All posts by h716a5.icu

At least three of the bowlers included – Theekshana, Madushanka and Kumara – are returning from injuries

Madushka Balasuriya26-Sep-2023It’s official – Sri Lanka will be without Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga at the ODI World Cup. Dasun Shanaka, whose role as captain had been under much speculation over the past few weeks, will lead the side in India through October and November.The rest of the 15-member squad has formed up as expected, with the only changes from the side that reached the final of the Asia Cup being the inclusion of Dilshan Madushanka and Lahiru Kumara.Making way are quick bowlers Pramod Madushan and Binura Fernando. Chamika Karunaratne has been named as a travelling reserve.Related

Shanaka's Sri Lanka on the right track despite Asia Cup crash

Silverwood: 'A kick up the rear end not the worst thing'

Of those who have missed out, Chameera’s absence will likely be felt the most.Chameera, the 31-year-old quick, last played for Sri Lanka in June against Afghanistan and in the warm-ups of the World Cup qualifier. After that, he was initially out with a torn pectoral muscle, which he suffered ahead of the World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe. And, after recovering from that, he injured himself again in the Lanka Premier League in August. He had also missed the T20 World Cup in Australia last year with an ankle injury.There had been some degree of optimism that he would be fit for at least a part of this World Cup, but despite having started bowling in the nets, he has not been able to do so consistently without discomfort.As for Hasaranga, the SLC had been less optimistic. But there had been murmurs that he might have been included with the hope that he would be fit to play during the latter stages of the tournament – such is the importance of his all-round talents to team balance.”Wanindu Hasaranga has not been included in the 15-member squad as the player is still in the process of recovering from an injury,” an SLC statement said. “His recovery will be monitored, and if he is declared fit to play, he will be considered as a replacement in the event of an injury to a squad member during the tournament.”ESPNcricinfo LtdInjury concerns are a theme right through Sri Lanka’s bowling unit at present, with the inclusion of no less than three frontline bowlers who are just returning from injury. Spinner Maheesh Theekshana is returning from a hamstring injury he suffered at the Asia Cup, while Madushanka is just back from a torn oblique muscle. Kumara, meanwhile, missed the entire Asia Cup with a side strain. He also has a worrying history of being ruled out mid-game with the same recurring injury.This means there might be game time not only for the other quicks in the squad – Matheesha Pathirana and Kasun Rajitha – but also the travelling reserve, seam-bowling allrounder Karunaratne.Fortunately for Sri Lanka, their batters are in fairly rude health by comparison, though their form and consistency are causes for concern, especially following their dismal performance in the Asia Cup final, where India shot them out for 50.It’s likely that Kusal Perera will keep Dimuth Karunaratne out of the starting XI, and open alongside Pathum Nissanka. Perera is one of three wicketkeeping options in the squad alongside Sadeera Samarawickrama and Kusal Mendis – who kept for the entirety of the Asia Cup – with all three expected to start.Sri Lanka’s middle order, too, picks itself with Samarawickrama coming in at four, followed by Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva at five and six respectively.This leaves Shanaka to occupy the No. 7 position. Head coach Chris Silverwood had given Shanaka unequivocal backing in the immediate aftermath of the Asia Cup final, in the hope being that one good innings would be enough to get him out of his rut.Dasun Shanaka will continue to lead Sri Lanka•AFP/Getty ImagesSri Lanka’s selectors, too, opted to take a more holistic view of Shanaka’s performance as captain. A special meeting held after the Asia Cup involving the top brass of SLC as well as Silverwood, consultant coach Mahela Jayawardene, team manager Mahinda Halangoda, and members of the selection committee including chief selector Pramodya Wickramasinghe, gave the present make-up of the team their vote of confidence.”The selectors, during the meeting, explained the intended composition of the World Cup squad and also possible contingency plans in place for replacements if such a measure is needed,” the board had said in a media statement at the time. “During the meeting, all in attendance were in agreement that the national team is going in the right direction towards making further progress.”Sri Lanka will begin their World Cup with warm-up games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan on September 29 and October 3 in Guwahati, before their first official match of the tournament against South Africa on October 7 in Delhi.Sri Lanka ODI World Cup squad: Dasun Shanaka (capt), Kusal Mendis (vice capt), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera (wk), Dimuth Karunaratne, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Lahiru Kumara

