Eyman Fatima, Anoosha Nasir, Sidra Nawaz and Shawaal Zulfiqar also miss out on contracts this season

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-2024Former captain Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz have been omitted from the PCB’s new batch of central contracts announced on Saturday. Sixteen players were announced in the new contracts, with Fatima Sana, who took over from Dar as captain, moving up to Category A.Dar was in Category A in last year’s contracts, while Riaz had been demoted to Category B, though their omissions are not entirely unexpected. As well as dwindling form, there are believed to have been concerns about their attitude within the team set-up that were discussed with PCB hierarchy.Eyman Fatima, Anoosha Nasir, Sidra Nawaz and Shawaal Zulfiqar also miss out on contracts this season, while Bismah Maroof’s retirement earlier this year means she no longer features. The board said, “these players will remain available for selection, as the PCB shifts its focus towards developing the next generation of cricketers in alignment with the ICC’s Women’s FTP (Future Tours Programme) for 2025-29.”Getty ImagesTwenty players were awarded two-year contracts last year, with a significant pay bump, but with the proviso that performances would be reassessed after a year.Sana’s promotion is a reward for a series of outstanding all-round performances in the run-up to, and at the T20 World Cup in the UAE. Pakistan beat Sri Lanka at the tournament but lost their three other group games to India, Australia and eventual champions New Zealand.Muneeba Ali, the wicketkeeper-batter, has also been promoted to Category A, joining Sidra Amin who retains her position. Gull Feroza and Rameen Shamim return to the central-contracts list for the first time since 2018 and 2022-23 respectively, while Tasmia Rubab is included for the first time.The contracts have been pending approval for some time now, having run out at the end of July. Players, however, will be paid backdated amounts from then. The delay in the contracts is part of a general trend of upheaval and uncertainty in Pakistan women’s cricket where the PCB has struggled to get projects off the ground. Most notable among them is the long-promised women’s PSL, which Ramiz Raja first promised as chairman nearly three years ago but is yet to materialise. Tania Mallick, Head of Women’s Cricket since October 2021, told ESPNcricinfo earlier this year she expected a women’s PSL to happen within the next 12 months. Last month, however, she quit the role, with no signs of that tournament being introduced in the near future.”The 2024-25 central contracts reflect our forward-looking strategy as we prepare for the new ICC Women’s Future Tours Programme,” the PCB’s new Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmad Syed said. “By further investing in established players through significantly enhanced retainers and offering clear pathways to the emerging cricketer, we aim to strike a balance between nurturing future stars and sustaining competitiveness at the highest level.”Pakistan contracts list:
Category A: Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali and Sidra Amin
Category B: Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Iqbal
Category C: Diana Baig, Omaima Sohail
Category D: Ghulam Fatima, Gull Feroza, Najiha Alvi, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani

Liverpool made an audacious offer to swap Luis Diaz for Julian Alvarez last summer, only for the idea to be quickly rejected by Manchester City.

• Liverpool floated idea of swap
• Diaz wanted to join City in 2024
• Alvaraz blocked from going the other way

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In a sensational report from The Telegraph, Diaz, 28, is believed to have told Liverpool he wished to join City after being made aware of their interest in the summer of 2024. And the report states that the Reds then decided to enquire about the possibility of Alvarez, 25, heading in the opposite direction in what would have been one of the biggest swap deals in Premier League history.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  However the report adds that City were quick to reject Liverpool's approach, with Pep Guardiola's side unenthusiastic about the idea of Alvarez joining a rival. The Argentina international instead moved to La Liga side Atletico Madrid in an £82 million (€95m/$111.3m) deal last summer, scoring 29 goals in 57 games in all competitions for Diego Simeone's men.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Diaz has since left Liverpool after securing a £65.5 million (€75m/$88m) move to Bayern Munich in July. The Colombia international has made a fantastic start to life in Germany, recording two goals and two assists apiece to help the German champions win their opening two Bundesliga games in 2025-26.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL AND MAN CITY?

  Liverpool will return to Premier League action when they take on newly-promoted Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday. Meanwhile City are preparing to entertain rivals Manchester United in the first Manchester derby of the new season on the same day.

يلتقي فريق النادي الأهلي لكرة اليد “رجال”، مع نظيره برشلونة، مساء اليوم الثلاثاء، في مباراة قوية ومرتقبة ضمن منافسات كأس العالم للأندية لكرة اليد.

ويلعب الأهلي ضد برشلونة، في إطار منافسات دور نصف النهائي من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية لكرة اليد المقامة في مصر خلال الفترة الحالية.

