Category Uncategorized

Liverpool's star forward Alexander Isak has reportedly splashed out a whopping £30,000 on a guard dog to protect his family after receiving death threats online in the wake of Sweden's dismal World Cup qualifying campaign and his controversial transfer from Newcastle United in the summer. Isak went on strike and forced a move away from St James' Park during the last transfer window after the Reds broke the British transfer record to secure the move.

Isak buys guard dog following death threats

According to , Isak will welcome a highly-trained Doberman to protect him and his family off the pitch as he looks to settle into life in Merseyside following his controversial move from Newcastle. He spent a massive £30,000 on the guard dog after receiving death threats on social media along with the entire Sweden national team. The players have faced abuse after finishing at the bottom of the group in their 2026 World Cup qualifiers. 

AdvertisementGetty Images'He wants to get settled off the pitch'

A source told : "Alexander has had a very high profile summer thanks to the drawn-out transfer to ­Liverpool and the high price the club paid for him. He wants to get settled off the pitch and getting a protection dog is an essential part of that."

The source also described the Doberman as "beautiful inside and out" and a "fabulous beast".

Top Premier League stars worried about security

Isak is not the only Premier League player who is spending heavily to increase security. Earlier this month, it was reported that several Premier League footballers are turning to former MMA fighters to provide security for their homes after a series of robberies in Cheshire’s ‘Golden Triangle’. A number of players and celebrities living in Alderley Edge, Wilmslow and Prestbury have been targets of theft and arson, leading to a number of players seeking greater protection.

Everton defender Jake O'Brien also invested in a protection dog and later explained his decision by saying: "I think as a high-profile person, security is very important. Not just for you but for your family, knowing that if I’m away for whatever reason, my family are safe at home. As we love dogs, it was a no-brainer to get Knox. He’s very loyal and would act as the first line of protection if anything were to happen. I personally chose Chaperone K9 from word of mouth from fellow team-mates. I came across their social media page. Seeing who they’ve provided dogs for, and the professionalism and care they have for their dogs they train made my mind up fast."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportIsak aims to regain form

Isak's fitness and form have been a concern for Liverpool as the Swedish striker is yet to live up to the hype since his move to Merseyside. The 26-year-old, who played a key role in Newcastle United winning the Carabao Cup last season and finishing fifth in the Premier League to secure a Champions League berth, has scored just one goal at Anfield in eight appearances and has spent a considerable amount of time off the pitch due to injuries.

Isak will now aim to regain his long-lost form soon as Liverpool continue to struggle in the defence of their title campaign. The forward's form is of utmost importance for the Reds to get back to winning ways and remain in the race to successfully defend their title. Arne Slot's side are back in action after the international break on Saturday as they host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. 

Litton Das’ 16th T20I half-century took Bangladesh to a four-wicket win against Ireland in Chattogram. As a result, the hosts levelled the three-match series 1-1 with this win, and broke a four-match losing streak in the format.Litton made 57 off 37 balls with three sixes and as many fours. But his dismissal, coupled with three more wickets in quick succession, left Bangladesh in some constraint in the end overs of the 171-run chase.When Bangladesh lost their fifth wicket in the 19th over, they still needed 22 runs to win off the remaining 14 balls. New batter Mohammad Saifuddin responded with a pulled boundary first ball, as Josh Little couldn’t grab the chance at short fine leg. When Bangladesh were six down in the 19th over and required another 14 runs in ten balls, Saifuddin hit a six over six and then a four – both off Mark Adair. He finished with a crucial 17* off seven balls, with two fours and a six.With three runs needed in the last over, Mahedi Hasan settled the matter with two balls remaining as a thumping drive through extra cover went for four.Ireland had earlier made 170 for 6 in 20 overs, although their rousing start was giving them hints of a 200-plus total. Bangladesh replied well with Parvez Hossain Emon and Litton giving them a fine start.Parvez Hossain Emon batted at a quick pace in the chase•BCB

Parvez cracks the whip

Parvez went after Matthew Humphreys, Ireland’s hero from the first T20I, for two fours in the first over, before going after Adair in the second. Parvez’s opening partner Tanzid Hasan, however, was run out after miscommunication even as Barry McCarthy, who was bowling the third over, lost possession of the ball while moving to his left.Parvez, though, didn’t stop his onslaught while his captain Litton aided him in the big-hitting. Litton and Parvez slammed Little for a six and two fours in the sixth over to give Bangladesh 66 runs in the powerplay. Parvez struck Gareth Delany for his second six, before falling in the legspinner’s next over for 43. Overall, Parvez struck five fours and two sixes in his 28-ball stay.

