يحل فريق برشلونة ضيفاً على نظيره ليفانتي، خارج ملعبه، في الساعة العاشرة والنصف مساء، في الجولة الثانية من الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.
وافتتح برشلونة موسمه في الدوري الإسباني بالفوز ضد ريال مايوركا بثلاثية نظيفة في الجولة الأولى من الدوري الاسباني، ويرغب الفريق في مواصلة انتصاراته وتحقيق الانتصار الثاني على التوالي.
اقرأ أيضاً.. برشلونة يدرس إعارة صفقته الجديدة قبل إغلاق سوق الانتقالات
وكان هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة قد استدعى مهاجمه البولندي روبرت ليفاندوفسكي لقائمة المباراة بعد حصوله على التصريح الطبي، ولكنه سيجلس على دكة البدلاء اليوم. تشكيل برشلونة أمام ليفانتي في الدوري الإسباني
حراسة المرمى: خوان جارسيا
خط الدفاع: اريك جارسيا – أراوخو – كوبارسي – بالدي
خط الوسط: مارك كاسادو – بيدري – رافينيا
خط الهجوم: ماركوس راشفورد – لامين يامال – فيران توريس
da dobrowin： Mikel Arteta has done a superb job of transforming Arsenal after his appointment back in December 2019, taking the club from mid-table strugglers to consistent Premier League title challengers.
da bwin： The Gunners have finished runners-up in two consecutive seasons to Manchester City, potentially finishing in the same position this year, but to Arne Slot’s Liverpool.
Injuries and poor recruitment from the hierarchy in January have certainly halted the club’s chances of ending their two-decade wait for a league triumph, with the Spaniard having to operate with a makeshift forward line in recent weeks.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetabefore the match
However, if they are to take the next step and claim title glory, the board desperately need to back Arteta once again, handing him the quality and depth needed to finally go one better than second place.
A repeat of one window could allow for such success, with a previous summer transfer window setting the club up for the progress they’ve seen over the last couple of years during the manager’s reign.
Arsenal’s transfer window in the summer of 2021
After an eighth-placed finish the season prior, the board handed Arteta the funds to improve his first-team squad, securing a £30m deal to sign Martin Odegaard on a permanent basis after his loan spell at the Emirates.
The Norwegian has since made over 150 appearances for the Gunners, often being the most creative player in the side, as seen with his tally of 36 goals and 28 assists since his big-money transfer.
Ben White also arrived during the same window, adding that defensive quality that had for so long been lacking under the management of former boss Unai Emery.
The 27-year-old cost £50m from fellow Premier League side Brighton, matching Odegaard in making over 100 appearances, but has struggled with fitness issues in 2024/25, restricting him to just 13 games across all competitions.
However, despite the big-money arrivals, the hierarchy also conducted excellent business in offloading multiple players, including one who Arteta was a big fan of after his appointment.
The player who Arsenal struck gold offloading
Given the success of the Arsenal academy, the first team is usually always benefitting from young talent who are looking to stake their claim for a consistent place in the squad.
Arsenal'sEthanNwaneriand MylesLewis-Skellyduring training
Miles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are just two of the latest academy graduates to be challenging for regular minutes in Arteta’s side, gratefully benefiting from the ongoing injury crisis in North London.
However, another player who found himself in a similar position was midfielder Joe Willock, who emerged into the senior picture back in the 2017/18 campaign.
The Englishman made 78 appearances for his boyhood side over a four-season period, with his best undoubtedly coming in 2019/20, registering 44 appearances across all competitions – leading to Arteta dubbing him a “special” talent during his first year in charge.
Willock would fall down the pecking order in 2020/21, making just seven league appearances in the first half of the season, subsequently moving to Newcastle United on loan for the second half of the campaign.
He would find a massive run of form during his temporary stint at St James’ Park, scoring eight times in just 14 appearances, leading to a permanent £25m deal to join the Magpies at the end of the season.
However, since his big-money transfer, he’s only managed to score 10 goals in 117 appearances, struggling to replicate the form that led to his subsequent move to Tyneside.
Joe Willock’s stats for Newcastle since his £25m move
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2021/22
31
2
0
2022/23
43
3
6
2023/24
14
2
0
2024/25
29
3
1
Total:
117
10
7
Stats via Transfermarkt
The added investment from the hierarchy at Newcastle has also seen him start just seven league matches this campaign, falling down the order – just like he did before departing the Emirates.
