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Celtic return to Parkhead action today as they take on Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership in their first match out of the November international break.

The Hoops are currently top of the division and can move further clear of second place before their rivals play on Sunday, which could put extra pressure on them to perform.

Brendan Rodgers' side are coming into this match off the back of a sublime 6-0 drubbing of Aberdeen and they face Lazio in the Champions League shortly after today's clash.

Given some of his players were in action for their respective countries, the manager could offer chances to those who have not had much game time of late to rest some of his key men for the European clash.

With this in mind, Liam Scales – who started the win over Aberdeen – could come out after his 90 minutes for Ireland against the Netherlands during the break to provide him with a short rest and Gustaf Lagerbielke could finally be unleashed from the start.

Predicted Celtic XI vs Motherwell including "impressive" titan and no Kyogo

The possible starting line up that Brendan Rodgers could select on Saturday.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 24, 2023

Lagerbielke's last Celtic performance

As it happens, the Sweden international's last Celtic appearance came against today's opponents and the central defender dominated Motherwell with an impressive display at the back.

The £3m summer signing from Elfsborg started the 2-1 win away from Glasgow back at the end of September and caught the eye by winning six of his eight duels during the game.

He won 100% (2/2) of his battles on the ground and 66.7% (4/6) of his aerial contests, to go along with one clearance and two tackles for the Scottish giants.

Thelonius Bair was the starting number nine for the opposition and lost nine of his 11 duels throughout the match as he failed to provide a goal or an assist, which shows that Lagerbielke played a part in dominating the centre-forward by winning the majority of his battles.

Lagerbielke's season in numbers

The 23-year-old titan enjoyed a run out for the B Team earlier this month and those minutes could prepare him to be thrust back into first-team action against Motherwell today.

Lagerbielke has only played five Premiership matches since his move from Elfsborg over the summer but has shown glimpses of being capable of performing as a strong central defender for the club.

He has made 2.4 tackles and interceptions alongside 5.8 ball recoveries per match across those five outings, and is yet to make a single error that has led to a shot, goal, or penalty for the opposition.

His defensive work has been particularly impressive as Lagerbielke has won 70% of his duels, including 87% of his battles on the ground, and this shows that the young colossus has been able to adapt to the physicality of Scottish football with ease.

The £3m ace, who was hailed as an "exciting" talent by Rodgers, did, however, have a low moment as he was sent off against Feyenoord in the Champions League in September for two bookable offences.

Lagerbielke should not be judged on that one match, though, and this clash with Motherwell could be a great opportunity to provide him with a chance to remind the supporters of what he can do in defence.

Therefore, Rodgers must finally unleash the towering enforcer from the start to see if he can dominate today's opponents for the second time this season.

Sold players

Hanuma Vihari (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 2 croresShimron Hetmyer (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 4.2 croresCarlos Brathwaite (Base price INR 75 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 5 croresGurkeerat Singh Mann (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 50 lakhsMoises Henriques (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 1 croreAxar Patel (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 5 croresJonny Bairstow (Base price INR 1.5 crores) sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 2.2 croresNicholas Pooran (Base price INR 75 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 4.2 croresWriddhiman Saha (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 1.2 croresJaydev Unadkat (Base price INR 1.5 crore) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 8.4 croresIshant Sharma (Base price INR 75 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 1.1 croresLasith Malinga (Base price INR 2 crores) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 2 croresMohammed Shami (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 4.8 croresVarun Aaron (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 2.4 croresMohit Sharma (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Chennai Super Kings for INR 5 croresDevdutt Padikkal (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 20 lakhsAnmolpreet Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 80 lakhsSarfaraz Khan (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 25 lakhsShivam Dube (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 5 croresVarun Chakravarthy (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 8.4 croresAnkush Bains (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lakhsNathu Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lakhsColin Ingram (Base price INR 2 crores) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 6.40 croresSam Curran (Base price INR 2 crores) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 7.2 croresHeinrich Klaasen (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 50 lakhsBarinder Sran (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 3.4 croreLockie Ferguson (Base price 1 crore) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 1.6 croresSherfane Rutherford (Base price INR 40 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 2 croresAnrich Nortje (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lakhsOshane Thomas (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for 1.1 croresHardus Viljoen (Base price INR 75 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 75 lakhsHimmat Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 65 lakhsNikhil Naik (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lakhsArshdeep Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 20 lakhsHarry Gurney (Base price INR 75 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 75 lakhsPankaj Jaiswal (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 20 lakhsMilind Kumar (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 20 lakhsDarshan Nalkande (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 30 lakhsShashank Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 30 lakhsSimran Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 4.8 croresRasikh Salam (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 20 lakhsPrithvi Raj (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lakhsLiam Livingstone (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 50 lakhsKeemo Paul (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 50 lakhsPrayas Ray Barman (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 1.5 croreAgnivesh Ayachi (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 20 lakhsHarpreet Brar (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 20 lakhsMartin Guptill (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 1 crore – re-presented in accelerated auctionYuvraj Singh (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 1 crore – re-presented in accelerated auctionAkshdeep Nath (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 3.6 crores – re-presented in accelerated auctionJalaj Saxena (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionM Ashwin (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 20 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionRuturaj Gaikwad (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Chennai Super Kings for INR 20 lakhsShubham Ranjane (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 20 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionJoe Denly (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 1 crore – re-presented in accelerated auctionB Ayyappa (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lakhsShrikant Mundhe (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionManan Vohra (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 20 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionAshton Turner (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 50 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionRiyan Parag (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 20 lakhs

