Tag Futebol

In the golden era of Chelsea's history when the likes of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba were dazzling packed-out crowds in west London, goals were never an issue as that duo would strike fear into opposition defences with their sheer quality.

In the Blues near faultless title-winning campaign in the 2005/06 season, spearheaded by the tactical brilliance of Jose Mourinho, Chelsea posted 72 goals in the league, but perhaps more telling, Lampard and Drogba combined for 47 of them.

Forming an almost telepathic partnership across their time at the club, the two legends built up the most fruitful duo in Premier League history, holding the record for the most combined goals as a pair (36) from 2012 – holding it for a full decade – before it was broken by Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane in 2022.

In recent times, despite accumulating over £1bn on new players since Todd Boehly took over, the Blues are still toothless in front of goal, finishing sixth from the bottom for goals scored last term (38), behind the likes of relegated Leicester City and Leeds United.

Chelsea attempted to fix that problem with the £32m acquisition of Villarreal striker Nicolas Jackson but it is fair to say, he hasn't had the desired impact thus far.

What has gone wrong for Nicolas Jackson at Chelsea?

Jackson has shown glimpses of the star striker that Chelsea so desperately desired through his piercing movement in-behind, ability to occupy dangerous pockets of space and being a handful for opposition defenders, lacking the most important part – putting the ball in the back of the net.

While the 22-year-old hasn't been helped by the injury to Christopher Nkunku as the pair formed what was looking like a budding partnership in pre-season, Jackson's attacking metrics paint a picture of someone who is doing everything but take his chances.

The Senegalese has scored only twice in the Premier League this term – the latest coming in a 4-1 victory against Burnley – a goal he hopes will truly kickstart his Chelsea career, however, the youngster could have had several more goals to his name.

According to Sofascore, the 6 foot 1 marksman is joint second in the league for big chances missed (7), fifth for the most expected goals (xG) accumulated (4.09), while his goal conversion of 10% paints a sorry picture of striker squandering big opportunities in front of goal, as seen during their defeat against Nottingham Forest.

Despite being in the early days of his Chelsea career, should he continue to be wasteful in front of goal, Mauricio Pochettino could ditch him and splash the cash on one of Europe's most promising goal-getters, Lois Openda.

What would Lois Openda bring to Chelsea?

The RB Leipzig forward has been ripping it up in the Bundesliga since making the £37m (€43m) switch to the German giants this summer.

Having netted an astonishing 58 goals combined across his past three seasons for Vitesse Arnhem and RC Lens, Openda is a lethal finisher, exhuming a calmness in front of goal, an attribute that isn't distinguished from Jackson.

Lauded as "exceptional" by Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the talented 23-year-old has taken the footballing world by storm in the past year and this is demonstrated by his incredible shooting stats, ranking in the top 3% for non-penalty goals against his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues, top 6% for shots on target, top 12% for total shots and top 32% for shot creating actions per 90, via FBref.

While clever movement and lightening pace frees the Belgian into dangerous positions, similarly to Jackson, the fact he ranks so high for non-penalty goals suggests he's uber-efficient in and around the box, displaying the attributes that could get Chelsea challenging towards the top end of the table.

With four goals and two assists in seven Bundesliga appearances so far this campaign, including a strike in the Champions League against Manchester City, it is no surprise to see Premier League's circling for his signature with Liverpool and Manchester United reportedly entering the race, alongside Pochettino's men.

A deal would be near impossible to complete in January given he's only just signed for Leipzig, but if he continues this rate of scoring, the £80m rated youngster will begin a bidding war next summer that the Blues desperately need to win.

Former Watford star Troy Deeney revealed the key difference between the current Arsenal squad and Arsenal Wenger's side.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Deeney criticised Wenger's Arsenal for lacking 'cojones'Praised Arteta's Gunners teamArsenal two points behind LiverpoolWHAT HAPPENED?

