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Newcastle United are now in pole position to complete the signing of a “fearless” attacking player this summer, according to a fresh transfer claim.

Newcastle focusing on signing attackers

Eddie Howe will be eyeing reinforcements all over the pitch ahead of next season, but adding extra firepower to the attack is vital, even though Alexander Isak appears more likely to stay than leave.

Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo has been a leading candidate to come in and strengthen the right-hand side of Newcastle’s attack, despite Jacob Murphy enjoying a fantastic 2024/25 season there. The Bees winger scored 20 times in the Premier League, but now appears set for a move to Manchester United after David Ornstein revealed the player’s preference is Old Trafford.

A separate update has already emerged regarding a potential alternative to Mbeumo, with journalist Pete O’Rourke saying West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus is a backup option.

“Newcastle can afford a deal for Kudus. As it stands, Bryan Mbeumo is their top target for that right-sided forward position. Kudus is on their list and has admirers within the Newcastle hierarchy, and is somebody they feel could come in and strengthen their attacking options.

“He obviously has that release clause of around £75million, but I don’t think many Premier League clubs will be willing to pay that. Due to West Ham’s situation, his suitors feel they can get him for a cheaper fee.”

Newcastle lead the race to sign "fearless" star

Now, according to Calciomercato‘s Daniele Longo [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are in pole position to sign Fiorentina striker Moise Kean this summer, with the 25-year-old having a £44m release clause in his contract. The Magpies are reportedly “very interested” in acquiring the Italian’s signature, with Napoli also believed to have made an enquiry about him.

Kean represents a good choice for Newcastle – one who could come in as an upgrade on the ageing Callum Wilson, providing healthy competition for Isak next season.

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Granted, the Italy international didn’t fare well in the Premier League the first time around – he only scored twice in 32 appearances in the competition for Everton – but he has matured as a player since then, being hailed as both “fearless” and “courageous” by Thomas Tuchel, who lauded him during their time together at Paris Saint-Germain.

Kean is now a more established footballer than he was in England in his first stint, netting seven times in 21 caps for Italy, so Newcastle would be wise to make a move for him.

Appearances

32

Starts

31

Minutes played

2712

Goals

19

Assists

3

Shots per game

3.3

Dribbles per game

1.4

Key passes per game

0.6

He is coming into his best years and will take some of the pressure off Isak, following a campaign that saw Kean score 19 times in 31 Serie A starts, highlighting his prolific nature for Fiorentina.

Will Celtic secure a sixth treble in just nine seasons?

On Easter Sunday, the Celts swatted aside St Johnstone 5-0 at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, with Callum McGregor breaking the deadlock and Daizen Maeda bagging a brace, while Adam Idah and Jota were also on target.

Thus, the Hoops will now face Aberdeen in the final on 24 May, also looking to secure a fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title before then, requiring just a point against Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday to become champions again.

While Brendan Rodgers’ team continue to dominate on the park, does he have his eye on a new winger in the transfer market?

Celtic seeking to sign a new winger

As reported by Alan Nixon of the Scottish Sun earlier this month, Celtic are ‘eyeing’ a move to sign Stoke City winger Million Manhoef.

The 22-year-old only joined the Potters as recently as January 2024 from Dutch side Vitesse for a reported fee of £3m, but journalist Graeme Bailey believes he is now valued at £10m by Stoke.

So, would this be a good move, and could Manhoef emulate those among Rodgers’ current attacking options?

Why Celtic could be targeting the next Kuhn

Earlier this season, as outlined by Michael Shearer of Breaking the Lines, Nicolas Kühn was ‘poised to become Celtic’s next great attacking player’, starring in the Champions League and unquestionably the best player in Scotland.

However, in more recent times, the German has not been impressing quite so much, as shown in the table below.

Appearances

25

20

Minutes

1,713

1,298

Goals

14

4

Minutes per goal

122

325

Assists

11

3

As the table outlines, Kühn’s form has fallen off a cliff since New Year’s Day, in fact, he’s scored just two goals in 19 outings since bagging a brace against St Mirren on 4 January.

