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The German's enforced exit proves that the Blaugrana remain beset by financial problems – four years after Josep Maria Bartomeu's resignation

Joan Laporta claimed in February of this year, "If we meet the budget, the darkest era in FC Barcelona's history will be over." Just over two months ago, he revealed that the "financial transition", from the edge of bankruptcy to economic stability, was "getting closer and closer".

Alluding to the mess he inherited from his disgraced predecessor, Josep Maria Bartomeu, Laporta said, "The culers (Barca fans) have been patient and we are working to turn the situation around from the one we found when we came to the presidency (in March 2021). The balance sheet this season will be positive and I hope soon we can be '1:1' (the Liga regulation that allows a member club to invest as much money in transfers as it generates in revenue).

"I am an optimist and a realist, and I know what I am talking about. We have grown in terms of income and we have reduced expenses, and we are in a situation in which we are about to resolve the Financial Fair Play (FFP) issues from last season."

Many Barca fans are beginning to wonder, though, if Laporta really does know what he's talking about, because just nine days before the close of the transfer window, the club is still not in a position to register star summer-signing Dani Olmo.

Consequently, Barca are once again scrambling around at the tail end of August, trying to either sell players or remove high-earners from the wage bill just to make ends meet. At the time of writing, Ilkay Gundogan – who only arrived in Catalunya last summer and was one of the Blaugrana's best players last season – is being pushed out the door, which only begs the question: Are Barcelona really making any progress under Laporta – or simply back to square one?

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  Perfect match

  Just like everyone else in football, Gundogan was aware of Barcelona's financial problems when he signed for the club on a free transfer last summer. He'd come close to joining twice before, but now, it seemed, the timing was right. He'd just brought the curtain down on his Manchester City career in the best possible fashion, by leading Pep Guardiola's side to a historic treble, and was looking for a new challenge.

  In Barcelona, he couldn't have wished for a better option. The Catalan club represented the realisation of a dream. He'd grown up watching Xavi running the "best midfield in the world" – now he'd have the chance to play under the Spanish legend.

  Crucially, Xavi was just as keen to have Gundogan on board. He was the first player that he requested Laporta sign last summer. Far more importantly, though, the pair just clicked from their very first conversation.

  "Xavi made his ideas of how the team wants to play very clear," Gundogan explained. "It's very similar to how we played in Man City. It's a similar school, Guardiola, Xavi… But in the way he approached the talks, with his honesty, I also saw sort of my own character reflected in him."

  That shared trait served neither man well, though, at a club that seemingly has little interest in facing up to the full extent of its problems on and off the field.

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  'Didn't come here to lose these games'

  Gundogan had turned down far more lucrative offers from elsewhere to join Barca, having been swayed not solely by Xavi but also by memories of growing up watching Ronaldinho wowing Camp Nou with his still-unrivalled box of tricks. However, he quickly came to realise that the old image of Barca as '' no longer holds true. According to reports in Spain, he and his wife Sara felt "abandoned" by Barca as they attempted to settle in the city – which eventually led to an apology from the club.

  Of far greater concern to Gundogan, though, was the character of his colleagues. This was a man who had become renowned and revered at one of the greatest club sides the game has ever seen for repeatedly stepping up to the mark when his team needed him most. Gundogan wasn't just a serial winner – he was a big-game player that turned into "prime Zinedine Zidane" at the business end of every season.

  So, it came as no surprise to see him score six minutes into his first competitive Clasico, last October. However, what came as a serious shock to Gundogan was his team-mates' reaction to Barca going on to lose the game 2-1, after conceding an injury-time winner to Jude Bellingham.

  "I have just come to the dressing room," Gundogan said in a post-match interview with , "and, obviously, players are disappointed after such a big game, such an important game and such an unthinkable result, but I would like to see more anger, more disappointment.

  "This is part of the problem: you have to express more emotions when you lose and when you know you can play better. You have to do better in certain situations but we don't react. I didn't come here to lose these kinds of games. I also have a responsibility as a senior player not to allow these things to happen to the team, because we need to hang in there more."

  Barca defender Inigo Martinez dismissed the significance of Gundogan's criticism, arguing that sometimes players say things that they don't mean "in the heat of the moment". But Gundogan meant every word – and he repeated many of them after Barcelona capitulated in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain.

  Once again he expressed his bitter frustration at the lack of "anger" after such an avoidable defeat and even called out Ronald Araujo for stupidly getting himself sent off at a crucial juncture in the contest – which didn't go over well with the Uruguayan.

  Again, though, that's part of the problem at Barca these days. There's a fragility about the team and indeed the club that means they find it difficult to deal with home truths.

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  'Stability and time'

  It's certainly no coincidence that a clearly upset Laporta decided against travelling with the team for the Liga clash with Almeria on May 16 – just a day after Xavi had openly discussed the club's financial problems.

