthen the squad and bolster their chances of survival.

That said, while reinforcements will undoubtedly help, we can’t imagine they’ll bring in anyone more valuable than one of their current stars, including Jadan Philogene.

Ipswich's January dealings

So, with so much on the line, there was an expectation that Ipswich would be at least somewhat active in the transfer market this month, and so far, anyway, they have been.

For example, just five days into the window, Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey joined the club on loan until the end of the season, and while he struggled to make an impact in Serie A, this could prove to be a brilliant deal.

The former Everton ace has 112 Premier League appearances to his name, two England caps and can play across the backline and even in defensive midfield if needed.

With that said, while the York-born defender will undoubtedly add some more solidity to the Tractor Boys, he won’t add much excitement, at least not as much as the club’s second addition, Jaden Philogene.

It took a little while for the deal to be officially completed, but it was finally announced on Wednesday afternoon that he had joined Ipswich for around £20m.

It’s certainly a lot of money to spend on a player with just 334 minutes of top-flight football to his name, but considering he racked up a brilliant haul of 12 goals and six assists in just 32 Championship appearances for Hull City last season, it could prove a wise investment a few years from now.

That said, there is a current Ipswich star who spent time with the Tigers last season, someone worth considerably more than £20m.

The Ipswich star worth millions more than Philogene

So, to get straight to the point, it will come as no surprise that the player we are talking about is, of course, Liam Delap.

The former Manchester City prospect, who also cost £20m in the summer, is now worth up to €41.3m according to Football Transfers, which converts to about £34.77m, or £14.77m more than Philogene is set to cost.

Now, while that is undoubtedly a lot of money, it could be argued that the Englishman should be worth even more, as so far this season, he has been utterly spectacular.

For example, even though he is playing for a relegation-threatened team and had limited top-flight experience prior, the incredible “one-man battering ram,” as dubbed by Opta Analyst, has scored eight goals and provided two assists in just 21 appearances, totalling 1553 minutes.

That means that the 21-year-old phenom is currently averaging a goal involvement every other game, or every 155.3minutes, which, again, for a team battling down in the relegation zone is simply sublime.

Ultimately, there can be no debate over Ipswich’s best player this season, and should they manage to keep themselves up, the sky is the limit for Delap’s future valuation.

Ipswich Town now receive permanent bid to sell "powerful" player in January

The Tractor Boys are open to a sale.

By
Charlie Smith

Jan 15, 2025

The fast bowler left the IPL early but has since returned to bowling ahead of the WTC final and Ashes

Andrew McGlashan22-May-2023Josh Hazlewood, who has missed substantial Test cricket over the last couple of years through injury, flew home early from the IPL after reporting side soreness although scans in Australia did not show any damage. He has since returned to bowling ahead of the squad’s departure to the UK at the end of the week for the World Test Championship (WTC) final and the Ashes.Hazlewood played the last of his three games for Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 9 and bowled a total of nine overs in IPL 2023.”Josh Hazlewood returned home from the IPL last weekend after experiencing minor side soreness after the completion of his most recent IPL match,” a CA spokesperson said.Related

• Neser looms as World Test Championship reinforcement amid Hazlewood's tight turnaround

• Hazlewood on injury layoff: 'It just happens to be at the wrong time of the year'

• Michael Neser's four-wicket haul keeps Ashes selectors interested

• Why Australia could have the advantage in the World Test Championship final

• Renshaw's moment of clarity on way to Ashes tour selection

“After a brief and precautionary rest period, Hazlewood returned to high intensity bowling last week and will continue to increase his bowling workloads in preparation for the WTC and Ashes series. Hazlewood is considered fit and available for the WTC and Ashes Series.”Following a delayed arrival, Hazlewood’s IPL stint had been his return to action after his tour of India ended early due to an Achilles injury he sustained against South Africa at the SCG in January. That, itself, had been a comeback game after he suffered a side strain against West Indies in Perth, having also gone down with one during the 2021-22 Ashes in which he missed four of the Tests.Since the start of that England series, Hazlewood has only been able to play four Tests, although in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, that was due to the balance of Australia’s side where they included the extra spinner.He was excellent on his return against South Africa earlier this year where he was potent with reverse swing and claimed five wickets in the match. When Hazlewood was selected at the SCG in place of Scott Boland as one of two quicks it showed that he remained in a first-choice attack. In England he has taken 36 wickets at 23.58 from eight Tests.Over that same period where his Tests have been limited, Hazlewood’s stature as a T20 bowler has risen enormously and he reached No. 1 in the rankings in June 2022 after helping Australia win the T20 World Cup for the first time.However, before the Sydney Test last summer he spoke about the challenges of preparing for Test cricket as a multi-format bowler”If you have to focus on either a strength period or bowl a few more balls at training when you are playing with the white ball, at the detriment of maybe not being 100 percent for those games, then it puts you in a better place for a Test series that follows,” he said. “Just little things like that we’re talking about with coaches or medical staff. That will be something I’ll look to do in the next little period.”While Australia are confident of having dodged a significant injury concern just days before leaving for the UK, they do have extra resources to call on if needed. Michael Neser and Sean Abbott, who have been playing for Glamorgan and Surrey respectively, will link up with the squad for their training camp ahead of the WTC final against India.Neser rounded off the most recent Championship match against Sussex with a century having previously taken a career-best 7 for 32, including a hat-trick, against Yorkshire.Australia initially named a 17-player squad for the tour but that needs to be trimmed to 15 names for the final by May 28.As has become the norm for them there is no tour match in the lead-up with the squad instead training at Beckenham, south of London, ahead of the final lead-in to facing India on June 7. All six Tests on the tour are played in less than two months.

