For the record, Bangladesh (-0.443) finish the tournament above Pakistan (-1.087) on net run rate
Karthik Krishnaswamy27-Feb-20252:35
What’s holding Bangladesh and Pakistan back?
– Match abandonedPakistan and Bangladesh ended their disappointing Champions Trophy 2025 campaigns with a point each with the second successive match in Rawalpindi washed out. As on Tuesday, when the same fate befell the Australia vs South Africa game from Group B, the match was called off without even the toss taking place.Steady rain fell all afternoon at the stadium, with no opportunity for the covers to come off at any point. The match was called off at 3.27pm local time, just under an hour-and-a-half after the scheduled start time.This non-result was Rawalpindi’s last match of the tournament. Apart from the two washouts, it also hosted New Zealand’s five-wicket win over Bangladesh on February 24.Only one match now remains in Group A, with India taking on New Zealand in Dubai on March 2. It is a contest that will determine who finishes top of the group. Both teams are already through to the semi-finals.For the record, Bangladesh (-0.443) finished above Pakistan (-1.087) on net run-rate.Pakistan’s next assignment is a white-ball tour of New Zealand later this month, comprising five T20Is and three ODIs. Bangladesh, meanwhile, are set to host Zimbabwe for three ODIs and three T20Is.
With each passing season, or even each passing game, what it means to be Manchester United appears to be drifting away.
No longer a winning machine, the soul of the club has also been somewhat lost of late, amid the relentless redundancies that have been rolled out by the INEOS regime – all to help fund another collection of expensive player incomings.
On the pitch, Ruben Amorim’s persistence with his 3-4-2-1 system appears at odds with the great teams of the past, having slipped so far from the gung-ho, edge-of-your-seat style which was synonymous with Sir Alex Ferguson – and those before him.
A microcosm of the modern game, United’s most damning act has been the repeated selling of the family silver, with academy graduates the major victims in recent years.
Only last summer, the Red Devils shipped Scott McTominay off to Napoli amid the desire to bring in Manuel Ugarte in his place. One of that duo is now a Ballon d’Or nominee…
As for this summer, Alejandro Garnacho has been allowed to join the Chelsea circus, while fellow FA Cup final hero Kobbie Mainoo has been tipped to follow him out the exit door, amid his lack of regular game time.
A player whom Gary Neville suggested the club should be “building [the team] around”, Mainoo simply can’t be allowed to leave. Instead, a new addition is needed to help revive him.
Latest on Man Utd's midfield search
“Now I’m a Baleba…”
Brighton & Hove Albion's CarlosBalebain action with Everton's Idrissa Gueye
The songs had already been written; scarves were no doubt being sold. Alas, unless a drastic change occurs, United won’t be forking out the required £100m plus fee for Brighton and Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, despite identifying the Cameroonian as a leading target.
With the Seagulls holding firm on their desire to keep hold of their 21-year-old sensation, Amorim’s search for an athletic number eight will have to shift its focus, with the centre of the park in particular need of reinforcement, amid the continued reliance on an ageing Casemiro.
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With that in mind, Caught Offside have reported that United are showing an interest in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder, Conor Gallagher, with the England international seemingly in line for a return to the Premier League.
As per the report, the 25-year-old is available heading into the final days of the window, with the LaLiga outfit slapping a £45m asking price on his head. That would ensure that an offer in that region would likely be accepted.
Unsurprisingly, Amorim and co aren’t alone in their interest, as Tottenham Hotspur are said to be the club who are ‘leading the race’ right now. The Lilywhites are even said to be ready to make a bid.
Why Conor Gallagher could be perfect for Mainoo
The key crux of the issue right now for young Mainoo is that Amorim has outlined that he views the 20-year-old as a competitor, rather than a partner, for Bruno Fernandes in central midfield, thus ensuring his route to game time is severely blocked.
That said, United’s chief creator may well still be better suited to a number ten berth, thus perhaps opening the door for Mainoo to nail down the number eight role instead, having previously thrived in a deeper position during his breakout 2023/24 season.
While last term was a tale of injuries and frustration, it’s easy to forget just what a revelation the Englishman was the year prior, having kicked things off with a Man of the Match display on his first Premier League start at Everton in November 2023.
