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Glasgow Rangers are on the lookout for a permanent manager heading into the 2025/26 season.

With the 49ers Enterprises takeover edging towards completion, they will be keen on securing a high-profile name to take the club forward.

Steven Gerrard is a name that has been linked with a return to Ibrox, but perhaps Marco Rose would be the best option for the Gers.

The German is among one of the favourites to land the coveted role. If he does move to Glasgow, there are at least four high-profile players that both the club and he must shift from the wage bill this summer.

A fresh start is needed all across the park, starting with Jack Butland in the sticks…

1

Jack Butland

The Englishman’s mistake against Celtic in the Scottish Cup final last season has been the catalyst for a poor season at Ibrox.

The £25k-per-week goalkeeper has made a slew of mistakes throughout the season, while conceding 48 goals and keeping just 14 clean sheets across 42 matches in all competitions.

Rose could cash in on the player in the summer as he looks to recruit someone who is at their peak.

2

James Tavernier

The captain, who earns £30k-per-week, is currently heading into the final year of his contract at Ibrox.

That comes amid a poor individual season, which has seen Tavernier register only 17 goal involvements, a far cry from the 36 he recorded last term.

A new direction is needed at Ibrox, and with the Englishman turning 34 in October, surely now is the time for the club to sell him and move on.

James Tavernier’s stats at Rangers since joining
Season	Games	Goals	Assists
2023/24	58	24	12
2022/23	55	18	10
2021/22	58	18	17
2020/21	46	19	16
2019/20	46	3	16
2018/19	57	17	20
2017/18	46	9	9
2016/17	44	2	7
2015/16	50	15	23
Via Transfermarkt

After yet another campaign that will end without a trophy, Tavernier’s influence is significantly on the wane. That much is certain.

3

Kieran Dowell

Michael Beale signed Dowell in the summer of 2023 as his contract expired with Norwich City, but he made only 17 appearances for the club in his maiden season.

It became clear he wasn’t at the required level to take the Light Blues to the next level and after 16 games this term, the £16k-per-week midfielder joined Birmingham City on a loan deal.

Ten goal involvements across 22 matches proves Dowell has found his level and the Midlands side could look at signing the Englishman on a permanent basis this summer.

This is a move Rose will surely sanction, allowing him funds to strengthen his squad.

4

Ben Davies

Davies is another player who spent time on loan with Birmingham City this season. After two fairly underwhelming seasons at Ibrox, Philippe Clement sent him on loan to League One last summer. The £27k-per-week defender, like Dowell, appears to have found his level during his temporary stay.

The centre-back has won 70% of his total duels in the third tier this season, along with averaging 6.2 clearances and making 1.1 tackles per game.

Following their promotion, the Blues might want to keep Davies at the club permanently and this is something Rangers must look at pushing through.

He doesn’t seem like a player who would thrive under Rose, and freeing up his massive wages would certainly help the German in the transfer window.

Thelwell pushing Rangers to replace Ferguson with 53 y/o "absolute genius"

Incoming sporting director Kevin Thelwell is expected to play a major role in the Gers’ pursuit of a new manager.

By
Dominic Lund

May 1, 2025

Celtic centre-forward Adam Idah added another goal to his tally for the season in the 1-1 draw with the club’s city rivals away from home in the Scottish Premiership last time out.

The Ireland international has now scored 18 goals in all competitions for the Hoops in his first full season at the club, following his permanent move from Norwich City last summer.

Idah may, however, hope to earn more minutes in the Premiership under Brendan Rodgers next term, because he has only started 17 of his 32 appearances in the division so far this year.

He has found himself behind Daizen Maeda in the pecking order at times, whilst he was often behind Kyogo Furuhashi in the first half of the 2024/25 campaign.

That was before the Japan international left to sign for Rennes in the January transfer window for a reported fee of £10m, leaving Maeda and Idah to battle it out for a starting spot.

Celtic will be hoping that Idah becomes a success and fulfills his potential at Parkhead as they look for their best centre-forward signing since Odsonne Edouard.

