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Matthew Wade will captain Australia in the five-match T20I series against India after the 2023 ODI World Cup. The multiformat fast bowlers and allrounders have been left out ahead of the Test summer, but David Warner, Steven Smith and Travis Head are included.Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will return home after the World Cup along with Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh, who captained Australia’s previous T20I series against South Africa, to prepare for the home Test season which begins on December 14 against Pakistan in Perth.Related

• New format, new teams, a bit more India vs Australia

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• 'I've had no issues' – Green comfortable on the fringe as his never-ending tour of duty continues

• Captain Wade unsure if he will be Australia's first-choice keeper at T20 World Cup

That could open up the opportunity for them to play the final round of Sheffield Shield matches before the BBL break, which begin on November 28, although previously the big three quicks have been comfortable not playing a four-day match before a home Test series.Marsh and Green are vying for the No. 6 spot with Marsh the incumbent after playing the final Ashes Test at The Oval. The selectors will need to decide whether to make Green available for Western Australia’s Shield match against Queensland in Brisbane or give him a break. The inclusion of Warner, Smith and Head in the T20 squad means they are unlikely to get any red-ball cricket before the first Test in Perth.With Marsh heading home it meant a new stand-in captain was needed with Wade, who has previously done the role on seven occasions including the final game of last year’s T20 World Cup when Aaron Finch was injured, taking on the duties. It marks a significant change in his career trajectory after previously indicating last year’s tournament in Australia could be his swansong.Wade was initially overlooked for the tour of South Africa as the selectors blooded some new names but was later called up as a replacement and chair of selectors George Bailey had previously said he was in the running for this tour.It is expected a permanent appointment as Australia’s T20 captain will be made during the home season with Marsh the frontrunner to take the role ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup.Matthew Wade has previously led Australia in seven T20Is•BCCI

The remainder of the squad is made up of players who featured in the 3-0 victory over South Africa with left-arm quick Spencer Johnson given another chance to impress along with legspinner Tanveer Sangha and allrounder Matt Short.”It’s an experienced squad with a mixture of players who have had their first opportunity on the international stage and that we hope will continue to develop into important players in our T20 group,” Bailey said. “Matthew has captained the team previously, is a leader in the group and we look forward to him taking the reins for this series. Like Mitch Marsh in the South Africa series, this is another great opportunity to further deepen our international leadership experience and depth.”Western Australia allrounder Aaron Hardie is the one player who featured in that series to miss out. Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar was not considered due a recurrence of his calf injury.Once the ODI World Cup is complete attention will turn to preparations for the next T20 edition in the West Indies and USA in June 2024. After the five games in India, Australia have a three-match series against West Indies and New Zealand in February as their other confirmed fixtures before that tournament.Starc and Cummins are expected to be among the players to put their names into the hat for a return to the IPL with a view to using that competition as preparation for the T20 World Cup.The matches against India take place on November 23, 26, 28 and December 1 and 3.Australia’s T20I squad: Matthew Wade (capt), David Warner, Travis Head, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Josh Inglis, Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Spencer Johnson, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha

Paris Saint-Germain are hoping to rob Club World Cup rivals Palmeiras of one of their best players this summer.

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PSG target Palmeiras midfielderMay have deal wrapped up this monthAtletico also after €30m starFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

A busy summer is already shaping up in the French capital. Director Luis Campos, true to his reputation as a talent scout, is making moves to bolster a midfield that already boasts Joao Neves, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz. The sporting director wants to give Luis Enrique a reinforcement tailored for the upcoming competitions, and his choice has fallen on the Colombian revelation from Palmeiras and star of the Club World Cup.

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Since arriving at Palmeiras in 2023, Richard Rios has been tearing up the Brazilian pitches with an energy that perfectly matches Parisian requirements. Campos has been writing enthusiastic reports since last autumn. The Club World Cup has only confirmed this appeal: against Porto, the former Flamengo midfielder dominated the midfield, combining quick transitions and physical impact.

According to South American media outlet , a €30 million (£26m/$34m) bid would be enough to convince Palmeiras to sell, which will be no problem for PSG. The staff have already approved the deal; discussions are now focusing on the payment structure.

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PSG are not alone in their pursuit of the 25-year-old. Atletico Madrid also appreciate Rios' temperament, which is considered compatible with Diego Simeone's high-pressing style. Nottingham Forest remain in the running but are clearly behind the two heavyweights. The player's entourage remains open, while explaining that the prospect of playing alongside Ousmane Dembele and Marquinhos is acting as a magnet.

