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Everton star Abdoulaye Doucoure has spoken out on the racist abuse he received after February's fiery draw with Liverpool at Goodison Park.

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Doucoure celebrations riled LiverpoolEverton star racially abused after gameWants to take a stand and set an exampleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Doucoure was involved in a brawl at the end of the clash with Liverpool after the Reds took exception to the Everton star celebrating James Tarkowski's late equaliser in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park. The midfielder was subsequently subjected to racist abuse on social media which was swiftly condemned by both Liverpool and Everton.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Doucoure is sadly not the only player to have suffered racial abuse this season. Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana, Fulham's Calvin Bassey and Manchester City star women's star Khadija Shaw are among a host of other players to have been targeted. Doucoure has now spoken out on the issue, as part of the Premier League’s No Room For Racism education resources, and wants to stand up and set an example to the next generation.

WHAT DOUCOURE SAID

Doucoure said: "Players have to deal with comments on social media but after the Liverpool game [at Goodison Park] it was a lot. I understand the frustration about the celebration I had in front of the Liverpool fans and I accept that they can criticise and say that wasn’t appropriate, but I’m surprised people use discrimination to hurt you. I received death threats as well as my family, which is going too far.
“You need to be strong to not respond to those people and I want to set an example for the next generation. I was supported a lot by my family and the club. The Premier League was behind me as well. We know this happens every weekend for a lot of players and I want to be an example on how to stand against this and send a strong message to people. They got in touch with the police and also the emotional support of checking on me and my family. To see they were behind me was very important. It’s important to talk to people when you face discrimination.
“Education is key. Young people access social media so easily and some of the negative comments I received was even from young people. The children have a huge responsibility to change the future, which is why education is important. Footballers are role models and idols for young people so when they speak on these topics, the message is stronger. Players should recognise the responsibility they have to positively influence the young generation.
“I never used to speak on racism. I just tried to cope and ignore it but sometimes you need to speak on these topics and spread the message. It’s hard because people can hide behind fake accounts. There should be stricter rules. The Premier League have very good investigators and does a very good job behind the scenes. I was very impressed with their support.
“Be responsible for what you say. They try to hurt players like me because they think we play football, we have money so it’s ok but we are human beings first. We have families too, so I hope discrimination is no longer used against people.”

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR DOUCOURE

Doucoure and Everton are back in Premier League action on Saturday when they take on high-flying Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Tarik Skubal won his second consecutive Cy Young award on Wednesday, but his future in Detroit remains murky. While Skubal has emerged as one of the best pitchers in MLB over the last few years and a key part in Detroit making back-to-back postseason appearances, he has just one more year under the Tigers’ control and is set to become a free agent after the 2026 season.

The Tigers still have time to try and extend Skubal, but recent reports have suggested that the two sides are not closely aligned on a deal, with Jon Heyman of the reporting last month that the sides were $250 million apart on an extension.

More: Top Tarik Skubal Trade Destinations

If Skubal and the Tigers cannot get any closer on a deal, Skubal will become a free agent in 2026. Alternatively, if the Tigers realize a deal won’t get done, they could try to trade him to ensure they get a return for the ace.

With trade rumors surrounding Skubal, Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg said Wednesday, “We love Tarik, obviously. It’s pretty obvious what means to this organization. He’s a fantastic pitcher, he’s a Detroit Tiger. We’re never going to talk about our players in the context of trades, but we’re lucky to have him. He’s been a huge piece to what we’ve done.”

When pressed further about whether it’s an obligation to listen to calls regarding Skubal if they don’t have him signed beyond the next season, Greenberg replied, “Again, it’s not something we’re going to discuss in this context, and I’d say that about any of our players. He’s got one year of control, that’s part of the process as it is for everybody in this system. He’s a Tiger. We’re fortunate to have him. That’s the reality right now.”

Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris, who is the team’s decision-maker, had a similar message last month when addressing Skubal’s future. He said in October, “I can’t comment on our players being traded, I can’t comment on free agents and I can’t comment on other teams’ players. So I’m going to respond by just not actually commenting on it. … He’s an incredible pitcher and we’re lucky to have him. That’s all I can say on that.”

Skubal himself said Wednesday, via Evan Petzold of , “Contract extension stuff is a little bit different, but trade stuff is out of my control. I've given everything I have to this organization. I want to be a Tiger for a very long time. … I love Detroit. Hopefully, I'm here. That's where I'm at with all of that."