Celtic's top scorers since Odsonne Edouard left

The Scottish giants smashed their transfer record to sign the French centre-forward from Paris Saint-Germain for a reported fee of £9m in the summer of 2018, after an initial loan spell at Parkhead.

Edouard went on to score at least 22 goals in each of his three full seasons as a permanent Celtic star, which shows that he provided a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.

After those three seasons, the 23-year-old was snapped up by Premier League side Crystal Palace in a reported deal that could rise to £18.5m, which meant that the Bhoys more than doubled their money on the striker, and it is a transfer that ranks as the fifth-highest sale in the club’s history, as per Transfermarkt.

Since Edouard moved down south in the summer of 2021, Kyogo, Idah, and Maeda have all had turns at being the main man at the top end of the pitch for goals.

24/25

Daizen Maeda

33

23/24

Kyogo Furuhashi

19

22/23

Kyogo Furuhashi

34

21/22

Kyogo Furuhashi

20

20/21

Odsonne Edouard

22

19/20

Odsonne Edouard

29

18/19

Odsonne Edouard

22

As you can see in the table above, Kyogo only scored more than 20 goals in one of his three full seasons at Parkhead before his £10m move to Rennes, which shows that he was not as consistent as Edouard, and he was sold for £8.5m less.

Maeda, meanwhile, scored just 14 goals in his first two Premiership seasons at the club before the current campaign, so he is yet to prove that his current goalscoring exploits are more than a flash in the pan.

Therefore, Celtic have not made a better striker signing than Edouard since the Frenchman’s departure, both for footballing and financial reasons, but they do have the chance to rectify that in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Celtic's told how much to pay for striker target

According to reports in Denmark, via GlasgowWorld, Brondby are set to demand a record fee of £11.4m to allow Mathias Kvistgaarden to move on in the summer.

That would also make the centre-forward a club-record signing for the Hoops, as well as a club-record sale for Brondby, after they broke their record with an £11m move for Arne Engels from Augsburg last year.

Transfer Focus

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

Football Insider reported earlier this year that the Hoops are planning to make a move for the Danish centre-forward in the summer transfer window in an attempt to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

The outlet added that the 23-year-old marksman is a long-term target for the Scottish giants, and that they are eyeing him up ahead of next season.

With this in mind, Celtic could land their best centre-forward signing since Edouard by pushing ahead with a deal for the young Brondby sensation in the coming months.

Why Kvistgaarden could be Celtic's best centre-forward signing since Edouard

Firstly, Kvistgaarden would come in as a young player with the potential to improve and grow in value throughout his time at Parkhead, which means that they could make a significant profit on him in the future.

Whereas Kyogo left to sign for Rennes at the age of 30 in January, which may have been why his transfer fee was £10m, rather than being closer to Edouard’s £18.5m move to Palace.

This means that Kvistgaarden would have more potential to be sold on for big money in the future than Kyogo ever had, simply because he is seven years younger than the Japanese ace.

The £11.4m-rated star, who was hailed as “absolutely sensational” by U23 scout Antonio Mango earlier this term, also has the goalscoring pedigree to potentially offer more than the Japan international did in the final third.

Appearances

35

Shots on target

40

Goals

22

Big chances missed

15

Key passes

20

Big chances created

4

Assists

5

As you can see in the table above, Kvistgaarden has scored 22 goals in all competitions for Brondby this term, which is more than Kyogo managed in two of his three full seasons in Glasgow.

This suggests that the potential is there for the Danish star to offer even more than the Rennes striker did during his time at Parkhead, if he can carry that form over to Scottish football and deliver consistently in the final third.

Kvistgaarden, who scored 31 goals and provided 11 assists in 45 matches for Brondby at U19 level, has shown that he can be lethal in front of goal on a regular basis, particularly at league level with 16 goals in 23 Superliga starts.

The Celtic transfer target could, therefore, be the club’s best centre-forward signing since Edouard because he has the age profile, the potential, and the goalscoring pedigree to be even better for the Hoops than Kyogo as a goalscorer and as a future asset.

