أقيمت منذ قليل، قرعة بطولة كأس العالم للشباب تحت 20 عامًا والتي أسفرت عن وفوع منتخب مصر في المجموعة الأولى من البطولة.
نجح منتخب مصر للشباب في حجز مقعده في بطولة كأس العالم تحت 20 عامًا، بعد أن احتل المركز الرابع في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا للشباب، التي استضافتها مصر مؤخرًا. وجاء تأهل “الفراعنة الصغار” عقب خسارتهم أمام منتخب نيجيريا بركلات الترجيح في مباراة تحديد المركزين الثالث والرابع.
طالع.. خاص | تحديد موقف منتخب مصر للشباب من المشاركة في بطولة خوفو الدولية ويمثل القارة الإفريقية في كأس العالم أربعة منتخبات هي: مصر، المغرب، نيجيريا، وجنوب إفريقيا، وهي المنتخبات التي بلغت الدور نصف النهائي من البطولة القارية.
ويتولى قيادة منتخب مصر للشباب جهاز فني بقيادة أسامة نبيه مديرًا فنيًا، ويعاونه كل من علاء عبده مدربًا عامًا، ومحمد عمر النور مدربًا مساعدًا، إلى جانب أيمن طاهر مدربًا لحراس المرمى.
وسحبت قرعة البطولة في العاصمة التشيلية سانتياجو، حيث جاء منتخب مصر ضمن التصنيف الرابع للمنتخبات المشاركة. مجموعة منتخب مصر للشباب
da pinup bet： Manager bounce. It’s a fear-inducing thing when you’re up against a team that has been struggling, only to dispose of its manager and replace them with a shiny new leader.
da premier bet： For Chelsea, this is the task. Enzo Maresca’s squad travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United in the Premier League this afternoon, seeking three points against a team boasting one measly win across eight matches in all competitions.
Erik ten Hag was sacked at the start of the week, but thankfully, Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim will not alight in England until the November international break. Even so, interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy will galvanise the Theatre into a cacophony of noise, having led United to a 4-1 win over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.
Chelsea were dumped out of the domestic cup competition that evening, losing to Newcastle United after a disasterclass in defence, but thankfully, Maresca is bound to ring the changes, shifting his set-up back to its usual Premier League model.
Chelsea team news
With no fresh injury concerns for Maresca’s squad, this is a good opportunity to inflict further misery on Man United before Amorim stamps his style on the team.
That said, Jadon Sancho is ineligible to feature at Old Trafford since he is on loan from Man United, and cannot participate against his parent club as per the terms.
Omari Kellyman, signed from Aston Villa in deal worth up to £19m this summer, is also sidelined, though the 19-year-old has yet to feature for the senior side anyway.
The visitors must launch a concerted attack on the wobbly United backline, all the while standing firm against a profligate side, yes, but one that has created 24 big chances in the Premier League this year, the joint-third-highest score in the division.
Cole Palmer will hold the key to victory.
Cole Palmer will be crucial
It hardly takes a perusal through the memory bank to recall Palmer’s stunning hat-trick against the Red Devils last season, turning the Premier League match on its head with an incredible final flourish. It, perhaps, truly established the ace as one of the finest talents on the continent.
After blitzing past Premier League defences in his first full season as a professional, as if they were paper cutouts, rival supporters understandably prayed for a future tag of ‘one-season wonder’, but it hasn’t been forthcoming.
Already this season, just a few months in, Palmer, aged only 22, has posted seven goals and five assists across nine league matches, with his stunning showings even leading Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher to pronounce him “the best player in the Premier League.”
Chelsea star Cole Palmer
What a player, ay? As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 2% for assists, the top 8% for shot-creating actions and the top 8% for progressive passes per 90.
Last season’s heroics established Palmer as a force to be reckoned with, but now he’s growing into a top, top player. Refined and robust, he’s so important for the west Londoners.
Premier League 23/24: Most Goals + Assists
Rank
Player
Apps
G+A
1.
Cole Palmer
34
33
2.
Erling Haaland
31
32
2.
Ollie Watkins
37
32
4.
Mohamed Salah
32
28
5.
Phil Foden
35
27
5.
Heung-min Son
35
27
Sourced via Statmuse
Chelsea are blessed to have an attacking midfielder with such a potent threat, and though Sancho is unavailable, Maresca will still be able to unleash a thrilling frontline.