In its article, slips in a confidence from the Palmeiras dressing room: "The next few hours will be decisive," suggesting a move could happen soon.

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The PSG board would like to close the deal before the summer break so that the player can join the team when pre-season training begins. If Palmeiras raise the stakes, will Campos pull out a plan B? For now, nothing has been revealed. The only certainty is that Luis Enrique has given the green light; the rest depends on negotiations.

The hosts will be looking to pick themselves up after the shocks they suffered at the Qualifier in Zimbabwe

Karthik Krishnaswamy26-Jul-20233:53

Samson or Kishan? Jadeja or Axar? Kuldeep or Chahal?

Big pictureIndia are gearing up for a home World Cup, fine-tuning their combination with just over two months to go for the big event. West Indies will play no part in it.While ODIs will be the most keenly followed format of international cricket over the coming weeks, West Indies may wonder what exactly they’re trying to achieve when they play their 50-overs cricket. They’ll want to pick themselves up, of course, after the shocks they suffered at the Qualifier in Zimbabwe, but pick themselves up to do what?With no World Cup to prepare for, there’s no wider context to ODI cricket for West Indies for now. There are no World Cup Super League points to win, and there’s no threat just yet that they’ll fail to make the 2027 World Cup, which will feature 14 teams who will qualify based on their ODI rankings.West Indies’ fans, however, would do well not to mistake the lack of a wider context for a lack of purpose. While it would be easy to look at the team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup as a sign of their unstoppable decline as a cricketing force, the reality isn’t quite so abject. The top Associate teams have made white-ball cricket more competitive now than it ever has been, and the gap between the world’s ninth-best and 13th-best ODI teams has never been narrower. It just so happens that the sport is growing when its World Cup has shrunk.West Indies will do well, then, to put the Qualifier behind them, put the World Cup out of their minds, and stop worrying about history. Shai Hope and Brandon King shouldn’t have to feel worse about missing out on the World Cup than Brandon McMullen or Harry Tector do just because they happen to play for a team that once featured Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards.The future of West Indies cricket is too tangled up in the sport’s economics and geopolitics for one set of players to have any real influence on it. What they can do in this series, however, is stay in the present, pay attention to the next ball, and then the one after it, and let their opponents worry about things like World Cups.Form guideWest Indies LWLTL (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
India LLWWWIn the spotlightHe has five ODI hundreds, including two against India, and has a 35-plus average and a 100-plus strike rate after 47 games. There aren’t too many cricketing reasons for Shimron Hetmyer not having played a 50-overs game for West Indies since July 2021; he’ll hope this fresh start will rejuvenate his career in maroon.8:32

Runorder: What should India’s pace attack look like in the World Cup?

Despite all the competition he faces in the spin department, Kuldeep Yadav has been a constant in India’s ODI attack this year, playing eight of their nine games and picking up 15 wickets at an average of 21.13. He has an excellent record in the West Indies, where he has 11 wickets in seven games at 20.00 – among the countries and regions he has played ODIs in, he has a better average only in South Africa (13.88). Another good series here will keep him clear of Yuzvendra Chahal as India’s premier 50-overs wristspin option.Team newsWith Hetmyer and Oshane Thomas back after long absences, Gudakesh Motie, Yannic Cariah and Jayden Seales back from injury, and Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran and Keemo Paul unavailable, West Indies will field a new-look combination as they try to make a new beginning as an ODI side.West Indies: 1 Brandon King, 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Keacy Carty, 4 Shai Hope (capt & wk), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Kevin Sinclair, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Gudakesh Motie/Yannic Cariah/Oshane Thomas, 11 Jayden SealesIndia have lately adopted an ODI combination that features three allrounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and either Axar Patel or Shardul Thakur depending on whether they want to play an extra spinner or seamer. They’ll likely have that choice to make in Bridgetown, as well as two others, with Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson competing for the wicketkeeper’s spot and a possible three-way battle for the two seamers’ spots with Mohammed Siraj rested for the ODIs.India: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Sanju Samson/Ishan Kishan, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Axar Patel/Shardul Thakur, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Umran Malik, 11 Jaydev Unadkat/Mukesh KumarPitch and conditionsKensington Oval hosted all three matches during West Indies’ ODI series against New Zealand in August 2022. The surfaces for that series produced first-innings totals of 190, 212 and 301, and had something in them for both seamers and spinners. While the top three wicket-takers were fast bowlers Trent Boult, Jason Holder and Tim Southee, the fingerspinners were hard to get away, with Kevin Sinclair, Akeal Hosein and Mitchell Santner finishing with economy rates below five.That series, however, featured day-night games. All three ODIs in this series will be day games, with Indian TV audiences in mind. The weather could affect the first ODI, with a 20% chance of rain on Thursday. The forecast for the second ODI on Saturday, however, is grimmer, with a 50% chance of rain.Stats and trivia India have won their last eight ODIs against West Indies. Their last defeat came in Chennai back in December 2019. Mohammed Siraj (20.72) has the best average of any India bowler to have taken at least 40 ODI wickets. Hope is 171 runs away from becoming the 11th West Indies batter to the 5000 mark in ODIs. Rovman Powell (975) and Brandon King (969), meanwhile, are nearing the 1000 mark. Jadeja needs nine wickets to become the seventh India bowler to reach the 200 mark in ODIs. If he gets there, he’ll become the first India player since Kapil Dev (3783 runs and 253 wickets) to complete the 2000 runs and 200 wickets double in ODIs.