Celtic could sign their next McGregor in shock move for £14m Scotland star

Celtic have been tipped as a possible option for this £13.6m-rated star in the future.

ByDan Emery May 8, 2025

It is now down to Celtic’s board to back Rodgers in the transfer market by splashing the cash to sign a high-quality striker in a club-record swoop for Kvistgaarden in the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster their options in the final third.

Harry Kane produced a stunning long-range strike to give Bayern Munich a two-goal lead over Flamengo in their Club World Cup round of 16 clash at the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida. The brilliant effort from outside of the box also helped Kane achieve yet another milestone as he registered 40-plus goals in a second consecutive season.

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Kane scored a stunning long-range goalDoubled his team's tally against FlamengoScored his 40th goal of the 2024-25 campaignFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

With Bayern already 1-0 up in their round of 16 tie thanks to an Erick Pulgar own goal, Dayot Upamecano stopped a Flamengo counter-attack with a brilliant tackle as Kane won the ball. The English striker then took a few strides before finding the back of the net with a low-lying long-range shot using his supposedly weaker left foot.

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Kane went trophyless in his maiden campaign in Germany, but personally, he had an amazing journey with the Bavarian side. He scored 44 goals across all competitions in 45 appearances and provided 12 assists. Bayern won the Bundesliga title back in the 2024-25 campaign, and Kane has now reached the 40 goal mark again by scoring on his 50th appearance against Flamengo.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH?

Vincent Kompany's side went in at the half-time break 3-1 up thanks to a third goal from Leon Goretzka. Kane then doubled his account in the second half as Bayern ran out 4-2 winners to set up a huge quarter-final showdown with PSG.

يعاني فريق أتلتيكو مدريد من لحظة سيئة للغاية في الوقت الحالي قبل مباراته المرتقبة ضد نظيره فريق ليفربول، في إطار منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويستضيف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة فريقي ليفربول وأتلتيكو مدريد، يوم الأربعاء المقبل، في الجولة الأولى من مرحلة الدوري من دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2025/26.

وحقق أتلتيكو مدريد فوزه الأول في موسم الدوري الإسباني الحالي، مساء يوم السبت، ضد خصمه فياريال بهدفين دون رد، ولكن ليلته تعكرت بسبب 4 إصابات.

البداية كانت عند نجم أتلتيكو مدريد، جوليان ألفاريز، الذي صنع هدف أتلتيكو مدريد الأول لزميله بابلو باريوس، وتم استبداله بين الشوطين، حيث ذكرت تقارير صحفية إسبانية أن ذلك جاء كإجراء احترازي بعد تعرضه لتدخل قوي من لاعب الخصم سانتياجو مورينو.

وقال دييجو سيميوني عن ذلك بعد المباراة: “دعونا نأمل ألا يكون هناك أي شئ عندما يستيقظ من النوم وتكون ساعاته الأولى بدون أي إزعاج، نأمل أن يكون في أقرب قت ممكن”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مواعيد مباريات ليفربول في مرحلة الدوري من دوري أبطال أوروبا 2025/26

كما سقط روبن لو نورماند على أرض الملعب، في وقت متأخر من مباراة أتلتيكو مدريد وفياريال، وطلب استبداله، في حين خرج المدافع ديفيد هانكو بعد 7 دقائق من مشاركته كبديل، بسبب التواء في الكاحل.

وصرّح سيميوني: “لم نتحدث مع الطاقم الطبي للنادي، بشكل عام يعاني من انزعاج وكدمات والتواء في الكاحل، سنخبركم بمزيد من التفاصيل لاحقًا”.

كما ذكرت تقارير صحفية إسبانية أن نيكو جونزاليس، لاعب أتلتيكو مدريد، خرج من مباراة فياريال وهو يعاني من تشنجات عضلية.

تأتي تلك الضربات بعد استبعاد أليكس باينا وتياجو ألمادا من مباراة السبت، حيث يعاني الأول من التهاب في الزائدة الدودية خلال فترة التوقف الدولي، في حين أن الثاني سيغيب لبضعة أسابيع بسبب إصابة عضلية تعرض لها مع الأرجنتين خلال الفوز على فنزويلا هذا الشهر.