طالع | ترتيب مجموعة الأهلي في كأس العالم للأندية لكرة اليد بعد الخسارة أمام فيزبريم

وكان الأهلي تأهل إلى دور نصف النهائي من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية لكرة اليد، باحتلاله المركز الثاني في ترتيب مجموعته كأفضل مركز ثاني من المجموعات الثلاثة للمونديال.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، تأهل فريق برشلونة كمتصدر للمجموعة الثالثة لبطولة كأس العالم للأندية لكرة اليد، بالفوز على الزمالك وتوباتي البرازيلي. موعد مباراة الأهلي وبرشلونة اليوم في كأس العالم للأندية لكرة اليد

تقام مباراة الأهلي وبرشلونة، اليوم الثلاثاء، 30 سبتمبر، في تمام الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي وبرشلونة اليوم في كأس العالم للأندية لكرة اليد

تنقل مباراة الأهلي وبرشلونة، عبر قناة أون سبورت.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا

Queensland have notched their first win of the Sheffield Shield season following match-winning bowling displays from Mitch Swepson and Mark Steketee

AAP08-Dec-2024

Legspinner Mitchell Swepson has boosted his hopes of being picked for Australia’s Test tour of Sri Lanka after weaving his magic to lead Queensland to a thrilling 23-run Sheffield Shield win over Victoria at the MCG.Chasing 273 for victory, Victoria were bowled out for 249 late on day three despite the best efforts of Peter Handscomb who made a fighting 78 off 139 balls.Swepson was the key player on Sunday, snaring 4 for 88 from 30 overs to ensure Victoria’s run chase spluttered. Mark Steketee then finished the job, claiming the final two wickets to finish with 3-46.With Australia set to take multiple spinners for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka in January and February, Swepson’s performance was timely. He was spinning the ball so much on the turning pitch that one crowd member even yelled out, “Is that Shane Warne?” after one particularly impressive delivery.Queensland resumed play on day three at 195 for 8 and boasting a lead of 244. The Bulls added 28 before being bowled out for 223, with Steketee reaching 53 but only able to add five runs to his overnight score.Mark Steketee celebrates the winning wicket•Getty Images

Victoria’s chase didn’t start well. Star opener Marcus Harris was out for a two-ball duck when bowled by Tom Straker, and it was 26 for 2 when Jonathan Merlo edged Steketee behind.Campbell Kellaway (30) steadied the ship somewhat, but was clean bowled when Swepson got a delivery to turn sharply out of the foot marks. Swepson nabbed his second scalp when he bowled Tom Rogers for 14, and it was 115 for 5 when Sam Harper fell to Jack Wildermuth.Mitchell Perry became the third player to be bowled by Swepson, and Victoria’s hopes appeared over when Swepson found an edge from Handscomb to leave the home side 183 for 7.But there were more twists and turns to come, with Victoria bravely fighting to 246 for 8 as Sam Elliott (30), Xavier Crone (28) and Fergus O’Neill (13) added handy runs.Victoria needed 27 more runs for victory with two wickets in hand, but when Steketee had O’Neill caught at gully and then trapped Crone plumb in front a short time later, it sparked wild celebrations among the Bulls.Steketee was named man of the match for his scores of 44 not out and 53 to go with his bowling returns of 3 for 32 and 3 for 46.

After lifting the Club World Cup trophy proudly aloft over the summer, Chelsea will be hungry for more success this upcoming campaign as the Premier League finally gets back underway.

A home clash with Crystal Palace starts the season for Enzo Maresca’s men, before the contests with London-based foes continue to come thick and fast, as a short trip to West Ham United then pops up on the calendar, followed by Fulham coming to Stamford Bridge.

It will be intriguing to see what position Chelsea hold after this bumper list of August fixtures, as the Blues also prepare to splash the cash, ahead of September’s looming transfer deadline.

Chelsea still interested in "exceptional" star

The Blues have been busy this summer, and for the most part, so far, these new signings have shone.

João Pedro instantly mde his presence known out at the Club World Cup with three goals from three games, having completed a £60m move from Brighton and Hove Albion just in time for him to strut his stuff in America.

He could soon be joined by ex-Seagulls teammate Carlos Baleba, with reports suggesting that Chelsea – alongside a litany of other Premier League sides – are chasing after the services of the standout South Coast performer.

Away from Baleba, the Blues are also persisting with the signature of another midfielder in the form Xavi Simons.