Many Associate member boards fear the proposed new international revenue-distribution model, which heavily favours the game’s superpowers, could potentially stall the growth of the game. The ICC has proposed a new revenue-sharing model for the 2024-27 cycle to be voted on at its July board meeting in Durban.As reported by ESPNcricinfo earlier this month, BCCI would alone claim 38.5% of the annual earnings in the new finance model, primarily in recognition of its contribution to the commercial revenue pot. The 12 Full Members of the ICC would collectively take 88.81%, with the rest distributed among 94 Associate members.The ICC has not commented on the figures yet, though general manager Wasim Khan said on Monday all members would get more money under the proposed model than in the past. The PCB has already made clear its opposition to the model in its current shape, and resentment is rumbling among other, less-developed cricketing nations.Related

• Associate players are picking county cricket over the World Cup Qualifier. And why shouldn't they?

• ECB CEO Richard Gould backs India to be responsible partners amid revenue-disparity concerns

• BCCI projected to earn US$ 230 million per year in ICC's new model

• PCB unhappy with ICC's proposed revenue distribution model

• ICC board meeting set to discuss India-Pak situation, Afg question

Sumod Damodar, vice-chairman of Botswana’s board and one of the three Associate member representatives on the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee, said the proposal would not meet the needs of Associate members.”If what is being proposed and discussed is likely to be the outcome then, as an Associate member representative, I would be [disappointed],” he told Reuters. “There are numerous practical reasons why it would be inadequate for Associate members.”Damodar said Associate members who have earned ODI status need more money to sustain their high-performance programmes, while the others need cash to bridge the gap. Citing the rapid rise of Nepal in men’s cricket and Thailand in the women’s game, Damodar said more countries would step up if they were given the required financial support.Vanuatu Cricket Association chief executive Tim Cutler said the proposed model would only accentuate the inequality between cricket’s haves and have-nots.”The new model is now even more heavily weighted towards the bigger cricketing nations, and there is a risk that the proposed changes will exacerbate this imbalance, putting the future of the game at further risk,” Cutler told Reuters. “The sad reality is cricket will not grow beyond its current corners of the world… if the allocation of the game’s global funds aren’t more equally allocated with a view to actually growing the game.””World cricket needs a strong West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan” – Ehsan Mani•AFP/Getty Images

With Full Members having 12 of the 17 total votes on the ICC board, Cutler said diverting funds away from themselves – or making independent decisions for the good of the game – would be like “turkeys voting for Christmas”.The ICC did not respond to a request for comment when asked about the concerns of the Associate members.

Over-dependence on India a big risk – former PCB chairman

Former ICC president Ehsan Mani said there was a lack of vision at the governing body in its approach to developing cricketing nations, despite the huge commercial potential of some of them.”One of the biggest risks for global cricket is its over-dependence on one country – India – for a major part of the revenues generated,” the former PCB chairman told Reuters. “Countries like the USA and the Middle East and, in longer term, China would bring enormous benefits to the ICC, its members and the global game. World cricket would be stronger and richer for it.”For Mani, India grabbing the lion’s share of ICC revenues “makes no sense”, and he advocated equal shares for all Full Members.”World cricket needs a strong West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan,” he further said. “Cricket in Zimbabwe has suffered due to lack of funds, as have Ireland and Afghanistan. Lack of investment in some of these countries will make the game unsustainable, and world cricket will be poorer for it.”

