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Both Birmingham City and Wrexham will be attempting to unsettle the Championship after promotion, knowing full well that they have immense pulling power as teams on the rise.

After all, Chris Davies’ runaway League One champions didn’t just win Jay Stansfield by chance, with St. Andrew’s a glamorous location to now ply your trade courtesy of Tom Wagner’s mega millions boosting the once downtrodden giants.

Therefore, if they were able to tempt their top scorer down to the third tier, it’s amazing to contemplate what other earth-shattering signings they could now get in through the door.

The Blues are certainly dominating a lot of EFL conversation this summer with who they’re being linked with, with this dream XI below surely the best plausible lineup Davies could call upon when the excitement of Championship action gets underway.

1 GK – Mark Travers

Firstly, Birmingham might well believe they need to improve in-between the sticks when adjusting back up to the second tier.

Their usual number one goalkeeper Ryan Allsop only shipped 26 goals in league action last season, but if they were able to land Mark Travers – following links to the Bournemouth man – he would surely get the first-team nod over the recent promotion winner.

After all, Travers has significant experience in the Championship on his side with 76 career games at the level under his belt. To add to that, he has also kept a respectable 26 clean sheets along the way.

2 RB – Ethan Laird

Whilst there could be some change in goal, Ethan Laird will be hopeful that his secure first-team spot at right-back remains set in stone for the jump up.

The ex-Manchester United full-back was as much of an attacking menace for the Blues last season as he was a defensive warrior, as seen in his impressive five goals and four assists in league action, on top of also winning a high 6.4 duels on average per contest.

3 CB – Ben Davies

The second signing Birmingham could make is to bring loan hero Ben Davies back permanently after he was a defensive colossus all of last campaign, away from parent employers Rangers.

Davies would strike up a fine partnership with Christoph Klarer – as seen in the pair tallying up a mammoth 38 clean sheets between them – with the Blues boss hopeful that the experienced 29-year-old can look as assured in the league above if he remains put.

4 CB – Christoph Klarer

The aforementioned Klarer would love to line up alongside his ex-Preston North End teammate once more, having been near faultless next to the 6-foot-1 enforcer at the top end of League One.

The dominant Austrian is also very deserving of his plaudits, considering he managed to register seven big chances created playing out from the back, away from just merely putting his equally towering frame to good use.

5 LB – Alex Cochrane

Making up the final component of the imposing back four is former Hearts man Alex Cochrane.

Much like his partner in crime down the right, Cochrane has been able to show off his ability to create chances galore throughout the League One season, culminating in him creating a sizeable nine big chances from 42 overall clashes.

To cap off his sterling individual campaign, the 25-year-old also bagged this beauty against Stevenage in April.

6 CM – Tomoki Iwata

Heading into the midfield areas and Tomoki Iwata will be keen to prove himself as a Championship-ready talent after some stylish showings in the third tier.

Iwata would go on to be an absolute steal from Celtic when joining for around £the £800k mark, considering the Japanese midfielder would round off his first-ever EFL adventure with eight goals and two assists next to his name.

7 CM – Kanya Fuijmoto

Iwata might well be joined by a new teammate centrally, however, as Birmingham continue to be linked with a switch for Gil Vicente ace Kanya Fujimoto.

The newly promoted side must be holding out hope that Fujimoto can be Iwata 2.0 on his potential St. Andrew’s arrival, with the 28-year-old’s compatriot proving himself to be as slick as the Blues number 24 playing out in Portugal.

Whilst he is comfortable slotting in as a number ten – as seen in his five goals and five assists in league action last season – Fujimoto can also line up as a traditional central midfield option, meaning he could partner Iwata very soon in England.

8 RM – Kwame Poku

Birmingham won’t be content with just three new purchases ahead of Championship football triumphantly returning with a fourth potentially in the offing with Kwame Poku, amid reports that an offer has been made to the Peterborough star.

It’s been a drawn-out saga this summer already involving Poku and Davies’ side, but if Birmingham are finally successful in landing the tricky Ghanaian’s services over a crazy 25 other suitors, he would slot into the team effortlessly down the right wing.

24/25

31

12

11

23/24

47

12

8

22/23

45

5

9

21/22

23

0

2

Posh manager Darren Ferguson would hail Poku as “unplayable” just this season gone, and when taking his consistent brilliance above, it’s clear to see why, with a ridiculous 23 goal contributions notched up across a memorable 2024/25.

Surely, he’s now ready for the challenge of affirming himself as an EFL superstar even more in the West Midlands.

9 CAM – Jay Stansfield

Stansfield is arguably another big name when it comes to the EFL, with Birmingham fans head over heels for the former Fulham forward.

