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CIC comprising Paranjape, Kulkarni and Kambli to work out technicalities before start of 2022-23 season

Shashank Kishore and Afzal Jiwani02-Jul-2022Domestic contracts, one of the first promises of BCCI president Sourav Ganguly upon taking over in November 2019, could soon become a reality for at least Mumbai’s cricketers.A proposal made by Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Vijay Patil, in the wake of Mumbai’s excellent showing in the 2021-22 domestic season, has been approved, in principle, during the association’s apex council meeting earlier this week. This will have to be ratified at the AGM, likely to be held in August.”Mumbai has performed extremely well this year and there was always this question of providing security to our domestic players and making sure that we retain the talent pool which we have in Mumbai cricket,” Patil told ESPNcricinfo. “I think the gradation contracts will give us an opportunity to invest in our young talent. I am very happy that the apex council has unanimously approved this.”Retainers for senior men and women’s teams have been proposed, similar to BCCI’s gradation system for its national players. The number of contracts up for grabs is yet to be decided. However, it is likely that those who have a BCCI central contract could be excluded from the list, given the aim is to bring as many players under the umbrella as possible.Related

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MCA’s Cricket Improvement Committee, consisting of former players Jatin Paranjape, Nilesh Kulkarni, and Vinod Kambli, is likely to work out the technicalities. As such, the aim is to have contracts in place before the start of the 2022-23 season in September.”Once we have the ground rules laid out, we’ll be good to go,” Patil said. “I know that there will be issues and that will take some time. I think it is important that we roll it out and then it can be fine-tuned as we roll along.”Nothing is like a perfect system, but we’ve got to make a start. Once that start is made, I think everything else will fall into place. This is the association’s commitment to the players. Given the performance of our various squads across different age groups, everyone was of the same opinion that this needed to be done. I am happy that this proposal has been approved and I am looking forward to it.”Talks of player contracts have been gaining momentum ever since hundreds of domestic cricketers around the country were deprived of their earnings during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the BCCI truncating its domestic season. In fact, 2020-21 was the first time that the Ranji Trophy had to be shelved because of the pandemic situation in the country.The players have welcomed the news, even though there is a tinge of apprehension on how and when it would eventually come to fruition.Last September, the BCCI hiked the match fees for domestic cricketers, with the senior men earning between INR 40,000 and 60,000 per day while senior women taking home up to INR 20,000 per day. But the spin-off effect was hardly felt given the BCCI’s domestic season was curtailed in 2021-22.The Ranji Trophy, for example, was shrunk to just three league games followed by the knockouts. The players hope the board would revert to the original format, which would guarantee a team at least eight or nine group games. This would then help significantly increase earnings.INR 1 crore prize money for Ranji Trophy runners-up
Even as Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) announced an INR 2 crore reward in addition to the INR 2 crore allotted by the BCCI to first-time winners MP, the MCA has announced a prize money of INR 1 crore for the team that finished runners-up at the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy under Prithvi Shaw’s captaincy. The MCA has also matched the prize money announced by the BCCI for the age-group teams.Mumbai has had an excellent domestic season. The senior men’s side reached the Ranji final after six years, the Under-25s were crowned champions of the CK Nayudu Trophy, and the Under-19s finished runners-up in the Cooch Behar Trophy.The MCA also awarded retired umpires a one-time payment of INR 50,000, while also announcing a prize pot of INR 25 lakh for the ground staff for their work during the IPL, which was staged across three venues in the city.In May, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had announced a reward of INR 1.25 crores combined for the ground staff and curators of six venues – including two practice facilities – for IPL 2022.

Southampton are now in talks to sign a new midfielder for Ivan Juric, according to a fresh report, as they look to pull off a miraculous escape from relegation in the second half of the Premier League season.

Southampton on course for Championship return

Having beaten Leeds United to the final spot in the Premier League last season, Southampton are on course for an instant return to the Championship.

The sacking of Russell Martin and subsequent arrival of Ivan Juric has seen their performances improve, but their results remain as concerning as they have been all season. A 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest was their 18th of the season, while they have won just once.

Southampton willing to spend big to sign "fantastic" £33m ace in January

The Saints have identified a new transfer target.

ByDominic Lund Dec 31, 2024

To put their plight into stark reality, they have scored the fewest and conceded the most in the top flight this season, and in order to reach the generally accepted 36 point mark to be considered for safety they will need to win 10 of their final 16 games.

