Rahane says he had a conversation with Kohli after running him out in Adelaide

Sidharth Monga25-Dec-2020

One bad hour. Two good days. Back yourselves to keep doing the same things that brought you those two good days, and avoid that bad hour. That is the import from India’s stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane, who picked an XI with five bowlers for the second Test before attending the pre-match press conference.It is a rare opportunity to captain India – only 33 men have done so in Tests – but Rahane’s position is not exactly enviable with India coming off their 36 all out nightmare and missing three of their frontline players. On top of that, Rahane still holds responsible for not batting Australia out of the game when he ran Virat Kohli out in the first innings and followed it up with a disappointing lbw dismissal.”It was really tough,” Rahane said of the run-out, which became part of India’s fall of 17 wickets for 92 runs. They had been 188 for 3 before that. “Obviously we were going really well, the partnership was really good, and I could actually see that momentum go towards Australia after that run-out. After the end of the day, I went and said sorry to him [Kohli]. He was okay about it because we understood that the situation we were in, we were going really well at that point, but such things happen in cricket. You have got to respect that and move on from there.”Related

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Rahane said Kohli addressed the team before leaving for India for the birth of his first child. “Virat spoke to all of us. We had our team dinner in Adelaide so he spoke to all of us about being positive, playing to our strength and just play as a team and as a unit. That is what we have been doing all these years. It is all about that, all about staying in the moment, playing for each other and enjoy each other’s success and help each other out in the field.”Rahane said while Kohli’s presence was important he won’t be sliding into the captain’s messengers for tips while he is in India. “He spoke to all the boys. He said just be yourselves and back yourselves and play as a team. I don’t want to disturb him now because obviously this time is really special,” Rahane said.This is not the first time Rahane has filled in for Kohli at a crucial time. The last time he did so the opposition was the same, and India were playing the series decider in Dharamsala in 2016-17. Rahane earned plaudits for his captaincy in the match, which started with an aggressive selection of Kuldeep Yadav as the third spinner, continued with field sets and bowling changes, and culminated in an attacking innings to kill a potentially tricky chase.”I felt [I learnt] backing your instinct, remaining calm under pressure, backing your own strengths and methods, which I really focus on,” Rahane said. “I really learnt a lot during that Test.”Rahane reiterated that neither the openers nor he himself needed to take any pressure for the second Test even though their roles were crucial. “We have got to back our basics, back our plans,” Rahane said. “We just had one bad hour so it is all about staying positive, backing your own ability and batting in partnerships. As a batting unit, that matters a lot: communication and batting in partnerships. We are focussing on that.”It is a proud moment for me to lead India. It is a great opportunity and responsibility. I don’t want to take any pressure. What I want to do is back my team-mates, back my team. And as a team we want to do well. The focus is not on me but on the team.”The openers’ role is crucial anywhere. I don’t want to put any pressure on our openers. Just want to give them freedom to play their game. But having said that openers’ role is very crucial. When you have that foundation, it becomes easier for the coming batsman.”

The Thunder will feel very little impact of international duty except for a late start by Sam Billings