Rodgers stated that Kühn has appeared in the “most games he’s ever played” in a campaign, attributing his drop in form to fatigue, while Robbie Hanratty of the National adds that Kühn hasn’t looked the same since suffering a ‘suspected broken nose’ against Rangers in early January.

Kühn arrived from Rapid Wien for a reported fee of £3m in January last year, now worth £25m, well, according to his agent anyway, with Celtic hoping Manhoef – who is also a diminutive, left-footed right-winger – would experience a similar leap in valuation should he move to Glasgow, so let’s assess how the duo compare.

Appearances

37

46

Minutes

2,524

3,011

Goals

7

18

Assists

4

14

Goals – xG

-2.8

+1.3

Shots on target %

36.8

41.8

Chances created

49

43

Shot-creating actions

103

24

Take-on success %

38%

42.5%

As the table outlines, Kühn does rank higher than Manhoef for the majority of statistics included, albeit this’ll be largely skewed by his performances during the first half of the season.

Also worth considering that, according to Global Football Rankings, the EFL Championship is the 11th strongest league in the world, with the Scottish Premiership ranked 42nd.

Manhoef, to give him credit, does compare favourably, hence why Jacek Kulig from Football Talent Scout labelled him “quality and versatile”, while Dean Jones told Give Me Sport that the Dutchman is “the sort of player that will get fans off their seats.”

Thus, this would appear to be a good deal for Celtic, and they could open negotiations very soon, considering Stoke City’s season will conclude on 3 May.

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The contract situation of players at Liverpool has been the main focus over recent weeks, especially after the rumours over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future at the club.

It emerged over the international break that he had agreed a move to join Real Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the season, ending his 21-year association with his boyhood side.

Whilst nothing has been confirmed, it looks increasingly likely that the 26-year-old will depart Anfield with just a couple of months remaining on his current deal.

The news of his potential move has angered the majority of the supporters, leaving a hole at right-back for Arne Slot to fill this summer should he complete his deal with the LaLiga giants.

Conor Bradley is undoubtedly a readymade replacement given his rise in recent months, but the hierarchy have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements to replace the Englishman.

Liverpool plotting move for Trent replacement this summer

According to TBR, Liverpool are working on a deal to land Freiburg right-back Kiliann Sildillia this summer, but face competition for his signature from other Premier League outfits.

Manchester City, Brighton and Aston Villa have also registered interest in the 22-year-old, who looks set to leave the Bundesliga outfit given the interest.

Sildillia, who is a France U21 international, can also play at centre-back but is known for his marauding and athletic full-back play on the right side of the backline.

The report claims that the Reds have already checked in on the youngster ahead of a summer move, but no formal offer has yet been made for the defender.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal would set the hierarchy back, he would be a phenomenal option, providing a better alternative to another player already on their shortlist.

Why Sildillia would be better than Frimpong for Liverpool

Over the last couple of weeks, Liverpool have been linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen full-back Jeremie Frimpong this summer as a replacement for Alexander-Arnold should he depart this summer.

The Dutchman has caught the eye in recent months for his flying, attacking play down the right-hand side, registering nine combined goals and assists in his 27 Bundesliga outings this campaign.

The 24-year-old’s agents have already been in contact with the Reds’ hierarchy as the club plans for life without Trent if he decides upon a move to Spain in the next few weeks.

However, Sildillia would be a better option than Frimpong for Slot’s side, outperforming the Dutchman in various key areas in the Bundesliga throughout the current campaign.

The Freiburg star, who’s previously been labelled “complete” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but has completed more take-ons – highlighting the threat he possesses in attacking areas.

Games played

16

27

Goals & assists

2

9

Progressive passes

3.2

2.2

Tackles won

1.2

1

Interceptions made

1.2

0.4

Take-on success

67%

30%

Aerials won

50%

34%

However, he’s also dominated defensively, winning more tackles per 90, along with more interceptions – offering the quality on defensive areas that Trent has often struggled to do in recent years.

His all-round ability makes him perfect for the Reds’ current system on Merseyside, with Sildillia also offering a younger option than Frimpong, potentially making the role his own for many years to come.