Tottenham Hotspur are in for a crucial summer window under Ange Postecoglou and have now set their sights on a prolific scorer to bolster the pedigree of their forward line.

Tottenham Hotspur's summer transfer plans come to light

Upon assessment, Spurs have endured a disappointing campaign littered with inconsistency, yet could still snatch a backdoor route to Champions League qualification via clinching the Europa League title in May.

Ange Postecoglou has needed to weather the storm this season and the Australian’s job security is said to be uncertain amid recent reports that Mauricio Pochettino could succeed the former Celtic boss.

Either way, he remains in position for now, and their transfer strategy this summer could begin with a move to north London for River Plate star Franco Mastantuono. Having made initial contact, the Lilywhites believe they could strike and deliver for a fee under his reported £38m release clause.

On the same token, Tottenham are in pole position for Wolverhampton Wanderers’ full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, who is under contract in the West Midlands until the summer of 2026.

Sizing up potential targets on expiring deals could be a handy strategy, especially when factoring in the amount of finance left over to strengthen in other areas of the field.

Chelsea (A)

Premier League

Southampton (H)

Premier League

Eintract Frankfurt (H)

Europa League

Wolverhampton Wanderers (A)

Premier League

Eintracht Frankfurt (A)

Europa League

Evaluating areas to bolster, Spurs’ forward line stands out more than most due to Dominic Solanke’s injury frustrations, which have limited the Three Lions international to 33 appearances this term.

Help could be on the way this summer, with Postecoglou now turning his attention to one of Europe’s most prolific goalscorers, as per recent reports.

Tottenham in talks to sign Lille forward Jonathan David

According to a report in France via Sport Witness, Tottenham are in active discussions to sign Lille forward Jonathan David following the Canada international’s excellent return of 23 goals and 10 assists in 41 appearances during 2024/25.

Arsenal and Manchester United are also on the case, while Borussia Dortmund provide further competition for his signature from the continent. Deemed an attractive option on the market due to his impending free agent status, the 25-year-old would favour a move to England over other destinations.

"Unbelievable" Tottenham star key to Ange now open to joining Real Madrid

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BySean Markus Clifford Mar 21, 2025

Labelled ‘magical’ by Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic, he has also been subject to a previous offer from West Ham United, but their interest has since fallen on deaf ears.

Continuing his fine spate of performances across the Channel, David also radiates a desire to bring others into play, with the forward creating 27 chances and completing 14 dribbles on league duty. Over the course of his career, he has struck 144 times in 327 outings.

In the midst of fierce competition, the onus now is on Postecoglou and Daniel Levy to sell him a project that cannot be refused even if Spurs end up heading into next season without the lure of continental football.

Ruben Amorim told Alejandro Garnacho to "pray" that he can find a new club in a public dressing down in front of the entire Manchester United squad.

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• Garnacho being forced out
• Amorim brutally dresses him down
• Garnacho seeking new club

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per the , United boss Amorim held an open meeting at Carrington on Saturday in which he essentially confirmed that the winger can leave this summer. He was so angry, however, that he said, "You better pray that you can find a club to sign you", in a manner that informed the entire squad his United career is over.

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  The Argentine has made 58 appearances in all competitions this season but he was vocal in his displeasure at how he was used in the Europa League final, as he was named as a substitute, and then played just 19 minutes in the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham. Afterwards, he claimed the season was "sh*t".

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Napoli and Chelsea have been touted as possible options for Garnacho and United are said to value him at up to £70 million ($94.5m), but it is unclear if they will be able to extract full value from a player who has now been exiled.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  United have embarked on a post-season tour of Malaysia and Hong Kong. It is unclear if Garnacho will play against ASEAN All-Stars on Wednesday.