Andrew McGlashan09-Dec-2020Captain Callum FergusonCoach Shane BondSquad Sam Billings (Eng), Jonathan Cook, Ben Cutting, Oliver Davies, Brendan Doggett, Callum Ferguson, Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Alex Hales (Eng), Baxter Holt, Usman Khawaja, Nathan McAndrew, Adam Milne (NZ), Arjun Nair, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, Chris TremainIn Sam Billings, Ben Cutting (Heat), Baxter Holt, Adam Milne
Out Jay Lenton, Gurinder SandhuOverseas player availability Sam Billings (in quarantine until approx. Dec 25), Alex Hales (all tournament), Adam Milne (all tournament)Last season: Challenger finalA promising start to the tournament where they had three wins in five matches – and could well have had four if the match against the Strikers in Canberra had not been abandoned due to the smoke from nearby bushfires – become more of a struggle in mid-season. However, they clinched fifth place in a virtual knockout against the Scorchers then kept themselves alive with victories in the Eliminator against the Hurricanes and the (actual) Knockout final against the Strikers. However, needing one more win to reach the final they fell to the Stars at the MCG.Bubble impactThey are the only team not to have suffered any impact from the various Australia squads (as of now). Usman Khawaja would have been closest to a spot, but he was overlooked for the enlarged Test group. Given that two of their overseas players – Alex Hales and Adam Milne – are not involved with their respective national sides the only early loss they will need to cover is England wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings while he serves his 14-day quarantine after arriving from South Africa.Player to watchOn his day, Adam Milne can be quick. Very quick. But his body has struggled to stand up to the strain. It is almost a decade since he made his international debut (in a T20I against Pakistan) and it has been a stop-start career. When he takes the field for the Thunder, having opted for a BBL deal ahead of New Zealand domestic cricket, it will be his first game since August 2019 when he suffered an ankle stress fracture playing for Kent and hopes of Plunket Shield cricket early in the season were hit by a hamstring injury. His overall T20 numbers – 116 wickets at 22.32 with an economy of 7.65 – are impressive and he will form a lively attack with Daniel Sams, Brendon Doggett and Chris Tremain. He could be an x-factor for the Thunder, if he can stay on the park.Key stat (Gaurav Sundararaman)No one took more wickets in the last four overs (33) than Sydney Thunder last season. This was mainly due to the bowling of Sams. He finished with 15 wickets in the death (overs 17-20) at an average of 10.33.

Whilst bringing new players in will be vital if Rangers are to improve next season, it now appears that one of their most promising talents is set to depart Ibrox this summer.

Rangers plotting busy transfer window

After missing out on the Scottish Premiership to Celtic, it is clear that new signings will be important if Rangers are to get the better of their city rivals next season.

Rangers ready to accept £5m bid to sell £22,000-a-week player

He cost the Gers nothing.

By
Josh Barker

Jun 17, 2024

One name linked with a move to Ibrox is FAR Rabat and Morocco U23 international Hamza Igamane. Rangers have reportedly agreed to sign the striker in a deal worth £1.7m with the transfer expected to be finalised before the player travels to the Olympics in Paris.

Rangers are also one of many clubs pushing to sign Hearts talisman Lawrence Shankland. The Glasgow-born centre-forward racked up a staggering 31 goals and eight assists in all competitions last season, making him a target for top sides in both Scotland and England.

This summer is also likely to see a slew of outgoings at Ibrox. The most notable of these potential departures could well be Connor Goldson and James Tavernier. It has been reported that former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard is eager to bring the duo to Al-Ettifaq this summer which would be a major blow for the Glasgow outfit.

Whilst losing Goldson and Tavernier would be far from ideal for the Ibrox faithful, it now appears that another Rangers star is being watched for a reunion with a former boss.

Van Bronckhorst wants Yilmaz reunion

As reported by Sport Witness, the Turkish media are stating that Besiktas have held talks to sign Rangers' defender Ridvan Yilmaz. This news follows reports that FC Nantes are keen on signing Besiktas' current left back Arthur Masuaku, meaing that they will be in need of reinforcements in this area.

The Turkish club are eager to use the funds raised by the sale of Masuaku to sign Yilmaz. with current Besiktas boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst personally sanctioning the deal. The Dutchman was the one who initially brought the 23-year-old to Ibrox from Galatasaray back in July 2022.

Following the £3.5million deal, Yilmaz has battled a number of injury issues during his time in a Rangers shirt. Despite this, the 23-year-old managed to overcome some of his issues making 32 appearances for the Glasgow outfit over the course of last season.

Speaking on his improvements over the last twelve months, former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson sang the praises of Yilmaz telling the press back in March: “The little man has made a huge impression ever since the winter break and has nailed down the left back berth for himself.

