A club are believed to be planning a new £10m bid to seal the services of an “outstanding” Celtic player, according to a new transfer update.
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The Hoops are preparing for the visit of Motherwell on Boxing Day, but they may have to make do without attacking hero Nicolas Kuhn.
The 24-year-old is struggling with an injury that kept him out of last Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Dundee United – a game in which his creativity and goal threat were missed – with Brendan Rodgers confirming as much, saying: “I don’t know how long Nicolas will be out for. Hopefully it’s not long term. He felt a problem with his knee and then he felt a twinge on Saturday.”
Nicolas Kuhn
Away from the injuries, transfers in and outs continue to do the rounds at Celtic, with left-back Alexandre Bernabei looking increasingly likely to seal a permanent exit away from the Scottish Premiership champions in the January transfer window.
Meanwhile, Stephen Welsh is another player who could be on his way out of the Parkhead exit door next month, with the 24-yeafr-old struggling to be a regular this season. A loan offer from KV Mechelen could be accepted for his signature. Now, another Hoops departure could also be on the cards, following a new update.
Bid planned for "outstanding" £10m Celtic ace
According to The Daily Mail’s reliable reporter Stephen McGowan, Atlanta United are preparing a £10m bid for Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi, with the MLS side attempting to make a move for him in the summer, too.
They were “offered no encouragement” at that point, however, and are now hoping that an improved offer could be enough to prise the Japanese away from Parkhead.
Kyogo Furuhashi
It goes without saying that losing Kyogo would be an enormous blow for Celtic, considering he has become one of the club’s most influential attacking players in recent years.
The 29-year-old has scored 81 goals in 156 appearances for the Hoops, which is a superb return, also registering 18 assists for good measure. Former manager Ange Postecoglou was also a great admirer of the striker, saying of him last year:
“You look at him, the size he is and the players he is against, and he doesn’t shirk any of it. He puts the opposition under pressure, he’s so clever with movement and he wants to be front and centre when the opportunities are there. He was outstanding and has been from the moment he joined this club.”
Hopefully, Kyogo’s head isn’t turned by a move to the MLS at this stage in his career, instead preferring to keep Celtic enjoying trophy glory for the foreseeable future.
24 y/o Celtic star sidelined and could be out until after Rangers clash
It’s a big blow for Brendan Rodgers.
1 ByHenry Jackson Dec 23, 2024
He is still contracted at Parkhead until the summer of 2027, so there is no need for the Hoops to consider cashing in on him, with that decision not having to be made until the end of the current season, at the very earliest.
Weston McKennie picked two former Juventus players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, when asked to select his dream five-a-side team.
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McKennie picks dream five-a-side teamIncludes former team-mate Ronaldo as well as MessiPicks himself in a surprising roleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
USMNT and Juventus midfielder was asked to share his dream five-a-side team, and he selected two of his former Juventus team-mates, while also picking himself, but in a role no one would have expected to see him in.
AdvertisementWHAT WESTON MCKENNIE SAID
The 26-year-old USMNT star sat down with DAZN Italia and revealed his dream team. "Ronaldinho, first of all. You need a goalkeeper? I'll take Gigi [Gianluigi Buffon]," McKennie said.
"I'll take [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo. I take the current Ronaldo. I will take Kaka, and me as coach (laughs)."
AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
McKennie joined Juventus on loan ahead of the 2020-21 season and spent one season with Ronaldo and Buffon, before former joined Manchester United and the latter moved to Serie B side Parma. As for McKenne, he's still a Juve player and has made 23 appearances in Serie A during the 2024-25 campaign.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WESTON MCKENNIE?
McKennie will be seen in action on Friday in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-final against Panama. He'll return to club action with Juventus on March 29, in a Serie A clash against Genoa. Thiago Motta's men are currently fighting to battle for a top-four spot and what would be a place in next season's Champions League. They're currently in fifth place, one point behind Bologna, in fourth, and 12 points below league leaders Inter.