Unsold players

Manoj Tiwary (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Cheteshwar Pujara (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Alex Hales (Base price INR 1.5 crores)Brendon McCullum (Base price INR 2 crores)Chris Woakes (Base price INR 2 crores)Chris Jordan (Base price INR 1 crore)Naman Ojha (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Ben McDermott (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Rahul Sharma (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Adam Zampa (Base price INR 1 crore)Khary Pierre (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Fawad Ahmed (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Sachin Baby (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Ankit Bawne (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Armaan Jaffer (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Ayush Badoni (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Sheldon Jackson (Base price INR 20 lakhs)B Indrajith (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Anuj Rawat (Base price INR 20 lakhs)KS Bharat (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Arun Karthik (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Aniket Choudhary (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Ishan Porel (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Rajneesh Gurbani (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Chama Milind (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Tushar Deshpande (Base price INR 20 lakhs)J Suchith (Base price 20 lakhs)Yuvraj Chudasama (Base price 20 lakhs)Zahir Khan (Base price INR 40 lakhs)KC Cariappa (Base price INR 20 lakhs)R Sai Kishore (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Usman Khawaja (Base price INR 1 crore)Hazratullah Zazai (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Reeza Hendricks (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Shaun Marsh (Base price INR 2 crores)Saurabh Tiwary (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Hashim Amla (Base price INR 1 crore)James Neesham (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Angelo Mathews (Base price INR 2 crores)Rishi Dhawan (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Corey Anderson (Base price INR 2 crores)Parvez Rasool (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Jason Holder (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Luke Ronchi (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Mushfiqur Rahim (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Kusal Perera (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Glenn Phillips (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Vinay Kumar (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Kane Richardson (Base price INR 1 crore)Abhimanyu Mithun (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Morne Morkel (Base price INR 1.5 crores)Dale Steyn (Base price INR 1.5 crores)Praveen Dubey (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Qais Ahmad (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Satyajeet Bachhav (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Rilee Rossouw (Base price INR 1.5 crores)Daniel Christian (Base price INR 1 crore)Manpreet Gony (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Ali Khan (Base price INR 40 lakhs)James Pattinson (Base price INR 1 crore)Himanshu Rana (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Lewis Gregory (Base price INR 40 lakhs)Vishnu Vinod (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Patrick Brown (Base price INR 40 lakhs)Jaskaran Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Sandeep Warrier (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Fabian Allen (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Sikandar Raza (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Sairaj Patil (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Swapnil Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Lalit Yadav (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Laurie Evans (Base price INR 40 lakhs)Jamie Overton (Base price INR 40 lakhs)Akash Parkar (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Karn Kaushal (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Mayank Dagar (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Zeeshan Ansari (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Kedar Devdhar (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Tanmay Mishra (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Aman Khan (Base price INR 20 lakhs)

Rangana Herath prepares to play his final Test, as England size up a number of potential debutants on a surface that’s bound to favour spin