A meteoric rise over the next few months saw the then-teenager net that Wembley winner, prior to starting every knockout game during England’s surge to the Euro 2024 final – having even started the showpiece defeat to Spain.
A “generational” talent, in the view of teammate Rasmus Hojlund, Mainoo possesses that unerring ability to simply breeze past opponents, with his poise and power having even led Anthony Elanga to describe him as having “similar attributes to Paul Pogba”.
Marcus Rashford
£42m
Scott McTominay
£42m
Kobbie Mainoo
£42m
Alejandro Garnacho
£38m
Anthony Elanga
£36m
Mason Greenwood
£34m
Alvaro Carreras
£30m
Dwight McNeil
£21m
Dean Henderson
£17m
Angel Gomes
£17m
Pogba’s time at United is enough for a 10,000-word piece on its own, but where the Frenchman truly shone was on the international stage, partnering a certain N’Golo Kante as Les Bleus claimed World Cup glory in 2018.
Like the mercurial Pogba, Mainoo is in need of that athletic workhorse alongside him – particularly so in this 3-4-2-1 system.
Enter, Gallagher.
Previously described as being like “Kante with goals” by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino – having also been likened to his ex-Chelsea colleague by Thomas Tuchel – the Atleti star would represent the perfect foil for Mainoo in the engine room.
A pressing “monster” – as per Tom Dutton – the £45m man notably ranked in the top 4% of Champions League midfielders for interceptions per 90 last season, as per FBref, having been a relentless presence in Diego Simeone’s setup.
Also ranking in the top 1% for passes between 15 and 30 yards, the one-time Crystal Palace loanee plays a simple but effective game, ensuring he could win back possession, before picking out the likes of Mainoo ahead of him.
That’s not to say he’s simply the archetypal ‘piano carrier’, however, with Gallagher also offering a real threat in his own right in attack, having registered six goals and assists in LaLiga last term. His pass accuracy rate of 87%, as per Sofascore, is also nothing to be sniffed at.
There might be more technically proficient players on the market, but few boast such impressive physical traits, with the Cobham graduate perhaps representing the athletic solution that Amorim has been searching for all summer.
If a deal can be struck in the dying embers, it could well be just what is needed to get the best out of Mainoo again. Should Amorim fail to revive United’s golden boy, on his head be it…
Great news for Mainoo: Amorim's "magician" is now open to leaving Man Utd
Manchester United might lose one of their most important players before the transfer window closes.
Alejandro Garnacho has been told how he could become a £40 million ($54m) bargain for Chelsea after being bombed out of Manchester United.
Argentina international sold by Red DevilsConcerns regarding attitude played downPalmer backed to overcome injury issuesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Having once been the hottest prospects at Old Trafford, Argentina international Garnacho finds himself taking on a new Premier League challenge at 21 years of age. Chelsea are prepared to wipe his professional slate clean in west London.
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Questions have been asked of Garnacho’s attitude, as he fell out with former boss Ruben Amorim, but there is no doubting that a potential match-winner has arrived at Stamford Bridge. It is now up to Enzo Maresca to bring the best out of an enigmatic talent.
WHAT DI MATTEO SAID
Roberto Di Matteo has no concerns regarding Garnacho’s character, with the Chelsea legend – speaking in association with – telling GOAL: "I don’t think he can rock the boat at Chelsea, there is a good group, a good team environment. Also, the manager has a good grip on the team.
"Let’s not forget he is only young, 21, so still needs to learn and mature as a person and as a football player. Sometimes when you are young you can make some mistakes, he just needs to learn from that. He’s coming into a team with a good hierarchy, they can help him to fulfil his potential.
"You can see that he has a tonne of potential and if he can manage to grow and develop and become the player that he thinks he is and we all hope he can be, then it becomes a bargain to sign him for that price."
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Garnacho will be hoping to grace the 2026 World Cup next summer. New club colleague Cole Palmer is looking to do likewise with England, and Di Matteo is confident that injuries will not hold the Blues’ No.10 back. He said: "The World Cup is 10 months away from now. I don’t think there is a risk. Obviously he needs to stay fit, but it’s part of a player’s life to have some injuries. He doesn’t get major injuries.