Newcastle United (Home)

Ipswich Town (Away)

Bournemouth (Home)

Brighton (Home)

Chelsea (Away)

As a result, January additions are needed both now but also with one eye firmly on next season’s Championship campaign, which seems the overwhelmingly likely outcome come the end of the campaign.

To that end, the Saints have agreed a deal to sign Albert Gronbaek from Ligue 1 side Rennes on an initial loan deal which includes an option to buy for €15 million at the end of the campaign. The Dane only arrived at Rennes in the summer but is set for a swift exit after handing in a transfer request at the French side.

Now, he could be joined by one of his teammates on the south coast as Juric looks to find affordable quality to bolster his squad.

Southampton in talks over "monster" midfielder

That comes as French outlet L’Equipe report that Southampton remain in talks to sign Gronbaek’s teammate Glen Kamara from Rennes this winter as they look to add more muscle to their midfield.

The Finland international midfielder only moved to Rennes in the summer, leaving Leeds United after Southampton’s play-off final win over the Yorkshire side, but has struggled to impose himself on Jorge Sampaoli’s side and has been frozen out of the squad since a shock cup loss to ESTAC Troyes.

It is reported that “Rennes want a straightforward transfer for the player as they are about to hit their limit on loans”, and though no fee is mentioned it is unlikely to be much less than the €10m which they signed him for merely months ago.

Kamara still has three and a half years left to run on his £30,000 a week deal in France, but now seems almost certain to cut that short this winter amid interest from across Europe in his services.

The Boot Room report that the Saints feature strongly, with the south coast side remaining in talks over Kamara after agreeing a deal for Gronbaek.

Though he has struggled in France, legendary midfielder Steven Gerrard labeled the 29-year-old ” a monster in the middle of the park” during his time working with Kamara at Rangers, and the midfielder has plenty of experience in the Championship too should Southampton find themselves there next season. Could it be some smart business for the Saints?

Eddie Howe's assistant Jason Tindall provided an update on the Newcastle boss after he was admitted to hospital on Friday.

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Howe's assistant offers update Was admitted to hospital late on FridayHowe missed Newcastle's clash against Man UtdFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

On Saturday, Newcastle confirmed that their head coach was admitted to hospital late on Friday after being unwell for a few days. The medical staff at the hospital kept Howe overnight to conduct some tests and had confirmed that the 47-year-old was conscious and speaking to his family. The Magpies boss naturally did not attend Sunday's Premier League clash against Manchester United, and his assistant Tindall has provided an update on the coach's condition.

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Speaking to , Tindall said: "He was taken to hospital on Friday evening, so everybody wishes him the best and I'm sure he'll be back with us again soon."

Tindall was also asked if Howe had had any input on team selection for the United clash and added: "I think when you've been ill all week it's very difficult to have the kind of input that I'm sure he'd normally have, but the way we work we know the expectations, we've got a fantastic group of players, and they know the demands that the manager and everybody else will put on them, so it;'s important that they go out and deliver the performance that the manager will be proud of."

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The Magpies thrashed the Red Devils 4-1 courtesy of a brace from Harvey Barnes and a goal each from Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes. The thumping win at home took the club to fourth position in the league as they leapfrogged Chelsea and Manchester City.

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The reigning Carabao Cup champions will be back in action on April 16 as they take on Crystal Palace in a Premier League clash at home. It remains to be seen if Howe will be back in the hotseat in time for that game.