Manchester City still have plenty of work to do under Pep Guardiola as the season nears a conclusion, but the 54-year-old already has an eye on potential arrivals at the Etihad Stadium this summer.

Manchester City's core of serial winners at a crossroads

Despite emerging as the Premier League title favourites at the beginning of the campaign, City lie 20 points behind leaders Liverpool and won’t be celebrating a record-shattering fifth English top-flight triumph come the close of play.

Enacting a mini-rebuild in January, Pep Guardiola brought in Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah to ease the pressure on an underperforming squad containing a core of ageing serial winners that may be ready for a new challenge elsewhere come the summer.

Kevin De Bruyne has been heavily linked with a move to San Diego FC, while Kyle Walker departed for AC Milan last month and is likely to bring the curtain down on his spell permanently sooner rather than later.

In truth, some of Manchester City’s most-cherished heroes are now beginning to depreciate in value. That isn’t a criticism, but merely a reality as time can become a ruthless commodity if you aren’t careful.

Manchester City players who are aged 30 or over

Ederson

31

Stefan Ortega

32

Scott Carson

39

Nathan Ake

30

John Stones

30

Mateo Kovacic

30

Bernardo Silva

30

Kevin De Bruyne

33

Ilkay Gundogan

34

Kyle Walker (on loan)

34

That isn’t to say their ability to produce magic moments has waned. However, anyone who has watched the Citizens this term can understand that a mix of injury issues and inconsistent form has seeped away at their collective hunger to win another title.

Nothing lasts forever despite the level of sentiment attached to any situation. Still, Manchester City could be involved in a transfer saga that will attract global attention this summer.

Manchester City hold talks over potential Ederson successor

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City have held talks over signing Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa as a potential replacement for Ederson, who could be set for a move to the Saudi Pro League this summer.

Last year, the Brazil international came close to sealing a switch to the Middle East and may see the opportunity open up again. In response, the Blues have held ‘initial’ discussions regarding the Swiss-born Portugal international, who has kept 15 clean sheets in 37 appearances this term across all competitions.

Man City hit the jackpot on £76m ace who has genuine Ballon d'Or potential

The Man City star has been brilliant this season

1 ByJoe Nuttall Feb 28, 2025

Referencing his one-on-one save to deny Benjamin Sesko during his side’s penalty shootout victory against Slovakia at Euro 2024, Roberto Martinez commended Costa’s ‘incredible’ reflexes to deny the RB Leipzig striker during extra-time.

Nevertheless, Ederson’s monumental contribution during Manchester City’s modern-day history has cemented a legacy few could replicate. During his eight-year spell between the sticks, the reigning English champions have won 18 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League.

Understandably, he may have designs on a money-spinning move before the twilight of his career. Either way, Ederson would be an extremely difficult influence to replace inside the Etihad dressing room.

Grace Harris has been praised for having added “another dimension” to Australia’s T20I batting line-up since returning to the side last year as she shapes up as a key figure in the upcoming T20 World Cup.Harris, who made her international debut in 2015, was recalled for the T20 leg of the Ashes last January, but through a combination of rain and the dominance of Australia’s top order did not get to the middle until the opening Commonwealth Games match against India in late July.Related

• Wareham returns for Australia's T20 World Cup campaign

She proceeded to make a game-changing 37 off 20 balls after walking in at 49 for 5 with Australia needing 155 and facing the prospect of defeat. Harris followed that with scores of 41, 27 not out and an unbeaten 64 off 35 balls in India.That last innings came in a rollicking stand of 129 in 10.2 overs alongside Ashleigh Gardner with the duo providing tremendous power to a formidable batting line-up.”Grace Harris, in particular, has come into our side and added another dimension to our batting line-up,” captain Meg Lanning said ahead of the first T20I against Pakistan in Sydney. “She can go from ball one and regardless of when she comes in she is able to put the pressure back on the opposition. To pair her up with Ash Gardner, we feel like it sort of takes pressure off Ash in a way, it’s not just reliant on her to come in and accelerate. To be fair, all our batters have been working on that.”Lanning will return to the T20I side on Tuesday, having missed the India tour while taking a break from the game. She is set to open against Pakistan alongside the prolific Beth Mooney, while Alyssa Healy continues her recovery from a calf strain.Healy is on track to be available for the World Cup in South Africa where she will slot back in at the top of the order of what will shape as a fearsome batting line-up.”[The Pakistan series] provides opportunities to people to come in and play a slightly different role… there are plenty of options, sometimes that make it a little more tricky,” Lanning said. “It’s going to be very difficult to make a decision on the final XI in every game. A lot of it will come down to match-ups and who we are coming up against.”