The England veteran is the oldest man to top the charts since Clarrie Grimmett in 1936

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Feb-2023James Anderson has overhauled Australia’s captain Pat Cummins to become the No.1 Test bowler in the ICC rankings, off the back of his role in England’s 267-run win against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui last week.At the age of 40 years and 207 days, Anderson is also the oldest player to top the rankings since Clarrie Grimmett, the Australian legspinner, in 1936, having played an integral part in the recent success of England’s Test team, which has now won ten of its past 11 matches.It is the sixth time that Anderson has gone to the top of the rankings in a career that began against Zimbabwe at Lord’s in May 2003, and has now spanned 178 Test appearances and 682 wickets, placing him third on the all-time list behind the spin duo of Muthiah Muralidaran (800) and Shane Warne (708).Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

Click here for the full player rankings

In May 2016, Anderson went past his long-time team-mate Stuart Broad, as well as India’s R Ashwin, to top the rankings for the first time, and most recently he held the top spot for five months in 2018 before being displaced by South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada.It has the potential to be a short return to the top, however. With a total of 866 ranking points, Anderson is just two points ahead of Ashwin in second place, who also delivered a strong showing in India’s most recent Test win over Australia in Delhi last week. Cummins is now third on 858, but could himself regain top billing with two Tests to come against India in the next fortnight, despite flying home this week to address a health issue in the family.Wanindu Hasaranga overtook Rashid Khan to become the No. 1 T20I bowler•ICC via GettyNevertheless, the achievement is further proof of Anderson’s remarkable longevity. In the course of his seven wickets at Mount Maunganui, he brought his overall Test average down below 26 for the first time since his maiden series in 2003, but the sense that he is improving with age is backed up by his form in the last five years of his career.Since turning 35 in July 2017, Anderson has now taken 202 wickets in 56 subsequent games, at an average of 20.56. At Mount Maunganui, he and Broad also overhauled the Test record for most wickets taken as a bowling partnership, which previously stood at 1001 between Australia’s Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.”They’re the GOATs, aren’t they? I can’t see that record being broken for a very long time,” Ben Stokes, England’s captain, said after the first Test win. “Warne and McGrath were an unbelievable combination, but I think the way in which Test cricket is going now with everything else to players, I can’t see that record being broken any time soon. I can’t ever see it being broken.”Related

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Elsewhere in the rankings, New Zealand’s pairing Tom Blundell (11th) and Devon Conway (17th) have risen to career-high positions, as have England’s trio of Ollie Pope (23rd), Harry Brook (31st) and Ben Duckett (38th).India’s players also received a boost following their emphatic victory over Australia, with Ravindra Jadeja moving up seven places to ninth following his seven-wicket haul in the second innings, and Axar Patel – who is the second leading run-scorer for the series so far with 158 runs – moving up two places to fifth on the latest Test all-rounder rankings.In the T20I bowling rankings, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga has leapfrogged Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan to the top, as a consequence of Rashid taking only four wickets in three matches against UAE last week.For UAE, Muhammad Waseem rose six places to seventh in the T20I batting list, after scoring 199 runs at an average of 66.33 in the three games.

Also: which cricketer was nicknamed Panda, and who was the last Test cricketer to play at Wimbledon?

