Rangers’ busy transfer window activity continues.

Over the weekend, the Light Blues confirmed the signing of teenage left-back Jayden Meghoma, arriving on a season-long loan from Brentford.

He is the tenth new player recruited by Russell Martin, with more expected to follow, as he seeks to completely overhaul the Rangers squad he inherited.

Now though, the Gers are seeking to bolster their backline even further, targeting another exciting talent…

Rangers' search for a new left-back

Ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League play-off first leg against Club Brugge, Rangers submitted a squad to UEFA that featured no out-and-out left-backs.

Rıdvan Yılmaz has not featured at all under Martin, with Beşiktaş attempting to re-sign him, while Jefté, who did start both legs against Viktoria Plzeň in the previous round, has now also been excluded, reportedly close to a £6m move to Palmeiras.

Thus, Max Aarons is expected to once again fill-in at left-back, as he did for both legs against Panathinaikos, and on the opening day of the Premiership campaign at Motherwell, but this is a far from ideal solution.

Thus, according to Il Messaggero, via the Daily Record, Rangers have revived their interest in signing Anass Salah-Eddine from Roma, with the Light Blues said to be ready to make contact regarding a potential move.

They add that newly-promoted La Liga outfit Elche are among the 23-year-old’s other suitors, with the Giallorossi willing to sell.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

Salah-Eddine only joined Roma from FC Twente in January for a reported fee of €8.5m plus €2m in add-ons, around £9m, but the full-back is not in new manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s plans, so could he soon swap the Eternal City for Ibrox?

What Anass Salah-Eddine would bring to Rangers

Born in Amsterdam, Salah-Eddine came through Ajax’s academy, representing the Dutch giants at multiple youth levels, before making just ten appearances for their first team.

He was loaned out to FC Twente for the 2022/23 season, before making the move to Enschede permanent, featuring 53 times for them overall.

His big breakthrough came this time last year, finally establishing himself as Twente’s first-choice left-back, notably starting all eight of their Europa League league phase fixtures, doing so against such high-calibre opponents as Manchester United, Lazio and others.

As already referenced, this earned him a move to Roma in January, the Giallorossi splashing up to £9m to secure his signature, but this certainly has not gone to plan.

Salah-Eddine featured in three of the first five Serie A fixtures following his arrival, starting against Parma and Empoli, but has not been seen since, an unused substitute for the final ten league matches, while a summer change of management at the Olimpico hasn’t improved his standing either.

While he was still in the Eredivisie, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelled him a “technically gifted” full-back, adding that he was one of “the most talented” young Dutch talents at the time.

So, let’s assess his statistics from last season’s Europa League.

Salah-Eddine – EL stats (24/25)

Stats

Record

Twente rank

Minutes

709

6th

Assists per 90

0.25

2nd

Expected assists

2

1st

Completed passes

310

3rd

Key passes

8

4th

Shot-creating actions

23

4rd

Goal-creating actions

2

2nd

Tackles

23

2nd

Interceptions

14

1st

Ball recoveries

47

2nd

Attempted take-ons

23

2nd

Progressive carries

21

2nd

Touches

493

3rd

Average Sofascore rating

7.01

2nd

via FBref.com and Sofascore

As the table outlines, when compared to his former Twente teammates in last season’s Europa League, Salah-Eddine ranks very highly for a wide variety of metrics.

The left-back was a key chance creator, as well as completing a lot of passes and accumulating a high number of touches, while also being solid defensively, ranked in the top two for tackles, interceptions, ball recoveries and more, despite having been sold by the time they faced Bodø/Glimt in the knockout stages, thereby featuring in two fewer fixtures.

So, why would he be a better signing than Meghoma?

Well, the Brentford loanee is very inexperienced, making just four appearances for the Bees, totalling 174 minutes, spending the second half of last season on loan at Preston North End, but only featuring 14 times for them, an unused substitute eight times.

Salah-Eddine, on the other hand, has vastly more experience, especially at European level, so would be better equipped to come in and make an instant impact, which is what Martin surely needs, while Meghoma is more of a developmental project.