“He’s been a slow burner. And that can happen with any young player adjusting to life in a new country. But he’s a proper Rangers player now and I’m sure the manager will want him back fit as quickly as possible."

Following his recent uptick in form, many Rangers fans may be reluctant to let Yilmaz leave. Despite this, a reunion with the manager who first brought him to Scotland may be too good for the 23-year-old to turn down.

Rising interest in Trent Alexander-Arnold – including from Real Madrid – should worry Liverpool, says ex-Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

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Liverpool star's contract expires in 2025Real Madrid eyeing 26-year-old defenderAlexander-Arnold has Ballon d'Or dreamsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Liverpool face the prospect of losing Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk at the end of the season, but it's the potential departure of Alexander-Arnold that may prove to be the most impactful. The dynamic full-back is entering the prime years of his career but has been earmarked by Real Madrid as the long-term successor to Dani Carvajal, with rumours mounting that he could join close friend and England team-mate Jude Bellingham in the Spanish capital when his contract expires next summer.

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Alexander-Arnold, who recently admitted his dream is to win the Ballon d'Or, has done nothing to dispel the rumours linking him with a move away from Anfield, which has prompted former Spurs goalkeeper Robinson to tell the Reds they should be worried about watching him leave.

WHAT ROBINSON SAID

“I genuinely couldn’t see it with the relationship that he’s got with the club,” Robinson told Football Insider. “You know, he’s one of their own if you want for a better phrase. Such an integral part of the club, to be linked so heavily away at the moment, the stories that are coming out.

“We’ve heard stories that [Ibrahima] Konate’s in discussions for a new deal at Liverpool, [Virgil] van Dijk discussing a new deal. Trent’s situation, fairly quiet, other than other clubs becoming more interested in him, which from a Liverpool point of view is worrying. Because the rumours aren’t going away, are they? They’re building up and that’s what I’m hearing as well from my sources.

"All the noises that you hear about Trent at the moment that’s Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and the amount of European giants lining up to sign him. The list seems to be getting bigger so yeah, slightly less confident than I was before [that he will stay].”

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD?

The 26-year-old, to his credit, hasn't let the rumours affect his performances this season. He'll aim to help Arne Slot's side maintain first place in the Premier League when they take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Apple TV studio analyst joins Mic'd Up to discuss the MLS postseason, Miami and Messi, and Wilfried Nancy's future

Major League Soccer’s 2023 decision to partner with Apple TV to carry its matches was groundbreaking, marking the first time a professional league moved most of its games to a streaming platform. This shift has since inspired other leagues, such the NBA, which will stream 66 games on Amazon Prime next season.

Andrew Wiebe, who has been with Apple TV's MLS Season Pass since its launch, serves as a studio analyst for and . The long-time podcast host has enjoyed seeing the programming evolve in just one year.

“We need people to walk away from any show… with excitement, with anticipation, and a tangible reason to care," Wiebe told GOAL. "I want people to be as juiced about the games, the players, the managers, stories, fan culture in the same way I am. I think we're finding ourselves with every step. And what encourages me is that this is just the beginning."

Wiebe credits the strong chemistry between himself and colleagues Kevin Egan, Sacha Kljestan, Kaylyn Kyle, and Bradley Wright-Phillips, as well as the producers, for the show's success. He pointed to their hard work behind the scenes as key to their standout Decision Day coverage.

“I was a little nervous about Decision Day… all these dominoes had to fall to give us an exciting day,” Wiebe said. “We were fortunate to hit fever pitch. Decision Day is about one thing: setting up the playoffs, and the bigger the bang the better.”

The First Round of the MLS Playoffs kicks off Friday with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami hosting Atlanta United. What is Messi's future in MLS? What's next for Columbus coach Wilfried Nancy? Who will win the MLS Cup? Wiebe discusses all of that and more in this edition of Mic'd Up, a recurring feature in which GOAL US taps into the perspective of broadcasters, analysts and other pundits on the state of soccer in the U.S. and abroad.

