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Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers tried to sign a talented defender from the continent to ease his defensive crisis at Parkhead, but the player rejected the opportunity to join the Scottish champions and instead opted to stay at his current club, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Celtic?

Last weekend, Celtic defeated their arch-rivals Rangers at Ibrox by a score of 1-0 despite having no away fans present in the stadium to claim victory in the first Glasgow Derby match of 2023/24, as per BBC Sport.

In a match mired in controversy surrounding Kemar Roofe's disallowed goal due to a foul from Cyriel Dessers on Gustaf Lagerbielke in the build-up to the eventual chalked-off strike, Celtic rallied to claim a crucial three points courtesy of a stunning volley from talisman Kyogo Furuhashi.

Speaking to Celtic TV via STV News, Hoops boss Rodgers saluted his players' efforts in the wake of recent criticism surrounding their performances and complimented their determination to overcome Rangers in a typically hostile atmosphere, as he stated: "I’m so happy for the players. I think they have been on death watch by the media for the last week or so, coming into this game. But for me, as a coach, it was about staying calm, working the players and knowing that they’re going to grow and develop and this is a big part of the development – to come and win away at Ibrox."

Danish midfielder Matt O'Riley, Republic of Ireland international Liam Scales and new boy Lagerbielke were the standout performers on the day for Celtic according to SofaScore, earning respective match ratings of 7.8/10, 7.4/10 and 7.2/10 for their exploits on the pitch.

Celtic summer window signings

Fee

Gustaf Lagerbielke (IF Elfsborg)

£3m

Odin Thiago Holm (Valerenga)

£2.5m

Marco Tilio (Melbourne City)

£2m

Hyun-Jun Yang (Gangwon)

£2m

Hyeokkyu Kwon (Busan I-Park)

£1m

Paulo Bernardo (Benfica)

Loan

Nat Phillips (Liverpool)

Loan

Maik Nawrocki (Legia Warsaw)

£4.3m

Luis Palma (Aris FC)

£3.5m

Tomoki Iwata (Yokohama F. Marinos)

Undisc.

All fees according to Sky Sports

Who did Celtic miss out on signing?

Cited by The Daily Record, Sevilla sporting director Victor Orta has stated that defender Kike Salas rejected an opportunity to head to join Rodgers on a loan basis to help ease the boss' defensive concerns.

Orta said: "We have many young players who will be very good, but we have to be patient about their development. Kike Salas is a great example of a kid who has come through our youth system and many teams wanted him on loan.

"I had practically every team in the second division asking for him and he also had the chance to go to top foreign teams like Celtic and Red Bull Salzburg, but didn't. So he is very valued and we need to show more faith in these players. We can't be talking about home-grown talent and, when the home-grown talent plays, always questioning them."

What next for Celtic?

Celtic now sit top of the Scottish Premiership on goal difference and will return to action following the conclusion of the international break to face Dundee at Parkhead on September 16th, as per Sky Sports.

Champions League football will once again grace the Scottish giants this year and they will compete against Feyenoord, Lazio and Atletico Madrid in Group E to try and secure European Football after Christmas.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caomhin Kelleher is reportedly a target for Celtic and is believed to be keen on a move to Parkhead despite the Reds rejecting advances from the Hoops to sign him in the summer transfer window, as per The Sun.

The Republic of Ireland international is behind Allison in the pecking order at Anfield; nevertheless, Liverpool would need to find a homegrown replacement before letting the 24-year-old move on to new pastures.

During their nail-biting victory against Afghanistan, Zimbabwe were lifted by the strong support from a huge crowd in Bulawayo, especially when their spirits were down