Related Even worse than Jefte: Euro club set for talks with Rangers to sign £4m dud

Rangers are reportedly set to hold talks with a European club over a potential deal for one of their players.

Posts ByDan Emery Aug 19, 2025

UP Warriorz (UPW) have named Australia top-order batter Georgia Voll as replacement for Chamari Athapaththu, who will be missing the final phase of the WPL owing to national duties. As reported by ESPNcricinfo last week, Athapaththu was supposed to be available for UPW only till February 26, for their game against Mumbai Indians in Bengaluru which they lost.UPW next play on March 3, which will be the first game this season in Lucknow. Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand begins with the first of three ODIs in Napier the following day, followed by as many T20Is. As such, Athapaththu hasn’t played any of UPW’s five games this season.Twenty-one-year-old Voll has only played three T20Is, having made her debut against England in January. But prior to that, she was Sydney Thunder’s second-highest run-getter at WBBL 2024-25, where she scored 330 runs at a strike rate of 144. Thunder had made their way all the way up to the WBBL Challenger, where they lost to Brisbane Heat.Voll scored a century in just her second ODI, against India last December. She had finished as the highest run-scorer in that series, with 173 runs at an average of 86.50. Voll joins UPW for INR 30 lakh (US$ 34,350 approx.).UPW are currently placed fourth on the five-team WPL points table, having won two of their games so far.

أبدى عدد من لاعبي منتخب مصر الأول لكرة القدم، سعادتهم العارمة، بتأهل الفراعنة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026. 

وكان منتخب مصر قد فاز منذ قليل على غينيا بيساو بهدف دون رد، في الجولة العاشرة والأخيرة من تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة لكأس العالم. 

وحجز منتخب مصر بطاقة التأهل إلى نهائيات كأس العالم عقب الفوز في الجولة التاسعة على منتخب جيبوتي بثلاثة أهداف دون رد. 

طالع.. وزير الرياضة: التأهل لـ كأس العالم يعكس تطور الكرة المصرية.. وسنتواجد في كل البطولات

وقال أحمد نبيل كوكا في تصريحات لقناة “إم بي سي مصر 2”: “أجواء لن تنسى، كان مهم أن نفوز لكي تستكمل الاحتفالات، شيء مهم جدًا لي ثقة حسام حسن في إمكانياتي”.

وأضاف عن الاحتراف الخارجي: “ما زال عقدي مستمرًا مع الأهلي حتى شهر 7 المقبل، ومتواجد في النادي منذ 15 سنة، وتحت أمر النادي والأهم بالنسبة لي هي مصلحة الأهلي”.

فيما عبر محمود تريزيجيه عن فرحته بتأهل المنتخب قائلاً: “الحمد لله استطعنا أن نفرح الشعب المصري، شعرنا أننا تأهلنا اليوم بالفرحة مع أهلنا، إن شاء الله نغلق صفحة التصفيات ونركز في أمم إفريقيا المقبلة”.

وأضاف: “يوم تمرين المنتخب بالنسبة لي يعادل دوري كامل خارج مصر، أنتظر أي معسكر أتواجد فيه وأرتدي قميص منتخب بلدي، الحمدلله للمرة الثانية أصل لكأس العالم، ووصلت مرتين لنهائي أمم إفريقيا ولم نوفق، وإن شاء الله نوفق في النسخة المُقبلة”.

وتابع: “معنا جهاز فني محترم وسنبدأ التفكير في أمم إفريقيا، وأحلم بالتتويج باللقب في النسخة المقبلة”.

فيما تحدث زيزو عن تأهل منتخب مصر عقب لقاء غينيا بيساو، قائلاً: “مبروك لشعب مصر، يحتاج للفرحة، أشكر كل الناس التي ساهمت في الإنجاز، كلهم يستحقون فرحة مثل هذه”.

وأضاف: “حلم من أحلامي المشاركة في كأس العالم وأشكر الجماهير التي حضرت، مباريات التصفيات كانت صعبة لكن اللاعبين كانوا أكثر تركيزًا، لدينا لاعبين على أعلى مستوى”.