Noni Madueke will be on the right flank; Nicolas Jackson will of course reprise his role at number nine. However, Pedro Neto may well find himself benched even after impressing against Newcastle last weekend, because Mykhaylo Mudryk – the club’s Ukrainian Neymar – might be the perfect man for the left wing on this occasion.
Maresca must unleash Mykhaylo Mudryk
Mudryk has had a tough ride throughout the duration of his Chelsea career so far, but there are genuine signs of progress under Maresca’s wing this season.
Now, many might assume that Neto would be the shoo-in for a starting berth on the left flank with Sancho out of action, but this might not actually be the best idea.
The Portugal international is an electric and dynamic talent, impressed against the Magpies in the Premier League last weekend, but he faded as that one dragged on and lost eight of his 12 duels. That is something that might be exploited by his countryman Diogo Dalot, who flattered to deceive last time out but has arguably been United’s best player in 2024/25, winning an eye-catching 64% of his duels, as per Sofascore.
Man United are an aerially dominant team, ranking fifth in the Premier League this term (53% average), whereas Chelsea (47% average) languish in 15th.
Therefore, it’s perhaps not the best idea to utilise a cross-heavy star in Neto, who of course is not one-dimensional, and instead unleashes Mudryk, whose ability to weave past the last line is an uncanny thing.
With Palmer capable of incredible defence-splitting passes, and also among the finest creators in Europe, such strengths could be maximised.
The Ukraine international also produced quite an impressive performance in midweek, even if Chelsea’s defensive disaster pulled them out of the Carabao Cup.
He looked lively in flashes, and though Chelsea struggled to really get going – something that Mudryk was candidly a part of – he was certainly a bright spark, making three key passes, completing two dribbles, and winning nine duels, as per Sofascore.
That success in the duel is something that could be crucial in claiming purchase against Man United and is a large part of why Mudryk must be unleashed for this one – after all, he has a point to prove and is maybe, just maybe, starting to click into gear.
This is a glorious opportunity for Chelsea to leapfrog Arsenal, who were defeated at Newcastle on Saturday, and condemn the Red Devils to more misery before their new era gets going.
Mudryk has only started once in the top flight this year but now is his time to shine, and with Palmer pulling the strings from the centre, and that is why Maresca should boldly drop Neto after his assist last weekend to start the winger.
Imagine him & Palmer: Chelsea battling PL rivals to re-sign £110m sensation
Chelsea would be getting themselves an unbelievable talent.
كشف الكونغولي فيستون مايلي، مهاجم نادي بيراميدز، عن تواصل أحد مدربي الأندية الإفريقية معه من أجل الانضمام إلى صفوف فريقه والرحيل عن نادي بيراميدز.
ويستعد بيراميدز لمواجهة صن داونز، مساء غد السبت، في إطار ذهاب دور النهائي من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا في تمام الساعة 4 عصرًا، على أن تقام مباراة الإياب في القاهرة يوم 1 يونيو المقبل.
طالع | الأهلي يخطط للتوقيع مع لاعب بيراميدز قبل كأس العالم للأندية.. ومنافسة شرسة
وقال مايلي خلال تصريحات عبر قناة ” قناة SABC Sport” الجنوب إفريقية: “مدرب كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي، نصر الدين النابي كان على اتصال معي، لكن الآن ليس الوقت المناسب للحديث عن ذلك”.
وأضاف: “الأولوية في الوقت الحالي هي مساعدة فريقي على الفوز بالمباراة النهائية، تركيزي منصب على الفريق ومساعدة بيراميدز على الفوز بالنهائي، وبعد النهائي، الجميع حرّ في الحديث والتكهن”.
وأكمل: “كنت سعيدًا جدًا بتسجيل الهدف الأخير في مرمى أورلاندو بايرتس، ولكني سعيد أيضًا بمساعدة الفريق بأي طريقة ممكنة في ما سيكون أول نهائي لدوري أبطال إفريقيا لبيراميدز”.
وسينتهي عقد الكونغولي مايلي مع فريق بيراميدز في نهاية الموسم المقبل، صيف 2026.
