Defending champions now have a keen interest in Tuesday’s match between Superchargers and Originals

ECB Media25-Aug-2025With progress to the next stage in play at a sun-kissed Kia Oval and The Hundred Eliminator next Saturday looming on the horizon, London Spirit completed a brilliant derby demolition by eight wickets.Spirit needed to win this, their final game, and hope Manchester Originals lose to Northern Superchargers tomorrow to avoid progress coming down to net run-rate. But having romped home with so much to spare, their qualification now looks almost assured.Put in to bat, Invincibles started steadily if not spectacularly, Meg Lanning and Paige Scholfield ambling to 23 off the Powerplay before a brace of boundaries by Lanning (19 from 20) from Sarah Glenn and a huge six from Scholfield off Issy Wong got the home side moving.Charlie Dean then made the breakthough, having Lanning caught and bowled while conceding just three from her first ten. Scholfield (22 from 21) followed soon after as Spirit took all the pace off the ball. At halfway Invincibles were an underwhelming 56 for 2.After one straight six, Alice Capsey (11 from 9) holed out, and Spirit spinners kept a lid on things, Marizanne Kapp (32 from 25) the only batter to break the shackles before her innings was ended by a stunning one-handed catch from Dean, who then bowled the last five to finish with an exceptional 2 for 12 from her 20 balls, the same figures as Eva Gray, as Invincibles ended on 108 for 8.With a run rate-boosting win in mind, Kira Chathli and Georgia Redmayne came out hard, Chathli in particular taking the attack to her former team with the Powerplay bringing a season-high 47 without loss, her own contribution being 35 off 16.The two continued past Spirit’s highest opening partnership of the season – and ended up with the team’s highest for any wicket – Chathli going to a 26-ball half century with a majestic straight six. An eight-wicket win came soon after, with 38 balls left unused. Redmayne departed with just three needed, having made an excellent 42 off 30, and Chathli followed one run later for 53 off 29, but it was much too little, much too late for Invincibles.Talking about her wonder catch, Meerkat Match Hero Charlie Dean said: “I should have been on the ring! But I managed to time my jump and hung on.”That was an impressive victory. We went out wanting to bounce back and to win by a margin like that… we did not discuss too much about NRR but the way we went about that, it was fantastic. Kira has been brilliant. At the top of the order, trying to punch first”We have a rest day and hope for the best. We have done everything to put ourselves in the best position to qualify so it’s fingers crossed.”

Interest in Oscar Mingueza is accelerating ahead of the winter window, with Newcastle, Aston Villa and West Ham joining RB Leipzig and Marseille in monitoring the Celta Vigo defender. The former Barcelona full-back is out of contract in 2026, but Celta’s refusal of €14 million bids last summer and their inability to secure a renewal has created a market opening that rival clubs are now prepared to exploit.

• Premier League and European giants move for Mingueza

  Mingueza has quickly become one of La Liga’s most in-demand defenders, with Celta now facing the prospect of losing him far below their expectations, or even for free. The 26-year-old, whose rights are split 50-50 between Celta and Barcelona, has attracted interest from Newcastle, Villa and West Ham in the Premier League, as well as Leipzig and Marseille on the continent. All five clubs are preparing for movement once the January window opens, according to .

  The Sky Blues rejected offers between €12m (£10m/$13m) and €14m (£12m/$15m) last summer, hoping instead to secure a contract renewal. But talks have stalled since the autumn, and Mingueza’s role has become less prominent in recent weeks. With his contract expiring in June 2026, clubs sense an opportunity to strike early, or wait until the situation weakens further. Barca, who sold the defender in 2022 after his breakthrough under Ronald Koeman, remain attentive. The Catalans still own 50% of the player’s rights and stand to benefit from a future sale, but they are not expected to re-sign him as they already have Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia for the right-back position.

  Mingueza’s strong form in Galicia, where he has grown into one of Celta's most reliable performers across multiple positions has placed him firmly on the radar of clubs seeking athletic, technically secure full-backs. As interest intensifies, the situation now enters a stage where Celta’s reluctance to sell last year may prove costly.