A host of big names will get their first experience of the tournament

Andrew McGlashan10-Aug-2022Nicola Carey (Welsh Fire)Selected in the wildcard draft, allrounder Carey has been a bit-part player for Australia in recent times with one appearance at the ODI World Cup in New Zealand. May be competing with Annabel Sutherland for a starting spot.Heather Graham (Northern Superchargers)The allrounder was one of a handful of Australians to appear last season where she played for Trent Rockets. Was an ODI World Cup reserve in New Zealand and was also drafted into the T20I squad for the recent tour of Ireland.Rachael Haynes (Welsh Fire)She is Australia’s middle-order safety net in T20Is, having rescued them from various challenging situations, none more so than the match against Sri Lanka in the 2020 T20 World Cup. A brilliant fielder.Alyssa Healy (Northern Superchargers)Healy has dominated the last two World Cup finals with her 75 off 39 balls against India in 2020 and the remarkable 170 off 138 balls against England earlier this year. Had a lean Commonwealth Games. Could form an overseas top three with Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt.Alana King (Trent Rockets)One of the form bowlers in the world having enjoyed a meteoric rise in international cricket, the legspinner could be a matchwinner for Rockets. Will be especially challenging for batters who have not faced her before.Tahlia McGrath (Southern Brave)Has been one of the breakout stars in international cricket over the past year following her return to the side. Collected four player-of-the-match awards the first four times she batted in T20Is, including a brilliant unbeaten 91 in the Ashes.Can the Hundred help Ellyse Perry find a new gear?•Getty ImagesSophie Molineux (Birmingham Phoenix)A chance for Molineux, the left-arm spinner and left-handed batter, to reestablish her credentials after a long-term injury picked up at the end of last season’s WBBL and then the loss of her CA contract.Beth Mooney (London Spirit)One of the most adaptable batters in the game, Mooney will be even more important to Spirit after they lost England captain Heather Knight to injury. Has been the leading run-scorer in the last two editions of the WBBL (and was second the season before that).Ellyse Perry (Birmingham Phoenix)Remains to be seen whether Perry will be back to bowling fitness after her stress fracture. Having lost her place in Australia’s T20I side and talk over her strike-rate, it will be interesting to see whether she can find another gear.Megan Schutt (London Spirit)Schutt is usually a banker for whichever team she is playing for at any stage of an innings. Capable of finding significant swing and has a variety of cutters and slower balls as well.Molly Strano (Southern Brave)Offspinner Strano has drifted out of the Australia scene since being called into the 2020 T20 World Cup squad at the last minute. Picked up as a wildcard, she is the leading wicket-taker in WBBL history.Annabel Sutherland (Welsh Fire)One of the emerging players in Australian cricket, Sutherland may get the chance to bat higher up the order than she does at international level.Elyse Villani (Trent Rockets)Has been prolific in domestic cricket over recent seasons but has not been able to force her way back into the Australia set-up. Adds depth to Rockets’ top-order options.Amanda-Jade Wellington (Southern Brave)Another who appeared last year, Wellington grabbed her chance with 14 wickets and an economy rate of 5.52 to finish as the third-highest wicket-taker. Has since returned to the Australia side.*This story was updated following the news of Meg Lanning’s break from the game

19-year-old has impressed in 50-over cricket after committing to the Royal London Cup

ECB Reporters Network29-Aug-2022Tom Prest put his personal development over the glitz and glamour of the Hundred and the decision has already paid dividends for him and Hampshire.Prest didn’t put his name in the hat for the Hundred draft earlier this year despite his stock being sky-high after an impressive breakthrough 2021 and his exploits captaining England to the Under-19 World Cup final during the winter.Rehan Ahmed and Jacob Bethell, two of his team-mates from that tournament, both picked up lucrative Hundred contracts, suggesting Prest would have stood a good chance of a deal.Related

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Instead of risking a month of carrying drinks and sitting on the periphery, the 19-year-old committed himself to Hampshire’s Royal London Cup campaign. It has seen him score 402 runs, including a blistering 181 against Kent, to lead Hampshire’s run-scoring on their march to the semi-finals.”I felt, being 19, that there is a lot of time,” said Prest when explaining his rationale for leaving himself out the Hundred and the potential for at least a £30,000 contract. “I didn’t want to get caught up in all that stuff coming out of the Under-19 World Cup. I just wanted to play for Hampshire as much as I could this year and gain the experience of playing.”There was no guarantee that I would have been picked up, but hypothetically, if I had, then I probably wouldn’t have started in the team. It would be a great experience playing in the Hundred or even being a part of the squad because you can pick so many great players’ and coaches’ brains.”But I just wanted to be playing at the moment and we have done very well as a side. Personally, it has also gone quite well.”It might have been naïve to have turned down a potential opportunity, but if my career goes the way that I want it to, then there should be more opportunities in the future for franchise cricket when I am more ready for them. Hopefully, I’ll also be a better player for it.”Hampshire are pushing hard for the domestic treble•Getty ImagesPrest sprung to attention last year when he struck a triple century for the Second XI on the same day he sat his Geography A-Level exam. That summer saw him make his professional debuts in all three formats, but it was during this season’s Vitality Blast where he scored three fifties on course to a winner’s medal that has turned him into a crucial member of Hampshire’s squad.”Having the experience of last year of playing in the T20s and then the 50-over stuff was a great learning experience,” he said. “Coming back into the county season after my winter with England Under-19s has been good and I’ve been really pleased with how it has gone.”To do what I have done this year and get a few good scores has been very good for my confidence. It has been pleasing to give the club something back after putting confidence in me.”Prest has made himself an automatic pick in both white-ball formats but still harbours strong ambitions to be a part of Hampshire’s LV= Insurance County Championship side. The only problem is finding a position in a team which is currently second in Division One.Prest, who can open or bat in the middle order and adds some useful offspin, said: “We have been competing for the Championship this season and so it is obviously going to be one of the hardest teams to get into.”It is a good challenge to get into that team over the next few years. I would be really proud of that and something I am really looking forward to trying to do soon.”Hampshire – who only lost one group stage game – face Kent at the Ageas Bowl on Tuesday and Prest is hoping to pass on his big-game know-how to his less-experienced team-mates.Prest has been involved in two Vitality Blast Finals Days – one semi-final defeat, one victory – as well as being pivotal to getting Hampshire over the line in close games already during the Royal London Cup.Prest captained England at the Under-19 World Cup•ICC via Getty Images”The two Finals Days I’ve been at couldn’t have gone any different,” said Prest. “Losing in the semi in 2021 and then to win the competition this year means I’ve seen both sides of it and that can only help.”One of the big things said before those Finals Days and the quarter-finals was not to try to do anything extraordinary, just do ordinary things very well. That resonated a lot with me. “We’ve had a lot of close games this summer and that is only going to hold us in good stead for the semi-final and hopefully the final.”It is a great feeling around the club at the moment. We won 13 games on the bounce before losing to Glamorgan but then bounced back to win the last two to top the group.”That kind of shows the good space we are in as a club and how confident everyone is. Everyone talks about how winning becomes a habit and for us that has gone through to three different formats.”

Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City fans to get noisy as the club prepare for a "final" against Aston Villa.

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City preparing for huge clashBoth clubs vying for Champions League qualificationVilla are one point behind CityFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Guardiola has called on City fans to get behind the team as they prepare to face Villa in a vital Champions League six-pointer. The two sides are only separated by a point, with Villa in seventh and City in fourth. The top five teams qualify for Europe's elite club competition.

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Guardiola has been impressed with Villa's European exploits this season, with the club going mightily close to knocking PSG out of the tournament. They won 3-2 in the second leg at Villa Park but were eliminated, as they lost 5-4 on aggregate overall. As a result, the City boss has called on the fans to throw their support behind the team.

WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

The City boss told reporters: “Every point, every game counts. Hopefully [our people] can help us [from] minute one. Don’t wait. Sometimes we are sloppy, sometimes we are not playing well but it’s now we need them – we need them desperately, to support us, to make noise and be there all the time, because it’s a final, absolutely it’s a final for us.”

He added: “[Villa] is a contender to qualify for the Champions League, and both games they play against PSG, wow I was really impressed.

“They can play low block or not, but when they decide to go, with the weapons they have, the speed they have, the set pieces, and the way they organise …”

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City and Villa go head-to-head on Tuesday. Guardiola's side then play Wolves, Southampton, Bournemouth and Fulham before the end of the campaign. Villa, by comparison, face Fulham, Bournemouth, Tottenham, and Manchester United.

Having already signed Romain Esse, Crystal Palace have now reportedly submitted an opening bid to sign a defender who could be handed the eventual task of replacing Tyrick Mitchell.

Crystal Palace transfer news

The Eagles have already completed one January swoop to sign young attacking midfielder Esse from Millwall and have already seemingly set their sights on further reinforcements. The former Championship star arrived for a reported £14.5m fee and could make his Premier League debut in the coming weeks under Oliver Glasner.

Welcoming the new signing, Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish told the club’s official website: “We are delighted to welcome Romain to Crystal Palace, and we’re looking forward to working with him to continue his impressive progress to date.

“Romain is the type of player who gets crowds off their seats – the type of player long associated with South London and Crystal Palace Football Club – and everyone at the club is looking forward to watching him shine on the pitch, and fulfil his exciting potential.”

As one star arrives, however, Palace could be forced to replace another amid reports recently linking Manchester United with a move for Mitchell, who is out of contract in the summer.

Crystal Palace could sign immediate upgrade on Esse all for £25m

Crystal Palace announced the signing of Romaine Esse on Saturday.

ByConnor Holden Jan 19, 2025

In pursuit of a wing-back, the Red Devils could attempt to land a bargain deal as Crystal Palace struggle to agree a fresh deal with their defender in the closing months of his current contract. Set to lose Mitchell for free in the summer, the Eagles could act as soon as this month.