Liam Brickhill in Bulawayo07-Mar-20180:40

WATCH – Bulawayo goes wild as Zimbabwe win thriller

“Was that stressful?” Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer joked to the wide-eyed gaggle of local journalists after his team’s nerve wracking two-run win over Afghanistan in Bulawayo.Queens Sports Club doesn’t have the gladiatorial grandeur of Wanderers, the storied history of Lord’s, or the spectacle of Eden Gardens, but during Zimbabwe’s backs-against-the-wall win the electric atmosphere rivalled any match to have taken place on more hallowed grounds. Zimbabwe’s victory wasn’t so much about individual performances, as it was the combined efforts of the fielders, bowlers and a broiling, festive crowd of spectators. It was high drama, and at the very end, with the tension rising to almost unbearable levels, Afghanistan blinked first.”We knew we had a score on the board,” Cremer said. “In competitions like this, it doesn’t matter how small the target is, if you have runs on the board there’s always that pressure.”It’s supposed to get tense, we’re playing for our countries – both teams – and it has to get tense,” said a breathless Sikandar Raza after the match. “We say that the team that panics first will lose. We just kept our composure. In that last over we thought ‘we’re right into it, one mistake or one bad shot … ‘ Let’s just drag it into the last over, and if they panic they’ll lose.”Defending a sub-par total, in the last over, against a team who are among the tournament favourites, Zimbabwe showed remarkable depth of character. “It’s the fact that we have friendship, we have brothers in the team, and we don’t let each other down,” Raza said. “We fight until the very end, until the game is either lost or won. And today great character was shown.”Afghanistan went into that last over – bowled by Brian Vitori – needing just four runs to win, but with only nos. 9 and 11 to do it. Dawlat Zadran and Shapoor Zadran had shown tenacity to keep Afghanistan clinging on after being 177 for 9. After missing a swipe at the final delivery of the penultimate over, Shapoor had finally let his emotion show, angrily miming the shot he should have played.When he edged the next ball he faced, Vitori’s third in the last over, the floodgates opened, with hundreds of spectators rushing onto the field. The overjoyed masses that ended up in the middle were a vital part of what had just unfolded.”They played a huge role today,” Raza said of a capacity Queens crowd. “When my head was dropping, when Nabi’s dropped catch was ringing in my head, and I wasn’t getting a breakthrough and there were a few edges that dropped short or went to the boundary, the fans never let me drop my head. And not just me, everyone who went to the ropes today, the fans were cheering them on. They were the real 12th man today.”The energy of the crowd clearly spilled onto the field, and Zimbabwe were noticeably animated – even after Raza dropped a simple chance to give Mohamad Nabi a second life. He went on to make 51 before Raza removed him – of course.”Nabi was a big fish, and I dropped him, and I kept saying to myself, and the skipper kept saying to me as well: ‘You have to get him out now, and you will get him out’,” Raza said. “And the fact that the whole team was behind me and motivating me, it gives you a bigger heart to try and get someone out and not bowl too defensively.”Raza kept tossing the ball up, and in his eighth over – the 37th of the innings – he ripped the heart out of Afghanistan’s middle order. Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, and Rashid Khan were dismissed in the space of six inspired deliveries. With the third dismissal, Raza sprinted out to deep midwicket, where the crowd was most concentrated, and the team and fans celebrated together.”We took three chances, and those chances paid off in that over where we got three wickets, which certainly was quite pleasing,” Raza said. “And humbling.””I think that over from Raza, that’s what we needed,” said Cremer. “Because those guys can bat, and if they had just applied themselves they could have got that score easily. But Raza has been excellent for us. Not only with the bat, but he’s turning into the bowler with a golden arm for us. That over was the turning point in the game.”‘On a steaming hot late summer’s day, Raza’s exertions with the bat and in the field resulted in serious cramping, with the physio called onto the field and Raza eventually hobbling off for an over. But wild horses couldn’t have stopped him from coming back, still limping, for the thrilling denouement.”Skipper said to me ‘see what you can do, if you can try and spend an over here and see how your body feels, otherwise you can go out’, and I said ‘I will not leave you here. And we’ll see how far we can go.'”For his 60 runs and three wickets, Raza was named Man of the Match. He was quick to share the glory. “I thought it should have been Blessing or BT (Brendan Taylor) sitting here now with the Man of the Match because I thought those two were the real heroes.”It wasn’t just me, it was everyone together. It was the character. The way the boys showed courage and we held our composure. Most importantly the way we stayed united out there. And that helped us to win the game.”This victory should feel as sweet to the fans as it does to us. Maybe people from the outside don’t realise how many things are hinging on these qualifiers for our families, for our futures. Most importantly, there are 15 million people [in Zimbabwe] looking for something to smile about, looking for something to give them hope, looking for happiness. We’ve just got to make sure that we give each of those 15 million people something to smile and cheer about.”

TalkSPORT's Jason Cundy has explained why he feels bad Chelsea winger Mykhaylo Mudryk after a "strange" decision by manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Latest Chelsea news

It's safe to say there have been better days at Stamford Bridge. European champions just two years ago, the fortunes of Chelsea have dramatically transformed for the worse despite serial-spending and a major squad overhaul.

In the summer transfer window, they spent £397 million in total on the signings of Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez, Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Djordje Petrovic, Angelo and Deivid Washington.

While the west Londoners have had to cope with mounting injury problems, you could argue that they should be fairing far, far better.