  "The cule must understand that the situation is very complicated to compete economically," he told reporters. "It has nothing to do with what we had 25 years ago when the coach would come and say 'I want this player, this one, and this one.' It doesn't work like that anymore. I understand that and we're going to adjust to [the situation]. That doesn't mean we're not going to compete. We need stability and time."

  Barca have little of either. Laporta formally sacked Xavi less than two weeks later, and in the most disrespectful and farcical fashion imaginable, creating even more chaos at the club. And while their 2024-25 Liga campaign kicked off with a win in Valencia on Saturday, Barca's financial situation remains as uncertain as it is unresolved.

  Indeed, it's telling that several top Catalan journalists – some of whom are Barca fans – are losing faith in the current administration, given the Blaugrana find themselves cash-strapped and in registration mess for the second summer in a row.

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  Ridiculous recruitment

  The hope remains that Olmo will be registered before deadline day, but that most likely depends on allowing Gundogan, who still has two years left on his contract, to leave for nothing just to create room on the wage bill.

  Some have argued that Olmo's arrival means the 33-year-old Gundogan is no longer required, particularly as doubts have been raised over his suitability to the pressing game new coach Hansi Flick is hoping to implement. However, whatever way Laporta and his supporters try to spin it, Gundogan's enforced exit is a damning indictment of the club's ridiculous recruitment policy and only serves to highlight their ongoing inability to balance the books.

  It's certainly hard to have much faith in Barca's bid to buy and sell their way out of trouble when one considers that of the seven players signed across 2023 – Gundogan, Julian Araujo, Vitor Roque, Oriol Romeu, Joao Felix, Joao Cancelo and Inigo Martinez – only the latter is likely to still be at the club come the close of the current transfer window.

  It is Gundogan's exit that really grates, though. For starters, he remains one of the best attacking midfielders in the game, as underlined by the fact that only Bruno Fernandes created more chances than Gundogan across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues last season. He contributed 13 assists – the biggest haul at Barca – and was also directly involved in more goals (19) than in his final, treble-winning campaign at City (18), suggesting he still has at least another couple of big seasons left in him.

  He'll be missed just as much for his character as his quality, though.

Despite a slight stumble during the festive period, Arsenal have once again found themselves in the midst of a title fight in the Premier League this year, only this time, they have two opponents to contend with: Manchester City and Liverpool.

Mikel Arteta's side aren't quite as free-flowing and intense in attack as they were last campaign, but with the addition of Declan Rice and some tactical tweaks here and there, they look significantly more assured in midfield and defence, something borne out by the fact that they hold the second-best defensive record in the division.

However, for as good as the north Londoners have looked in defence and midfield, they're only really one injury away from a minor crisis, as behind Rice, Arteta can only call on an ageing Jorginho and an injury-prone Thomas Partey, who simply cannot be relied upon to remain fit anymore, with the Ghanaian missing a massive 66 games and counting for club and country since making the move to N5 three years ago.

With this problem impossible to ignore, the club have made no secret about their desire to sign a new, younger central midfielder who can fill in at six in case of a Rice absence, with Everton's Amadou Onana, Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi and, perhaps more than any other, Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz constantly linked with the North Londoners this month.

Arsenal's longstanding interest

The first murmurings of the Gunners' interest in Villa's Brazilian machine sprung up in the dying hours of the 2022 summer transfer window, as the club saw three offers rebuffed by the Villans before the player then signed a new five-year deal at the club a few months later.

However, that new long-term deal obviously did little to deter Edu and Co, as they maintained their interest in the former City youth product, and the links came back in full force in the January transfer window.

Unfortunately for Arsenal, though, a report from Football Insider earlier in January revealed that a move for Luiz mid-way through the season would cost any interested parties at least £100m, essentially killing any move before it had a chance to develop.

With the fee unlikely to drop much in the summer, lest Luiz kicks up an almighty fuss, it might be wiser for Arsenal to finally drop their interest and instead turn to a Hale End graduate who is currently tearing it up in the Championship.

Charlie Patino's career so far

Charlie Patino has been playing senior football for two seasons now, but he first made a name for himself with the Arsenal and England junior sides.

The midfield "maestro", as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him at the time, made 25 appearances for the Gunners U18 side, in which he scored one goal and provided four assists, before going on to make 22 appearances for the U21 side, scoring two goals and providing one assist.

At the same time, he was rapidly progressing through the England ranks, making his debut for the U15 side in February 2018 and reaching the U21 squad just five years later.

He has won 22 junior caps and represented every age group from the U15s to the U21s, scoring three goals in the process.

With how well he was performing at the youth level, it was only a matter of time until he made his senior debut for the Gunners, and when it did come in December 2021, he made sure to leave an impression, scoring his first senior goal for the club within minutes of his entrance.