"On reflection, the fact that the club played in the summer in the FIFA Club World Cup, it is going to be interesting – not just for Chelsea, but the other teams that were involved in that and made the latter stages of the competition, Real Madrid, PSG and Chelsea – to see what the implications are for the players in the season. We don’t have any data, any historical data, to see what it means because it was the first edition.
"For Cole Palmer, I don’t think we need to be concerned about him. Once he gets into his stride, he is going to show all of the quality and ability that he has."
Kyle Verreynne believes his 114 against Bangladesh is the best innings of his short career. He said that handling spin in the heat and humidity of Dhaka, particularly with South Africa under pressure when he came to the crease, made it a special occasion.Verreynne spent just over four hours to get his second Test century after South Africa had slipped to 99 for 5 in reply to Bangladesh’s 106 all out. The visitors ended the first day on 140 for 6 before Verreynne added 119 runs with Wiaan Mulder, who made 54. By the time he was dismissed on the second afternoon, South Africa were ahead by 202 runs, a big lead on the Shere Bangla National Stadium wicket.Verreynne said that since his maiden Test century in New Zealand came in conditions he is familiar with, he rated his Dhaka knock slightly higher.”It is definitely the best innings of my Test career,” Verreynne said. “It is probably the toughest conditions I have played under in terms of heat and humidity. Back home we don’t face long periods of spin bowling. Around 90% of that innings was just against spin. Things happen quickly. You don’t have much time to reset from a concentration point of view. This was certainly my most rewarding innings.Related
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“This (century) felt like better just in terms of the context of the game and the conditions. I think New Zealand is a lot similar to our conditions back home. To do in the continent in quite a tough wicket and tough circumstances, it is probably a better innings. The impact will hopefully be bigger than the first (century). I am really happy with it. It has been a long time since the one in NZ, so it is nice to get in another one.”Verreynne was particularly strong on the sweep. According to ESPNcricinfo’s stats, he got 49 runs off the 29 sweep shots he attempted which included the slog sweep. He struck five fours and a six in that region. The Bangladesh spinners, usually very good in Dhaka, didn’t have much of an answer against Verreynne.He said that a discussion on the second morning with batting coach Ashley Prince really helped him get a perspective of what to do for the rest of the day. “Wiaan Mulder and I, and the batters chatted this morning. We spoke to batting coach Ashy P (Ashwell Prince) about how we are going to try to go about things. There was no specific emphasis put on playing the sweep.”It was more just about how we back our options. Make sure we try to score and not go into our shells. We tried to play positively, get into better positions. We spoke to Ashy P about batting with the tail. It gave me a lot of clarity when I was batting with (Dane) Piedt and KG (Kagiso Rabada).”Verreynne said that he usually plays the sweep shot against spin so he just implemented it regularly in this game but other batters have different styles of scoring runs in their side.”I don’t think there’s been any extra emphasis (on the sweep shot). It is something that I have worked on quite a bit against spinners. It is not really a subcontinent specific thing. I would play it back home against spin as much as possible. I faced a lot of spin out there today so it is kind of what I am trying to do.”A lot of guys have different ways of going about playing it. For me, this is something that I worked on. You saw Wiaan (Mulder), (Tony) de Zorzi and Ryan (Rickelton) scored runs through other areas. It is one of my strengths so I want to stick to it.”Verreynne said that the pitch played better in the morning session but expects it to deteriorate further in the game.”I think this morning (the pitch) played better than yesterday morning. I don’t know if it dried out or there wasn’t as much moisture. It seems to be getting tough as the day has gone on, so tomorrow and going further in the Test, (the pitch) will get tougher and tougher.”
Tottenham are working on other targets amid the ongoing transfer saga surrounding Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White.
Thomas Frank will be hoping for a conclusion to the drama fairly soon, given the England international was scheduled to undergo a Hotspur Way medical eight days ago before Forest ultimately blocked the transfer.
Player's camp in talks with Tottenham, Frank convinced he'd join Spurs
The Dane is personally confident they can secure his signature.