Cricket Australia and Australian Cricketers’ Association reach one-year pay agreement for 2022-23
Alex Malcolm12-May-2022Cricket Australia will expand the Women’s National Cricket League to a full home-and-away season under a new 12-month Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Australian Cricketers’ Association.The acrimonious negotiations of 2017 were avoided with CA CEO Nick Hockley and ACA CEO Todd Greenberg working closely together over the last 12 months, including travelling to Pakistan together in March, to deliver a new MoU that sees the 50-over WNCL expanded by four rounds alongside the 14-game WBBL season.Australia’s female domestic players contracted in both the WNCL and WBBL will now earn a base average of AUD$86,000.Australia are the reigning women’s ODI and two-time reigning T20 World Cup champions but there had long been a push for more state cricket.”Our female players are superb role models and as we continue to focus on increasing the participation of women and girls in cricket, a full home and away WNCL season is a logical step,” Hockley said.CA requested that a 12-month MoU be signed in the short-term due to the impacts of Covid, with another agreement needed to be reached for 2023-24 and beyond. The Australian cricket television broadcast rights, the key pillar in CA’s revenue and the players’ share, are to be renegotiated in 2024.”This is an excellent result for Australian cricket and I look forward to working with Todd and the Players’ Association for the next long-term MoU,” Hockley said. “Despite the impacts of Covid, the MoU has delivered an outcome for players that is beyond expectations.”We thank all the players for their enormous efforts in such a demanding time. To think that we managed to play every international game and the vast majority of domestic fixtures last season and enjoyed one of the most successful periods in our history is an extraordinary achievement from all involved.”The revenue share model, which was the cause of the rift when the last MoU was being negotiated, remains in place with the players, both men and women, to receive 27.5% of forecast Australian cricket revenue alongside a performance pool of 2.5%. The players’ retainers and match payments have been increased by 1% across all playing groups. The ACA has agreed to allocate $4 million to CA to assist in managing the ongoing impacts of Covid.Greenberg has been firm on the partnership model between the players and CA remaining in place and was pleased with the outcome.”It has served Australian cricket well in responding to the impacts of Covid, where player payments and benefits self-adjusted as the games’ revenues fluctuated, avoiding the challenging re-negotiations faced by other sports,” he said.
The allrounder is looking forward to picking up where he left off, finishing games for India
PTI and ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jun-2022As he got down to plot his return to the Indian team, Hardik Pandya would hit the bed at 9.30pm and wake up at 5am, dedicating the intervening period to win battles against his “own self”.The 28-year-old allrounder followed this timetable for four months, after which he guided an unfancied Gujarat Titans to a memorable title triumph in only their maiden IPL outing. Soon after that, he made his long-awaited international comeback.Hardik, who has been managing a long-standing back problem, hadn’t played for India since they dropped out in the group stages of the 2021 T20 World Cup in November. But on Thursday, reprising his usual role as finisher, he looked pretty much like his old self, hitting an unbeaten 31 off just 12 balls against South Africa.”I was happy,” Hardik told . “It was more about the battles I won against my own self and a lot of other things as well. Winning the IPL, or even qualifying [for the playoffs] was a big deal for me because a lot of people doubted us,” he said. “A lot of people frowned at us before we started. A lot of people raised a lot of questions. A lot of things were said about me even before I made a comeback.”But it was never about giving them answers. I’m just proud of the process I followed. No one knows what I went through the six months that I was off. I’ve gotten up at 5 in morning to make sure I train. I slept at 9:30 in the night for four months, so [there was] a lot of sacrifice.”It was the battle I fought before the IPL. I have always worked hard in my life, and it has always given me the result I wanted.”Hardik also said the ongoing series against South Africa was the ideal platform for him to get into the groove for the upcoming T20 World Cup, especially since India will look to him to finish an innings, not start one like he did at Titans”Every series or every game you play is as important as your last,” Hardik said. “So, for me, World Cup is the goal, this is the right platform to get into the rhythm and a lot of cricket is going to come back-to-back. Always being in the rhythm is very important.”My role will be changed here, I won’t be captain, I won’t be batting higher up the order and guiding through the innings. This will be back to being the Hardik for which I am known.”
