Former Bayern Munich and France star Franck Ribery opened up on his Ballon d'Or snub in 2013 as Cristiano Ronaldo won the prize.
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Ribery called 2013 Ballon d'Or snub injusticeRonaldo beat Messi and Ribery to win the awardFrenchman won six trophies with BayernFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Ribery had a dream run in 2013 as he won six trophies with Bayern Munich, including the Bundesliga, the Champions League and the DFB Pokal. He registered 22 goals and 18 assists in 52 games for club and country and was considered a strong favourite to win the coveted Ballon d'Or that year.
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However, once the voting results came out, the Frenchman finished third with 1127 votes, behind Lionel Messi (1205 votes) and the winner Cristiano Ronaldo (1365) votes. The voting process also raised a few eyebrows as for the first time, as the deadline to submit was postponed from November 15 to 29.
WHAT FRANCK RIBERY SAID
Recalling the injustice he faced 12 years back, Ribery told: "With the utmost and maximum humility and respect, Messi and Ronaldo were not better than me in 2013. The 2013 Ballon d'Or will forever remain an injustice. I'm still looking for an explanation. I had the perfect year. I couldn't have done better.
"I'll never understand why the closing date for the vote was extended by more than two weeks. Leo and Cristiano always showed me respect. They knew I was at their table. Being completely humble, in 2013, I had nothing to envy about them."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR FRANCK RIBERY?
The 41-year-old left Bayern in 2019 and spent the next two seasons in Serie A at Fiorentina. He then moved to Salernitana for one last season and finally announced his retirement in October 2022 due to a recurring knee injury.
As Celtic gear up for what looks likely to be another year full of success in 2025, one transfer target is now reportedly willing to accept a pay-cut in order to complete a much-needed move.
Celtic transfer news
The Scottish champions look unlikely to relinquish their crown anytime soon, having dominated once again to create a nine-point lead with a game in hand in the Scottish Premiership whilst also winning the Scottish League Cup final last time out. Securing the silverware in dramatic fashion against Old Firm rivals Rangers, the Bhoys were forced into penalties following Danilo’s late equaliser, eventually winning 5-4 in the shootout.
Having sealed yet another victory over Rangers, the Bhoys have seemingly turned their attention towards potential reinforcements in 2025, with the likes of Michel-Ange Balikwisha mentioned in recent days.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha for Royal Antwerp.
The Royal Antwerp winger was the subject of Celtic interest in the summer before suffering an ill-timed injury. Now back fit and firing, however, the Bhoys are reportedly eyeing a January move to finally get their man. And he may not be the only target who arrives in 2025.
According to The Daily Mail, Kieran Tierney is now willing to take a pay-cut in order to complete a move to Celtic next year in what could be a free deal when his contract comes to an end at Arsenal at the end of the current campaign.
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The Scotland left-back initially swapped Celtic for the Emirates in 2019, completing a reported ÂŁ25m move and signing a ÂŁ110,000-a-week contract. Since then, however, his time in North London has become dominated by injury setbacks, with the left-back now in desperate need of the fresh start that Celtic could offer their former star.
"Solid" Tierney needs Celtic return
Whilst he did make a rare start against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup this week, before coming off with cramp, Tierney is far from first choice under Mikel Arteta these days after falling down the pecking order with every injury concern. At a career crossroads, the Scotland international should aim for a return to where his rise to stardom really started.
It wouldn’t just be a signing full of sentiment either. Just as Tierney needs a move, Celtic need a fresh face down their left-hand side amid concerns that Greg Taylor will leave as a free agent when his current contract expires at the end of the season. Needing each other once again, Celtic and Tierney could reunite at the perfect time.
Still 27 years old, the Celtic target will hope to finally return to the level that earned praise from the likes of Ashley Cole with a move away from Arsenal. The former Premier League defender told reporters as relayed by The Metro in 2021: “He has been solid.
“I think he would have liked to see more game time, he’s had a few injuries that hampered his season. When he’s in the team, they are a different team, he’s willing to defend, he’s that kind of leader and warrior they need in this team.”