No luck for Little

JLittle was wicketless in the first T20I, and was unlucky when his captain Paul Stirling dropped Saif Hassan in the 11th over. The chance at cover was a difficult one, but Stirling is known for plucking these catches.Little had more bad luck when Delany grabbed a difficult chance at the deep-midwicket boundary. He had intercepted Litton’s pull with one hand, before settling under the ball in the second attempt. Replays, however, showed Delany’s towel, which was tucked behind his trousers, had touched the boundary rope. It was thus adjudged to be a six.File photo: Paul Stirling bashed 29 off 14 balls•ICC via Getty Images

Litton, Saif fall before final push

Litton and Saif kept Bangladesh’s run rate at par with the requirement. Litton lofted Delany for four before Saif struck him for a straight six in the 12th over. Litton then hit a beautiful six by going inside out over the covers to reach his fifty. Adair, however, got rid of him, trapping him lbw for 57.Three balls later, Saif gave long-on a catch off Delany, who bowled the delivery off 24 yards. Towhid Hridoy was then run-out for the sixth time in his career when he couldn’t reach the striker’s end, with his bat being in the air despite crossing the crease. When Nurul Hasan fell in the 19th over, Ireland sensed they were in the game.

Ireland openers go big

Ireland were off to a blistering start after they decided to bat first. Tim Tector was at it again, building on his 32 from the previous game. He struck Mahedi for three fours in the opening over, before Stirling lofted Nasum Ahmed for a four and six in the second over.Stirling then went after Saifuddin, hitting him for a six and two fours in the third over. Stirling, who bashed 29 off 14 balls, fell in the fifth over to a good catch from Saif in the deep, though Tector kept striking his pulls cleanly, as one of them landed deep into the second tier. Ireland’s 75 for 1 was their highest powerplay score against Bangladesh.File photo: Mahedi Hasan’s three wickets meant Ireland’s 88 for 1 quickly became 103 for 4•Bangladesh Cricket Board

Mahedi gives Bangladesh respite

Mahedi removed the Tector brothers, Tim and Harry, in the ninth over. He had Tim stumped off the first ball, when he swung at the ball, which went under the bat. Tim made 38 off 25 balls with two sixes, apart from his four boundaries. Mahedi then got one to skid below Harry’s bat to bowl him for 11. Mahedi also removed Ben Calitz for 7, also stumped by Litton. Ireland’s 88 for 1 in the ninth over quickly became 103 for 4 after 11.

Tucker helps Ireland recover

Lorcan Tucker and George Dockrell got Ireland back on their feet with a 56-run fifth-wicket partnership. Tucker struck Nasum with a slog-swept four through mid-on, before slamming Tanzim and Saifuddin for three boundaries in the 16th and 17th overs.Dockrell, however, struck just one boundary in his 21-ball stay for 18 runs, while Delany, known for his big-hitting, struck just one six in the last over. Tucker was run-out off the last ball, having made 41 off 32 balls, with four boundaries.

India are unlikely to make any changes to their playing XI, but West Indies might be tempted to bring in the left-arm pace of Jediah Blades

Sidharth Monga09-Oct-20253:13

Gill outlines the challenges of being an all-format player

Big picture: Series sweep on India’s mindThe late Khushwant Singh, one of the more illustrious lovers and residents of Delhi, called October in the city the “pleasantest” of all the months in the northern hemisphere. Like with most things Khushwant, the statement sparks lively debate, especially with lovers of spring in late February and March.This is all relative now: with rampant urbanisation and climate change, it is now more about which months are less unpleasant and less harmful to your health. The BCCI has just about winged the most harmful time for elite athletes to undertake high-performance activity – not before being called out for it – and the early snowfall in the hills has cooled the temperatures to the usual October levels to tease those given to wistfulness for the Delhi of old.Related

The art of Jadeja: subtle genius hiding in plain sight

Sammy: 'We did not reap financial rewards' of our legacy

India trying to ready Reddy for greater challenges

Brian Lara asks West Indies players to 'find a way'

West Indies' Test-match batting a symptom of deeper issues

Those given to wistfulness also yearn for the West Indies of the old. Not the one that lasted just 89.2 overs in the first Test. More importantly, not the one that looked unthreatening with the ball in an effort of 5 for 448. Not the side whose coach Daren Sammy has to hope a player will “accept” the opportunity when he calls to inform them they have been selected for West Indies.There is not a lot West Indies can hope to change between the two Tests. Ahmedabad, with an early-season greenness on the pitch, was their best chance, but they were without the Josephs, Alzarri and Shamar. In Delhi, the onus will be more on the slower bowlers.It doesn’t help that India are somewhere close to their best after the blip against New Zealand last year. With the exception of Rishabh Pant, whose fractured foot hasn’t fully healed yet, they are at full strength. They are keen on making this a clean sweep, which will take their WTC points percentage to 61.9, still in third place.Form guideIndia WWDLW
West Indies LLLLW1:33