The Águilas' coach spoke about the team's goals for the end of the season.
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América face Tigres this Saturday. sit on top of the Liga MX with 27 points.
Henry Martín will be out for four weeks due to an Achilles injury.
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
Winning three consecutive Liga MX titles has cemented André Jardine’s place in América’s history. The Brazilian coach has led his team to a feat never before achieved in the short-tournament era. But inside the locker room, the mindset remains the same – there’s still more to win. This season, their focus is on capturing the Champions Cup.
"We want the Champions Cup," Jardine said. "I have great confidence in this team because in decisive moments, leaders step up – we step up, the fans step up. The body, soul, and heart are there, and this team shows its best version when the competition demands it."
"It’s about creating a positive environment, winning over the players, and building an atmosphere where things flourish. We want everyone to find happiness in the process. We have already built an environment of pure trust…Victories and triumphs will be a consequence of this environment."
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The final stretch of the season is approaching, and América is starting to face tough challenges. lead the Clausura 2025 with 27 points and are close to securing their spot in the Liga MX playoffs. They are also in the quarterfinals of the Champions Cup, the only title they have yet to win in the Jardine era.
Challenging weeks lie ahead, with striker Henry Martín sidelined for four weeks due to an Achilles injury and three matches against Cruz Azul coming up in the next few days. This stretch could determine whether or not America live up to expectations this season.
Getty Images SportWHAT ANDRÉ JARDINE SAID
"He [club chairperson Emilio Azcárraga] never stops coming – he is always here. He conveys the feelings of so many people behind him, he knows the institution he represents, and he understands what is at stake," the Brazilian coach said of Azcárraga, América's owner. "He is a man who has everyone's respect because he is there through the good times and the bad. I see him as a very important driving force because, in the end, we were all hired by him, and we must answer to him for why he brought us in. It's a very important connection, and that translates onto the field."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR AMÉRICA?
Jardine's team, currently sitting in first place in the Clausura 2025 with 27 points, will host No. 3 Tigres this Saturday at the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes in Matchday 13 of the tournament.
14th in the Premier League table. Four defeats from their last five top-flight outings. The Ruben Amorim ‘honeymoon’ period is well and truly over.
Not that the Portuguese was ever afforded a smooth start to begin with, with the 2-1 victory over a hapless Manchester City side standing out as the statement result in an otherwise grim start to life in the Old Trafford dugout.
Since that Amad Diallo-inspired display at the Etihad, the Red Devils have now lost three on the bounce in all competitions, shipping nine goals in the process and failing to even get on the scoresheet in their last two festive outings.
Up against a resurgent Wolverhampton Wanderers side on Thursday evening – led by new boss Vitor Pereira – Amorim’s men simply wilted, while enduring further calamity in the form of Bruno Fernandes’ red card and Matheus Cunha’s effort direct from a corner.
With each passing week, this side appear to reach new depths, leaving that man Amorim scrambling with the January transfer window looming.
The key Man Utd issues vs Wolves
In what was a largely dull and drab contest, it’s fair to say that the visiting defence were actually untroubled for much of the encounter, with it taking a crazy Cunha curler to catch out a feeble Andre Onana.
Indeed, the Old Gold only created one ‘big chance’, while it was actually the away side who produced more shots on goal (11 vs 7), as per Sofascore, with it having been another day in which Amorim was left to rue key individual errors.
There was no greater mistake than from his captain and compatriot, with Fernandes needlessly picking up a third red card of the season just minutes after the restart.
Bruno Fernandes
Not that United were clicking into gear prior to that 47th minute dismissal, yet such an act only served to heap the pressure on his teammates, with it having been no surprise when the Red Devils did eventually cave in.