Given his lack of form, coupled with his decline in minutes under Eddie Howe, the Gunners certainly made the right call in allowing Willock to depart, cashing in on the 25-year-old whilst his stock was at its highest.
His move is evidence of how impressive the academy could be for Arteta over the coming years, either allowing the Spaniard to gain key talent for the first team, as seen with Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri, or moving them on and gaining a huge fee – subsequently helping them in their quest for Premier League glory.
Outscoring Saka & Havertz: Arsenal must rue releasing "world-class" star
The incredible striker would be unreal for Arsenal.
Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph will leave the ODI World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe early with an eye on keeping them fresh for the month-long, all-format series at home against India in July-August.”Jason and Alzarri are two of our leading bowlers in all formats,” Desmond Haynes, lead selector for the West Indies men’s team, said in a statement. “We have a full schedule for the upcoming series against India, where we begin the new ICC World Test Championship, then followed by the ODIs and the five T20Is. Therefore, we had dialogue, and it was felt the best move at this time is to have two of our leading bowlers return early from Zimbabwe.”Legspinner Yannic Cariah had earlier been withdrawn from the tournament after suffering a facial injury in training, which required surgery. With Holder and Joseph returning, the squad is left with just 13 players, but no replacements have been named yet.Related
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'Can't just wake up one morning and be a great team'
The series against India starts with the first of two Tests in Roseau on July 12, followed by the second Test in Port of Spain from July 20. This will be followed by three ODIs and five T20Is, the last of which will be played in Lauderhill in the USA on August 13.West Indies’ chances of qualifying for the ODI World Cup, to be played in October-November in India, crashed when they lost a Super Six game to Scotland in the qualifying tournament in Harare on July 1. That came after defeats to Zimbabwe and Netherlands in the group stages, leaving West Indies – the champions in the first two editions in 1975 and 1979 – with no chance of making the cut. It will be the first ODI World Cup without them.They still have games against Oman, who are out of the qualification race too, and Sri Lanka, who have already qualified, on July 5 and July 7, respectively.West Indies haven’t named their squads for the series against India, but Holder and Joseph are expected to figure prominently in them. At the Zimbabwe tournament, Holder contributed with both bat and ball, scoring 144 runs from five innings at an average of 36, and picking up six wickets at an average of 35.33. Joseph, meanwhile, has been their most successful bowler, picking up eight wickets in five games so far at an average of 32.11.
Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped from the one-day squad; Tanveer Sangha and Aaron Hardie included
Alex Malcolm07-Aug-20232:25
George Bailey: Ideal world would have two captains, not three
Australia’s one-day captain Pat Cummins faces a six-week layoff due to a fractured wrist sustained in the final Ashes Test but should be available to play some of the ODIs in South Africa and India ahead of the World Cup in October.Cummins, who has so far only captained two ODIs since being named captain last year, suffered the injury to his left wrist while diving in the field during day one of the fifth Test at The Oval. He played out the remainder of the Test but requires a lengthy recovery and will miss the three-match T20I series in South Africa that begins on August 30, preceding the five-match ODI series that begins on September 7.Related
Mitchell Marsh: Really proud that I've never given up
Marnus Labuschagne's lack of consistency puts paid to ODI World Cup hopes
Hardie, Sangha and more – four new names in Australian cricket
Australia leave UK with the mace and the urn, but no gold star
Pakistan get government clearance to travel to India for 2023 ODI World Cup
Marnus Labuschagne is the big omission from Australia’s ODI squad for the upcoming tours and the World Cup having played in each of Australia’s last nine ODIs and 30 across the last three years.New South Wales legspinner Tanveer Sangha and Western Australia allrounder Aaron Hardie are the new inclusions in the 18-player squad. Both are yet to make their international debut but now have a chance to push for the final World Cup group.Sangha has not played any professional cricket since August last year due to a stress fracture in his back but has toured New Zealand with an Australia T20 squad previously. Hardie has been a regular in Australia A squads in the last 18 months and has also been named in the T20I squad for the South Africa series.