Ruben Amorim claimed after Manchester United's defeat at Brentford that he is never worried about losing his job and that is just as well because, sooner or later, he is going to get his marching orders at Old Trafford. The results speak for themselves. His team have lost 17 of their 33 Premier League matches while winning just nine times. If you want to find a United coach with a worse win percentage in the league, you have to go back to before the Second World War.

While United's fan base is far more supportive of coaches than at most other top clubs, patience with Amorim is running thin. After the limp surrender at the Gtech Stadium, social media was awash with calls for the Portuguese to be sacked. The pundit class were also baffled as to how the Portuguese could continue to struggle on with results as bad as they are.

"You look at it and he only has a win percentage of one per cent more than Graham Potter, who has been sacked. How is he still in the job?" asked Martin Keown on the . "We can talk about the owners backing him, but ultimately it's just not working," said Micah Richards. "I don't see where Manchester United go with this unless they change manager," added Ashley Williams.

They are not the only ones. GOAL lays out six reasons why United need to end the Amorim experiment right now…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  He refuses to change

  While all good managers should have a vision and a philosophy, adapting to your players' strengths and trying to make the most of them is part of the job. Amorim, though, has refused to stray from his 3-4-3 formation and he has made his stubbornness his unique selling point. In his first press conference he proudly declared "there is no second way", and the drudge of terrible results since has not made him reassess his methods. Last week he claimed that not even the Pope could convince him to change his mind about how his team should play.

  He has had more than enough time for his players to get used to the formation and his style, including a whole pre-season campaign and now full weeks of training sessions due to a lack of European football. But his message is not getting through and Amorim is resembling a captain who is refusing to change direction as his ship heads towards an iceberg.

  Amorim has repeatedly stated that the only way for United to change their way of playing is to get rid of him. And he is giving them no other option.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Alienating top players

  The suspension received by Casemiro for getting sent off against Chelsea gave Amorim a choice between Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte. Yet again, he ignored the homegrown midfielder who many fans saw as the club's future and picked the Uruguayan, who has none of the technical ability of the England international.

  That Amorim refused to give Mainoo his first league start of the season was hardly surprising. He has never rated a player who is among the most talented in the squad, largely because he doesn't fit into his rigid system. Mainoo knows this, which is why he asked for a loan move towards the end of the transfer window. 

  That he requested a loan rather than a permanent move says it all: he does not want to leave United, but he sees little future for him while Amorim is in charge. And when he made the request he likely assumed that the coach would not be sticking around for much longer anyway.

  Mainoo is far from the only talented player who Amorim has alienated. He forced Marcus Rashford out of the club and then did the same with Alejandro Garnacho. He also gave up on Rasmus Hojlund, even though the striker was willing to fight for his place. The club and coach need to part ways before he drives away any more stars.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  No momentum

  Amorim revealed the day before the Brentford game that all week he had been stressing to his players the importance of building momentum. The win over Chelsea gave the team the chance to win back-to-back league games for the first time under their manager, and for the first time since May 2024.

  "It was everywhere," he said. "I think if we as a team don’t understand the momentum now, we have a big problem. So for me since we started the first training session we started talking about that. We need to understand the opportunity we have to win the next game [and build momentum]. The responsibility is on us. We need the sense of urgency that we need to win, no matter what."

  But despite him hammering the message home, it did not get through. And Amorim is right. United have a massive problem if they cannot string two wins together for more than a year. Without any momentum there is firstly no prospect of picking enough points to get close to securing European football. Worst of all, though, there can be no hope of any lasting improvement.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Basic mistakes

  Amorim has said on a few occasions that his system is not the problem and in certain instances you have to agree with him. It is not a system problem which has led to Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir gifting the opposition goals, sometimes directly from corners. Harry Maguire cannot blame being in a back three for playing Igor Thiago onside at Brentford or for allowing Erling Haaland to destroy him in a race in the Manchester derby.

  Nor can Bruno Fernandes' failure to score penalties at Brentford and Fulham be linked back to the coach's tactics. And yet, worrying things keep on happening on Amorim's watch and he has to take responsibility for them. 

  "The goals today, we worked on during the week. That is frustrating," he said. "I see the guys in training. I feel sometimes in the games, when things are really hard, they are not the same. But that is the pressure of the club." 