Chopra: ‘West Indies batters need belief on better batting pitch’

In the spotlight: Nitish Kumar Reddy and Jomel WarricanTest cricket is not where you prepare players for the future, but like Hardik Pandya almost a decade ago, India want to give Nitish Kumar Reddy a proper workload in slightly lesser challenges so that he can be the seam-bowling allrounder India need not just in away Tests but also the ODI World Cup in South Africa in 2027. Ryan ten Doeschate, their assistant coach, said just that two days before this Test. In Ahmedabad, he got to bowl only four overs and didn’t get to bat at all. It remains to be seen if India go out of their way to involve him more in this Test.Jomel Warrican is the vice-captain of the side, their most experienced specialist spinner, and joint-most experienced bowler. But he averages 54.25 in four Tests against India, two each at home and away. He will want to do way better in Delhi than the 29-5-102-1 he returned in Ahmedabad.0:49

Chopra: ‘Sai Sudharsan needs runs or the pressure will mount’

Team news: Could Devdutt Padikkal get a game?India have no reason to change their XI. However, is B Sai Sudharsan feeling any heat, and is Devdutt Padikkal breathing down his neck?India (possible): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 B Sai Sudharsan, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed SirajIt doesn’t make a lot of sense to change the batting on such a short trip. The one change West Indies might consider is bringing in Jediah Blades to give themselves a left-arm seam option.West Indies (possible): 1 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 2 John Campbell, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Brandon King, 5 Shai Hope (wk), 6 Roston Chase (capt), 7 Justin Greaves, 8 Jomel Warrican, 9 Khary Pierre, 10 Johann Layne/Jediah Blades, 11 Jayden SealesPitch and conditionsDelhi is likely to be a typical Indian track, good for batting on the first two-and-a-bit days before bringing the spinners into the game. The drop in temperatures should make it difficult for the pitch to break up suddenly. The week in the lead-up to the Test has brought some rain, but the Test is not likely to be affected.3:31

Sammy: ‘Our problems are rooted deep into our system’

Stats and trivia India haven’t lost a Test in Delhi since November 1987, which, incidentally, was to West Indies. Since then, they have won 12 and drawn 12. Ravindra Jadeja is ten short of 4000 Test runs. Only Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Daniel Vettori before him have achieved the double of 4000 runs and 300 wickets.Quotes”We think it would be unfair on the guy [Reddy] if we only play him overseas. Because that doesn’t give him that many opportunities. In the next year and a half, we aren’t playing that many matches outside of India, so to be able to back a guy who can bowl 10-15 overs in a day and can bat as well – we sat his ability and potential in Australia – so we want to give him as much game time in India to help him.”
India captain Shubman Gill doesn’t feel Reddy is an option only for overseas Tests“If we complain about not having the best facilities, not having enough manpower like the other teams, not having the best technology, all these things which the other teams are superior to us [in], then why the hell are they still outworking us? The only way we could match up [and] compete at a consistent level is if we as the coaches and the players are prepared to outwork the opposition, and we’re not doing that.”

Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola were involved in a tense exchange after Manchester City's dramatic 3-2 win over Leeds United. Phil Foden scored right at the start and the end of the game to secure City all three points but Haaland had an off day for the hosts. And at the full-time whistle, his manager appeared to be trying to console the dejected striker at the Etihad.

Man City hold on for 'wild' win

City looked to be cruising to a comfortable victory on Saturday when Foden gave the home side a first-minute lead before Josko Gvardiol doubled their advantage. Second-half goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha set up a dramatic finale, before Foden grabbed the winner in stoppage-time. After the contest, the England international admitted he had not been in many games like that, with the 25-year-old also stressing they are not out of this Premier League title race.

"It's up there as one of the wildest games. We had full control in the first half. They changed their system in the second half and we couldn't get going," he said. "It was a frustrating half. But when there was a short break the manager got us together and we adapted to their formation. We had a few half chances and finally I've found a bit of space and found the bottom of the net. There are still things we can improve. We're delighted with the result. The title race is never straightforward. There's always ups and downs and periods where you can't seem to get going and we've had that. The belief and togetherness came through at the end. Hopefully that's the case today that we can kick on from here. But you never know what to expect. I was so hungry today to play and prove to myself I could still score goals. I missed a few chances against Newcastle and wanted to put it right."

