da jogodeouro： O lateral campeão olímpico Zeca está de férias no Brasil, mas já quer aproveitar o momento para sacramentar o seu retorno ao futebol brasileiro, desejo do atleta. Em 2022, Zeca estava atuando pelo Houston Dynamo, equipe da MLS. No entanto, o atleta tem contrato até o final de dezembro com a equipe americana e o seu novo destino deve ser um clube brasileiro. Equipes do nordeste e do eixo Rio São Paulo já fizeram consultas pelo jogador, mas não houve avanço ainda.
– Foi uma experiência interessante pra minha carreira e sou grato pela oportunidade de ter disputado a MLS. A liga americana vem crescendo muito e a competividade também. Sobre meu futuro, estou tranquilo, pois algumas coisas já estão acontecendo e tenho certeza que em breve terei novidades. Espero fazer uma próxima temporada de alto nível e tenho certeza que quem acompanha meu trabalho também vai esperarporisso.
RelacionadasVascoVasco tem lista de jogadores com contrato terminando nesta quarta-feiraVasco29/11/2022VascoVasco realiza obras no CT Moacyr Barbosa antes da reapresentação do futebolVasco29/11/2022Fora de CampoSaúde de Pelé: boletim informa quadro clínico após internação do ReiFora de Campo30/11/2022
da gbg bet： Zeca foi revelado pelo Santos. O lateral-direito também fez parte da Seleção Brasileira que foi campeã olímpica em 2016. Depois disso, o jogador teve passagens pelo Internacional e Bahia. E o último clube brasileiro que o atleta vestiu a camisa foi o Vasco.
The Bianconeri were on track for three points until a 96th minute equalizer from Lazio forced them to settle for a point
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Juventus draw Lazio 1-1USMNT's McKennie notched assist on Juve's lone goal hit a roadblock in race for UCL next seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
U.S. international Weston McKennie recorded a crucial assist as Juventus drew Lazio 1-1 in Serie A action on Saturday. Three points were on the verge for as the final whistle neared, but a 96th-minute equalizer from Lazio forced them to settle for a point on the day.
France international Randal Kolo-Muani scored Juventus' lone goal, with McKennie looping in a pinpoint cross for the striker to head home into the back of the net. A needless straight red card was issued to defender Pierre Kalulu in the 60th minute, which put them in a defensive position for the final 30-plus minutes of the match.They caved with seconds to spare as Matias Vecino tapped home to secure Lazio a draw.
A clash between the top six in Italy, both clubs now sit level on 64 points with two games left in the Serie A campaign – and the fourth and final UCL spot in the 2025-26 season up for grabs.
Fellow USMNT regular Tim Weah started the match for Juve as well, with both Americans playing 90 minutes throughout the contest.
With just a point on the day, Juventus maintain their fourth place spot in Serie A on 64 points – with Lazio moving into fifth, but level with the at 64. Sixth-place Roma, who have a game in hand over both teams, sit on 63 points.
With two matches remaining on the calendar, the fourth and final UCL spot in Serie A will come down to the wire, with three teams rightly in the mix for the spot – and two others, seventh-place Bologna and eighth-place Milan – not far behind.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?
The are back in action next weekend against Udinese, in the penultimate match of the Serie A campaign. With the draw on Saturday, they're now in a must-win position over the final two weeks if they want to secure UCL soccer in the 2025-26 season.
da mrbet： Amid rumours that they’ve already had to reject a bid worth £45m to sell Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly opened talks to sign a possible replacement.
Nottingham Forest reject Newcastle's Elanga bid
da apostaganha： After securing a shock place in the Europa Conference League in an excellent season last time out, Nottingham Forest are in no position to sell key players. But that hasn’t stopped certain clubs from testing the waters. Among them, Newcastle United reportedly formalised their interest in Elanga with an offer worth £45m earlier this week, only to see that bid rejected by those at the City Ground.