He would end his own distinguished 2024/25 campaign by firing home 19 league strikes, meaning he could absolutely terrorise Championship defences when partnered with Poku.

10 LM – Keshi Anderson

Whilst the likes of Stansfield stole most of the limelight during Birmingham’s smooth title success, Keshi Anderson also regularly put in fine performances as a more seasoned head of the group.

In all competitions, the pacey left winger would tally up a hefty nine goals and eight assists, with Davies confident now that the experienced attacker can come good in the second tier, having played here previously and somewhat struggled with ex-employers Blackpool.

The likes of de Kock and Charles need to find form ahead of the World Cup in this series of three T20Is

Firdose Moonda22-May-2024A trio of T20Is the week before a T20 World Cup seems like a good idea except, perhaps, if half your squad is unavailable.That’s the situation facing both West Indies and South Africa, who are without many players from their tournament squads, including their captains.Rovman Powell and Aiden Markram are both at the IPL, as well as Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell and Alzarri Joseph for West Indies, and Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada for South Africa. While they are not all still at the IPL some, like Pooran and Hope, are being rested and others, like Rabada, are recovering from illness.Related

• King to captain WI against SA in absence of IPL players

• Markram is not the typical SA captain (and that's a good thing)

• Nortje returns in Markram-led South Africa T20 WC squad

That makes this series an exercise that’s part warm-up, part experimentation as the T20 World Cup co-hosts face off against perennial major tournament hopefuls in the first of three engagements they will have in the next three months. South Africa will return to the Caribbean in August to play two Tests and three more T20Is, which will have far less riding on them than these matches, where there are statements to be made. Especially by the following:

Openers need to find some form

Johnson Charles has re-established himself as a first-choice opener alongside Brandon King (cue the monarch jokes) since making a comeback to the West Indies T20I side in South Africa last year, where he scored a 46-ball 118 to announce his return. The trouble is that he hasn’t done much since. In eight T20I innings after that, Charles has been dismissed in single figures four times and gone past 30 only once. There are signs that could change, though. He was West Indies A’s leading run-scorer on a recent tour of Nepal, and will want to build on that form ahead of the T20 World Cup.In the opposition camp, South Africa have concerns around Quinton de Kock, who has had three poor T20 league campaigns on the trot since retiring from ODI cricket last November. He was particularly out of sorts at the BBL, where he scored 104 runs in six innings, and then made 213 runs in 12 innings at the SA20 and 250 runs in 11 innings at the IPL, though that did include three fifties. At least his numbers have improved slightly at each tournament. De Kock was selected in the World Cup squad on reputation, not form, at the expense of at least two other candidates – Matthew Breetzke and Rassie van der Dussen – and in what could be his last international assignment, he will want to come good.Obed McCoy is the sixth-highest wicket-taker in T20Is this year, but not in West Indies’ World Cup squad•Getty Images

Discards with a license to dream

The ICC only expects confirmed squads on May 25, so there’s a tiny bit of time (and perhaps one game) left for those looking to force their way into the final squads or, if that isn’t possible, just make a point about what their teams might be missing.Kyle Mayers has to be one of them. He scored no T20I fifties in 11 innings since touring South Africa in 2023 and was dropped thereafter, but made 243 runs in six innings at the BPL and boasts a T20 strike rate above 150 this year and above 143 from 40 matches last year. With power-hitting among the most talked-about attributes of top-order batters, this is his chance to show he still has it.The same will be in the back of Rassie van der Dussen‘s mind. Despite being the second-highest run-scorer in T20 cricket this year, behind Babar Azam, van der Dussen could not find a T20 World Cup place ahead of de Kock, Reeza Hendricks and Ryan Rickelton, but accepted the role of stand-in captain for this series, and will want to lead from the front in all aspects of his game.There are also some bowlers who might feel aggrieved at their omission. Such as Obed McCoy, who is one of the highest wicket-takers in T20Is this year but found no space in a squad that has Alzarri and Shamarh Joseph, Russell, Holder and Shepherd. He has an opportunity to show what he can do in home conditions. And Lungi Ngidi, who recovered from a lower back injury which kept him out of the IPL and made a decent comeback at the CSA T20s, will also want to prove the worth of his variations in the Caribbean. Ngidi took eight wickets in eight matches in South Africa’s domestic competition but Anrich Nortje, who conceded at more than 13 runs an over in the IPL, was preferred over him for pace.Matthew Forde’s T20I debut didn’t go too well, but he has shown promise•Associated Press

New kids on the block

Seamer Matthew Forde faced a baptism by fire when he made his T20I debut in December against England, finishing with figures of none for 54 in three overs.But he has shown that he has what it takes to be international quality. In the ODI series that preceded the T20Is then, Forde took 3 for 29 in the series decider with all three strikes in the powerplay to reduce England to 49 for 5. West Indies went on to win the series and Forde will hope to build on that promise.From South Africa, legspinner Nqaba Peter earned his first international call-up after just one season in the domestic top tier, where he took 20 wickets in the Lions’ run to the T20 title at an average of 9.50. Peter bowled exceptionally in the big moments, including taking 4 for 18 in the semi-final, and could provide South Africa with an attacking slower bowling option in the future.