According to Fotospor, via Sport Witness, Crystal Palace submitted an opening bid worth €15m (£13m) to sign El Hadji Malick Diouf this month but have seen that offer rejected by Slavia Prague, who value their left-back at around €20m (£17m) this month.

"Dominant" Diouf could replace Mitchell

Although they reportedly saw their first offer turned down, Palace have still got just over a week to match Slavia Prague’s £17m price tag for Diouf this month. All signs are pointing towards a player capable of becoming a top left-back at the same time that Mitchell’s current direction is towards the exit door – handing Palace a simple answer to a pending problem.

The 20-year-old has impressed in the current campaign, especially going forward. In 28 appearances, Diouf has managed as many as nine goal involvements, having scored six and assisted another three, to highlight his standout attacking ability.

Earning plenty of praise as a result, analyst Rohit Kumaran described Diouf as “physically dominant” and a player with “quick feet” in his recent assessment of the rising star.

As Mitchell edges closer and closer to the exit door at Selhurst Park, Palace would be wise to keep their sights set on signing Diouf either this month or in the summer.

Debutant resists as under-strength top-order looks vulnerable against Lancashire’s new-ball attack

Paul Edwards06-Sep-2022Yorkshire 130 for 4 (Bean 42, Williams 2-22) trail Lancashire 276 (Jennings 119, Wells 84, Hill 6-26) by 146 runsFew games are so wonderfully enriched by their past as cricket yet few should be more wary of being enchained by it. It is a tricky path to tread. Before the rain-delayed start to our cricket at 12.55 this afternoon, a memorial was dedicated to Peter Eckersley, who skippered Lancashire to the title in 1930 and 1934. Eckersley once piloted an aircraft containing his team to an away match in Cardiff and most of the photographs of him also feature either a plane or a posh car. One can imagine him as a suspect in an Agatha Christie whodunit.Shortly after this ceremony ended, play began, a couple of hours late, and Lancashire lost their last two wickets for the addition of only four runs. Ten minutes later, 20-year-old Fin Bean, who made a quadruple century for the second team in June, walked out to play his maiden innings in first-class cricket. Bean was unlikely to know it and there was scant reason for him to care, but of all the buildings that encircled this sacred field two decades ago, only the pavilion remains and even that is now overshadowed by a hotel and a corporate hospitality venue. The blare of the present, the imperative of now, is everywhere.And yet Peter Eckersley lived just as vividly as Fin Bean lives. Understanding such things is a triumph of historical imagination and a very necessary one in these months of notions and nostrums. So in the midst of confusions about cricket’s role and direction it was pleasant to be reminded of a few of our game’s verities this afternoon. One of these is the intensity of the Roses match, something into which Bean was inducted this afternoon as he scored just one run from his first 27 balls. Patiently, he left some balls alone; steadfastly, he tapped others back to the bowler. Then he stroked an on-drive and a cover-drive to the boundary off Will Williams and we realised here was a left-hander capable of grace as well as grind.Related

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By then, Adam Lyth had gone, caught at short leg by Josh Bohannon off Williams for 13, and it was plain that Yorkshire’s under-strength top-order was vulnerable to a Lancashire new-ball attack led by Tom Bailey, one of county cricket’s quiet masters. But Bean resisted Bailey and Williams, even though, as he admitted later, the ball was “nipping around a bit”. In company with George Hill, who might still have been in slight shock after his 6 for 26 yesterday, Bean put on 63 for Yorkshire’s second wicket. At times the cricket was a trifle slow but these things are relative.Certainly it was furlongs removed from the drawn game at Old Trafford exactly a century ago when play was possible on only two days out of three and 504 runs were scored in 252.3 overs. These, though, are not the most intriguing features of that match. 20,000 spectators watched Lancashire compile 118 all out from 77.3 overs on the Saturday of the August Bank Holiday weekend and 10,000 saw Yorkshire bat out for a draw on the following Tuesday when the visitors needed only eight runs from five overs to win but finished three short with eight wickets down, Wilfred Rhodes making an unbeaten 48. Effectively, however, Yorkshire were nine down; their skipper, Geoffrey Wilson, was in hospital with appendicitis. Even more significantly, perhaps, Yorkshire were on course for the first of what would be four successive titles and were content to remain top of the pile while denying Lancashire any chance of overhauling them.Will Williams took two wickets for Lancashire•Getty ImagesA hundred years later, it is Lancashire who are chasing the title, albeit a little distantly, whereas Yorkshire fear relegation, an indignity unknown to Rhodes, Roy Kilner and those other giants. The home side’s hopes were raised a tad when Hill was bowled by a glorious leg-spinner from Matt Parkinson for 32 and lifted again when, after 153 minutes in the middle, Bean was pinned in front of his stumps by Bailey for a 116-ball 42. He will have been disappointed not to reach a half-century but he had looked as if he belonged. In its way his innings had counted for much more than his gourmandising for the second team. “This innings shows that I can play at this level, which is a big thing for a young player,” he said.Lancashire enjoyed one more success before the weather closed in. After struggling for 3 runs in 10 balls, Will Fraine was bowled by Williams when playing no shot but Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Jonny Tattersall ensured their side reached 130 for 4 before the umpires took the players off for bad light that had been gathering from the west. Ten minutes later, the rain was bucketing down.No matter… or not much anyway. Our delayed and truncated day had honoured the Roses match and Bean had taken his first steps towards the fulfilment of a dream. From the 1864 suite the blazered nobility from both counties had watched it all with the discernment that only decades in the game can bring. For once, one did not begrudge them their mighty lunches. Roses matches are their occasions, too, and that smoked salmon was never going to eat itself.

