Manchester United’s business in the transfer market has left a lot to be desired over recent years, with many of their additions failing to make the grade in the Premier League.

Rasmus Hojlund is arguably the biggest example in the current squad, costing £72m from Atalanta back in the summer of 2023, but has struggled to make the desired impact.

The Dane has only scored four times in the league throughout 2024/25, leading to rumours over his long-term future at Old Trafford, with a return to Serie A on the cards this summer.

It’s crucial that the hierarchy back Ruben Amorim in the market over the coming months, but more importantly is that they hand him the right players to operate in his 3-4-2-1 system.

Matheus Cunha has been the first addition, but if the club are to have any chance of rising up the table next campaign, added reinforcements are needed to help the Brazilian within the final third.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

A striker has been the priority of United so far this summer, especially after missing out on number one target Liam Delap to fellow Premier League outfit Chelsea.

Since his move to Stamford Bridge, the likes of Victor Osimhen, Dušan Vlahović and Jean-Philippe Mateta have all been touted with a move to join the Red Devils.

However, other forwards have also been on their radar, with Lyon winger Malick Fofana the latest player linked with a move to Old Trafford, according to French outlet L’Equipe.

Their report states that Jason Wilcox is considering making a bid for the Belgian youngster, who registered 16 combined goals and assists across all competitions – costing in the region of £38m.

It also claims that Chelsea are firmly in the race for his signature, with Amorim’s side once again facing the prospect of a transfer battle with Enzo Maresca’s side for a player’s signature.

Why United’s £38m target could be Amorim’s next Amad

Despite Hojlund’s failures within the final third this campaign, other players around him have managed to star, including Ivorian forward Amad Diallo.

The 22-year-old was seen as an outcast under former boss Erik ten Hag, but was handed the platform to impress after Amorim’s arrival in late November last year.

He’s since taken his career to the next level at Old Trafford, registering 19 combined goals and assists across all competitions in 2024/25, with his £36m transfer fee now looking somewhat of a bargain.

Amad even scored a hat-trick in the comeback win over Southampton and bagged the winner in the Manchester Derby at the Etihad, a feat that made him an instant hero among the fanbase.

Such a deal needs to be replicated going forward, with new target Fofana providing just that should he make a move to Manchester in the coming months.

He possesses a similar skillset, with both being nimble left-footed forwards who can operate off either wing, potentially operating in a wing-back role in Amorim’s system if needed.

When comparing his stats to those of Amad from the recent campaign, he’s managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, highlighting how much of an impressive addition he would be.

Games played

29

26

Goals & assists

9

14

Shot-on-target accuracy

48%

36%

Progressive carries

6.3

5.1

Carries into final third

3.2

2.5

Take-on success

47%

46%

Crosses completed

4

1.9

Fouls won

2.1

1.3

Fofana, who’s been labelled “special” by journalist Zach Lowy, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but has notched a higher shot-on-target rate, demonstrating his clinical ability in the final third.

He’s also managed to complete more progressive carries and more carries into the final third per 90, handing the side an added threat given his desire to get forward with the ball at his feet.

The Belgian’s trickery has made him a constant nuisance to opposition defenders, completing 47% of his attempted take-ons and winning more fouls per 90.

£38m in today’s market is a solid price for a 20-year-old star who could improve massively in the years ahead under Amorim’s guidance, offering the side a new star in attacking areas.

If he can replicate Amad’s success in the Premier League in the near future, it would be another bargain and an addition that could take the club back towards their former glory.

An Elanga repeat: Wilcox in talks to sell £105k-per-week Man Utd talent

Manchester United may be about to make a huge mistake in selling one first-team star.