Each team’s budget, how the accelerated process will work, what is a silent tie-breaker, and more

Vishal Dikshit10-Feb-2022 • Updated on 11-Feb-20229:32

Runorder: Who will be the most expensive player in the 2022 IPL auction?

When and where is the IPL 2022 auction?
At 12pm (6.30am GMT) on February 12 and 13 at Hotel ITC Gardenia in Bengaluru. It is the 15th IPL auction and the fifth mega auction, with the last big one held in 2018. The auction will be broadcast on the Star Sports network in India.Have teams retained any players before the auction?
Yes, a total of 27 players have been retained by the eight existing franchises, while the two new teams – Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans – have acquired three players each.Who are the retained/acquired players? And which team has what amount in their purse ahead of the auction?
All numbers in INR crore•ESPNcricinfoHow many players will be available at the auction?
A total of *600 players (377 Indian and 223 overseas) will be up for grabs. This shortlist was pruned from the original list of 1214 players based on the wishlist of the ten franchises, and 10 more names were then added on auction eve.What is the minimum/maximum number of players each team can have in their squad?
By the end of the auction, each team should have a minimum of 18 players and a maximum of 25 players in their squad. They also need to spend a minimum of INR 67.5 crore (USD 9 million approx.) from their total purse of INR 90 crore (USD 12 million approx.). And each squad can have at most eight overseas players in the squad.What is the auction process?
The players have been divided into different sets based on their specialty, barring a group of ten marquee players who will open the auction. The marquee set will be followed by a full round of capped players based on specialisation – batters, allrounders, wicketkeeper-batters, fast bowlers, and spin bowlers – before moving on to uncapped players.There are 62 sets altogether including the marquee set. While the IPL has segregated the sets as per the specialisation of the players, capped and uncapped players will be alternated after a few sets.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhat is the distribution of capped and uncapped players?
There are a total of *229 capped players, 364 uncapped, and seven players from the Associate teams.How many players will be part of the bidding on the first day?
A minimum of 97 players will be up for bidding on Saturday*. If time permits, it will go on till player number 106 or player number 116. The first 18 sets (till player 161) will be presented for auction the next day before moving on to the accelerated process. The accelerated auction begins after lunch on Sunday, from 162.What is the accelerated process?
As the name suggests, the accelerated process is to quicken the whole auction process. After the first day of the auction, the franchises will be asked to nominate, from the remaining pool, the players they are interested in. Those players will go under the hammer on Sunday. This process could be repeated again if any franchise wants to further nominate anyone unpresented/unsold until then.Are there Right-to-Match (RTM) cards available to teams?
No. Unlike the last mega auction in 2018, the IPL has decided not to have RTMs this time. One reason behind that could be the IPL wants to ensure the two new teams will get an equal opportunity to stack up a strong squad.What happens if a player who was uncapped at the time of registering himself for the auction has made his international debut since then?
Let’s take the example of Deepak Hooda. Hooda was in the uncapped category at the time of registering for the auction, but he got his ODI cap last week against West Indies. When the IPL added ten more names to the auction list on Friday, they also moved him to the capped category and updated his base price from INR 40 lakh (USD 53,000 approx) to INR 75 lakh (USD 99,000 approx).What is the lowest and highest base price?
The lowest is INR 20 lakh (USD 27000 approx.) and the highest is INR 2 crore (USD 270,000 approx.). The ten marquee players are all marked at INR 2 crore. Overall, there are 48 players (17 Indian and 31 overseas) with a base price of INR 2 crore, and then the base price reduces to 1.5 crore, 1 crore, 75 lakh, 50 lakh, 40 lakh, 30 lakh and 20 lakh.Who are the youngest and oldest players in the auction?
The youngest player in this auction is Afghanistan’s 17-year-old Noor Ahmad. A left-arm wristspinner, Noor has already played in the BBL, PSL and LPL, but he is yet to make his international debut.The oldest player in the auction is T20 veteran Imran Tahir. He was part of the victorious Chennai Super Kings squad in the 2021 edition, and, at 43, Tahir is currently representing Multan Sultans in the PSL. He also featured in the LPL and Legends League Cricket recently.Who are the top players missing from the auction and why?
Some of the top names missing from the auction list are Chris Gayle, Ben Stokes, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Kyle Jamieson, Sam Curran, Dan Christian, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, Tom Banton and Matt Henry, among others.Most of the above opted out because of workload management or bubble-fatigue concerns as the IPL runs for two months, including the pre-tournament quarantine. Players like Starc and Stokes want to remain fresh for their international assignments. Sam and Tom Curran are unavailable because of injuries, while Gayle didn’t make his reasons public.How is Jofra Archer in the auction list if he is unlikely to play the 2022 IPL?
Archer, the MVP in IPL 2020, last played a competitive game in July 2021 and underwent a second elbow operation in December, putting his IPL 2022 participation in serious doubt as he is still undergoing rehab and could be fit only in June.Archer’s name was not in the initial list of 1214 players but he was added to the final list. The ECB registered Archer for the auction “with a view to potential participation in 2023 and 2024”. Since he’s unlikely to feature in the 2022 IPL, his name won’t be in the marquee set but in the accelerated set of players, scheduled for the second day of the auction.What is the silent tie-breaker?
The silent tie-breaker has existed in IPL auctions since 2010, and it has been used only three times so far. It comes into play when a franchise makes a “last bid” for a player wherein it would have exhausted its purse and that amount would be matched by another franchise. Both franchises would then need to submit a written bid stating an amount they would pay over the “last bid” they had made.That tie-break bid is the separate amount the franchise has to pay to the BCCI and is not deducted from their purse. There is no limit on the amount of the tie-break bid. If the silent bids are also equal, the process will be repeated.Who will be the auctioneer
It will be Hugh Edmeades. He took over from Richard Madley in 2018 and has been hosting the IPL auction ever since.With inputs from Gaurav Sundararaman and Nagraj Gollapudi*17:10 GMT: The numbers were updated after 10 more players were added to the auction list on February 11