Meanwhile, it proved another grim day for young Kobbie Mainoo who was rightly withdrawn on the hour mark, with the 19-year-old looking so at odds up against the ferocious Cunha and Wolves’ midfield terriers. Diogo Dalot, too, remains distinctly uncomfortable on that left flank, having lost the ball 19 times and failed to register a single successful cross.
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Ahead of that pairing, the 2-0 defeat also showed young Rasmus Hojlund at his worst, with such a limp showing only heightening the calls for a significant upgrade to be acquired in 2025.
Man Utd's need for a centre-forward upgrade
For so long, the previous regime – spearheaded by Ed Woodward – looked to bolster the attack with short-term, veteran acquisitions of high-profile status, resulting in brief stints for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, Odion Ighalo and, who can forget, Wout Weghorst.
Player
Games
Goals
Assists
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
53
29
10
Odion Ighalo
23
5
1
Edinson Cavani
59
19
6
Cristiano Ronaldo (2nd spell)
54
27
5
Wout Weghorst
31
2
3
Rasmus Hojlund
64
23
3
Thankfully, the club have moved away from that short-term model, although it could be argued that they have gone too far the other way, having recruited a 23-year-old Joshua Zirkzee and a 20-year-old Rasmus Hojlund across the last two summers.
The signing of the former Atalanta man, in particular, is one that could be looked back on as a real defining moment in the Erik ten Hag tenure. After a promising first season that ended in Carabao Cup glory and a third-place league finish, United needed to kick on.
The talk of the town was that Harry Kane was the Dutchman’s key target, yet amid a reluctance to do business with a certain Daniel Levy, among other factors, it was Hojlund who arrived in Manchester instead.
Costing a reported £64m fee, rising to £72m, the young Dane was reportedly only Ten Hag’s fifth choice in that position, behind Kane, Ivan Toney, Dusan Vlahovic and Victor Osimhen.
Rather than signing a proven goalscorer, United plumped for a forward who had netted just nine league goals in Serie A in 2022/23. The rest has perhaps been inevitable.
Still only 21 years old, Hojlund has shown signs of life after finishing last term as the club’s top scorer, yet a return of just two league goals in 2024/25 thus far simply isn’t good enough. Indeed, of his 23 goals for the club in 64 outings, just 12 have come in England’s top flight.
Rasmus Hojlund
As was shown at Molineux, the £64m man’s lack of service is a real issue – as he was restricted to just 14 touches and made only five passes in total – with Amad notably failing to slide him in at one stage in the first-half.
That said – as has been the case all season – the one-time Copenhagen starlet has the tendency to be bullied, having won just three of his 12 duels on Thursday, before being withdrawn late on. He’s won just 33% of his total duels in 2024/25 to date, as per Sofascore.
Rasmus Hojlund
As Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst noted in his post-match player ratings, the 4/10 marksman produced ‘another boy-against-men performance’, having been ‘so easily bullied he occasionally dropped deep to avoid duels’.
Weak in the duel and failing to fire in front of goal, the promising talent is simply not the answer – not right now at least.
Gyokeres, Hojlund, Amorim
With January looming, Amorim must beg and plead for a new recruit to arrive through the door, having been aided in Sporting by the prolific talents of Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 66 goals in just 68 games under his watch.
A powerful, mobile striker, Hojlund has shown attributes akin to that of Gyokeres, yet the burden of being United’s main man in attack appears to rest too heavy.
An upgrade is certainly needed, if the Red Devils – and INEOS – are serious about kicking on in 2025 and beyond.