  There might be an element of truth to players' caving in under the weight of expectation which comes with representing United. But it is the coach's job to help them cope. And Amorim is not succeeding on that front.

MatériaMais Notícias

A descoberta de que uma quadrilha se articulou para fazer um esquema de manipulação de resultados em casas de apostas esportivas evidenciou desafios para os rumos da legislação esportiva. Enquanto as investigações na CPI da Manipulação de Resultados e no Ministério Público de Goiás (MP-GO), entram em debate fatores que podem prevenir que estas fraudes ocorram.

RelacionadasInstitucionalLance! estreia nova marca e se reposiciona no mercado de mídia esportivaInstitucional15/06/2023

Membro da Comissão Especial dos Jogos Esportivos, Lotéricos e Entretenimento do Conselho Federal da OAB, Rafael Vieites alertou que brechas na lei contribuíram para surgir o esquema denunciado pelo MP-GO.

–  A descoberta desse esquema de manipulação envolvendo os sites de apostas esportivas evidenciou o que já se sabe há tempos: a ausência de regulamentação específica deixa o esporte à mercê de influência externa e de pessoas mal intencionadas – disse ao Lance!, apontando:

– Atualmente a esfera esportiva brasileira não tem nenhuma punição específica para participação de atletas em apostas esportivas ou esquemas de manipulação de resultados. Há necessidade da regulamentação das apostas e da criação de punições para atletas envolvidos com o jogo, mesmo que de forma indireta, visando a manutenção do equilíbrio das competições – completou.

Aos seus olhos, o momento é de ampliar punições a crimes relacionados a manipulações de jogos.

– Desde 2010 a questão tem tipicidade expressa no estatuto do torcedor, já que a Lei 12.299/2010 inseriu todo um capítulo prevendo crimes relacionados à manipulação de jogos, prevendo hipóteses nos seus artigos 41-C, 41-D e 41-E do estatuto do torcedor. Além disso, outras questões penais podem ser consideradas, dependendo da conduta e dos agentes, como associação criminosa ou organização criminosa, previstas no Código Penal e Lei de Organização Criminosa, respectivamente. De todo modo, estamos diante de uma grande oportunidade de criar um arcabouço legal apropriado, através da já tardia regulamentação – destacou.

Segundo Vietes, a regulamentação de casa de apostas é um caminho para prevenção de que surja o jogo sujo em campo.

– Com a regulamentação das casas de apostas, é possível a criação processos e mecanismos de monitoramento para identificar e coibir apostas suspeitas. A regulamentação também trará regras claras que permitam coibir os esquemas de manipulação de resultados e apostas, além de diretrizes para punir atletas e demais envolvidos, tais como suspensão, multa e até mesmo o banimento.

Newcastle United have emerged from the throes of the summer transfer window with a squad fit for purpose, in spite of all the disruption which has hampered Eddie Howe’s side’s start to the season.

Two points from three opening Premier League matches isn’t good enough, but context is oh-so important, and Howe will be confident and adamant to restore that winning feeling to Tyneside.

However, he and his team will have to do so without the services of Alexander Isak, who has completed his British record transfer to Liverpool on transfer deadline day.

Newcastle have strengthened considerably across the past several months, even if at times it felt that imapctful signings simply wouldn’t find their way into Howe’s brood, and while the late signings of Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade has ensured that Isak can leave without it being to the detriment of squad depth, it rankles all the same.

Why Newcastle sold Isak

The summer transfer window’s most protracted saga is over, and Howe must be relieved that he can now get to work with the players who want to fight for the black-and-white badge.

Isak, 25, had been on strike for the final month of his Newcastle career, looking to force through a move to Liverpool. He got his wish, and United banked a record-breaking fee.

While Isak contributed toward the most successful period in Newcastle’s modern history, his conduct has left a stain on his legacy, with Newcastle’s 37-word confirmation of his sale, opting against expressing gratitude, bleak evidence of that fact.

Still, while Isak’s decision to pack up and leave stings, the Sweden international’s sale has added plenty to the coffers, with PIF redistributing the wealth into a new frontline.