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando in Galle05-Nov-2018Big PictureIt’s Galle. It’s going to spin. Given it is Rangana Herath’s final Test and England are the opposition, it might spin like crazy. Unfortunately, it also looks as if it’s going to rain, at least for parts of the Test. The weather forecast is for thunderstorms, generally in the afternoons. That doesn’t mean we won’t get a result, of course. None of the last 21 Tests in Sri Lanka have ended in draws. Many of those had had to contend with the weather as well.England cruised through the limited-overs series, but in Tests, where Sri Lanka have been a more robust opposition, particularly at home, there are many more questions that the visitors will have to answer. Is Rory Burns, essentially Alastair Cook’s replacement at the top of the order, ready for a challenge as great as defusing some of the best spinners in the world, on a pitch that is one of the most treacherous?In fact, save for Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who are reputed to be decent players of spin, England’s entire top order seems a little frail;. Keaton Jennings hit 112 on debut in Mumbai, then 54 in Chennai a week later, but those matches were two years ago, and there has not been an encouraging volume of runs since then. Jos Buttler averages 23.5 in Asia, even if it is possible he is a much improved batsman in these conditions since he last toured the continent. The injury to Jonny Bairstow has further weakened England – though it is a huge opportunity for Ben Foakes, who is in line for a Test debut. None of the top eight, in any case, have ever played a Test in Sri Lanka before.The hosts’ approach over the past few years has been fairly straightforward on the difficult pitches at home. Attack the spinners and attempt to unsettle them early. Score your runs quickly, before the inevitable good ball gets you out. A score of 300 here could be worth as many as 450 on most other tracks in the world, particularly given the tenacity with which Sri Lanka’s two senior spinners – Herath and Dilruwan Perera – defend scores at this venue.As always, the first-innings score is crucial – if England can get themselves to a creditable score, they not only set themselves up nicely in this Test, they gain the belief that they can crack these conditions going into Kandy and Colombo. South Africa, the last team on these shores in July, began badly, skidding to 126 in their first outing, and proceeded to crash even more dramatically in subsequent innings – their batsmen unable to lift themselves out of a psychological rut. England’s technique is sure to be tested, but if Sri Lanka play well, so will their mettle.Form guideSri Lanka WWWDL (completed matches, most recent first)
England WWLWWIn the spotlightLost in all the buzz about Herath, has been the return of Angelo Mathews to the Sri Lanka team. Feelings had clearly been hurt during his axing from the limited-overs sides, as you would expect. The relationship with coach Chandika Hathurusingha, in particular, had soured. But perhaps the message has been received. He is back looking noticeably leaner. He has also begun to bowl in the nets, even if it is unlikely he will do so in this series. A fit, performing Mathews at No. 5 turns this half-decent Sri Lanka top order into a pretty good one. But it remains to be seen whether the bruises sustained following the Asia Cup debacle have healed enough for him to be able to focus on his cricket.Adil Rashid has had a strange year. Having announced he would not play red-ball cricket for Yorkshire, he found himself picked for the home Tests against India, but was called upon in short, irregular bursts throughout that series. Now, suddenly, he is required to lead England’s attack in what is perhaps the spin-bowling capital of the world. Is he equipped to deliver in the long format? His numbers in Asia are not particularly encouraging. He took 23 wickets across a five-match Test series in India, but his average was a mediocre 37.43, and he also went at 3.7 an over. In the UAE, where the Kookaburra ball is used – just as in Sri Lanka – and where pitches are more like the ones found on the island, Rashid’s figures are even worse – though he did claim a second-innings five-for on debut in Abu Dhabi, having conceded a chastening 0 for 163 first-time out. It is possible that his confidence from excellent performances in the limited-overs series will flow into his Test game, but that is not a given. Plenty of foreign spinners have prospered in Sri Lanka in ODIs. Not many have had the same success in Tests.Team newsThere are a lot of unknowns with this England XI. Will Moeen Ali bat at No. 3 or lower down the order? Burns is almost certain to get a Test debut, and Foakes is likely to join him with Jos Buttler playing as a specialist batsman, meaning that Joe Denly may have to wait for his chance later in the series. They are likely to play three spinners as well.England (possible): 1 Rory Burns, 2 Keaton Jennings, 3 Moeen Ali, 4 Joe Root (capt.), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Sam Curran, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Jack Leach, 11 James AndersonSri Lanka will almost certainly play three spinners themselves. Dhananjaya de Silva might take the lower-order spot over Roshen Silva, who has been a little out of form in recent months. Opener Kaushal Silva will return to the XI for the first time in over a year. Lahiru Kumara, who had been in the 16-man squad for the series, has been dropped for disciplinary reasons. Dushmantha Chameera comes in as his replacement.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Kaushal Silva, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (capt.) 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 7 Dhananjaya de Silva, 8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Akila Dananjaya, 11 Rangana HerathPitch and conditionsThe pitch looks dry to start with and, given the wind blowing across the ground, is likely to dry further very quickly over the first three days. Rain is forecast for the first two days in particular, and there are likely to be interruptions.Stats and trivia No other nation has ever hosted 21 result Tests consecutively. The last draw in Sri Lanka was against South Africa at Colombo in July 2014. Rashid’s recent Test form is much better than his overall numbers. He has taken 10 wickets at 30.9 this year. Mathews’ Test form in recent years has been modest. He averages 28.59 across 37 innings since the start of 2016. These teams have played four matches in Galle. Sri Lanka have won two of those, and two – in 2003, and 2007 – have been draws.Quotes”We’ve got a very balanced squad with plenty of different options. Whichever XI we go with, we’re going to be blessed with that. From that point of view I feel we’ll be very well prepared for whatever surface is thrown at us.”England captain Joe Root“When you look at the Test records in the last couple of years, both teams are equal. When you’re playing in Sri Lanka, definitely the spinners will come into play. Maybe because of that, we are a little ahead of England.”Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal

MatériaMais Notícias

Uma tarde de pouca inspiração para o Botafogo. Quem reconheceu isto foi Eduardo Barroca, treinador do Glorioso. Em entrevista coletiva após a derrota por 2 a 0 para o Corinthians neste domingo, no Estádio Nilton Santos, pela 27ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, o técnico elogiou a atuação do Timão e reconheceu aspectos negativos na própria equipe.

– O Botafogo até teve uma chance aos 10 segundos. Na minha opinião até o gol do Cazares o jogo estava equilibrado. O Botafogo não teve um jogo ofensivo bom, precisamos reconhecer isso, mas até o gol o Corinthians também não tinha tido. Após o gol o jogo ficou mais confortável. No segundo tempo a gente precisou se abrir, fizemos todas as tentativas para dar uma condição de ser mais ofensivo, mas o jogo ficou confortável para o Corinthians. Tivemos problemas para criar porque o Corinthians, com a equipe experiente, fez com que a gente ficasse com desgaste físicos, a bola não queimou no pé deles – analisou o treinador.

Barroca reconheceu que o Botafogo não conseguiu reagir ao gol marcado por Juan Cazares, aos 34 minutos do primeiro tempo. O treinador afirmou que a equipe fez uma partida aquém do esperado, sem dar uma resposta à estratégia do Corinthians.

– Com certeza não faltou determinação. A gente começou o jogo pressionando, roubamos bola no campo de ataque, mas, obviamente, o Corinthians tem bons jogadores. Depois da vantagem, conseguiu jogar mais confortável. Por questão coletiva, quebrou o jogo, aproveitou o ímpeto de a gente tentar buscar o empate. A gente teve até algumas poucas oportunidades para gerar o empate, mas muito pouco, muito aquém – completou.

RelacionadasBotafogoBarroca e Marcinho conversam e lateral é liberado de contrato com o Botafogo mais cedoBotafogo27/12/2020BotafogoBenevenuto critica o Botafogo em derrota para Corinthians: ‘Quando toma gol não consegue reagir’Botafogo27/12/2020BotafogoATUAÇÕES: Victor Luis e Forster vão mal em derrota do BotafogoBotafogo27/12/2020

MAIS ASPAS DE BARROCA:

Victor Luís e Warley no ataque
– A ideia era uma manutenção da equipe que fez uma boa partida contra o Coritiba, principalmente a linha defensiva. O Victor vinha de uma suspensão, jogador experiente, nos daria a possibilidade de uma dobra no lado esquerdo para neutralizar Gustavo Mosquito e Fagner. O fato de a gente ter sofrido um gol no primeiro tempo fez com que eu mudasse para a equipe ter uma profundidade maior, aí as opções na trocas no intervalo.

Mudanças no time titular
– Nesses jogos que eu estou à frente tivemos suspensões. A gente nem tem alternado a questão da formação e uma alternância para segundo tempo tendo que buscar resultado. A quantidade de jogadores utilizados diz muito sobre a necessidade como técnico de encontrar como técnico que nos dê consistência de repetição de equipe. Vou continuar buscando todas as alternativas, eu confio muito na equipe. Entendo que a situação é muito adversa, eu como treinador estou aqui para assumir toda a responsabilidade desse resultado.

Parte tática
– Achei que até o gol do Corinthians o jogo estava equilibrado. Nossa ideia era tentar usar o Warley e o Victor atacando a linha de quatro do Corinthians, mas eles controlaram bem. Acabou que ficamos com a bola em uma zona central, trocando passes e com dificuldade de ter uma profundidade em uma passe mais vertical. Depois do primeiro gol fiz imediatamente uma primeira troca para um jogo com dois atacantes. A gente acabou fazendo um jogo mais direto, mas não ganhamos muitos duelos no jogo de hoje. Tentamos de todas as formas, mas não foi suficiente. Mérito do Corinthians e aprendizado para a gente.