Clare Connor, ECB director of women’s cricket, will replace Harrison on an interim basis
ESPNcricinfo staff17-May-2022Tom Harrison will step down as chief executive of the ECB next month after seven-and-a-half years in the post.Clare Connor, the managing director of women’s cricket and president of the MCC, has been lined up as an interim replacement when Harrison’s tenure ends in June.Harrison was appointed in October 2014, starting full-time the following January, having held senior executive positions at IMG in Singapore and ESPN STAR Sports. Born in England, he was brought up in South Africa but returned to the UK aged 14, and had a brief first-class cricket career with Derbyshire and Northamptonshire.He has been a controversial figure for much of his tenure. He oversaw the introduction of the Hundred, which belatedly launched last summer, and while the ÂŁ1.1 billion television rights deal he negotiated in 2017 has seen the ECB’s revenue grow significantly, their reserves have been depleted.He has also had to deal with the racism crisis that has engulfed the English game over the last two years, regularly giving evidence to DCMS (Department of digital, culture, media and sport) select committees, and oversaw the sport’s response to the 2020 pandemic, including the staging of England men’s full international summer programme behind closed doors in bio-secure environments.Partly as a consequence of the financial hit that the ECB took during Covid, the organisation had to lay off 20% of its workforce in the autumn of 2020, although following the commercial success of the first season of the Hundred, Harrison and his fellow senior executives were in line to share a ÂŁ2.1 million bonus pot – a situation that attracted widespread criticism. Notably, there was no mention of the Hundred in Harrison’s leaving statement.Related
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“It has been a huge honour to be CEO of the ECB for the past seven years,” Harrison said. “Cricket is an extraordinary force for good in the world and my goal has been to make the game bigger and ensure more people and more communities in England and Wales feel they have a place in this sport. The long-term health of cricket depends on its ability to grow and remain relevant and be more inclusive in an ever-changing world.”The past two years have been incredibly challenging, but we have pulled together to get through the pandemic, overcome cricket’s biggest financial crisis, and committed to tackling discrimination and continuing the journey towards becoming the inclusive, welcoming sport we strive to be. I have put everything into this role, but I believe now is the right time to bring in fresh energy to continue this work.”Harrison is the latest man to leave a position of power at the ECB in recent months with the men’s team losing its managing director, head coach, assistant coach and captain over the winter and the role of chair still vacant following Ian Watmore’s departure in October.Rob Key filled the vacant director’s role last month, following the sacking of Ashley Giles in the wake of the Ashes, while Brendon McCullum was last week named as England’s new Test coach, taking over from Chris Silverwood, and will partner with Ben Stokes, the new captain, for the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s, starting on June 2. Matthew Mott, the Australia women’s head coach, is expected to be unveiled as the new white-ball coach this week.Martin Darlow, the ECB interim chair, said: “Tom has been an outstanding CEO and deserves our sincere thanks for all he has achieved in his time at the ECB. Through the Inspiring Generations strategy, he has set the game on a path to growth and to being played and watched by more people from all backgrounds, underpinned by record investment in cricket.”When the pandemic struck, it was Tom’s leadership that brought the game together and saved us from the worst financial crisis the sport has ever faced. He has always put the interests of the game first and worked to lead important change to make our game more accessible and inclusive, though we all know there is still much more work to do.”We will now begin the search for his successor who can build on all that he has achieved. I’m pleased that Clare Connor has agreed to step into the role on an interim basis while this process is under way.”The ECB Board has appointed executive search firm Spencer Stuart to lead the search for a new chief executive, with the role expected to be advertised shortly.
Glasgow Rangers Premiership title hopes went up in flames on Boxing Day as they suffered their fourth league defeat of the season against St Mirren, conceding a late goal to lose 2-1.
If the pressure on Philippe Clement was easing up after several weeks of solid performances, then this defeat puts him right back at square one. Matches against Motherwell and Celtic are coming up over the next six days and more dropped points could see his position become untenable.
While thoughts are on these games, surely one eye is focused on the upcoming January transfer window, which gives the Ibrox side a chance to bolster their squad ahead of the second half of the season.
Much will depend on how much of a budget the manager will be handed once the winter window opens next week, and he might have to sell a couple of players in order to raise significant funds.
This could see several players leave Ibrox, with one current first team player already attracting interest ahead of January – Cyriel Dessers.
Why Rangers should finally sell Cyriel Dessers
Unfortunately, Rangers are now in a position where they have to sell players before thinking of making signings, such is the nature of their finances.