Looking to challenge for a Premier League top four place and potentially silverware, Chelsea have dropped points in four of their opening five games.

Losing to both West Ham and Nottingham Forest, their only win of the season has come against newly-promoted Luton Town. Pochettino's men were also booed off against Bournemouth in a 0-0 draw at the weekend, but Chelsea's new manager is adamant the wins will come.

"I think the fans know if you invest the type of money, there is expectation," said Pochettino. "What I can tell the fans is the circumstance, I cannot change the reality. With all of the squad fit we can compete, we don't have all of the squad available, what can we do?

"For me, nothing to say, the fans can do this. Twelve injured today, three of four youngs guys, two keepers on the bench, I am going to cry, I am going to complain, to who? I have to accept this. That is the circumstance and we need to accept.

"We have our opinion, our reality. I think we are doing good things, more than people can expect but I told you before the season, Chelsea is about the win."

Chelsea player ratings

Their latest game at Bournemouth has attracted criticism from sections of the media, like former Chelsea and Spurs star Cundy, who moved to question a "strange" call from Pochettino which hamstrung Mudryk.

He says playing Levi Colwill at left-back nullified any overlapping threat which the Ukrainian would have benefited from. Indeed, he wonders why Ben Chilwell wasn't deployed to provide that attacking edge.

“There’s a couple of strange things that are going on. He’s playing Levi Colwill left-back and he had [Ben] Chilwell on the bench. I don’t know whether Chilwell had a knock,” Cundy told talkSPORT.

“Chilwell naturally gives you that balance, he’s an attacking full-back. I felt we were lopsided at the weekend [against Bournemouth].

“Down our left, there was just nothing. I felt a bit for [Mykhailo] Mudryk because there’s no back-up, nobody is overlapping him.”

The former Shakhtar Donetsk star has struggled since joining Chelsea in the January transfer window, and it will be interesting to see if he does eventually justify his £88.5 million price tag.

Pochettino will need to help Mudryk in this regard, though, so tactical choices like this one may not help him in the long run.

South Africa’s captain has expressed sympathy for Steven Smith, but was less charitable to David Warner, whom he hoped would ‘reflect and see if he can change the way he has played the game’