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Mitchell Marsh has been named captain for the T20I series against South Africa with Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Cameron Green, David Warner and Ashton Agar all missing the T20I leg of the tour before joining for the ODIs.Glenn Maxwell will miss the South Africa ODI series following the T20Is due to paternity leave but will rejoin the squad for their three-match series against India in India that starts on September 22 and runs immediately into the 50-over World Cup.Cummins will fly to South Africa ahead of the first ODI in Bloemfontein but given the timeframe on his left wrist it is unlikely he will be available for that first match.Marsh is one of a number of candidates who could captain the ODI side in Cummins’ absence. Steven Smith led the side during the last ODI series Australia played in March in India when Cummins was absent following the death of his mother. Hazlewood also captained Australia in one game against England at the SCG last November while Alex Carey has also previously captained the ODI team.Chair of selectors George Bailey sees Cummins’ injury as a positive given his heavy workload during the Ashes and was confident there were enough games for him to prepare ahead of the World Cup, with Australia’s first match on October 8.”He has an undisplaced fracture of his left radius which requires six weeks rehabilitation,” Bailey said. We expect him to join the squad during the South African ODI series. We view a period of enforced rest for Pat as a positive ahead of this important World Cup campaign.Marnus Labuschagne has been omitted from Australia’s ODI side•Getty Images
“There are still a number of games he could play before the World Cup which is more than enough for him to have a strong preparation.”Labuschagne is the only notable omission from Australia’s World Cup plans after being a regular in the ODI team over the past three years. But having made a strong start to his career, including scoring a century in just his sixth match against South Africa in Potchefstroom in 2020, he has struggled to bed down his place in the middle order. Labuschagne averaged just 22.30 in his last 14 ODI innings, striking at 69.87 with only two half-centuries.”We know Marnus at his best is good enough to hold down a spot in the one-day team, we just haven’t seen enough of it consistently in the role that we’d like him to do,” Bailey said. “Leading into the World Cup, there’s some opportunities for others to get a bit more game time. We’ve been really clear with Marnus, he’s going to be part of some Australia A games around the same time so he can focus on some white-ball cricket.”Australia will trim their 18-man squad to 15 in early September but changes can be made up to September 28.Australian ODI squad: Pat Cummins (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
A look at the 2023 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy teams, key matches and players to watch
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Apr-2023Diary datesApril 22: Season starts with all eight teams in action. Sunrisers, winless over the three-year history of the competition, take on two-time champions Southern Vipers at the Ageas Bowl, Thunder host South East Stars, defending champions Northern Diamonds are home to Western Storm and The Blaze, the newly named Nottinghamshire side which has replaced Loughborough-based Lightning, welcome Central Sparks. July 22: Southern Vipers vs Northern Diamonds. We’ll have to wait until well into the competition before these sides meet for the first time since the 2022 final, in which Diamonds prevented a Vipers three-peat. By then we’ll have a good idea of where each side stands this year. Diamonds are unlikely to lose as many players to England duty through June and July. These sides play each other again immediately after the August pause for the Hundred. September 21: Play-off between the sides placed second and third after the group stage to determine who faces the top side in the final. September 24: The final. Will it be another Vipers-Diamonds clash, as has been the case over the first three seasons, or will another team break into the reckoning? Key signingsCentral Sparks have secured Australian batting allrounder Erin Burns from May until the start of August, bolstering their addition of left-arm quick Katie George (Western Storm) and top-order batter Chloe Brewer (South East Stars) during the off-season.Diamonds have lost a lot of experience with Linsey Smith going to Vipers and Nat Sciver-Brunt to The Blaze. They added batter Rebecca Duckworth to their line-up from Thunder but it is Chloe Tryon, the South African batting allrounder, who looms as the biggest fillip during a substantial stint from April-August.South East Stars have brought in allrounder Paige Scholfield from Vipers after Eva Gray’s move to Sunrisers.Southern Vipers welcome back Smith, their Kia Super League OG, from Diamonds but have lost wicketkeeper Carla Rudd (retired), Scholfield and Tara Norris (Thunder).Sunrisers received a much-needed boost when they managed to sign Dane van Niekerk, the hugely experienced former South Africa captain, following her international retirement. She will be with them from May until late July, when she joins Oval Invincibles for the