India head coach backs middle-order batter’s game-changing ability, says he will start ODI series against Australia

Shashank Kishore21-Sep-20233:47

Dravid: Ashwin brings experience and can bat at No. 8

India strongly back Suryakumar Yadav to bring his game-changing ability to the World Cup despite the slow start to his ODI career. Suryakumar is the No. 1 T20I batter on the ICC rankings, but he hasn’t yet found the same gear in ODIs, where his first 25 innings have only brought two fifties and an average of 24.40.Head coach Rahul Dravid has no doubt, however, of the qualities Suryakumar brings to the table, which he feels could make a significant difference for India from No. 6. He said India had no second thoughts about Suryakumar’s place in their World Cup 15 – which they will need to finalise by September 27.Related

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“I don’t think he needs to worry about the 27th; we’ve picked our team for the World Cup and Surya is in it,” Dravid said ahead of the first ODI against Australia in Mohali. “We’ve made that decision and we completely back him because he’s got a certain quality and ability that we’ve seen. Yes, we’ve seen those qualities at the moment in T20 cricket, but we know the kind of impact a player like him can make batting at six.”He can change the course of a game, so we’ve completely backed him. We’re very clear about that. There’s been total clarity on the fact that we’re completely behind him and we know hopefully he’ll be able to turn it around.”Suryakumar is presently not part of India’s first-choice top six, but Dravid indicated he will be part of the starting XI against Australia, with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya rested for the first two ODIs.”These three games, he is someone who will get all three games, or at least the first couple certainly to be able to again develop and keep growing in his journey as a one-day cricketer, but in terms of selection, no, we’ve made our decision.”Rahul Dravid has indicated that Suryakumar Yadav will start the ODI series against Australia, and bat at No. 6•AFP/Getty ImagesDravid was also asked about the decision to rest senior players such as Rohit and Kohli ahead of what could be some “tough games” against Australia before India’s World Cup campaign officially kicks off with their first warm-up fixture on September 29.”With people like Virat and Rohit specifically, from our perspective, it’s really important that we get them to the first game of the World Cup physically and mentally in the space they want to be in,” Dravid explained. “At this level, the amount of cricket that they’ve played, they know how they need to prepare themselves. A lot of these decisions are made in discussion with them in an effort to try and get… all our players, obviously not only the two of them, but certainly the senior and the more experienced guys kind of have their routines and know what they need to do to get into the first game in the right frame of mind.”So a lot of these decisions we discuss with them on how best they would like to prepare in the lead up to big events like the World Cup. Based on those discussions, we come up with some mutual decisions on deciding probably these two games were good games to take off, just to refresh mentally more than anything else, and then come back from [the third ODI in] Rajkot, and then it’s going to be a tough couple of months ahead of us.”The one other major talking point at the press conference was R Ashwin, who will be auditioning for a spin bowler’s berth should the need arise, with Axar Patel nursing a quadriceps strain. Ashwin hasn’t played an ODI since January 2022, but Dravid isn’t worried; he echoed Rohit’s thoughts that an experienced player such as Ashwin doesn’t need too much game time to get back into the groove.”Having someone of Ashwin’s experience to come back is always good for us,” Dravid said. “Also, he’s got the ability to be able to contribute with the bat at No. 8. He’s someone who we’ve always thought of where in case there were certain injuries or opportunities opened up, he was always part of our plans. I know he hasn’t played a lot of one-day cricket in the last bit, but someone of his experience can deal with that really well.”

Deco admits Barcelona are not aiming to sign a striker this summer, clearing the way for Arsenal and Chelsea to battle for Viktor Gyokeres.