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  Celta must act fast as transfer interest grows

  The growing list of suitors underlines the former La Masia graduate's rising market value. Premier League clubs view him as a rare profile: a defender comfortable at right-back, centre-back and even wide centre-back in back-three systems. The Magpies see him as essential depth for a squad competing in Europe, while the Lions regard him as a potential long-term fit for their aggressive, high-line structure. Leipzig’s interest reflects their recruitment model of targeting versatile, tactically adaptable players in their mid-20s. Marseille, meanwhile, are under pressure to rebuild with more athletic full-backs and have tracked Mingueza since the summer.

  For Celta, this moment highlights a strategic tension: rejecting mid-tier offers last year was intended to protect their asset’s value, but failing to extend his contract leaves them exposed. His €20m (£17m/$22m) release clause complicates negotiations, especially given that Barcelona would receive €10m (£8m/$11m) of any fee. 

  Rival clubs know Celta must choose soon between negotiating now or risking a depreciating asset heading into the final year of his deal. This dynamic also explains why several clubs are prepared to wait until June, when uncertainty peaks and leverage shifts decisively toward the buying side.

• Squad context, past reports and what the move would mean

  Mingueza’s development at Celta has been notable. After leaving the Catalan giants, where he initially excelled under Koeman before falling out of favour under Xavi, he found consistent minutes and confidence in Galicia. His ability to progress the ball, defend one-on-one and adapt to multiple systems has been highlighted by analysts and scouts across Europe.

  Newcastle’s need arises from repeated injuries across their defensive line, while Villa continue to build a squad capable of sustaining European competition deep into spring. West Ham, despite their struggles, remain interested but are seen as outsiders due to their position in the table and uncertainty around their long-term sporting plan.

  Celta’s push to renew the defender has stalled partly because his influence has dipped in recent months – a shift that has emboldened interested clubs. Internally, Barcelona are hoping for movement in January, as any transfer would provide them with an immediate financial injection.

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  January pressure builds as decision time nears

  With the transfer window approaching, the Sky Blues must decide whether to reopen renewal talks, entertain bids or hold firm until summer. The latter option is risky, as a failure to extend Mingueza’s contract would place them in a vulnerable negotiating position. Newcastle and Villa are expected to formalise interest in January, while Leipzig are monitoring the situation with long-term planning in mind. Barcelona will continue tracking developments, hoping that a winter move triggers their 50% cut.

  All eyes now turn to January, the point at which Celta must either commit to protecting their asset or accept that Europe’s elite are ready to move decisively for a player whose market momentum shows no sign of slowing.

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has revealed that Hannah Hampton could miss the rest of 2025 with a quad injury, potentially ruling her out of the Lionesses upcoming friendlies against China and Ghana later this month. The renowned shot stopper missed Chelsea's 6-0 win over St. Polten in the Women's Champions League, after picking up the injury during the Blues 1-1 draw with Arsenal last Saturday.

Hampton to miss big games for both Chelsea and England

Bompastor confirmed that Hampton will miss the next few weeks of action at the very least, ruling her out of key fixtures for both club and country. The 24-year-old completed her side's draw with rivals Arsenal despite the ailment, but was ruled out of their midweek demolition of the Austrian champions. 

Chelsea travel to Liverpool tomorrow in the Women's Super League, before hosting Barcelona in the Women's Champions League on November 20. The inaugural winner of the Women's Yashin Trophy would have been a nailed on starter for Sarina Weigman's side in the upcoming international window as the European champions work towards the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. 

Hampton was also absent from England duty last month with an elbow injury. She was replaced by Manchester City keeper Khiara Keating, who conceded twice in the first 20 minutes of her debut against Brazil. The Lionesses eventually fell to a 2-1 defeat to the Selecao. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBompastor: Hampton will be out for a "few weeks"

In her pre-match press conference ahead of the Liverpool clash, Bompastor said: "Hannah won't be here. She picked up a quad injury.

