South Africa’s captain refuses to blame slippery conditions for their fielding errors

Andrew McGlashan03-Nov-2022Temba Bavuma has admitted the “wheels probably came off” for South Africa in the field at the SCG as they suffered their first defeat of the T20 World Cup but did not see it as a major cause for alarm with progression still firmly in their hands.Pakistan had been reduced to 43 for 4 in the seventh over but managed to post 185 for 9 with 117 coming off the second ten overs which featured a significant deterioration in South Africa’s fielding, although the latter part of the innings took place under drizzle.Related

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Bavuma did not believe his attack had been agile enough to adjust to conditions as they changed, but with the final group game against Netherlands, they should still reach the semi-finals although will concede the top spot to India if they beat Zimbabwe.”I wouldn’t say it’s a concern,” Bavuma said. “Probably is a bit of a wake-up call. I thought the first ten overs, we were superb. We were able to get them under pressure. Then after that, the wheels probably came off.”Conditions changed a little bit with the ball going to skid [on]. I think in terms of our awareness, in terms of adapting to that, we were very slow. We allowed them to get momentum into their innings, and they were able to get a formidable score on the board.”We’re going to use our pace. We’re going to use our bounce. Unfortunately for us today, it probably wasn’t the right plan considering the conditions out there.”Like I said, I don’t think it’s a big concern. Yes, there are talking points for us, areas that we can learn from. Maybe it’s a performance that we needed to kind of bring us down back to earth.”Bavuma did not want to use a damp ball and slippery underfoot conditions as an excuse for an uncharacteristic number of fielding errors.”Maybe the intensity lowered a bit for the guys. Individually, the guys know, but it’s definitely not the standard of fielding that we pride ourselves on,” he said. “I guess we had a bit of a lifeline probably because of the way we played up until this point, but I think from now on it’s about us playing our best cricket. If we come unstuck, we come unstuck. Today we didn’t play our best cricket.”

“Maybe it’s a performance that we needed to kind of bring us down back to earth.”Bavuma on the loss

South Africa went into the match without the in-form David Miller who suffered back spasms although Bavuma indicated it should not be a major concern for the games to come. And the captain himself was able to make his highest T20I score since the previous World Cup with 36 off 19 balls which briefly put South Africa ahead of the DLS target.”It’s been a while since I hit the ball in the middle,” he said. “I felt a lot better today…I guess I just tried to enjoy it, to be honest.”

Sheffield United would have been watching on with awe on Monday night as automatic promotion rivals Leeds United dramatically beat Sunderland 2-1 to return to the top of the competitive Championship table.

Chris Wilder’s Blades do have an opportunity to return to the summit when the Whites come to town next up in what could be the second tier’s most tantalising contest to date this campaign.

Jayden Bogle will also be relishing the prospect of getting one over on his former employers here, with the 24-year-old defecting over to West Yorkshire in the summer to pursue promotion glory with Daniel Farke’s men, instead of sticking it out at Bramall Lane after relegation.

Jayden Bogle's numbers this season

There would have been some anger in the air when Bogle was allowed to move to Leeds, with the right-back still having a positive campaign for the most part last season even as the Blades finished bottom of the top-flight pile.

In total in South Yorkshire, Bogle would pick up 12 goals and four assists from his familiar right-hand side, with his presence in the Leeds team last time out helping Farke’s men beat Regis Le Bris’ tricky side.

Amassing 91 touches across the course of the high-energy 2-1 win, Bogle was committed throughout to the cause, with tackles and duels won aplenty as 11 tackles and duels were successfully won, alongside also completing two successful dribbles to push his team further up the field to mount a spectacular comeback.

Whilst he didn’t score or assist in this one, Bogle’s numbers in the Championship this season still stand at an impressive six goal contributions regardless, before analysing further his obvious strengths as a defender when collecting a hefty 16 clean sheets.

Wilder has bemoaned the lack of depth available to him in the right-back spot, hence the loan signing of Harry Clarke in the recently closed transfer window, but he will be equally displeased – if not more enraged – at the fact that one centre-back star was moved on when Bogle exited.

United's centre-back situation

After all, if it hadn’t been for the deadline day loan signing of Rob Holding, the promotion chasers would have been entering into a crunch few months in the division with just two available centre-backs.