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Sporting CP star linked with transferDeco rules Barca out of chasePL clubs ready to do battleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Gyokeres has been heavily linked with a potential exit from Sporting this summer amid interest from a clutch of clubs. Barcelona had been touted as potential suitors as they looked to source a replacement for Robert Lewandowski but sporting director Deco says they are not interested.

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Chelsea have been linked with a late swoop to sign Gyokeres from under the noses of Arsenal, who have reportedly been leading the race. The striker scored 54 goals in all competitions for the Portuguese club this season, and reportedly has a €100 million (£83m/$107m) release clause.

WHAT DECO SAID

Deco said, per A Bola: "Gyokeres is a great striker who did excellent things at Sporting but we’re currently not looking for that position.

"We have Lewandowski at number nine."

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Gyokeres' contract with Sporting expires in 2028 but he appears destined to leave the club this summer.

Promotion was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, with the initial promise that it would return after six tournaments.

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Ten Liga de Expansión clubs have officially taken their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.CAS has yet to confirm whether it will take on the caseThe last team to be relegated was Jaguares de Chiapas in 2017Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Amid ongoing controversy over the suspension of promotion and relegation in Mexican football, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has issued a formal response to an appeal filed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) by ten Liga de Expansión clubs demanding the reinstatement of these mechanisms.

The suspension was agreed upon in April 2020, during the height of the pandemic, providing a six-season period during which Liga de Expansión clubs could focus on consolidating their projects without the sporting pressure of promotion and relegation. According to Íñigo Riestra, FMF’s Secretary General, this measure was requested by the clubs themselves to avoid bankruptcy, as many were operating at a deficit and facing precarious financial conditions.

“The FMF General Assembly approved this temporary suspension to protect the economic stability of the clubs,” Riestra explained in an official video. Additionally, a financial rescue fund was created at the clubs’ request to ensure their survival.

To complement this strategy, an Improvement Fund was established, distributing significant resources for infrastructure and strategic development within the Liga de Expansión teams—investments that can sometimes go under the radar. This fund mandates an annual investment of 20 million pesos (1,036,418 million) from 2020 onwards to modernize stadiums and enhance sporting facilities.

At the same time, in 2022, a Certification Committee was created to set administrative, sporting, and infrastructure requirements that clubs must meet to be eligible for promotion. Starting in the 2023 season, only certified clubs that win the Campeón de Campeones are eligible for promotion; however, so far, only two clubs have met these standards.

The 10 clubs involved in the appeal—Atlante, Morelia, Leones Negros, Atlético La Paz, Alebrijes, Cimarrones, Cancún, Mineros, Venados, and Tampico Madero—argue that the absence of promotion and relegation has negatively impacted their ability to secure commercial agreements and television broadcasting rights.

In summary, the FMF maintains that the suspension was a necessary measure to prevent the economic collapse of several clubs and that the pathway for promotion remains open, albeit conditioned on meeting certain criteria that only a few teams have fulfilled so far.

AdvertisementOssiel Compeán / Imago7THE BIGGER PICTURE

The legal action comes amid growing frustration among Liga de Expansión clubs, who claim that Liga MX has failed to provide transparency regarding the promotion and relegation system. The issue has been further complicated by ongoing controversies in Mexican football, particularly surrounding the topic of multi-club ownership.

There has been ongoing debate about whether reinstating promotion and relegation could raise the competitive level across all tiers of Mexican football. However, it is evident that Liga MX has presented significant obstacles for Liga de Expansión teams, many of which have spent recent years striving to meet the league’s demanding certification requirements.

Getty Images SportWHAT MEXICAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION SAID

"Promotion remains active through certification. A club will be promoted once at least four clubs are certified at the start of the season and one of them wins the Campeón de Campeones," reads the official statement posted on the FMF’s X account.

AFPDID YOU KNOW?

In 2020, due to the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Mexican football executives decided to temporarily suspend the promotion and relegation system in Liga MX. This decision was made to support franchise owners in the first division and strengthen Liga Expansión, with the idea that, years later, the system would return with a stronger second division. However, it seemed that this reform would remain permanent.