Leeds United are set to be gifted the chance to sign a "superb" player who they wanted to snap up in the summer transfer window, according to a new report.

Leeds transfer news

The Whites were relegated from the Premier League to the Championship last season, in what was a hugely disappointing setback after three years in the top flight. Unsurprisingly, plenty of big earners left the club, including playmakers Rodrigo and Jack Harrison, albeit the latter is only on loan as things stand, and it was vital for new faces to come in.

Leeds made sure that that happened, with several good signings made, including Joel Piroe arriving from Swansea City and Ethan Ampadu joining from Chelsea, and they are sitting nicely in third place in the Championship currently.

There were a number of players who the Whites also ultimately missed out on during the summer, one of wich being Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Nadiem Amiri, who was all set to join Leeds but rejected the move at the last second.

Nadiem Amiri wants to leave Leverkusen

According to a new update from Kicker [via Sport Witness], Amiri now wants to leave Leverkusen and could join Leeds, with the 27-year-old pushing for a move away from his current club.

The report states that he is "aiming for a move" in the January transfer window, six months before his current Leverkusen deal expires, as he makes a "new attempt" to leave rather than let his deal run down. The Bundesliga side are happy to let him move on if a "reasonable offer" is made, with manager Xabi Alonso not seeing him as an important part of his plans.

Leeds were desperate to sign Amiri for a reason back in the summer, so the opportunity to get him in January is something the club should jump at. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described Amiri as "superb" in the past, at a time when his stock continued to rise, and he has contributed positively for Leverusen overall despite falling a little out of favour this season.

Amiri's stats for his the Bundesliga club outline this, with 32 goal contributions (12 goals and 20 assists) coming his way in 140 appearances in total, not to mention winning five caps for Germany, which is no mean feat when you consider some of the quality they have in their squad.

Nadiem Amiri's strengths

Nadiem Amiri's weaknesses

Passing

Aerial duels

Dribbling

Finishing

Through balls

Tackling

While this update doesn't specifically mention that Leeds have shown fresh interest in the attacking midfielder, it would be a surprise if they didn't come back in for him in January, considering the level of intrigue they have shown in him in the past.

Amiri could be a perfect man to come in and add an extra bit of attacking quality to Daniel Farke's squad, at which point the Whites will still hopefully be in the automatic promotion race, using his experience and class to help Leeds get over the finish line and make a swift return to the Premier League.

There is sure to be interest from others, but the Whites remain a big club who could offer him good wages, not to mention the chance of playing in the Premier League in 2024/25.

Lionel Messi could miss Argentina's upcoming international fixtures after suffering a hamstring injury while in action for Inter Miami.

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Messi has active hamstring injuryCould miss Argentina windowTata Martino reveals ideal return dateWHAT HAPPENED?

According to Argentine sports newspaper Diario Olé, the Herons talisman could miss out due to the right hamstring injury he suffered in Inter Miami's CONCACAF Champions Cup victory over Nashville SC. The same injury kept him out of their Saturday victory over D.C. United, that saw Luis Suarez come off the bench to score a brace. Tata Martino delivered an update on Messi postgame, though, and it appears the Herons' boss wants to take ease him back.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowAdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT TATA MARTINO SAID

“We’ll continuously evaluate what he’s doing. The objective is for him to arrive to be able to play in the quarterfinals of Concacaf Champions Cup. We don't want to take a risk,” Martino said.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Argentina's two international friendlies this March will be against El Salvador and the Nigeria national team, with contests respectively on the 21st and the 26th. The Herons, however play straight-through the international break as MLS doesn't stop during the FIFA window.

Martino's comments revealed that Miami wants their Argentine superstar to be ready for their CONCACAF Champions Cup match against CF Monterrey on Tuesday, April 2. Until then, it's unknown whether or not he will be playing on the international stage next week or rehabbing at the training ground.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LIONEL MESSI?

It will be the decision making process of whether or not he plays for Argentina, and whether or not he travels with his squad even if he does not play. The Herons want him to take it easy and push for 100% health, but, could the draw of representing his country again be too much?

Everton can't afford to lose key players in the near future, and a fresh update suggests they are preparing talks with one player over a new deal at Goodison Park.

Where are Everton in the table?

The Blues suffered a terrible result in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, losing 2-1 at home to newly promoted Luton Town, in a game many expected the hosts to win. After a good week, which included a win away to Brentford in the league and a victory at Villa Park in the EFL Cup, this was a result that brought them crashing back down to reality.