2 ByEthan Lamb Jun 17, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

da betway： O torcedor do Palmeiras está na expectativa pela contratação do atacante Bruno Henrique, do Flamengo, e uma imagem que circulou nas redes sociais empolgou os alviverdes. Isso porque o empresário do jogador postou uma foto de uma camisa do Verdão em uma de suas redes sociais, deixando todos em alerta sobre o futuro da negociação. E a explicação para isso é simples: Denis Ricardo foi jogador palmeirense.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasCom dúvidas, Palmeiras se reapresenta após empate com o Boca Juniors pela LibertadoresPalmeiras29/09/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras tem retrospecto positivo quando empata jogo de ida de semifinal da LibertadoresPalmeiras29/09/2023PalmeirasOPINIÃO: ‘Abel não pode descontar a ira com a diretoria na imprensa que cobre o Palmeiras!’Palmeiras29/09/2023

da bet sport： + Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

No print, o ex-zagueiro mostra a camisa número 16 do Palmeiras, no modelo de 2002/2003, quando ele atuou pelo clube. Na legenda da imagem, ele faz referência à marca de 20 anos desde sua passagem pelo Palestra.

+ Transforme sua paixão pelo futebol em profissão. Descubra o caminho com o curso Gestor de Futebol!

O período em que Denis defendeu as cores alviverdes foi curto, de apenas uma temporada: a de 2003. Algumas lesões acabaram impedindo que ele tivesse mais participações na campanha do título da Série B. Foram apenas oito jogos e nenhum gol.

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+ Palmeiras tem plano e aguarda Bruno Henrique se resolver com o Flamengo

Em 2023, a história de Denis pode novamente se cruzar com a do Palmeiras, já que o clube tem interesse em contratar Bruno Henrique, seu agenciado. A intenção é trazer o atacante sem custos, já que o contrato com o Flamengo vai até o fim de dezembro deste ano, ou seja, ele poderia assinar um pré-acordo com o Verdão.

Apesar de já ter informado o estafe do atleta sobre o interesse, o Alviverde somente vai fazer uma proposta oficial quando as tratativas com o Rubro-Negro se esgotarem. O entrave de momento é o tempo de contrato. A expectativa é de que as conversas fosse retomadas após a final da Copa do Brasil, mas nada evoluiu até agora.

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Enquanto isso, o Palmeiras prepara uma oferta irrecusável para convencer Bruno Henrique a assinar com o clube. Quem sabe o passado alviverde do empresário Denis Ricardo não possa facilitar esse caminho.

Tudo sobre

Palmeiras

(23 overs) After a series in which they consistently failed to get the rub of the green, the stars finally aligned for West Indies as they ended their tour of Sri Lanka with a morale-boosting win. Evin Lewis, playing his first ODI since 2021, struck an unbeaten 102 off 61 balls, as West Indies chased down a DLS-adjusted target of 195 in a rain-reduced game of 23 overs with eight wickets to spare. In fact, they got the required runs with an over to spare. It was their first ODI win in Sri Lanka following ten straight defeats, and their first win on this tour since the first T20I.Sri Lanka, for their part, had put up a valiant effort after their innings had been cut into less than half. The first 17.2 overs had come prior to the rain intervention, and upon resumption, they were given just a further 5.4 overs to set a competitive total.Enter Kusal Mendis, who bludgeoned an unbeaten 56 off 22 deliveries – he got the half-century off 19 balls – as Sri Lanka themselves struck 75 runs in those final 5.4 overs to end on 156 for 3, and gave themselves a fighting chance. In the end, though, a combination of a wet outfield, wet ball and a laser-focused Lewis proved too much to overcome.Brandon King (18 off 19 balls) and Shai Hope (22 off 27) had kept Lewis company for most of the chase, but it wasn’t until Sherfane Rutherford joined him in the middle that West Indies truly took control of proceedings.Rutherford’s brisk cameo saw him plunder 50 off just 26 deliveries, including four fours and three sixes, with his partnership with Lewis amounting to an unbeaten 88 from just 45 deliveries. It was a pivotal stand in the context of the game, as it came just as Sri Lanka might have been harbouring thoughts of a late heist.Kusal Mendis blasted a 19-ball fifty•AFP/Getty Images