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  ON THE MLS CUP

  GOAL: The First Round of the MLS Playoffs starts Friday. Who do you have winning the whole thing?

  Wiebe: In the modern era, great teams with great players win the MLS Cup. In terms of MLS Cup, there are no lucky winners. So all of which is to say, I have a hard time believing Inter Miami won't pay this project and this season off without the MLS Cup. Messi is in nuclear form, and they get to do the whole thing in South Florida, apart from one game in Atlanta. The only thing that can stop Miami is themselves, and that's been true all year. Nobody in MLS can compete [with them] on just attacking talent and championship pedigree.

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  ON INTER MIAMI'S HISTORIC SEASON

  GOAL: A debate that is picking up steam is whether or not Inter Miami is the greatest team in MLS history. What are your thoughts?

  Wiebe: Inter Miami is the single greatest collection of talent MLS has ever seen, that much, I'm sure of, and yes, that's sort of a cop-out to your question. Are they the greatest team? Not yet. To be the greatest team, you need more than ability and the on paper side of it, you have to pay it off. Messi is the GOAT, not just because of the goals and historic, absurd stuff that we've seen for years and years and years, but because all those individual moments resulted in trophies and collective history. I mean, he's like counting up to 50 trophies all-time.

  I think of the Barcelona motto when I think of what's at stake for inter Miami, (More than a club). For Messi and Miami, these years are about making Miami more than just a soccer club in South Florida with big players. It's about making Inter Miami an institution. It's about making Inter Miami a club that represents something bigger and grander, something that people can't take away and doesn't shift year to year as coaches and players change. And to do that, Miami have to win, and they have to do it repeatedly…Anything short of historic greatness is below par for this group. So they've got to win MLS Cup.

  GOAL: And if they win?

  Wiebe: If Miami win the double, I think you'd have to argue they're the greatest team of all time on two fronts, on results and on talent.

• ON MESSI'S FUTURE

  GOAL: One thing that's already being discussed is what is MLS and Inter Miami's future going to look like without Messi in it. He can't play forever and when David Beckham left the league, there was a lull for a few years after he left. How does MLS combat that?

  Wiebe: Messi is not replicable. So forget replicating Messi or what he brings. The goal of these years with Lionel has to be to set the foundation for the club, and that's what I mean when I say Més que un club. The club has to take on a bigger place than just where Messi played. The beauty for me is that Messi will be part of that project to continue [due to him being a part-owner of Inter Miami]. He has draw and a magic to him that nobody else in this game has.

  So I think the challenge for Miami is, how do you rechannel that ambition? Who represents that who can take it into the next phase? And they've got to identify those players. It's not going to be easy, and it's certainly not going to be cheap, but having their own Stadium in Miami will help in having a legacy and a foundation laid by Messi is a head start that almost no other club in the world gets.

  GOAL: Does that mean signing global stars in their prime?

  Wiebe: I mean, straight up, why couldn't they sign anybody? Why should Inter Miami limit themselves in terms of any signing after signing Leo Messi, they should believe that literally everything is possible. If MLS wants to grow into the places that it envisions, it has to mean signing top-level players in their prime. That goes for Inter Miami, that goes for the rest of the league.

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  ON THE MVP RACE

  GOAL: Who do you have for MVP?

  Wiebe: I voted for Cucho Hernandez. He earned the award this year. I know Messi's per-90 numbers are better, but come on, it's Messi. He's a human cheat code… To me, crucially, Cucho played eight more games. He has 12 game-winning goal contributions to Messi's six. That speaks to results. It speaks to the impact of the course of the whole year. And the Crew can play arguably the most aesthetically pleasing and effective brand of soccer the league has ever seen, because Cucho can play all three spots across the front line at best-in-class levels.