Football journalist Ben Jacobs, when speaking to The Football Terrace Xtra, has come out to say that Simons wants a move to West London, with Pedro no doubt licking his lips, too, at the prospect of linking up with the exciting Dutchman in attack.

Jacobs stated: “I’m still expecting Chelsea to bid. Maybe they want to get Christopher Nkunku out and resolve Nicolas Jackson’s future as well but there remains a realistic chance that Xavi Simons is a Chelsea player between now and the end of the window. Negotiations are a little more complicated compared to the talks between Manchester United and Chelsea for Alejandro Garnacho.”

Why Simons could be bad news for Fernandez

A move for the “exceptional” Simons – as he’s been previously dubbed by Christoph Freund – could be bad news for Enzo Fernandez.

Why? Well, it could lead to the 24-year-old moving back to a holding position centrally.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Fernandez in West London.

His mega £107m price tag was always going to feel like a burden on his shoulders, leading to an opening run of 18 games during his first season in the Premier League that saw just two paltry assists being registered.

However, since Maresca’s entry on the scene, the once shackled Fernandez has been a key performer from the middle of the park as more of an attacking-minded presence, something seen in his stunning assist count of 14 last season.

Yet, this electric side to his game, which saw 13 big chances created by the ex-Benfica midfielder in the Premier League across the 2024/25 campaign, could be shackled by the emergence of Xavi Simons, notably when you consider his own blistering displays in the Bundesliga when lining up as a number ten.

LW

39

10

11

RW

17

5

5

AM

17

6

7

LM

2

0

0

SS

1

0

0

Staggeringly, from just 17 career games in the number ten spot for Leipzig, Simons has managed to collect an explosive 13 goal contributions, with an equally red-hot spell at PSV Eindhoven – before this move to Germany – also seeing him amass a ridiculous 15 goal contributions in this position from the same number of limited contests. On that evidence, it’s hardly a surprise that he’s been described as “one of the best 10s in the world” in the words of one data analyst.

It’s a no-brainer, therefore, for Maresca to place more of his trust in Simons to do a job from an attacking position, over hoping Fernandez can deliver, with the 22-year-old even being lauded as “one of the best youngsters in Europe” by The Athletic’s Alex Barker when regularly ripping up the German top division.

In an ideal reality, Maresca will be able to get the optimum out of both midfielders in the same XI.

If he can, Chelsea will feel they’re in a great position to be a force to be reckoned with, heading into what the 2025/26 season could throw up.

Imagine him & Estevao: Chelsea to accelerate deal for "electric" £40m star

Even after Estêvão Willian marked his first appearance at Stamford Bridge with a goal, Chelsea are aiming to accelerate a move for a £40m winger.

ByBen Gray Aug 9, 2025

Aston Villa are yet to really make a splash in the summer transfer window.

Of course, at the start of the window, a dark PSR-related cloud did hang over Villa Park, which limited the Villans’ spending power, meaning a whole host of high-profile names were being tipped to ditch Unai Emery’s men for luxurious new pastures.

Thankfully, no such exits have taken place, yet, although rumours do continue to persist that Ollie Watkins might soon be off, alongside recurring bits of news that Morgan Rogers is being eyed up by Chelsea.

Villa could have to make peace very shortly with the prospect of waving goodbye to one of their superstar performers, especially if they want to snap up his exciting new attacker before September’s approaching deadline.

Aston Villa continue to admire Bundesliga goal machine

Losing Watkins would be a major knock for Emery and Co. to address, considering the England international fired home a weighty 16 Premier League strikes last campaign from just 31 starts.

Villa do appear to be in the market assessing their available options, however, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin reportedly being looked at on a free agent basis, alongside ex-Arsenal forward Mika Biereth also allegedly being on the Villa shopping list.

Away from those named, though, the most jaw-dropping option seems to have now come in the form of RB Leipzig marksman Lois Openda, with journalist Sacha Tavolieri taking to X to confirm Villa’s interest in the Belgian attacker.

This interest has been long-standing, with contact having occurred between the two parties for several months now. Villa would have to offload Watkins to make such a deal a reality, though.

Villa already knows too well what the explosive 25-year-old is capable of, having been on the receiving end of Openda scoring against Emery’s outfit in the Champions League last season, with this deemed a risk worth taking even more if he can become the Spaniard’s very own Alexander Isak up top.

How Openda can become Emery's own Isak

All the talk surrounding Watkins’ future in the West Midlands has been nothing compared to the Isak fiasco at Newcastle United.