The defending champions, and three-time finalists in the PSL, Quetta Gladiators have a value-for-money line-up

Umar Farooq19-Feb-2020Quetta GladiatorsTeam overview
The defending champions, and three-time finalists in the PSL, Quetta Gladiators have a value-for-money line-up, put together at US$ 1.1 million. All other teams have cost their owners significantly more. Quetta have a core of local players, led by Sarfaraz Ahmed, who runs a tight ship.Two of the players who make Quetta tick are Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal, men who have both had their brushes with controversy. But head coach Moin Khan believes he knows how to handle them and get the best out of them, and they have played their part for Quetta. Shehzad was the second-highest scorer for the team last year with 311 runs to Shane Watson’s 430, but from four fewer games, while Akmal hit 277, fourth on the list with Rilee Rossouw’s 295 putting him at No. 3.Quetta have retained Watson, and have continued with left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz as their platinum pick. Among the overseas players, they have England’s Jason Roy, Australians Ben Cutting and Fawad Ahmed, and welcome back Tymal Mills after he missed out last season. Naseem Shah and Mohammad Hasnain are more established than they were last year, and Arish Ali, the 19-year-old left-arm spinner, is quite the one to watch out for. Moin’s son Azam Khan, meanwhile, might have attracted a fair bit of nepotism talk, but is an exciting power-hitter.Strengths
The firepower at the top, with Roy, Watson, Shehzad and Akmal, is formidable. The squad is a carefully designed one, with depth and no obvious weak link. There is stability and consistency too, with Sarfaraz having led the side since the start of the competition.Weaknesses
Though Hasnain is an established T20 bowler, he is still 19, and Shah hasn’t quite exploded in the shortest format yet. That might mean premier spinner Nawaz might have a lot on his plate, and his record – 44 wickets in 46 games in the UAE and 35 in 51 in Pakistan – isn’t fantastic. Fawad is also coming in on the back of some up-and-down form in the BBL. In Mills and Keemo Paul, though, there is some quality in the ranks.Squad
Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt, wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Jason Roy, Shane Watson, Ahmed Shehzad, Ben Cutting, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Hasnain, Fawad Ahmed, Ahsan Ali, Naseem Shah, Sohail Khan, Tymal Mills, Abdul Nasir Arish Ali Khan, Azam Khan, Zahid Mehmood, Khurram ManzoorManagement staff
Nadeem Omar (owner), Viv Richards (mentor), Moin Khan (head coach), Abdul Razzaq (assistant coach), Azam Khan (manager), Nabeel Hashmi (media manager), Julien Fountain (fielding coach), Shakir Khilji (analyst), Nisar Khan (physio), Rashid Qureshi (trainer), Abdur Rauf (masseur)Luke Ronchi was in good touch for Islamabad United•PSLIslamabad UnitedTeam overview
After they clinched the title twice in the first three seasons, their form somewhat tailed off in the last season, where they finished third. Islamabad beat Karachi Kings in the first eliminator in 2019, but they were dismantled Peshawar Zalmi in the second eliminator.Islamabad don’t have too many big names in their roster, and they have instead relied on data to pick their squad. They’ve retained their core of local players – Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Asif Ali, Rumman Raees and Hussain Talat – who have all served them well over the years.Islamabad have also kept faith in the 38-year old Luke Ronchi, who was among the side’s top scorers in 2019, with 319 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of just a shade over 155. Ronchi will also double up as the team’s assistant coach, a role he recently performed for New Zealand during the limited-overs series at home against India.Islamabad, however, have released the likes of Alex Hales, Cameron Delport, Ian Bell, Chadwick Walton and Mohammad Sami. Dale Steyn, who was earlier in action in the BBL for the Melbourne Stars, will