Steven Lynch07-Nov-2017How often have numbers eight and nine in the batting order both scored centuries in the same Test innings, like Jason Holder and Shane Dowrich?asked Savo Ceprnich from South Africa
The achievement of Shane Dowrich (103) and Jason Holder (110) in Bulawayo last week, when they scored centuries from eight and nine in the batting order against Zimbabwe, had been replicated only once before in a Test match. That was back in 1907-08, when Roger Hartigan (116) and Clem Hill (160) shared a match-changing partnership of 243 for Australia against England in Adelaide. Hill usually batted much higher than No. 9, but had been ill: “I was suffering acutely from gastric influenza,” he wrote. “On the Tuesday I was feeling a little better, so I went along to the Oval… The doctor had given me some tablets to take. I don’t know what they contained but they enabled me to keep going. I was ill many times on the field. It was very hot weather, the temperature reaching as high as 111 [43.8°C]. When play ended for the day it was 105 and I was 106.” Hill had gone in with Australia only 102 ahead at 180 for 7, but his partnership with Hartigan – who was making his Test debut, and won only one more cap – completely turned round a Test which Australia eventually won by 245 runs.For more on the Dowrich-Holder partnership, click here.Afghanistan and Ireland were given Test status earlier this year, but they haven’t played any Test matches yet. When will they start? asked Mithun Mohammad from Pakistan
Cricket Ireland recently announced that their first Test match would be against Pakistan in May 2018, probably in Dublin. It will be the first time Pakistan have been involved in a country’s inaugural Test since their own, against India in Delhi in 1952-53.As for Afghanistan, an article on ESPNcricinfo a few months ago suggested their first Tests would be against Zimbabwe. But no dates have yet been announced, and it’s not clear yet whether this plan will be affected by the cash-strapped Zimbabwean board’s recent decision to scale back on Test matches, as reported here.Which county cricketer was nicknamed “Panda”? asked Derek George from England
This was the Glamorgan wicketkeeper Haydn Davies, who first appeared for them in 1938, and played in all of their Championship matches between 1947 and 1957, when he was 45. That run included Glamorgan’s first ever Championship title, in 1948. He became known as “Panda” because his chunky frame and deceptively slow movements reminded team-mates of the exotic animal. But Davies was not really slow, as he had been a squash champion in his youth and continued to play to a high standard. He came close to Test selection, appearing in a Test trial in 1946, but his heyday coincided with that of Godfrey Evans, whose better batting ensured he was a fixture behind the stumps for England for more than a decade.Chris Gayle in the match where he became the only opener so far to bat through in a completed T20I•Getty ImagesWho was the last Test cricketer to play at Wimbledon? asked Mike Rawlinson from England
The last Test cricketer to play in the men’s singles at Wimbledon was William “Buster” Farrer of South Africa. He won his first-round match in 1956 before losing in the second, and later played six Test matches, with a top score of 40 against New Zealand in Johannesburg in 1961-62. He also played hockey and squash for South Africa.Farrer did not travel to Wimbledon again, and soon concentrated on cricket. “It cost the old man a bit of money for the first trip,” he wrote in his autobiography, the appropriately titled All-Rounder. “I enjoyed it, playing tennis every day, because your tennis improves. But I was working and I suppose it was a question of finance.”Farrer came close to selection for the Davis Cup, tennis’ team competition. But two Test cricketers did play in it: Cotar Ramaswami, who played one Test for India in England in 1936, when he was 40, and the 1950s West Indian wicketkeeper Ralph Legall. Ramaswami also played at Wimbledon, in 1922, the inaugural year at the current grounds in Church Road.Has anyone carried their bat through a competed innings in a T20 international? asked Mauro Freitas from the UAE
There have been several instances of an opening batsman surviving the full 20 overs of a T20 international, but only one in which the opener remained unbeaten throughout a completed (all-out) innings. The man concerned was Chris Gayle, who scored 63 of West Indies’ 101 as they slumped to defeat against Sri Lanka in the World T20 semi-final at The Oval in June 2009. That innings had a sensational start: Angelo Mathews took three wickets in the first over – all bowled – after Gayle took a single off the first ball.Leave your questions in the comments

Manchester United are still hoping to complete one final deal in the coming hours as they look to finalise their squad for the second part of the Premier League campaign, it has been reported.

Manchester United's January signings

Ruben Amorim’s first transfer window as Manchester United manager ended with just two new faces added to his squad despite the Red Devils languishing in 13th place in the Premier League and with a less than good record since the former Sporting manager arrived, which was compounded by their most recent defeat to Crystal Palace.

Ruben Amorim’s Premier League record

Games

13

Wins

4

Goals scored per game

1.2

Goals conceded per game

1.7

Points per game

1.08

The major addition was Patrick Dorgu, with the wing-back arriving from Lecce in a deal believed to be worth around 35m euros (£29m) with add-ons included.

“I am incredibly proud to be able to call myself a Manchester United player – this is a very special day for my whole family,” said Dorgu upon being unveiled at Old Trafford.

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“I cannot wait to work with Ruben Amorim. His vision for this team and the future of the club is incredibly exciting. There is a clear plan set out for my development, and I feel that Manchester United is the perfect place to fulfil my potential and complete my huge ambitions.”

Though still just 20-years-old, Dorgu is expected to be an instant starter at the Theatre of Dreams and will add some much needed firepower and dynamism on the left hand-side for Amorim, while he is also versatile enough to play elsewhere should he be required. A long-term option at fullback, his arrival means that United are now pursuing a late exit.