It does look as if the potent Swede will get the move away he desires now, as Liverpool attempt to secure another statement purchase this summer, with Openda hopeful he can become a Premier League superstar much like the former Real Sociedad attacker if he takes to leap to England shortly.

After all, much like his blistering Magpies counterpart, the “terrifying” Belgian – as he was once dubbed by journalist Seb Stafford-Bloor – has been a whirlwind success in front of goal wherever he’s been all across Europe.

In total, Openda has registered a breathtaking 105 strikes from 283 club appearances, lining up for Club Brugge, RC Lens, Leipzig, and Vitesse. 44 of those have come about with Leipzig, as the 25-year-old now itches for a more testing next step in the Premier League.

Isak is on a deadly 144 goals himself from a weightier 324 clashes, when plying his trade in Germany, Spain, and lastly on Tyneside, with 54 of those coming in the English top-flight for Newcastle as the Toon’s main man.

Openda must be yearning for that same level of status, and that could soon come his way, leading the line for Villa, especially if there’s a gaping Watkins-sized hole to soon fill.

Looking at similar aspects of their games using FBref further brings into focus how alike the attacking duo are, with Openda not a million miles off Isak’s insanely high levels when glancing at the table above, despite regularly falling just behind.

Of course, Isak wasn’t the most well-known striker when he first arrived on the scene from Sociedad, before he then cemented himself as a goal machine in the Premier League.

Openda will hope he undergoes the same immediate transformation, with his lethal career numbers leading up to this point indicating that he should be a rip-roaring success story.

Emery’s next Rogers: Aston Villa prepare bid for “unpredictable" £27m star

Aston Villa could now sign this unpredictable attacker who has the potential to be Unai Emery’s next Morgan Rogers.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 30, 2025

شهدت الساعات الماضية جدلًا واسعًا حول انتقال اللاعب الكيني بارون أوشينج إلى نادي الزمالك، مع انتشار تصريحات وتحليلات أثارت التساؤل حول حقيقة الصفقة.

تصدرت الأنباء مواقع التواصل الرياضي، مع مزاعم بشأن تقديم شكوى من نادي سوفاباكا الكيني ضد الزمالك للحصول على حقوقهم في الصفقة رغم أنه جاء بالمجان، وهو ما دفع وكيل اللاعب للرد رسميًا.

الأمر بدأ عندما ظهرت أنباء عن قيد أوشينج بصورة غير قانونية من جانب الزمالك، بعدما ظهرت تصريحات من نادي سوفاباكا الكيني بأنه سيتقدم بشكوى للحصول على حقوقه بالصفقة.

كان الزمالك قد ضم أوشينج بعد فترة الانتقالات الرسمية ولكن لكونه حرًا يحق لأي ناد قيده بشكل صحيح.

اقرأ أيضًا.. حكم مباراة الزمالك وديكاداها الصومالي في الكونفدرالية

قال شعبان ماسكا، وكيل بارون أوشينج، في تصريح خاص لـ بطولات: “لقد اطلعت على بعض التصريحات الأخيرة المتعلقة بانتقال اللاعب بارون في مصر، وأود توضيح بعض المعلومات غير الدقيقة”.

وأضاف: “ما يُنشر من أخبار حول الصفقة غير صحيح، وأرغب في تزويدكم بالتفاصيل الصحيحة لضمان عرض الأمر بصورة عادلة”.

وتابع ماسكا: “بارون انتقل إلى الزمالك بصفقة انتقال حر، ونادي سوفاباكا لم يقدم أي شكاوى في أي مكان، وهذه الادعاءات غير صحيحة”.

أوضح وكيل اللاعب أن الشائعات الأخيرة جاءت دون مراجعة الحقائق، مؤكدًا حرصه على حماية سمعة اللاعب وتوضيح تفاصيل انتقاله بدقة للمؤسسات الإعلامية.

اختتم ماسكا تصريحاته بالقول: “نأمل أن ينتهي الجدل وأن يُنظر إلى الصفقة بنظرة مهنية، بعيدًا عن الأخبار المغلوطة، حفاظًا على مصلحة اللاعب والنادي”.

Chelsea chiefs are currently negotiating for both Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons in what would be separate deals, with a move for the latter particularly advanced.

The prospect of both men arriving at Stamford Bridge is a particularly exciting one for supporters, with Enzo Maresca in need of more wide options after the departures of both Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke, while Mykhailo Mudryk remains suspended for failing a drugs test.

Chelsea must make room for them by sealing more exits, though, despite already raising close to £220 million through player sales.