Whilst it’s unclear how much the pair would set the club back, it’s evident that the Freiburg star is a quality player and one that the club desperately need to pursue over the next couple of weeks.

His talent is reflected in the number of sides interested in his signature, with the board needing to act quickly to avoid a league rival getting ahead of them and landing his services.

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In an astonishing set of quotes, Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah has thrown his own future at Anfield into doubt after being left on the bench in the 3-3 draw with Leeds United on Saturday.

The Egypt international has been a substitute for the last three matches for the Reds, and has claimed that someone at the club does not want him there.

Salah also revealed that he has told his parents to go to the Brighton game because it is his last match before the African Cup of Nations and that he “doesn’t know what is going to happen” whilst he is there, during the January transfer window.

However, the situation could develop if there is a change in the dugout at Anfield in the coming days or weeks, as the Reds are reportedly looking at potential replacements for Arne Slot.

Liverpool considering Arne Slot replacement

According to Dave OCKOP, Liverpool have their eyes on managers to step in, as an interim or permanent appointment, if they decide to part ways with Slot.

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The Dutch head coach has lost ten of his 23 matches in charge of the club this season, per Transfermarkt, and the Reds are currently eighth in the Premier League with six losses in 15 games.

This latest report claims that Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has been sounded out as a possible candidate to come in as an interim replacement for Slot, should he be sacked.

The English head coach, who has managed Aston Villa and Rangers, is under consideration to take the top job at Anfield, and it is a move that Salah would love.

Why Mo Salah would love Steven Gerrard at Liverpool

Gerrard, who was described as “a true legend of the game” by Xabi Alonso, played 710 matches for the club during his playing days, per Transfermarkt, and scored 186 goals.

Without trying to sound too cliché, the 45-year-old boss is a manager who would ‘get it’ at Liverpool and arrive as a unifying figure who could create a positive mentality at Anfield again, as a personality already loved by supporters.

Salah, in particular, would love it if Gerrard were appointed as Slot’s replacement because he would know that the Englishman respects and rates him incredibly highly.

Speaking earlier this year, Gerrard named Salah as the one player in history that he would have loved to have played with during his playing days.

As you can hear in the clip above, the Liverpool legend also declared the Egyptian as his favourite player in 2023, which is further evidence of the respect that he has for the left-footed superstar.

Al-Ettifaq

55

1.33

Aston Villa

40

1.18

Rangers

192

2.15

Liverpool YL

8

2.25

Liverpool U18

24

1.71

Gerrard, as evidenced by the statistics above, is not a proven top-level manager who has won numerous league titles in the major leagues in Europe, but he did enjoy a good spell with Rangers when tasked with managing a dominant team.

He may not be the long-term solution in the dugout for Liverpool, although you never know, but as an interim appointment to steady the ship and repair the club’s seemingly fractured relationship with Salah, it could make a lot of sense.

Getting Salah, who produced 34 goals and 23 assists last season (Sofascore), back onside and at his best could be a better move than any tactical changes that a manager could make to the system, which is why Gerrard could be a shrewd appointment.

Bringing in a head coach who loves the Egypt international and would want to make him a key member of the team again could solve this problem, which has emerged from these latest quotes from Salah, and bring a feel-good factor back to Anfield.

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This could then buy Liverpool time to assess Gerrard’s suitability for the job on a permanent basis, whilst also giving them time to look at and identify a long-term successor to Slot.

Former Inter and Belgium defender Zinho Vanheusden has announced his retirement from professional football aged just 26, with the centre-back releasing a heartbreaking statement confirming his surprise decision. Vanheusden plied his trade in Italy, Belgium and Netherlands before heading to Spain this summer as he signed for third-tier club Marbella, but has now called time on his career.

A promising talent in Inter's youth system

After spending seven years in Standard Liege's youth academy, Vanheusden was scouted by Inter youth coaches and was brought to the club's academy in 2015. At 16, the defender was considered as one of the brightest prospects in Europe and was expected to shine for the Serie A giants' senior side in the future.

However, his progress halted at Inter due to a series of injuries as he never got to play for their senior side. He was on Inter's book, though, until 2025 as he played for clubs like Standard Liege, Genoa and AZ on a series of loan spells. Finally, in the summer of 2025, he exited Inter to join third-tier Spanish club Marbella to revive his career. 