United aiming to finalise exit for stricken star

That is according to The Athletic, who report that the Red Devils are still aiming to complete a late loan move for Tyrell Malacia. Despite the English transfer window closing at 11pm on Monday, the Dutch transfer window remains open for another 24 hours and it is there that INEOS are looking to finalise a deal.

Malacia, who has seen much of his time since arriving at Old Trafford marred by injuries, has caught the eye of PSV Eindhoven after a move to Italy or Portugal broke down “over the club’s desired loan fee and the level of a future option to buy”.

Indeed, he has “travelled to the Netherlands to undergo a medical” in a move that will see at least some part of his £75,000 a week wages taken off the books for the remainder of the campaign, adding to the significant savings that both Marcus Rashford and Antony’s loan moves this month have provided.

Malacia won plenty of praise during his early tenure at Old Trafford, including from former Red Devil great Rio Ferdinand, who hailed him for his performance against Mohamed Salah back in 2022.

“He reminds me of Patrice Evra in many ways,” said Ferdinand “He’s athletic, he looks like a pound-for-pound strong kid”.

However, the 25-year-old has failed to kick on from that early promise thanks to injury, and his career now appears to lie away from Old Trafford both in the short term and likely the long term too.

Chelsea’s academy has been up there with one of the very best in the country over the last few years, helping the club win nine FA Youth Cup trophies – the most in the competition’s history.

Endless players have made the jump from Cobham into the first-team setup, having a huge impact on the club and cementing their place as a regular under various different managers.

Enzo Maresca’s current side possesses multiple academy graduates, including the likes of Reece James, Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah as the trio look to fire the Blues back to Premier League success.

Numerous others have been sacrificed to raise funds for the managers to make their own stamp on the squad, including Mason Mount who moved to Manchester United for £60m last summer – a great deal considering his tally of 33 games in the last 18 months.

Such a move undoubtedly softens the blow of the big money spent by owner Todd Boehly, with the American forking out huge money to secure the services of one star back in January 2023.

Mykhailo Mudyrk’s time at Chelsea so far

After a bidding war with London rivals Arsenal, Chelsea secured a huge £88.5m move for Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk in January 2023, joining the Blues from Shakhtar Donetsk.

His first appearance came as a substitute against Liverpool at Anfield, making an immediate impression with his pace and direct nature with the ball at his feet.

However, it would be an audition that sold the supporters a dream, with the 24-year-old unable to sustain such a level of performance, only registering 10 goals in his 73 appearances to date.

The winger hasn’t featured since the end of November due to a provisional suspension after he tested positive for a banned substance, with his return date or outcome of the decision yet to be announced.

His lack of form, coupled with his current absence, has seen a drastic decrease in market value, with one former first-team star massively overtaking him in value after his form away from Stamford Bridge.

The former Chelsea player now worth more than Mudryk

English attacker Callum Hudson-Odoi emerged out of the club’s academy as a teenager, looking to be the next big thing to make his mark on the first team in West London.

The now 24-year-old first showcased his talents on a consistent basis in 2018/19, making 24 appearances, scoring five times and registering five assists – looking way beyond his tender age.

Such a run of form would see interest from European giants Bayern Munich, but the Blues would stand firm, rejecting a loan with an option to buy for £70m – highlighting his importance to the club, with the hierarchy showing faith in his development.

However, an achilles injury in April 2019 would halt his progress at his boyhood side, sidelining him for an extended period and dropping him down the pecking order as a result.

Hudson-Odoi would move on loan to Bayer Leverkusen in 2022/23 to try and resurrect his promising career, before ending his spell with the Blues and joining Nottingham Forest for just £3m two years ago.

The move would allow the winger to thrive in the Premier League once again, registering eight goals and two assists in his debut campaign in the East Midlands – leading to talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbing him as “superb”.

He’s once again continued his stellar form during this campaign, scoring the only goal in the Reds’ victory against Liverpool at Anfield, remaining as the only side to defeat Arne Slot’s side in the league.

Games played

20

Goals & assists

5

Pass accuracy

90%

Chances created

34

Successful dribbles

27

Dribble success

68%

Recoveries

59

As a result of his displays, Forest have valued the forward at £40m, an increase of 1235% from the fee the Blues sold him for less than two years ago, subsequently seeing him worth more than Mudryk, who’s now valued at just £25m by Transfermarkt.