Hopefully, Clement is ruthless and moves on those who are either taking up a place in the squad that isn’t warranted, or earning a lavish wage which is not representative of their performances on the field.
This could see a host of players depart the club next month, but it is Dessers who is the one attracting the most attention as of late.
Before Christmas, news emerged from France that Saint-Étienne were showing a keen interest in the striker ahead of making a potential move for the player once the window finally opens.
This wasn’t the first time that the Nigerian international had drawn interest from elsewhere. During the summer transfer window, Cagliari were hoping to bring the forward to Serie A, but no move ever materialised.
Things might have been different if Clement had more centre-forwards in his squad, but with Danilo still recovering from a knee injury and Hamza Igamane still settling in at Ibrox, it was perhaps too risky to sell Dessers.
January could be the ideal time for the club to recoup what they paid for him 18 months ago, especially as he hasn’t been the first choice over the previous few weeks.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Across 28 games in all competitions for the Gers, Dessers has found the back of the net on 12 occasions, yet he has scored just three league goals since the start of September.
Recently, Danilo and Igamane have taken turns being deployed as the lone striker in Clement’s 4-2-3-1 system, meaning Dessers has had to settle for a place on the bench.
Metric
2023/24
2024/25
Goals
16
6
Assists
4
2
Big chances missed
27
6
Big chances created
8
2
Shots per game
2.9
1.7
Additionally, the striker is also earning ÂŁ27k-per-week, which places him among the highest earners at the club.
All of these factors should be taken into consideration with regard to his future. Is he contributing enough considering his high wage? The answer is no. Therefore, if a decent bid arrives, then the Light Blues should accept it.
This could free up funds for Clement to move for a player they have been linked with lately who is currently shining in South Africa…
Rangers' search for a striker
As reported by South African news outlet SNL24 (via the Scottish Sun), the Light Blues have been keeping a close eye on striker Iqraam Rayners, who currently plays for Mamelodi Sundowns.
“There has been an enquiry about Iqraam (Rayners) from Rangers of Scotland,” a source told SNL24.
“I don’t think there has been an offer from them at this stage. What I know is they have shown interest and they continue monitoring him.”
There is no information on how much Rangers would have to pay to bring the South African to Glasgow, but it appears he is doing everything right in order to earn a big move abroad.
If a move for Rayners is concrete, this could see Dessers finally packing in what would be a popular move among the supporters. That’s for sure.
How Iqraam Rayners compares to Cyriel Dessers
Rayners may be the same age as Dessers, but he is currently in the form of his life for his club side.
Across just 17 matches in all competitions, he has scored 13 goals while chipping in with an assist, a wonderful strike rate in front of goal, that’s for sure.
Indeed, throughout the entirety of 2024, he has notched 24 goals for two clubs, which has led writer Joshua Henricks to hail the player as “impressive” due to his goalscoring ability.
Domestically, Rayners averages 1.7 shots per game, has created one big chance while succeeding with 75% of his dribble attempts. Crucially, he has missed only one big chance, indicating that he is more clinical in front of goal than Dessers, who tends to miss a large number of chances.
The 29-year-old has also shone for his country throughout 2024, scoring four goals in ten games for South Africa, with two coming during qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations as the nation avoided defeat in their group.
This proves that he is able to star on the international stage, suggesting he may not be fazed by moving to Ibrox in January.
With Hamza Igamane making the move to Scotland from Africa earlier this year and adapting fairly well, hopes are high that Rayners, who has more experience than the young Rangers striker, could follow suit.
Hamza Igamane
Once again, finances could be the crux of any potential deal. If interest in Dessers is genuine, then securing a decent fee for the 29-year-old could certainly aid in Clement’s future transfer plans.
Will Rayners be included in this? Only time will tell, but the South African has proven his talents in front of goal throughout the calendar year.
Not just Bajrami: Clement must drop Rangers man who lost 11 duels
Rangers suffered defeat to St Mirren on Boxing Day
Manchester City star Kyle Walker has reportedly made a decision on his future at AC Milan after his loan deal ends.
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Walker joined Milan on a short-term loanRossoneri has a €5 million buy clause in his contractThe clause will likely be activatedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The England international made the switch to Serie A during the January transfer window, and all indications suggest that he is prepared to extend his stay beyond this season. According to journalist Daniele Longo of , Milan have the option to sign Walker for €5 million (£4.17/$5.40m), a clause they are eager to trigger. The defender is enjoying life in Italy and is keen to continue his career at Milan rather than return to the Premier League.