Ellyse Perry will play a ‘pivotal role’ at the World Cup

That batting order can expect to include Ellyse Perry, who has rejuvenated her T20 game over the last six months. Against India, Perry struck at 160.19 in her three innings, bringing a new gear to her role in the middle order after having come under scrutiny in recent seasons amid the plethora of batting talent developing in the Australian game.”Over in India, she came out and played in a different way to what she has in the past,” Lanning said. “That game has always been there for her, but now she is confident to come out and dominate attacks, she can hit the ball as hard as anyone in world cricket.”To see her do that over in India was great, and I think she will play a pivotal role for us moving through these T20s and in the World Cup as well. She can really dominate against spin in particular, so I’m excited to see what sort of a role she can play for us.”Legspinner Georgia Wareham is also making an international comeback after 18 months out with an ACL injury. She only returned to the WNCL this month but was named in the World Cup squad straightaway with Lanning saying she and fellow legspinner Alana King could feature in the same XI.”It’s so good to see Wolfie [Wareham] back, she’s had a tough road over the last 18 months but she’s a very important part of our team,” Lanning said. “She brings a lot on the field in terms of every facet of the game.”

Sydney Sixers will be favourites in Saturday’s final after a huge bounce-back season

AAP23-Nov-2022

Despite a career spanning three decades, Alyssa Healy still struggles with handling defeat.”I can confirm I don’t like losing,” she said. “I’m a bit of a sore loser.”Fresh off her announcement as Australia’s T20 captain to tour India in December, Healy said Sydney Sixers are refreshed and ready for a return to WBBL glory after last season’s bottom-of-the-table finish.”After a disappointing couple of years, we’re back where we feel like we should be and playing some really good cricket,” she said.Sixers will enter this week’s finals as firm favourites to win their third crown, earning hosting rights to Saturday’s decider after topping the table.”Sunday was amazing to see all the people on the hill [at North Sydney Oval],” Healy said. “So that’s really buoyed us and the fact that we can play at home I think is a huge advantage as well.”Long-regarded as the competition’s marquee club, Sixers missed the past three finals series and struggled under last season’s Covid-19 restrictions.”It was challenging at times,” Healy reflected. “Especially when players were struggling off the field as well. Covid probably took its toll and being away in hubs and bubbles and not being able to come home was definitely a big factor.”But their bounce back under new coach and England superstar Charlotte Edwards has been immense.Their 11 wins this summer is the most of any club in a home-and-away season and they were barely challenged outside of a last-ball loss to Adelaide and a Beth Mooney masterclass in Perth.”You look at things from last year and I don’t think anyone would have disputed that we would potentially be in contention for finals,” allrounder Erin Burns said.  “But things didn’t click. I don’t think there is any one thing you can put it down to.”Burns feels the big point of difference has been Edwards. She took over from long-time mentor Ben Sawyer earlier this year after the New Zealand head coach led the Sixers to their first two titles in 2016-17 and 2017-18.”Everyone is just playing with more freedom [this year],” Burns said. “Charlotte definitely tries to instil that in the team. She really backs our skills.”

Chelsea have been struggling for output at the top end of the pitch in recent weeks, despite scoring 45 goals in 23 games in the Premier League this season. Much of this output has come from the duo of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, and a cold patch for either one of them has proven an issue for the Blues.

Enzo Maresca’s wingers have had moments this season. For example, Noni Madueke scored a hat-trick against Wolves early in the campaign, and it is clear the Italian values their overall contribution, not just their goals and assists. However, when goals dry up elsewhere, the lack of output in wide areas begins to stand out more, which has seen a poor run of form occur for Chelsea.

Madueke has shown the most intent to provide numbers from wide areas, scoring seven goals and providing three assists in the league, whilst Pedro Neto has only managed one goal and two assists in the league, and Sancho just two goals and four assists.