There’s still plenty of time remaining in the summer transfer window, however, and Forest will be well aware that Newcastle could yet come calling a second time.
If that does happen, then preparing for Elanga’s exit in a worst-case scenario would not be a bad idea for all involved at the City Ground. Already, on that front, Forest have attempted and failed to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus and have also been linked with versatile AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.
YunusMusahof the U.S. in action with England's Jude Bellingham
Whether either of those options possess the quality to replace Elanga is the big question. One man who is unlikely to face problems in that regard is Igor Jesus. The Botafogo forward is reportedly on his way to the Midlands alongside teammate Jair Cunha following their Club World Cup campaign.
The former has already stolen plenty of headlines with his winning goal against Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain and is seemingly about to take the Premier League by storm.
Nottingham Forest open talks to sign "elite" new star after Weah rejection
They’ve instantly turned towards another option.
ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025
Jesus and Cuiabano may not be the only Club World Cup stars to arrive, either, amid reports that Forest have opened talks to sign another attacking target.
Nottingham Forest open talks to sign Pepe
According to ESPN Brazil, Nottingham Forest have now opened talks to sign Pepe from FC Porto, who are demanding over €15m (£12m) to sell their 28-year-old winger this summer.
An experienced winger who scored at the Club World Cup for Porto in a 4-4 draw against Al-Ahly this summer, Pepe would offer Forest instant depth and may even be asked to replace Elanga if the Swede joins Newcastle.
League stats 24/25 (via FBref)
Pepe
Elanga
Minutes
1,991
2,501
Goals
3
6
Assists
2
11
Key Passes
31
50
The pressure would instantly be on Pepe if he did step in for Elanga and although his experience could prove to be invaluable, questions will be asked about his ability to match the 22-year-old’s output.
As a versatile backup who can play all across the frontline, however, the Porto man represents an ideal choice as Forest step into European football. At just over £12m too, it’s not a deal that Evangelos Marinakis will need to splash out on for Nuno Espirito Santo in the coming months.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane could return to the Premier League after the 2026 World Cup, with Manchester United keen on a deal.
Bayern striker considering PL return
Bundesliga club may be willing to do business
Manchester United leading the race
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱
WHAT HAPPENED?
Per the , industry insiders believe that Kane may be available next summer, after the 2026 World Cup. The England captain's contract is said to have a clause that decreases each year, and Bayern may be willing to do business. The striker turned 32 this month and his contract expires in 2027.
Advertisement
getty
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Per the report, Manchester United are deemed the most likely to land Kane's signature if he does move next summer. Tottenham secured a first-option clause in the deal to sell Kane to Bayern but it would only kick in if the Bundesliga club agreed to sell him, and if the former Spurs star were willing to return to north London.
DID YOU KNOW?
Kane has been remarkably consistent for Bayern since his arrival in 2023, scoring 85 goals in 96 games. He finally ended his long-running trophy drought last season as Bayern won the Bundesliga.
Getty Images
WHAT NEXT?
Bayern play Lyon in a pre-season friendly this weekend, and then play Tottenham on August 7.