Sunderland are thought to be readying an offer for a 23 year-old striker scoring a goal every two leagues games this season, according to a fresh update from journalist Santi Aouna.

Latest Sunderland news

The Black Cats face a massive game on Monday night, making the trip to Middlesbrough for what is not only a crunch derby clash, but also a vital match for both in the Championship.

All of Sunderland’s rivals at the top of the table will have played by the time the game kicks off, so Regis Le Bris’ men will know what they have to do, in terms of either making ground on their promotion-chasing adversaries or staying in touch with them.

There is still time for the Black Cats to make new signings in the current transfer window, with Chuba Akpom linked with a move to the Stadium of Light. He currently plays for Eredivisie giants Ajax, having moved there from Boro in 2023, but reportedly likes the idea of a return to English football.

Besiktas forward Semih Kilicsoy has also been backed to move to Sunderland in the coming days, with his new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer weighing up whether he wants to retain his services or not.

Sunderland preparing bid for "absolute top talent"

According to Aouna on X, Sunderland are now preparing a bid for St. Gallen forward Willem Geubbels after a £6.7m bid has already been rejected for him, as they look to beat Union Berlin to his signature.

Geubbels is an exciting player of whom so much has been expected since his teenage years, which makes him such an exciting proposition for Sunderland.

The 23-year-old has been capped for France across four different youth age groups, scoring 12 goals in a total of 22 caps combined. Not only that, but he has also been hailed as an “absolute top talent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, having racked up seven strikes in 14 league games this season for St. Gallen.

Geubbels could provide Sunderland with a sprinkling of magic in attack, adding firepower to the team during the second half of the season and beyond, potentially acting as the catalyst for them being promoted to the Premier League.

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Sunderland are still desperately looking for a new striker.

ByKelan Sarson Jan 31, 2025

Admittedly, the Frenchman hasn’t necessartily kicked on as much as many hoped he would in recent years, but Le Bris could be the man to get the best out of him.

Former Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey has been confirmed as Cardiff City's interim manager following the sacking of Omer Riza.

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Cardiff sack manager RizaWelsh side in relegation troubleRamsey becomes interim bossFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Cardiff have confirmed that manager Riza has been relieved of his duties with the Welsh side currently second from bottom in the Championship with three games remaining. Former Juventus midfielder Ramsey, who is in the last months of his Cardiff deal, will now take charge of these remaining fixtures as they try to maintain their status in the division.

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A club statement reads: "Cardiff City FC can confirm that a decision has been taken to relieve Omer Riza of his duties as First Team Manager. Aaron Ramsey will lead the club for the remaining three games of the Sky Bet Championship season, beginning with Monday’s match at home to Oxford United. Chris Gunter, Joe Ralls, Tom Hutton and Matthew Bloxham will join Aaron in the technical area. We’d like to thank Omer for his passion and effort during his time as Cardiff City manager and wish him the very best for his next steps in the game."

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This will be Ramsey's first stint as a manager, and the pressure could not be higher as Cardiff are second from bottom but, crucially, are just one point from safety. The Bluebirds play two of their last three matches at home so that could work in the Welshman's favour as he tries to save them from relegation to League One.

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Ramsey's first game in the dugout will be on Easter Monday at home to fellow strugglers Oxford United