strengthen Islamabad’s seam attack.Misbah-ul-Haq and Islamabad have had a bit of bitter history between them, but the franchise has buried that and recalled him as head coach. Misbah had offered to play for Islamabad in 2019, but it was against the franchise’s strategy of using his experience as coach. The difference of opinion eventually resulted in Islamabad releasing Misbah, who was then picked up by Peshawar as a player.Now, Misbah and Islamabad have joined forces once again although his reappointment has led to a potential conflict of interest as he also coaches the national team in addition to being a national selector. The PCB, though, has allowed him to continue in multiple roles so that he gains more experience and exposure as a coach.Strengths
Their template for success remains the same: have a core group of dynamic T20 batsmen at the top. Ronchi is among those batsmen, who can tee off in the Powerplays. Colin Ingram, too, has vast T20 experience, and had smashed an unbeaten 127 off 59 balls for Karachi Kings in PSL 2019.Phil Salt, too has established himself as a T20 globetrotter and fellow Englishman Dawid Malan lends more power and class to the batting line-up.Weaknesses
Shadab, Ashraf, Ali and Talat will be in charge of the lower-middle order, but most of these names have lost their national contracts and are searching for some form. If they don’t hit form in the early half of the season, then it could be a concern for Islamabad. Raees, meanwhile, hasn’t played a competitive match since PSL 2019, having been sidelined with a knee injury. Steyn was in fine form in the BBL, but the 36-year old has been prone to injuries of late.Squad
Shadab Khan (capt.), Dale Steyn, Colin Ingram, Faheem Ashraf, Asif Ali, Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi, Hussain Talat, Rumman Raees, Amad Butt, Musa Khan, Rizwan Hussain, Zafar Gohar, Phil Salt Aqif Javed, Ahmed Safi Abdullah. Supplementary: Saif Badar, Dawid MalanManagement staff
Ali Naqvi (owner), Misbah-ul-Haq (head coach), Luke Ronchi (assistant coach), Donovan Miller (bowling coach), Saeed Ajmal (spin consultant), Corey Rutgers (fielding coach), Rehan-ul-Haq (general manager), Hasan Cheema (strategy manager), Errol Alcott (physio)

Australian fast bowler back for third spell at Taunton to help title defence

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2025Somerset have confirmed the return of Riley Meredith as one of their overseas players for next year’s Vitality Blast.Meredith, 29, was the leading wicket-taker with 28 in the competition as Somerset won the Blast in 2025. He also played a key role in getting them to the final the year before. Overall, his record for Somerset is 42 wickets at 18.47, with an economy of 8.16.”Riley played an integral part in our success this summer and we’re delighted to be bringing a player of his quality back to the club,” Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said.”His genuine pace and aggression will always trouble batters and he brings something different to our attack. I know that our Members and supporters will be looking forward to seeing him take to field for us again in 2026.”Everyone connected with the club is looking forward to Riley bringing his trademark pace and energy back to the Cooper Associates County Ground. We can’t wait to see him charging in again as we look to defend our title in 2026.”Meredith has played one ODI and six T20Is for Australia, but not featured since 2024 (when he missed Finals Day after being called up for international duty).He is expected to be available for the duration of the Blast next summer, with the competition returning to a May-July window.”I’ve loved my time with Somerset, and it was great to be able to contribute to this year’s success,” Meredith said. “It’s a really good group of players and I can’t wait to be back in Taunton and playing in front of those fans.”

حسم منتخب البحرين تأهله إلى نهائيات بطولة كأس العرب 2025، بعدما تمكن من تجاوز عقبة نظيره الجيبوتي بهدف دون مقابل، في مواجهة جرت مساء الثلاثاء على ملعب عبد الله بن خليفة في العاصمة القطرية الدوحة.