"She will be out for a few weeks. We'll see if we see her before the end of the year but I'm not sure."

When the French manager was asked if that would rule the 24-year-old out of international duty, she simply replied: "It could be the case, yes."

Hampton injury presents an opportunity for Peng and Keating

Hampton's extended absence opens the door for Livia Peng to show her potential in the Chelsea goal. The Swiss stopper joined the Blues in the summer following an impressive two year spell with Werder Bremen. She was named to 's team of the season in 2024-25, as she kept seven clean sheets in 21 league games. The 23-year-old has cemented her spot as Switzerland's no. 1, starting all four of her country's during this summer's European Championship as the host nation was knocked out at the quarter final stage by eventual finalists Spain. She made her club debut in Chelsea's dominant win over St. Polten earlier this week. 

City's Keating will also have the opportunity to stake her claim to be Hampton's clear backup at the very least. The 21-year-old has gone from strength-to-strength since supplanting Ellie Roebuck as the City No.1 during the 2023-24 season. She would go on to win the WSL Golden Globe at the end of that campaign, making her the youngest player to pick up the award. Keating has been in impressive form again this term, keeping nine clean sheets in all competitions. 

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Getty Images SportInjury comes at challenging time for Hampton

After last season's resounding successes: winning the Euros, picking up the award for the best female goalkeeper in the game and winning the WSL for the second time, the start of the 2025/26 season has been a tough ride for Hampton. 

The protracted fallout from Mary Earps autobiography, in which the former Sports Personality of the Year accused her understudy of being "disruptive and unreliable" has been an unwelcome distraction. Hampton presumably would have hoped to move on from that saga by letting her play do the talking, especially with the Three Lions on her chest. While she has been in impressive form for her club, conceding just four goals in eight league appearances this term, missing her second international window in succession with injury, is a cruel blow. Hopefully, she can recover before the end of 2025. The league phase of Chelsea's Women's Champions League campaign concludes with ties against Roma and Wolfsburg in December. 

Aston Villa are now prepared to make an offer for FC Barcelona forward Ansu Fati following a request from manager Unai Emery, but a clause in his loan deal at Monaco may complicate matters.

Villa’s interest in a new forward comes amid Ollie Watkins & co flattering to deceive, with the striker scoring just one Premier League goal in ten matches so far this season, having fallen way short of his usual lofty standards.

Despite Liverpool struggling from a defensive point of view this season, having already conceded 14 goals, Emery’s forward line barely caused the Reds any issues at the weekend, failing to create a single big chance in the 2-0 defeat.

Some of the manager’s summer signings are yet to hit the ground running too, with Jeff Stelling ripping into the Spaniard for his decision to substitute Jadon Sancho against Manchester City, having only been brought on himself in the first half.

With Harvey Elliott being omitted from the squad entirely for the victory against City, Emery clearly has doubts over some of his summer signings, and he has now made a plea to the board…

Aston Villa prepared to make offer for Ansu Fati in 2026

According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa are now prepared to make an offer for Barcelona forward Fati, who is currently on loan at AS Monaco, in light of the fantastic start to the season he has made in Ligue 1, but there could be competition for his signature.

Sunderland are also willing to make a move for the Monaco loanee, while the French club retain a clause to make his stay permanent for a fee of just €11m (£10m), which is viewed as an affordable fee, given the form he’s in.

Emery has personally requested the signing of a top-level forward, in order to compete for the European places, and Villa are now poised to make a move for the 23-year-old, should he not join Monaco permanently.

Once hailed as “extraordinary” by former Barcelona manager Xavi, the Spaniard was ultimately unable to make the grade at the Camp Nou, but he is still young, and the start the left-winger has made to the season has been very impressive.

Fati at Monaco	Appearances	Goals
Ligue 1	7	5
Champions League	3	1

Indeed, the Guinea-Bissau-born attacker has put in a number of eye-catching performances already this season, showcasing that he could still be capable of reaching the very top, if he steers clear of injuries, having spent too much on the treatment table at Barcelona.