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They’ve written a letter to both Spurs and the player’s agent threatening legal action, following what they deem to be an unlawful approach for the 25-year-old, and this has put an unceremonious halt to Gibbs-White’s north London switch (Sky Sports).
Nevertheless, Tottenham remain hopeful they’ll eventually get the green-light to make Gibbs-White their fourth signing of the summer after Mathys Tel, Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus (Fabrizio Romano), even if Forest insist he’s not going anywhere (Sky Sports).
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Chairman Daniel Levy was ready to trigger Gibbs-White’s ‘confidential’ £60 million release clause before Forest stepped in, and they’re not looking for a ‘quick resolution’.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out from here,” said BBC Radio Nottingham’s Colin Fray.
Nottingham Forest's MorganGibbs-Whitereacts after the match
“Most thought it would be ironed out and the transfer go through. Not many were expecting him back at training and here he is. That is another twist in the story.
“Forest have set their stall out that they aren’t looking for a quick resolution. They want to keep him.”
Amid this messy situation, the Lilywhites do have other plans they’re looking to see through before deadline day on September 1.
Tottenham reportedly want a new holding midfielder and number six. Talks have reportedly been held with Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha’s representatives, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, and it is believed by some that Juventus ace Douglas Luiz is keen on a move to Spurs – just one year after his switch to Turin from Aston Villa.
Douglas Luiz in action for Juventus.
As well as this, a new centre-back is on the agenda, and Ukraine international Illia Zabarnyi is re-emerging as a top target.
Tottenham ready to pay £60m-plus for Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi
As per Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, via his official website, Tottenham are actively trying for Zabarnyi, despite his eagerness to join European champions PSG.
Di Marzio also reports that Tottenham are ready to pay north of £60 million for Zabarnyi, the amount “requested” by Bournemouth, if they’re given encouragement that the 22-year-old will forego a switch to France in favour of N17.
AFC Bournemouth'sIlyaZabarnyiin action with Manchester United's Wout Weghorst
PSG have seen multiple bids rejected for Zabarnyi, worth up to £52 million, and they’re yet to return with an improved offer. Given Spurs are prepared to go higher and meet Zabarnyi’s asking price, this could open the door for Frank’s side, but it will hinge on the player’s own decision.
The defender has been a rock at the heart of Bournemouth’s defence and played a key role in their chase for European football last season.
“He is probably the most underrated player,” said pundit Jamie Redknapp.
“I also spoke with Ukrainian legend Andriy Shevchenko, and he mentioned that Illia has everything it takes to reach the next level. Everyone is talking about Dean Huijsen. Yes, he is a fantastic young player, but Zabarnyi plays very aggressively in defense as well. I was genuinely impressed by him. He shows remarkable calmness on the pitch.”
Southampton are now in advanced talks to sign an international striker who is represented by the same agency as midfielder Flynn Downes.
Southampton are expected to lose one or two key players over the coming months and therefore will have to enter the market to find replacements as they bid to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking under Will Still.
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He has played his final game for the club.
ByHenry Jackson Jun 20, 2025
Defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis could be considered their most important player, as he managed to stand out last season in what was a diabolical campaign for the club. His performances for the Saints earned him a call-up to the England national team, and that has now earned him the attention of Portuguese giants FC Porto.
Southampton's TaylorHarwood-Bellislooks dejected as he applauds fans after the match
According to Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas, Southampton have turned down a bid worth £19 million for Harwood-Bellis from Porto. Despite being under contract until 2028, the Saints are open to selling the defender in this transfer window, but they believe he is worth much more.
Southampton paid £15 million to sign the player from Manchester City last summer, so the likelihood is they’re going to want closer to double that price.
Southampton in advanced talks to sign £7m striker
But while Harwood-Bellis may eventually be on his way out of St Mary’s Stadium, Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg reports some good news – Southampton are closing in on the signing of Damion Downs from FC Köln.
The 20-year-old is considered to be a top target for Saints this summer, and they have submitted a bid worth €8 million, which is roughly £6.85 million, to the German side. Downs is currently away with the USA for the Gold Cup, so a deal for the forward is likely to be completed once that competition is finished.