Given the re-emergence of Hudson-Odoi, the decision to allow him to leave for such a minimal fee is now one that looks to be a huge mistake, potentially offloading a player who could have played a vital role under Maresca.

Mudyrk has ultimately failed to match the expectations of his big-money transfer fee, with the hierarchy now facing a similar situation in taking the risk of offloading the Ukrainian and suffering a repeat of Hudson-Odoi.

Chelsea already have their next Kante in "magnificent" 20-year-old prodigy

The new N’Golo Kante could be set to emerge at Chelsea.

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It’s not clear which formats he would be in charge of, with S Sriram understood to be at the helm of the T20I side

Mohammad Isam31-Jan-2023Chandika Hathurusingha has returned to the Bangladesh men’s national team as its head coach.Not long after Cricket New South Wales confirmed that Hathurusingha had parted ways with them, the BCB announced a two-year deal starting next month. It has, however, not been confirmed which formats Hathurusingha would be in charge of, with S Sriram also around and at the helm of the T20I side.ESPNcricinfo understands that discussions about the roadmap between Sriram and the BCB in Dhaka earlier this month didn’t provide clear answers. But the board had said in December last year that it wants Sriram to be the long-term T20I head coach. If that remains true, Hathurusingha might only be connected with the Test and ODI sides.Related

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“It’s an honour to have been given this opportunity to coach the Bangladesh national team once again,” Hathurusingha said in a statement. “I really loved the warmth of the people and the culture of Bangladesh. I’m looking forward to working with the players once again and enjoying their successes.”This is 54-year-old Hathurusingha’s second stint with Bangladesh after he had served as the head coach from 2014 to 2017. That included Bangladesh’s famous ODI series-winning streak at home, that included beating Pakistan, India and South Africa in consecutive months. Under Hathurusingha, the team also made the knockout stages of ICC events at the ODI World Cup in 2015 and the Champions Trophy in 2017, and also recorded their first Test wins against England, Australia and Sri Lanka.BCB: Hathurusingha ‘a proven tactician’During Hathurusingha’s time with the team, Bangladesh had a 40.20% success rate in 102 matches across formats. For the record, that’s lower than what his successors – and now predecessors – Steve Rhodes (51.11) and Russell Domingo (42.34) achieved.”Chandika’s experience and knowledge of Bangladesh cricket will be an advantage for him and will benefit the players,” BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said. “He is a proven tactician and we have seen his impact on the national team during his first assignment.”Following his time with Bangladesh, Hathurusingha went back to Sri Lanka, his home country, and took charge as the head coach of the national men’s team there, before moving to New South Wales in July 2020.