Cash isn’t the object for BlueCo, especially given their income via outgoings, winnings from the Club World Cup and qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Their need to sell first stems from a pact with UEFA, who have put pressure on the west Londoners to produce a ‘positive transfer balance’ by September after Chelsea were fined for breaching FFP rules last month.

Failure to do so could result in Maresca not being able to register new signings for their Champions League squad next season, so while talks remain advanced for Simons, Chelsea are attempting to strike more outgoings first.

Once they’ve trimmed the squad a bit more, Chelsea are also expected to bid for Garnacho with Simons (The Telegraph), so there is plenty more business to be conducted before the transfer deadline.

As has been a common theme since Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital’s takeover of the club in 2022, Chelsea are pretty much always in the market for world football’s most eye-catching talents.

Chelsea fielded the youngest ever side in Premier League history last season (OptaJoe), so you can never rule out the prospect of more highly-rated gems making the move to Cobham.

Chelsea could sign 'exciting youngster' with Garnacho and Simons

Football Transfers have shared an update on this, and they report that another new addition could be made with Simons and Garnacho.

According to their information, Chelsea could sign another “exciting youngster” too – on the condition one becomes available in the next few weeks.

Under Boehly, the Blues have poured billions into snapping up teenage talent, and this summer is no different.

They’ve added Dario Essugo (20), Estevão Willian (18), Mamadou Sarr (19), Liam Delap (22), Jamie Gittens (20), Kendry Páez (18) and Jorrel Hato (19) – all on long-term deals designed to pay off years down the line.

16-year-old Kazakh striker Dastan Satpaev, who’s already been compared to Man City legend Sergio Agüero, will also join the club when he turns 18.

Henry Martín picked up the injury during Monday’s training session and is expected to be out for an undetermined period. The Club América captain had just returned in the 2-1 Clásico Nacional defeat to Chivas. After an injury-plagued year, he had regained fitness but still hasn’t scored this Apertura 2025 after eight rounds.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Henry Martín picked up the injury during training

  The fallout from América’s loss to Chivas in the Clásico Nacional continues to worsen. Forward Henry Martín, who came off the bench in Saturday’s match, has once again been ruled out due to a new injury setback.

  On Tuesday, Martín did not join his teammates on the training pitch at Coapa. Shortly afterward, the club confirmed he had suffered a sprain in his right knee – a major blow for .

  While América stated that the recovery timetable will depend on how the injury progresses, medical sources suggest that knee sprains of this nature can require anywhere from three weeks to six months of rehabilitation, depending on the severity.

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  A challenging year continues for the club captain

  This Apertura 2025 has been particularly rough for the Mexican international. A string of injuries has prevented him from regaining top form and even pushed him out of the national team picture. So far, Martín has appeared in just three league matches – against Querétaro, Necaxa, and Chivas – without completing the full 90 minutes in any of them. In total, he has logged only 111 minutes and is still searching for his first goal of the campaign.

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  How long will he be sidelined?

  If the sprain is minor, Martín could be back in time for Matchday 11, when América takes on Pumas in the . But if the injury proves more severe, there’s a chance he could miss the rest of the tournament.

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  América face a tough road test this weekend

  Next up for André Jardine’s side is a high-profile visit to Monterrey on Saturday, a clash between two teams currently battling at the top of the table.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após mais de dez anos nas categorias de base do Flamengo, o zagueiro João Pedro Mandovani tem tido sucesso no Sub-20 do Goiás. Apesar da pouca idade, 18 anos, o jogador é peça fundamental na equipe que está disputando o Estadual da categoria.

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Com contrato profissional assinado e boas atuações, o jogador falou sobre o bom rendimento e como está feliz no clube.

> Federação atualiza ranking de 50 melhores times do mundo; confira

– É fruto de muito trabalho. Estou feliz aqui no Goiás e sou grato pela oportunidade. Estamos realizando um bom Estadual e vamos seguir em busca desse título importante para nós e para o clube – disse.

Com experiência em um gigante do futebol brasileiro, Mandovani chegou em fevereiro ao Esmeraldino e tem contrato até 2025. Com qualidade técnica e velocidade, o jogador tem como objetivo ajudar o Goiás a ser campeão estadual.

Além disso, o atleta visa subir aos profissionais do clube. O defensor falou sobre sua adaptação e projetou a sequência do Campeonato Goiano Sub-20.

– Fui bem recebido por todos desde a minha chegada, o que facilita na adaptação. O grupo está focado no dia a dia. É importante ter essa mentalidade para buscarmos esse Estadual – concluiu.