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Walker’s move to Milan was widely seen as the best solution for both the player and Manchester City, particularly given his reduced role under Pep Guardiola this season. On the other hand, in Milan, he has become an integral part of Sergio Conceicao’s lineup. The experienced full-back has already made nine appearances across all competitions, making him a crucial asset for the remainder of the season.
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Meanwhile, Alessandro Florenzi, another right-back in Milan’s squad, is also looking to secure his future at the club. The former Roma defender’s contract is set to expire on June 30, but he remains eager to fight for his place. Reports indicate that Florenzi is willing to accept a significant pay cut in order to extend his stay at Milan, setting up an interesting dynamic in the right-back position.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WALKER?
As things stand, all signs point to Walker staying in Italy, with Milan ready to finalize his transfer and the player himself eager to continue his adventure in Serie A. He will next be in action when Milan travel to face Napoli in Serie A on March 30.
Tom Price took a hat-trick and career-best 5 for 53 but Gloucestershire remain on back foot
ECB Reporters Network14-Jun-2022Gloucestershire 438 and 37 for 5 (Duffy 4-8) trail Kent 564 (Cox 158, Leaning 128, Bell-Drummond 89, Compton 80, T. Price 5-58) by 89 runsKent are scenting a first win of the LV= Insurance County Championship season at Canterbury, after a late salvo by Jacob Duffy reduced Gloucestershire to 37 for 5 after day three, still 89 behind the hosts’ first-innings total of 564.Matt Quinn started the visitors’ collapse when he removed George Scott for 10 and New Zealander Duffy then took 4 for 8 to leave Gloucestershire reeling at stumps.Earlier, Jordan Cox made 158 and Jack Leaning 128 in a record Kent stand for the fourth-wicket against Gloucestershire.After two and half days in which the bowlers struggled to make any impact, Tom Price took a hat-trick and career-best figures of 5 for 53, but wickets continued to tumble through the evening session, with Chris Dent and Miles Hammond clinging on at the close of play on 8 and 0 not out respectively.Kent began day three on 232 for 3, needing another 57 to avoid the follow on, a landmark they sailed past despite Gloucestershire taking the new ball after the first over.Leaning carved Tom Price for four through backward point to pass 50 while Cox reached his half-century with a nudged single off Zafar Gohar.It was 337 for 3 at lunch and Cox won the race to three figures with a flamboyant reverse-sweep for four off Hammond. In the next over Leaning, who’d been ahead of his colleague for most of the session, scrambled a single to bring up his seventh first-class hundred.A cut shot from Cox off Ajeet Dale saw Kent move into the lead, and the duo then passed the previous fourth-wicket record of 233 set by Colin Cowdrey and Brian Luckhurst in 1962, before the stand finally came to an end when Leaning pulled Gohar to Ollie Price at square leg.Having reached 468 for 4 at tea, Kent had moved to 511 when they lost two wickets from two balls. Price had Cox caught behind and then sent George Linde’s off stump flying. After a maiden over from Gohar, Price returned to trap Grant Stewart lbw for his hat-trick, but Kent regained the initiative when Matt Milnes joined Sam Billings and the duo put on a rapid 53.Milnes’ 37 included successive sixes and a four from Gohar in the final over before the second new ball was taken, but he then hit Price to Hammond. Price then sent Duffy’s middle stump cartwheeling for a second-ball duck, but when Billings was also bowled middle stump by Dale for 43 it left Gloucestershire with a dicey nine-over spell to survive before stumps.Scott subsequently edged Quinn to Cox at second slip and Billings took a brilliant diving catch down the leg side from Duffy’s first delivery to remove Bracey.Duffy then charged down the wicket to catch night-watcher Zak Chappell for eight and his next delivery had Dale caught by Ben Compton for a golden duck. Tom Price survived the hat-trick ball, but the next delivery clipped his bails to leaving Kent in a euphoric mood at the close.
Replacing a club legend is never easy. Glasgow Rangers are finding that out the hard way as they have failed to adequately replace icons once they depart the club.
Alfredo Morelos left in 2023 and the Ibrox side haven’t had a goalscorer like him since. Hamza Igamane may buck that trend, but he is still some way away from replicating Morelos’ feats in front of goal.