أعلنت رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة، عن أفضل هدف في الجولتين الثالثة والرابعة من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويتصدر الزمالك جدول ترتيب مسابقة الدوري المصري بعد مرور 4 جولات برصيد 10 نقاط بفارق نقطتين عن المصري أقرب ملاحقيه.

طالع.. إيقاف ثنائي الزمالك وبيراميدز.. عقوبات الجولة الرابعة من الدوري المصري

وكشفت رابطة الأندية عبر حسابها على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي عن فوز البرازيلي خوان ألفينا بأفضل هدف في الجولة الثالثة، في مباراة  الزمالك ومودرن سبورت باختيار الجمهور.

وفي الجولة الرابعة، فاز غنام محمد، لاعب مودرن سبورت بأفضل هدف بعد رأسيته في شباك بيراميدز بحسب تصويت الجمهور.

وحقق مودرن سبورت الفوز على بيراميدز بهدفين مقابل هدف في الجولة الرابعة من مسابقة الدوري المصري.

أعلنت لجنة الحكام في الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، برئاسة أوسكار رويز، عن طاقم تحكيم المباراة المرتقبة بين الأهلي وبيراميدز، المقرر لها مساء السبت القادم ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع بيراميدز مساء السبت المقبل، على أرضية استاد السلام في إطار لقاءات الجولة الخامسة من عمر بطولة الدوري المصري.

الأهلي بدأ مشواره في بطولة الدوري بتحقيق تعادل أمام مودرن سبورت في الجولة الأولى بهدفين لكل فريق، قبل أن يحقق فوزًا كبيرًا على فاركو بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف في الجولة الثانية، بينما تعادل سلبياً مع غزل المحلة.

طالع أيضاً.. إنفراجة في أزمة أرض الزمالك بعد جلسة مع وزير الإسكان

على الجانب الآخر، استهل بيراميدز مشواره في الدوري المصري بتعادل سلبي أمام وداي دجلة، ثم الفوز على الإسماعيلي بهدف دون رد، وفي الجولة الثالثة تعادل مع المصري إيجابياً بنتيجة 2-2، فيما خسر في الجولة الرابعة أمام مودرن سبورت بنتيجة 2-1. حكم مباراة الأهلي وبيراميدز في الدوري المصري

 حكم ساحة: خافيير روخارس.

حكم مساعد أول: ألفريدو رودريجيز موريني.

حكم مساعد ثان: خورخي بونو مايتي.

حكم رابع: اليخاندرو مونيز رويس.

حكم فيديو: خورخي فيجروا باسكيس ويعاونه أحمد الغندور وحسام عزب.

Returns of Stokes, Boult dominate build-up as World Cup finalists get their ODI heads back on