At the start of the season, he made seven appearances for the club before a third anterior cruciate ligament tear of his career forced him to announce his retirement at the tender age of 26. Vanheusden also represented Belgium at the youth level and made his senior professional debut in 2020 against Ivory Coast in an international friendly which ended in a 1-1 draw. It was his first and only international cap.

AdvertisementAFPVanheusden released heartbreaking statement

On Instagram, the 26-year-old wrote: "Today I am making a decision I never thought I would have to make at this age. After 22 years of soccer — from my fourth year until now — my life as a professional soccer player is coming to an end. Football made me who I am today. It gave me a life I never dared to dream of as a child. From supporting my favourite club for years as a child with my dad at Sclessin, to then playing a hundred games for it myself, to scoring for the Ultras and even getting the honour of being a captain here. It didn’t stop there… I got the opportunity to make my national debut and to play in Serie A. All things that seemed unreal when I started.

"Besides all that beautiful, the last few years were tough. Much heavier than I ever seemed. Injuries, operations, injections, medication… I gave everything to go back, but it got harder every time. I was constantly searching for my level, overplayed through pain too often and lived after every workout or game uncertain about how my body would react the next day. I kept fighting to be the player I wanted to be, but every time a new fight came. In my heart I will always want to be a footballer, but my body has been saying enough for a while now. And that’s why — out of respect for myself, for my health and for my responsibility as a father — I am making this decision. As surreal as it feels writing this. But I want to be able to walk in my life without pain, play with my son and enjoy life with my family… I don’t know what it will be like to get up without football, but I’m going to find out now."

Ex-Inter star named after famous Brazilian footballer

Zinho's father Johan Vanheusden, in 2017, revealed that he had named his son after famous Brazilian footballer Zinho, who starred for the Selecao in their 1994 World Cup win.

Speaking to , Johan had said: "The 'h' in Zinho is actually pronounced like a 'j,'" said Johan Vanheusden. "Like in Portuguese. Our son is named after the Brazilian footballer Zinho. I thought he was fantastic at the '94 World Cup'. Five years later, in 1999, the name for a son was quickly chosen."

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AFPWhat will Vanheusden do next?

The 26-year-old will now work hard to regain full fitness and recover from the fresh setback. The former defender does not have clarity at the moment about his future, but like other retired footballers, he might try and get into management to remain in touch with the game, which he dearly loves.

Bangladesh couldn’t counter the dew, and that wasn’t their only problem in Sharjah