Downs, who has earned two caps for the USA national team, has been at FC Köln since 2020, when he joined their under-17 team. The young forward worked his way through the age groups and was finally promoted to the first team during the 2023/24 season, where he played 10 Bundesliga games. Downs became even more of a regular last season, as he played 29 games, this time in Bundesliga 2, and scored an impressive ten goals in the process.
Damion Downs’ FC Koln stats
Apps
42
Goals
13
Assists
6
Downs has just one year remaining on his contract, and Saints will be hoping that can work to their advantage, as the German side are likely to want to sell the player before he leaves the club for nothing in 12 months.
They may hold another advantage in the race to sign Downs too, as the striker is represented by agency Wasserman, who also represent current Southampton midfielder Downes, perhaps smoothing negotiations when it comes to agreeing personal terms.
Will Celtic sign another Premier League superstar?
Kieran Tierney has already returned to Parkhead this summer, following in the footsteps of manager Brendan Rodgers and Jota, who’ve also both re-joined the club in recent times.
Now, could another boyhood Celtic fan fulfil his dreams of wearing the famous green and white hoops?
Celtic targeting another statement signing
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Celtic are ‘interested’ in signing Liverpool full-back Andy Robertson, while admitting that ‘financial constraints’ would prove to be a stumbling block.
The Scotland captain is widely expected to depart Merseyside this summer, with David Ornstein and Mario Cortegana of the Athletic documenting Atlético Madrid’s interest, given that the Reds are targeting Bournemouth’s Miloš Kerkez, who they view as an upgrade.
Liverpool's AndrewRobertsoncelebrates after the match
Robertson, who was in Celtic’s academy between the ages of nine and 15, has always been open about his desire to represent the Hoops one day, admitting that “Celtic was my life” growing up, adding that he’d “love to pull on the Celtic top and walk out at Parkhead” one day.
So, could this move really come to fruition this summer?
How Andy Robertson compares to Kieran Tierney
It is all change in terms of Celtic left-backs this summer.
Greg Taylor is highly likely to depart following the expiration of his contract. PAOK are the latest European club interested in securing his services, while it’s not yet clear if Jeffrey Schlupp will be staying, following a brief loan spell.
Meantime, Tierney has of course returned but, as has been an interminable debate surrounding the national team for nigh on a decade, is he better than Robertson?
Let’s attempt to find out.
Tierney vs Robertson 2024/25 comparison
Statistics (per 90)
Tierney
Robertson
Appearances
20
45
Minutes
447
3,320
Pass completion %
79.8%
83.0%
Interceptions
0.2
0.6
Tackles
0.5
1.2
Clearances
0.7
1.3
Ball recoveries
2.2
3.8
Ground duel success %
71%
50%
Touches
72.5
76.9
Stats from Transfermarkt, FBref & Squawka.
First things first, due to injuries and the fact he was not first-choice at Arsenal, Tierney played fewer than 500 minutes of club football this season, which does offer a very small sample size.
That caveat aside, Robertson’s per-90 statistics are still pretty much more impressive across the board.
When he was still Liverpool manager, Jürgen Klopp described Robertson as a “world-class left-back”, while José Enrique, a former incumbent of the Reds’ full-back spot, asserts that he has been “the best left-back in the world” for many years.
Now though, James Pearce and Mark Carey of the Athletic outline that the Scotland captain’s form ‘has come under intense scrutiny’ this season, while also asserting that he is far from ‘finished at the highest level’.
Robertson still ranked 17th in the Premier League this season for crosses into the penalty area, as well as 11th for crosses overall, according to FBref.com, an attribute that has been viewed as his superpower for many years.
Gillian Kasirye of Total Football Analysis claims that Robertson is ‘passed their peak’, but still has a lot to offer at the elite level, so could he really be tempted to make a move to Glasgow this summer?
Celtic may make shock bid to re-sign £10m star who Rodgers called "sublime"
Glasgow Rangers are at a crossroads. They have just ended the season without a trophy and are currently without a manager after Barry Ferguson’s interim term ended.
The Light Blues ended the campaign in second place in the Scottish Premiership, drawing 2-2 with Hibernian on the final day, and failed to win either of the domestic cup competitions.