With the required run rate at roughly 8.5 an over from the outset, West Indies had done well to just about keep up with it over the opening ten overs – there was at least one boundary in seven of the first 11 overs. But in such a short chase, even a couple of quiet overs can heighten the pressure – and so it proved to be.Between the 11th and 17th overs, Sri Lanka gave away just 40 runs as the required rate rose to above 11.50 runs an over. Skipper Charith Asalanka had done well in this period by shuffling his pack to sneak in some cheap overs from himself and Kamindu Mendis – both of whom made up the fifth-bowler quota after Wanindu Hasaranga had struggled with controlling a wet ball.Where Asalanka erred was in bowling himself for one over too many, which allowed Rutherford and Lewis to go after him. That 14-run over set the tone, after which the pair never looked back. The miserly Maheesh Theekshana was rinsed for 18 in the next over, while even the excellent Asitha Fernando was hounded for 26 off his final two. Dilshan Madushanka, playing his first ODI since March, went for 50 in five.Sri Lanka, though, will have positives to take away from this game, particularly in how aggressively they approached the post-rain period, knowing that they didn’t have much time to scrounge up a competitive total. The opening 17.2 overs had seen Sri Lanka stitch together a measured start, with openers Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando putting on 81.That, though, owed much to West Indies dropping three chances – two of Nissanka and one of Avishka – inside the opening ten overs. This poor catching did not get much better after the five-hour rain delay, with Kusal also dropped twice on the way to becoming the third-quickest Sri Lanka batter to 4000 ODI runs.Sherfane Rutherford hit four fours and three sixes•Associated Press

It all began with the four balls left in Roston Chase’s second over, as Kusal proceeded to clatter each of them for boundaries – two precise pulls, one stunning straight drive, and finally a fortunate inside edge down to fine leg. In all, Sri Lanka struck 12 boundaries in the final 34 deliveries they faced.The shortened game also had some knock-on effects on West Indies’ bowling plans, as the new provisos meant three bowlers were given a quota of five overs each, while two others were handed four apiece. Once Chase’s over, in which Kusal had struck four consecutive boundaries, was belatedly completed, and with Sri Lanka in raucous mood, West Indies were suddenly faced with the proposition of figuring out how Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, and Alzarri Joseph – who had bowled four, four and three overs, respectively – would split the remains.And with the economical Matthew Forde already having bowled five overs prior to the rain break, it meant only two more bowlers could bowl five; so they needed to find one more over from somewhere.With Chase having been dispatched upon the resumption of play, it was left to Rutherford to roll his arm over, and he was duly taken for 17 runs courtesy two fours and a six. And as Kusal’s carefree innings continued in earnest, Sri Lanka eventually managed to muster up a competitive total – though it proved to be just not good enough on the day.

Leeds United are going to be playing Premier League football next season and will have to use the summer transfer window to build a squad that can compete at the top level.

Daniel Farke can look at what one of his predecessors, Marcelo Bielsa, did in the 2020/21 campaign, when the Whites stayed up in the top-flight and finished in the top half.

The Argentine head coach helped the club to avoid relegation, and set them on their way to avoiding the drop in the 2021/22 season too, and the players he had at his disposal played a key role in that.

Stars like Kalvin Phillips, Patrick Bamford Rodrigo, and Raphinha may have stolen the headlines, but Mateusz Klich went under the radar with a return of four goals and five assists in the Premier League from a midfield position.

Leeds make first offer for midfield target

Leeds are active in the current summer transfer window to bolster their squad and are reportedly eyeing up a deal for a star who could be Farke’s own version of the Poland international.

Transfer Focus

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

According to L’Equipe, the Championship champions have submitted their first offer, worth around £22m, to Strasbourg in an attempt to sign central midfielder Habib Diarra.

The report claims that the French side have not yet responded to the bid, but they are waiting to see if any other teams come in with counter-offers, amid interest from clubs in Germany and England.

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Evening Post has confirmed that an offer has been made, but adds that other targets in that position are felt to be more likely at this moment in time.

Why Diarra could be Klich 2.0

If Leeds can get a deal over the line for Diarra, then Farke could have his own version of Klich in the Premier League next season, because he is a well-rounded midfield star who can impact games in and out of possession.