It is especially apparent that the likes of Neto and Sancho prefer to create for others, which shows in their assist numbers compared to their goal tallies.

However, a left-sided winger who provides more goal threat could be a great route to add goals to this side alongside Jackson and Palmer going forward, and the Blues may have the opportunity to strike this window.

Chelsea's market opportunity this January

According to reports from L’Equipe, Barcola was “surprised, to say the least”, to see PSG bring Napoli winger, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to the club, considering they already have himself and Desire Doue capable of playing on the left.

This could be seen as a huge opportunity for other clubs, with Barcola having a very good season so far playing off the left, scoring 13 goals and providing five assists in 29 appearances so far.

Having been in such good form, Barcola is unlikely to accept becoming a back-up to PSG’s new £59m plus add-ons signing, which could leave top clubs around Europe on high alert to the situation, including Chelsea, who were previously linked to the Frenchman in prior transfer windows.

Why Chelsea must pursue Bradley Barolca

The other winger Chelsea have been linked with heavily this month, is Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United. The 20-year-old has made 33 appearances already this season in all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing five assists.

Whilst both options would provide a similar direct profile needed in wide areas, Barcola could prove to be better value for money, as both would likely cost upwards of £60m.

While the Frenchman is currently performing to a high standard, in recent months, Garnacho’s form has suffered, and he isn’t quite performing to that level currently, which, of course, presents risk.

Goals

0.59

0.39

Assists

0.20

0.24

xG

0.56

0.43

xAG

0.31

0.19

Progressive Carries

5.87

6.03

Progressive Passes

2.99

1.84

Progressive Passes Received

15.5

13.0

Shots Total

3.00

3.98

Goals/Shot

0.20

0.10

Key Passes

1.64

1.49

Shot-Creating Actions

3.68

3.28

Successful Take-Ons

2.14

1.26

Successful Take-Ons %

32.8%

30.6%

When comparing Barcola to Garnacho this season, you can see the Frenchman is clearly in better form, producing output at a higher frequency, and providing more creative and progressive actions for his team. That said, the United winger does slightly edge the progressive carries metric.

Barcola has been praised by data analyst Raj Chohan, labelling him a “high energy attacker” who repeatedly makes runs off the ball and stretches opposition teams with his dribbling and speed. This is seen in the data, receiving 15.5 progressive passes per 90, constantly making runs as an outlet, looking to beat his man when given the chance and provide output for his team.

Both players could have big impacts on the Chelsea attacking line, bringing more willingness to run in behind and therefore also giving the likes of Palmer more space to operate, but for the cost involved, Barcola – who has been described as “one of the best left wingers in Europe” by analyst Ben Mattinson, is likely the option with less risk attached.

Huge Jackson upgrade: Chelsea eye move for "monster" £67m Delap alternative

Chelsea still appear to be hunting for a new number nine this month, with one name high on their list.

ByEthan Lamb Jan 23, 2025

Injured Pakistan quick Shaheen Shah Afridi will complete rehabilitation for his knee injury in London. The PCB has said he is expected to regain complete fitness before the T20 World Cup in October though his return to cricket will be decided by the board’s medical advisory panel. The decision represents a reversal of the PCB’s initial plan, who had initially said Afridi would travel with the team while undergoing rehab.Afridi sustained the right knee ligament injury while fielding during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in July. He has been kept on the sidelines ever since, but he did travel with the team – and some doctors as well – to the Netherlands for a three-match ODI series in August.Ahead of their departure to Rotterdam, Babar Azam said Afridi would play no more than one match. Still, he went on that tour, and it was in the middle of it that the seriousness of the injury emerged. Afridi was ruled out of both the Asia Cup and a seven-match T20I series at home against England in September.”Shaheen Shah Afridi requires uninterrupted, dedicated knee specialist care and London offers some of the best sports medical and rehabilitation facilities in the world,” PCB’s chief medical officer Najeebullah Soomro said in a release issued by the board on Monday. “In the best interest of the player, we have decided to send him there.”The medical department will receive daily feedback on his progress whilst in London and we are confident Shaheen will return to full fitness before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.”In recent years, 22-year-old Afridi has established himself as Pakistan’s frontline bowler across all three formats, and alongside Babar, is Pakistan’s best known and most marketable cricketer. He has tended to play most of Pakistan’s internationals, providing the team with serious wicket-taking threat, especially in the Powerplay.