That’s where Auston Trusty could have eased some nerves, with the American defender sold to Celtic in the wake of United’s demoralising drop down to the second tier.

Trusty was thrown straight into the deep end donning a United strip, considering his only full campaign at Bramall Lane was when the Blades leaked an atrocious 104 goals, but he still managed to win himself a big £6m move to Scotland.

Indeed, the ex-Arsenal man would walk away from that pitiful relegation campaign with his head held high still, with his numbers in Glasgow to date proving that he would have done a competent job in the chaotic Championship, instead of Wilder and Co having to take a punt on the forgotten Holding.

Trusty’s league numbers for Celtic (24/25)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Trusty

Matches played

16

Goals scored

1

Assists

1

Touches*

126.3

Accurate passes*

106.3 (93%)

Ball recoveries*

3.6

Clearances*

3.3

Total duels won*

7.0

Clean sheets

10

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, Trusty has effortlessly slotted into the Celtic team as a stylish but staunch operator at the back, with his hefty seven duels won on average in league action this season even seeing him be heralded as a “man mountain” by football journalist Ryan McGinlay.

The compliments don’t end there, with ex-Celtic striker Chris Sutton lauding Trusty as “phenomenal” when the 26-year-old helped the Bhoys overcome RB Leipzig 3-1 on a famous Champions League night in November, which is a far cry from his troubles at the bottom of the Premier League in South Yorkshire.

Whilst Wilder will be pleased with what he has at his disposal at the back after some last-ditch buys, both Bogle and Trusty would have undoubtedly been in and around the first-team picture if they remained in Sheffield to this day.

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The number nine issue at West Ham has been a consistent topic over the years and given the countless injuries to the likes of Michail Antonio, Niclas Füllkrug and even Jarrod Bowen, it has led to a very likely busy end to the January window, as the Hammers race to make a forward signing.

Luckily for Graham Potter, Lucas Paqueta has been a revelation, playing as a bit of a false-nine, making things stick from long balls up to him, drifting to support the likes of Mohammed Kudus and Carlos Soler and linking everything together for the side.

But at the end of this window, Paqueta may be able to return to a role playing off the left, should West Ham manage to recruit more of a target man profile upfront, with plenty of players being linked to fill that role this month.

West Ham looking at new striker before the deadline

According to reports from Italy, West Ham are interested in signing Napoli forward, Giancomo Raspadori, having had previous interest in the Italian back in 2022 when he was playing for Sassuolo.

It’s suggested that West Ham have already ‘made moves’ to understand what it would take to conclude a deal.

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The last time West Ham signed an Italian striker who had played for Sassuolo, it didn’t quite work out, with Gianluca Scamacca playing just 27 games for the club, scoring eight goals in 1,342 minutes played, after joining the club for a fee of around £35.5m. Thus, Raspadori could be their chance to flip the scripts, fixing their number nine issue once and for all.

Raspadori has made 14 appearances for Napoli this season, scoring just one goal, providing one assist and totalling 515 minutes played. His limited minutes could be what presents the opportunity for the 24-year-old wanting to prove himself as a starter.

How Raspadori compares to West Ham target Evan Ferguson

Another player who is being linked with a move to West Ham this month is Brighton forward Evan Ferguson, who has only managed 14 appearances so far this season, scoring one goal and totalling 373 minutes played.

The Seagulls forward is known as one of the best young strikers in the Premier League so is Raspadori a match for the Irishman? We’ve crunched the numbers.

Goals

0.28

0.31

Assists

0.14

0.05

xG

0.30

0.28

xAG

0.23

0.03

Progressive Carries

1.72

0.80

Progressive Passes

3.28

0.86

Shots Total

3.38

1.98

Key Passes

2.06

0.34

Shot-Creating Actions

4.22

1.31

Aerial Duels Won

0.39

0.80

Whilst the players are different types of strikers, Raspadori being 5 foot 7 and Ferguson being 6 foot, both players offer a fairly complete set of skills as a centre-forward.

Ferguson being slightly bigger and having a bulkier frame makes him more effective in aerial duels and in the box, but Raspadori does offer a higher shot volume and far more progressive actions during the build-up phase.