وجاء الهدف الوحيد للمباراة في الدقيقة 36 من الشوط الأول، عقب كرة عرضية من الجانب الأيمن، سقطت بشكل مفاجئ من يد حارس جيبوتي، ليستغل محمد سعد الموقف بمتابعة سريعة وضع من خلالها الكرة داخل الشباك، مانحًا منتخب بلاده بطاقة المرور إلى البطولة.

وبهذا الفوز، التحق المنتخب البحريني بالمجموعة الرابعة في النهائيات، والتي تضم الجزائر والعراق، بينما يُنتظر اكتمال عقد المجموعة اليوم بعد المواجهة المرتقبة بين السودان ولبنان لتحديد صاحب البطاقة الأخيرة. هدف فوز البحرين أمام جيبوتي في ملحق كأس العرب

وتقام بطولة كأس العرب 2025 في دولة قطر خلال الفترة من 1 إلى 18 ديسمبر المقبل، بمشاركة 16 منتخبًا، حيث تستعد الدوحة لاستضافة المباريات على ستة ملاعب مميزة: استاد البيت، استاد لوسيل، استاد خليفة الدولي، ملعب أحمد بن علي، استاد 974، وملعب المدينة التعليمية.

طالع أيضًا | مجموعات كأس العرب 2025 (محدث باستمرار)

ومن المقرر أن تقام مباراة الافتتاح على استاد البيت في الأول من ديسمبر، على أن يحتضن استاد لوسيل النهائي يوم 18 من الشهر ذاته.

وكانت النسخة السابقة التي استضافتها قطر عام 2021 قد انتهت بتتويج المنتخب الجزائري باللقب، فيما اكتفى منتخب مصر بالمركز الرابع بعد خروجه من نصف النهائي.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has got much to sit on over the November international break, having been thrashed 3-0 at Manchester City last weekend.

That one stung. It condemned Liverpool to their fifth defeat in six Premier League matches, and it undid the positivity built across two recent wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, clean sheets kept on both evenings.

It was not just the scoreline but the manner of the loss that is so concerning for the Reds, whose title defence is as flaky as could be possible.

In a similar way, it is not Arsenal’s eight-point advantage at the top of the table that is so worrying, but the fact that Slot’s side are so shorn of tactical understanding and confidence within the system.

Changes are needed, even after a summer of record-breaking change in the transfer market.

The changes Slot needs to make at Liverpool

It’s telling that after significant summer spending, Liverpool are still alarmingly thin at the back. Giovanni Leoni’s season-ending injury after joining from Parma for £27m in August has hardly helped, but the failure to land Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi has been underlined in its bungled nature.

Even if Leoni had avoided such a setback, it likely wouldn’t have been enough to make up for the dismal form of Ibrahima Konate, who is out of contract next summer and playing so erratically that many fans have lost the desire to fight online for the defender as Real Madrid continue to circle.

While it’s true that those in central midfield have failed to produce levels of physicality and verve that are needed to balance and combine with a central defence, Konate has done anything but help himself with such shoddy displays, with Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley labelling the Frenchman “a serious, serious problem”.

Liverpool’s issues run deeper, though. There’s a case to be made that Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak are all ‘better’ players than Luis Diaz, who was sold to Bayern Munich for about £66m in the summer.

However, Lucho has been a cut above all three, and Slot needs to recraft his team and establish a new offensive sharpness and get the best from these big-money recruits who all arrived with such a weight of expectation.

It will come as no surprise that Liverpool are believed to be gearing up for a winter of bustle in the January transfer market, and Spanish sources even claim the Anfield side could part with upward of £200m to fix the faults in the Slot machine.

The dream XI Slot could build at Liverpool

Sporting director Richard Hughes was heralded after the summer transfer window, having overseen a spending spree that journalist Henry Winter described as “probably be the greatest transfer window by a club ever”, albeit a point made before the market’s closure and with the assumption that Guehi would sign too.

However, if Liverpool mean to sign the Three Lions star, they will do so on a free contract next summer, perhaps in a one-in, one-out situation that will see Konate leave.

With that in mind, FSG may look to complete a marquee move for Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni. Earlier this month, reports from Spain suggest the Reds are looking to complete a deal for the Italian, who is valued at €100m (£87m).

Regarded for his “world-class” technical ability by commentator Matteo Bonetti, Bastoni’s ball-playing tendencies would ostensibly pave over the error-strewn struggles of Konate.

But Liverpool’s problems are wider, and there’s a sense that the midfield needs an addition, especially with Alexis Mac Allister so badly out of sorts.

Though this latest rumour might be viewed as something of a pipe dream, there have been murmurs nonetheless of Merseyside interest in Paris Saint-Germain superstar Vitinha, who pipped Mohamed Salah to third place in the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

Vitinha, 25, would certainly not come cheap after orchestrating PSG’s glittering 2024/25 campaign, and it’s reported that a £114m offer might be needed to bring him over to the Premier League.