Everton sit 16th in the Premier League table after seven matches, with only one win to their name, and defeats of this ilk suggest that another relegation battle could be coming their way in 2023/24. It is still early days, of course, but Sean Dyche continues to find it difficult to make his presence felt as manager.

There are certain players who are hugely important for the Blues, both in the present and the future, and a key update has emerged regarding the future of one of those individuals.

Which Everton player could sign new deal?

According to Football Insider, Everton are in talks with centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite over a new contract, as they look to tie down arguably one of their most prized assets currently:

"Everton are determined to hand defender Jarrad Branthwaite a new contract, sources have told Football Insider. The 21-year-old has broken into the side in recent weeks and has built a strong partnership with James Tarkowski at the heart of the Toffees defence.

"Branthwaite has been a revelation for cash-strapped Everton following his experience-building loan at PSV Eindhoven in the 2022-23 campaign. PSV were keen to sign him in the summer window after his successful spell, but a deal could not be struck with Everton – who wanted to keep him at Goodison Park. The England Under-21 international was also wanted by Man United as well as other Premier League sides. But Branthwaite is out of contract in June 2025, prompting Everton to ready talks over a renewed deal."

Branthwaite is someone who Everton could do with tieing down to a new contract, considering he has already become an important figure, despite being just 21 years of age. This season, he has started five games in the league, averaging 3.8 clearances and averaging 3.2 aerial duel wins per game, highlighting the defensive ability that he possesses.

The Englishman also enjoyed a successful loan spell at Eredivisie giants PSV Eindhoven last season, where manager Ruud van Nistelrooy was clearly impressed with him, saying:

"How he fought his way into the team, he showed himself fantastic. He’s complete, he’s got speed, he’s big. He’s also only 20, so there’s a lot of stretch. Or am I going to say they have to do everything they can to keep Branthwaite? To the current technical director, the previous one, the future, all of them. Hopefully he is one for the future, that’s how we see him internally."

A potential move elsewhere could appeal to Branthwaite, of course, especially if it is a bigger and more successful club than Everton, but the Blues must do all they can to extend his stay and make him a backbone of the team for many years to come, and it looks as if they will aim to do just that.

Barring a glitch or two, both teams are extremely well balanced, and the quality of resources at their disposal should mean that Eden Gardens is in for a top-notch contest