In a development that could potentially break the current deadlock over the upcoming Champions Trophy , the PCB has offered to consider a hybrid model but only if there is a concrete written agreement allowing Pakistan the same option when a global tournament is held in India.Although discussions are ongoing and the situation remains fluid, ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB put forward its proposal over the weekend in meetings with the ICC and BCCI in Dubai. In it, they called for an equitable and long-term agreement, stretching beyond the 2025 Champions Trophy, with reciprocal provisions for Pakistan to play outside of India during global events held there. It is yet to be decided whether such provisions are for the next three years or until the end of the current rights cycle in 2031.In this time, India are scheduled to host three global men’s tournaments – the 2026 T20 World Cup along with Sri Lanka (February), the 2029 Champions Trophy (October) and the 2031 World Cup along with Bangladesh (October-November) – as well as the women’s ODI World Cup in 2025. The co-hosted events provide a solution, though any India-Pakistan games will pose the same problem. And although it doesn’t come under ICC jurisdiction, the next Asia Cup – in October 2025 – is also scheduled to be played in India.Related
Babar and Naseem return for South Africa Tests, but there's no place for Afridi
Final call on CT25: Fresh venue one of three options, as ICC Board meets on Friday
Fate of Champions Trophy still unclear as no decision taken at ICC meeting
“We will do whatever’s best for cricket,” Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chair, told reporters in Dubai on Sunday. “If we adopt any other formula [except hosting the tournament in Pakistan], it will be done on the basis of equality. The most important thing for Pakistan is its respect; everything else is secondary.”A one-sided arrangement is no longer acceptable. It cannot be the case that we continue to go to India, but they do not visit Pakistan. Whatever happens must be on the basis of equality.”While the BCCI remains tight-lipped, indications are it might not be willing to accept adopting a hybrid model for their tournaments. In either case, the ICC Board will reconvene and examine the PCB proposal before making a final decision on the Champions Trophy. And both PCB and BCCI will need to have that decision ratified by their individual governments. The ICC has tentatively penciled in December 5 as a date for that meeting.Options on the table for the tournament remain the same as they were when the board met briefly last week, otherwise – that the tournament will either be based on a hybrid model with India playing its games outside Pakistan; that the entire tournament is hosted in another country; or that the tournament goes ahead without India.In that meeting last week, it was decided to give the PCB time to hold separate negotiations with BCCI to find a resolution after the latter told ICC that the Indian government had denied permission for the Indian team to travel to Pakistan. Last Friday, a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that “security concerns” meant India were unwilling to travel. “The BCCI has issued a statement so I would refer you to it,” said the spokesperson during a press briefing. “They have said there are security concerns there and therefore it is unlikely the team will be going there. Please do refer to the statement issued by the BCCI.”Where will the next India-Pakistan match be played?•CREIMAS
No such statement has been publicly issued by the BCCI. The PCB says it has still not received an official explanation citing the reasons for India’s inability to travel, though it has sought one from the moment the BCCI informed the ICC.
Jay Shah to chair ICC meet on December 5
Since the first ICC meeting, a significant change has taken place at the ICC. Jay Shah, who has been the BCCI secretary since 2019, took charge as ICC chair on December 1. Imran Khwaja, the ICC’s deputy chair, has been dealing with the Champions Trophy issue as an interim chair. But it could not be confirmed who the BCCI representative at the next ICC Board meeting will be.The meeting is widely thought to be on the Champions Trophy, although there was also a suggestion that it might be a courtesy call for Shah to ring in his tenure.With time running out – there are only 77 days to the start date of the event – the ICC finds itself in a spot of bother. It has not yet released the tournament schedule (normally put out 100 days from the event) nor announced the ticketing process which would facilitate fans to make travel arrangements for the eight-team event.
Ryan Mason has already won himself one standout signing since entering the pressurised West Bromwich Albion hot-seat.
Indeed, the Baggies forked out £3m on the services of Nathaniel Phillips to strengthen at the back, with Phillips just fresh off a relegation-saving season at Derby County in the Championship on loan from Liverpool. Now, he’s West Brom’s first major foray into the market.
Coventry City’s Tatsuhiro Sakamoto in action with Derby County’s Ebou Adams andNathanielPhillips
Transfers at the Hawthorns are unlikely to halt there, though, as West Brom aim to bolster all over the pitch in the wake of Baggies stalwarts Grady Diangana, John Swift, and Semi Ajayi all leaving for nothing.
West Brom interested in another centre-back
A big chunk of West Brom’s long-standing servants are now nowhere to be seen in the West Midlands, as Mason prepares to leave his mark on proceedings.