Marco Rossi labelled Raspadori as a “strong footballer” back in 2022, expecting him to be the future of Napoli. He has shown glimpses for both club and country, but an extended run to find his confidence again could be what finally unlocks him to his true potential.

With a better injury record than Ferguson, the potential to make it a permanent deal and a willingness to prove people wrong, Raspadori could prove to be the perfect signing for Potter’s West Ham side, taking them to the next level.

Judging by the numbers, he certainly looks like a better all-round package than Brighton’s young striker.

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A Qatari consortium are said to be hatching a divisive plan in their potential bid for a takeover of Tottenham Hotspur, as they eventually seek to buy the north London club.

Tottenham supporters plan Daniel Levy protest against Man United

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, amidst yet another disappointing campaign, is facing more protests from frustrated Lilywhites supporters – who are planning to voice their dissatisfaction during their clash with Man United this weekend.

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ByEmilio Galantini Feb 13, 2025

Fans are being urged by a protest group to gather in the south stand after the United game, to make clear to the board, who will hear them from the luxury lounge, that enough is enough (via The Times).

Man United (home)

February 16th

Ipswich Town (away)

February 22nd

Man City (home)

February 26th

Bournemouth (home)

March 9th

Fulham (away)

March 16th

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou is under mounting pressure, amid a crippling injury crisis and serious lack of form, with the north Londoners closer to relegation than they are to European qualification.

A large section of critics believe Tottenham’s major squad shortage ultimately comes down to a lack of good investments in players over the years, and there are calls for more funds to be reinvested into building a squad that can genuinely compete at the top end of the Premier League.

“The thing that causes a lot of the frustration, you can see there’s certain figures around the club supportive of Daniel Levy and you hear lines like ‘who do Spurs fans think they are? They’re so entitled,” said Spurs fan and Rule The Roost podcaster, Jack Hussey.

“He’s built them this good stadium and they’ve had Champions League football and they should be grateful for that’.

“On one hand you can appreciate that – but, you have to also take into consideration, Spurs fans are charged one of the highest amounts of money to watch the club, ticket prices are through the roof.

“Daniel Levy is the highest paid chairman in the Premier League, but the figures show you – Tottenham’s wage spend ratio to turnover is one of the lowest in the league – something there isn’t making sense.

“I have to default back to the fact that it’s only been the last 20 years or so that Tottenham haven’t been regularly winning things, prior to ENIC and Daniel Levy taking over, Tottenham regularly won trophies and competed at the top end of the table.”

Qatari consortium looking to buy Tottenham in "controversial" plan

Now, according to The Guardian and reliable journalist Matt Hughes, private Qatari investors could now be looking to hand Spurs a way out of the ENIC era.

Indeed, it is believed that the Qatari consortium is looking to buy Tottenham, with the potential takeover likely coming in the form of a phased buyout as they eventually seek to acquire full control of the club.

However, in a “controversial” plan, those prospective buyers are also thinking about keeping Levy on with a long-term management contract – regardless of whether ENIC becomes a minority shareholder.

In a further bit of crucial information, these mystery bidders from the Middle East are not thought to be the Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) or Sheikh Jassim – who were involved in a bidding war to buy Man United.

Past reports have also indicated that ENIC and Joe Lewis would be seeking a “minimum” of £4 billion to sell their majority Spurs shares.

MatériaMais Notícias

A última vez que o São Paulo encontrou o Botafogo foi há mais de um ano, em 22 de fevereiro de 2021, em duelo que ainda era válido pelo Brasileirão 2020 por conta de atrasos no calendário devido à pandemia de Covid-19. Na ocasião, o Tricolor paulistafoi comandado pelotécnico interino Marcos Vizolli e perdeu por 1 a 0, no Nilton Santos.

As equipes voltam a se enfrentar nesta quinta-feira (16), no mesmo estádio, e desta vez com algumas mudanças significativas.

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O último duelo não foi positivo para o São Paulo em nenhum aspecto. Além da derrota, o time teve Reinaldo expulso e um pênalti perdido por Luciano. Na época, o clube tinha acabado de demitir Fernando Diniz e contava com a presença do técnico interino na beira do gramado. Poucos dias depois, Hernán Crespo foi anunciado como o novo treinador – tempos depois, ele seria campeão paulista.