Plays of the day from the fourth ODI of the series between England and Sri Lanka

Alan Gardner29-Jun-2016The foot race
Sri Lanka had clearly resolved to try and push England a bit harder on a ground known for high scores but good intentions were no match for Jonny Bairstow’s quick reactions in the second over. Danushka Gunathilaka dropped the ball down into the covers and immediately called his partner, Kusal Perera, through for one. Bairstow was far quicker off the mark – though Perera’s running line was slightly obstructed by the bowler, Chris Woakes – and his scampering underarm throw caught the batsman inches short. Perera, who has been run out four times in his last 10 ODI innings, might have stood a better chance with a dive.The finger stinger
England chose to include two spinners, despite the poor forecast and a pitch that had sweated under covers, and it was hard not to have sympathy with Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali as they hugged themselves in the field and waited for the call. There was little for them in a true batting surface, either, but Moeen did get some heat into his fingertips when Gunathilaka drove uppishly back to the bowler’s right. Moeen threw himself low to try and take a one-handed catch but the ball burst through his fingers and away – probably leaving his bowling hand feeling even more numb.The statement six(es)
With a solid platform from which to attack England from at last, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews came out swinging. Both smeared Moeen over deep midwicket, Mathews with a particularly brutal swipe into the crowd; but Chandimal upped the stakes a couple of overs later when he took on Liam Plunkett, giving the charge to an 86mph delivery and driving back over the bowler’s head and into the second tier of the pavilion. Not content with making Plunkett look like a medium-pace trundler, he then jumped across to uppercut a short ball over third man to go to his half-century with another six.The scoop
Mathews’s hitting during the closing stages ensured his side would soar beyond 300 for the first time in the series, particularly when he helped himself to 14 off the penultimate over, bowled by Plunkett. That included a sequence of three consecutive fours and it was one of his more deft strokes that stood out, as he contorted his body to flip a full, fast attempted yorker from around off stump clean over short fine leg, much to Plunkett’s chagrin.The assault
Jason Roy is the sort of opener who forces bowlers to wake up and smell the coffee whether they like it or not. He was well into his stride, having reached 50 from 39 balls, when Nuwan Pradeep began his fifth over. Pradeep began with a leg-side wide – although there was a suspicion Roy might have got a tiny edge on it – and was then subjected to a disdainful barrage of 6-4-4. The first was a crashing blow over long-on; the second dispatched through the covers with a fluid drive; the third clipped smartly off his pads as he walked across to make use of Pradeep’s change of line. Up came the England hundred and a sense of the momentum shifting.The stunner
Gunathilaka had already made his third ODI fifty and picked up the second wicket of his short career when he latched on to what must surely be his best catch in a Sri Lanka shirt. Eoin Morgan connected well with a slash off Suranga Lakmal that looked set to give third man a test when a flying Gunathilaka intercepted it one-handed leaping to his right at backward point. Sri Lanka’s catching has not been perfect on this tour but Gunathilaka’s celebration in the direction of the dressing room suggested he has not been shirking.The final word
Roy’s hundred on his home ground was met with a rousing reception, as the crowd rose for a player much appreciated in these parts. Whether he took Chandimal’s effort at endangering spectators in the pavilion as a personal challenge is unknown but the clean strike over the sightscreen off Seekkuge Prasanna in the 25th over, the ball ricocheting off the concrete steps, was as emphatic as anything seen all night.

A key update has emerged regarding Celtic signing an attacking “jewel” in the current transfer window, with Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph sharing the news.

Celtic transfer news

The Hoops were reportedly in talks to complete the signing of Sevilla striker Kelechi Iheanacho on Saturday, with the Nigerian keen on a move away from the La Liga side. Brendan Rodgers worked alongside him during their time at Leicester City, and he could help fill the attacking void left by Kyogo Furuhashi.

Celtic are also believed to be eyeing up a last-gasp move for Slovan Bratislava forward David Strelec, with attacking reinforcements seemingly the order of the day at Parkhead. He has scored 10 goals in 11 league starts this season, as well as netting twice in the Champions League.

Manchester United left-back Tyrell Malacia has been mentioned as a transfer target for the Hoops, too, with Alex Valle moving back to Barcelona earlier this week.

Whether the Red Devils would be willing to sell remains to be seen, especially given Luke Shaw’s injury woes, but it would be a real signing of intent by Celtic, ahead of their Champions League playoff clash with Bayern Munich later this month. Now, another transfer claim has dropped regarding a fellow target.

Update on Celtic's move for attacking "jewel"

Writing on X on Saturday, Joseph reported that Celtic’s talks with Brondby over the signing of Mathias Kvistgaarden have “broken down”, with a move for the £10m-rated attacker seemingly off:

This is a disappointing update for Hoops supporters, considering what a strong addition Kvistgaarden could be, not only in terms of the present, but also the long-term future.

The 22-year-old has found the net 10 times in only 12 starts in the Danish Super Liga this season, while football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as a “jewel” of a footballer.

Hopefully, there is still the potential for Celtic to sign Kvistgaarden in the summer, even if he doesn’t move to Parkhead during the current window, but the fact that Joseph points out that other targets are now being looked at suggests that may not happen.

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He desperately needs a move…

1 ByTom Cunningham Feb 2, 2025

It’s now a case of frantically signing an alternative before Monday’s deadline, but the Hoops must make sure they don’t panic buy, bringing in the wrong player in the process.