We cannot deny the Argentina star has been well below his best this season, and Liverpool could do with more press resistance and control in the middle of the park.

Vitinha would solve these issues, hailed by Portugal manager Roberto Martinez as “the best midfielder in the world” for his performances in Paris.

Matches (starts)

11 (9)

10 (9)

Goals

1

0

Assists

6

2

Touches*

117.5

45.1

Accurate passes

102.3 (94%)

30.3 (86%)

Chances created*

1.5

0.9

Dribbles*

0.5

0.0

Recoveries*

4.9

2.9

Tackles + interceptions*

1.2

1.6

Duels (won)*

2.3 (60%)

2.5 (45%)

The vast difference in form between the respective midfielders is staggering, and while Vitinha isn’t a midfielder who gets all that stuck in defensively, his accuracy in the duel and energy in closing down and recovering balls emphasise the quality he would add to Liverpool’s engine room.

Perhaps such an acquisition would rekindle Liverpool’s attacking fire. After all, with the likes of Isak and Ekitike competing for a berth at number nine, Wirtz and Salah and the rest surrounding them, there is every reason for Slot to find a solution and bring this club back to the fore.

Whether Liverpool would actually succeed in pulling off two audacious winter deals is another question, but there’s no question that Hughes is prowling across the market and looking to find ways to revive this struggling side.

With Vitinha and Bastoni restoring balance to the defence and midfield, we might still see another spectacular season.

Liverpool’s dream XI in full: (GK) Alisson; (RB) Conor Bradley, (CB) Alessandro Bastoni, (CB) Virgil van Dijk, (LB) Andy Robertson; (DM) Vitinha, (CM) Ryan Gravenberch, (CM) Dominik Szoboszlai; (RW) Mohamed Salah, (LW) Florian Wirtz, (CF) Alexander Isak

Liverpool star is quickly becoming their biggest "disaster" since Keita

Arne Slot has a Naby Keita-style situation on his hands with this expensive Liverpool flop.

2 ByKelan Sarson Nov 13, 2025

يستأنف ليفربول مشواره في دوري أبطال أوروبا، بعد الهزيمة أمام نوتينجهام فورست على ملعب أنفيلد بثلاثية نظيفة في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وكان نوتينجهام فورست قد افتتح التسجيل عن طريق موريلو بعد تسديدة قوية في الدقيقة 33 من عمر الشوط الأول.

وأضاف سافونا الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 46 مع بداية الشوط الثاني بعد أن تلقى تمريرة من نيكو ويليامز ليسدد في مرمى أليسون بيكر.

وجاء هدف نوتينجهام فورست الثالث عن طريق مورجان جيبس وايت في الدقيقة 79 من الشوط الثاني.

اقرأ أيضاً.. أبو تريكة: سلوت سيحمد الله على غياب محمد صلاح.. وليفربول سيكون أفضل بدونه

بهذه النتيجة، يتجمد رصيد ليفربول عند النقطة الثامنة عشر في المركز العاشر، بينما يرتفع رصيد نوتينجهام فورست للنقطة الثانية عشر في المركز السابع عشر. موعد مباراة ليفربول القادمة بعد الهزيمة أمام نوتينجهام فورست في الدوري الإنجليزي

يلتقي ليفربول وآيندهوفن، يوم الأربعاء المقبل 26 نوفمبر، على ملعب أنفيلد، في الجولة الخامسة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، في الساعة العاشرة مساء بتوقيت مصر.

The last couple of years have seen Tottenham Hotspur start to spend some serious cash to aid their pursuit of being competitive in the Premier League and Europe.

Such spending has already seen success being brought to North London, with Ange Postecoglou the beneficiary last campaign – subsequently leading the club to Europa League glory.

However, Thomas Frank will be the next boss to try and take the Lilywhites to the next level after taking the reins in the summer following the Aussie’s dismissal.

The Dane was handed an immediate £110m to make the changes he desired to the first-team to enable him to take the club to the next level under his guidance.

Despite the spending, throwing money left, right and centre doesn’t equal success, with numerous of the club’s former additions failing to live up to the hype they arrived with.

Ranking Spurs’ worst signings in the last five years

As part of the Spurs hierarchy’s big-spending in recent years, they broke their transfer record last summer, after forking out a staggering £65m for the signature of striker Dominic Solanke.

Such a move generated huge excitement, as the Englishman was seen as the replacement for Harry Kane after his own move to Bayern Munich 12 months prior.