There may be some concern over the fact the 10-time Spain international didn’t set the world alight during his previous stint in the Premier League, registering just two goals and zero assists in 19 top-flight outings for Brighton & Hove Albion.

However, Fati’s recent performances have been much-improved, and if he continues to perform at this level, Aston Villa should undoubtedly make a move.

Aston Villa now join race for "insane" former Bayern Munich striker

Aston Villa now join race to sign "insane" £35m former Bayern Munich striker

The Villans are looking to sign a centre-forward, with Unai Emery keen on greater strength in depth in attack.

By
Dominic Lund

Oct 28, 2025

Former England rugby star Joe Marler has impressed Celebrity Traitors viewers with his detective skills in the popular reality TV show, but one discovery the 35 year-old was not ready for was how much professional footballers earn.

Marler is far from the wealthiest figure on BBC’s Celebrity Traitors, with the likes of Jonathan Ross, Stephen Fry, Mark Bonnar and Alan Carr all believed to hold net worths in excess of £10m.

The former England and Harlequins star retired from rugby last year, but despite spending more than a decade at the peak of his profession, was left gobsmacked when he found out how much the average footballer makes.

Speaking on Marler’s Things People Do podcast last year, journeyman footballer Jimmy Bullard revealed: “My biggest contract was £50k-a-week.”

1998 – 1999: Ebbsfleet

1999 – 2001: West Ham

2001 – 2003: Peterborough

2003 – 2006: Wigan Athletic

2006 – 2009: Fulham

2009 – 2011: Hull City

2011 – 2012: Ipswich Town

2012: MK Dons

Bullard, who never won a major professional trophy or earned an England cap and retired in 2012, refused to admit which club had paid him that figure, which totals around £2.6m annually, leaving Marler in shock.

The Traitors star and his co-host then asked for an estimate on what kind of money a “top Premier League footballer” earns today, to which Bullard responded: “I’d have to say a few of the Man City boys must be on £350k-a-week.”

In fact, Man City’s highest earner is Erling Haaland on a whopping £525k-a-week, which is over £27 million in annual salary.

For context, Antoine Dupont was recently made the highest-paid rugby player in the world, penning a £1.2 million per season deal with Toulouse, while Marler earned an estimated £300k-a-year during his last contract with Harlequins.

That means Haaland takes home Dupont’s yearly pay roughly twice a month and matches Marler’s salary in a matter of days.

Marler’s performance on the hit BBC show has seen him touted for future roles in television, with a source telling MailOnline: “The BBC is constantly looking for new talent and the second he stopped playing rugby, there were eyes on him.

“Bosses knew that getting him on Traitors would be a very good shop window for him and they could test whether or not the viewers would like him. As soon as they saw it, they knew he would be someone the British public would adore and they seem to be right.

“At the same time, he himself is ready for a new career after retiring from rugby. He has long wanted to present from a BBC sofa and The One Show is one of his favourite programmes. To anchor that would be his dream.”

Left-arm seamer Jediah Blades has been picked in the absence of Alzarri Joseph

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Aug-2025

Romario Shepherd last played ODI cricket in December 2024•AFP/Getty Images

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has been rested while allrounder Romario Shepherd is back in West Indies’ ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series at home against Pakistan. Alzarri, who had also been rested for the T20Is against Pakistan, will continue to have his workload being managed.Shepherd had last played ODI cricket in December 2024 and missed the ODI series against England and Ireland this year.Having been swept 3-0 by England in their most recent ODI series, West Indies, currently ranked tenth, are eyeing crucial points in their quest to secure direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup.”Pakistan presents a different test and challenge as we continue our push for automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup,” head coach Daren Sammy said in a statement. “The upcoming matches against teams like Pakistan, who are ranked higher, provide crucial opportunities to earn valuable ranking points to improve our standing ahead of the World Cup.”Related