CEO Patrick Stewart is conducting a process to find the next head coach before sporting director Kevin Thelwell arrives, and before the takeover is completed, and is reportedly planning talks with a candidate.
Rangers planning talks with Italian coach
According to RangersReview, former Real Madrid assistant manager Davide Ancelotti is set to hold further talks with the Light Blues in the coming days.
Manager Focus
Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.
Stewart is set to hold talks with the coach about the vacant position at Ibrox, after the Italian tactician waved goodbye to Real Madrid’s supporters after their final game of the season against Real Sociedad in LaLiga on Saturday.
RangersReview adds that the reports elsewhere that Ancelotti was close to becoming the new head coach in Glasgow are premature, and that the state of play is that he will have further discussions with the club before a decision is made.
The Gers, however, must be wary of how much of a gamble this appointment would be ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, as the Italian coach could be Michael Beale 2.0.
Why Ancelotti could be the next Beale
Rangers turned to Beale as their new head coach in November 2022 after they made the decision to part ways with experienced boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
Former Rangers boss Michael Beale.
The English tactician had, of course, been the assistant to Steven Gerrard when the Light Blues won the Scottish Premiership title in the 2020/21 campaign, but had only had 22 games of senior managerial experience with QPR in England before his move back to Ibrox.
Beale came as a highly-rated coach, having worked on the training pitch to deliver that title success at Rangers, but ultimately failed to translate his skills over to being the main man, as he lasted less than a year in the job and left in October 2023 with no trophies to show for his efforts.
Davide Ancelotti’s coaching career
Club (role)
First-team manager
Matches
Real Madrid (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
233
Everton (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
67
Napoli (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
73
Bayern Munich (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
60
Real Madrid (Fitness coach)
Carlo Ancelotti
119
PSG (Fitness coach)
Carlo Ancelotti
77
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Ancelotti’s entire career to date has been spent as either a fitness coach or as an assistant manager to his dad, Carlo Ancelotti, at various European clubs.
The Italian coach, who was described as “important” by his father, is in a similar position to the one Beale was in at the time of his move to QPR, a perennial assistant manager and highly-rated coach.
Real Madrid assistant coachDavideAncelotti
But, as Beale showcased at Rangers and then Sunderland, a good assistant manager and coach does not guarantee that they will be a good head coach or manager.
Therefore, Stewart and the Gers must have full confidence in his ability to lead and manager the club as the main man, because he has yet to prove that he can do it as a head coach in his own right, which is why appointing him would be a big risk and potentially a repeat of Beale.
49ers can finally axe Propper by signing 6 ft 4 titan for Rangers
Rangers could turn to the Premier League for their first signing this summer.
Manchester City have already spent big in 2025, and are showing no signs of easing up.
In January, the Sky Blues splashed a reported £180m on five new signings, recruiting Abdukodir Khusanov, Juma Bah, Vitor Reis, Nico González and Omar Marmoush.
Nevertheless, after suffering an early Champions League exit and relinquishing their Premier League title, Pep Guardiola is set to oversee a major rebuild in the summer, with plenty more new signings set to arrive at the Etihad.
Manchester City targeting a new goalkeeper
As reported by Foot Mercato, Manchester City have been ‘given the initial green light’ in their attempt to sign Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who they claim is ‘keen on joining the club’.
Diogo Costa
The report notes that Costa has a €75m release clause, around £64m, reporting that Man City are willing to ‘break the bank’ to secure his services, following Ederson’s ‘disappointing season’.
Editor Zach Lowy certainly thinks this would be a good move, labelling Costa “one of the best goalkeepers in world football”, notably becoming the first goalkeeper to save three penalties in a European Championship shootout last summer, as Portugal dumped out Slovenia in Frankfurt.
Kevin Araújo Fernandes of Breaking the Lines asserts that Costa is ‘inarguably one of the brightest’ goalkeepers on the planet, underlining that he would be an excellent signing for Manchester City, but did they already sell an even bigger talent?
Manchester City already sold a bigger goalkeeping star
On Monday, following their 2-1 win over Sheffield United at Turf Moor, Burnley’s promotion back to the Premier League was confirmed.