His first start would come just a month later in the FA Cup, and while the result – a loss against Nottingham Forest – was far from ideal, his talent was evident to see.

With youth football firmly behind him, he spent a fruitful albeit doomed campaign on loan with Blackpool last year before heading to Swansea City this season, where he has been fantastic.

How Charlie Patino compares to Douglas Luiz this season

Now, if your initial thought is that Luiz, one of the key players for a top-four chasing team in the Premier League, must be leaps and bounds ahead of a 20-year-old who has but one full season of senior football behind him, you'd probably be right – most of the time anyway.

However, Patino is, in the words of journalist Phil Smith, a "special talent", and with how well he is performing for the Swans in the Championship this season, there is a chance that he could make the step up to top-flight football next season and cement himself in the midfield of a title-chasing Arsenal side.

The Watford-born gem has made 24 appearances for the Welsh side so far, scored four goals, and provided four assists, giving him a goal involvement every three games on average, which is pretty remarkable for a youngster who primarily plays in central midfield.

In contrast, Villa's midfield monster has made 32 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring seven goals and providing six assists, giving him a goal involvement every 2.46 games.

While that is slightly more impressive on the surface, four of his goals have been penalties, making a £100m investment a little harder to justify on that front.

Finally, how do the pair's underlying numbers stack up? Well, somewhat surprisingly, it's the Arsenal man who emerges victorious in the majority of metrics relevant to a modern-day central midfielder.

For example, he produces a more impressive non-penalty expected goal and assists figure, more shot and goal-creating actions, makes more interceptions and clearances per 90, and is more adept at taking on defenders.

In his defence, Luiz produces more progressive passes and carries per 90, but under the tutelage of Arteta and with more quality around him, there's no apparent reason why Patino couldn't eventually produce the same numbers as the Brazilian.

Arsenal plotting deadline day bid for Martinelli 2.0

The 19-year-old has more than a few shades of Martinelli about him.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 1, 2024

Ultimately, there is a risk in going with youth, but in today's FFP and PSR-aware world, there is arguably more risk in spending vast sums of money on a player a team doesn't need.

Anyway, trusting in the youth worked pretty well regarding Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have all the pieces in place to dominate yet again in the new campaign

How can Real Madrid actually improve? Los Blancos were the best team in Europe for most of last season, dominating Spain and securing an obligatory Champions League triumph with aplomb.

Well, they've done all of the right things to suggest that they could actually get better. In Kylian Mbappe, they finally got their man in the transfer market (albeit after years of waiting.) And even though a key player has retired, Los Blancos should have enough about them to run it back.

Should all else fail, they have arguably the best manager in the business to figure it all out. Be prepared for a growing pain or two, but this could be the best year in Madrid in a while.

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  Mood around the Santiago Bernabeu

  It's excellent. Real Madrid were the best team in Europe last year – winning a Champions League and La Liga double – and appear to have improved. The arrival of Mbappe is massive for Los Blancos. There may be some growing pains, but he's still a top three player in the sport. He will bring goals in spades.

  Even without him, this is a young exciting core that will only get better. Federico Valverde had a quietly masterful season last year, while Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga continued to improve. If they take another stride, then Real could be special.

  Carlo Ancelotti is the perfect man at the helm in all of this. The Italian penned a new contract in the middle of last campaign, and seems set to be the ideal figurehead as this side continues to evolve. Prepare for yet another season of brash confidence from the most outspoken fanbase in football.

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  Transfer business

  Well, they wrapped up the big one – at a great price, too. Mbappe's arrival was rather delayed by Paris Saint-Germain's deep pockets, but it might just all be worth it given Los Blancos didn't have to pay a penny for him. He's supposedly on decent wages, too, and the signing bonus will raise some eyebrows (not just Ancelotti's).

  But it hasn't all been smooth sailing. Real have reportedly shown interest in other targets – without much success. They joined half of Europe in the Leny Yoro sweepstakes before the centre-back chose Manchester United, proving unable to grant the teenager the playing time he wanted at a big club.

  Talk about full-back acquisitions has also gone quiet. A Trent Alexander-Arnold move fell apart before it gathered any real momentum. Alphonso Davies' presumptive arrival is also in doubt – with Los Blancos likely having to wait 12 months before they can lure the Canadian to the Bernabeu.

  Similarly, there remains interest in River Plate youngster Franco Mastantuono, but Madrid might not be too inclined to spend big on a player who won't have much of an impact this season.

  Still, Mbappe's acquisition alone makes this summer nothing less than an overwhelming success in terms of incomings.

  Joselu's has left the Bernabeu after he became a one-season cult hero, while stalwart Nacho has departed at the end of his contract, and Kroos, of course, has retired. Meanwhile, young centre-back Rafa Marin, 22, has been sold to Napoli.

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  Pre-season performances

  If there are any concerns about this Madrid team – and there are admittedly few – they can be derived from what was an undeniably poor pre-season campaign.