Forde to miss Pakistan ODIs with dislocated shoulder

Pakistan and West Indies look to break out of their ODI funk

Fakhar ruled out of remainder of WI tour

Chase becomes first Full Member team batter to retire out in T20Is

In Alzarri’s absence, rookie left-arm seamer Jediah Blades has been picked in the squad. Blades, 23, has played just one ODI and four T20Is so far and is capable of swinging the new ball. The rest of the side has a familiar look.West Indies had recently lost the T20I series 2-1 to Pakistan but their ODI form at home is encouraging: they have won their last three series so far. The Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad will host all three matches against Pakistan on August 8, 10 and 12.West Indies ODI squadShai Hope (capt), Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd

Managers being hired and fired is very much a part of life in football, and the managerial merry-go-round is in full swing during the 2025/26 season.

There have already been sackings in the Premier League and Championship, with Ange Postecoglou’s 39-day tenure in charge of Nottingham Forest arguably the main managerial story of the season.

Related All 20 Premier League managers' salaries (lowest to highest)

How much each Premier League gaffer earns.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Oct 21, 2025

Here is a full list of dismissals from the Premier League and EFL.

Every Premier League and EFL manager sacked in 2025/26

Manager

Club left

Date

1

Nuno Espirito Santo

Nottingham Forest

9th September

2

Ruben Selles

Sheffield United

14th September

3

Mike Dodds

Wycombe Wanderers

18th September

4

Michael Flynn

Cheltenham Town

20th September

5

Graham Potter

West Ham

27th September

6

Steve Bruce

Blackpool

4th October

7

Matt Bloomfield

Luton Town

6th October

8

Paulo Pezzolano

Watford

8th October

9

Ange Postecoglou

Nottingham Forest

18th October

10

Darren Ferguson

Peterborough United

25th October

11

Noel Hunt

Reading

26th October

12

Vitor Pereira

Wolves

2nd November

13

Will Still

Southampton

2nd November

14

Liam Manning

Norwich City

8th November

15

Alan Sheehan

Swansea City

11th November

16

David Hughes

Newport County

15th November

1 Nuno Espirito Santo Nottingham Forest

Nuno Espirito Santo was the first manager sacked in the top four leagues, despite leading Nottingham Forest to Europa League football.

A breakdown in relationship with those above him at the City Ground resulted in his departure, with Nuno taking the West Ham jobs weeks later and Forest not having any luck with his replacement.

2 Ruben Selles Sheffield United

After parting ways with Chris Wilder, Sheffield United brought in Ruben Selles, believing he was the man to take the Blades back to the Premier League.

However, Selles lost all six of his games in charge and was out the door in mid September, with Wilder returning shortly after.

3 Mike Dodds Wycombe Wanderers

Former Sunderland assistant Mike Dodds was in charge of Wycombe for seven months. One win and five defeats in their opening eight League One games saw Dodds depart, with Michael Duff being named as his replacement.

4 Michael Flynn Cheltenham Town

Michael Flynn was sacked by Cheltenham Town in September after losing nine matches from 12 across all competitions.

Rock bottom of the 72 EFL sides at the time of his dismissal, Flynn was replaced by Steve Cotterill, who managed the Robins between 1997-2002.

5 Graham Potter West Ham

After taking over at West Ham at the beginning of 2025, Graham Potter couldn’t see the year out at the London Stadium after a woeful start to the 2025/26 season.

Sacked on a Saturday two days before a game, the Hammers moved quickly to appoint Nuno Espirito Santo.

6 Steve Bruce Blackpool

Steve Bruce’s return to management with Blackpool lasted 12 months, with the experienced former Premier League boss losing seven of 11 League One games in 2025/26.

The 64-year-old was replaced by Ian Evatt, who spent seven years as a player at Bloomfield Road.

7 Matt Bloomfield Luton Town

Matt Bloomfield couldn’t keep Luton Town in the Championship in the 2024/25 season, and a poor start to the League One campaign resulted in his sacking.

The Hatters moved swiftly after parting ways with Bloomfield, bringing in former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere.