Firdose Moonda in Johannesburg29-Mar-2018From a “real, deep, place” in his heart, Faf du Plessis has sent his former opposite number Steven Smith a sympathetic text message following the ball-tampering saga that saw Smith reduced to tears on his arrival in Sydney.”I feel for the guy,” du Plessis said, on the eve of the fourth Test in Johannesburg. “You don’t want to see guys going through that and it’s going to be incredibly hard for him over the next days. I just sent him a message of support saying that he’ll get through this, he must just be strong. He appreciated the message. There is a lot of respect between the two of us. He’s a good leader for Australia.”After all the bad blood that has tainted this series, it feels momentous that someone has been able to find and utter the word “respect”. Du Plessis went even further. He offered Smith “compassion”, admitted to being in the same position (literally, as du Plessis has been found guilty of ball tampering twice) and suggested it is already time for Smith start picking up the pieces and for the public to allow him to rebuild his reputation.”I do feel sorry for Steve and I do have a compassion for what he is going through. I think he is one of the good guys and he’s just been caught in a bad place. He’s obviously taken responsibility for that,” du Plessis said. “We’re not sitting in a glass house where we think we are better than them in that aspect. It’s a mistake that was made and I feel that, it’s easier said than done, but they can move on now. You don’t want to see any cricketer or person go through that amount of pain. I feel for what he’s going through as a captain.”Like Smith, du Plessis knows the responsibility that comes with leading a team and believes one of Smith’s regrets will be that the chance to create a legacy under his own name has been squandered. “I know as a leader he would have tried to have his identity put into the Australian team and perhaps now that that chance has been taken away from him, that’s not nice,” du Plessis said. “To be a captain of your country is a huge honour and you can see the disappointment. I feel really sorry for him.”Asked whether the one-year ban, which includes a ban from the IPL, 100 hours of voluntary service, and an order to play grade cricket, is too harsh, du Plessis replied in the affirmative, though he accepted that the seriousness with which Australians regard their cricket provides some context about the severity of the sanction. “I think, yes, I think so, but I understand the context of it now,” du Plessis said. “Perhaps I didn’t understand how important it is to them, but you can really see how much it means to the Australian public. You can understand why they think they need to be so harsh.”Du Plessis and team-mate Vernon Philander would not have dreamt of a similar punishment being lumped on them when they were found guilty of the same offence. In fact, the opposite happened. Cricket South Africa came out in support of its players with team manager Mohammed Moosajee saying it was “harsh” to call du Plessis rubbing the ball on his zipper in the UAE ball-tampering. The management also tried to suppress footage of Philander’s incident and CSA mounted a staunch defence of du Plessis during the Mintgate scandal in Australia in November 2016. Now, du Plessis suspects punishments will be harsher, especially after the ICC has also opted to review its code.”From where I’m sitting, I think it (Smith’s sanction) is harsh if you go back into the history where certain players have been in similar situations. The positive from that is that this is making even the ICC realise that they (Cricket Australia) are going harsher than them so maybe they need to sharpen up. If you do intend to do something illegal with the ball, you don’t just walk away from it with three demerit points and a 75% fine,” du Plessis said, referring to the penalty handed down to Cameron Bancroft.Though that may mean du Plessis would also not get away as much as he has, he welcomed the ICC’s review, reminding that it was something he has called for during Mintgate, when CSA wanted a clearer definition of what constitutes a foreign substance being applied to the ball. “I think it’s overdue. I remember in Australia two years ago with Mintgate and there was no clarity as players. We don’t know what is allowed and what is not allowed. Once you have those grey areas I think a lot of things will happen that perhaps shouldn’t happen. Perhaps something like this is the good that can come from that … you can be a lot clearer and players can have a good understanding,” du Plessis said. “Also the penalties and you get the same penalties for different things. It’s good that they are thinking that way.”Getty ImagesAnd if the ICC is reading, du Plessis does not think sledging should be banned from the game because he thinks it is minimally made use of, and equally minimally effective. “I don’t think that sledging has had that much influence on the way people play. I think it’s something in the past that people maybe thought had a huge impact,” he said. “Maybe there are one or two guys that still feel a bit more pressure when they feel there is a bit of verbal on the field. For me, it motivates me when I hear people say things on the field. Generally in cricket over the past two years I haven’t felt like that boundary has been pushed a lot with playing different teams.”Australia, of course, have been the exception. “As I said at the beginning of the series, we were expecting that from Australia and that’s the way they play. I’m not saying that’s right or wrong,” du Plessis said.After talk of team introspection and cultural change, du Plessis suspects that will change but he hopes the Australian team will retain some of its character nonetheless. “I don’t think every team in the world should play exactly the same way. It’s just been the Australian way,” he said. “But what we have spoken about this series is that line has been crossed too many times.”With sympathy for Smith and, to a less-talked-about degree, Bancroft and understanding for the Australian position, the only thing that remained was to ask du Plessis whether he felt any of the same goodwill for David Warner. As diplomatically as possible, du Plessis, like so many others, indicated that Warner would be more harshly judged, because of his past behaviour and the way he has acted in this series.Warner sparked the original series of sideshows during the first Test in Durban, when his two-hours of chatter at Quinton de Kock resulted in de Kock answering back and led to the stairwell saga from which the rest of the bad temper has flowed. Though the way Warner and particularly his wife Candice were treated by South African crowds was nothing short of shameful, Warner will find it difficult to find emphatic ears in most circles.”As a captain, the conversation between myself and Steve is on a different level. I don’t know Dave that well. This series has been fiery and he has been in the middle of it,” du Plessis said. “It’s interesting to see his thoughts. It might be a nice opportunity for him to see if he can reflect and see if he can change the way he has played the game.”

The opener’s 14-ball half-century led Kings XI Punjab to a six-wicket win in Mohali

The Report by Akshay Gopalakrishnan08-Apr-20182:27

Agarkar: Rahul has the game to adapt to all formats

KL Rahul blasted the IPL’s fastest half-century to give Kings XI Punjab a rousing start to their 2018 IPL campaign. Rahul razed the Daredevils attack in a brutal performance, getting to the landmark inside three overs and off just 14 balls.Incongruously, though, Kings XI ended up huffing and puffing to their target of 167. After Rahul’s dismissal, Kings XI only managed 103 runs in 84 balls. But such had been the damage inflicted by Rahul that they still ended up winning with seven balls to spare.All that after Gautam Gambhir, the Daredevils captain, celebrated his return to his hometown franchise with a fighting half-century. But Kings XI’s spin duo of R Ashwin and the 17-year old debutant Mujeeb Ur Rahman led a strong bowling performance to restrict Daredevils to a total that was just about par.Mujeeb’s instant rewardAt 17 years and 11 days, Mujeeb became the IPL’s youngest-ever player. Mujeeb has all the qualities that underline an effective limited-overs spinner: his variations keep the batsmen guessing, he can be deceptive with his trajectory, and his unusual action makes it difficult to pick him out of the hand.Colin Munro tends to struggle against spin in the Powerplay: he has fallen to them four times in 17 innings during this phase in T20s. After opening with himself, Ashwin introduced Mujeeb in the third over. Munro took zero time to try and suss out the newcomer, getting down for a switch hit to the first ball he faced from him. Mujeeb’s drift from around the stumps got Munro into a tangle, and trapped him plumb in front. Daredevils were 12 for 1 in the third over.1:47