Andrew Miller07-Sep-20232:46

Miller: Hard to argue with Stokes above Brook

Big picture: Lord’s finalists reunited
Change of week, change of format, change of headspace, same opponents … sort of.Forget the exploratory joustings that played out in a deeply peculiar T20I series, one in which England were a class apart until they were not, and in which New Zealand went from distracted cannon-fodder to destructive bomb-squaddies in the space of 48 hours. This time, things will be deadly serious from the get-go. Got it?Though not, let’s be clear, quite as serious as they’ll be getting in Ahmedabad in little under a month’s time, at the 2023 World Cup curtain-raiser. And certainly not a patch on the timeless drama that brought down the house at Lord’s four years ago, on the last occasion that these two teams crossed swords in the 50-over arena.Instead, we’re braced for … well, who rightly knows, if truth be told. After four years in mothballs, the ODI format is moving centre stage once again, braced for a comeback of Sinatra-esque proportions if the full hype of a World Cup in India is anything to go by. And yet, the journey that these two teams have taken in the interim rather epitomises the neglect that 50-over cricket has endured since that game of games. Can England and New Zealand reach an ODI cruising altitude from a standing start over the course of four games in eight days? That’s what we’re all itching to find out.For England, the most notable talking point is, inevitably, the return of Ben Stokes after his short-lived ODI retirement. And yet, he’s barely more of a stranger to the format than a host of his fellow World Cup heroes. Joe Root, for instance, last batted in a 50-over match on July 22 last year, three days after Stokes had said his farewells at Chester-le-Street, and has featured in just 15 such matches in four years.Jonny Bairstow is also coming back from a 14-month hiatus, albeit much of that relates to his horrific broken leg. But even Jos Buttler, the captain, has played in barely half of England’s contests since the World Cup final (23 out of 39), while Brydon Carse, the reserve seamer, has played more times than their designated spearhead Mark Wood (9 to 8).Joe Root is one of several England players returning to ODI action•PA Photos/Getty ImagesThe ECB’s dereliction of the format post-2019 has been uncompromising – not least with the birth of the Hundred relegating domestic 50-over cricket to a feeder competition. And yet, the lack of ODI game-time is far from a uniquely English issue.Between their twin World Cup final appearances in 2015 and 2019, New Zealand racked up a healthy 76 matches (and 43 wins); that number has plummeted to 36 (and 21) in the four years since. And aside from the near-permanent fixture, the captain Tom Latham (35 caps), no player has featured in more than 70% of those – least of all the most in-demand man in their ranks, Trent Boult, the last of whose ten caps came almost exactly a year ago in Cairns.What does any of this actually prove in this day and age, however? New Zealand’s slow start to the T20I series could in part be attributed to their crazy, atomised build-up, with half the squad flying in from a low-key series in the UAE and the rest floating along via stints of varying lengths in the Hundred. But, equally, their flying finish showed how quickly professional outfits can find sufficient cohesion amid the madcap treadmill lifestyle.Besides, as England’s Test team have spent the past year and a bit proving with their Bazball revolution, who the hell cares about preparation these days anyway? Stokes, Root, Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Wood and Chris Woakes are among the senior players to have peaced out on Brendon McCullum’s good vibes in recent months – be it sacking off warm-up matches for an extra round of golf, or breaking the pre-Test tension with a six-hitting competition on the practice strip.And yet, none of that carefree attitude could ever have been allowed to take root had it not been trialled and approved in the course of the white-ball renaissance that preceded it. And so for England in particular, this series is about coming full circle – about forgetting all circumstance and just doubling down on the instinctual cricket that turned them into world-beaters in the first place.As for New Zealand, they are the team from whom England took those initial cues back in 2015, and for all the over-riding sense that their own golden generation is now deep into transition, there’s still a sufficient well of experience within that dressing-room for them to go deep once again.And that depth of knowhow, incidentally, includes the as-yet unready Kane Williamson, who is inching his way back from long-term knee injury but is clearly a World Cup shoo-in given half a bill of health. His progress on the sidelines will be a subplot of the coming days, and a reminder too that so much about this World Cup build-up is about being all right on the night.Tom Latham speaks to the media ahead of the first ODI•Getty ImagesForm guide
England LWWWL
New Zealand WLLLLIn the spotlight: Ben Stokes and Trent Boult
“Lol” was Ben Stokes’ succinct response on Twitter / X when news of his England ODI recall was confirmed by the ECB – an echo of Moeen’s famous response to Stokes’ own “Ashes?” WhatsApp message, asking if he would consider a Test comeback as Jack Leach’s replacement. It is unclear whether Jos Buttler phrased his petitions quite so succinctly, but the logic in both cases was unimpeachable. When there’s a job to be done, this particular England set-up values experience and camaraderie over almost all other traits. And when it comes to 50-over cricket, nobody does it better than Stokes. Will it matter that he officially retired from the format 14 months ago? Almost certainly not. He made way last July because he felt he could not give “100% to the shirt”, and wanted someone else to make an unarguable case in his absence. And yet, England have played just 11 ODIs in that time, nine of them overseas, at least six of which were grossly overshadowed by the T20 zeitgeist – England’s World Cup-winning hangover in Australia last November, and the competing attractions of the franchise circuit in Bangladesh the following March. As a consequence, Stokes has missed nothing of note. Assuming his body holds up, his mind – as we know from proven experience across all formats – will be keenly attuned to his task.He was hardly