It’s safe to say that the Light Blues haven’t had a centre-back as good as David Weir since he retired in 2012, with perhaps only Connor Goldson coming close, but even then, the majority of the supporters would likely prefer the Scot.
5 players who could leave Rangers this January
The January window could see a number of Gers players near the exit door.
ByRoss Kilvington Dec 27, 2024
One player who contributed to the club’s success across two separate spells was Steven Davis. The Northern Irishman played in two UEFA Cup/Europa League finals, while winning four league championships and a handful of domestic cups.
He retired in January 2024 after struggling to return to full fitness following a serious injury suffered a year earlier. Truthfully, the club haven’t had anyone like him in the squad since he played his final game for the Gers.
With that in mind, we have taken a look into those who could perhaps be the next Davis for the club.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2022/23
16
2
0
2021/22
33
1
1
2020/21
49
2
3
2019/20
43
1
3
2018/19
18
0
3
2011/12
39
5
14
2010/11
53
5
12
2009/10
50
4
16
2008/09
40
6
12
2007/08
25
1
6
Via Transfermarkt
Among those in the list are players currently at the club, whether in the senior squad or B team, players who have been linked with a move to Ibrox, along with a couple of surprise choices.
1 Isaac Price Standard Liege
Northern Irish. Midfielder. Capable of contributing defensively and going forwards. If anyone fits the bill of replacing Davis, it is Isaac Price.
The youngster is currently plying his trade in Belgium for Standard Liege, yet the Light Blues have been linked with making a potential swoop for him this January.
As per Sofascore, Price has created five big chances domestically, averages 1.1 key passes per game and succeeds with 44% of his dribbles, echoing the Davis of between 2008-2011, who loved to burst forward often.
The midfielder recovers 4.9 balls, makes 2.1 tackles and wins an average of 5 duels per game in the top flight, demonstrating that he can be effective when not on the ball – and these were the sort of traits that Davis showed during his later years.
Could he be the perfect player to finally fill the void left by the Rangers legend? Only time will tell.
2 Marko Soldo Osijek
Marko Soldo is another midfielder who has been linked with a move to Glasgow as Philippe Clement aims to bolster his options in the middle of the pitch.
Content creator Kai Watson profiled the player a few months prior to being linked with the Gers, saying: “Marko Soldo can play as a defensive six up to an attacking eight.
“He’s mostly played deeper for Osijek so far this season. His strengths allow him to be versatile in the role he takes up in the midfield.”
This flexibility in midfield could see the Croatian starlet shine in the heart of the pitch for the Light Blues, with his skillset clearly similar to that of Davis.
Four goals and four assists in the Croatian top flight this season proves he loves bursting forward into the final third as often as possible.
Soldo isn’t shy defensively, either. He averages 3.5 ball recoveries per game domestically, while making 1.8 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and winning 5.4 duels per game for his club, indicating that he is a player who Clement should be looking to bring to Scotland sooner rather than later.
Much will depend on the budget afforded to the manager this month, especially with financial issues surrounding the club, but signing players such as Soldo and developing them into top-class talents will see them secure a solid profit further down the line.
3 Josip Misic Dinamo Zagreb
Croatian midfielder Josip Misic may not officially be on Rangers’ radar, but he does fit the required skillset of Davis.
Indeed, during the 2021/22 Europa League season, the 30-year-old was, according to FBref, the eighth-most comparable player to Davis, who played in his second European final for the Gers.
Davis and Misic registered similar statistics across a range of metrics per 90, including shots (0.74 v 0.92), pass success rate (87.8% v 84.2%), shot-creating actions (1.37 v 1.96) and touches in the middle third (252 v 292) in Europe’s second tier club competition.
Judging by these statistics, Misic may even have been a fine player to sign a few years ago in preparation for Davis’s retirement, especially considering he fits the bill when the two are compared.
4 Leon Belcar Varazdin
Another transfer target who could turn into the next Davis for Rangers is another Croatian midfielder: Leon Belcar.
The president of Varaždin claims that no official bids have been made for the player, yet it may take a bid of around €700k (£580k) to secure his signature, which appears fairly realistic and within the club’s current budget, especially if several first-team squad members are sold during the winter window.
Aged 23, Belcar is at the perfect age to join a club like Rangers, where he will experience European football on a regular basis.