Coach’s Diary: Kings XI need not worry about Yuvraj

Gambhir’s counter-offensiveUntil Sunday, Gambhir had faced 42 balls from Axar Patel in all T20s. His numbers against him: 36 runs at 5.14 an over. And that included just two fours. On Sunday, he doubled the tally off the first two balls he faced from the left-arm spinner, first with a flowing inside-out drive through cover, and then with a crunching sweep. He followed that up with a superbly timed chip over long-off.A typically fluent Gambhir against spin was on display. He made brilliant use of his feet and especially favoured the inside-out shot to counter the drift. In his first match back with his hometown franchise, Gambhir notched up a half-century – the 36th of his IPL career – and kept Daredevils on course for a strong total.Walking the talkAshwin followed up on his pre-season declaration of trying to be as unpredictable as possible, both with his own bowling and the manner in which he rotated his other bowlers. He began by using five different bowlers inside the Powerplay.Kings XI stacked their attack with three spinners, and each of them contributed to pulling the team back. Axar removed Shreyas Iyer to end a 42-run second-wicket stand – the best of Daredevils’ innings. Rishabh Pant’s cameo briefly swung the momentum back, before Mujeeb had him with a googly, thanks to a brilliant catch by Andrew Tye, running backwards from extra cover. Mujeeb then nailed a direct hit to account for Gambhir, run out for the 16th time – an IPL record.Ashwin tantalised with offbreaks, legbreaks, carrom balls and flippers: all of them delivered with superb control. He had Rahul Tewatia lbw on an attempted switch hit, and it looked as though Daredevils would have to settle for a below-par total.But Daredevils still had Chris Morris, a man with a smart strike rate of 241 at the death. Since the 2015 IPL, he has also been striking at 157 in the first 10 balls he faces. His unbeaten 16-ball 27, after coming in at the start of the 16th over, was just what Daredevils needed at the finish.Rampaging Rahul seals the dealThe skiddy nature of this Mohali surface meant the odd ball could keep low, and lbw was always a looming threat. The key was to stick to a fullish length and a stump-to-stump line, and you were in with a chance to pick up quick wickets.Rahul, however, came out swinging, and a wayward Daredevils attack fed him by bowling all over the place. One bowler after the other was left stunned by the ease with which Rahul played off either foot. Bowl it full, and he’d meet them with a solid stride and drive imperiously; drop it short, and he’d shift back with ease and hack them through the leg side. Each delivery was a gift that came tied with a ribbon.After Rahul fell, hometown hero Yuvraj Singh scratched and struggled, Karun Nair struck a fifty that largely went unnoticed despite coming at a strike rate of 151.51, and David Miller and Marcus Stoinis coasted to the target with an unbroken stand of 29.

Newcastle United could make more signings in the January transfer window, and they are believed to be eyeing a move for a talented Premier League player, according to a new report.

Will Newcastle make signings in January?

The Magpies made a welcome return to winning ways in the league on Saturday evening, battling their way to a 1-0 win at home to Brentford. The match was settled by a Callum Willson penalty, and the hope is that they now continue to climb their way up the table after a poor start to the campaign.

It was an impressive summer in the transfer market for Newcastle, with a number of top players making the move to St James' Park, including Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes from AC Milan and Leicester City respectively.

With the Magpies now a financial powerhouse, however, the funds will be available to again spend money once the January transfer window rolls around, should Eddie Howe want to bolster his squad ahead of the second half of the season, enhancing their hopes of securing back-to-back top four finishes.

Now, a new update has emerged regarding Newcastle's pursuit of one player, in what has the potential to be an exciting piece of business if it goes through.

Will Newcastle sign Lucas Paqueta?

According to a report from Spain [via The Daily Mail], the Magpies have identified West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta as a January target, seeing him as someone who could make a further difference in the middle of the park.

The fact that the Brazilian is currently being investigated over betting on football matches doesn't appear to have put Newcastle off – he denies any wrongdoing over the allegations – and they see him as an individual who is ideal for Howe's team.