Hundred, while Gray bolsters the bowling stocks.The Blaze Along with Nat Sciver-Brunt, Blaze have added legspinner Sarah Glenn and South Africa allrounder Nadine de Klerk after an impressive off-season recruitment drive.Thunder have also been active in the market, securing former Vipers left-arm quick Norris while retaining former West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin. Naomi Dattani and Fi Morris have also joined from Sunrisers and Western Storm respectively.Western Storm have handed Academy product Sophia Smale her first professional contract after a breakout season in the Women’s Hundred, where she was Oval Invincibles’ leading wicket-taker.Players to watchCentral Sparks: Grace Scrivens, England’s captain, may have taken the clutch wicket that edged her side past Australia and into the Under-19 T20 World Cup final, but that narrow victory was set up by legspinner Hannah Baker’s 3 for 10 which allowed England to defend a paltry total of 99 and showed she has plenty of gumption.Diamonds: Fast bowler Lizzie Scott was also part of the England U19 team which finished as T20 World Cup runners-up to India in January, building on her performance in last year’s final where she took the important wicket of No.3 Georgia Elwiss in just her third RHFT appearance.South East Stars: Tash Farrant’s season was ruined by a back stress fracture last year, just as she had worked her way back into the England side, so it will be interesting to map her return.Southern Vipers: Opener Ella McCaughan played a couple of excellent knocks in 2022, including a half-century against Lightning and 47 in a 98-run stand with opening partner Maia Bouchier their play-off victory against Stars.Sunrisers: Grace Scrivens is a player the Sunrisers can build their hopes of winning some games on and the confidence she has gained from leading her country at U19 level could see her take the next step sooner rather than later.The Blaze: Grace Ballinger, the 21-year-old left-arm seamer, was joint-leading wicket-taker for Lightning last season alongside the experienced Kirstie Gordon and has been awarded her first full professional contract this year.Thunder: Left-arm swing bowler Tara Norris, who represents United States, won wider international recognition as the first player to take a five-wicket haul at the WPL, although Vipers fans are familiar with what she can bring to a side after she finished 2022 as the competition’s third-highest wicket-taker with 12 at 19.75 and an economy rate of 4.08.Western Storm Experience gained from the Hundred and England’s runner-up finish at the Under-19 T20 World Cup stand Sophia Smale in good stead to make the next, exciting step in her career.
da blaze casino： Sheffield United are under new management in Ruben Selles, and he could now look to bring one of his former players to Bramall Lane in an intriguing deal, according to a report.
Ruben Selles aiming for success at Sheffield United
da gbg bet： Many onlookers were surprised when Sheffield United parted company with Chris Wilder during the off-season, but sometimes there is a need for change to keep things moving in the right direction.
Selles is now in the door at Bramall Lane and promised a traditional recruitment style despite the rise of AI in the context of talent identification, indicating that he may look to strike a balance in his hunt for new arrivals.
Southampton manager Ruben Selles andKamaldeenSulemana
He explained: “We need to understand there are tools to be more efficient and that’s how we need to look at it. They are not tools to tell us what to do, they can give advice and point us in directions.
“We understand, we interpret and make decisions from that together with some other tools. The main thing will always be the football eye, the way that we see the game, the way we identify the players. Obviously, we want those marginal gains to be on our side and we need to work with different technology that will give us that.”
Making a valid point, it now remains to be seen where he will look to strengthen. Sheffield United are targeting Tottenham duo Ashley Phillips and Alfie Devine, which would be a good starting point with both having significant EFL experience.
Ruben Selles’ managerial record in English football
Wins
22
Draws
10
Losses
19
Emil Riis Jakobsen could also join the Blades on a free transfer, and they are now said to be eyeing a player who enjoys a fruitful pre-existing relationship with Selles to shore up their backline.
Ruben Selles eyeing Tyler Bindon reunion at Sheffield United
As relayed by The Guardian’s rumour mill, Sheffield United could look to sign Tyler Bindon from Nottingham Forest.
Selles coached Bindon at Reading from 2023 to 2024, and it is believed the Blades’ new manager personally wants to reunite with his ex-defender at Bramall Lane. Enjoying an injury-free campaign last term, the New Zealand defender scored three times in 47 appearances across all competitions for the Royals.
Forest actually signed the 20-year-old on a permanent deal in the January window, before sending Bindon back out on loan to Reading to finish the season, and he’s since reported back to the City Ground.