  Ancelotti gave all of his big names a month off, and Los Blancos' backups struggled as a result. Losses to Milan and Barcelona proved as points of annoyance, while there can't be much to take from a win over an admittedly miserable Chelsea side.

  It wasn't the best slate for Real's backups, who struggled to find form. Brahim Diaz could have used the month-long tour of America to play his way into the picture, but failed to impress. Meanwhile, a 38-year-old Luka Modric certainly looked his age.

  Perhaps most concerningly, though, was the poor form of Endrick. There will undoubtedly be massive pressure on the 18-year-old,€60 million (£50.7m/$65.2m) million price tag and all. He didn't really seize the moment this summer, failing to find the net off the back of a poor Copa America campaign.

  Then again, the Super Cup showing against Atalanta…

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  Talking tactics

  Can anyone ever really doubt Ancelotti? There are a lot of questions to be asked here: how can you fit Vinicius and Mbappe into the same team? What will happen to Bellingham as a result? Does Rodrygo get any minutes?

  Effectively, the manager has too many forwards, and not enough spots for them. The sexiest setup is a Vinicius-Mbappe-Rodrygo triumvirate, with Bellingham operating as an advanced midfielder.

  That could work, but might lack the kind of defensive solidity that Ancelotti values. It was an interesting experiment against Atalanta – and ultimately it worked – but it remains to be seen how effective that is on bigger European nights. In those situations, Rodrygo might be left out, Bellingham plays as a No.10/false nine of sorts, with a workmanlike midfield keeping everything tidy.

  And should it fail to pan out at first, Ancelotti will have few problems configuring a more reliable XI.

Meredith, Faulkner and Ellis pick up three wickets each before Short and McDermott hit half-centuries

Sruthi Ravindranath24-Dec-2019An impressive show from the fast-bowling trio of Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith and James Faulkner backed up by a solid batting display by D’Arcy Short and Ben McDermott helped the Hobart Hurricanes consign the Melbourne Renegades to their third straight loss this season.The strong performances from Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh with the bat were the only positives on the day for the visiting Renegades, who were treated to some disciplined bowling from the Hurricanes’ quicks, who combined to take nine wickets. Finch fell soon after bringing up his fifty, and the Renegades batting disintegrated after that, the last six wickets falling for just 14 runs to finish on a below-par 147.In reply, Short helped his side get off to a quick start. He was joined in the fourth over by McDermott, who played a patient innings, hitting just one four on his way to a half-century and staying till the end to take his side past the line.Short, McDermott play it smartShort’s exploits in the format are well-known, and the opener had yet another impressive outing on the day. The top run-scorer of last season brought up his second fifty of the season, plundering the Renegades bowlers for seven fours and a six to lead the chase of the small target.But it was McDermott’s innings which stood out. Playing sensibly, the Hurricanes captain stuck to quick singles, especially against the spinners. He had come in after two quick wickets in the fourth over, and both batsmen slowed it down for a while, not attempting any big shots from the sixth to tenth overs.When Short got to a 37-ball 50, McDermott was on 20 off 22 balls without a single boundary against his name. Shortly after their partnership crossed 70 runs, the Renegades got the breakthrough with Boyce striking Short’s pads. But it did not set any alarm bells ringing for the Hurricanes, who needed 49 off 37 balls at that stage and had David Miller at the crease. While McDermott stuck to his plan, Miller helped reduce the equation further by smoking two sixes off Harry Gurney, one of which went out of the ground.McDermott went on, bringing up his fifty off 47 balls at the end of the penultimate over, and the win was sealed soon after.Riley Meredith bowled superbly at the death•Getty Images

Finch and Marsh play their partAfter Sam Harper holed out to Faulkner for a duck in the third ball of the match, Finch was joined by the in-form Marsh. The duo showed their fondness for spin as McDermott introduced left-arm spinner Clive Rose up front. His very first delivery was swept away to the boundary by Finch, and while he managed to keep the batsmen quiet for the rest of that over, he was taken for two more fours in his second.Finch and Marsh took the total to 1 for 50 by the end of the powerplay, but the run rate gradually slowed down over the next three overs, with Meredith, Ellis and Qais Ahmed giving away just 18 runs. Marsh was eventually undone by Ellis’ slower ball, which he hit straight to long-on. But Finch carried on, bringing up his 16th BBL half-century off 36 balls, hitting six fours on the way.Hurricanes’ quicks call the shotsFinch couldn’t make it a big one, sent back caught trying to whip Meredith’s full delivery over midwicket, and the Hurricanes did not let the opposition take the upper hand from there on. Ahmed pinned Beau Webster in front and it was one-way traffic after that. The quicks ran riot, combining to pick five wickets for just eight runs and bowl the Renegades out for 147. Ellis and Meredith, in particular, bowled with discipline, using changes of pace and probing lines to keep the Renegades quiet.Merdith bowled the big 18th over and did superbly – getting Dan Christian to edge a short ball to the keeper and then pinning Tom Cooper in front with a near-145kph yorker. In the next over, Ellis bowled a slow short delivery that Cameron Boyce sent to long-on, and he then took out Richard Gleeson with an inch-perfect yorker. Faulkner came back to finish off the job in the first ball of the final over when he had Kane Richardson caught at mid-off.