Deeney, who spent 11 years at Vicarage Road between 2010 and 2021, has claimed that Mikel Arteta's Arsenal "have cojones2 having previously criticised Arsenal Wenger's side for being easily bullied by opponents despite having world-class players like Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the team.

AdvertisementWHAT TROY DEENEY SAID

Writing for , the former English forward claimed, "I played against several Arsenal players who would easily have been good enough to get into Mikel Arteta’s current Gunners side. At their peak, Jack Wilshere, Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were all world-class players.

"But those were Arsenal teams you always fancied your chances against. Arsenal teams you could bully. Arsenal teams who could fall apart. It’s well remembered that I once accused Arsene Wenger’s team of lacking ‘cojones’ after my Watford side beat them at Vicarage Road. I certainly cannot imagine taking the p*** out of this Gunners team in the same way. I wouldn’t rate my chances of bullying them, either."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Deeney had criticised the Gunners after scoring in his team's 2-1 win at Vicarage Road in Wenger's final season in charge of the team. While the Frenchman bemoaned the referee's decision to hand Watford a penalty, the striker said that the north London side lacked 'cojones'.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Arteta's side, who are currently trailing league leaders Liverpool by two points, will next face Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday. A win will take the Gunners top of the table ahead of Sunday's crunch clash between Liverpool and Manchester City.

Clashes with other franchise tournaments and withdrawal of marquee names have taken some sheen off the league, but the local stars are still there

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2024It’s February, which means it must be time for the end of the SA20.
No.The ILT20?
Try again.The Bangladesh Pr…
I’m going to stop you right there. The PSL. It’s time for the PSL, the original showstopper of this window in the calendar.My bad. It’s been around for a while now.
Indeed, this season is the ninth season of the PSL, which makes it a veteran among T20 franchise leagues. The durability is truly worth celebrating given the obstacles it faced in getting off the ground and then, once up and running, not able to play out in Pakistan for the first few seasons.Hurrah! The league must be stronger than ever, then.

Not so much. In large part this is because of the administrative flux within the board over the last few months. Nobody’s been in charge long enough to really take charge of this season. Plus, polarising general elections in the country last week have taken up plenty of the national bandwidth.Ah right. Still, some big-name regulars on the global T20 circuit will perk things up.
All the big local stars are there, of course, from Shaheen Shah Afridi to Babar Azam to Mohammad Rizwan to Shadab Khan. And in Shane Watson (Quetta Gladiators), Mike Hesson (Islamabad United), Phil Simmons (Karach Kings) and Daren Sammy (Peshawar Zalmi) the league has a high-profile head coach roster.Related