AdvertisementHaaland consoled by Guardiola

While City got the crucial three points, this was the third game in a row where Haaland hasn't scored for the club, albeit he is still the league's top scorer (14) by far. As fans filtered out of the stadium, the Norwegian international cut a frustrated figure, prompting Guardiola to try and console him. 

Guardiola backs Haaland

The former Borussia Dortmund man is still waiting for his 100th City goal. However, Guardiola knows it will not be long before he reaches that milestone.

"He will do it. He will do it in the next game," Guardiola said with a smile. "Just we talk about rest. He has a huge body. Minutes, minutes, in that moment you’re fresh. Rest [is] not just the legs [pointing to his head]. It's not like Phil [Foden] or Jeremy [Doku], they can rest. Erling is a big man. We need him so much."

The former Bayern Munich manager admitted this game was a "struggle" for his side, but gave credit to Leeds for how they improved in the second half. He also heaped praise on Foden for his brace, with the playmaker returning to something near his best form.

"After Daniel [Farke] changed shape, long balls to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha running behind, it was always a struggle. That emotion is part of the football. We had the chances and at the end finally we found our goal," he added. "It's not the first time we saw that. A thousand, thousand, million times he’s [Foden] done it. The quality, shooting, strong. Like his goal against West Ham to win the Premier League. Phil has to be around the box. Shoot or pass. His finishing is so quick. Phil is doing a really good season."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Haaland's Man City?

City, who are up to second in the Premier League, will hope they can build on this victory when they travel to Fulham on Tuesday night. Guardiola's side were beaten by Newcastle United last weekend and then fell to a shock defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in midweek, so this Leeds win comes at the right time. Incidentally, not many would be surprised if Haaland ends this mini dry spell next time out.

There is a lot to be delighted about for Arsenal fans at the moment.

In the Champions League, they have won all four of their games; in the League Cup, they’re through to the quarter-finals, and in the Premier League, they’re top of the table.

Moreover, they’re defensively out of this world, unstoppable at set-pieces and have once again introduced another world-class prospect to the squad in Max Dowman.

The 15-year-old looks destined for greatness, and now Hale End appears to be brewing another supreme talent for Arsenal, who could be Bukayo Saka 2.0.

Dowman's rapid rise

There is no getting away from the fact that, for Arsenal, this season is primarily about finally getting over the line in the Premier League.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Expand Collapse

However, one of the secondary stories has been that of Dowman’s rapid rise from 15-year-old academy gem to semi-regular first-teamer.

The Chelmsford-born gem was first introduced to the fans during pre-season, where his eye-catching performances led respected analyst Ben Mattinson to claim he was “humiliating Premier League players.”

The youngster was then given his first taste of competitive football against Leeds United, where he once again ran senior defenders ragged and won his side a penalty.

The next step was his first start in the League Cup against Brighton, a game in which he completed the most dribbles of anyone on the pitch and officially became the youngest player to start for Arsenal.

Then this week, he broke another record, becoming the youngest player to ever make an appearance in the Champions League, coming on in the 72nd minute and once again looking right at home.

After the match, Arteta was full of praise for the youngster, saying: “What he’s done on the pitch – he comes in, the first ball he takes is he takes people on, he starts to dribble and gets a foul. That’s personality, that’s courage – and you cannot teach that.”

It wasn’t just the Gunners’ boss who was impressed, though, as Slavia Prague’s David Zima went so far as to call him “a miracle player.”

In all, Dowman appears to be on track to reach the very top with Arsenal, and now there is another young talent making waves in the academy who could be the next Saka.

Arsenal's new Saka

There are more than a handful of exciting talents coming through Hale End at the moment, with Brando Bailey-Joseph being one of them.

The 17-year-old only signed scholarship terms with the club a few months ago, but due to his impressive performances, he put pen to paper on a professional deal last month.

There is a chance he could be a future Saka-esque player for the club, as, like the talismanic number seven, he has shown an ability to play on both sides of the attack.

In fact, like the Hale End icon, he has also played deeper, on both the right and left of the midfield.

Moreover, while he’s not as prolific as Dowman, he’s shown an ability to score and assist goals.

Bailey-Joseph’s 25/26

Appearances

13

Minutes

901′

Goals

4

Assists

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.61

Minutes per Goal Involvement

112.62′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, in 13 appearances this season, totalling 901 minutes, he has put the ball in the back of the net four times and provided four assists for good measure.