Henry's last match was the 4-0 thrashing of Chivas in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Clásico Nacional, played on March 12

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• Martín is suffering from tendonitis in his Achilles tendon.

• He will miss the matches against Tigres, Cruz Azul, and Pachuca.

• The forward is doubtful for the return leg against Cruz Azul in the Champions Cup.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  América captain Henry Martín will be sidelined for at least four weeks due to a lingering Achilles injury. The forward has been dealing with the issue for months and hasn’t been at full strength since the start of the year. His absence means he will miss Liga MX matches against Tigres and Pachuca, as well as the first leg of the Champions Cup quarterfinals against Cruz Azul.

  It is unlikely that Martín will recover in time for the second leg on April 8, and his availability for América’s Liga MX match against Cruz Azul on April 12 (Matchday 15) remains uncertain. Manager André Jardine will have to wait and see if his captain can return in time.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A few weeks ago, the forward consulted a specialist in Guadalajara, who recommended that he stop and undergo a month of rehabilitation to return fully recovered.

  Martín currently has his leg immobilized with an orthopedic boot, and although he is receiving daily rehabilitation at Coapa, for now, he cannot engage in any football-related activities.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT VÍCTOR DÁVILA SAID

  "A shame, we hope to have all our teammates available for the end of the tournament, but we're calm because the coach has handled it well. We've had rotations, and we have a wide enough squad to cover every position," Davila said of Martin's injury. "Each player has contributed good things in the attack, and André Jardine has managed the pieces well and distributed each player accordingly. What we expect is that Henry can recover properly, and it will be up to us to do our part and cover for his absence."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Injuries have impacted Martin's performance this season. The forward has only been able to play nine matches this year between Liga MX and the Champions Cup, where he has scored just once and registered three assists. Martín has a total of 115 goals in matches with América and is currently in fourth place on the list of the club's all-time top scorers.

Arsenal are willing to shell out a fee to make one striker their second most expensive ever signing, behind their club-record deal for midfielder Declan Rice, as manager Mikel Arteta seeks to add a new forward to his squad this month.

Arsenal in dire need of striker after Gabriel Jesus blow

Gabriel Jesus is set to miss the rest of this season after rupturing his ACL, and the Brazilian’s lengthy absence means that Arteta will have just Kai Havertz from now until the conclusion of this Premier League title race – if they can’t get another striker through the door.

Arsenal approach £182k-per-week Bayern Munich star over joining them

The north Londoners have reached out to his agents.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jan 17, 2025

Arteta has confirmed Arsenal’s plans to sign a new forward this month, and it is reliably believed that the Gunners are working hard on adding a new number nine to their ranks before deadline day on February 3.

There are even reports that Arsenal have had a loan bid rejected for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, while others claim the north Londoners are in active negotiations with RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko, who they reportedly tried and failed to sign last summer.

Arsenal have also been urged to break the bank for Newcastle United star Alexander Isak, who’s been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.

“I would literally go right now with a barrel-load of cash and drive to Newcastle and break the bank to sign Alexander Isak,” said Piers Morgan on talkSPORT.

“£100million, £120m, £140m, £150m – I don’t care. I will find the players from our 87 defenders that we’ve signed in the last two years to make up the cash for the PSR stuff.

“The way we play, the chances we create – do you know how many shots we’ve had this week? 49 shots. Do you know how many goals we’ve scored? One. Do you know who scored it? Gabriel, a central defender. If that doesn’t tell you something, I don’t know what does.”

Arsenal prepared to pay £84 million release clause for Viktor Gyokeres

According to French newspaper L’Equipe, as relayed by GiveMeSport, Arteta’s side are prepared to go all out for Sporting star Viktor Gyokeres. The Swede has picked up right where he left off last season, bagging an incredible 32 goals and six assists in all competitions so far, making him a hot commodity for elite European sides who are after a proven scorer.

It is believed that Arsenal are not opposed to paying Gyokeres’ £84 million release clause, which would make him their second-most expensive ever signing behind Rice.

The 26-year-old, formerly of Coventry City, has enjoyed quite a rise to stardom. Gyokeres also possesses favourable physical attributes which could make him tailor-made for the Premier League, like his speed.

“I don’t want to say he should test himself in the Premier League but who is like him in the Premier League at the moment,” said Tony Mowbray in 2023.

“Who is too fast, too strong and too big, you would suggest Haaland is like that and Gyokeres in this league looks a yard faster and stronger than the players he plays against in the Championship.”

Saudi Arabia are reportedly trying to approach for Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, who may be set to leave Los Blancos later this month.

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• Carlo Ancelotti set to leave Real Madrid
• Saudi Arabia want Italian for national team
• Brazil also keen on signing Ancelotti

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ancelotti was reportedly set to part ways with Real Madrid at the end of the season. However, following his side's humiliation at the hands of the Premier League giants Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final, it has been reported that the Italian coach may leave the club after their Copa del Rey final later this month.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Saudi Arabian national team has now approached Ancelotti to take over as head coach after he departs Real Madrid, as per FootballTransfers. Journalist Duncan Castles revealed that Ancelotti is open to his next job being in Saudi Arabia. The signing of the Italian has also been requested by the president of the Brazilian national team as they look to revamp the fortunes of the Selecao following Dorival Junior's departure.

• AFP
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  As per the report, Saudi Arabia's football federation is drawing up plans to improve their national team in time for the 2034 World Cup, which they will be hosting, and they want Ancelotti to play the first part of the developmental process.

• WHAT NEXT FOR ANCELOTTI?

  The Italian's departure from Real Madrid after the Copa del Rey final is yet to be confirmed; however, if the news is true, Los Blancos' La Liga clashes against Athletic Club and Getafe will be his final set of league games as their coach.