This decision mainly affected the teams in the second division. Teams like Atlante, Leones Negros de la UDG, Venados de Mérida, and Atlético Morelia are among those that have expressed their dissatisfaction in recent years with the suspension of promotion and relegation. But, according to Liga MX, these teams do not meet the necessary requirements to be First Division clubs. It's a stance that has been heavily criticized by executives from the mentioned teams, who have even taken the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The franchise also parts ways with spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed while bringing back Nathan Leamon as director of strategy

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2023Abdul Rehman, a stalwart of the Pakistani domestic coaching circuit, has been promoted to Multan Sultans’ head coach after serving as the team’s assistant coach for the last five years. He replaces former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batter Andy Flower at the helm.Rehman, currently the assistant coach of Pakistan men’s team, had joined Multan in 2018. Under Flower and him, the team reached the final of the last three PSL editions and won the tournament in 2021.”The past five years have been a great journey for the Multan Sultans and I am privileged to have been part of it,” Flower said. “When I agreed to join the Sultans, my first request was for Abdul Rehman to be my assistant coach. He is an exceptional coach and a consummate professional, and I am confident the team will benefit with him at the helm.”A month ago, Flower, who is one of the most decorated coaches in the game, was appointed head coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL for a three-year term. Till the end of IPL 2023, he was head coach of Lucknow Super Giants and under him, the franchise made back-to-back playoffs in their first two years in the competition.”It is an honour to be carrying forward Andy Flower’s legacy at the Multan Sultans,” Rehman said. “Together with our leadership team, our coaching and support teams, we look forward to taking Multan Sultans forward with passion and innovation.”Multan have also parted ways with Mushtaq Ahmed, who was their spin-bowling coach for the last four years. They have also brought on board Nathan Leamon as Multan’s director of strategy. Leamon had worked closely with England across all three formats from 2009 for more than a decade. He has also worked exclusively with the white-ball teams since 2016, and had spent time with Multan in 2019 and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.Recently, Multan also became the first T20 franchise in Pakistan with a female general manager.

Manchester City are safely through to the FA Cup quarter-finals thanks to a 3-1 win at home to Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle.

This game had the potential to be a tricky one to navigate for the Citizens given the Pilgrims knocked out Premier League leaders Liverpool in the previous round.

As it happened, the visitors took the lead at the Etihad Stadium. It was a poor goal to concede from City’s point of view, as Argyle centre-back Maksym Talovierov found himself unmarked from a corner and rose highest to head home.

However, City did not have to wait too long for their equaliser. Youngster Nico O’Reilly levelled the game back up in first-half stoppage-time and got himself a second to give City the lead with 15 minutes left.

Pep Guardiola’s men sealed their place in the next round thanks to a goal from Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian, who put in an impressive performance, ran onto a through ball from talismanic striker Erling Haaland and poked home from just inside the six-yard box.

It was a professional performance on the whole from the Citizens, although one player who struggled at times was youngster James McAtee.

James McAtee's stats v Plymouth

Make no mistake, McAtee’s performance was by no means a poor one. However, the City ace, who operated in the No 10 role against the Championship outfit, did not really have a big influence on the game.

That said, this was not through lack of effort. The midfielder, who was substituted on the hour mark for Haaland, worked incredibly hard, but simply struggled to get into the game.

McAtee’s stats from the game on Sofascore show just how tough of a match it was for him. The 22-year-old had just 35 touches, although he did manage to create two chances in that time.

Joe Krishnan, a journalist for The Express, gave the attacking midfielder a post-match rating of 6/10 for his efforts. He explained that he “looked bright in the early stages” and was “recognised with a warm ovation” upon his substitution.

It was certainly a mixed night for McAtee, although the same cannot be said for another City academy star who didn’t just outclass the academy graduate but also the great De Bruyne.

The Man City player who thrived most vs Plymouth

It was an excellent evening for Nico O’Reilly. The youngster has now played nine times for the first team this season following his performance against the Pilgrims, and has impressed with his ability on the ball and versatility.