• Rashid Khan withdraws from PSL as he continues rehab

• Shamar Joseph lands PSL deal with Peshawar Zalmi

• Mohsin Naqvi elected PCB chairman for three years

• Injured Topley pulls out of Pakistan Super League

• 'A broken sport': Franchise free-for-all compromises players' incentives

I’m sensing a ‘but’…
Well, the star quotient in the foreign player roster seems to have taken a hit this season. A number of high-profile names have either pulled out entirely (Rashid Khan, Lungi Ngidi, Reece Topley, Noor Ahmad and Tom Curran) or have limited availability (Rassie van der Dussen, Tabraiz Shamsi and Wanindu Hasaranga).But there’s also a broader sense that with more money on offer in the ILT20 and SA20, and in more attractive destinations, the PSL might be the league the bigger names choose to skip in this cramped window.Now I’m sensing an ‘although’ here.
, like the CPL, the accent at the PSL has always been towards its local players. Think of the number of established local players it has given a platform to, as well as the frenzy each season as a new kid is unearthed. Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Ihsanullah, Mohammad Haris, Zaman Khan and so, so many others are inextricably linked with the league.Similarly, this season will be driven by the prospects of Saim Ayub stepping up, the bigger stage for the tall and rising fast bowler Mohammad Zeeshan (both at Peshawar Zalmi); Faisal Akram, a rare (for Pakistan) left-arm wristspinner (Multan Sultans); the allrounder Arafat Minhas at Karachi Kings; or even the long-awaited return from injury of Naseem Shah, now with Islamabad United.Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan and Azam Khan are among the key players for Islamabad United•PSLThose are the players – which teams should I be looking out for?
One of the endearing attributes of the PSL is how even the playing field has always felt. Each of the six franchises has won the league at least once but none have yet established a dynasty proper. As defending champions, Lahore Qalandars have a legitimate shot at it, having made the final three out of the last four seasons and won the last two. Without Rashid though, they’re missing a quality spinner, though those pacers (Shaheen, Haris and Zaman) eh?Multan have been the other powerhouse in recent editions (runners-up the last two seasons) and last season were a single run away from forcing a Super Over in last season’s final. They look good again this season though most intriguing might be the step up for Abdul Rehman as head coach; Pakistan don’t often do right by their local coaches but Rehman has worked his way up assiduously.And the others?
Islamabad are the data divas’ dream and roping in Mike Hesson as coach will do nothing to dispel that. The arrival of Naseem Shah alone would be a game-changing upgrade for a pace attack that last season looked a little lightweight (Fazalhaq Farooqi apart). But the other two Shah brothers Ubaid (among the leading wicket-takers at the just-concluded U19 World Cup) and Hunain as well? Your social media timelines are going to be blowing up with highlights.Quetta will be the most interesting. Once the league’s most consistent side, they’ve swiftly become its least successful over the last four seasons. But this feels like a season of change. Shane Watson is in as head coach, Shaun Tait as the bowling coach, Sarfaraz Ahmed is out as captain, PSL legend Rilee Roussow is in, Mohammad Amir’s smarts will be more than handy and Abrar Ahmed should be a focal point in the bowling attack. Suddenly, they’re feeling a lot fresher than they have for years.Karachi and Peshawar are not bringing up the rear exactly, but they do feel somewhat less shiny than the others. Karachi have new leadership in Phil Simmons and Shan Masood; Peshawar have Shamar Joseph. But Peshawar’s attack apart from Joseph feels light and Karachi look like they’ve erred too far on the side of experience.My mouth, it is watering. Hit me with the who, what, when and where.
Kicks off Saturday with Lahore taking on Islamabad, 34 matches over the next 30 days, across four venues in Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi and Karachi.

Where else in the world would a scheduled day of first-class cricket be adjusted for reasons outside of the playing conditions, as occurred on Sunday at Guaracara to accommodate players getting to the Hyatt Regency on time for the WIPA event that evening?