The 21-year-old talent, who talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed will have a “huge future” in the game, played regularly in Ligue 1 for Strasbourg in the 2024/25 campaign and caught the eye with his displays in the middle of the park.

Diarra played 29 Ligue 1 games or more in each of the last three seasons, which shows that he has plenty of top-flight experience in a major European league, and this term was his best so far from a performance point of view.

Stats	Diarra (24/25 Ligue 1)	Klich (20/21 Premier League)
Appearances	30	35
Goals	4	4
Big chances created	9	3
Assists	5	5
Dribbled past per game	0.4x	1.3x
Tackles + interceptions per game	1.1	1.4
Duels won per game	3.3	2.4
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, his performances in Ligue 1 this season were incredibly similar to Klich’s in the Premier League when Leeds avoided the drop in the 2020/21 campaign.

These statistics show that Diarra could emulate his impact at the top end of the pitch by delivering a respectable number of goals and assists from a box-to-box midfield position, whilst potentially being even more creative when you look at the ‘big chances’ that he created.

The chart above further illustrates the similarities between the two players, particularly when it comes to scoring and creating goals, which suggests that he could be a very similar player to Klich for Farke.

Diarra’s ability to combine defensive work, as he is rarely dribbled past, with his attacking output suggests that he could be a very valuable player for the German boss in the Premier League, as he could impact games at both ends of the pitch.

He must go before Bamford: Leeds have told £11m flop he will now be sold

Leeds have told this flop that he must leave this summer, and the dud must go before Patrick Bamford.

1

By
Dan Emery

Jun 9, 2025

However, the Yorkshire Evening Post did report that other midfield targets are more likely, so it remains to be seen whether or not the Whites will be able to get a deal over the line for this star.

Bayern Munich are set to tie two players down to new contracts, with extensions for Dayot Upamecano and rising star Lennart Karl close to completion.

Upamecano and Karl close to new Bayern contractsCentre-back states his intention to stayContract extensions expected to be completed imminentlyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Bayern are close to securing contract extensions for two key players: centre-back Upamecano and attacking prospect Karl. Negotiations with Upamecano have been ongoing for months, with both the player and Bayern hierarchy keen to finalise an agreement that would see him remain beyond his current deal, which is set to expire in June 2026. Meanwhile, talks with 17-year-old Karl are at an advanced stage with Bayern “very confident” of securing his signature for the long term following his impressive form in youth and first-team pre-season matches.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT WAS SAID?

Sporting director Max Eberl confirmed following the 4-0 friendly win against Tottenham Hotspur, saying: “It’s definitely a goal that we want to extend,” referencing their intent over Upamecano during a recent mixed zone. 

Upamecano himself reiterated after the friendly win: “I’m happy here,” noting ongoing discussions between his agent, Eberl and sporting director Christoph Freund. Eberl further : “It’s looking very good,” highlighting Bayern’s optimism around the 17-year-old’s extension.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Upamecano’s extension would represent another strong statement from Bayern as they continue to lock down their core squad, having already secured Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies to long-term deals this year. Under Vincent Kompany, Upamecano was a regular in the starting XI until his season was cut short by injury. Karl, meanwhile, has been prolific in scoring and assisting goals at youth level and made an impact in pre-season matches, notably scoring against Tottenham, after making an appearance at the Club World Cup.

Getty Images SportWHAT'S NEXT?

Bayern expect to finalise Upamecano’s extension within weeks, although exact salary terms remain under negotiation, with agreement anticipated to extend to at least 2029. Karl’s renewal could be announced before the end of the week, potentially running through to 2028. The pair are set to play a role in Bayern’s upcoming domestic and European fixtures as the Bundesliga champions prepare for another title challenge.

da roleta： Glasgow Rangers manager Russell Martin gets to have a first look at his players in the flesh this week as some of his stars have returned for pre-season testing.

da pinnacle： The new boss will also have the opportunity to speak with some members of the Ibrox squad in person, whilst the summer transfer window is in full swing.

In fact, journalist Scott Burns claims that the Rangers head coach is due to hold talks with central defender Robin Propper over his future at Ibrox beyond this summer.