Astonishingly, the Claret have conceded just 15 goals in 44 EFL Championship fixtures to date, hence why goalkeeper James Trafford has been earning plenty of plaudits.
James Trafford for Burnley.
Scott Parker’s side kept 11 successive clean sheets earlier this year, just the fifth club in English Football League history to achieve this, while enjoying 28 shutouts in total to date; the previous second-tier record was 25.
Meantime, the former record for fewest goals conceded in a Championship season is 30, while the Clarets’ require clean sheets from the final two fixtures, against QPR and Millwall, to match Chelsea’s all-time record of 15 goals conceded, achieved under José Mourinho in 2004/05, albeit in eight fewer matches.
Trafford has been a key figure in this defensive solidity, described as “world-class” by his manager Parker, with the table below underlining exactly why.
Clean sheets
28
1st
Clean sheet %
65.1%
1st
Goals conceded (min 11 apps)
15
1st
Goals conceded per 90
0.35
1st
Save %
84.5%
1st
% of penalties saved
100%
=1st
Post-shot xG – goals allowed
+10.9
3rd
As the table outlines, Trafford comes out on top for pretty much every statistic this season, with his two penalty saves especially remarkable considering they came just nine minutes apart, in the 88th and 97th minutes no less, denying Wilson Isidor both times, preserving a goalless draw against Sunderland in January.
Trafford joined Manchester City’s academy as a 13-year-old, before being sold to Burnley for a reported £19m two years ago, with Transfermarkt believing his current market value is now at its peak.
Thus, the 22-year-old is unquestionably a talented goalkeeper, so let’s analyse how he compares to Costa.
Appearances
43
41
Minutes
3,870
3,720
Goals conceded
15
44
Clean sheets
28
18
Save %
84.5%
68.3%
% of penalties saved
100%
33%
Post-shot xG – goals allowed
+10.9
-2.7
% of crosses stopped
5.9%
6.2%
Pass completion %
72.9%
78.5%
As the table outlines, Trafford has outperformed Costa this season, while plying his trade at only a slightly lower level; according to Global Football Rankings, the Championship is the 11th strongest league in the world, with the Primeira Liga ranked seventh.
So, regardless of who you believe to be the better goalkeeper, selling Trafford for £19m only to then sign Costa for in excess of three times more may be viewed as a mistake.
100% dribbles, 88% passing: Pep has found his own Cambiaso in Man City star
Manchester City claimed a vital 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League on Tuesday, with one star in particular catching the eye.
England’s bravado was admirable, and what we’ve come to expect
Vithushan Ehantharajah05-Feb-20242:43
Harmison: England not guilty of ‘going too hard’
The bravado was admirable, and what we have come to expect. A team that has taken it upon themselves to question – even threaten – Test cricket’s traditional whims made their latest one on Sunday evening. No target would put them off. Brendon McCullum said they would have even had a go chasing 600.They ended up falling eight short of half that figure in pursuit of a “milder” target of 399. It would have been the highest chase of the Bazball era, and in India outright. In the end, the ethos wrote a cheque the batters could not cash.Having knocked 67 off for the loss of one last night, only 225 more was managed on day four. That those came in just two sessions is both noteworthy and redundant. The journey was quick, and yet the destination was still all of 106 runs away.The factors for defeat are all on the scorecard. On a pitch where the ones that got in had to make it count, India boasted Yashasvi Jaiswal’s first-innings 209 and Shubman Gill’s 106 in the second. England had a pair of seventies from Zak Crawley and, barring 47 from Ben Stokes in the first innings, no scores of note from a middle order with the most experience of these conditions.Related
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Even while the inexperienced trio of Shoaib Bashir, Tom Hartley and Rehan Ahmed held firm in a toe-to-toe with Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, India held the edge with Jasprit Bumrah. Match figures of 9 for 91 featured at least three match-turning spells, starting with a day two burst that handed India a first-innings lead of 143 and, ultimately, the Test.It was a reminder of the small margins and fleeting windows of opportunity when you play Test cricket in this part of the world. Getting that refresher with the series tied 1-1 ahead of a 10-day break before the third Test makes it easier to mull over. And as England knocked a football around on the outfield at around 5pm local time, long after the stumps had been pulled and the crowd had spilt out into Visakhapatnam, you sensed this was not a defeat that would