It’s been heavily commented on, but the 33-year-old does have his past Tottenham Hotspur connections he can fall back on when targeting some sensational summer acquisitions, with both Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear reportedly in their sights when assessing the cream of Spurs’ young crop.
Away from treading down this familiar North London path, however, West Brom could be about to win a much-talked-about 22-year-old prospect from the EFL.
West Brom-based X account DOOD has speculated that Mason and Co. are interested in the possibility of acquiring Stockport County powerhouse Ethan Pye this summer, although nothing is in motion as of yet.
It’s clear when looking at his sublime 2024/25 season – which ended with him winning every personal Hatters accolade possible – why West Brom are hunting him down as a possible partner for Phillips in the heart of defence.
After all, many of West Brom’s star performers once plied their trade in the lower depths of the EFL, as the promotion hopefuls now hope that Pye can be another to burst into life up a division, much like Tom Fellows managed after an early lower league education.
How Pye can be Fellows 2.0
Looking at the final West Brom lineup fielded at the close of the 24/25 campaign is enough to validate how many of the Baggies’ seasoned first-teamers have the third tier to thank for an initial boost in confidence, with Darnell Furlong once loaned out to Swindon Town in League One, before his big Hawthorns break.
Two goals and five assists would come the experienced right-back’s way during his formative County Ground switch, which is amazingly five more goal contributions than Fellows would register on the books of Crawley Town prior to his moment in the spotlight.
The rest is history now for the Solihull-born ace, however, with the homegrown product one of the first names on the Baggies’ teamsheet last season when collecting a blistering 14 assists in Championship action.
Pye will hope he can be as much of a standout figure for the second tier side down the line if a move is finalised, considering the Manchester-born defender has also had to endure many a lower league loan, before developing into one of Dave Challinor’s integral pieces of the jigsaw last season at Edgeley Park.
Games played
35
Goals scored
1
Assists
1
Touches*
73.7
Accurate passes*
44.4 (79%)
Ball recoveries*
4.5
Total duels won*
7.3
Clean sheets
11
Only two years prior to his breakout 24/25 offering Pye was plying his trade in the National League with Gateshead. Now, much like Fellows back at the Hawthorns, the Hatters’ success largely depended on the 22-year-old last season, with a mighty 7.3 duels won per game by Pye as Stockport dared to dream about promotion up to the Championship.
Hailed as “outstanding” by West Brom-based journalist Chris Hall, this could be a buy that sees West Brom repeat their unbelievable Fellows magic, with Pye more than ready to make a splash up a level.
It does appear to be only faint murmurs at this point, but West Brom will surely want to make more moves soon as the new season edges closer, with Pye perhaps the next figure to join the intriguing Mason project.
West Brom can secure perfect Swift replacement by signing "incredible" star
West Bromwich Albion could instantly respond to John Swift leaving the Hawthorns by snapping up this EFL ace.