FC Twente are eyeing up a move to bring him back to the Netherlands ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, but he has returned to pre-season testing with the Gers for now.

Martin must, now, tell the Dutch defender that he is not a part of his plans for the upcoming season, because the Light Blues should be looking to part ways with him in the coming weeks.

Why Rangers must sell Robin Propper

The Gers manager should move on from the 31-year-old flop this summer after he endured a difficult first season in Scottish football after his move from FC Twente last year.

In December, the central defender was hauled off at half-time against St. Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership and was heavily criticised by pundit Derek Ferguson.

The former Gers man said: “Propper is struggling. He’s been pretty vocal over the last couple of weeks that he’s finding it tough in our league. He’s been asked the question early on. It’s quite worrying when you see him struggling as bad as that. Look at the body language – he’s looking for a way out already.”

Propper, who was dribbled past 11 times in 22 Premiership starts, failed to deal with the physicality of the league during his debut season, which led to him being a bit-part player by the end of the campaign.

Robin Propper’s last ten squad appearances for Rangers

Opposition

Game time

Fenerbahce

Unused substitute

Celtic

34 mins

Dundee

Unused substitute

Hibernian

Unused substitute

Athletic Club

13 mins

Aberdeen

90 mins

St Mirren

90 mins

Aberdeen

Unused substitute

Dundee United

Unused substitute

Hibernian

80 mins

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the experienced defender was far from a regular fixture in the starting XI for the Scottish giants, as he was an unused substitute in four of his last ten outings in the matchday squad.

Given that he is unlikely to have much room left for development at the age of 31, Rangers should move on from him this summer, amid interest from Twente, and their reported pursuit of an English star could send Propper packing.

Rangers in talks to sign English star

According to the Daily Record, Rangers are in ‘advanced talks’ with Leicester City to strike a deal for former England international Conor Coady this summer.

The report claims that the Light Blues have ‘ramped’ up their efforts to bring the central defender, who previously starred for Wolverhampton Wanderers, up to Scotland for the 2025/26 season.

Transfer Focus

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

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It states that the Gers are ‘pushing’ to get a deal done quickly for the experienced defender, now that the club are starting to ramp up their pre-season preparations ahead of their Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos next month.

The Daily Record adds that Coady, who has one year left on his contract at the King Power, is open to a move to Ibrox this summer to secure his long-term future.

However, the report does not reveal how much money it will take to agree a deal with Leicester, or if they would be willing to waive a fee for the 32-year-old in order to shave his wages off.

Why Rangers should sign Conor Coady

Rangers should sign Coady from the Championship side, who were relegated from the Premier League this season, because he could send Propper packing this summer.

A deal to sign the former England international in the coming days or weeks would provide Martin with a vastly-experienced right-sided centre-back, which would negate any need to keep hold of Propper, who currently fills that role in the squad.

Coady, who played 22 times in the Premier League this season for the Foxes, would arrive at Ibrox as a hugely experienced player at the very top level, with 198 Premier League appearances and ten caps for England under his belt.

He is, therefore, used to the physicality of British football and can deal with the brute strength and dynamism of attackers in Scotland next season, whereas, Propper had never played domestic football outside of the Netherlands and looked ill-prepared for the task at hand.

Conor Coady

22/23 (Premier League)

23/24 (Championship)

24/25 (Premier League

Appearances

24

12

22

Pass accuracy

85%

93%

91%

Dribbled past per game

0.3x

0.1x

0.1x

Duel success rate

54%

64%

45%

Error led to goal

1

0

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Coady has largely been reliable as a physical presence in England in recent seasons, particularly when it came to stopping attackers from dribbling past him.

As aforementioned, one of Propper’s biggest problems in the Premiership was that strikers found it too easy to get the better of him, as he was dribbled past 11 times in 22 starts. That would not be a problem for the English titan, who has been dribbled past three times in his last 34 league outings.

The Leicester ace also showcased his quality in possession in the Championship in the 2023/24 season, ranking in the top 1% of his positional peers for progressive passes per 90 (7.20). This suggests that he would also add value in possession as part of a team that dominates the ball and looks to play forward.