8 Paulo Pezzolano Watford

It is very rare these days that Watford go through a season without making a managerial change, so Paulo Pezzolano’s departure wasn’t exactly a shock.

The Hornets, in one post on X, shared the news of Pezzolano’s exit and the return of Javi Gracia.

9 Ange Postecoglou Nottingham Forest

Ange Postecoglou’s time in charge of Nottingham Forest was short and not so sweet at all, failing to win any of his eight games.

After a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea and just 39 days in charge, Evangelos Marinakis brutally parted ways with his second manager of the season, bringing in Sean Dyche days later.

10 Darren Ferguson Peterborough United

Darren Ferguson’s fourth spell as Peterborough United manager came to an end in October after winning three of the Posh’s opening 13 games.

He previously won four promotions with the club but had the club bottom of League One at the time of his departure.

تحدث الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو، المدير الفني السابق لفريق الأهلي، عن الفترة القصيرة التي قضاها داخل صفوف القلعة الحمراء، كاشفًا أسباب رحيله.

وكان الأهلي قد قرر توجيه الشكر إلى المدير الفني الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو، بعد الهزيمة من بيراميدز في الدوري المصري، وتولى بدلًا منه عماد النحاس، قبل إسناد المهمة إلى ييس توروب.

وقال ريبيرو في تصريحات نشرها موقع “sabcsport” الجنوب إفريقي، إن فترته القصيرة مع النادي الأهلي كانت جيدة رغم إقالته بعد خوض 7 مباريات فقط مع الفريق.

طالع | منتخب سلوفينيا يوضح لـ”بطولات” سبب غياب جراديشار أمام السويد.. هل هناك إصابة؟

وتابع ريبيرو، أنه كان يشعر بالثقة في ترك بصمة مع الأهلي، لكنه فوجئ بعدم صبر مسؤولي القلعة الحمراء عليه، وعدم منحه الفرصة بشكل أكبر.

وكان ريبيرو تولى قيادة الأهلي خلال الفترة من 29 مايو حتى 31 أغسطس 2025، ولم يقدم أي نجاحات مع القلعة الحمراء، حيث قاد الفريق في 7 مباريات رسمية.

وواصل: “للأسف، لم نتمكن من البدء بالطريقة التي أردناها، أعتقد أن الناس أدركوا أننا نحاول القيام بشيء مختلف مع المجموعة، وتغيير أسلوب لعب الفريق في فترة زمنية قصيرة جدًا”.

وكشف: “لم يكن لدينا سوى 10-11 حصة تدريبية قبل انطلاق كأس العالم للأندية، وانضم العديد من اللاعبين الجدد إلى الفريق، كنت سعيدًا جدًا بالأداء، وكان رد فعل الجماهير إيجابيًا للغاية، لكن للأسف، لم تكن بداية الموسم كما توقعنا، ولم يستغرق الأمر سوى أربع مباريات حتى فقد مسؤولو النادي صبرهم”.

وأكد ريبيرو أنه لو حصل على المزيد من الوقت لكان بإمكانه تحقيق النجاح خلال فترة وجوده مع الأهلي، مضيفَا: “لم يكن الأمر يتعلق بالنتائج فقط، بل أردنا أن نفعل المزيد عندما وصلنا، ولكنك تحتاج إلى الدعم المناسب للقيام بذلك، ولم يكن لدينا هذا الدعم”.

واختتم ريبيرو تصريحاته، مشيرًا إلى أنه اضطر للرحيل مبكرًا عن فريق أورلاندو بيراتس الجنوب إفريقي، قبل نهاية الموسم، بسبب شروط عقده مع الأهلي.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has now identified an “incredible” midfielder as one of his main targets in central midfield.

Guardiola looking to sign new midfielder with Gonzalez struggling

Nico Gonzalez is yet to establish himself as a key first-team player for Man City, often being limited to appearances as a substitute in the Premier League so far this season, and the midfielder has received criticism for some of his performances.