However, the deal now appears to be somewhat of a waste, with the 28-year-old massively struggling with injuries – subsequently only featuring for 31 minutes of league action this campaign.

Sergio Reguilon is another player who cost a pretty penny in recent years, with the board paying £30m for his signature to prise him away from Real Madrid in the summer of 2020.

The left-back was seen as a long-term solution to the woes in such an area, but the move was a disaster, with the Spaniard only featuring a total of 73 times over his five years at the club.

He was released during the summer transfer just gone, further highlighting how disappointing his spell in the Premier League was – which firmly places him as one of the Lilywhites’ worst additions.

However, Brazilian striker Richarlison is arguably one of their worst signings in recent years, especially considering he was bought for an eye-watering £60m.

He’s been Frank’s starting number nine this season, but he’s failed to reflect the faith shown in him – subsequently scoring just once in the last 12 outings.

The biggest sign of his failure is his goalscoring tally, with the 28-year-old netting just 23 goals for the Lilywhites – a tally five times lower than that of former fan-favourite Kane.

The Spurs talent who can end Richarlison’s time in North London

As previously mentioned, Richarlison has massively struggled with the expectations placed upon him by the Spurs fanbase after his transfer to the club back in 2022.

His recent outings for the Lilywhites highlight his lack of positive impact within the final third, with his struggles going way beyond his lack of goals at present.

The former Everton man has only achieved a total of 58 touches of the ball in the last five outings across all competitions – with former striker Kane achieving a tally of 69 alone in his last Bundesliga outing.

Richarlison will certainly be on borrowed time in North London over the next couple of months, especially when Solanke inevitably returns from his recent injury setback.

However, the pair could have added competition for places from January onwards, as teenage striker Mason Melia joins the club from Irish outfit St Patrick’s Athletic.

The 18-year-old agreed to join the Lilywhites back in February, but has to wait another couple of months to link up with Frank’s men, given the rules around U18 additions.

His £1.6m transfer, a record for a player from the Irish top division, could well prove to be a bargain if he continues his impressive development during his time in North London.

Melia made his debut for his boyhood club back in 2023 at the age of just 16 and has since cemented his place within the first-team ranks – subsequently amassing a total of 93 appearances.

He’s also racked up a total of 22 goals within that period, a record that has led to one youth analyst labelling the Irish teenager as “a star in the making”.

This season has been the youngster’s best to date, scoring 12 times and registering three assists in his 33 appearances – with the former of the two stats putting him second in the goalscoring charts.

There’s no disputing the staff at Spurs will have to manage his progress in the years ahead, whilst Frank has to manage his minutes to help aid the progress he’s made in his homeland.

However, one thing that is certain is that Melia is a star who possesses a huge heap of potential and could play a vital role in the Lilywhites’ chance of success in the future.

His arrival could spell the end for Richarlison in North London, which could see the hierarchy cash in on his services and hand Melia the first-team action he needs to continue his development.

Spurs star was as big a problem as Richarlison, now he looks undroppable

Tottenham Hotspur have found a new top-level talent despite drawing 0-0 with Monaco in the Champions League.

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 23, 2025

South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje has suffered a “stress reaction” that will keep him out of action for an unknown period of time. Nortje was not considered for South Africa’s T20I squad to play a tri-series in Zimbabwe next month and did not travel to MLC 2025, where he was due to play for Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR). Nortje has only played two games this year, at the IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).South Africa coach Shukri Conrad confirmed that Nortje’s injury will be assessed and as things stand, CSA is unaware of how long he will be out of action for.The injury is the latest in a long line of setbacks for Nortje, who is no longer centrally contracted with CSA and last played international cricket at the T20 World Cup in 2024. He was then not considered for the Test side for focusing primarily on T20s by opting out of the central contract. But a fractured toe then ruled him out of the home T20Is against Pakistan before a back injury sidelined him from the 2025 Champions Trophy. He then flew to India for the IPL to join KKR but played only two games for them.Related

• Nortje injured again, Van der Dussen to lead newish-looking South Africa T20I side

Nortje has spent significant time on the sidelines in the past. He did not play any cricket between November 2013 and November 2015, November 2018 and February 2019 and then between November 2021 and April 2022 with a range of injuries relating to his back and hip.It is not known yet which formats Nortje will avail himself for when he returns to fitness.”We will have to see the length of the time that he will be out and the extent of the injury. I really feel for him,” Conrad said. “He is a superstar fast bowler and having to deal with setback after setback can’t be easy. We will wait to see how serious it is.”Naturally we are worried. In Anrich’s case this is the second or third stress reaction in his back. It is too early to make a diagnosis and we are definitely not drawing a line through this name. He is 31 years old and we are going to give him every chance to come back. We will have to see what the medical team think is the best way forward.”