In other words, the “explosive” attacker, as dubbed by Hale End expert Will Balsam, is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.62 games, or every 112.62 minutes, which is seriously impressive for a winger.

Moreover, what makes him such a “menace” for opposition defenders is, per Balsam, his “quickness & sharp cuts” with the ball at his feet.

Finally, according to Mattinson, what makes the youngster such an exciting prospect is his “good ball manipulation” and the fact that he “releases shots quickly in and around the box.”

Ultimately, he has a long way to go to become the next Saka, but as things stand, Bailey-Joseph appears to have all the raw materials necessary to succeed.

Related Forget Merino: Arsenal star who's "like Wilshere" can fix Gyokeres blow

The incredible talent could be the perfect solution to Arsenal’s Gyokeres problem.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 6, 2025

West Ham United are now looking to sign a “sensational” £35m midfielder who’s won the Premier League title two times, amid growing uncertainty surrounding his future…

West Ham eyeing new midfielder amid Paqueta uncertainty

West Ham star Lucas Paqueta recently admitted that he wanted to return to Brazil during the summer transfer window, saying: “Maybe I shouldn’t even be saying this, but I had some conversations with Filipe (Luís), who is a friend, in addition to the work he’s doing at Flamengo,”

“I really expressed my desire to return and also showed it to my agents.”

Ultimately, the attacking midfielder ended up staying put, however, and he has since gone on to put in some impressive performances in the Premier League, scoring three goals, most recently finding the back of the net in the 3-1 victory against Newcastle United.

That said, the Hammers won’t be particularly reassured by the fact one of their key players was angling for a move, and they have now set their sights on a new attacking midfielder, who could be brought in next summer.

That is according to the print edition of the Sunday Mirror (via West Ham Zone), with a report stating West Ham want to be kept informed about Harvey Elliott’s situation, having failed to make an impact since arriving at Aston Villa on loan from Liverpool.

Villa have an obligation to pay £35m for Elliott if he plays ten matches this season, but he hasn’t been getting a look-in as of late, which means Liverpool may recall the Englishman during the January transfer window.

The 22-year-old, who is represented by the same agency as Niclas Fullkrug, is viewed as a target for the summer, rather than this winter, but the Hammers may have to fend off rival interest, with RB Leipzig also named as potential suitors.

"Sensational" Elliott could reignite career at the London Stadium

The attacking midfielder’s move to Villa simply hasn’t worked out, but he is still very young, and there are plenty of signs he could be an exciting acquisition for West Ham, having impressed at times during his spell with Liverpool.

West Ham and Tottenham get Ivan Toney response after holding discussions

The Al-Ahli striker is fielding enquiries ahead of January.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 29, 2025

The London-born midfielder made 149 appearances for the Reds, amassing 15 goals and 20 assists and playing a role in his side winning two Premier League titles, while the 28-cap England U21 star has also caught the eye at international level.

As such, West Ham should continue to monitor Elliott’s situation as the season goes on, ahead of potentially launching a move next summer, with the former Fulham man in need of a move to a club where game is guaranteed, if he is going to fulfill his potential.

Manchester City’s winless run after the international break extended to two games, following a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

It was a night where Pep Guardiola made ten changes, with Nico Gonzalez the only player to keep his place in the side. However, it was not a decision that paid off.

It was a fairly equal first half, with City failing to exert any sort of dominance on the German side, which you might expect from them at the Etihad Stadium. They only managed five shots in that first 45 minutes.

Alejandro Grimaldo opened the scoring for the visitors in the 23rd minute, striding into the box unmarked and sweetly striking a left-footed volley into the bottom right corner.

It was a superb finish, but poor defending from Guardiola’s side to allow him that much space.

In the second half, the City manager turned to the bench, calling upon the likes of Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki to get his side back into the game. Yet, a header from Patrick Schick in the 54th minute doubled Leverkusen’s lead and was enough to seal the win.

It was a poor performance from City, with some players failing to take their chances.

City's worst performers vs. Leverkusen

On a night where Guardiola rotated his side, it could have been the moment for some players to stake a claim for a more regular starting spot. Well, one of the players who struggled was defender Nathan Ake.

The Dutchman has become a squad player under the former Barcelona manager in recent times, and did not exactly cover himself in glory on Tuesday night.

There is a case to be made that he was at fault for Schick’s goal, allowing the Czech Republic striker to get in front of him in the penalty box and head home. It was poor defending from the experienced Ake.