The trio joins Sunil Joshi and Harvinder Singh in the panel, with Sharma set to be chairman

Nagraj Gollapudi and Vishal Dikshit24-Dec-2020Former India fast bowler Chetan Sharma, along with the fast bowling pair of Abey Kuruvilla and Debasis Mohanty, will be the three new men on the Indian selection committee. The trio will join the pair of Sunil Joshi and Harvinder Singh to complete the five-man committee, with Sharma set to be the chairman of the panel.The selection of Sharma, Kuruvilla and Mohanty was made by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), led by former India allrounder Madan Lal and which also comprises former India left-arm seamer RP Singh and former India women’s player Sulakshana Naik, on Thursday. Incidentally, four members of the five-member panel will now comprise of seam bowlers.The BCCI made the announcement through a media release, saying the CAC has “recommended” Sharma as the chairperson of the committee “based on seniority” in terms of his Test-playing experience. Sharma, who turns 55 in January, has played 23 Test matches and was one of the 11 candidates interviewed virtually on Thursday. According to the BCCI, the CAC will conduct a review of the three selectors after one year.”It’s indeed a privilege for me to get an opportunity to serve Indian cricket once again. I am a man of few words and my action will speak louder than words,” Sharma told . “I can only thank BCCI for this opportunity.”Lal, RP Singh and Naik “met virtually” on Thursday – the same the day the 89th AGM of the BCCI was held in Ahmedabad – to pick replacements for Jatin Paranjpe, Devang Gandhi and Sarandeep Singh, whose terms ended in September.Sharma, Kuruvilla and Mohanty were among several candidates who had applied in late November, including Ajit Agarkar, Maninder Singh, Nayan Mongia, SS Das and Ranadeb Bose.The BCCI had put down a minimum qualification of seven Tests or 30 first-class matches, or 10 ODIs and 20 first-class matches for the applicants. They should have also retired “at least five years previously” and should not have been over 60 years of age.The first assignment for the new panel will be picking the three squads for the long home tour against England featuring four Tests, five T20Is and three ODIs, starting February 5 next year.Sharma is the most experienced of the three new names with 23 Tests and 65 ODIs in which he took 61 and 67 wickets respectively, and also struck an ODI century after being promoted to No. 4 against England in 1989. He is, however, famously remembered for taking a hat-trick against New Zealand in the 1987 World Cup. By bowling Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith and Ewen Chatfield, Sharma became the first bowler to grab a World Cup hat-trick and the first Indian to do so in ODIs.Mohanty, from Odisha, played two Tests and 45 ODIs from 1997 to 2001 and also featured in the 1999 World Cup. He was India’s second-best bowler in the tournament with 10 wickets from six games at an average of 26, behind Javagal Srinath’s tally of 12. Mohanty also coached his home side Odisha in 2011-12 after taking over from Michael Bevan.Kuruvilla, who rose to international cricket from Mumbai, took 25 wickets each in the 10 Tests and 25 ODIs he played in 1997. One of the tallest men to bowl for India at 6’6″, Kuruvilla impressed in only his third Test with a five-for against West Indies in Bridgetown in 1997, but fell off the radar soon after. Later he served in various selection panels, heading the India junior selection committee in 2011-12 before being named the Mumbai chief selector in 2012.

A "big talent" is now keen to join Arsenal as the Gunners open talks to sign him, with Fabrizio Romano claiming an offer has also been made.

Edu wants to sign young, energetic players for Arsenal

As revealed by sporting director Edu earlier this year, a key transfer policy for the club this window is signing young, hungry and passionate players for manager Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal now set to sell "top level" player as Edu lines up replacement

The Gunners are ready to part company.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 12, 2024

The Spaniard has his eyes on a third-successive Premier League title challenge, and came very close to winning it last campaign as Arsenal pushed Man City all the way to the final day.

Despite accumulating 89 points and scoring 90-plus goals, it was Pep Guardiola's side who ultimately reigned victorious and clinched their fourth-consecutive domestic crown – becoming the first English team in history to do so.