City’s first major setback of the campaign came in the 2-0 defeat at home against Tottenham Hotspur back in August, and former Chelsea man Frank Lebouef claimed Gonzalez was at fault for the visitors’ second goal.

The commentator said: “Yes, Trafford made a mistake of giving the ball, but what about Nico [Gonzalez]?”

“Why did Nico ask for the ball? And you can see that again when he really asked for the ball, when he has two guys behind him and forces the goalkeeper to give him the ball.”

He's perfect for Pep: Man City now rivalling Real Madrid for "pacy" £52m star

City are set to battle it out for a new defender, who is regarded as ideal for Pep Guardiola.

ByDominic Lund Oct 15, 2025

Since then, the Spaniard has continued to struggle, giving away the penalty in the 2-2 draw against AS Monaco in the Champions League, which was converted by Eric Dier in the 90th minute.

With fellow midfielder Rodri struggling on the injury front, Man City are now looking to strengthen their options in the middle of the park, according to a report from Spain, which claims Bayern Munich’s Aleksandar Pavlovic has been identified as one of Pep’s main targets.

The City manager is looking to revamp his midfield, and Pavlovic is described as his ‘favourite’ target, having put in some outstanding performances for Bayern, who are extremely reluctant to sanction a departure.

As such, a ‘significant offer’ will be required to prise the 21-year-old away from the German club, with it previously being revealed the Blues could be willing to shell out over £43m.

"Incredible" Pavlovic could be the "next Toni Kroos"

The central midfielder is held in very high regard by journalist Manuel Veth, who has suggested he could be capable of emulating a former Bayern Munich and Real Madrid star.

It is vital that any midfielder playing under Pep is an assured passer of the ball, and the Bayern star certainly ticks the box, having shown a remarkable ability to pick out his teammates over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Passes attempted

97.42 (99th percentile)

Pass completion %

92.6% (98th percentile)

Progressive passes

8.39 (95th percentile)

It is clear to see that Pavlovic could be the perfect signing for Man City, given that he shares similar traits to Rodri, who attempted 95 passes in just 60 minutes during the 2-0 win over Napoli, and the young German could be the ideal successor.

Oman have named as many as four uncapped players for their maiden Asia Cup appearance next month. Sufyan Yousuf, Zikria Islam, Faisal Shah and Nadeem Khan are the uncapped players in the 17-man squad which will be led by experienced opener Jatinder Singh.”It is real that we are participating in the Asia Cup – a major tournament and a fantastic opportunity for our players to showcase their skills on a global stage,” Oman head coach Duleep Mendis said while looking ahead to their first Asia Cup. “Playing against teams like India and Pakistan is a moment to embrace for any cricketer. Anything can happen in a fast-paced T20 game, where one over of brilliance can change everything.”Our build-up has been strong, with the ongoing National T20 tournament providing competitive exposure, and our training sessions have been intense and focused. It’s not just about skills – in high-pressure games against elite teams, mental strength is equally crucial. We are hopeful of making an impact in this Asia Cup and showcasing Oman as a growing cricketing nation.”Oman enters the Asia Cup with a blend of experience and youth, determined to leave a mark against Asia’s cricketing powerhouses. The tournament will not only test their skills but also their mental toughness on one of the most watched platforms in the sport.”Oman are in Group A and begin their Asia Cup campaign on September 12 against Pakistan before taking on UAE on September 15 and India on September 19.Oman’s most recent appearance was in the Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 in Lauderhill in the USA in May. This will be their second appearance in a major multi-nation tournament after the T20 World Cup last year.

Oman squad for Asia Cup

Jatinder Singh (capt), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla, Sufyan Yousuf, Ashish Odedara, Aamir Kaleem, Mohammed Nadeem, Sufyan Mehmood, Aryan Bisht, Karan Sonavale, Zikriya Islam, Hassnain Shah, Faisal Shah, Muhammed Imran, Nadeem Khan, Shakeel Ahmed, Samay Shrivastava.