The addition of a Prem-proven striker in Wissa and a potential superstar in Woltemade eases the blow, to be sure, but Howe has overseen another sale in recent memory which was laced with just as much pain.

Only this departee conducted himself far better than the club’s former talisman.

Howe's most painful Newcastle sale

Isak’s sale was freighted with emotion, much of which stemmed from the Tyneside faithful’s disbelief that he would – for want of a better term – throw his toys out of the pram after cementing himself as a legend.

But cement can be chiselled to dust, and Isak is now just another one-time star. However, the same cannot be said for Elliot Anderson, who had to be sold to Nottingham Forest one year ago so that PIF could placate the temper of the Premier League’s PSR rules.

It was July 2024, and Nottingham Forest bagged themselves one of Newcastle’s own for £35m, Anderson having made his senior debut for the Toon in 2021 and gone on to feature 55 times.

Still only 22, he was integral in Forest’s success last year, regularly playing from the outset in the Premier League and impressing with his multi-faceted approach to his play.

Last month, Thomas Tuchel handed Anderson his first England call-up, a testament to his good work.

It’s been a tough pill for the Magpies to swallow, not least because of the knowledge that he would rather ply his craft under the St. James’ Park lights, a boyhood fan and indeed only jumping ship because external forces demanded it.

Anderson’s form since leaving absolutely suggests he could be a major player in Howe’s system, perhaps precluding last week’s £43m signing of Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa, had he stayed.

We are but three fixtures into the 2025/26 campaign, and so metrics drawn from Premier League performances are skewed, but Anderson has started off in fine fettle, all right, marking a continuation from last season’s success in Nuno Espirito Santo’s European-qualifiying team.

Anderson – PL record for Forest

Stats (*per game)

24/25

25/26

Matches (starts)

37 (33)

3 (3)

Goals

2

0

Assists

6

1

Touches*

54.2

105.0

Pass completion

82%

89%

Big chances created

7

1

Key passes*

1.0

1.7

Dribbles*

1.0

1.0

Ball recoveries*

5.6

6.0

Tackles + interceptions*

2.5

4.0

Duels (won)*

6.5

8.7

Data via Sofascore

Whether he can keep it up is another question entirely, but Anderson is certainly showing that he has the making of an elite Premier League midfielder, with Forest fan Adam Wilco remarking to BBC Sport that he has “the world at his feet”.

After all, Anderson ranks among the top 12% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for both assists and tackles, and the top 11% for successful take-ons per 90, data courtesy of FBref, which emphasises that bit more his propensity for complete midfield play.

Newcastle will get over the sale of Isak. They will soon forget that world-class striker who made it his wish to leave Tyneside this summer no matter what.

However, Anderson could find himself pitted against Howe’s side in five years to come, and still the Newcastle crowds would pay respect to an up-and-coming prospect, an academy graduate, who was forced into leaving, understandably so, to stop the threat of financial repercussions.

Of course, there’s every chance that Newcastle will look to re-sign their youngster who flew the nest, but reports stemming from his sale do confirm that a buy-back clause was not inserted when the signatures were scribbled off.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Expand Collapse

Hailed in the past as a “phenomenal” young talent by former teammate Alex Rodman while out on loan with Bristol Rovers, Anderson might not play for Newcastle any longer, but he’s still remembered fondly by the fanbase.

The same can’t be said for all.

Related Worth more than Wissa & Woltemade: Newcastle hit gold on "exceptional" star

Following the signings of Yoane Wissa for £55m and Nick Woltemade for £69m, it’s proof that Newcastle struck gold signing an “exceptional” £40m star.

Posts 2 ByBen Gray Sep 2, 2025

Manchester United have been urged to ditch manager Ruben Amorim after yet another dismal defeat at the hands of Brentford on Saturday in the Premier League. United are yet to register back-to-back wins in the Premier League since Amorim took charge of the club in November 2024 and have won just nine out of the 33 matches under the Portuguese boss so far.

Amorim's struggles continue at Brentford

Igor Thiago scored a brace within the first 20 minutes of the match as Manchester United conceded two early goals. Benjamin Sesko soon brought the team back into the fight by scoring his maiden goal. But Bruno Fernandes' penalty miss in the second half further worsened their situation and Mathias Jensen's 95th-minute goal sealed a dominating win for the Bees. This was United's 17th Premier League loss in 33 matches they have played under Amorim since November 2024. 