Na época, o Tricolor paulista foi a campo com alguns nomes que não estão mais presentes na equipe atual, como Volpi, Tchê Tchê, Bruno Alves, Hernanes, entre outros.

Também não contava com atletas importantes do elenco desta temporada. Além do técnico Rogério Ceni, o São Paulo hoje tem figuras como Calleri, Rafinha, Jandrei, e algumas outras novidades, nas mais diversas posições.

Assim, é a primeira vez que Ceni irá enfrentar o Botafogo nesta sua segunda passagem no comando da equipe. Atualmente, o Botafogo está na zona de rebaixamento – ocupa a 17ª posição na tabela da competição, com 12 pontos. Enquanto isso, o São Paulo está no lado oposto, no G4, com 18 pontos.

O encontro desta quinta-feira (16) será às 16h, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, no estádio Nilton Santos.

The left hander, who has played 11 Tests, is having an outstanding domestic season

AAP04-Dec-20221:09

Warner on future: ‘Will take each series as it comes’

In-form Queensland opener Matt Renshaw says he’s ready for an Australian Test recall after making key changes to his approach to cricket.Renshaw, the 26-year-old left-hander, played the last of his 11 Tests in 2018. His form this summer has been top shelf. Renshaw has scored 491 first-class runs this season at an average of 81.83.An unbeaten 200 for Queensland against New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield and scores of 81 and 101 not out against the touring West Indies for the Prime Minister’s XI have been highlights.Related

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Australia’s Test opener David Warner, 36, is nearing the end of his career and fellow opener Usman Khawaja, 35, is also in his twilight years. Renshaw just has to be patient, with Test tours of India and England on the horizon.”I am ready,” Renshaw told AAP when asked about the possibility of a Test recall. “The last few years I have definitely re-thought about how I go about my cricket.”The Aussie stuff is important but you can get caught up with your mindset and trying to play for that, rather than just playing for my team and doing well for Queensland.”That is the big learning I have had, along with enjoying my cricket. If [a Test recall] comes then it comes. It will take care of itself.”Matthew Renshaw scored a century against West Indies in the pink-ball Prime Minister’s XI game•Getty ImagesRenshaw scored 636 runs at an average of 33.47 in his 11 Tests with a top score of 184. He has adapted and developed his game to be able to seamlessly up the ante when required during an innings.That was on show in his most recent Sheffield Shield knock of 54 for Queensland against Western Australia where he dug in early during tough conditions before opening up.”I was talking to Joe [Burns] a bit about it…how at the start of my career when I came in I was quite slow,” Renshaw said. “I tried to reinvent myself and become a lot quicker but that was my downfall in the end.”Now I feel really comfortable being able to flick through the gears when I need to, depending on what the situation dictates. There are a couple of technical changes that I have made, but the insatiable desire to achieve is the biggest thing.”Queensland captain Khawaja, who also spent three years out of the Test team before his recall this year, recently said Renshaw would get his chance again at the top level.”I spend a lot of time with Usman on and off the field and he is someone I look up to a lot,” Renshaw said. “There are definitely some learnings from his career and the way he goes about things. We are similar characters in that way. We both love succeeding and we love batting.”

يشهد اليوم الأربعاء 28-5-2025، العديد من المواجهات المرتقبة على الصعيدين المحلي والأوروبي، تتصدرها مباريات الدوري المصري الممتاز ونهائي دوري المؤتمر الأوروبي.

ويترقب عشاق الكرة الأوروبية مواجهة قوية تجمع بين ريال بيتيس وتشيلسي، في نهائي دوري المؤتمر الأوروبي، على ملعب “مييسكي في بولندا”.

وكان ريال بيتيس قد تأهل للنهائي بعد تخطي فيورنتينا بنتيجة 4-3 في مجموع لقائي الذهاب والإياب، بينما عبر تشيلسي بسهولة إلى النهائي بفوز كاسح 5-1 على ديورجاردن السويدي.

محليًا، تتجه الأنظار إلى استاد القاهرة الدولي، حيث يستضيف النادي الأهلي فريق فاركو في لقاء الحسم بالجولة الثامنة من المرحلة النهائية للدوري المصري الممتاز، وهي مباراة قد تحسم اللقب لصالح المارد الأحمر.