the first in-demand cricketer to go freelance, but Trent Boult’s decision to turn down a New Zealand central contract last year was a notable moment nonetheless. At the age of 34, he remains one of the pre-eminent left-arm seamers in the world, but this will be his first international outing in any format since the T20 World Cup in Australia last November. Since then, the selectors have been resolute in their desire to give chances to those who are willing to commit to the national side – leading to the slightly absurd scenario earlier this year, when a Test match against England took place in his home town of Mount Maunganui, with Boult kicking his heels a few miles down the road. But with the big show approaching, there’s no thought of protocol holding sway any longer. His record across 99 career ODIs is outstanding, 187 wickets at 23.97, but in reaching the final in each of his two previous World Cup campaigns, Boult has racked up 39 wickets in 19 matches at 21.79. And in his infrequent 50-over appearances in the past four years, that average plummets to 16.21. He remains an essential weapon and a key reason to believe another deep World Cup run is within the team’s grasp.Team news: England bring out the big guns
England’s ODI ambitions feel as though they’ve been frozen in time since July 14, 2019, and so their first-choice XI has a fittingly retro feel, with up to nine World Cup medallists set to take the field together for this opening fixture. That number should include five of the 2019 top six, with only the retired Eoin Morgan guaranteed to make way … for Liam Livingstone in the first instance, although as we all know, Harry Brook is making a phenomenal case for his inclusion (although he has yet to link up with the squad after being added at the last minute). Perhaps the most crucial micro-reunion is due to come at the top of the order where Jason Roy and Bairstow will, niggles permitting, once again be charged with setting the tone in the trailblazing manner that set England apart in the previous World Cup cycle.Roy, perhaps surprisingly, has been England’s ODI mainstay since that epic final at Lord’s, featuring in 32 of their 39 subsequent fixtures, but his form has at times fallen through the floor. Dawid Malan, potentially absent on paternity leave at some stage this week, and feeling the Brook pinch like few others, is itching to make his case as the reserve opener – and given Bairstow felt a shoulder twinge in the final T20I, that chance could yet come sooner rather than later. On the bowling front, Sam Curran is the only guaranteed starter from the post-2019 generation, although Mark Wood may be rested in the short to medium term, meaning Gus Atkinson – in that provisional World Cup squad but yet to be tested across 50 overs – might be in line to begin his fast-tracking as England’s new 90mph option. Moeen might conceivably give way to an extra seamer, given Cardiff’s unfriendly dimensions for offspin.England: (possible) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow / Dawid Malan, 3 Joe Root, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Moeen Ali / Brydon Carse, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Mark Wood / Gus Atkinson, 11 Adil RashidTrent Boult is back in the New Zealand set-up for first time this year•Getty ImagesAfter a T20 partnership that extended from Southern Brave’s Hundred campaign into the T20I series, Devon Conway and Finn Allen have been separated for the 50-over format, with Allen’s place in the World Cup squad seemingly out of the picture too. Instead Conway will front up alongside Will Young, who has averaged an imposing 49.33 with a strike-rate in excess of 90 in his 15 ODIs since 2019. Williamson is still recovering from a cruciate ligament tear in April, and may not be fit to play in any of the four games. Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips will provide the power in the middle order. On the bowling front, it’s a familiar cast of proven performers, with Boult’s return the stand-out selection. “It’s along the same lines as Stokes [for England],” Latham said. “Having someone of world-class calibre come back into your side is always confidence-boosting.”New Zealand: 1 Will Young, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Daryl Mitchell, 4 Glenn Phillips, 5 Tom Latham (capt & wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Matt Henry, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent BoultPitch and conditions
Cardiff, with its short straight boundaries and deep pockets square of the wicket, offers the usual challenges for bowlers, with back-of-a-length bombs and wide lines for the spinners likely to be the order of the day. The pitch itself is pretty close to the centre of the square and has a bit of live grass on it. The surfaces served up much higher scores in the Blast than in previous years, although those used for the Hundred proved to be fairly turgid. The weather is set to be sweltering.Stats and trivia
Cardiff has hosted 29 ODIs in total, and 15 involving England – most recently in July 2021, when Stokes’ Covid-affected scratch side pulled off a remarkable nine-wicket win over Pakistan. Overall, England have won nine and lost three of their completed matches at Sophia Gardens. Their most recent loss was in the Champions Trophy semi-final, also against Pakistan in 2017. New Zealand have had a mixed time of it at the venue, winning four and losing three of their seven games, all of them in ICC events. Their most recent visit was for a ten-wicket hammering of Sri Lanka at the 2019 World Cup. Stokes’ ODI record seemed to be a done deal until last month. Now, he’s back, and needs 76 more runs to reach 3000 in the format, to go along with his 74 wickets at 42.39. Boult is set to play his 100th ODI, and his first in almost exactly 12 months.Quotes
“That’s the reality of being in a very strong team. We are a very strong team, and we know that. Competition for places is the best possible thing for us… I’m sure that a lot of the final decisions will, potentially, be made around some of the form that the lads show in this series.”
Ben Stokes acknowledges that England’s “provisional” World Cup 15 is far from finalised“There are a lot of passionate All Blacks supporters in our dressing room so I’m sure that, if the time works, we’ll have it on the TVs at some point.”
Tom Latham, New Zealand’s captain, expects the other World Cup in France to be a focal point for his team