Galatasaray advisor and prominent agent George Gardi has dived into the behind-the-scenes developments with regards to the transfer to Leroy Sane to the Turkish heavyweights. The 29-year-old, who left Bayern Munich as a free agent at the end of last season, signed a three-year deal with Galatasaray after the club managed to convince him of his importance in the project.

• Sane settling into new club Galatasaray

  The former Manchester City and Schalke star left Bayern Munich as a free agent upon the expiry of his contract over the summer and joined reigning Turkish Super Lig champions Galatasaray on a three-year deal. He is one of the highest-earning players in Turkey, pocketing a hefty €9 million annual bonus along with a net loyalty bonus of €3m. 

  His first few months at the club weren't as good as many expected. The German international struggled to maintain his fitness and looked rusty during games. In fact, he was even dropped from the starting XI for the Champions League encounter against Liverpool in September. 

  However, things have started to fall in place for Sane in recent weeks. In a recent interview with , the winger admitted that "things didn't quite go as planned on the pitch at the beginning," but after getting regular minutes under his belt and spending more time with his new team-mates on the field, he was "very happy with my performances and how I've played."

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  Galatasaray advisor reveals how the Sane transfer developed

  Galatasaray transfer advisor George Gardi – one of the most prominent agents in Turkey, having facilitated the arrivals of Mauro Icardi, Victor Osimhen and Mario Gomez – has shed light on the behind-the-scenes developments surrounding the Sane transfer.

  "This idea came about many, many months before the transfer window opened. I knew this player was needed to take the team to the next level. He was an essential player for building the squad for the upcoming season," Gardi told . 

  "When I started negotiations – many months in advance – I initially began with his then-agents. Then there was a change in management, and I continued with the new agents. Of course, it was difficult. He had offers from top clubs in England and Germany. He had a huge offer from Saudi Arabia. With the Club World Cup coming up, it was a big decision for his career."

  Speaking about the negotiations, Gardi further explained: "I spoke a lot with the agents and also with him personally. I told him that Galatasaray could be a place where he would become one of the leaders. That he would fit perfectly into the system and could win in a place that would give him great emotions and great satisfaction – perhaps even with a chance to win something in Europe, something the club had never achieved before. I explained to the board and the president that we had to make this transfer very early. If we waited too long, the competition would be even greater and it would be almost impossible to get him. That's why I insisted on completing the deal before the Club World Cup. He travelled with Bayern Munich on the US tour and to the Club World Cup – and it was absolutely unusual for Galatasaray and generally for the Turkish market to sign such a player so early in the transfer window. Normally, these top players only arrive in the winter. Signing such a player so early sent a strong signal to the transfer market."

• How Sane was convinced to join Galatasaray

  Sane spent much of the 2024–25 season in a secondary role at Bayern Munich, logging just over 2,500 minutes in all competitions. Any club hoping to convince him would have needed to guarantee a larger role. At Galatasaray, he has already played nearly half as many minutes as he did last season. And that’s after only 15 matches.

  "The deciding factor was the role he would have at the club," Gardi revealed. "The team needed a player with his qualities. The discussions with the coach – who made it very clear how important he would be to the team. And of course, the love of the fans, which he wouldn't have received elsewhere. To pull off transfers of such iconic players – players from such top clubs, with such fierce competition in the market – and to bring them in at the peak of their careers, and then at the beginning of the transfer window… that's a huge success for the club, for the president, the vice president, and the coach. We worked together brilliantly as a team to bring in such an important player. And hopefully, we will pull off similar transfers again in the future."

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  Sane yet to unleash his best version for Galatasaray

  Although he has scored three goals and delivered as many assists so far this season, the general consensus is that the 29-year-old is yet to display his best version for the Turkish heavyweights. In recent weeks, his prominence has increased and his convincing performances for Germany during the recently-concluded international break – where he scored twice – will only further boost his morale as the season progresses. 

  Gardi, as such, remains unflustered about Sane's impact. "There was a certain adjustment period – to the league, to the country. But now his performance is a key factor for the team, especially in the Champions League," he claimed. "And I believe we haven't yet seen his full potential. In the coming months, he will show his full potential – and raise his level even further, although it is already extremely high."