They are not all necessarily new to the tournament, but they’re certainly arriving in new avatars
Saurabh Somani18-Sep-2021It’s IPL time again – for the second time this year. Though the tournament is continuing from where it left off, it’s got a very #NewSeason feel about it. The squads are somewhat different, several star players have withdrawn, new high-profile names have been signed on, and the venues are no longer the same. With new players comes always, the possibility of new chances to make an impact. ESPNcricinfo takes a look at a few who could make the second leg of the IPL one to remember. If they are not all necessarily new to the IPL, they’re certainly arriving in new avatars.Liam Livingstone During the first half of the IPL, he was a promising, hard-hitting batter who couldn’t get into Rajasthan Royals’ first XI. So much so that he even withdrew before the tournament was called off, bubble life on the bench being tough. Now, Livingstone strides in as a destroyer of bowlers’ hopes, dreams and all kinds of lengths. It’s a transformation – in perception if not in his innate talent – that’s barely two months old, but what a two months it’s been since Livingstone bludgeoned 103 off 43 balls against Pakistan. He’s played 13 T20 matches since (including nine in the Hundred) and is averaging 52.00 while striking at 190.47. Not a single one of those 13 innings has been slower than a run a ball, even on the two occasions he fell before hitting double figures. If the Royals had prayed for some sort of deliverance for losing all of Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, they seem to have got it in the form of Livingstone.Starting XI chances: Livingstone will be a sure-shot starter for the Royals in each game he’s available. Their other overseas picks are competent too (and some will appear in this very article) – but none of them can provide Livingstone’s firepower. Don’t forget his ability to bowl either legspin or offspin too.Wanindu Hasaranga has been one of the most prolific wristpinners in the world this year•Ishara S.Kodikara/AFP/Getty ImagesWanindu Hasaranga It was a bit of a surprise when Hasaranga didn’t get any bid in the auctions earlier this year, but with Adam Zampa’s withdrawal, he’s found a place at Royal Challengers Bangalore. The franchise is in the rare position of having signed a potentially better replacement than the player they lost. Hasaranga has been an efficient performer for the past couple of years, and since 2019 – which is also the year he first played T20Is for Sri Lanka – he has picked up 71 wickets in 45 innings in T20 cricket. The average is an outstanding 14.09 and the economy rate of 6.08 pushes his performance into ‘great’ territory. Half of those games have been in domestic cricket, but Hasaranga hasn’t suffered when making the grade up to international cricket, as his numbers show.A control of flight and length, a well-disguised googly, and bowling smarts have made him one of the game’s premier limited-overs leggspinners. In addition, he swings a decent bat lower down the order, good enough to average 17.90 at a strike rate of 131.62 in T20 cricket. The batting hasn’t quite translated into similar form at the international level, but Sri Lanka have also played on pitches where batting has not always been a breeze.Starting XI chances: Hasaranga should be in the Royal Challengers’ first XI plans most of the time, alongside AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, and Kyle Jamieson. During the India leg of the IPL, they had opted to go with Daniel Christian, but Hasaranga offers a much more potent threat with the ball, and the pitches in UAE should offer him something to work with.Adam Milne was the most economical bowler in The Hundred, in addition to being among its top wicket-takers•Getty ImagesAdam Milne What is most surprising about Adam Milne this season is not that he’s among those to watch out for, but that he’s slated to be part of a squad playing in the UAE only until the end of the IPL. He’s only a travelling reserve for New Zealand for the T20 World Cup, but given his recent form in the shortest format, he might have been reasonably expected to be a part of the team’s first-choice XI. Milne has bowled more balls in T20 cricket in 2021 than he has in any other year, an encouraging sign for a pacer who has had to battle several injury problems. In The Hundred, he was devastating. He was not only one of the joint top-four top wicket takers, but also had the best economy rate of all bowlers, a truly great double whammy rendered more enticing for those who watched him regularly crank it up over 90mph.Starting XI chances: His form in The Hundred should get Milne a very good chance to make Mumbai Indians’ first XI. He’s not an IPL newcomer, having played five matches for RCB in 2016-17 and he played one match for Mumbai Indians in the first leg, but he’s rarely had the sort of sustained rhythm he found while bowling in the Hundred. The pace has always been high, but now that it’s better directed, Milne automatically becomes a threat on any surface. He’ll