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesMan Utd told to move on from struggling boss

Former Chelsea star Joe Cole has urged the Red Devils to make changes in the team after the Brentford defeat, as he told TNT Sports, "There's something in the harmony of the whole club, the group. It’s the heaviest shirt in world football, because of how poor it’s been, and the history of the club, the expectations.

"The manager’s job first and foremost is to bring harmony and rejuvenate the culture. Whoever comes in has to fin a way to galvanise – first of all the players, we know there are some good players here – [but also] the club, the boards, the owner, the fans. They need a different direction."

When further asked if Amorim should be sacked, Cole added: "Yeah, it is…you know I don't like saying that. But I think for him as well. He was the bright young spark. That's how high his stock was. He’s clearly a good manager as well, but the mix and the blend of the whole situation, I think it needs a culture change. They went with this fella and it doesn’t look like it’s working."

Will Amorim be sacked by Red Devils?

As of now, the United management has not provided any hint that they are planning to part ways with the Portuguese coach and in fact, the 40-year-old reportedly has the hierarchy's backing. Also, the club will have to pay a substantial amount of money as compensation if they part ways with the head coach in the middle of the season. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWhen will Man Utd play next?

United will host newly-promoted Sunderland next on October 4 before the league pauses for the international break. After that, the Red Devils are scheduled to visit reigning champions and rivals Liverpool at Anfield on October 19.

“Don’t care who coaches the team, who captains the team, just want English cricket to get back to where it should be”

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-2025Charlotte Edwards has offered to help the ECB during its review into England’s 16-0 Women’s Ashes drubbing at the hands of Australia.Edwards, the former England captain turned decorated coach, has not ruled herself out of taking over the head coach role if it becomes available in the aftermath of the review, saying in an interview this week that she felt better equipped than she was two-and-a-half years ago, just before Jon Lewis replaced Lisa Keightley at the helm. But she was even stronger on lending her support to the ECB’s inquiry.”I’m certainly more prepared because of some of the experiences I’ve had in the last few years,” Edwards told the BBC’s Stumped podcast. “I just want to help at the moment because I feel like this review’s taking place and I think they’ve got to ask people within the game what they think. I’ve got great experience across county level, working in the WBBL, that hopefully someone will pick up the phone and ask what we need to do to get better.”That’s all I care about at the moment. I don’t care who coaches the team, who captains the team. I just want English cricket to get back to where it should be. And I think we’ve got to use people who know what’s going on to help and I feel I’m in a position to help and hopefully support the ECB in that process.”Related

Jon Lewis leaves role as England Women's head coach

Jon Lewis: 'I haven't finished the job that I came here to do'