Paqueta could be a fantastic signing if a move materialises in the coming months, having started this season in superb form for West Ham, catching the eye with his quality on the ball and work ethic out of possession.

The 26-year-old has averaged 4.2 tackles per game in the Premier League in 2023/24 to date, which is comfortably more than any other Hammers player, but he has also chipped in with a goal and an assist apiece.

Paqueta is now a 42-time capped Brazil international, which further highlights his pedigree, and has scored nine times for his country, including finding the net at the 2022 World Cup. He has been described as "absolutely incredible" by former West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, which says a lot about his ability, and he really could be exactly what Newcastle are after.

The aforementioned betting allegations are clearly a potential drawback, should he be found guilty – Manchester City have also been linked with a move – but assuming that issue blows over, the Magpies should do all they can to make the Brazilian part of their squad moving forward.

Few players are both a joy to watch and endlessly hard-working for the good of the team, but Paqueta ticks both of those boxes and is a wonderful footballer heading into the peak years of his career.

Manchester United are now ready to make a bid for an "energetic" defender, who is also being targeted by Arsenal and Liverpool, according to a report.

What's the latest Man United transfer news?

Man United are looking at strengthening in a number of key areas this winter, with a report revealing they are now leading the race for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, but there will be competition for his signature, as Newcastle United are also keen.

Erik ten Hag bolstered his attack with the addition of Rasmus Hojlund in the summer, but there are now indications he may want to add another striker to his ranks, with it emerging the manager has now green-lighted a move for Brighton's Evan Ferguson.

The United boss is short on options at full-back, with Luke Shaw currently sidelined, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka has now joined the long list of absentees, having suffered a hamstring injury which is set to rule him out for the next two months.

Although Wan-Bissaka is set to return prior to the January transfer window, it has now been revealed the Red Devils have their eye on a new right-back, with The Mirror reporting they are now ready to submit their opening bid for Brentford's Aaron Hickey.

In the wake of his impressive performances for the Bees, the 21-year-old has now attracted the interest of a number of top Premier League clubs, with Arsenal and Liverpool also being named as potential suitors, while Bayern Munich headline the interest from abroad.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank is adamant the club will not sell Hickey, but interest from rival English clubs continues to grow with every passing week, as a result of the progress he has made since being lured from Serie A side Bologna.

At international level, the Scot is viewed as an integral part of the side by manager Steve Clarke, especially considering he is a versatile option for Scotland, given that he is capable of playing on both sides of the backline.

If the youngster's club side are to let him leave this January, they are likely to hold out for a fee of around £50m, so he will certainly not come cheap.

How good is Aaron Hickey?

Frank has lauded his full-back for his versatility and ability to use both feet, saying:

“With Aaron there is a lot of talk about whether he is a right back or a left-back, but I am in that privileged position that he can play on both sides and will most likely go on the left,”

“He is both-footed and has huge ability, we don’t have that many full-backs so he is very important."

The Scotland international made 26 Premier League appearances for the Bees last season, establishing himself in the first team after joining from Bologna, and he's made five top-flight outings in the ongoing campaign.

As such, it may not take the starlet too long to adapt if he completes a move to Old Trafford, given that he already has Premier League experience.

Lauded as "energetic" by journalist Josh Bunting, Hickey clearly has a lot of potential, but there are question marks over whether a £50m outlay is justified, considering he is yet to establish himself as a top player.

A win for RCB against Kolkata Knight Riders will leave both teams with three wins each, but a KKR win will create a clear gulf between the top and bottom half

The Preview by Nikhil Kalro28-Apr-20184:36

Agarkar: Southee inclusion a no-brainer for RCB

Form guide (most recent matches first)

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Lost to Chennai Super Kings by five wickets, beat Delhi Daredevils by six wickets, lost to Mumbai Indians by 46 runs.
Kolkata Knight Riders: Lost to Delhi Daredevils by 55 runs, lost to Kings XI Punjab by nine wickets, beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets

Big pictureRoyal Challengers Bangalore retained Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, two of the best batsmen in T20s, ahead of the IPL auction. With batsmen to play around them, it was always going to be a case of RCB’s bowling unit needing additional resources. Out of six games, RCB have conceded more than 200 three times and lost all those games.An interesting second half of the season could be at stake in this game. If Royal Challengers beat Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday, both teams will have three wins in seven games. If Knight Riders win, a clear gulf between the top and bottom half will start to form.Knight Riders endured their worst day of the season on Friday, losing by 55 runs to Delhi Daredevils after conceding the season’s biggest total. There were also several fielding lapses; match-winner Shreyas Iyer was dropped twice. Despite that, KKR’s depth in batting and bowling should provide a stern test for Royal Challengers, given the short dimensions of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.Umesh Yadav is thrilled after dismissing Sunil Narine•BCCIIn the newsRoyal Challengers will likely look at ringing in a few changes on the bowling front after failing to defend a 200-plus total against Chennai Super Kings. Left-arm pacer Kulwant Khejroliya, who hasn’t played since their third match, against Rajasthan Royals, had an extended spell at practice.The likely XIsRoyal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Manan Vohra, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Mandeep Singh, 6 Colin de Grandhomme, 7 Pawan Negi, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Dinesh Karthik (capt, wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Shubman Gill, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Shivam MaviPrevious meetingKnight Riders ran down 177 comfortably in the opening game for both these sides at Eden Gardens. That chase included a 17-ball fifty from Sunil Narine.ESPNcricinfo LtdStrategy puntLynn and Narine are an efficient batting pair because of their varied preferences. Lynn relishes pace: he strikes at 178.8 per 100 balls, and hits a boundary every 3.4 balls in the IPL since 2015. Against spin, he has a strike rate of 127.3, with a boundary every seven balls. Narine, on the other hand, prefers spin: he has a strike-rate of 196.6 against these bowlers, with a boundary every three balls.Royal Challengers could use a spinner against Lynn and a fast bowler to Narine, with tight fields to prevent singles. That could force both batsmen to attempt tougher shots against a type of bowling they’re not comfortable with.Stats that matter Royal Challengers are the worst bowling team at the death this season, conceding 13.29 runs an over in that period. They are also the second-most efficient batting team in that period, scoring 11.49 runs an over. In IPLs since 2015, de Villiers hasn’t had a strike-rate under 150 against any form of bowling. His worst strike-rate is against left-arm spin: 154.8. Andre Russell may have a slight weakness against right-arm legspinners. Since 2015 in the IPL, he has scored just 66 runs off 52 balls, and has been dismissed three times.Fantasy pickAfter their struggles against Super Kings, it’s a good time to bank on some untested death bowlers for Royal Challengers, such as Tim Southee, who joined the team late, after missing the first few games due to an illness. In T20s since 2015, Southee has taken 52 wickets, 18 of which have come in the death overs.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore struck 81 off 63 balls before Fisher won a rain-reduced match with consecutive boundaries

ECB Reporters Network30-May-2018
ScorecardMatthew Fisher boosted Yorkshire’s Royal London Cup hopes as they beat Derbyshire by two wickets with a ball to spare in a dramatic North Group game at Derby.Fisher blasted an unbeaten 24 from eight balls to chase down a target of 190 in a game reduced by rain to 24 overs a side despite Ravi Rampaul’s best limited overs figures of 5 for 48.Ben Slater made an unbeaten 109 from 82 balls in Derbyshire’s 189 for 6 with David Willey taking 4 for 47 but Tom Kohler-Cadmore replied with 81 off 63 balls before Fisher won it with consecutive fours off Hardus Viljoen.Yorkshire brought in Willey who only arrived back in England from India on Monday night but his first over went for 21 as Derbyshire got off to a flier.The first five-over Powerplay cost 52 runs with Slater hooking Fisher for six to punish Yorkshire who bowled too short and wide but the introduction of Adil Rashid restored some order with Billy Godleman well caught at deep midwicket as only 20 came from the next four overs.Rashid should have had a second but Adam Lyth put down Wayne Madsen on eight at long off and the batsman celebrated by reverse sweeping the final ball of the 11th over for six.Tim Bresnan removed Madsen for 20 when he miscued a pull but after reaching 50 from 39 balls, Slater hit Liam Plunkett for three fours in the 16th over to get Derbyshire back on track.But some momentum was lost when Luis Reece collapsed in pain with an ankle injury and retired hurt at the end of the 18th over and Willey returned to bowl Gary Wilson and have Matt Critchley caught behind first ball.Willey struck again when Alex Hughes pulled to deep midwicket but Slater completed an excellent hundred off 77 balls before hitting two more fours in the final over.Derbyshire opened with Madsen’s offspin and he responded with a maiden but Adam Lyth pulled Duanne Olivier for consecutive sixes before Kohler-Cadmore did the same in Madsen’s next over.Kohler-Cadmore drove Rampaul for six but Lyth skied the seamer high to mid-on and in the next over, Willey top edged Olivier to short midwicket.Derbyshire struck a big blow in the ninth over when their former batsman Cheteshwar Pujara was lbw trying to work Critchley to midwicket and Ballance should have been caught on 11 by the substitute fielder at deep cover.It threatened to prove costly but Ballance was bowled by Olivier for 27 trying to ramp Olivier to fine leg in the 18th over and Bresnan was caught behind off Rampaul in the next over.Rampaul pinned Tattersall lbw to leave Yorkshire needing 55 off the last five overs and although Kohler-Cadmore swung the West Indian to wide midwicket, Fisher’s late assault saw Yorkshire home in the gloom.