On Saturday night, the youngster started at left-back, but he has also played at centre-back, across the midfield and even as a No 9 this term, which is certainly handy for Guardiola to rely on.

His goals were impressive, too. Both were headers from set-pieces, with the first a glancing effort from a De Bruyne cross that the goalkeeper got a hand to, but nothing more. O’Reilly’s was teed up by Phil Foden for his second, scoring with a towering effort at the back post from a corner.

The youngster’s stats from the game showed how big his influence was. He had 90 touches and completed 89% of his passes. The City left-back also made one clearance and one interception.

Stat

Total

Touches

90

Pass accuracy

89%

Passes completed

65/73

Shots on target

2

Goals

2

Clearances

1

Interceptions

1

Krishnan highlighted that O’Reilly had to grow into the game, pointing out that he “initially struggled to make the same impact” as Josko Gvardiol in an attacking sense. However, he gave him an 8/10 for what was ultimately a decisive performance.

O’Reilly is certainly an exciting talent and really feels like the future feature of the Citizens team for the coming years.

His ability to play anywhere required of him on the pitch and his capability of finding the net is extremely useful.

The 19-year-old has certainly not done his future first-team chances any harm after Saturday’s showing. Perhaps City will get used to the sight of him donning that famous sky blue shirt with Haaland and co on a more regular basis.

Man City hit the jackpot on £76m ace who has genuine Ballon d'Or potential

The Man City star has been brilliant this season

1 ByJoe Nuttall Feb 28, 2025

He will return to action after taking a six-week break to recuperate from his injuries

Mohammad Isam07-Jul-2023Tamim Iqbal has withdrawn his retirement a day after announcing it in emotional circumstances in Chattogram, following an intervention by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Their meeting took place on Friday afternoon at her residence in Dhaka. Tamim, accompanied by his wife, met Hasina alongside former captain Mashrafe Mortaza and BCB president Nazmul Hassan.The turnaround ultimately came on Friday afternoon but ESPNcricinfo learned of the meeting as early as Thursday evening. It is understood that Mashrafe, a member of parliament, started the process around that time when he spoke to the prime minister to possibly intervene in this situation. Tamim had, until then, refused to discuss his retirement with Hassan.An eventful 78 hours

Tuesday, 12pm: In a pre-match press conference, Tamim says he’s not fully fit and wants to test his fitness by playing 1st ODI
Wednesday, 9am: publishes an interview of Nazmul Hassan, where he calls Tamim unprofessional for the statement on his fitness
Wednesday, 10.30pm: Bangladesh lose the first ODI against Afghanistan
Thursday, 1.30am: Tamim informs media he will address a press conference on Thursday afternoon.Thursday, 1.30pm: Tamim announces his retirement from international cricket
Thursday, 8pm: ESPNcricinfo learns a meeting between Tamim and Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is being arranged
Friday, 6pm: Tamim announces he has reversed his decision to retire following the PM’s intervention.

Tamim made the retirement announcement on Thursday afternoon. In a live TV broadcast, he broke down several times while delivering a 13-minute monologue about his decision. It captured the airwaves and social media for the rest of the day.A different Tamim spoke to the media on Friday evening outside the Prime Minister’s residence. He revealed that he had been given a break of six weeks to recuperate from his injuries.”The honourable Prime Minister invited me to her residence this afternoon,” Tamim said. “We had a long discussion after which she instructed me to return to cricket. I am withdrawing my retirement.Related

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Did Nazmul Hassan's comments precipitate Tamim Iqbal's retirement?

“I can say no to anyone but it is impossible to say no to the most important person in the country. Mashrafe called me while Papon [Hassan] was here. They were big factors [in the reversal]. The Prime Minister has also given me a break of a month and a half. I will complete my treatment and return to playing cricket.”BCB chief Hassan said he knew a solution was around the corner, and was relieved to have been able to sit with Tamim and convince him to reverse his decision. “Having seen his press conference [on Thursday], I knew that he was being emotional about his decision,” Hassan said. “I knew that if we could sit face-to-face, I could find a solution.”We sat with him through the Prime Minister, and he just told you that he is withdrawing the retirement letter. He is not retired. He has taken a break of six weeks when he will undergo rehab and get ready physically and mentally. He will return to cricket soon.”Asked if he is relieved, Hassan said: “Of course we are relieved. How can we play without our captain?”Tamim, who made his retirement announcement a day after leading Bangladesh in the first ODI against Afghanistan, will not feature in the rest of the series. Litton Das has been appointed captain for the remaining matches on July 8 and 11.