Tottenham Hotspur’s momentum was curbed before the October international break, with Ange Postecoglou’s side squandering a two-goal lead on the South Coast and falling against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The patchy start to the Premier League term looked to have been cast into the background but it’s clear that Spurs have plenty of work to do if they are to battle their way back into the Champions League.
Postecoglou has a talented squad at his disposal, but the most exciting part about the project might be the rich spring of youth talent that suggests the club is set for a prosperous new era.
Spurs' biggest talents
There has been a concerted effort toward strengthening the younger generation emerging from N17 over the past few years, with Postecoglou’s willingness to work with youth bearing dividends for Tottenham’s talented teenagers.
This summer, Lucas Bergvall was welcomed from Sweden, a talented midfielder with a range of passing and maturity that belies his age. Archie Gray, 2023/24 Championship Young Player of the Year with Leeds United, joined in a £30m transfer.
Moreover, there’s a whole host of talent out on loan – such as Jamie Donley, Alejo Veliz, Ashley Phillips and Dane Scarlett – while an existing crop of potential continues to make headway in the youth scene. Indeed, Spurs won the Premier League 2 last term.
Postecoglou is relishing his younger crop and promoting them this season, which makes a telling comment on the calibre of quality that sits beneath the surface at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
(GK) Guglielmo Vicario
27
(RB) Pedro Porro
25
(CB) Cristian Romero
26
(CB) Archie Gray
18
(LB) Ben Davies
31
(DM) Yves Bissouma
28
(CM) Pape Matar Sarr
22
(CM) Lucas Bergvall
18
(RW) Mikey Moore
17
(LW) Timo Werner
28
(CF) Will Lankshear
19
As you can see, the Australian unleashed four full debutants against Ferencvaros in the Europa League, with all four yet to reach their 20th year.
There’s some real quality there, but Mikey Moore is surely the cream of the crop. He’s earning quite the reputation and might even prove to be the latest prodigy to emerge from north London.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Spurs' very own Bukayo Saka
Sometimes, you just know. Those at Tottenham certainly know that they’ve got a potential gem on their hands, but it is oh-so-important that he is managed deftly and not thrust into a starring role
Moore, after all, is still a 17-year-old, earning action for the first team simply because he carries the trappings of a world-class “superstar”, something that he has already been called by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
Last season, the winger burst onto the stage and obliterated the competition at youth level, posting 14 goals and eight assists across just 12 matches in the U18 Premier League and also scoring two goals and adding an assist across two matches in the FA Youth Cup.
Against Ferencvaros, Moore’s first start as a senior, he showcased some impressive qualities, winning six duels and attempting seven dribbles, as per Sofascore. It was an imperfect display but one that highlighted the giddy potential, with football.london awarding the youngster an 8/10 match rating and hailing the ‘thrilling’ debut.
With such glittering potential discernible from the offing, Moore might prove to be Hotspur Way’s answer to Bukayo Saka, with the Arsenal sensation proving himself to be one of the Premier League’s superstars over the past few seasons.
Like Moore, the homegrown Gunners star was handed his Premier League debut as a teenager and made impressive early strides, although initially at full-back before bursting into life in forward areas.
2024/25
7 (7)
2
7
1.28
2023/24
35 (35)
16
9
0.71
2022/23
38 (37)
14
11
0.66
2021/22
38 (36)
11
7
0.47
2020/21
32 (30)
5
3
0.25
2019/20
26 (19)
1
5
0.23
2018/19
1 (0)
0
0
0.00
As you can see, Saka’s getting better with age – naturally. The England international has been praised as the Gunners’ “living legend” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, despite the fact that he’s still only 23.
With Harry Kane plying his trade over in Germany with Bayern Munich and Heung-min Son out injured, the timing has never been more apt for a precocious youngster to stake their claim for a starring place in the Tottenham senior squad.
Moore has the athleticism and natural potency to make significant headway under Postecoglou’s wing over the next several years, and he might just rise to rival a player of Saka’s stature for the crown in north London.
Spurs want to sign £30m "wonderkid" who's better than Brennan Johnson
Tottenham are looking at strengthening their forward line.
Jordi Alba has explained a dream that he shares with Lionel Messi, as contract extensions at MLS Cup hopefuls Inter Miami are hinted at.