Domestic schedule spreads four-day game across calendar as Oval hosts Hundred opener

Andrew Miller26-Nov-2019Next season’s County Championship will begin on Easter Sunday (April 12), and will feature fixtures in each of the six months of the season, while the inaugural season of the Hundred will be launched with a Friday-night fixture between Oval Invincibles and Welsh Fire at The Oval on July 17, as the ECB attempt to balance the demands of their oldest and newest formats in the unveiling of their domestic schedule for 2020.The announcement, widely anticipated following the introduction of a new fourth format in an already crowded schedule, sees the county champions Essex beginning their title defence with a home fixture against Yorkshire on April 19 – one of 12 consecutive rounds of the competition that will include at least one day’s play on a weekend.And, in a season when the priorities of the England men’s team will begin to switch back to Test cricket after their capturing of the 50-over World Cup in the 2019 season, the ECB have responded to criticism that the County Championship has been pushed to the margins in recent seasons by ensuring it will be played at regular intervals throughout the summer, with the longest gap coming between July 8 and August 23.Instead, it is the 50-over Royal London Cup that will be contested in that period of the season, to allow the Hundred to take precedence in the height of the summer.”Cricket has different formats that appeal to different people, and it’s always a challenge to give every type of cricket supporter what they want,” said Gordon Hollins, the ECB’s managing director of county cricket. “It’s a nice challenge to have.”We want to broaden the appeal of cricket through the Hundred, and at the same time make sure traditional cricket supporters are served with different formats that they can watch at different times. We’ve done the best we possibly can by having Championship cricket in every month.”Somerset will begin the defence of their 50-over title on July 20 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, in a competition that will feature the use of 18 outgrounds – including Scarborough, Radlett and Grantham – while the Test-hosting venues are prioritising the Hundred in a window that stretches from July 17 to the men’s final on August 15.The women’s Hundred will also take place in a similar timeframe, with Birmingham Phoenix and Manchester Originals opening the tournament at Worcester’s New Road on July 22, ahead of their Friday-evening final on August 14. The venues for both men’s and women’s finals are yet to be decided, with an announcement anticipated in the coming weeks.The initial availability of England’s international stars for the Hundred is also now known. England willl finish a three-match ODI series against Australia in Bristol on July 16, the eve of the first Hundred fixture at The Oval. This means that, fitness and form permitting, the likes of Invincibles’ Jason Roy and Fire’s Jonny Bairstow can expect to feature in both fixtures.England’s first Test against Pakistan gets underway at Lord’s on July 30, a fortnight into the tournament, meaning that England’s Test players – including Trent Rockets’ Joe Root and Northern Superchargers’ Ben Stokes, will be made available for the first three rounds of the Hundred before reporting for England duty at the close of play on July 25.Although the TV schedule for the Hundred is not yet known – and most specifically the split of fixtures between BBC and Sky – there will be consecutive Saturdays with back-to-back televised matches on July 18 and 25.Other tweaks to the schedule for 2020 will involve more Thursday, Friday and weekend fixtures for the Vitality Blast, which will be launched by a London derby between Surrey and Middlesex at The Oval on 28 May.And while the format for the 50-over competition is broadly unchanged, the two groups of nine teams has this year been randomly drawn instead of split into pre-determined North and South Groups.

January has been a busy month behind the scenes for Crystal Palace, with the recruitment team working hard to bring at least one new face to Selhurst Park.

However, on the field, the Palace faithful are becoming increasingly frustrated by Roy Hodgson's style of play and approach.

Nevertheless, the boss is keen to sign a new defender who will help bolster the attack and bring excitement back to the Eagles.

Crystal Palace want a new right back

Journalist Ed Aarons of The Guardian reported earlier in the week, via CPFCtransfersHQ on X, Palace have submitted a bid for Daniel Munoz, which sadly has been rejected by his side, Genk.

However, it is reported that the Eagles' are set to increase their offer for the £9m right back.

A move this window is realistic, and recent reports from Colombia have suggested that personal terms have been agreed.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

By
Luke Randall

Feb 1, 2024

How Munoz would fit into the Palace team

Michael Olise has been Palace's most dangerous player this campaign, despite rarely playing due to a couple of injuries that have impacted his season.

Even though the French winger has started just seven Premier League games, he has netted five goals and provided one assist, with his performances often determining the result for his side.

Unfortunately for the 22-year-old, he is often isolated on the right wing due to Palace's tactics and the lack of attacking support provided by Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne, who rank in the bottom 13 and 22 percentile, respectively, for touches in the attacking third, as per FBref.

The star who could fix that issue and elevate Olise to an entirely new level is Munoz, who has "plenty of goals in him," according to South American expert Tim Vickery via Sky Sports.

Nonetheless, let's take a closer look at the flying Colombian full-back via statistics from the last year across the leagues most similar to the Belgian Pro League.

As you can see, Munoz is a total attack-minded full-back who pretty much does everything on the field. The 27-year-old is a huge goal threat, as displayed by his shots and goals statistics, which would allow Olise's creativity to flourish, as the duo would inevitably combine to cause chaos down the right.