Coady, who was described as an “infectious” character by Gareth Southgate, may be approaching the latter stages of his career, at the age of 32, but he appears to have the requisite qualities to take Propper’s place and send him packing back to FC Twente.

Related A Colak repeat: Club now pushing to sign Rangers star in the next 48 hours

Rangers could repeat their Antonio Colak masterstroke by selling this star this summer.

Posts ByDan Emery Jun 23, 2025

Marseille are making a last-ditch effort to secure striker Igor Paixao, pushing negotiations amid heavy pressure from Leeds United and Feyenoord.

• Marseille locked in Paixao bidding war
• Leeds have matched Feyenoord’s demands
• French side increase offer in response

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to French and Italian media reports, Marseille are staging a late push to sign Feyenoord’s Paixao despite heavy competition from Leeds. The Brazilian forward has already agreed personal terms with Marseille, but an agreement between the clubs remains elusive. Leeds have reportedly tabled a €30 million (£26m/$35m) offer that matches Feyenoord’s demands, momentarily putting the English side in pole position to seal the deal. However, Marseille are preparing a third, increased offer believed to exceed the €30m (£26m/$35m) threshold, with figures close to €32m (£28m/$37m) being cited. Sources including and journalist Nicolo Schira indicate Leeds might even have submitted a €35m bid, which Feyenoord appear ready to accept.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite advancing first, Marseille now find themselves trailing Leeds in the race for Paixao. Leeds’ willingness to match the Dutch team's asking price has shifted momentum, but Pablo Longoria, Marseille’s president, is intent on making another attempt. With the player keen on a move to Marseille and an agreement on personal terms, the outcome now centres solely on the financial package.

• MARSEILLE PREPARE NEW BID

  Facing mounting competition and rejecting an early exit, Marseille are preparing a fresh bid that could surpass Leeds’ current offer. Negotiations remain active and, according to , a decisive response from Feyenoord is expected imminently. The transfer is being closely watched as the French side looks to secure Paixao as part of an ambitious attack alongside Mason Greenwood and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Roma, previously in the running, have exited the contest, citing the risk of a bidding war. Pressure is mounting on the player himself as he waits for a resolution and prepares for a potentially record-breaking move. All sides expect clarity within hours as Marseille make their final approach.

Abhimanyu and Jagadeesan lead India B’s strong charge in the face of India C’s first innings score of 525

Shashank Kishore13-Sep-2024On a day dominated by the batters, Manav Suthar proved his all-round chops as India C posted a mammoth first innings total in Anantapur. India B responded solidly, their new opening pair of Abhimanyu Easwaran and N Jagadeesan hitting unbeaten half-centuries by stumps.Suthar, fresh off a match-winning seven-for in India C’s Duleep Trophy 2024-25 opening game, built on Ishan Kishan’s century on Thursday. Resuming on 8, Suthar brought up his fourth first-class half-century, but fell 14 short of his first-class highest of 96 not out.He was the last batter out as India C, resuming on 357 for 5, finished with 525. Kishan and Suthar aside, there were also half-centuries from B Indrajith and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Anshul Kamboj, the Haryana allrounder, struck a breezy 27-ball 38 in his 56-run stand with Suthar to swell their total further.2:38

Manav Suthar: ‘Ashwin is my bowling idol, Yuvraj my all-time favourite’

Suthar’s Rajasthan teammate Rahul Chahar was among the best India B bowlers, picking 4 for 73, while Mukesh Kumar, who began the day by having Gaikwad bowled, also ended with a four-for.Having been dismissed cheaply while attempting to drive at the Chinnaswamy last week, Abhimanyu would be relieved at having somewhat made amends. He faced 145 balls while hitting seven fours, and will resume on day three looking to get to his 24th first-class century.For Jagadeesan, coming in for Rishabh Pant, the game time couldn’t have come at a better time as he seeks to reinvigorate a first-class career that was seemingly at the crossroads not long ago.