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Barcelona greats contract through 2025Future decisions yet to be madeIconic figures want to grace new stadiumFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
As things stand, all of the Herons’ former Barcelona heroes are only tied to terms through the 2025 campaign. Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets also have less than 12 months left to run on their respective deals in Florida.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
There are, however, options for 2026 that can be taken up and further talks to be held, with Inter Miami preparing to move into their new 25,000-seat Freedom Park stadium next season. That big move has captured the imagination of some illustrious performers.
WHAT JORDI ALBA SAID
Alba has told of future plans for Messi and Co: “I’d love to play at the new stadium, all of us, with Leo, Busi and Luis. It’ll be spectacular. As of today, I’m just going year by year, to see how I feel physically, mentally. So we’ll see, but yeah, it’d be great.”
GettyDID YOU KNOW?
Ex-Spain international Alba is delighted to be playing with Messi again in the United States, with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner still going strong at 37 years of age. Alba added: “Other teams try everything they can to stop Leo. In the end, stopping him is difficult. But they show a lot of respect to him, to all of us. For them, it’s also a privilege to be able to play against Leo. It’s not every day you get to share a pitch with the best player in history.”
With more and more money being pumped into the Premier League every season, transfer fees and player wages are ballooning. With that in mind, we have taken a look at what teams are paying their star players, specifically Aston Villa.
In 2025/26, those at Villa Park have an annual payroll of £123,110,000, with the average first team player collecting more than £4.3m per season. Here are the Villans’ best-paid players this year, per Capology.
Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.
Rank
Player
Wage per week
Wage per year
1
Jadon Sancho
£200,000
£10,400,000
=2
Emiliano Martinez
£150,000
£7,800,000
=2
Boubacar Kamara
£150,000
£7,800,000
=2
Youri Tielemans
£150,000
£7,800,000
=5
Amadou Onana
£140,000
£7,280,000
=5
Donyell Malen
£140,000
£7,280,000
7
Lucas Digne
£135,000
£7,020,000
8
Ollie Watkins
£130,000
£6,760,000
=9
John McGinn
£120,000
£6,240,000
=9
Victor Lindelof
£120,000
£6,240,000
11
Tyrone Mings
£110,000
£5,720,000
=12
Pau Torres
£100,000
£5,200,000
=12
Ian Maatsen
£100,000
£5,200,000
14
Matty Cash
£80,000
£4,160,000
=15
Emiliano Buendia
£75,000
£3,900,000
=15
Ezri Konsa
£75,000
£3,900,000
=15
Evann Guessand
£75,000
£3,900,000
=15
Morgan Rogers
£75,000
£3,900,000
19
Harvey Elliott
£65,000
£3,380,000
20
Ross Barkley
£60,000
£3,120,000
21
Marco Bizot
£45,000
£2,340,000
22
Lamare Bogarde
£30,000
£1,560,000
=23
Andres Garcia
£15,000
£780,000
=23
Samuel Iling-Junior
£15,000
£780,000
25
Lewis Dobbin
£7,500
£390,000
26
Joe Gauci
£5,000
£260,000
Here is a look at Aston Villa's top 10 earners… 10 Victor Lindelof £120,000 per week
After being released by Manchester United in 2025, Aston Villa eventually swooped in and signed Victor Lindelof on a free transfer.
The Swedish defender signed a two-year deal at Villa Park and will collect just under £12.5m in wages during his time in the Midlands.
9 John McGinn £120,000 per week
Since he joined the club from Hibernian in 2018, John McGinn has been a consistent performer for Aston Villa, and when he’s at his best, he can pull some magic out of nowhere.
The club clearly value the 29-year-old as he signed a new deal in 2023 that will keep him in the Midlands until the summer of 2027. We’d argue McGinn has more than earned his spot on this list.
8 Ollie Watkins £130,000 per week
Striker Ollie Watkins has had the time of his life at Villa Park, and his form in front of goal helped the club achieve regular European qualification.
Watkins isn’t far off 100 goals in a Villa shirt, therefore a fine justification of his £130,000 per week wage, and he is under contract until 2028.
7 Lucas Digne £135,000 per week
Lucas Digne’s time at Villa Park is rather hard to judge due to injuries derailing his momentum whenever he looked like he had found some form.
In fairness to the Frenchman, he did make his way into Unai Emery’s plans at the start of the previous season, though he is under contract until 2028.