"Awesome" Sheffield United star could leave with Hamer after playoff defeat
This would be a huge blow for Chris Wilder.
ByHenry Jackson May 25, 2025
Labelled “unbelievable” by Noel Hunt, Bindon has three years left on his contract in the East Midlands, and it is unclear at this point whether Forest would be willing to sanction another exit for the 20-year-old during the window – where that be on loan or permanently.
One thing is clear – Selles simply has to sign central defenders, so they may be willing to push the boat out to land his services. Anel Ahmedhodzic and Jack Robinson are in need of support, and there may be scope for several arrivals to max out squad depth.
Selles arrives with a tough act to follow in Wilder, so bringing some familiar faces to South Yorkshire could help the Spanish boss to put his own stamp on the team.
“Don’t see any reason as of now why Shakib should not play in Bangladesh in the home series [against South Africa],” Shahriar Nafees says
Mohammad Isam24-Sep-2024The BCB is confident that Shakib Al Hasan won’t have any problems returning to Bangladesh – for the first time since the fall of the Awami League government, of which he was a part – for the Test series against South Africa next month.Shakib, Bangladesh’s most celebrated cricketer, was among 147 people named in a murder case in Dhaka last month. He had become a member of parliament in January this year. When Sheikh Hasina resigned as the prime minister on August 5 following massive anti-government protests in Bangladesh and fled the country, Shakib was playing in the Global T20 League in Canada. After that, he has travelled to Pakistan for a Test series, then played a county match for Surrey, and is now in India for another Test series. He was not in Bangladesh at any point during the protests or since. The case in question relates to the death of Mohammed Rubel, who was wounded in the firing during the protests on August 5 and died two days later.Shahriar Nafees, in charge of the BCB’s cricket operations, said on Monday that the country’s caretaker government had clarified that Shakib would not be “harassed”.Related
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“I think the honourable chief adviser, law adviser and sports adviser have spoken very clearly regarding Shakib Al Hasan,” Nafees said. “There is a clear message from the Bangladesh government that no one will be harassed unfairly in the cases that have been filed. We believe the interim government has made its position very clear on Shakib. Unless there is an injury problem or a selection-related issue, I personally don’t see any reason as of now why Shakib Al Hasan should not play in Bangladesh in the home series.”Last month, Bangladesh’s law adviser, Asif Nazrul, had also said that he hoped Shakib would not be arrested in connection with the case. “There’s only a case filed against Shakib. I hope he will not be arrested. I have come to know that the police forces have been asked to show as much restraint as possible in case something incredible happens.”Soon after the news about him being named in the case surfaced, Shakib had received support from his Bangladesh team-mates, who had posted messages on their respective social-media accounts. But his silence during the student-led mass protests in July and August has also led to criticism. Many of his national team-mates have, at various points, spoken about the protests and the loss of lives, especially of students, but Shakib hasn’t.Bangladesh, who are currently in India to play Tests and T20Is, are scheduled to play two home Tests against South Africa in October. CSA’s security team completed its evaluation of Dhaka and Chattogram, where the Tests will be played, on Monday and is expected to inform the BCB about its decision later this week.
da marjack bet： Sábado (14) tem Ceará e Sampaio Corrêa em jogo válido pela 32ª rodada do Brasileirão Série B. A partida está marcada para às 18h30 (de Brasília), na Arena Castelão.
da cassino： +Confira a classificação do Brasileirão – Série B
São 12 pontos os que separam o Ceará do G-4, e as chances do Vozão conseguir a vaga são remotíssimas. A equipe poderá ter que se contentar nestas últimas partidas a tentar terminar bem o torneio e começar a pensar no que fazer para a próxima temporada do futebol brasileiro,
Ainda assim, o time de Vagner Mancini tentará buscar algo importante e, no duelo deste sábado, Paulo Victor e Michel Macedo podem ser novamente desfalques, estes por lesão. Além disto, Breno não jogará o confronto contra o Sampaio por estar suspenso.
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O empate com o Novorizontino na última rodada deu um pouco mais de tranquilidade a Bolívia Querida, que tem agora 35 pontos e cinco de vantagem para a Chapecoense, que é a primeira equipe dentro da zona de rebaixamento. E agora há a chance de conseguir aumentar um pouco mais tal distância nesta rodada.