The Colombian also ranks in the top 1% of positionally similar players for progressive passes and the top 6% for passes into the final third, which means his first instinct is to look up and progress play, ultimately giving Olise much more of the ball to work his magic with.

The Genk star also loves to carry the ball forward, and his high touches in the attacking third prove that he loves to support the winger.

This means that Olise will be able to find much more space where he can either find a deft pass or have a strike at goal. Munoz's overlapping runs would help with the latter in particular, providing the France gem with the opportunity to cut inside onto his stronger left foot much more often.

In short, Palace must do all they can to acquire Munoz's signature as his impact on the side could be monumental.

Karnataka became the first team to hold both white-ball titles in the same domestic season

The Report by Hemant Brar01-Dec-2019Defending champions Karnataka survived a Baba Aparajith-Vijay Shankar scare to clinch a last-ball win as they beat Tamil Nadu by one run in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019-20. They became the first team two win both white-ball titles in the same season, having won the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy a little over a month ago, and incidentally, Tamil Nadu were the losing side in the final on both occasions.After being put in, Manish Pandey led from the front, scoring an unbeaten 60 off 45 balls to help Karnataka to a formidable 180 for 5. In response, Tamil Nadu were 80 for 4 at the end of ten overs before Vijay and Aparajith revived the chase by adding 71 in 43 balls for the fifth wicket.It came down to 13 required from the final over with Vijay and R Ashwin in the middle. R Ashwin hit offspinner K Gowtham’s first two balls for fours before playing a dot ball and taking a single to put Vijay on strike. With four needed from two balls, Vijay was run out while returning for a non-existent second run, Pandey’s throw from long-on catching him short.With two required off the final ball for a Super Over, non-striker R Ashwin removed his pads but his namesake M Ashwin could hardly get the ball off the pitch and the batsmen managed only one.Tamil Nadu stumble after strong startTamil Nadu started their chase positively and moved to 64 for 2 at the end of seven overs with Washington Sundar and Dinesh Karthik looking well set. Karthik had just hit two fours off Shreyas Gopal and when Rohan Kadam failed to latch on to a rebound at the deep-backward square-leg boundary in the eighth over, it looked like it would be Tamil Nadu’s night.Karnataka, though, struck back by dismissing the two in successive overs: J Suchith had Karthik stumped and Gowtham castled Washington.Karnataka survive Aparajith, Vijay scareTamil Nadu needed 101 from the last ten overs and Vijay and Aparajith never let the asking rate go past 11. They found at least one boundary per over between overs 11 to 15 and reduced the equation to 52 from five overs.Aparajith then hit the first balls of the next two overs for sixes and took the side closer. But with 31 needed from 18 balls, he fell to Ronit More while looking for another six. Vijay and R Ashwin further brought it down to 25 from 12 and then 13 from six, but in the end, they fell short by the narrowest of margins.R Ashwin’s two-in-two not enoughIt was billed as a contest between Karnataka’s batsmen and Tamil Nadu’s bowlers. And the black-soil surface did seem to aid spinners. There was turn available, with a couple of balls coming slower off the pitch. Add R Ashwin and Washington’s guiles to the mix, and you would back them to trouble most batsmen.Karnataka’s batsmen, though, just don’t fall in that category. KL Rahul started the innings by cutting R Ashwin past point for four. While his opening partner Devdutt Padikkal didn’t look at his best and was pinged on the helmet by a T Natarajan bouncer in the fourth over, the youngster remained unperturbed and flicked the seamer for a six three balls later.In the next over, Rahul used his feet against R Ashwin to hit him over long-on but the spinner had his revenge next ball. Rahul skipped down again but R Ashwin shortened his length this time and had the batsman caught at long-on. Mayank Agarwal fell for a first-ball duck, closing the face of the bat too early to offer R Ashwin a simple return catch.But Padikkal hit Washington for a six and a four in the next over to take Karnataka to 57 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.Pandey leads with unbeaten half-centuryPadikkal’s scratchy innings came to an end when he played inside the line to a Washington delivery and had his off stump flattened. His 23-ball 32 took his run tally for the tournament to 580, the most in a single edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.At the other end, Pandey stepped out against M Ashwin, hitting him for a six and four. He, in the company of Kadam, took the side past 100 in the 12th over.Kadam too hit his stride after a slow start and struck back-to-back fours off left-arm spinner M Siddharth before hitting Vijay for three in a row in the next over. Pandey kept putting away the loose balls and despite just 34 runs from the last four overs, Karnataka managed a total that proved just enough.

It has been a quiet month for West Ham United as they are yet to make a senior addition to their squad during the January transfer window, but they are now reportedly prepared to sanction two departures in order to bring in a new face.