6 Donyell Malen £140,000 per week
Donyell Malen
5 Amadou Onana £140,000 per week
Amadou Onana, signed in 2024, was one of the club’s marquee additions that summer, with Villa putting the lure of Champions League into full effect by winning the race for the Belgian.
Onana arrived from Everton for around £50m and looks set to be a mainstay in the side, potentially over the next five years of his contract. He will only be 28 years of age in 2029 as well, so Villa may have secured a shrewd deal over time.
4 Youri Tielemans £150,000 per week
Youri Tielemans was the first signing of the 2024 summer and helped set the tone for the calibre of player that fans could expect to come in.
The Belgian has been a Premier League regular ever since he joined Leicester City from Monaco in 2019. In fact, it was quite the coup for the Villans to land the midfielder as he had been linked to Arsenal for well over a year.
3 Boubacar Kamara £150,000 per week
Boubacar Kamara made the move to Birmingham in 2022 after his contract with Ligue 1 giants Marseille expired.
He has had his injury issues, however, the midfielder still done enough to earn a huge new £150,000 per week deal which was signed in 2025.
2 Emiliano Martinez £150,000 per week
Emiliano Martinez in action for Argentina.
Emiliano Martinez is another on a hefty £7.8m per year salary. However, given his international pedigree and general performances in the league since joining the Villans, he’s probably well worth it.
The World Cup winner joined the Villans in the summer of 2020 for just £17m from Arsenal and has been brilliant in Claret and Blue, although he did nearly leave in 2025.
1 Jadon Sancho £200,000 per week
Jadon Sancho tops the charts as Aston Villa’s top earner after joining on a season-long loan from Manchester United over the summer.
The winger spent the 2024/25 campaign with Chelsea, however, the Blues turned down the chance to sign the Englishman on a permanent basis. He also wasn’t in Ruben Amorim’s plans at Old Trafford, leading to Villa making a late swoop.
da 888casino： You know things are going pretty bad when for the first time in his entire career, Bruno Fernandes gets sent for an early bath.
da dobrowin： It just about summed up the opening month and a bit of the new season for Manchester United, who surprise surprise, are getting no better under Erik ten Hag.
INEOS kept the faith with the Dutchman over the summer but they are yet to be vindicated by that decision with the Red Devils sat in 12th place with a goal difference of minus three. It’s grim reading for what is a historic institution. We dread to think what Sir Alex Ferguson makes of it all.
What supporters would give to see the glory days of Fergie brought back to Old Trafford. Sadly, they are some way off rediscovering that level of performance.
It’s a chaotic mess and Ten Hag doesn’t seem to be able to find a remedy to drag them from what feels like rock bottom. They will have to navigate the next few weeks without their captain too.
Bruno Fernandes' season in numbers
The Portuguese has been a wonderful servant to this great football club. During his time in Manchester to date, Fernandes has scored an impressive 79 goals and supplied 70 assists. He has been a marvel in the red shirt.
Sadly, this season his performance levels have dropped. The 30-year-old is yet to find the net and has only registered three assists in all competitions, only one of which has come in the Premier League.
To make matters worse, he was given a red card in the dismal 3-0 defeat to Spurs on Sunday, slipping and catching James Maddison with his studs. It was a harsh sending off but it ultimately summed up his lack of influence so far this term.
In the 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace last weekend he gave the ball away a staggering 34 times and failed to hit a single shot on target. It didn’t get much better in their Europa League clash with FC Twente either where the Portugal international created just one goal-scoring chance, lost possession 19 times and completed just 75% of his passes.
Fernandes vs Crystal Palace
Stat
Number
Touches
113
Passes completed
60/83
Pass accuracy
72%
Number of times possession lost
34
Ground duels won
7/9
Tackles won
4/4
Key passes
2
Stats from Sofascore
Sunday’s awful display, meanwhile, saw a pass completion rate of just 74% while he didn’t win a single duel either.
It might not be the worst idea for him to sit out the next few games, then. He will be suspended for three matches which gives the likes of Mason Mount and Christian Eriksen a chance to prove themselves.
They could also look at bringing in some more young players like Toby Collyer and Dan Gore. However, they are not of a similar ilk. Isak Hansen-Aaroen is, however, but he’s already left the club.
What happened to Isak Hansen-Aaroen
It’s unlikely that the decision-makers at United will be losing too much sleep over seeing the Norwegian walk away last January.