White-WAshes demands inquest as England are exposed

England's mental and physical resilience under scanner in Ashes inquest

Edwards would be a leading candidate as England Women’s head coach should the role become vacant given her outstanding success in the world’s top franchise leagues and at domestic level.Having initially said she was interested in taking the England job in September 2022, Edwards decided against applying a couple of weeks later, saying she was enjoying her burgeoning franchise coaching career with Southern Brave in the Women’s Hundred and WBBL side Sydney Sixers, as well as leading Southern Vipers in the domestic women’s competition, which included a T20 competition named in her honour.Edwards has led Southern Vipers to five titles, including two Charlotte Edwards Cup victories – the second as part of a domestic double in 2023 – and Southern Brave to three Women’s Hundred finals, winning the 2023 edition. She also led Sydney Sixers to the WBBL final in her first season in charge in 2022-23.During that time, her franchise coaching portfolio expanded to include Mumbai Indians, who are about to begin their campaign for a second title in three years under her guidance, having won the inaugural WPL trophy. She has also been appointed head coach of Hampshire Women under the new domestic structure in England and Wales beginning this season.Edwards said she watched much of the Women’s Ashes, where England were thumped by more than 50 runs in three white-ball matches and by an innings in the Test, with a sense of “real disappointment”.”Hopefully this will be a moment, a line-in-the-sand moment, for the team and for the ECB to have a look at where we’re going with the women’s game because there’s a lot of good things happening and I think that’s what makes it sad for someone who’s involved in the system,” Edwards said. “There’s a lot of good things happening within the counties and the regional structure and it hasn’t necessarily been portrayed with the England team, so that’s a worry, I guess, and something that needs to be looked at.”Lewis described England’s group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup in October as a “line-in-the-sand moment” and his position has come under increased pressure following that performance, most notably England’s shocking fielding display against West Indies, which knocked them out of the tournament.During the Ashes, there were few signs of improvement in the field, which along with some poor decision-making with the bat and a failure to adapt under pressure from the Australians, saw England unable to pose any real challenge other than in the rain-affected second T20I, which they lost by six runs on the DLS method.Since the T20 World Cup, England’s fitness has also come under scrutiny after commentator and former spinner Alex Hartley said that a handful of players were “letting the team down” with their fitness levels.While Lewis has stood firm in his defence of England’s work in training, even suggesting that Australia’s outdoor lifestyle gave them an advantage in producing athletes, Edwards said there was plenty of ground to be made up to match Australia physically.”I think if you do a comparison, they are more athletic and they are fitter and that’s what we need to now aspire to be like,” Edwards said. “That’s part of our jobs at county level is to now support these players to be fitter, to be more athletic so that we can compete with Australia, so there aren’t those question marks when we play them because that was the hardest thing, wasn’t it? Having that kind of noise in the background when it’s not just all about the cricket.”I think we can turn this around. I don’t think it’s as big a gap as people make out that there is. I know that’s probably quite a stupid thing to say, having been beaten 16-nil, but we are talented, we have a lot of talent in our country, and I think now hopefully this moment we will be a moment we’ll look back on with, I guess, real positivity.”The ECB review is expected to release its recommendations in the coming weeks.

Having prioritised Test cricket last year, the batter hopes to get better and more consistent in T20 as Sunrisers eye another SA20 title

Firdose Moonda05-Feb-20252:34

Bedingham: ‘I don’t think I’ve found the sweet spot yet’

David Bedingham, intentionally or not, became the traditionalists’ hero last summer when he revealed he decided not to put his name in the SA20 draft so he could play Test cricket, specifically on South Africa’s tour to New Zealand. The SA20 was finishing as those Tests were starting and all South Africa’s first-choice players were contractually bound to stay behind for a T20 tournament still finding its feet. As expected, an under-strength Test side lost but Bedingham, with a defiant second innings century in the second Test, confirmed his reputation as a red-ball specialist.Fast-forward a few months, with schedule clashes out of the way and his spot in the Test side fairly secure, and Bedingham did enter the draft. He was picked up by defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape, for what has been one of the biggest tests of his career. “I’m still trying to learn my trade in T20. I don’t think I’ve found the sweet spot yet,” he told ESPNcricinfo from Johannesburg, where Sunrisers will play the Eliminator against Joburg Super Kings on Wednesday. “Hopefully, the more I play, the better I’ll get and the more consistent I’ll get.”Perhaps, his role will become more defined. Bedingham started the campaign batting at No. 7 for Sunrisers and was promoted to opening in their third game, It took another match before he started to show glimpses of what he is capable of with a 20-ball 39 against Durban’s Super Giants. He has since also recorded two scores in the 40s which suggests he is most comfortable at the top. Indeed, of the 80 T20s Bedingham has played, he has batted in the top three in 53 of them.Related

Batters find life tougher in the SA20, but is it all the pitches?