be targeting the fourth overseas spot for Mumbai Indians with three taken up by Quinton de Kock, Kieron Pollard and Trent Boult. The times he might miss out are if Mumbai Indians decide they need more batting depth and turn to the likes of Jimmy Neesham, Nathan Coulter-Nile or Marco Jansen.Evin Lewis is likely to pip David Miller and Glenn Phillips to one of the overseas slots•Randy Brooks – CPL T20 / GettyEvin Lewis Of all the names in the list, Lewis is the one whose sparkle has been the most recent. He has just completed a triumphant run with the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in CPL 2021, emerging as the best batsman in the tournament by some way. That included a tournament-high 38 sixes, beating a record held by none other than Chris Gayle. Lewis, too, is not an IPL newcomer, having played 16 games for the Mumbai Indians, mainly in 2018 with three coming in 2019. He didn’t do too shabbily back in 2018, but wasn’t outstanding to the level he is at now. In 2019, he hardly made a mark. What the Rajasthan Royals will be banking on, though, is neither the 2018 nor the 2019 versions of Lewis, but the one who has lit up 2021. He’s been scoring at a strike rate of above 160 for West Indies as well as the Patriots, and if the Royals needed an opener to match the aggression that they’ve lost in Buttler’s absence, Lewis is one of the foremost candidates.Starting XI chances: The first two names among the overseas slots in the Royals’ XI are likely to be Chris Morris and Livingstone. Among batters, Lewis will have to compete for a spot with David Miller and Glenn Phillips. That Phillips can keep won’t matter in this case since captain Sanju Samson can take the gloves, so it’ll come down to batting positions and roles. As an opener who bats left-handed, and is in prime form coming into the tournament, Lewis ticks three boxes, which gives him a head start over the others.Tim David is middle-order player who can not only hit big but also stay long.•Randy Brooks – CPL T20 / GettyTim David Another Royal Challengers Bangalore replacement who might just be a better fit than the original in Finn Allen. While David may not be picked ahead of de Villiers or Maxwell, he’s a handy back-up should the need arise, being a middle-order batter unlike Allen, who’s an opener. David has already had success this year in the BBL and the PSL, and made 15 off six in the only match he got to bat in the Hundred – the final. He took that one step further in the CPL, coming in to bat in the lower middle order and regularly churning out quickfire runs without falling early. That he ended up as the third highest run-getter in CPL 2021 despite batting mainly at No. 6 spoke of how well he had fitted into a difficult role: that of a middle-order player who can not only hit big but also stay long.Starting XI chances: He’s a dark horse at best to start, since two overseas middle-order batters are already inked in, in de Villiers and Maxwell. Royal Challengers are likely to have Jamieson and Hasaranga in the other two slots to give them a nice balance, but should they want to strengthen the batting, David could come in for one of the two bowling allrounders.Tabraiz Shamsi has previously played for the Royal Challengers•BCCITabraiz Shamsi The world’s No.1-ranked T20 bowler had an IPL stint way back in 2016. Shamsi was not the bowler he is now, having acquired a much greater mastery of his craft since. The ICC rankings are not always a true reflection of a player’s standing – most particularly in T20Is – but even ignoring the rankings, you can’t ignore Shamsi’s results. He has done a lot of T20-hopping this year, playing for South Africa and franchises in the Caribbean, Ireland, the Hundred and then Sri Lanka. Through it all, he’s remained difficult to read or score off. Accurate wristspin is always an asset in T20’s middle overs, and Shamsi this year has taken 41 wickets in 28 matches while going at just 6.60 per over. The 607 balls he’s bowled are also the most for him in a year, so he’s coming into the tournament with form sustained over a good workload and a variety of conditions and oppositions.Starting XI chances: While Shamsi undoubtedly offers something more than any of the domestic spinners the Royals have, whether he makes it to the XI or not will largely depend on the balance the side needs. The Royals’ batting is thin, so while they are likely to have Livingstone and one of Lewis or Miller in there, they might be tempted to go for three overseas batters. With Morris a lock-in for one of the overseas slots, that leaves no room for Shamsi or any other overseas player.
Glasgow Rangers and new Ibrox owners 49ers Enterprises have reached an agreement to sell a Gers player without the approval of new manager Russell Martin.
Aarons completes Ibrox medical and set to join Rangers
The Gers have already made midfielder Lyall Cameron the first official signing of the summer at Ibrox, however, the 49ers and Martin are after more before the Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos and their Scottish Premiership opener at Motherwell.