Mohammad Isam23-May-2025Bangladesh bowlers made it easy for UAE to swing hardIn terms of numbers, Bangladesh hit more sixes than UAE in the three-match series, but UAE hit more fours, and that meant they led the boundary count. UAE also had two other factors in their favour. They hit fours and sixes in clusters, and since they chased in all three games, they timed those clusters well.This was mainly due to how the Bangladesh bowlers missed their lengths. Granted that there was dew whenever they bowled, but they couldn’t quite grasp how big-hitters like Muhammad Waseem and Asif Khan operated. Both batters often telegraphed their intention to go leg side, but the bowlers, particularly spinners Mahedi Hasan and Tanvir Islam, still allowed them the room to swing their arms to take the ball high over the midwicket or mid-on boundaries.And fast bowlers Nahid Rana and Hasan Mahmud were far too wide or far too short far too often. Tanzim Hasan found it hard to grip the ball, and Shoriful Islam started off well in both appearances, but then lost his steam, losing pace and losing his lengths.UAE tackled the dew, Bangladesh complained about itUAE’s Haider Ali said after the third T20I that he often bowls with the wet ball in training to prepare for the familiar Sharjah dew. Although it is not clear whether the Bangladesh bowlers did the same, their captain Litton Das complained about the dew after each match. Dew can only be encountered with practical methods. Complaining about something that affects a lot of games in Asian conditions took Bangladesh nowhere.When they beat West Indies 3-0 without many of their top players in December, Bangladesh seemed to adjust better to conditions. It’s also true that Bangladesh like pitches that produce 140-150 runs, which was the case in Kingstown then. They won all three games defending low totals, with their spinners bowling well under lights. There was no dew then, though, something that frustrated them in Sharjah.Parvez Hossain Emon’s century in the first T20I was one of the few highlights for Bangladesh•Emirates Cricket BoardBatters have a hit-and-miss seriesDespite putting up scores like 191 and 205, Bangladesh’s batting generally lacked consistency. Parvez Hossain Emon struck a century and Tanzid Hasan got a half-century. The openers generally gave the team good starts – Tanzid went well in all three matches. But more was expected from Litton and Towhid Hridoy.Litton is slowly coming back into some batting form. But Hridoy couldn’t get the team out of trouble when he had the opportunity in the third game.There also appears to be some lack of clarity about Najmul Hossain Shanto, who got to play only the second game. Jaker Ali took his opportunity in the third game when the top and middle order collapsed, but Mahedi and Shamim Hossain have hit-or-miss roles that they couldn’t capitalise on.The missing pace frontmanEven before the Bangladesh players boarded their flight to the UAE, there was confusion about their squad composition. Delhi Capitals (DC) had announced that Mustafizur Rahman would be joining them at IPL 2025, but the BCB said it hadn’t been approached for the no-objection certificate. Once the documents came through, the BCB allowed Mustafizur to leave for the IPL after the first match against UAE.That made a difference, Bangladesh losing a bowler who returned 2 for 17 in the first T20I, which was the only one they won. His absence became all the more glaring as the inexperienced bowlers failed to contain the UAE batters in the next two games.Carrying the scars to PakistanBangladesh would have expected to have a fairly easy time of it in Sharjah heading into the bigger series in Pakistan. How things have changed! It is now crucial that the players pick up the pieces from the series against the 15th-ranked team in T20Is. Not to forget, they had earlier lost 2-1 to USA last year. Against UAE, Bangladesh’s lack of game awareness stuck out. Pakistan are next, a team that is much better than UAE, that too in home conditions. Can Bangladesh lift themselves in Lahore?

Pakistan, meanwhile, set a couple of follow-on records in a high-scoring second Test in Cape Town

Shubh Agarwal06-Jan-20257 – With the win at Newlands, South Africa have registered seven consecutive Test wins. It is their second-longest streak of wins behind their nine in a row in the 2002-03 season, which also involved two home Tests against Pakistan. On the flip side, this was Pakistan’s ninth consecutive Test defeat in South Africa – the longest streak for any team in South Africa. Bangladesh have lost all their eight Tests here while South Africa themselves lost their first eight Tests at home back in the 19th century.3 – It was only the third time in Test history that a team knocked off a first-innings deficit of 400 or more. The previous two instances feature Pakistan overcoming a 473-run deficit against West Indies in 1958 and South Africa getting past a deficit of exactly 400 against Australia in 2002.478 – Pakistan’s second-innings total is the second highest by any team following-on and ending up on the losing side. The highest is India’s 510 in the follow-on against England at Leeds in 1967.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1348 – The most runs scored in a Test match in South Africa since the Cape Town Test against England in 2016.145 – Shan Masood now has the highest individual score by a Pakistan batter in South Africa. He surpassed Azhar Mahmood’s 136 in Johannesburg in 1998.54 – Kagiso Rabada completed an unfortunate fifty on day four, bowling his 50th no-ball in this World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The next on the list is Alzarri Joseph with 35 no-balls. In the Newlands Test alone, Rabada bowled 17 no-balls with 13 coming in the second innings.4 – It was only the fourth time in the 21st century that three or more South African bowlers had conceded over 100 runs in an innings in a home Test. Rabada, Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj all gave away over a 100 runs in the second innings. The last time this happened was also in Cape Town, against England in 2016. Overall, South Africa have suffered this fate 14 times in their 254 home Tests.