Player

Goals

Bukayo Saka

20

Leandro Trossard

17

Kai Havertz

14

Martin Odegaard

11

Gabriel Jesus

8

BBC Sport

Guardiola has set a very high standard for teams competing at the top end of the table, but it is a level which Arteta and co are determined to match as they seek to upgrade the Arsenal squad over these coming weeks.

Arsenal have been in talks to sign Bologna starlet Riccardo Calafiori to bolster their defence, and Edu has been widely tipped to bring in a new forward as well as a new midfielder.

The 22-year-old Calafiori fits into Edu's mould of an energetic prospective new addition with many years ahead of him, as the Brazilian made an admission on Arsenal's transfer plans in February.

"I understand what the fans are asking for but we already have our targets,” Edu said on TNT Sports.

“We have planned a lot ahead and I will be worried if we don’t score a lot of goals and if we’re not creating chances, which is the opposite because we create a lot and score a lot of goals. The plan is to try to get better every year and I think we are in a good moment. Let's see if we can keep improving.

“Many times in certain conversations to recruit the players you don't see the character of the player or the character of the player does not fit well with what we are trying to do and then you have to move on and try to find what we’re really looking for.

“If you see all the signings we’ve made since we started together, everyone is almost the same, young, energetic and passionate, and good talents with big, beautiful futures ahead of them.”

Another player who fits the bill in this respect is highly-rated Ajax sensation Tommy Setford, with the England Under-20 international now attracting serious interest from the Emirates.

Setford keen to join Arsenal after talks opened and bid submitted

Romano, taking to X, has shared an update on the "big talent" and his future in Amsterdam as the goalkeeper's contract expires next year.

He says Arsenal have submitted a bid and opened talks to sign Setford, who himself is keen to make the move to London Colney.

The 18-year-old has been a regular in the Ajax academy but is yet to make an appearance, though scouts clearly see enough potential to warrant a formal move.

قبل المواجهة الحاسمة التي ستجمع نادي الاتحاد بنظيره الهلال، في إطار منافسات الدور ربع النهائي من كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين، تعرض لاعبا الاتحاد البارزان، لإصابات أثارت قلق الجماهير والجهاز الفني للفريق.

ومن المقرر أن تُقام المباراة مساء غدًا الثلاثاء، على أرضية ملعب المملكة أرينا بالرياض، ما يزيد من أهمية اللقاء كونه “كلاسيكو” سعودي يحظى بمتابعة جماهيرية واسعة.

وأوضحت تقارير سعودية إن إصابة كريم بنزيما وموسى ديابي، رغم أنها تُصنف “إصابات بسيطة”، ما يُعطي بعض الأمل بإمكانية لحاقهما بالمباراة، ومع ذلك، سيخضع اللاعبان لفحوصات طبية دقيقة وشاملة لتحديد مدى خطورة الإصابة بشكل نهائي وحسم موقفهما من المشاركة في المباراة المصيرية.

طالع أيضًا | رونالدو: سأحاول مساعدة السعودية للوصول لأفضل شيء.. ويكشف عن أفضل لحظاته مع النصر

وتشير التقارير الأولية إلى أن كلا اللاعبين يعاني من شد عضلي، وهو ما منعهما من المشاركة في التدريبات الجماعية للفريق التي أُجريت أمس الأحد استعدادًا لمواجهة الهلال.

ويُعتبر بنزيما وديابي من العناصر الأساسية والمؤثرة في تشكيلة نادي الاتحاد، حيث يُعتمد عليهما بشكل كبير في الجانب الهجومي للفريق. غيابهما المحتمل سيُشكل ضربة قوية للفريق وسيُؤثر على خطط المدرب في هذه المباراة الهامة.

يُذكر أن الفريقين قد التقيا في وقت سابق من هذا الموسم في منافسات دوري روشن السعودي للمحترفين، حيث تمكن نادي الهلال من تحقيق الفوز بنتيجة ثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف وحيد في المباراة التي أُقيمت على ملعب الأمير فيصل بن فهد (الملز).