The Preview by Akshay Gopalakrishnan13-Apr-20183:08

Dasgupta: Gill better than most Indian batsmen in KKR squad

Big PictureForty-eight hours. After barely surviving a rollercoaster against the defending champions Mumbai Indians, that is the time Sunrisers Hyderabad have to recuperate and be back in full swing. It’s another reminder of how punishing the IPL can be, and the challenges teams face in staying fresh through two whole months in the peak of the Indian summer. Moreover, Sunrisers will have to switch cities, as they step out of home into the bastion that is Eden Gardens.With 41 victories, Kolkata Knight Riders are the third-most successful home team in IPL history. That trend extended with a dominant win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening game. Knight Riders are among the most well-balanced teams. Their batting order is full of firepower, and they bat very deep. It came to the fore against Chennai Super Kings, when Andre Russell shellacked an unbeaten 88 off 36 balls to power them to 202, after they were 89 for 5 at the halfway stage.Knight Riders’ only concern at the moment is with the domestic fast bowler’s slot. Vinay Kumar, who is their senior-most player in that department, has fallen flat, having gone at 2.82 runs per ball in the two games so far. After their failure to defend 202 against Chennai, the bowling coach Heath Streak called for better execution from the players. And while Streak placed emphasis on a change in approach over wholesale changes to the XI, Knight Riders may consider testing the Under-19 duo of Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti in place of Vinay.Like Knight Riders, Sunrisers have a wonderfully-balanced side. Shikhar Dhawan has done his best to make up for the absence of David Warner with a pair of belligerent knocks. Sunrisers’ middle order has never looked stronger, after the acquisitions of Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan. And Shakib Al Hasan has added teeth to an already potent bowling attack. However, Sunrisers lack a quick striker to complement Dhawan at the top. T20 cricket has often shown us that having one partner buckle down while the other tees off isn’t necessarily a winning strategy. And assuming that Kane Williamson will be largely responsible for holding his end up to build the innings, Sunrisers cannot afford to have two slow scorers in their top three.In the newsMitchell Johnson was rested from Knight Riders’ match against Chennai Super Kings due to a “slight niggle”, but Streak confirmed that the left-arm pacer had recovered, and was hopeful of his return. Streak also said that Lynn’s shoulder problem shouldn’t be a concern. On the eve of the match, captain Dinesh Karthik confirmed the same but also said that team decisions would be made on the morning of the game.Bhuvneshwar sat out the Mumbai game due to a sore back. While he is their spearhead, Sunrisers wouldn’t be sweating too much in case Bhuvneshwar doesn’t recover, seeing as Sandeep Sharma, his replacement, fared well with returns of 2 for 25 in four overs.The likely XIsKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Dinesh Karthik (capt, wk), 6 Rinku Singh/Shubman Gill, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Piyush Chawla, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Shivam Mavi/Kamlesh NagarkotiSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Deepak Hooda, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Siddarth Kaul, 10 Sandeep Sharma/Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Billy StanlakeESPNcricinfo LtdStats that matter Of the 48 balls that Siddarth Kaul has bowled this season, batsmen haven’t been in control of their shots against 25 of them. The numbers are identical for Kaul’s teammate Rashid Khan. Kaul has taken a particular liking to the short delivery. He has bowled 11 of them so far – the second-most this season – and to great effect, giving away just nine runs, including a solitary boundary, and picking up a wicket. Sunrisers have never beaten Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens. Of the five matches these two sides have played here, the home team has won all of them. Among players with at least 600 career IPL runs, Andre Russell’s Smart Strike Rate of 220.40 is, by far, the best. No other player even touches the 200-mark. Glenn Maxwell is a distant second, with 1245 runs at a Smart Strike Rate of 194.79. Contrary to the norm this season, four of the last five meetings between these two sides have been won by the team batting first. Robin Uthappa has an excellent record against Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the IPL. Off the 53 balls he has faced from the bowler, Uthappa has scored 65 runs, and is yet to be dismissed.Strategy puntUse your fast bowlers against Narine. Royal Challengers did the mistake of bowling Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar at Narine upfront, and he sunk them with a 17-ball half-century. Chennai, too, turned to Harbhajan Singh for the second over with Narine at the crease. While the move paid off for them, the contrast is telling. Since the 2015 IPL, Narine has averaged 29.7 and struck at 240.5 while being dismissed thrice in nine innings against spin. Against pace, he averages 18.6, while the strike-rate drops to 156.9, and he has got out to them 11 times in 19 innings.Fantasy picksBatsmen at the top are most likely to score the big runs, which makes Chris Lynn an automatic lock. Even if he does end up being dismissed for a low score, Lynn is unlikely to scratch around, which will make the loss of points minimal. Likewise, Narine would make a safe pick, given his batting position and utility with the ball. Since the previous season, Narine has averaged 19.06 with the bat and struck at 186.92; with the ball, he has conceded just 6.85 runs an over: as fantasy as it gets.Quotes”Yes, we’ve got to be careful. He’s not the first bowler, and he won’t be the last bowler who won’t defend 17-20. We’ve seen (Dwayne) Bravo – what he can do. We’ve seen Andre (Russell) hit quite a few overs for those sort of numbers, like 20-plus. It’s tough when you’re defending the last one, but we did the same thing: hit their bowlers for 20-plus.”

Aston Villa are firmly in the running to sign a new attacking player in January, but they aren't the only club who are looking to bring him to the Premier League.

What's the latest transfer news at Aston Villa?

Over the summer, NSWE, Monchi and Unai Emery brought five fresh faces to the club having completed the signings of Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres, Nicolo Zaniolo, Youri Tielemans and Clement Lenglet, but where there were incomings, there were also outgoings.

The Midlands side sanctioned the permanent sales of Cameron Archer, Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Marvelous Nakamba, Keinan Davis, Wesley and Ashley Young, whilst sending the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Morgan Sanson on loan, via Transfermarkt.

Even though the boss will be happy with his business, Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams is a player that he failed to get over the line after reigniting his interest despite the right-winger turning down the chance to join at the start of the year, as per the same outlet, though he’s not giving up his chase just yet.

The Spain international is someone who is highly-rated by members of the hierarchy, and with his contract expiring in less than a year, the next window will present his club with the perfect opportunity to cash in should they not want to risk losing him for free.

Are Aston Villa signing Nico Williams?

According to Spanish outlet Sport (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa are "in the picture" to secure the services of Williams in 2024, but they aren't alone in their pursuit with Liverpool, Newcastle United and Barcelona also named as interested parties.

Athletic Bilbao's attacker has a €50m (£43m) release clause included in his contract, and the fact that he's not yet put pen to paper on fresh terms has "encouraged" his potential suitors, who are all paying "close attention" to their target's situation.