With Kagiso Rabada missing the Kolkata Test with a rib injury, the visitors have bolstered their fast bowling stocks

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2025Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has been added to South Africa’s squad for the second Test against India in Guwahati which starts on Saturday.Ngidi’s inclusion suggests Kagiso Rabada, who missed South Africa’s sensational victory in Kolkata with a rib injury, is a doubtful starter again. The visitors’ other fast bowling options on tour are Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch and Wiaan Mulder.Ngidi joined the team at their Kolkata hotel on Tuesday before their scheduled departure to Guwahati on Wednesday.Ngidi has played 20 Tests in his career so far, but only three since making a comeback in Cape Town against India in January 2024. His last red-ball appearance was the World Test Championship final against Australia in June. He has played just one Test match in India, going wicketless in Ranchi in 2019.Related

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Ngidi does have overs in his legs having been part of South Africa’s ODI and T20I series in Pakistan in October and November. Last week, he played a game for Titans in the CSA T20 Challenge.At Eden Gardens, South Africa’s quicks sent down 40 overs and returned six wickets as the team registered their first Test win in India since 2010. That Kolkata pitch provided enough assistance for the seamers but it is still unclear what the conditions in Guwahati will be like given the venue has never hosted Test cricket before.

His stocks dipped with lean IPL and domestic form across 2024 and 2025, but he seems to have rediscovered his groove since his return to Delhi

Daya Sagar01-Sep-2025Nitish Rana marked his return to Delhi cricket with a statement performance in the crunch games of the Delhi Premier League (DPL), leading West Delhi Riders to the title. In the three playoff matches, he produced one century and one half-century, finishing unbeaten each time with scores of 134*, 45*, and 79*. It was a decisive response from a player who had been searching for form across the past two years and had started the tournament poorly. His unbeaten 134 off 55 balls in Qualifier 1, with eight fours and 15 sixes, was the defining knock of the tournament.”In big matches, it is very important for big players to perform because there is a lot of pressure in these games,” Rana said afterwards. “Big players know a little better how to handle pressure, and I place myself in that category of players who can steer the game under pressure situations.”As an experienced player, you know whether you are in good touch or not. I knew I was batting well, but the runs were not coming. I continuously backed myself. I knew I was only one big innings away, and luckily it came when the team needed it most. Now we are champions.”Related

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The Qualifier also featured an exchange of words with South Delhi Superstarz spinner Digvesh Rathi, which went viral online. Rana did not want to linger much on the episode. “It would be very unfair if I only share my side of the story and Rathi doesn’t get to say anything,” Rana said. “All I can say is that he started it and poked me, so I replied. I was born and raised in Delhi, and I have hot blood too. If someone pokes me, I am not the kind of person to stay quiet… He got disturbed in his line and length, and I responded with sixes.”The DPL title followed one of Rana’s toughest periods. In 2024, despite Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lifting the IPL trophy, injuries and team balance meant he featured in only two matches. His domestic returns were no better. For Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy that season, he was dropped after scoring just one fifty in six innings. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy that followed, he averaged 13.88 with a strike rate of 114.43 across nine games, while in the Vijay Hazare Trophy he was left out after one game. In IPL 2025, playing for Rajasthan Royals, he scored two half-centuries but made six single-digit scores in 11 innings. Soon after, Rana returned to Delhi for the 2025-26 season, citing family reasons.Nitish Rana takes a selfie with his UP team-mates after a win•ESPNcricinfo LtdIt was not his first setback. In 2022-23, he scored only 71 runs at 17.75 in the Ranji Trophy and was dropped after three games, prompting a move from Delhi to Uttar Pradesh in search of opportunities. Looking back, Rana said: “I went to Uttar Pradesh because I thought maybe I would play better in a new place. But it didn’t work out that way. Now I have left those things behind and returned to the same Delhi dressing room where I learned to score runs. It’s not that I had to prove something, but personally, these DPL innings are very important for me.”Cricket is a game of experience. When you grind yourself, go through bad times, it becomes very important to try to learn from those situations. I too have had many bad patches, I have fought with myself, punished myself too. But I trust myself a lot. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fail. But all this is part of the game.”In the seven seasons from 2017 to 2023, Rana was one of a few batters to score at least 300 runs in every IPL. In 2021, during the Covid-19 period, he earned an India call-up, playing one ODI and two T20Is in Sri Lanka. Since then, the door to the national side has stayed closed, though he has remained a regular contributor in domestic cricket and has on occasion captained his Ranji and IPL teams.For now, he is not looking beyond the immediate. “There are a lot of things to think about,” Rana said. “I also want to make a comeback to the Indian team, but by thinking about it, I will only put pressure on myself. That’s why I don’t think too much now. I only focus on things that are in my control. Right now, my cricket is in my control, and I am only focusing on that.”