As bad as Bruno: Amorim simply has to sell 3/10 Man Utd "pushover"
Manchester United’s grim 2024 continued away at Molineux
Joins Rilee Rossouw, David Wiese and Marchant de Lange as the first four confirmed nominees
ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jun-2022Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has nominated for the new BBL overseas draft, signaling he will be available for at least a portion of the upcoming season.The current Royal Challengers Bangalore captain was one of four overseas players announced as the first batch of nominees for the draft that is set to be held in August.Fellow South Africa batter Rilee Rossouw, former South Africa and current Namibia allrounder David Wiese, and former South Africa and current Somerset quick Marchant de Lange were also unveiled by the BBL on Thursday.Related
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BBL hopes to get ahead of new rival leagues with early overseas draft
Overseas players must nominate their price category – gold, silver or bronze – and their availability for the BBL ahead of the draft.They do not have to be available for the whole tournament but must be available for a portion. There is a fourth platinum category that will feature players handpicked by the BBL for the top salary of $AUD340,000 with du Plessis likely to be one of those. However, whether any of the four players are available for the entire tournament remains to be seen. The BBL is set to run from mid-December until the end of January. The dates for the new UAE and South Africa T20 leagues are yet to be announced but all four players would attract interest from both of those leagues, with du Plessis almost certain to feature at home.Du Plessis has appeared in one game in the BBL back in 2012, playing for Melbourne Renegades just after scoring a century on Test debut in Adelaide. He played alongside Aaron Finch and Muthiah Muralidaran and against Shane Warne in that fixture facing Melbourne Stars.Rilee Rossouw has excelled in T20 cricket of late•Getty ImagesRossouw, who has been called back into the South Africa T20I squad for the first time in six years ahead of the tour of England, played seven matches for Renegades in the BBL in the 2020-21 season.Wiese has never played in the BBL but is currently just six games shy of playing 300 T20s, having played T20I cricket for both South Africa and Namibia. He was a key contributor for Namibia at the 2021 T20 World Cup. He has also been a regular in the PSL, CPL, and the Vitality Blast. He also played in the Hundred last year.De Lange has not played international cricket since 2016 having committed his future to English domestic cricket in 2017. He has played one T20I in Australia back in 2014 but has also never featured in the BBL. He took 4 for 9 for Somerset in a recent Vitality Blast clash against Essex.
Andrew Robertson admits that Trent Alexander-Arnold's head is "not great" but he insists it is nothing to do with his potential move to Real Madrid.
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Right-back linked with free transferReal keen to sign the defenderCurrently injuredFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Alexander-Arnold has been heavily linked with a potential move to Real Madrid and recent reports have suggested that the Spanish club are nearing an agreement to bring the England international to the Bernabeu on a free transfer. The protracted nature of the transfer, however, has seen Liverpool fans beg the right-back to simply make up his mind, and decide whether he wants to be a "mate or a traitor".
Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Alexander-Arnold missed the midweek win over Everton due to his ankle injury, and Robertson claims he is only focused on his recovery, instead of paying any mind to his links to Spain. He has scored two goals and registered seven assists this season.
WHAT ROBERTSON SAID
Robertson told reporters: "Trent's head is not great because he's injured. He hates being injured – none of us like being injured but it hurts Trent a little bit more. That's all he is focused on."
Asked about the potential of a move to Real, Robertson added: "It is impossible for me to say we have not seen all the noise and everyone commenting on it," he added. "But for us our focus is for him to get back fit and healthy.
"Once he does that, what will happen, will happen. No one knows that yet. People can talk and speculate but for us we want Trent back very soon."
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AFPWHAT NEXT?
Liverpool face Fulham on Sunday as they look to take one step closer to the Premier League title. They require 11 points from their next four games to win the title.
It’s now amazingly been four Championship games since Carlos Corberan left his West Bromwich Albion post, with Chris Brunt steering the ship on an interim basis ever since.
He has managed to pick up one win from this quartet of fixtures, with a second unfortunately slipping out of his grasp last time out, owing to a dramatic late equaliser from Swansea City.
West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan.
Whilst Brunt was a beloved figure as a player, it seems he might not be cut out for the permanent role past Corberan, with a number of names now floating about to replace the Spaniard.
Managers lined up by West Brom to replace Corberan
It’s not through a lack of trying on the end of the Baggies why they haven’t yet appointed a successor to the 41-year-old when you consider the ever-extending list of faces being linked with the second-tier vacancy.