تحدث الإعلامي أحمد شوبير، عن الأزمة المثارة مؤخرًا بين رابطة الأندية المحترفة والمدير الفني لمنتخب مصر الثاني، الكابتن حلمي طولان، بشأن طلب تأجيل مباريات فريق بيراميدز بسبب مشاركة عدد من لاعبيه مع المنتخب، مشيرًا إلى أن الموقف معقّد وأن كل طرف له مبرراته.

وقال شوبير خلال برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الأربعاء: “دعوني أبدأ بحدوتة أصفها بأنها “ملتوتة” بعض الشيء، أي معقدة وصعبة الفهم، وهي أزمة الرابطة مع الكابتن حلمي طولان، بصراحة أنا لا أحب مثل هذه الأمور، خاصة أننا نتحدث عن منتخب وطني يستعد لخوض بطولة مهمة في الأول من ديسمبر، بعد أن خاض عدة مباريات ودية أمام تونس والمغرب والبحرين، ويستعد لمباراتين أمام الجزائر”.

وتابع: “الكابتن حلمي طولان، وهو شخصية محترمة جدًا وصديقي العزيز، خرج مؤخرًا ليقول إنه لا يجد ملاعب للتدريب، وإنه يريد تأجيل بعض المباريات لأن لاعبي بيراميدز يجب أن يكونوا معه في المنتخب، والحقيقة أنني بالأمس أيّدت هذا التوجه، وما زلت مؤيدًا لفكرة الاستعانة بلاعبي بيراميدز، لكن بيراميدز لديه أزمة، إذ يخوض مباريات متلاحقة، ولا أحد يعلم حتى الآن هل سيتم التأجيل أم لا”.

وأضاف: “المهندس هاني أبو ريدة صرّح بأنه طالب الرابطة بتأجيل مباراتي بيراميدز أمام بتروجيت والإسماعيلي يومي 3 و6 ديسمبر، لكن حتى هذه اللحظة الرابطة ترفض التأجيل حفاظًا على انتظام المسابقة، خصوصًا أن الجدول مزدحم للغاية، وفيفا حدد يوم 31 مايو كآخر موعد لانتهاء الدوريات حول العالم، وإذا تأخرنا عن ذلك، سنضطر لاستكمال الدوري بعد كأس العالم، وهذا أمر صعب جدًا”.

وأردف: “الرابطة تقول إنها مندهشة من تصريحات الكابتن حلمي طولان، وتؤكد أنه لم يقدّم حتى الآن برنامج إعداد واضح للمنتخب الأولمبي، على عكس الكابتن حسام حسن الذي قدّم خطة إعداد المنتخب الأول منذ فترة طويلة، وتم بناء جدول الدوري على أساسها، وبالتالي لم يكن هناك منتخب ثاني واضح قبل انطلاق الموسم ليُراعى في الجدول”.

وواصل: “مسؤولو الرابطة يرون أن انتظام المسابقة أولوية قصوى لا تقل أهمية عن إعداد المنتخب، ويقولون إن الكابتن حلمي يمتلك قائمة موسعة تضم أكثر من 20 لاعبًا يمكنه من خلالها تعويض غياب لاعبي بيراميدز، خاصة أن المنتخب المشارك في كأس العرب قائم بالأساس على اللاعبين المتاحين في الدوري المحلي، دون اتفاق مسبق على استثناءات أو مواعيد خاصة”.

طالع أيضًا.. خاص | رابطة الأندية توضح حقيقة تأجيل مباراتي بيراميدز في الدوري بسبب منتخب مصر الثاني

واستطرد: “لكن من ناحية أخرى، الكابتن حلمي طولان يرى أن الأمر صعب، لأن الحارس الأساسي للمنتخب أحمد الشناوي من بيراميدز، وكذلك عدد من العناصر المهمة الأخرى، مما يجعل موقفه الفني معقدًا، أما الرابطة فتؤكد أن الموضوع كله لن يتجاوز أسبوعًا، وأن بيراميدز نفسه مرتبط بمباريات رسمية في بطولة كأس إنتر كونتيننتال، منها نصف النهائي يوم 13 ديسمبر، أي أن الفريق سيكون مشغولًا قبلها بأيام قليلة، وهو ما يجعل التأجيل شبه مستحيل”.