In the Croatian top flight, Belcar averages 1.4 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and wins 4.4 total duels per game – a success rate of 58% – which indicates how effective he is off the ball in the heart of the midfield.
Towards the end of his career, Davis dropped deeper and deeper, making up for his lack of pace by utilising his wonderful vision and improved defensive abilities.
With three goals in the Croatian top flight, Belcar certainly doesn’t shy away from the attacking side of the game, but it appears his best position is operating as a defensive midfielder.
From a financial point of view, a deal to sign the 23-year-old makes perfect sense, especially as he could still improve considerably.
5 Hidemasa Morita Sporting CP
Hidemasa Morita
Like Misic, Hidemasa Morita has displayed similar traits to Davis when compared to him in a specific competition.
The 39-cap Japanese international is arguably the best player on this list if taking into account the level he has played at, which means the Light Blues may have less chance of signing him.
During the 2022/23 Champions League, Morita was the most comparable player to Davis. Across a range of metrics, the duo registered similar statistics in the competition, including pass success rate (79.8% v 77.9%), shot-creating actions (2 v 4), aerial duels won (both 4) and touches (131 v 181).
Rangers were knocked out at the group stages having suffered six defeats in their six matches, scoring just two goals in the process. Sporting CP ended up feeding into the Europa League that season after finishing third in their group.
Finding a proper heir to Davis is proving to be more difficult than expected. Could this transfer window provide the answer for the board and manager, or is there a player in the current setup at Ibrox who can take the next step up and become an icon in Glasgow? Only time will tell.
6 Bailey Rice Rangers
While the three aforementioned midfielders offer similar qualities to Davis, might Clement have the ideal heir to Davis right under his nose?
Bailey Rice is one of the brightest young talents at Ibrox and should perhaps have seen more time on the pitch for the senior side since Clement took over in October 2023.
Rice joined from Motherwell in 2022, with the Gers beating a host of clubs to his signature, and he went on to make his senior debut under Michael Beale aged just 16 years and four months, becoming the second-youngest player to ever feature in a match for Rangers.
Only two more chances have arrived in the first team since then, but his ability to protect the back four while making decisive passes into the final third means Rice has shades of Davis about him.
Still only 18, Rice has all the talent in the world to succeed Davis in the heart of the Rangers midfield.
7 Nico Raskin Rangers
Nicolas Raskin
If there is anyone in the current squad who could be the heir apparent to Davis, Nico Raskin is surely the standout candidate.
One reason why the Light Blues have struggled against Celtic in recent years is not being able to control the midfield, with Davis the master at this.
During the 3-0 Old Firm triumph at the start of the year, Raskin was given the captain’s armband and produced a display the Northern Irishman would be proud of.
During the game, the Belgian made two key passes, won 60% of his ground duels and made three tackles, showcasing his tenacious nature as he never allowed the Celtic midfield to settle at Ibrox.
It was a true captain’s display, and if he can maintain this current form until the summer, the Ibrox side may have to brace themselves for a few bids coming in their direction. However, keep hold of him, and they may have a midfield stalwart for years to come.
Manchester City have reportedly put Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White on their lists of options to replace outgoing Kevin De Bruyne.
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De Bruyne to leave Man CityGuardiola's side look for replacementsGibbs-White on club's shortlistFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to The Athletic, City are looking at the Forest talisman, 25, and Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, 21, as potential replacements for De Bruyne – who will leave the club this summer.
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De Bruyne, 33, will go down as one of City's greatest ever players and one of the best to ever do it in the Premier League. Finding a replacement for the Belgian, who has won a hatful of trophies at the Etihad, will not be easy. While it seems the ex-Chelsea man's exit was on the cards, he will be sorely missed there.
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The report adds that City do not intend to prioritise transfer targets until new director of football Hugo Viana, who is replacing Txiki Begiristain, gets fully underway in his role – which begins this week.
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Until then, De Bruyne will want to feature as much as possible for City as the season draws to a close. It's been a remarkable 10 years for the veteran, who will be a free agent, and it remains to be seen where he will move next.