Fazeer Mohammed03-Apr-2008
Shivnarine Chanderpaul left in the middle of a first-class match to attend an awards ceremony © AFP
You bring the iron pot. I’ll walk with the .We call it a fete match. Elsewhere up the Caribbean chain, it’s known as curry-goat cricket. By whatever name, this version of the game is all about fun, with little more than a rudimentary acknowledgement of the basic rules that govern the sport. That superficial adherence lingers until the heat of the afternoon and the cumulative effects of copious quantities of alcohol and artery-clogging food take hold, rendering the final result as nothing more than an opportunity for heated old talk, more rum and more well after sunset.This is the context in which we must absorb Windwards manager Lockhart Sebastien’s implication that the regional first-class match between Guyana and the Windwards was reduced to the status of curry-goat cricket when Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 78 not out at the end of the first day’s play at Providence on Saturday, flew across to Trinidad for Sunday’s West Indies Players Association (WIPA) awards ceremony in Port-of-Spain.Unless they are lying, this was done without the prior knowledge of Guyanese team manager Carl Moore or coach Albert Smith. The visitors refused to allow the home side to use a substitute fielder in Chanderpaul’s continued absence on Monday. Guyana therefore had ten players on the field before lunch, by which time the former West Indies captain had returned from collecting the three major awards at the WIPA function to take his place in the side.Keep in mind that the start of this fixture was already pushed back from Friday to Saturday because the Windwards’ gear had not arrived with them, with the further implication being that any players in that match selected for the second Test against Sri Lanka would only have arrived here last night or early this morning for the five-day fixture starting tomorrow at the Queen’s Park Oval. However, based on a very recent precedent, it is quite possible that the cricketers concerned could have just upped and duss it to the airport sometime yesterday, leaving their team-mates to devour the remaining and curry-goat after play.Jimmy Adams, another former West Indies captain, spoke eloquently on Sunday night about the chronic failure of the game’s administrators in the region in our nearly 80 years of Test cricket to take control of the product and modify the systems and processes to meet the demands of an ever-changing game in an ever-changing global environment.As a former player and now secretary of WIPA, Adams’ impressive feature address may have left him open to the usual criticism that those who see the players as helpless victims of administrative incompetence and corporate indifference refuse to acknowledge that the cricketers themselves are also responsible for the depths to which we have plummeted in just 12 years.Far be it from me to try to understand the workings of such a complex and intense mind, but I suspect that Adams would view the players’ indiscretions as the result of the absence of those processes and systems, which, if implemented and adhered to consistently and impartially, would provide both the opportunities for players to fulfill their potential and the regulated structure that ensures the integrity and viability of West Indies cricket for the foreseeable future.When Ryan Hinds and a number of other players on both sides can behave as badly as they did in last year’s Challenge final between Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados at Guaracara Park, and then face absolutely no sanction, whatever the reason, it must seem like a free-for-all. When Chris Gayle, whether rightly or wrongly, refuses to apologise to then WICB president Ken Gordon for public criticism of the board, and then Gordon’s successor, Julian Hunte, rightly or wrongly, drops the matter entirely in an effort to give the players some love, are the cricketers then wrong to assume they can essentially do as they please? Six weeks before Australia’s Test party starts the journey to the Caribbean and 11 weeks before the first limited-over match, Cricket Australia released both of their squads to take on the West Indies yesterday, including all of their top players, whether or not they are contracted to the Indian Premier League. Yet at midday of the same day, there was still no official word on the composition of the West Indies Test squad for a match starting less than 48 hours later Where else in the world would a scheduled day of first-class cricket be adjusted for reasons outside of the playing conditions, as occurred on Sunday at Guaracara to accommodate players getting to the Hyatt Regency on time for the WIPA event that evening? In the absence of integrity and respect for a system that is actually proven to work, any number can play.Six weeks before Australia’s Test party starts the journey to the Caribbean and 11 weeks before the first limited-over match, Cricket Australia released both of their squads to take on the West Indies yesterday, including all of their top players, whether or not they are contracted to the Indian Premier League. Yet at midday of the same day, there was still no official word on the composition of the West Indies Test squad for a match starting less than 48 hours later. And, of course, no one seems to know for sure if the IPL-bound trio of Gayle, Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan will be available from the start of the first Test against the Aussies at Sabina Park on May 22.Wait, wait. I’ve just got an e-mailed press release from the WICB with the West Indies squad for this month’s Under-15 International Championship. The team is to be led by Stephen Katwaroo, captain of fourth-placed T&T, who got the nod ahead of Donovan Nelson, leader of the all-conquering Jamaican side and top wicket-taker at the regional tournament in Dominica last month.Keep the rum, but I won’t mind some to go with the curry-goat at the Oval tomorrow.

We’re now just a week away from the start of Celtic’s pre-season fixtures.

Next Friday night, Brendan Rodgers’ Hoops will make the short three-mile journey to Glasgow’s south side to take on Queen’s Park at Lesser Hampden, having demolished the Spiders 6-4 in a friendly almost exactly 12 months ago.

After that, Celtic to Cork, Lisbon, the north of England and then face Ajax and either Al-Ahli or the hosts at the Como Cup.

So, just how many new signings will the Parkhead masses have the opportunity to cast their gaze at during these fixtures?

Celtic's star attacker set to depart

Both returning hero Kieran Tierney and new third-choice goalkeeper Ross Doohan have already signed for Celtic this summer, with deals for Callum Osmand and Benjamin Nygren close to being finalised too.