واختتم: “الأزمة صعبة فعلًا، فالمباريات يومي 3 و6 ديسمبر، ثم بيراميدز مرتبط بلقاء مهم يوم 13 ديسمبر، أي أن الجدول مزدحم تمامًا، السؤال الآن: هل سيتدخل المهندس هاني أبو ريدة لحل الأزمة؟ أم سنعود بعد ذلك لنلوم الرابطة لأنها رفضت التأجيل؟ الرابطة تقول إنها تحاول فقط الحفاظ على انتظام الدوري، فهل هذا خطأ؟”.

India’s wicketkeeper-batter was out playing high-risk shots at crucial moments in both innings at the MCG

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Dec-2024India captain Rohit Sharma has said that Rishabh Pant needs to figure out “the right way to do things” for himself and the team, while acknowledging that his high-risk methods had brought spectacular success in the past.Rohit was reacting to a question about Pant’s dismissals in India’s defeat at the MCG, where he was caught scooping to deep third in the first innings and pulled a long hop to wide long-on in the second when the team was fighting for a draw.”It’s [Pant’s dismissal] just happened, there hasn’t been any discussion about today,” Rohit said. “Obviously we’ve lost the game, everybody is disappointed about how things panned out … But again, look, Rishabh Pant obviously he needs to understand what is required from himself.Related

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“More than any one of us telling him, it’s about him understanding and figuring out what’s the right way to go about it. In the past, he has given us lot of success doing what he does. As a captain, there’s a kind of mixed reaction to that.”Sometimes you want to back that thought of him playing the way he plays, sometimes when things don’t look good, it frustrates everyone. That is what it is, that’s the reality. It’s the success and failure – need to be balanced about it. As captain, it’s hard to have a conversation when it has given him a lot of success as well. But it’s about him figuring out what is the right way to do things, it’s about situations as well. Certain situations of the game, if there’s a risk percentage, do you want to take that risk? Do you want to let the opposition come back into the game? Those are the things he needs to figure out himself.”I’ve known Rishabh for a long time, [I] understand his cricket as well … In terms of conversations, no way I can say I’ve not had a chat with him or he doesn’t understand what the team expects. He understands that. But things that he does give him results as well, just the fine line between telling him not to do those things or telling him to do those things.”Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar was severely critical of Pant’s shot selection in the first innings of the MCG Test, when he holed out to deep third for 28 off 37 balls while attempting a scoop off Scott Boland. On Monday, Pant’s dismissal for 30 off 104 balls while attempting to pull Travis Head broke a resolute partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal. India had batted through the entire second session without losing a wicket, but lost seven in the final session – beginning with Pant – to collapse for 155 in the last hour of the day.2:08

Manjrekar: India preferring Reddy over Gill not a great call

Gill ‘not dropped’

Rohit said Shubman Gill had not been dropped for the MCG Test but lost his place because India wanted to give themselves more bowling options while not sacrificing batting depth.”I had a chat with him [Gill]. There’s no way when you’re leaving someone out, for whatever reason it is, you will not have a chat,” Rohit said. “The chat with him was clearly he was not dropped. [We] just wanted to have extra bit of cushion in the bowling and we opted for an allrounder, which shouldn’t weaken our batting line-up.”Compromising a batter for a bowler is not something I wanted to do. We wanted to bat as deep as possible, along with that have a bowling attack which can take 20 wickets. We considered everything and we ended up compromising him, unfortunately.”With him [Gill], there was never a doubt that he wasn’t batting well or he was not scoring runs, or anything like that. Just to get that combination where we can cover both bases – batting and bowling, we opted for that [leaving Gill out].”Gill had missed the first Test in Perth with a hand injury, and scored 31 and 28 in the defeat in Adelaide and 1 in the rain-hit draw in Brisbane. In his absence at the MCG, India moved KL Rahul to No. 3, while Rohit took back his place as an opener after batting in the middle-order in Adelaide and Brisbane.