Another player who underwhelmed was Omar Marmoush. The Egyptian attacker is Haaland’s understudy at the Etihad Stadium, so it will always be hard for him to get regular minutes as a number nine.

Against Leverkusen, he was completely isolated and struggled to get involved in the game, being replaced by the Norwegian in the 65th minute.

Marmoush managed just 18 touches of the ball, didn’t manage a shot and could only win two out of five duels.

As poor as Ake and Marmoush were, two City players were arguably worse.

Man City's 4/10 duo must never start together again

Marmoush and Ake were disappointing, but two players who really played poorly were Savinho and Oscar Bobb. They were City’s two wingers against Leverkusen, but City Chief, a page over on X, said they “offer nothing” when playing out on the flanks.

Indeed, it was a night to forget for both of the wide men.

They didn’t cause Leverkusen many major problems, having a combined 12 touches in their box, creating two chances between them and losing the ball 34 times altogether.

Touches in opposition box

10

2

Chances created

0

2

Passes into final third

1

0

Ground duels won

5/12

3/4

Number of times ball lost

25

9

One person who noticed how lacklustre the wingers performed was Manchester Evening News reporter Simon Bajkowski. He gave them both a 4/10 rating, explaining that Bobb ‘went missing’ after the opening minutes and Savinho had no ‘meaningful contributions’.

With Jeremy Doku and Cherki tending to be Guardiola’s first-choice wingers this term, it is hard to see how the pairing that started against the German side will get into the team together again.

Individually, the quality is there, but as a duo, they lack the potency and perhaps confidence to pose a real threat to a full-back. It was certainly a passive showing against Leverkusen, especially with City losing for most of the game.

It is hard to see how Guardiola doesn’t switch back to his first-choice wide pairing, after such a disappointing performance from Bobb and Savinho.

They would fit well with more direct wingers on the other flank, but as a duo, are perhaps too similar and not urgent enough in one-vs-ones to cause frequent problems.

Worse than Savinho: Man City star is in danger of becoming another Grealish

This Manchester City star is in danger of becoming the next Jack Grealish after another off-performance versus Bayer Leverkusen.

2 ByKelan Sarson Nov 26, 2025

Rangers were certainly busy in the transfer market last summer, but supporters will be demanding more new recruits come January.

13 new additions were made in July and August, but this team has got significantly worse, leading to sporting director Kevin Thelwell feeling the need to do an interview with the club’s in-house TV channel during the international break.

Having sacked Russell Martin after only 15 games in charge and appointed Danny Röhl, the German will surely demand new recruits when the winter window opens in just 41 days time, so could Rangers bring in some much-needed defensive reinforcements?

Rangers' need for defensive depth

After taking a couple of matches to figure things out, new coach Röhl has settled on a back three, notably deploying this shape against Hibs, Roma and Celtic.

As a result, centre-back will surely be a key position he’ll seek to strengthen in January, given the Light Blues’ lack of depth and quality in this position.

Summer signing Nasser Djiga has regularly proved himself to be an unreliable figure, making a high-profile error against Club Brugge, having been sent off on his home Premiership debut against Dundee, thereby losing his place in the side (video below).

Meantime, John Souttar has been Rangers’ most impressive centre-back so far, starting 23 of 24 fixtures to date, albeit he can unfortunately never be relied upon to remain fit for a long period of time.

He withdrew from Scotland’s starting lineup mere minutes before Tuesday’s historic World Cup qualifying win over Denmark after suffering an injury in the warm-up and was at fault in the game against Greece, with James McFadden stating that he had a “nightmare” in that clash.

So, right now, even when everyone is fit, Röhl has just four senior centre-backs for three starting positions, one of which is Emmanuel Fernandez, who has not started a match since August.

Perhaps an addition in January would do the trick.

Rangers targeting a new centre-back

According to reports in Belgium earlier this month, Rangers have “made enquiries” as they aim to sign defender Mujaid Sadick from Genk.

Well, Football Transfers believes the 25-year-old is worth around £8m, which would make him one of Rangers’ most-expensive signings of all-time, so would he be worth the investment?

Mujaid began his senior career at Deportivo La Coruña in Spain, making 55 appearances for the fallen Spanish giants, before moving to Belgium in 2021, appearing 136 times for current employers Genk, who finished third in last season’s Jupiler Pro League.

This season, he has been a near ever-present for the Smurfs, including starting all four of their Europa League matches, the first of which was a 1-0 victory at Ibrox, with former Celtic striker Oh Hyeon-gyu the match-winner.

The Spaniard’s statistics certainly make for impressive reading, as outlined below.