derail them.”I think they’re playing very well,” said India head coach Rahul Dravid. “Whether you call it Bazball or whatever you call it. I know it’s just a term – I’m not sure how happy they are about it – but they’re playing really good cricket. I mean, let’s be honest, I think they played well.”England arrived on Monday determined, if slightly offset by a virus that had affected Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes and Hartley. They charged through the opening session, with 127 runs ticked off the remaining 332 required at the start of play. The problem was the loss of five wickets.Two batters did their job. Rehan continued his cavalier Sunday night cameo into Monday morning, swinging, charging, and, on one occasion, gorgeously caressing through the off side before Axar trapped him lbw for 23. By then, Crawley had settled back into his groove, caressing his usual drives and tucks through midwicket, all while facing up to most of Bumrah’s initial five-over spell.Zak Crawley was out lbw just before lunch•Getty ImagesA well-executed charge and punch down the ground brought him an eighth boundary and a second half-century of the match. Three overs later, Pope picked the wrong ball from Ashwin to cut. It still required something special from Rohit Sharma, who obliged with a stunning reaction catch at first slip, shooting up his left hand like a kid in class who knows the answer before anyone else.And he did, to be fair, particularly by not wavering as Joe Root introduced some uncharacteristic maelstrom. An innings which perhaps showed just how serious the damage to his right little finger may be. He spent most of day three off the field after damaging it in the 13th over of India’s second innings.He reverse-swept his first ball for four, scuffed his third up and over the keeper attempting a similar shot, skipped down and planted Axar into the stands for six with his seventh and then survived a strong leg-before review against him on Umpire’s Call.An ugly hack off his 10th, aiming for cow corner but finding the hands of Axar at backward point, gave Ashwin career wicket number 499. And off Root went with 245 still to get. Usually the sherpa in the pursuit of such summits, coming to the crease boasting a fourth innings average of 120.00 under Stokes and Brendon McCullum, Root was already back at base camp with the team less than halfway up the mountain starting to consider chewing on their own feet.Joe Root was caught slogging•BCCIA stand between Crawley and Bairstow had reached 40 by the time Rohit made his best call of the morning. With 20 minutes before the break, Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav were reintroduced. In the space of five deliveries, Kuldeep had accounted for Crawley – an lbw achieved through a tight DRS call to overturn a “not out” decision on the field – before Bairstow was prised out by Bumrah to send us to an early lunch.Even with Stokes coming back out after lunch alongside an able facilitator in Foakes, the 205 on the table would always be a tough ask. Only 16 had been cleared when Stokes inexplicably got himself run out.A thick inside edge as Foakes pressed forward to Ashwin saw the ball roll into the vacant square leg region. The single was on, but Stokes approached it with leisure, watching it all the way into Shreyas Iyer’s hand before speeding up. A direct hit found him short by inches.”It was like one of those dreams where you’re trying to run faster but you can’t,” explained Stokes at stumps, still trying to square it with himself. “I knew I had to go faster, but for some reason, I just couldn’t. It was a really bizarre couple of seconds.”As it happened, the rest seemed to go pretty quickly despite stubborn resistance from Foakes and Hartley. An eighth-wicket partnership of 55 did bring about some anxiety in the stands, particularly when both batters exchanged sixes early in their stand.But in waltzed Bumrah once more, hoodwinking Foakes with a slower ball for a return catch, then knocking out Hartley’s off stump to seal an emphatic equalising win.”You don’t get any points losing by five, you don’t get less points losing by 100,” said Stokes, by way of justification of trying to get it done today rather than use more of the available time. Not that he or England needed an alibi.Their chasing record has taken a hit, but still an impressive 8 out of 11 successes under Stokes. What will sting is they have been bested over these four days by the weakest India XI they will face on this tour. Some of the big guns are due back for the final three, adding an extra layer of intrigue on to an already thrilling series.England now head to Abu Dhabi for a break, with little but rest and relaxation on the agenda. Focus will soon shift to going again in Rajkot, exactly like this.