Newcastle United fans will be growing extremely restless with how poor their beloved side’s away form continues to be.

The inconsistent Magpies must wish they could play in front of their passionate St James’ Park masses every week, with another away day loss in the Champions League against Marseille meaning the Toon have lost their last four matches on the road.

In stark contrast, Eddie Howe’s men have won their last six matches in a row back on home soil.

Of course, home advantage is a common phrase uttered in football – hence the labelling of certain home grounds as fortresses – but this Jekyll and Hyde form will seriously be worrying Howe, with TNT Sports pundit Joe Cole saying “there’s too much of a gap” between the strugglers at their very best and their very worst, after the defeat in France.

Anthony Gordon is seriously letting his side down wherever they’re lining up at the moment, though, with a regret now possibly in the air that PIF didn’t cash in on the up-and-down performer when they could’ve.

Latest on Gordon's future at Newcastle

Indeed, during the summer of 2024, Liverpool were reportedly keen to tempt the England international to Anfield, with last summer also seeing them come back with more interest, as he was touted to have a bumper £100m price-tag above his head.

Gordon warranted all this fervent interest, too, with 37 goals and assists coming his way across two campaigns for Howe’s men.

His confidence was so sky-high that the Liverpool-born forward even labelled himself a “nightmare” for defenders to contain, amid interest also coming from top-flight rivals Arsenal.

Now, however, he has thudded back to reality, with zero goals or assists coming his way from seven Premier League games so far this season, with just 40% of his dribbles accurately completed, as per Sofascore, as he continues to look a worrying shadow of his former self.

Consequently, Liverpool have moved on to another batch of high-profile targets in attack in the form of Michael Olise and Antoine Semenyo, with writer Thomas Hammond stating that a forthcoming sale of Gordon would be “favourable”, just to get him off the books, concerning his ongoing no-shows.

While he has contributed massively to his own downfall, his Newcastle career could be in even more tatters by the emergence of this promising star on Tyneside, who PIF signed on a free transfer earlier this year.

The "explosive" star who can end Gordon's career

Howe could soon have to be bold with what he does in the St James’ Park hot seat, with the current state of affairs unfolding, leading him down the unwanted path of a dismissal.

For the tie at the Orange Velodrome, Howe did bravely decide to gift 16-year-old Sam Alabi a chance from the substitutes bench, with Antonio Cordero another promising star that might be in line for some first team chances soon, partcularly if Gordon continues to frustrate.

For the time being, the former Malaga winger is out on loan in Belgium with KVC Westerlo, but when he returns, he will have even more senior action under his belt, as he attempts to unsettle Gordon, with his standout time in the senior squad at Malaga, leading to one analyst page hailing him as an “explosive” talent.

Despite only being 19, Cordero – who has also been labelled as “exciting” by former Magpies sporting director Paul Mitchell – managed to tally up a weighty 60 appearances for the senior side, with goals and assists aplenty also coming his way.

Cordero’s Malaga stats by position

Position

Games

Goals + Assists

LW

33

5 + 6

RW

16

2 + 3

AM

2

0

RM

1

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Looking at the table above, Cordero would manage to tally up a blistering 11 goal contributions for his former employers down Gordon’s usual left-hand side from just 33 appearances.

The hope will be that Newcastle landing the teenage sensation for nothing proves to be a masterstroke in time, with Cordero further capable of also playing as a right winger, or as a number ten if needed.

The promising youngster has even been noted as being “like Gordon” by analyst Ben Mattinson, with Newcastle perhaps better served now to look to the future and put their energy into the Spaniard, than persisting with Gordon to come good.

In a few years, he might well be a household name on Tyneside, with the ex-Everton attacker off the Magpies roster, subsequently.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Nov 26, 2025