West Ham want to sell two first-team players

David Moyes has decided that he is willing to part ways with two of his current first-team forwards before the window slams shut at the start of February, in order to bring in an immediate replacement. According to Football Insider, the Hammers have deemed Maxwel Cornet and Said Benrahma to both be surplus to requirements at the London Stadium.

The report claims that both players are set to move on from the club before the deadline as West Ham are prepared to accept reasonable offers for them. It states that Benrahma has attracted interest from Lyon and Marseille in France, whilst unnamed clubs in Saudi Arabia are also keen on the Algeria international.

Football Insider go on to claim that the Hammers are then eyeing up a replacement for the winger to bolster their attacking options ahead of the second half of the campaign.

They reference two previous reports linking the club with moves for Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto and Ajax dynamo Steven Bergwijn, who previously played in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur. However, it remains to be seen whether or not the Europa League side will be able to get a deal over the line for either of them before the deadline passes, or if they need to sell Benrahma – and Cornet – to fund a move for either of their targets.

Benrahma deserves to be ditched

Moyes has decided that the former Brentford sensation does not have a future at West Ham beyond the current transfer window, and it is hard to argue with that call when you consider his impact, or lack thereof, on the pitch. The 28-year-old, as you can see in the table below, has rarely contributed for the Hammers in the final third, despite operating as a winger and being expected to be a difference-maker in matches.

Benrahma did play in 35 of the club's 38 Premier League games last season and contributed with six goals, four of which came from the penalty spot, and three assists.

This means that the Algerian, who was once described as "inconsistent" by journalist Josh Bunting, has managed two goals and four assists in his last 48 top-flight appearances without penalties, which illustrates his lack of impact from open play.

In fact, the £55k-per-week ace ranks within the bottom 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.05).

His inconsistent performances and lack of quality end product from open play may be one of the reasons why Moyes has decided to ruthlessly ditch him from the club.

Thomas Tuchel dished out another warning to an England defender over his conduct on the pitch. Tuchel has been very particular with the on and off-field behaviour of the players who represent the Three Lions and the former Chelsea manager is in no mood to compromise when it comes to discipline. Tuchel recently oversaw England's historic World Cup qualifying campaign, where they won all eight of their matches.

• Djed Spence ignored Thomas Frank after Spurs loss to Chelsea

  Following a terrible performance against Chelsea earlier this month, which produced just one shot on target, the home supporters made their feelings clear as boos rang around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following the conclusion of the match. Despite the jeering, as is customary, Spurs boss Frank went onto the pitch as he and the rest of the players planned to show their appreciation for their fans' support during the game. 

  However, later in a video which was widely shared across social media, Spurs duo Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence opted to leave the pitch instead of greeting supporters, to the anger of head coach Frank. 

  The Spurs, though, later downplayed the incident as he told reporters: "All the players are, of course, frustrated. They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform. I understand that. I think it’s difficult to be consistent in good times and bad times, that’s why I went around to the fans as I did, it’s more fun when we win, I can tell you that. I understand why you ask the question. But I think that’s one of, how you can say, small issues. We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence doing everything they can. They’ve performed very well so far this season. Everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, I don’t think it’s a big problem."

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  Spence warned by Tuchel

  Following the misconduct on the pitch for his club, England boss Tuchel has now spoken to the defender and warned against repeating such behaviour. The German coach later told reporters, "I didn’t like it. Because the players know they are not only national players when they are ten days in camp. They are always national players, and the standard of behaviour is always important."

• Tuchel slammed Bellingham earlier

  During England's World Cup qualifier against Albania on Sunday, Jude Bellingham finally got a chance to shine as he displayed an impressive performance. However, he was disappointed at being substituted in the 84th minute and was later accused of not "embracing the collective"

  On Bellingham's behaviour, Tuchel later said: "That is a bad impression. It should be about the collective. What we did in camp is all about the collective. I have to then review it – I was happy about the goal. I had a quick talk with Morgan Rogers and I was sure that everyone celebrated together. I will have a look at it. That is not the image we want to transport. We feel everyone is committed and that everyone accepts tough decisions, be it before the match or in the match.

  "He [Bellingham] has to accept it, he has to accept it. We should not make more out of it than it is. Rogers was not happy when he couldn't start today because he deserves to play, and he wants to play all the time. We gave him a bit of a rest because he came with a lot of minutes playing at club [level] and played for us against Serbia. I also don't want to make more out of it. I stick to my words – behaviour is key. Decisions are made, and you have to accept it as a player."

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  England's historic World Cup qualifying journey

  England scripted history as they became the first team to win all of their eight World Cup qualifying matches without conceding a single goal, as they scored 22 times in this period. In their latest win over Albania, courtesy of a brace from Harry Kane, the Bayern Munich star took his international goals tally to 78 as he surpassed Brazil icon Pele in the list of all-time highest goalscorers in the international arena.