Minutes

1,203

33rd

Completed passes

848

5th

Pass completion %

94.4%

1st

Tackles

28

20th

Clearances

75

15th

Aerials duels won

25

34th

Total duels won

61

40th

As the table highlights, Mujaid’s statistics in Belgium’s top-flight this season are generally pretty imperious.

No players boast a higher pass completion %, while he is also in the top 20 when it comes to tackles and clearances.

The Rangers Journal described the Spaniard as “physical, athletic, good on the ball and aggressive”, while his “versatility” has also been praised, which would certainly enhance his reputation with Röhl, who regularly tinkers with his shape and formation both from one game to the next but also within a match.

Thus, what is clear is that Rangers really need to sign another centre-back in January to avoid having to play stop-gaps as part of Röhl’s back three.

Mujaid’s statistics and potential, still only 25 years and playing in the sixth-strongest league on the planet, according to Global Football Rankings, all suggest he would represent an upgrade on Djiga and Souttar, the latter has been in good form, but is injury prone and whether or not his performances as sustainable remains a question mark.

The Spaniard would be an expensive investment, but one Rangers may have to make to correct the errors made in the summer.

Rangers star looks set to become Ibrox's new Hamza Igamane under Rohl

As Rangers seek to replace Hamza Igamane, who has been on fire for Lille, which “exciting” forward, not Youssef Chermiti, could replicate his success?

ByBen Gray Nov 16, 2025

The Madhya Pradesh offspinning allrounder has impressed in domestic cricket over the last couple of years. Another good season could catapult him onto the biggest stage of them all

Rajan Raj10-Oct-2024After a superb Ranji Trophy debut in 2014, Saransh Jain, an offspinning allrounder, had flown to Australia with a club team from Madhya Pradesh to play a five-match series. Despite it being his first overseas tour, calls back home were short, with his family claiming to be “a little occupied”. This bothered Jain but not too much, because of his focus was on the series at hand, one his team would go on to win 3-0.After he returned home from that tour, though, Jain was shocked with what he saw. His father was lying on his bed, having undergone a surgery on his face. There was despair on everyone else’s face. Jain sought answers but did not get a satisfactory one, till his father asked for a paper and a pen. “I am fine now, son,” he wrote. “If you just play better, I will get well sooner.” He had been diagnosed with cancer.

****

Jain still has that note from his father, the former Madhya Pradesh Ranji player Subodh Jain. And it is essentially the secret of Jain’s success. That piece of paper pushed him in his journey to become a Ranji Trophy champion with Madhya Pradesh in 2021-22, and win the Lala Amarnath Award for the best allrounder in the Ranji Trophy in 2022-23. That season he scored 360 runs and picked up 35 wickets for MP. This earned him a call-up to the India A side to play England Lions, where he scored half-centuries in both innings of the only match he played.Related

• Aryan Juyal ready for new challenge as Uttar Pradesh captain

• How Shashank Singh stopped being hard on himself

• Bihar finalise squad after late court intervention

• Ranji Trophy: Kishan to captain Jharkhand in first two games

• All you need to know about the two-phased season

Making the most of any given opportunity is Jain’s USP. In MP’s title-winning Ranji Trophy campaign in 2021-22, he played only three matches: the quarter-final, semi-final and the final. He returned 13 wickets and also scored a half-century.Last season, he scored 432 runs and picked up 27 wickets and he wants to maintain this momentum in the upcoming season. He has started well in that quest by picking up six wickets in the Irani Cup match against Mumbai. He was also part of the Duleep Trophy and he returned 14 wickets combined from the two red-ball competitions.Knowing fully the demands of a sport that is evolving rapidly, Saransh Jain has worked a lot on his batting too•MPCA”I performed well last season, but it is important that I perform well again and try to do something good whenever I get a chance,” Jain says. “The only lesson I have learned in my career is to try to learn something new every day. Only then can something good happen in the future. I feel good with the way I have performed recently but I am not completely satisfied. I will get that satisfaction only after wearing the [India] blue jersey, for which I have to consistently work hard.”With the game always evolving, Jain, the offspinner, is aware of the importance of contributing with the bat. His recent scores show that.”According to me, a good player should try to adapt to the circumstances,” Jain says. “I am an offspinner, and my primary task to take wickets. But in our first meeting itself, [MP head coach] Chandrakant [Pandit] sir told me that I should think like a bowler when I bowl and think like a batter and try to score as many runs as possible when I bat. This is the simple strategy that I follow.”I know how much I have to work on my batting being [primarily] an offspinner. That is important, but my first task is to take wickets. I often watch R Ashwin ; I get inspired by him. I want to pursue my cricket with the same dedication as him.”Pandit – who also won the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders last season – taking over as MP coach ahead of the 2019-20 season worked wonders for Jain. “Chandrakant sir coming to our team as the coach has been one of the best events in my life,” Jain says. “Perhaps he taught me to believe in myself. His presence in the team inspires me a lot and I want to do something good with him this season. His presence in the team gives me a different kind of confidence.”Consistent performances over the past couple of years have put Jain on the national selectors’ radar. He is one of the best offspinning allrounders in the country and form is currently on his side. This season, can he show the consistency needed to complete his journey to that blue jersey?