However, due to Celtic’s position in the global football food chain, they’re always in danger of losing a star player, and this summer is no different.

As has been widely reported by Josh McCafferty of the National and elsewhere, RB Leipzig have ‘intensified their interest’ in Nicolas Kühn, who is supposedly available for around £15m.

Well, now, according to Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports News, Como have ‘made an approach’ as they target a move for Kühn.

I Lariani finished tenth in Serie A last season under Cesc Fàbregas, their first top-flight campaign since 2002/03, but are not your ordinary newly-promoted club, given that they are owned by the Djarum Group, making them the wealthiest club in Italy, as noted by James Horncastle of the Athletic.

So, potentially creating a bidding war could be good news for Celtic, as they seek to drive up the price for, what is set to be, one of their biggest sales of all-time.

Regardless, it appears very likely that Kühn will be sold in the coming weeks, so has Rodgers identified a potential replacement?

Who Celtic should sign to replace Kühn

As reported by Glasgow World, Aston Villa are open to selling youngster Louie Barry, to ease their ongoing concerns about breaching the Premier League’s Profitability & Sustainability Rules.

Thus, they add that Celtic are ‘weighing up a potential offer’ for the 22-year-old, given their long-standing interest in Barry, who they have been ‘keeping close tabs on’. Previous reports have suggested he could be available in and around the £12m mark.

Barry first made headlines by joining Barcelona’s fabled la Masia academy in 2019, before returning to England a year later, signing for Aston Villa for a reported £880,000.

He’s since been loaned out no less than seven times, making the biggest impression at Stockport County, scoring 24 goals in 43 league appearances for the club, with Sam Byrne of the Manchester Evening News describing his performances for the Hatters as “absolutely electric”, adding he “captured the imagination” of all supporters.

So, let’s assess his senior career statistics so far.

2024/25*

Championship

4

0

0

2024/25*

League One

24

16

3

2023/24

League Two

22

9

4

2022/23**

League Two

21

2

1

2022/23**

League One

32

1

3

2021/22

League Two

16

6

1

*moved to Hull City in January 2025.

**moved to Salford City in January 2023.

As the table outlines, Barry very much burst onto the scene at Stockport this season, scoring 16 goals in just half a campaign, before moving to Hull in the EFL Championship, featuring just four times for the Tigers before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

Jack Manship of Total Football Analysis labels him a ‘highly-rated prospect’, while Mick Brown of Football Insider believes that Barry is ready to take the next step in his career and make a permanent move away from Villa.

Barry can be deployed centrally or on either flank, a position that Celtic might have vacancy to fill in the coming weeks, thus making him an ideal replacement for Kuhn.

The young attacker is certainly an extremely talented player, so the Hoops should do all they can to secure his signature, especially if they can do so at a reduced rate, with Villa needing to raise funds and fast.

New Wanyama: Celtic looking to sign "outstanding" £2.5m star after Nygren

As Brendan Rodgers looks to bolster his squad, could Celtic sign a “outstanding, box-to-box” midfield star for £3m; he’s the new Victor Wanyama.

Jun 26, 2025

BBC pundit Stewart Downing has suggested that an "amazing" player should join Arsenal for one key reason.

Who will Arsenal sign in January?

After sealing summer deals for club-record signing Declan Rice, defender Jurrien Timber, forward Kai Havertz and goalkeeper David Raya, who all cost north of £200 million in total, it is believed that the Gunners could be busy yet again in January. Indeed, reports in the media have suggested that a new striker could well be in the offing, with the likes of Brentford star Ivan Toney, Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Feyenoord star Santiago Gimenez all linked in the last month.

Arsenal have just Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah to turn to as natural striking options, with Havertz brought in as a sort-of makeshift option from Chelsea in the summer. However, the German has scored just one league goal for Arteta so far. Injuries to both Nketiah or Jesus would arguably spel trouble for Arsenal, prompting some calls for them to sign a centre-forward.