Motherwell vs Rangers
August 2
Rangers vs Dundee
August 9
St Mirren vs Rangers
August 23
Rangers vs Celtic
August 31
Rangers vs Hearts
September 13
Martin admitted he is “excited” at the players Rangers are targeting and is hoping for a “few” to arrive over the coming weeks.
One of those looks set to be Max Aarons, with the right-back on course to arrive on a straight loan deal from Bournemouth. The defender has even been pictured at Ibrox and has already completed a medical.
With Aarons set to sign, it could be a case of one defender in and one out at Ibrox going off a recent update.
Rangers reach agreement to sell Gers defender Robin Propper
According to reports relayed by Sport Witness, Rangers have reached an agreement in principle to sell Robin Propper for €1.5m (£1.27m) to FC Twente.
A deal is yet to be complete, though, ‘due to the recent changes within the technical staff of Rangers’, meaning Martin has yet to give the green light to an exit.
The report adds that ‘a meeting between Propper and the new head coach is planned soon and will be decisive for the further course of the transfer’.
Concern as Rangers now at risk of losing £20m Ibrox star star on the cheap
This would be a real setback for the Gers.
ByHenry Jackson Jun 24, 2025
FC Twente’s manager, Joseph Oosting, has publicly spoken out over a transfer for Propper, saying “I have been in contact with him via the app. We would like to have Robin. Will he come? That is the question.”
Oosting added to another Dutch outlet: “We have been in contact, I hope he returns. No point of discussion. I assume that it will work out. But in football you can never be sure of such things.”
Should a £1.27m deal go through, Rangers will be making a slight loss after spending £1.5m on Propper just 12 months ago.
Black Caps quick returns after stint last summer was cut short following his wife’s cancer diagnosis
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2025
Blair Tickner took eight wickets for Derbyshire last term•Getty Images
Blair Tickner will return to Derbyshire for the 2025 season on an all-format deal.The New Zealand fast bowler played seven matches for the county last summer across the Vitality County Championship and Vitality Blast, before returning home early after his wife Sarah was diagnosed with leukemia.Now with Sarah on the road to recovery, Tickner returns to Derby for the duration of the season, subject to international commitments. He has represented the Black Caps on 34 occasions, and made his Test debut against England in 2023.Tickner, 31, is currently enjoying a fine domestic summer in New Zealand and is among the leading wicket-takers in the country with 13 dismissals in the Plunket Shield (first-class), 11 in the Ford Trophy (List A) and nine in the Super Smash (T20) so far.Derbyshire’s head of cricket, Mickey Arthur, said: “We never got to see the best of Blair in his first spell with us, there was a lot going on off the field, but he was the consummate professional and we were always eager to bring him back for 2025.”His record deserved to be better last season, we dropped chances off his bowling and if we take those, his average comes right down. I’m confident we will be better in that regard in 2025, and Blair should reap the rewards, because he’s a very good bowler.”With the likes of Zak Chappell, Harry Moore, Pat Brown and Blair all vying to take the new ball, I’m very excited about our attack in 2025.”Tickner added: “Despite everything, I loved my first spell with Derbyshire and I’ve kept in touch with the players and coaches, the club have supported me massively and I’m looking forward to getting back to England and showing what I can do.”I think everyone would agree that I have unfinished business with Derbyshire, I couldn’t show my quality first time around and I’m coming back hungry to do just that and win games for the county.”Agar back at NorthantsAshton Agar was part of the Northants side that reached last year’s Blast quarter-finals•Andy Kearns/Getty Images
Northamptonshire, meanwhile, have confirmed that Australia allrounder Ashton Agar will be back for the entire Blast group stage in 2025. Agar made six appearances in the competition last season, helping Northants to reach the quarter-finals.Northants chief executive, Ray Payne, said: “Ashton is a brilliant individual who played a very important role in our good form at the backend of the T20 Blast last year. He is highly skilled, very experienced and has had success at the very highest level of the game.”We’re all very excited to him again in a Steelbacks shirt in 2025.”