Almost half of his matches (38) have been for Durham, where he averages 21.47 and has a strike rate of 141.19. Those numbers probably best explain the struggles he has had between trying to make an impact and searching for consistency in the shortest format. “For me, it’s just trying to find the balance of attack and defence,” he said. “In this tournament, I’ve probably found it harder to attack, so that’s why I’ve probably leaned more to [have] a defensive mindset and then in previous tournaments, let’s say in the Blast or the CSA T20, I’ve probably attacked too much.”And that approach has earned him 200 runs from ten league games which put him second on Sunrisers’ run-getter’s list, behind Aiden Markram. That tells as much of a story about how much they have struggled as it does about who they have relied on in a campaign that started with three defeats and has since been revived despite the challenges.Playing for Sunrisers has been one of the biggest tests of David Bedingham’s career•SA20

“I’ve found it quite tough. But I also feel that the bowlers that we played against have been quite good as well, so it’s probably a combination of both,” he said. “But speaking to the guys that played the first two seasons, they’ve definitely said that the wickets have played a bit tougher. I’ve spoken to Russ(ell Domingo, Sunrisers’ batting coach) and he said that in India, and England, those types of countries are probably a lot easier to bat in the first six overs, whereas in South Africa, you probably have to be a bit more circumspect. So especially in this tournament where the wickets have played quite tough, I think those first six overs have been crucial. And I think a lot of the teams, including us, have probably struggled in those first six overs.”All told, this edition of the SA20 has seen the lowest run-rate of the league phase with an average powerplay score of 45.6. Sunrisers have averaged 38.1 in their powerplay. Their opening pair has the lowest average of 15.60, and the second least number of runs, but they’re still working on their batting blueprint, particularly Bedingham.”I’ve basically tried to just play one-day cricket in those first three or four overs,” Bedingham said. “Obviously, if we have wickets in hand, then you can maybe push the tempo a bit but I’ve either been out in the first couple overs or we’ve three or four wickets in the first three overs, so it’s been quite tough to kick on and try and hit quick runs. But in saying that we’re in the Eliminator, so hopefully we can start off well and win that game.”Sunrisers are the only team to have won the SA20, and they’ve done it twice under the same coach Adi Birrell and captain Markram and seemed to have mastered the recipe for success. Now, it’s just about whether all the ingredients can come together to do it again.

Chelsea have now made an approach to sign a “powerful” striker as a replacement for Nicolas Jackson, who could still exit Stamford Bridge this summer, despite a late twist.

Blues make approach for new striker as Jackson saga takes twist

All the indications were that Jackson was set to complete a loan move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, but the Blues cancelled the deal before the Senagelese forward was able to complete a medical, given the recent injury to Liam Delap.

Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Delap could be set for a relatively lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue, saying: “Hopefully it’s not long, but this kind of case, this kind of injury, it always can be six, eight weeks.”

Understandably, Jackson is frustrated with the move not going through, having fallen down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, and there have even been recent reports suggesting the 24-year-old is now refusing to fly back to London from Munich.

Chelsea working tirelessly to sign star with £433m exit clause after Buonanotte

Enzo Maresca’s side are surprisingly not done with their incomings.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 30, 2025

As such, in a new update, David Ornstein has revealed that Chelsea would be willing to sanction a permanent departure before the transfer window closes, and they have now started running the rule over potential replacements.

Given a lack of loan options, permanent deals are being explored, with Ornstein revealing the Blues have now made an approach to sign Sporting CP striker Conrad Harder, having lodged an enquiry.

Harder is attracting widespread interest from across Europe, with RB Leipzig and AC Milan recently being named as potential suitors, and the Italian club reportedly even agreed a deal worth €27m (£23m) earlier this week.

However, it seems as though a move could be contingent on getting Jackson off the books, which could be difficult, given that Chelsea are only willing to sanction a permanent exit at this stage.

Harder would be risky signing for Chelsea

The 20-year-old is yet to prove himself in a major European league, having started his career at Nordsjaelland, before moving to Sporting, where he chipped in with a solid, if not spectacular, number of goals during the 2024-25 campaign.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Liga Portugal

28

5

Taca de Portugal

7

5

Champions League

9

1

As such, the youngster could be a risky addition to Maresca’s squad, and the manager already has Delap on the books as an up-and-coming young striker, so there may be issues surrounding a lack of game time for one of the forwards at a later stage this season.

That’s not to say the Sporting starlet isn’t an exciting young striker, with scout Jacek Kulig praising him for his “powerful finishing”, while also claiming the Dane is a “counter-attacking threat”, who has a very good work-rate.

However, it would perhaps make more sense to hold onto the more established Jackson until the January transfer window, at which point Delap should have returned from his hamstring injury.