New Zealand will have another week of training in Somerset before moving to Birmingham in time for their Commonwealth Games opener
ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2022Amelia Kerr, the New Zealand spin-bowling allrounder, has tested positive for Covid-19 while on tour to England. The squad is travelling to take part in the cricket event at the upcoming Birmingham Commonwealth Games, starting July 28.The positive result came out after a round of Rapid Antigen Tests conducted on the team members on Saturday. Following the positive test, 21-year-old Kerr is in isolation at the team hotel.Related
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A NZC media statement said that Kerr was the only player from the touring party to test positive, while “the rest of the group will continue to be monitored and tested, as required”.The entire New Zealand contingent had travelled for England from Lincoln on July 12. New Zealand are scheduled to play their first match of the competition against South Africa on July 30.But first, they will have another week of training at Millfield School in Somerset – including two practice matches against England A – before moving to Birmingham towards the end of July.Kerr has been an integral part of the New Zealand set-up, having picked up 41 wickets in 41 bowling innings in T20Is at an economy of 5.94. With the bat, she has scored a total of 234 runs in 24 innings.Women’s cricket will feature at the Commonwealth Games for the first time at the upcoming edition, and cricket as a whole for only the second time after a men’s ODI competition was held in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, won by South Africa.
Having seen their winning streak come to an end on Saturday, could the transfer market provide Newcastle United supporters with a lift?
At the weekend, the Magpies were surprisingly beaten 4-1 by Bournemouth at St James’ Park, bringing to an end a nine-match winning streak, which had equalled the club’s top-flight record set in 1994.
Alexander Isak scores for Newcastle
Nevertheless, the Toon Army can’t be too disgruntled, considering their team currently occupy a Champions League spot, and are all but through to March’s EFL Cup Final.
Nevertheless, could Eddie Howe’s team make a high-profile edition to help them push on in the second half of the season?
Newcastle could sign French wonderkid
Reports from November by Mark Douglas of the i Paper suggested that Newcastle were continuing to monitor Olympique Lyonnais forward Rayan Cherki.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
This story has now accelerated further because, on Sunday, Florian Plettenberg and Patrick Berger of Sky Sports Deutschland reported that Lyon are now willing to listen to offers as low as €22m (ÂŁ19m) for Cherki this month, with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and “several top clubs from England… monitoring his situation”, adding that this would be “an absolute bargain”
That said, Lyon will surely not want to lose the 21-year-old, who still has 18 months left on his contract, but they are under enormous pressure to sell players this month.
That’s because, as noted by Colin Millar, Matt Slater and Matt Woosnam of the Athletic, les Gones have been provisionally relegated from Ligue 1 “following an audit of their finances”, informed by the DNCG they must “satisfactorily improve their financial situation before the end of this season”.
It is believed that Lyon must raise around €100m by the end of the season, or the seven-time French champions will be expelled from the top division.
Still only 21-years-old, he’s made 163 appearances for Lyon, racking up 22 goals and 33 assists, scoring five times so far this season, having helped France win Olympic silver medals on home soil last summer.
Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes Cherki to be a “world-class talent”, adding that the Frenchman is amongst the “most enjoyable youngsters to watch in world football”.
Meantime, StatsBomb founder Ted Knutson describes Cherki as a “masterful dribbler” and a “precocious talent”, with Alex Barker of the Athletic going a step further and claiming he is “a future Ballon d’Or winner”.
Given all of that, fair to say he’d be quite the coup if Newcastle were to get their hands on him.
However, stylistically, the player Cherki most resembles could be Hatem Ben Arfa with their innate dribbling and ability to make something happen out of nothing certainly similar.
The maverick scored 14 goals and provided 15 assists during four years in the Northeast, so let’s see how he and Cherki compare.
Appearances
100
77
Minutes
5,740
4,523
Goals
13
12
Assists
23
11
Shots
173
124
Shots on target
60
42
Passes
2,932
1,631
Touches
3,608
2,858
As outlined in the table above, since the start of the 2022/23 seasons, Cherki’s statistics are universally better than Ben Arfa’s, when he was at his peak at Newcastle.
It’s not just from a creative standpoint where the players compare nicely, however, with their ability to take on players a standout quality. For context, only two players in Ligue 1 this term have successfully completed more dribbles per game (2.2) than Cherki. That’s notable because in 2012/13, no player registered more dribbles per match in the Premier League than Ben Arfa (4.2).
Beyond that, though, as beloved as Ben Arfa is on Tyneside, should Cherki arrive, he’d surely surpass his legacy.
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