Club legend Emmanuel Petit, speaking before deadline day, even urged them to sign Newcastle striker Alexander Isak as an alternative to Jesus and Nketiah.

"Alexander Isak is tall, aggressive and has great technique," Petit said (via The Mirror). "He wants to score every time he gets the ball but he needs to be more precise in his game. Physically and technically, he has a huge presence on the pitch.

"If one day someone can tell me that he plays like Thierry Henry, maybe I will believe them, but for the moment it’s really too soon to say that. He's a good striker and he's someone that Arsenal would be very happy to have because he brings different qualities.

"Jesus and Nketiah play in a similar way, they are different in terms of movement, but physically, technically and in their finishing they are not far apart."

As well as a new striker, Arsenal have been tipped to move for Wolves winger Pedro Neto in 2024.

Arsenal – Ivan Toney update

Speaking on the future of Toney, who has been centre to claims he's likely to depart Brentford in the new year, BBC pundit Downing has suggested to the broadcaster that he should join Arsenal to get the England international preference over Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.

“When I was at Middlesbrough with Capello and doing alright, he was a fan of how I played,” said Downing to Five Live, as transcribed by HITC.

“He actually made a straight point to me, ‘you need to leave and play for a team that is further up the league. Europa League or Champions League’. I actually laughed at him and thought ‘that’s easier said than done. I am trying. How am I going to get them clubs?’ I know it does play a big part. If Ivan Toney does come back and say he goes to Arsenal, starts playing Champions League, winning the Premier League or threatening every season.

“Then Gareth (Southgate) will be under pressure to start him ahead of Ollie (Watkins). 100% – I am sure Ollie knows that as well. If he continues to score goals and gets Villa into them Champions League or Europa League spots, then he gives himself a hell of a chance.”

Aerial duels

Direct free-kicks

Through balls

Finishing

The future battle between Toney and Watkins will be an interesting one, especially considering Toney should be in top form when he returns from his ban. Called "amazing" by Thomas Frank, the striker netted 20 league goals last season.

Only one of Cricket South Africa’s three domestic sponsors remain in place ahead of the 2018-19 season, in which there could be no corporate backing for either the franchise first-class competition or the 20-over tournament. Only the 50-over format continues to be sponsored, by the financial services company Momentum.Sunfoil, the sponsors of Test cricket and both the franchise four-day and provincial three-day competitions, opted not to renew its deal with CSA at the end of the 2017-18 summer, ending a relationship which lasted seven years. ESPNcricinfo understands that the company would prefer to use its marketing budget differently. A CSA spokesperson said the organisation is at “at a more advanced stage in negotiations with a replacement and are confident we will be able to conclude the arrangement soon”.In the shortest, and most troubled format, for CSA, courier company RAM have decided not to back the T20 Challenge. RAM re-signed for the 2017-18 season, when the tournament replaced the postponed Global League T20 (GLT20), after also pulling out of a deal with CSA in 2016. For the 2018-19 summer, the competition has no sponsor and, given its timing and the uncertainty over whether another 20-over competition will also take place in South Africa, it is difficult to see how it could attract a backer.The franchise T20 tournament will be played from the April 5 to May 5, 2019, which is particularly late in the South African season. It will also clash with the IPL, meaning big-name South African players who are contracted to the Indian competition are unlikely to be able to play for their domestic franchises. Moreover, if a replacement for the GLT20 takes place, this competition will be an afterthought that could become defunct in years to come.The rest of the domestic season takes its usual form, and starts with the first-class competition in the last week in September. All six franchises will play each other, home and away. The one-day cup will be played between February 8 and April 1, with the semi-finals and final set to feature international caps. The knockouts will be played after the white-ball leg of Sri Lanka’s tour to South Africa, so the national players should be free to participate in the franchise fixtures and thereby have further preparation for the 2019 World Cup.