Hansen-Aaroen wanted game time, he wanted first-team football and the Red Devils could not deliver that. So, he was off on his merry way to Werder Bremen in Germany, signing for a fee of around just £200k.
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.
Why is this a loss? Well, Hansen-Aaroen would be a pretty handy replacement for Fernandes in the here and now. He wouldn’t do any worse than the current crop, that’s for sure.
After all, his playmaking abilities have already been compared to a fellow countryman and one of the finest in the Premier League.
A former teammate of his at Tromso, Yttergård Jenssen, is one name who has rushed to praise the youngster. “He has some skills that are completely raw. He’s so playful with the ball. And the way he moves on a football field… There’s something artistic about it. He is a bit reminiscent of Martin Ødegaard.”
Fine praise indeed for a player who is still only 20. The young Norwegian has featured just three times for Bremen since moving but his numbers at youth level speak for themselves.
He left Carrington having registered ten official assists at youth level alongside eight goals. They’re not jaw-dropping numbers by any means but the fact he’s left and immediately playing senior team football in a major European league suggests he’d have something to offer this current United side.
Sadly, they will never quite know whether he’d have made the grade or not at Old Trafford.
Man Utd must drop 4/10 star who Neville thought was "awful"
Manchester United resemble a sinking ship under Erik ten Hag’s stewardship.
As the transfer window approaches the deadline, Manchester United are still looking to round off an excellent summer and have reportedly tabled an offer worth over £40m to sign a Europa League winner.
Man Utd transfer news
Welcoming Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee, the Red Devils, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Dan Ashworth have so far enjoyed a solid transfer window, bolstering Erik ten Hag's backline and offensive options. Those at Old Trafford were instantly rewarded for their business on the opening day of their Premier League campaign too, when Zirkzee scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Fulham.
Yet, even after welcoming such reinforcements, Manchester United remain without a potential long-term replacement for Casemiro, who struggled to keep up with the pace of the Premier League last season.
Manchester United midfielder Casemiro
Of course, the main name mentioned on that front has been Manuel Ugarte. The Red Devils are reportedly advancing with talks to sign the midfielder, having already agreed personal terms. But whilst they remain without an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain, those at Old Trafford have reportedly explored another option.
According to reports, which have been relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester United submitted an offer worth €50m (£43m) to sign Ederson from Atalanta after talks, however, the Serie A side instantly turned the bid down.
Man Utd won the lottery with "genius" star worth 12x more than Eriksen
The incredible talent is one of the club’s best signings in years.
2
By
Jack Salveson Holmes
Aug 22, 2024
The offer came Atalanta's way during a meeting with Manchester United chiefs in Italy, which was initially meant to be about sorting paperwork regarding Rasmus Hoijlund's move to Old Trafford last summer before the subject and subsequent bid for Ederson was reportedly brought up.
A recent Europa League winner, the Brazilian could certainly solve Ten Hag's Casemiro problem, but as things stand, he remains an Atalanta player.
"Machine" Ederson is arguably better than Casemiro and Ugarte
If Manchester United saw their chase to sign Ugarte fall apart and leave them with no choice but to go all out for Ederson, then it could arguably be a blessing in disguise. The Brazilian played a pivotal part in Atalanta's Europa League campaign, including in impressive victories over Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, as the Italians became the only side to defeat Xabi Alonso's side last season.
League stats 23/24 (via FBref)
Ederson
Ugarte
Casemiro
Progressive Carries
32
16
12
Progressive Passes
214
87
112
Tackles Won
49
57
56
Ball Recoveries
188
181
133
What instantly stands out is Ederson's ability to progress play, with an impressive 214 progressive passes to his name last season, over 100 more than both Ugarte and Casemiro managed. As United look to step on the front foot every week, that ability would quickly prove to be vital.
Dubbed a "machine" by Football Transfers' Carlo Garganese following his display against Leverkusen in the Europa League final, Ederson could slot straight into Ten Hag's side. Alas, with just over a week left until the transfer window slams shut for the summer, he is currently on course to remain an Atalanta player.