Contact has been made with Manchester United as West Ham chiefs eye up a late January move, with co-chair David Sullivan and manager Graham Potter tipped to oversee a busy end to the window in east London.

West Ham target last-gasp January deals in multiple positions

The Hammers are in active pursuit of a new striker, following long-term injuries to Niclas Füllkrug and Michail Antonio, but a fresh centre-forward option isn’t their only potential incoming before the deadline.

West Ham make late January contact to sign ex-Liverpool star on loan

The Irons are chasing late signings.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Jan 30, 2025

West Ham had a bid rejected for PSV Eindhoven star Ricardo Pepi (Fabrizio Romano), and could yet go back in with an improved winter bid (Rik Elfrink). The USA international, who’s bagged 18 goals already in all competitions this season, would be a stellar capture for Potter – but if they fail with another approach, it is widely believed that Brighton starlet Evan Ferguson is another primary target.

“The news has emerged last night that Ferguson’s move to Bayer Leverkusen may have fallen through due to Al Nassr choosing to sign Jhon Duran over their forward Victor Boniface,” said club insider ExWHUemployee on Thursday.

“If the club get this confirmed and are confident that his injuries are not long-term, then further negotiations with the hope of completing before Monday’s deadline will occur.

West Ham’s next five Premier League fixtures	Date
Chelsea (away)	February 3rd
Brentford (home)	February 15th
Arsenal (away)	February 22nd
Leicester City (home)	February 27th
Newcastle United (home)	March 10th

“West Ham are prepared to include an option or obligation to buy in the loan deal to try and get the deal over the line. Talks are continuing with Ferguson, they are going positively as the club tries to work towards a deal.”

Ferguson’s possible move to the London Stadium is looking well and truly on, as Sullivan seeks to back Potter with a centre-forward who can fill in for both Fullkrug and Antonio.

However, it is also believed that West Ham are targeting another centre-back before the deadline, with Brighton’s Adam Webster among West Ham’s defender targets for this window.

Now, the 30-year-old has been joined by United’s Victor Lindelof.

West Ham contact Man United over signing Victor Lindelof

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, writing for United in Focus, West Ham have contacted United over signing Lindelof in January – with the £120,000-per-week Swede out of contract this summer and potentially available for a cut-price fee.

The 70-cap international appears out of Ruben Amorim’s long-term plans, motivating the Irons to test United’s resolve with an enquiry and gauge whether a mid-season deal for Lindelof is possible.

However, Bailey reports that the former Benfica star has no interest in joining West Ham, and has made that clear to his representatives.

Given Lindelof’s torrid injury record lately, not to mention the fact he’s now entered the twilight phase of his career, you could make a case that this is arguably for the best – and there could be better options out there for Potter.