After a sub-par 2016 and with India’s strong bench, Shikhar Dhawan’s ODI career has reached the phase where he has no choice but to perform

Arun Venugopal14-Jan-2017Shikhar Dhawan is always smiling, but there is no way to tell what’s on his mind. It is the same smile – dripping with warmth and a hint of mischief – that follows a boundary or a dropped catch or a joke shared with a team-mate. Even when he grimaces, there are faint traces of a smile. The last six months, however, are likely to have tested such a quality.Ahead of his first ODI in nearly a year, Dhawan isn’t even a certainty in the XI. It is ironical given that his ODI form has been consistently good: since 2013, he has averaged more than 50 in nine of the 16 series he has played. During the same period his average has dropped below 40 only once. Even last year, he notched up 287 runs in the five ODIs he played.And yet, his place in the ODI side is not a given. While Dhawan would lose the popular mandate – fans have bayed for his axing on social media for a while now – the selectors have voted in his favour, even if not emphatically. It won’t be a stretch to suggest that Dhawan’s ODI career is on weak footing; a failure in this series could see KL Rahul – who is swiftly rising into a reliable all-format batsman – push him down the pecking order.Ideally, Dhawan’s ODI record would earn him a longer rope, but that it is not, at least to some extent, a consequence of his meagre returns in Tests and T20s over the last year. At any rate, it isn’t entirely uncommon for players these days to be picked in one format on the basis of strong performances in another – think Yuvraj Singh.Dhawan’s average differential in Tests and ODIs has been consistently increasing in the last four years•BCCIWhile Dhawan’s Test average in 2016 was 26, he averaged 57.40 in ODIs, a difference of 31.40. Such skewed numbers aren’t a one-off occurrence, and the gap between his Test and ODI averages has continued to widen over the last four years, with 2015 being the lone exception. For instance, in 2014, when India played Test series’ in England, South Africa and Australia, the difference between his Test and ODI averages was 16.44. In his 39 Test innings, he has had three sequences of seven or more innings without a 50-plus score, but in contrast only once has he gone five consecutive innings without a fifty in ODIs.Things went downhill for Dhawan when he was dropped for the Port of Spain Test last August after a modest tally of 138 runs from four innings. He sat out the Kanpur Test against New Zealand, but was handed a lifeline in Kolkata after Rahul injured himself. But, Dhawan copped a furious onslaught from Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Matt Henry, and managed only 1 and 17.A thumb fracture, courtesy Boult, made the management’s decision easier. Upon recovery, he had to audition himself in the Ranji Trophy where five innings didn’t yield a single half-century. His T20 form had been poor as well – he managed 43 runs from four innings in the World T20 – and he hasn’t been picked in the format since.After the Duleep Trophy final last year, Dhawan, who scored 29 in each innings, spoke candidly about how he channelled the disappointment of being dropped for the T20Is into becoming a better batsman. Equally pragmatic was his take on the competition for the opening slots with the emergence and success of KL Rahul: ” [One needs to give it one’s all to keep one’s place in the side].”Dhawan found some form in the first practice game against England earlier this week and went on to score 63 off 84 balls on a flat track. After starting shakily, some of his characteristic strokes – the cut, pull and the uppish drive over covers – made an appearance. The innings would have gladdened his team-mates. Nicknamed Gabbar after the iconic villain of the Hindi film , his moustache-twirling thigh-slapping celebrations are a hit with his team-mates.His captain, Virat Kohli, is as much a fan of Dhawan’s quirks as he is of his explosive potential. But how does he motivate a batsman who has lost his place in two formats and is not too far from being dropped in the third?”A player like Shikhar, everyone is aware of his ability. We try to keep someone like Shikhar in a very good head space,” Kohli said. “Because once he’s cleared his head, he can really take the game from the opposition. That’s something we try to do, give him as much space as possible, not speak too much about the game – that’s something I like to do.’We try to keep someone like Shikhar in a very good head space’ – Virat Kohli•Associated Press”Knowing the kind of player Shikhar is, and the kind of person he is, it is better to leave a guy like that to his own planning and own thinking, rather than giving your plans to him. Because he’s so instinctive, once he gets going, he just finds more options than anyone else. Once he’s in the game, he has momentum, I’ve seen guys really struggling to bowl to him when he’s in full flow.”Kohli feels Dhawan is still a good enough ODI opener, who possesses an ability to set up games for batsmen coming down the order. “He bats long as well, he can really bat till the 40-45th over once he gets going,” he said. “So, he has a lot of positives, that’s what we always back Shikhar on.””Jinx [Ajinkya Rahane] is coming back from an injury as well, he’s batted well in the one-day warm-up match. KL has been playing well for a while; he’s coming off almost a double-hundred in Chennai. Shikhar has also got runs in the warm-up game so we have to figure out, among these three, who are the two who will be likely to start. But, again, I say, I am happy that all three are in a good space now having had some runs behind them. It makes my job easier.”