Batter Yash Dhull will lead a 17-member India squad at the next edition of the Under-19 World Cup, to be played across four countries in the Caribbean from January 14 to February 5 next year. The Delhi man’s deputy is SK Rasheed, the batter from Andhra Pradesh.India are grouped with Ireland, South Africa and Uganda in Group B, and start their campaign on January 15 against South Africa in Guyana, followed by fixtures on January 19 against Ireland and on January 22 against Uganda; both those matches will be played in Trinidad & Tobago.Related
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Defending champions Bangladesh are in Group A with Canada, England and UAE. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and Zimbabwe make up Group C. And Group D has Australia, Scotland, Sri Lanka and hosts West Indies.New Zealand are the only major side that will be missing in this edition of the tournament, after they decided to withdraw owing to “extensive mandatory quarantine restrictions [because of Covid-19] for minors on their return home”. Scotland, who had initially missed qualification in the Europe qualifiers, became the 16th team to participate in New Zealand’s absence.Recently, in November-December, two India Under-19 sides, A and B, faced off against Bangladesh Under-19s in a triangular tournament in Kolkata, but fell short, with the visiting side winning all their matches, except one that was washed out, on their way to the title. The main India squad now has the Under-19 Asia Cup – to be played in the UAE from December 23 – to get its finetuning done.India, four-time title-winners, have been the most successful team in the history of the Under-19 World Cup, with Australia in second place, with three crowns, followed by Pakistan, who have won it twice. India last won the tournament in 2018, when they were led by Prithvi Shaw, and finished runners-up in 2020 to Bangladesh, who won the title for the first time.India’s other successes came in 2000, when they were led by Mohammad Kaif, in 2008, when Virat Kohli was the captain, and in 2012, under Unmukt Chand’s leadership.Squad: Yash Dhull (capt), SK Rasheed (vice-capt), Harnoor Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Nishant Sindhu, Siddarth Yadav, Aneeshwar Gautam, Dinesh Bana (wk), Aaradhya Yadav (wk), Raj Angad Bawa, Manav Parakh, Kaushal Tambe, RS Hangargekar, Vasu Vats, Vicky Ostwal, Ravikumar, Garv Sangwan. Stand-by players: Rishit Reddy, Uday Saharan, Ansh Gosai, Amrit Raj Upadhyay, PM Singh Rathore.
Blast’s all-time leading scorer quits captaincy after seven seasons in charge
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2022Luke Wright, the leading run-scorer in T20 Blast history, has stepped down as Sussex’s T20 captain after seven seasons in the role.Sussex have been one of the leading T20 sides in the country under Wright’s leadership but have not managed to convert a strong win/loss record into a trophy, and lost to eventual champions Kent in last season’s semi-finals.They have lost several key players – most recently Chris Jordan and Phil Salt – in recent seasons, and Wright spoke out against the talent drain on the eve of Finals Day last year, saying: “It’s absolutely not impossible to keep your best players.””It’s something from the club’s point of view that we need to look at because we can’t be losing our best players all the time,” he added. “Our recruitment process has got to be really strong and it’s something that probably hasn’t been as good as it should be at this moment in time.”Sussex said in a statement that they were “naturally disappointed” that Wright had asked to step down as captain but that they “respect his decision after 104 T20 games in charge.”Related
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Wright: 'We can't be losing our best players all the time'
“It has been a huge honour to captain Sussex, the club I love so much,” Wright said. “However, I feel it is the right time to step down. I will continue to give my all to help Sussex as I have over so many years.”Rob Andrew, their chief executive, said: “We respect Luke’s decision to step down as captain and we will work with him to move forward and focus on the future with his successor at the helm.”Luke has been a fantastic captain, leading the team to the knockout stages of the T20 Blast in five of his seven seasons as captain, including two Finals Day appearances in 2018 and 2021. The experience and knowledge he will be able to share with his successor will be invaluable.”Wright has been preparing for his career after cricket of late, completing a Masters of Sport Directorship at Manchester Metropolitan University this winter, but is under contract at Sussex until the end of the 2023 season.He was released by his Hundred team, Trent Rockets, after spending the inaugural season of the competition on the bench but is expected to be signed in April’s draft.Sussex have recruited a handful of new signings for this season’s Blast, with Rashid Khan due to be available throughout the group stages with Mohammad Rizwan and Josh Philippe splitting the second overseas spot. Steven Finn and Fynn Hudson-Prentice were also recruited at the end of last season.