فوز الأهلي أو حتى التعادل أمام فاركو يعني تتويجه رسميًا بالبطولة، في ظل تصدره جدول الترتيب برصيد 55 نقطة، بفارق نقطتين عن بيراميدز صاحب المركز الثاني بـ53 نقطة.

وفي لقاء آخر لا يقل أهمية، يلتقي بيراميدز مع سيراميكا كليوباترا على استاد السويس الجديد، في مواجهة مصيرية للفريق السماوي الذي لا يملك خيارًا سوى الفوز، على أمل أن يخدمه فاركو بنتيجة مفاجئة أمام الأهلي.

طالع أيضًا | ضياء السيد: الأهلي قادر على حسم الدوري وتقديمه هدية قبل كأس العالم للأندية مواعيد مباريات اليوم الأربعاء 28-5-2025 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد مباريات الدوري المصري اليوم

الأهلي ضد فاركو، الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “on sport 1”.

سيراميكا كليوباترا ضد بيراميدز، الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “on sport 2”.

بتروجيت ضد البنك الأهلي، الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

المصري ضد حرس الحدود، الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. موعد نهائي دوري المؤتمر الأوروبي اليوم

ريال بيتيس ضد تشيلسي، الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN SPORTS HD 1”. مواعيد المباريات الودية اليوم

نيجيريا ضد غانا، الساعة 9 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا

Jurgen Klopp reportedly wants Cesc Fabregas to take the reins at RB Leipzig as the former Liverpool manager's Red Bull role becomes more hands-on.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Klopp took up his role at Red Bull last summer
• Has held talks with Fabregas about moving to Leipzig
• Fabregas might end up staying at Como

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Klopp is keen to see Fabregas become the next head coach at the Bundesliga club as they search for a permanent replacement for Marco Rose, who was dismissed in late March. Though his managerial career is still in its infancy, the Spaniard has already attracted the attention of Leipzig's leadership thanks to his bold attacking philosophy and the results produced at Como, which have propelled them to a mid-table spot in Serie A. Klopp is now serving as Red Bull's head of global soccer, and as such, is playing a key role in all the off-pitch goings-on at Leipzig.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Romano has confirmed that Klopp reached out to Fabregas recently to discuss the Leipzig project. However, the former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder is yet to decide on his future and might take a call after the Serie A season ends.

• WHAT ROMANO SAID

  Romano said: "Klopp had direct contact with [Como manager] Cesc Fabregas a few weeks ago to speak about the Leipzig project. Cesc is still deciding to stay at Como, that's the position of the coach."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  One of the significant challenges Leipzig may face in bringing Fabregas on board lies in his ties to Como, not just as head coach, but also as a part-owner of the Italian club. His personal investment in the team could make him hesitant to leave, especially with Como currently enjoying a strong run of form in Serie A. Moreover, Leipzig are going to face competition as Roma view him as a successor to Claudio Ranieri in the capital.

Aston Villa head into tonight’s Premier League fixture with Liverpool desperate to get back to winning ways in front of their adoring Villa Park faithful.

Last time out, Unai Emery’s men picked up a flat point versus relegation-threatened Ipswich Town on their own patch, with the result made to look even more bleak by the fact the Tractor Boys managed to pick up that point despite only having ten men for all of the second 45 minutes.

Even with Liverpool currently showing some chinks in their armour with a Merseyside Derby draw and a slim win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Villa will know they’ll need to be at their best to exploit the Reds’ rustiness, especially if Mohamed Salah is at his frightening peak.

Salah's unbelievable form this season

Indeed, even with the Egyptian ace hitting 32 years of age and worrying about his long-term Anfield future, the tricky attacker is having the campaign of his life.

Staggeringly, Salah boasts a whopping 28 goals and 19 assists in all competitions this season so far, with a large portion of those goal contributions – 37 to be exact – coming in the bread and butter of the top flight.