E Fernando Marchiori terá uma série de problemas para escalar o time neste Ceará x Sampaio Corrêa. Pará está suspenso deste jogo mais três atletas (Pimentinha, Mikael e Neto Paraíba) não seguirão para enfrentar o Vozão por estarem lesionados. Rafael Jansen, por outro lado, está recuperado de lesão e disputa vaga na zaga com Gustavo Henrique.
Relembre o jogo pelo primeiro turno:
CEARÁ X SAMPAIO CORRÊA 32ª RODADA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO DA SÉRIE B 2023
Data: 14 de outubro de 2023. Horário: 18h30 (de Brasília). Local: Arena Castelão, em Fortaleza, Ceará. Árbitro: Rafael Martins Diniz (DF) Assistentes: Daniel Henrique da Silva Andrade (DF) e Karla Renata Cavalcanti de Santana (PE) VAR: Gilberto Rodrigues Castro Junior (PE) Onde assistir: SporTV e Premiere
Provável escalação do Ceará:
André Luiz; Caíque, Tiago Pagnussat, Lucas Ribeiro e David Ricardo; Léo Santos, Jean Carlos e Richardson; Barletta, Erick e Saulo Mineiro (Nicolas).Técnico:Vágner Mancini.
Provável escalação do Sampaio Corrêa:
Luiz Daniel; Matheus Pivô, Ícaro, Gustavo Henrique e Lucas Mota; Claudinei, Paraíba e Robinho; Pimentinha, Vitinho e Ytalo.Técnico:Fernando Marchiori.
Knighthead Capital are understood to have submitted winning bid of £82 million (100% valuation)
Nagraj Gollapudi31-Jan-2025NFL legend Tom Brady could soon be seen at Edgbaston after Knighthead Capital Management LLC, where the former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay quarterback has a business partnership, picked up a stake in Hundred franchise Birmingham Phoenix. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Knighthead made a winning bid of £82 million on Thursday, the opening day of the ECB’s sale of the eight Hundred franchises.The amount Knighthead bid was equivalent to 100% value of the franchise, which means they will pay close to £41 million for the 49% stake in Phoenix. None of the stakeholders, including the ECB, Warwickshire – Phoenix’s host county – and Knighthead have made any comment.Brady’s association with Knighthead could prove a shot in the arm for the Hundred if he can draw interest – both from fans and commercially – to cricket, a sport that has been attempting for several decades to widen its footprint. Brady already has a presence in Birmingham after he bought minority ownership in Birmingham City, a third-tier football club in England.Related
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Knighthead are understood to have declared the winner through the sealed bid exercise which was put in place by ECB for franchises with only two investors on the shortlist. While global fund manager CVC Capital were meant to be originally on the shortlist to buy a stake in Phoenix, it could not be confirmed if they made a bid.Knighthead bought Birmingham City in 2023 and have proved popular with the club’s supporters despite their relegation to League One last season. Tom Wagner, Knighthead’s co-founder and the club’s chairman, has pledged to invest over £2 billion in a new “sports quarter” in the city and has bought a new 48-acre site for a new stadium.Tom Brady and Knighthead Capital are involved with Birmingham City FC•PA Photos/Getty Images
In the other auction conducted on Thursday, CVC, who own Gujarat Titans in the IPL, were among the three contenders to buy a 49% stake in Oval Invincibles, which was eventually bagged by Indian business behemoth Reliance Industries Ltd, owners of Mumbai Indians, for about £123 million (100% value). RIL made the highest bid in a live virtual auction, a process decided by the ECB to determine the winner where there were more than two investors on the shortlist. They defeated rival bids from CVC and the consortium of global technology giants comprising heads of Microsoft, Google, Adobe, Palo Alto Networks and Times Digital.RIL were also on the shortlist for Manchester Originals. It is understood that RIL had successful conversations with Surrey management, the host county for Invincibles, with both parties agreeing to synergise cricketing decisions. Another significant factor was Invincibles, who have won the men’s Hundred competition for last two seasons, being serial contenders for the title, something RIL has placed at the forefront of its investments in the T20 franchise circuit.The losing bids from CVC and the tech consortium could not yet be confirmed. As part of the virtual auction bidders gave themselves a code name. Though the amount has not been revealed, the base price was determined by ECB from the floor valuation bids submitted by the shortlisted investors in the second round of the sale process in December. During the live auction, each bid was separated by 15 minutes with incremental bids in steps of £3 million.The next step for the winners will involve them sealing the agreement withing eight weeks after the ECB’s auction process, which is scheduled to finish on February 10. This process will include deciding whether to pay the money upfront or in instalments spread across five years.