CSA will be the majority shareholder and SuperSport a part-owner of a flagship T20 tournament that will take place in South Africa in November and December 2018

Firdose Moonda08-Jun-2018A flagship T20 tournament will take place in South Africa in November and December this year, but not as the T20 Global League. Instead, a yet-to-be-named competition will take place, of which CSA will be the majority shareholder and satellite television company SuperSport a part-owner. Details such as the number of teams, matches and allowances for overseas players are yet to be ironed out.The new league will replace the stillborn T20 Global League, which was due to be played last year, was postponed three weeks before the scheduled start, and caused considerable uncertainty in South African cricket. Chiefly, the T20 Global League accounted for the departure of CSA’s former CEO Haroon Lorgat, who parted ways with the organisation in September 2017 after fallouts with the board over the details of the running of the league, among other things.The original tournament was Lorgat’s brainchild and was launched in June last year in London, with seven foreign owners for the eight teams including three IPL owners and two from PSL. None of those stakeholders will be involved in the new competition, which is essentially a South African product.Thabang Moroe, CSA’s acting CEO, who will remain in place for at least the next two months, told ESPNcricinfo that the eight previous franchise owners have been refunded their deposits of USD 250,000 even though CSA had initially sought to engage them about staying involved. Two owners, however, have denied receiving a refund.The only outside involvement in the new tournament will come from SuperSport, who will be the official broadcast partner of the league. CSA did not have a broadcast partner when it tried to launch the T20 Global League. When the T20 Global League was conceptualised, SuperSport believed it already had the rights to all cricket played in South Africa. However, their deal excluded what CSA defined as “new business”, and the board sought a broadcaster abroad. At the same time, they were engaged in discussions with SuperSport, which is understood to have offered CSA much less than Lorgat wanted.Sources have since revealed that SuperSport was also interested in owning a team in the league and eventually put together a proposal with other businesspersons to buy the league from CSA. Now, SuperSport have confirmed the involvement they desired and will contribute capital, together with CSA, to fund the new league. Moroe called the deal “the biggest in the history of South African domestic cricket, which will ensure the welfare of the game in South Africa.”No other financial details have been released at this stage, including whether there will be a player draft or auction, as there was for the T20 Global League. When the tournament was postponed, South African players were paid out 60% of their contract value and foreign players 50%. In total, the player payout amounted to around R80 million (USD 6.08 million), which made up less than half of CSA’s total loss of USD 14.1 million.There is no indication of whether the new tournament could be similarly lucrative for players this year, but CSA is committed to involving some international stars, which will doubtless increase their wage bill. The specifics around how many foreign players will be included, and other logistical details, will be discussed in the coming weeks.Most importantly, the numbers of teams and fixtures will be of interest. The T20 Global League was due to have eight teams and 57 matches, over 44 days but the new tournament is expected to be played over a smaller window, because of South Africa’s other commitments.South Africa will tour Australia for three ODIs and two T20Is between October 31 and November 17, and then host Pakistan for a full home series from December 26, which leaves a five-week window for the new tournament to be played. The T20 Global League was due to conclude on December 16, a public holiday in South Africa which marks the start of the festive season. If the new tournament takes the same format, that reduces the window to four weeks.The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA), that helped negotiate the player payouts from the failed T20 Global League and has been pushing for a tournament in the country welcomed the news as long overdue.”We believe that it is critical for South Africa, as one of the world’s leading cricket countries, to have its own world class T20 competition and that this is as attractive to players as some of the existing T20 leagues in other countries. Players and their performances will be at the heart of the success of the competition,” Tony Irish, the SACA CEO, said in a release.SACA said it has not been privy to any discussions between CSA and SuperSport but hope to engage with the parties as the tournament date draws closer. SACA is also in the process of finalising its MoU with CSA which should conclude by the end of the month.