Whilst Xavi's side have held talks with the player's agent, it's the top-flight trio that are showing "particular interest", so this could be one to watch in January.

How many goals has Nico Williams scored?

Since the start of his career, Williams has racked up 44 contributions (23 assists and 21 goals) in 116 appearances, and the “incredible” forward, as labelled by his brother Inaki Williams, has made a fantastic opening to the new season in La Liga, recording four assists in the same number of games, prior to today's game vs Cadiz.

The Pamplona native also ranks in the 93rd percentile for successful take-ons, highlighting his desire to use his pace, dribble past his marker and create chances for his fellow teammates in the final third where he’s whipped 14 crosses into the box which is the second-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef, showing what a standout star he is.

Athletic’s 21-year-old is additionally a versatile operator with his ability to play out on the opposite right flank and even deeper in the midfield alongside his usual role, so should he be convinced to put pen to paper, it would be a massive coup for Emery and Aston Villa.

South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel will retire from international cricket at the end of the Australia Test series

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-20181:55

‘I leave with a very happy heart’

South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel has announced he will retire from international cricket at the end of the Australia Test series. South Africa will host Australia for four Tests starting March 1 in Durban.”It was an extremely tough decision but I feel the time is right to start a new chapter,” Morkel said. “I have a young family and a foreign wife, and the current demanding international schedule has put a lot of strain us. I have to put them first and this decision will only benefit us going forward.”I have loved every minute that I have played in the Proteas jersey, and I am incredibly grateful to my team mates, Cricket South Africa, and my family and friends for the support over the years. I still feel there is a lot of cricket left in me and I am excited for what lies ahead. For now, all of my energy and focus is on helping the Proteas win the upcoming series against Australia.”When South Africa were in England last year, Morkel was pursued by at least three counties as a Kolpak signing for the 2018 season. The 33-year-old was linked to a Kolpak deal most recently during the India Test series. Indian media reported that Morkel’s father said his son needed to “secure his future” and was considering the Kolpak option but Morkel strongly denied that he was nearing retirement. “There’s still plenty of goals I want to achieve. There’s no truth to that,” he said on January 15, during the Test at SuperSport Park.He will now end his international career when the fourth Test ends on April 3 in Johannesburg. Provided he plays all four matches, Morkel will finish with 87 Tests and will add to his current tally of 294 Test wickets – fifth overall for South Africa.Since making his Test debut in 2006, Morkel has been a vital part of South Africa’s most potent pace attack along with Dale Steyn, especially after Makhaya Ntini’s last Test in 2009. More recently, he led their pace attack in late 2015 in India when South Africa were without Steyn and Vernon Philander.BCCIMorkel suffered a career-threatening back injury in 2016, which kept him out of action for most of the year. He missed series against New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka and only returned to the team in March 2017, in New Zealand but appeared a much improved bowler. While Morkel always had the skill of extracting bounce, on his comeback he had also developed the ability to pitch the ball up more. His consistency and menace only grew and he was South Africa’s leading wicket-taker on their tour to England in 2017.Limited-overs formats took a backseat as Morkel’s career went on. He faded into and out of the South Africa limited-overs side after finishing as their top wicket-taker in the 2015 World Cup. He was not named in the 2016 World T20 squad, did not play in the 2017 IPL as he sought to find form ahead of a demanding international season, and was unsold in this year’s auction. His involvement in the 2019 World Cup was also unclear.At the start of the summer, Morkel said he needed to discuss with new coach Ottis Gibson about whether he would feature in the white-ball set-up before deciding on his future. In the weeks that followed, Gibson said he had spoken to Morkel and explained that, like every other player, he would be considered if he performed well. Morkel played in five of the six ODIs against India and appeared to be among South Africa’s candidates for the 2019 World Cup until his retirement announcement on Monday.He will end his ODI career with 188 wickets from 117 matches at an average of 25.32 with two five-fors. In T20 internationals – which he last played in Lahore for the World XI side – he collected 47 wickets from 44 matches at an economy rate of 7.50.He ranked in the ICC’s top 10 bowlers in all formats at some stage of his career and was No. 1 in ODIs for a period in 2011.Should Morkel decide to go Kolpak – Yorkshire and Surrey are believed to be interested in signing him – he would become the latest in a line of South Africans to quit international cricket and take up a county contract. A year ago, Kyle Abbott’s departure for Hampshire sent shockwaves through the game in South Africa, with internationals such as Rilee Rossouw, Simon Harmer and Stiaan van Zyl also among those moving to the UK.