NBA superstar Kevin Durant, one of the highest earning basketball players of all time, has purchased a minority stake in football club Paris Saint-Germain.

Durant, 36, has signed a partnership with Qatar Sports Investments, the club’s majority owners, to explore a wide range of commercial, investment and content production opportunities.

He joins a growing list of American sports stars venturing into football, as perhaps the greatest NFL player of all time, Tom Brady, is a minority owner of English Championship club Birmingham City, while the likes of J.J. Watt, LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes have all invested in clubs dear to their hearts.

But as Durant teams up with one of the richest organisations in professional sports – QSI have a net worth of roughly $450bn – where does he stand amongst the highest earning athletes on the planet when off-field earnings are added to salaries?

Highest earning athletes in 2025 – total earnings (salary/wages + off field earnings)

10.

Kevin Durant

Basketball

$101.4m

9.

Shohei Ohtani

Baseball

$102.5m

8.

Karim Benzema

Football

$104m

7.

Juan Soto

Baseball

$114m

6.

LeBron James

Basketball

$133.8m

5.

Lionel Messi

Football

$135m

4.

Dak Prescott

American Football

$137m

3.

Tyson Fury

Boxing

$146m

2.

Stephen Curry

Basketball

$156m

1.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Football

$275m

10 Kevin Durant – $101.4m

Durant is one of the greatest basketball players of all time, known primarily for his offensive abilities, where his 6 foot 10 frame and effortless jump shot make him a nightmare to defend.

A two-time NBA champion and one-time NBA MVP, his future is one of the biggest talking points of the upcoming off-season, with one-year remaining on his contract worth over $54m.

9 Shohei Ohtani – $102.5m

At 30 years old Ohtani is widely considered the best player in Major League Baseball due to his ability to both pitch and hit to an extremely high level.

The Japanese superstar signed a 10 year, $700m contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024.

8 Karim Benzema – $104m

Benzema won the UEFA Champions League five times during his time with Real Madrid, but has signed the largest contract of his career with his current club, Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad.

The Frenchman, who has scored 37 goals in 97 appearances for his country and won the Ballon d’Or in 2022, earns over £800,000-a-week in Saudi Arabia, which is about $57m-a-year.

7 Juan Soto – $114m

Soto is a Dominican baseball player for the New York Mets, making the controversial switch from the New York Yankees in 2025.

He will earn a whopping $765m over the course of his 15-year contract with the Mets, but falls behind the top of the list due to lower off-field earnings.

6 LeBron James – $133.8m

Regarded as one of the two greatest basketball players of all time along with Michael Jordan, James takes a huge amount of his earnings from his sponsorship deal with Nike.

On the court, the NBA legend is owed over $50m by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025-26.

5 Lionel Messi – $135m

Perhaps the greatest footballer of all time, Messi opted for Major League Soccer in the USA over the riches of the Saudi Pro League, but still rakes in $135m courtesy of his contract with Inter Miami and sponsorship deals with companies such as Adidas.

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ByBarney Lane Dec 26, 2024 4 Dak Prescott – $137m

Prescott signed the largest contract in American Football history in 2024, penning a four-year extension with the Dallas Cowboys making him the first NFL player to cross the $60m-a-year barrier.

The 31 year-old was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 despite being drafted in the fourth round with the 135th pick.

3 Tyson Fury – $146m

Fury, one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, took home $146m this year after his unanimous decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December.

2 Stephen Curry – $156m

Curry, the greatest shooter in NBA history, has won four NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors and been crowned the league’s MVP on two occasions.

He is owed over $60m by the Warriors next season and rakes in millions through his commercial deals with the likes of Under Armour, Callaway and Subway.

1 Cristiano Ronaldo – $275m

A five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo’s current contract with Saudi side Al-Nassr is worth over £3m-a-week or around $4.5m, while he also earns an additional $50m in sponsor deals with the likes of Nike and Binance.