Cricket South Africa has re-committed to the revenue share model with its players and has also reached an interim agreement with the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA), which will remain in place until the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is completed at the end of June.The MoU between the parties will expire next Monday. Negotiations for a new deal have not been completed in time for a new agreement to come into immediate effect. That carries the risk of leaving most of the country’s professional cricketers – apart from those on two-year deals – out of contract, but the interim arrangement has made a provision for player contracts to move ahead.CSA and SACA have also agreed on a 6% annual increase in salary for all national and franchise players and that the revenue-share model will be maintained. The CSA will have an extension on player commercial rights until the MoU is finalised, which means the CSA can continue to advertise for events, such as the next home summer using players’ images.The longer-term financial arrangements, such as benefits, which will be similar to those in the previous MoU, have not yet been discussed. Crucially, CSA and SACA have agreed on specific dates on which they will negotiate in May and June, which has been absent previously. In the past week, SACA claimed that CSA had avoided communication with them, had not responded to messages and that negotiations had not even started. Now, SACA are pleased with the progress that has been made.”We are satisfied that this Interim Agreement addresses the uncertainty that has existed amongst players regarding the MOU and their contracts and it ensures that no national or franchise player in the system going forward is left without a contract come May 1, 2018,” Tony Irish, SACA CEO, said. “The Interim Agreement also contains commitments to key issues outside the player contracts and commits the parties to further structured negotiation over a two-month period which aims to finalise the full ambit of player benefits, and other player relevant matters, to apply over the longer, four to five-year term of the MoU.”The MoU between CSA and SACA is renewed every four years. This time, CSA are proposing a five-year MoU, which will be in place until 2023. CSA will also look to redefine their relationship with SACA, though they have not outlined what they want to change. “There is still a long way to go in these negotiations but CSA and SACA have both acted in the best interests of the game by setting a clear platform needed to jointly and constructively get this done within a two-month period,” Thabang Moroe, CSA Acting CEO said.There was also no update on the Global T20 League. Moroe has hinted CSA will make an announcement on the tournament’s future within the next week.

Liverpool are now reportedly preparing to spend big once again this summer, this time to welcome an impressive midfield star and a key defensive reinforcement for Arne Slot.

Latest on Liverpool's incomings and outgoings

The Reds have spent more than ever this summer, even breaking the British transfer record to secure Florian Wirtz’s arrival from Bayer Leverkusen. The German international is one of the best attacking midfielders in the world and will only improve a side that already have a Premier League title to their name under Slot.

The former Leverkusen star isn’t the only fresh face in Liverpool’s dressing room, however. Joining him, Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong, Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili and third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman have also all put pen to paper on Anfield moves this summer.

After signing as many as five fresh faces though, the Reds are now looking to open the door to a number of stars which could yet include Luis Diaz. The Colombian winger has found himself on the radar of both Barcelona and Bayern Munich, with the latter now reportedly willing to spend over £50m to secure his signature.

Whether Liverpool chiefs deem that offer acceptable is the big question. For over £50m, they would be selling a winger who is 28 years old and into the final two years of his current deal with fresh terms not guaranteed. And with that money, the Reds could go out and welcome two more fresh faces to round off their summer spending.

Liverpool preparing £86m double Barcelona swoop

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now preparing a €100m (£86m) offer to sign both Fermin Lopez and Andeas Christensen this summer.

The Barcelona duo have entered Liverpool’s radar, who are seemingly looking to reinforce both their midfield and backline ahead of their Premier League title defence with £69m on Lopez and £17m on Christensen.

Slot reportedly thinks they’re both a perfect fit at Anfield, but out of the duo, it is Lopez who instantly stands out as a talent to watch. The Spaniard earned high praise from scout Jacek Kulig, who praised his “incredible” 2024. Now, he could be on his way to the home of the Premier League champions.

Perfect Diaz replacement: Liverpool weighing up move for £68m "superstar"

Liverpool’s Colombian forward is edging closer to an Anfield exit this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 8, 2025

Christensen, meanwhile, wouldn’t exactly be a bad backup for Liverpool given his Premier League experience at Chelsea. Whether those at Anfield are prepared to pay his £146,000-a-week salary is another question entirely, however.