Nepal have appointed Dav Whatmore as head coach of the national side. The former Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Zimbabwe coach will have Raunak Bahadur Malla as general manager, while Binod Kumar Das will be taking over as cricket manager from the start of next year.Whatmore’s principal task at hand will be to secure qualification for the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, with Nepal failing to secure a berth at the 2021 T20 World Cup in India. Whatmore’s appointment will bring a rich vein of experience to the national side, while also filling a vacancy that had persisted for nearly a year after Umesh Patwal stepped down in February.”Dave [sic] is extremely keen to take on this new challenge, as he strongly believes Nepal has great talent and a very bright future in international cricket,” said a press release by the Nepal Cricket Association. “Nepal is a beautiful country and Dave [sic] is looking forward to this new challenge with young talent in Nepal.”Whatmore’s highest honour as coach remains steering Sri Lanka to a World Cup title in 1996. He then went on to oversee Bangladesh’s rise from 2003-07, guiding them through to the Super Eights of the 2007 World Cup where they knocked India out and also upset South Africa.In the past, he has also coached the Kolkata Knight Riders IPL franchise for two seasons as well as Indian domestic side Kerala, who made their first Ranji Trophy semi-finals in 2018-19 under Whatmore.

The summer transfer window officially opened for business last month and Leeds United have made three additions to Daniel Farke's squad so far.

Joe Rodon was the first arrival ahead of the 2024/25 campaign after his permanent move from Tottenham Hotspur, having spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Elland Road.

Goalkeeper Alex Cairns then joined to provide an experienced back-up option between the sticks, shortly before Joe Rothwell was signed on loan from Premier League side Bournemouth.

The Whites do not look to be done there, though, as they are reportedly interested in signing a right-back from one of their Championship rivals.

Leeds United's interest in £7m star

According to the printed edition of The Sun (page 59, 14/07), as relayed by LeedsUnitedNews, the West Yorkshire outfit are keen on a deal for Sheffield United defender Jayden Bogle.

The report claimed that Farke's side want to bring the former England U21 international to Elland Road to bolster their full-back options, which comes after Archie Gray completed a transfer to Spurs and Connor Roberts returned to Burnley at the end of his loan spell.

However, The Sun added that the Blades, who were relegated from the Premier League earlier this year, want a staggering £7m for the player, despite him being in the final 12 months of his contract.

It revealed that Leeds disagree with that valuation and are not prepared to meet their demands as it stands, which means that the two clubs will have to reach a compromise to make a move happen.

If the Whites can negotiate a better deal for the right-back, who has been described as "outstanding" by manager Chris Wilder, before the end of the window then Farke could land a dream partner for Dan James down the flank.

Why Jayden Bogle would be a dream for Dan James

The £20k-per-week star could be an excellent addition to play behind the Welsh speedster as he has the defensive qualities to be a solid operator, allowing the winger to bomb on as much as possible.

Over the last 365 days, Bogle ranks within the top 11% of full-backs in the Men's Top 5 Leagues and European competition for aerials won per 90 (1.61) and clearances per 90 (3.13). He also ranks within the top 39% or higher for tackles (2.13), interceptions (1.03), and blocks (1.36) per 90.

These statistics suggest that he is a very active defender who constantly looks to step in to cut out opposition attacks, which could lead to more counter-attacks for James to then show off his pace on the break.

Appearances

40

37

Goals

2

1

Assists

8

5

Big chances created

4

4

Dribbles completed per game

1.3

1.7

As you can see in the table above, Bogle previously caught the eye with his offensive contributions for Derby County before his move to Sheffield United.

Farke could also look to bring that back to his game, after just one assist in the last two seasons for the Blades, to make him an overlapping threat, which would attract attention from defenders and possibly free up more space for James.

The Wales international, who produced 13 goals and seven assists in 40 Championship games last season, could then thrive at the top end of the pitch with the secure, and possibly exciting, presence of Bogle behind him on the flank.

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ByDan Emery Jul 10, 2024