It’s been a crazy few weeks for Tottenham Hotspur.
After delivering the North Londoners their first piece of major silverware for 17 years, it was announced that Ange Postecoglou was sacked on Friday afternoon.
While the timing of the decision may feel harsh, it’s not that difficult to see why Daniel Levy and Co made it, as the Australian had won just 47 of 101 games in charge of the club.
While nothing has been officially announced at the moment, it is looking more and more likely that the next man in the Lilywhites hot seat will be Thomas Frank, and based on other reports, he’s already told the club to sign someone who’d be a dream Brennan Johnson upgrade.
Tottenham's transfer targets
Now that Spurs appear to have identified their new manager, it’s worth looking at some of the talented players they’ve been linked with in recent weeks and months, such as Eberichi Eze and Xavi Simons.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former enjoyed a superb season with Crystal Palace this year in which he helped the team win the FA Cup and racked up a tally of 14 goals and 11 assists in just 43 games, in turn, more than justifying the £68m release clause reportedly in his current deal.
Likewise, Simons managed to score 11 goals and provide eight assists in 33 games for RB Leipzig this season and would cost around as much as the Englishman at £65m.
However, to really upgrade on Johnson this summer, Tottenham would need to sign an out-and-out rightwinger, someone like Bryan Mbeumo.
Well, according to a recent report from the Mirror, that might be what they end up doing.
The report claims that Frank has instructed Spurs that he wants the club to sign the Cameroon international and make him his first summer acquisition.
To do that, the North Londoners would have to stump up a fee of around £60m and, more crucially, hijack Manchester United’s now well-documented efforts to bring him to Old Trafford.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but one well worth fighting for, as Mbeumo would be the ideal upgrade on Johnson.
How Mbeumo compares to Johnson
Now, while Mbeumo can play up top or even as a second striker, his most played and unquestionably best position is off the right, which would put him in direct competition with Jonnson next season.
Brentford's BryanMbeumocelebrates after the match
So, with that said, who comes out on top when we compare the two?
Well, when it comes to their raw output, it’s actually the often “unplayable” Brentford star, as dubbed by Frank, who comes out on top, with 20 goals and nine assists in 42 appearances, totalling 3577 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.44 games, or every 123.34 minutes.
In contrast, the former Nottingham Forest star scored 18 goals and provided seven assists in 51 appearances, totalling 3316 minutes, which comes out to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.04 games, or every 132.64 minutes.
Unfortunately for the Welsh international, the one-sided nature of this comparison only grows when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.
Mbeumo vs Johnson
Statistics per 90
Mbeumo
Johnson
Non-Penalty G+As
0.58
0.58
Progressive Passes
3.72
2.93
Progressive Passes Received
9.26
8.14
Progressive Carries
3.43
2.48
Shots
2.08
2.23
Shots on Target
0.90
0.83
Passing Accuracy
66.1%
70.4%
Expected Assists
0.25
0.08
Key Passes
1.85
0.79
Passes into the Final Third
1.66
1.03
Passes into the Penalty Area
1.56
1.45
Crosses into the Penalty Area
0.50
0.25
Live Passes
30.7
25.8
Shot-Creating Actions
3.80
1.90
Goal-Creating Actions
0.53
0.29
Tackles
1.29
1.61
Successful Take-Ons
1.37
0.79
Ball Recoveries
4.12
2.60
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season
For example, the “incredible” Bees star, as dubbed by Frank, comes out ahead in the vast majority of relevant metrics, such as progressive passes and carries, shot and goal-creating actions, shots on target, successful take-ons, expected assists and many, many more, all per 90.
Ultimately, even though Johnson enjoyed a decent campaign for Spurs this season, Mbeumo is the superior winger in every measurable way.
Brentford's BryanMbeumocelebrates scoring their first goal
Therefore, the club should do everything possible to sign the Brentford star this summer and reunite him with their soon-to-be-manager in North London.
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