Chelsea have suffered a terrible turn in form since their 0-0 draw with Everton at Goodison Park on December 22nd, picking up just nine points in their last nine Premier League games, dropping from second in the league to sixth after 25 games played.

However, in their last ten Premier League games, Chelsea have only lost the “xG battle” three times, so what exactly has gone wrong?

Game

xG for

xG against

Brentford (2-1 Win)

2.23

1.61

Everton (0-0 Draw)

1.17

1.03

Fulham (2-1 Loss)

1.12

1.78

Ipswich (2-0 Loss)

2.00

1.58

Crystal Palace (1-1 Draw)

1.24

1.08

Bournemouth (2-2 Draw)

2.50

1.18

Wolves (3-1 Win)

3.20

0.81

Man City (3-1 Loss)

1.80

2.50

West Ham (2-1 Win)

1.67

1.22

Brighton (3-0 Loss)

0.54

1.42

A mixture of their inexperience to see out games when they are ahead and control the tempo of a game, their lack of ability to break down low block defensive units and poor shot volume from their wide men have all contributed to this poor run of form. Something needs to change with Aston Villa up next…

Jadon Sancho's Chelsea woes

The wing pairing at Chelsea has been an issue in recent weeks, as a lack of output from wide areas has left the likes of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson with an awful lot of the attacking workload.

Noni Madueke has netted seven Premier League goals, but Pedro Neto has only managed two league goals and Jadon Sancho has only managed two himself.

Aside from Madueke, Neto and Sancho have been much less direct with their actions on the field, often turning back to retain possession, taking fewer shots in games and looking to create for others rather than taking the game by the scruff of the neck themselves.

Sancho did do this against Tottenham, getting Chelsea back into the game after going 2-0 down, but in recent weeks the form of Sancho hasn’t helped Maresca’s side, and it could require a change in this position to add something different.

But Sancho isn’t the only man who could be dropped, as there is another Chelsea star who has been in poor form in recent weeks.

The Chelsea star who now needs to be dropped

Levi Colwill has made 23 appearances for the Blues this season, all coming in the Premier League, providing one assist, contributing to four clean sheets and totalling 2,070 minutes played.

Chalkboard

The 21-year-old defender has been a clear favourite of Maresca’s, but since Wesley Fofana went down injured, Colwill has struggled more in the defensive line.

Since Fofana’s injury, Colwill has been partnered with the likes of Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Josh Acheampong, Axel Disasi and Trevoh Chalobah (returning from loan in January).

The lack of consistency hasn’t helped the Blues backline, as they have struggled to find that same balance afforded to them with Colwill and Fofana together.

Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley described Colwill’s mistake against Brighton as “inexcusable” for their second goal, looking for a foul, not sprinting back into position to defend the ongoing attack and then conceding. And this isn’t the young defender’s only mistake in recent weeks, after also gifting West Ham their goal to go 1-0 up a few weeks ago.

Whilst the talent of Colwill is clear, and the future of Chelsea’s defensive line absolutely has him in it, after a few poor performances, the Blues could possibly do with taking him out of the firing line, bringing Adarabioyo in, who adds some experience and looking to weather the storm.

Enzo Maresca sack claim made by ex-club chief as Chelsea pressure grows

The Italian is facing scrutiny right now.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 20, 2025

Leroy Sane has been warned that Bayern Munich will not increase their salary offer following the winger's shock change in agent during negotiations.