Blundell has been ruled out of the second Test against West Indies, with Mitch Hay in line for a Test debut in Wellington

Deivarayan Muthu05-Dec-2025Injuries have severely depleted New Zealand in the first Test against West Indies in Christchurch, with their bowling spearhead Matt Henry and seam-bowling allrounder Nathan Smith joining wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell on the sidelines.Blundell, who suffered a hamstring injury while batting on the opening day in Christchurch, has been ruled out of the second Test, which will begin at the Basin Reserve, his domestic home ground, on December 10. Smith was not available to bowl or field on day four because of a side complaint while Henry left the field after the 35th over and didn’t bowl or field in the final session on day four. He subsequently headed to the hospital next door for scans on his calf. He bowled 11 overs on Friday for the wicket of Roston Chase.In the absence of both Smith and Henry, New Zealand turned to the part-time fingerspin of Michael Bracewell and Rachin Ravindra. They were already without one of their middle-order mainstays, Daryl Mitchell, who couldn’t recover in time from a groin injury for the Test-series opener against West Indies. New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram said that they are awaiting the scan results of Henry and Smith.”They’ve had scans and it’s really disappointing for them,” Oram said. “I feel for them and I have a lot of empathy for them. We’re basically waiting for the report to come back to decide what we’re going to be doing not only this Test match but the series going forward. So it’s a wait and see and you always have your fingers crossed but with just one day left and a quick turnaround, we’ll wait and see.”Matt Henry and Nathan Smith’s injuries reduced New Zealand’s attack to two frontline seamers•ICC via Getty ImagesWicketkeeper-batter Mitch Hay is in line for a Test debut in the second game against West Indies. Hay, 25, has played 19 white-ball internationals for New Zealand so far, but is uncapped in Test cricket. He has a strong record in first-class cricket, with 1888 runs in 47 innings at an average of 49.68.Hay is currently in action for Canterbury against Central Districts in the third round of the Plunket Shield. He will turn out for Canterbury during the first two days of this round in Napier before linking up with the New Zealand side in Wellington, in the lead-up to the second Test against West Indies.In his second T20I against Sri Lanka last November, Hay effected six dismissals in Dambulla, a New Zealand record. Hay also has some exposure outside of New Zealand, having been on A tours to Bangladesh and South Africa, and to India to train at the Chennai Super Kings Academy.Rookie Jesse Frew, who had turned out for New Zealand XI against the West Indians in a tour game in Lincoln, last week, will slot in as Hay’s replacement for Canterbury during the third and fourth days of the Plunket Shield in the ongoing round.In the injury absence of Blundell, Tom Latham juggled captaincy with keeping across both innings at Hagley Oval. He took four catches in West Indies’ first innings, helping New Zealand claim a 64-run first-innings lead. Latham then stretched New Zealand’s lead, scoring 145 off 250 balls for his first Test hundred in three years. Along the way, he also became the fifth New Zealand player to reach 6000 Test runs.”[The body is] not too bad,” Latham told the host broadcaster after stumps on day three. “I’ll try to get the recovery but a really good day and pleased to be in the position we are.”I guess that [Smith’s injury] is another thing but that hampers the decision [declaration] but it was nice to see a little bit of spin out there when we were batting and that’s an encouraging sign. We’ll chip in when a man goes down and the guys are looking to put a big shift in.”New Zealand eventually declared on 466 for 8 on the fourth day, setting West Indies an improbable target of 531. West Indies, led by an unbeaten 116 from Shai Hope, finished day four on 212 for 4.Allrounder Glenn Phillips, meanwhile, could be in contention for the second Test in Wellington, having proven his match fitness in the first two rounds of the Plunket Shield. Phillips joined New Zealand’s side in Christchurch and pitched in as a substitute fielder after his team was weakened by injuries.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Glenn Phillips (@glennphillips236)