Game

Result

Goals scored

Assists

Wolves (H)

2-1 W

1

0

Everton (A)

2-2 D

1

1

Tottenham (H)

4-0 W

1

1

Bournemouth (A)

2-0 W

2

0

Ipswich (H)

4-1 W

1

0

Scoring and assisting in some capacity across his high-flying side’s last five matches too, Villa will know they will have to keep the enigmatic Salah quiet all night long to try and pick up a result and sour Arne Slot’s mood even more.

Emery might well even have his own Salah up his sleeve for this Wednesday night affair, with the star in question equally comfortable playing on the right wing but when putting his golden left foot to good use.

Aston Villa could unleash their answer to Salah

Villa certainly were the talk of the town after an explosive end to the hectic transfer window saw them welcome in Axel Disasi, Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio all on loan deals.

Whilst Disasi is likely to start again in the centre-back areas, there is a shout that Asensio could be handed a start down the right wing to spring a surprise on Slot and Co, who might well be anticipating Rashford jumping into the XI after he clattered the crossbar against Ipswich.

Instead, the “unbelievable” Spaniard – as he has been labelled in the past by football talent scout Antonio Mango – might be given the nod to try and cause havoc to a Liverpool defence that gave up 16 shots to Wolves, with a fierce strike like this one in the ex-Real Madrid man’s wheelhouse.

After all, when donning the famous Los Blancos strip, Asensio would help himself to a stunning 61 goals and 32 assists from 286 games, further reinforcing the notion of the 29-year-old being a star for the big occasion and why he should start against the table-toppers late on.

His debut in claret and blue also saw a confident Asensio take to the pressures of the English game well, with many a trick and flick well executed, alongside walking away from the FA Cup win versus Spurs with a 100% pass accuracy in-tact.

A real threat off the right flank, like Salah, the comparison between the pair – as well as Rashford – has only recently been made by Emery himself:

Asensio could also link up well with the main Villa marksman Ollie Watkins who managed to push his side to a draw against the Tractor Boys with an equalising strike, alongside the fact the former Brentford sharpshooter has five career goals versus the Reds.

Emery will want to see a reaction from his underwhelming troops and there wouldn’t be a better way to respond than beating the league leaders in front of a packed Villa Park, courtesy of some Asensio magic.

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Following the departure of Diego Carlos to Fenerbahce, another Aston Villa player who just earned the praise of Unai Emery is reportedly set to complete a move away from the Midlands.

Aston Villa transfer news

For some time, it looked as though Loic Bade would be on his way only for his valuation to rise outside of the Villans’ range this month even after Carlos’ departure. In a race to secure back-to-back top four finishes, it’s the type of transfer frustration that Villa could do without and the type that would have only been increased by Mings’ ill-timed injury blow.

Speaking about his side’s transfer activity which has so far seen both Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia arrive and Carlos leave, Emery told reporters as relayed by the Times and Star: “We’re doing everything we can and we have to control everything that’s in our hands.

“This transfer window is not easy, we did not want him to leave but he decided to leave because he accepted an offer from Turkey and we’re trying to get one centre-back to replace him. But there are still days to decide how we can do it.”

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Jan 28, 2025

To make room for another central defender, meanwhile, the Villans have seemingly shown the door to another player. According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Emiliano Buendia is now on the verge of joining Bayer Leverkusen on loan with an option to buy.

The former Norwich City man may well fall into the category of what might have been at Villa Park, but a move away to Leverkusen could yet hand him the revival that he so desperately needed.

"Fantastic" Buendia needed move

When Buendia first arrived from Norwich, it was a move full of excitement. A spell full of frustrating injuries later, however, it’s one that could have been so much more. At this stage, the Argentine midfielder desperately needed a move away having failed to start a single game in the Premier League all season.

His struggles didn’t stand in the way of Emery’s recent praise though. The Spaniard was quick to speak highly of Buendia following his performance despite the fact that his side suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of AS Monaco in the Champions League.

Emery told reporters as relayed by the Birmingham Mail: “Today, especially with Emi Buendia, because he has the option to leave but today we needed him and he played fantastic with his qualities, fantastic mentality and fantastic with his commitment with the squad.”

It now looks as though the £75,000-a-week man has taken that option to leave and join up with Bundesliga champions Leverkusen in what is an impressive move. It’s there under Xabi Alonso that Buendia could rediscover his best form.