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Sane and Bayern were close to agreementWinger made surprise agent changeWarned against raising salary demandsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Sane and Bayern have been in talks over a contract extension for the Germany international, who recently suggested progress was being made before suddenly swapping his representative to Pini Zahavi. The 29-year-old will be a free agent come the end of June should he fail to pen a new deal soon.

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The change has derailed the contract talks, as Sane was reportedly close to an agreement with the club over a deal that would see him accept a pay cut. Now, though, his new agent is said to be demanding a massive signing bonus similar to the €20 million (£17m/$23m) they agreed to pay Alphonso Davies for his recent extension.

WHAT EBERL SAID

Bayern sporting director Max Eberl has reiterated the club's desire to reach an agreement, but says it would be wrong of Sane to change the terms of the deal.

"Our wish would be to continue. If [the financial terms] were to be exceeded it would be very difficult," he said. "There's no bad blood on my part, not even with Leroy."

He added: "We thought we were already very far along. [Increasing the demands] would not be right, otherwise it would become fashionable."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR SANE?

The uncertainty around Sane's situation at Bayern could see him leave the club this summer, with Arsenal said to be interested in bringing the former Manchester City player back to the Premier League.

Understrength Glamorgan outgunned in one-sided encounter at Kia Oval

ECB Reporters Network20-Jun-2023Surrey made their highest T20 score at the Kia Oval as they crushed understrength Glamorgan by 81 runs to chalk up a fifth win in their last six Vitality Blast South Group games.Opener Will Jacks top scored with 69, his third fifty in this season’s competition, and there were cameos from Laurie Evans (40) and Sunil Narine (36) to lay the platform for a brutal assault by the Curran brothers in the closing overs.Sam cleared the ropes six times as he smashed 59 off 22 balls and Tom contributed 23 off 13 as they plundered 80 runs from the last 33 deliveries before Sam was bowled looking to ramp Jamie McIlroy off the final ball of the innings. Surrey’s 238 for 5 was also the third highest score in their T20 history.Glamorgan, whose injury issues meant they gave debuts to three players, also conceded their third highest score in the format. They made 157 for 8 in reply but despite this defeat still have a chance of reaching the knockout stages with four games to go.With the influential Colin Ingram injured, Glamorgan have brought in New Zealand batter Cam Fletcher, 30, on a short-term basis. Fletcher has been playing in the Bradford League for New Farnley while batter Will Smale and right-armer Andy Govin were also making their debuts for the county in T20.Gorvin was the only bowler whose economy rate was below ten an over as Surrey, put in on a green-tinged pitch, cruised along at 12 an over for most of their innings.Jacks and Evans had 64 up in the powerplay before Evans, who made 118 when the teams met in Cardiff earlier this month, was superbly caught by wicketkeeper Chris Cooke cutting leg-spinner Peter Hatzoglou in the seventh over just when he was starting to cut loose.Glamorgan briefly stemmed the flow in the middle of the innings by claiming three wickets in 11 balls. Jacks, who’d hit eight fours and two sixes, cut to backward point and Sunil Narine (36 off 18) holed out to long off to give Hatzoglou two wickets in five balls. Jamie Overton top-edged a pull but that brought the Curran brothers together and the fun began.McIlroy was hit for five sixes in his final two overs and Hatzoglou two with Sam Curran unveiling some eye-catching shots and clean hitting, the highlight the successive sixes off McIlroy down the ground in the final over as he passed fifty in the format for the 14th time. His was also Surrey’s joint-third quickest fifty (18 balls) in T20.Asked to score at 12.25 an over Glamorgan had little option but attack but no one could play the substantial innings – or do so quickly enough – to give them a chance.Kiran Carlson was caught on the square-leg boundary in Sam Curran’s first over; fellow opener Smale hit 27 off 16 balls only to drive Gus Atkinson’s slower ball to Tom Curran at long on; and debutant wicketkeeper Josh Blake took a brilliant one-handed catch to his right to remove Sam Northeast.Billy Root (31) added 48 for the fourth wicket with Cooke, who top scored with 49 off 28 balls before holing out off Chris Jordan. The Surrey skipper finished with 4 for 21 and Narine picked up 2 for 25.