The freshest rumour involves ex-Young Boys manager Raphael Wicky, who is allegedly set to have talks with the Hawthorns hierarchy about taking on the reins, having previously made a name for himself managing in his native Switzerland.
Other rumoured figures have included Luke Williams and former interim England boss Lee Carsley, but it seems as if the promotion chasers could now go after a fellow Championship manager as their next viable option away from a left-field name like Wicky.
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West Brom looking at "excellent" Wicky alternative
As per BBC journalist Chris Lepkowski when speaking on the Liquidator Podcast, there has been some form of dialogue between West Brom and Blackburn Rovers boss John Eustace surrounding a surprise mid-season switch.
Birmingham City's former manager John Eustace.
Lepkowski states that the ex-Birmingham City manager would probably “welcome a move” to his former club’s near neighbours, with the 45-year-old still reportedly situated in the West Midlands.
Away from close geography, Eustace’s name will also be up for consideration based on his glowing managerial CV in the Championship to date, which saw him have the Blues in a playoff spot last season after 11 games, only to then be controversially dismissed.
The rest is history now as Birmingham sunk down to League One after some self-destructive decision-making, with Eustace now working his magic in the league once more with the Riversiders, who he has competing in and around those positions at this very moment in time.
24/25
25
11
6
8
23/24
28
9
11
8
22/23
46
14
11
21
18/19
7
2
1
4
Eustace has only lost 16 of his last 53 games in the unforgiving division, with his achievements this campaign with Blackburn made even more impressive when you consider the second-tier side had to wave goodbye to the goals of Sammie Szmodics last summer.
Regardless, he has Blackburn in with a fighting chance of a playoff spot, with only 23 goals shipped from 25 clashes showing off a similar style to the one Corberan had engrained into players in the West Midlands about remaining firm and strong in defence.
Whilst Wicky boasts his own plus points as a flashier option, such as getting the better of both Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho when manager of Young Boys, Eustace does feel like an appointment that would be far more seamless in knowing the EFL inside out.
Once described as an “excellent” manager by journalist Alan Biggs when making a name for himself at Birmingham, West Brom would love to welcome Eustace in through the door as Corberan’s successor soon, with this appointment a statement of intent in poaching a transformative figure away from a promotion rival.
West Brom could hire great Corberan replacement who's beaten Pep & Mourinho
West Bromwich Albion’s hunt for Carlos Corberan’s replacement might well have an end in sight.
The Venezuelan striker won the MLS Player of the Matchday following his record-breaking performance against D.C. United
Martínez scores hat-trick in Earthquakes' 6-1 victoryVenezuelan striker sets new MLS record with seventh career hat-trickPerformance propels Martínez to sixth on all-time MLS scoring listWHAT HAPPENED
Josef Martínez delivered a masterclass performance for the San Jose Earthquakes, netting a hat-trick in their 6-1 rout of D.C. United Sunday. The Venezuelan striker scored in the 16th, 81st, and second minute of stoppage time, showcasing his clinical finishing and game-changing ability.
It was his seventh in MLS which sets a new league record and he moved into sixth place on the MLS all-time scoring list with 118 goals.
AdvertisementWHAT THE MLS POSTEDTHE BIGGER PICTURE
With this latest MLS Player of the Matchday, Josef Martinez becomes the sixth player to win the award at least 10 times. He joins an elite list of MLS stars including Landon Donovan (19), Jeff Cunningham (14), Bradley Wright-Phillips (12), Chris Wondolowski (11), and Dwayne De Rosario (10).
This is the first time since Matchday 29 in 2019 that Martinez has earned the award, and he is the first San Jose player to win it since Jamiro Monteiro in 2022.
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ImagnWHAT’S NEXT?
Following their commanding win over DC United, San Jose Earthquakes sit in eighth on the Western Conference table with 10 points. They face LAFC next on the road on April 12 before returning home to host Sporting KC on April 19 in the MLS.