12 months ago, the dust was settling after an enthralling January transfer window that had seen hordes of deals completed in the Premier League, but this year's midseason market saw a staggering drop-off of roughly £700m with outfits far more frugal with their resources.

Tottenham Hotspur, however, were one of the busier clubs, with Ange Postecoglou demanding a new central defender following detrimental absences of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, injuries and suspension both.

Radu Dragusin was signed to the rearguard while former Chelsea forward Timo Werner added some creativity and dynamism to the attacking efforts, but Postecoglou was also keen on securing a centre-midfielder and failed in that regard.

Okay, maybe he didn't fail. Lucas Bergvall's transfer to Barcelona was hijacked at the eleventh hour by the Lilywhites and the 17-year-old, who has been hailed for his "generational" talent by one scout, will link up with the squad at the end of the term.

Spurs may already have their own Conor Gallagher in the academy

The Lilywhites could promote one of their own and put that money to better use elsewhere.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 2, 2024

But an established player to augment the engine room was not found, and while Chelsea's Conor Gallagher was the No. 1 target, Postecoglou might feel that the failure to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomes is the biggest blow to his seasonal goals.

Spurs' interest in Joao Gomes

Last month, Brazilian reports suggested that Tottenham were interested in signing Gomes and had been told that a bid of around €35m (£30m) could be enough to seal the deal; the London club were considered frontrunners amid a hive of interest from other suitors.

There were rumours that a 'substantial' package from Tottenham was to be forthcoming and while this wasn't the case, Postecoglou's interest was genuine and a return in the summer is very much a possibility.

Joao Gomes' season in numbers

Wolves have been impressive and Gomes has been integral in the club's success, having grown into his skin in the Premier League this season after some promising displays in the first half of 2023.

As per Sofascore, Gomes has played 20 matches, completed 83% of his passes, averaged 3.2 tackles, 5.5 ball recoveries and 5.7 successful duels per game and succeeded with 60% of his dribbles.

Premier League 23/24: Most Tackles
#	Player	Club	Stat
1.	Joao Palhinha	Fulham	94
2.	Vinicius Souza	Sheffield United	84
3.	Joao Gomes	Wolverhampton Wanderers	64
3.	Emerson Palmieri	West Ham United	64
3.	Pedro Porro	Tottenham Hotspur	64
Source: Premier League

As the table above portrays, Gomes is one of the finest tacklers in the Premier League and has been invaluable in the Wolves engine room, Gary O'Neil's side leapfrogging Chelsea into tenth place after dispatching the struggling Blues in their own backyard on Sunday afternoon.

During that contest, Gomes' performance was paramount toward winning the key midfield battle, winning seven duels and making six tackles.

The 22-year-old might not have the widest range of passing or the brightest creative spark, but he is industrious and has been described as "The Pitbull" – as per The Athletic's Steve Madeley – for his brutish, unflinching style on the pitch.

Tottenham have looked leagues above the mess that was the 2022/23 campaign and Postecoglou's leadership has sparked optimism that there could be riches to glean in the seasons down the line.

But the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium still needs work and Gomes would be the perfect player to strengthen the midfield and open up another dimension.

While the aforementioned Gallagher has many abilities that would make for a great fit at Tottenham, the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr already provide fluid midfield roles and Gomes might prove to be the better option given his innate defensive ability.

Joao Gomes is a better fit than Conor Gallagher

Wolves completed the £15m transfer of Gomes back in January 2023 from Brazilian team Flamengo and he showcased his talents over seven starting appearances during the latter half of the 2022/23 campaign, since rising to new heights under O'Neil's stewardship this season.

As per FBref, the Brazilian ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles and the top 3% for blocks per 90, showcasing his elite ability as a defensive force.

Malian star Yves Bissouma is Tottenham's tough-tackling technician in the centre and performs the role admirably but has spent five matches on the sidelines this season due to suspension and an alternative in Gomes could be a good move, especially with the expected return to European competition next year.

In fairness, Gallagher has averaged 2.5 tackles per fixture in the Premier League this season (only a fraction below Gomes) and has been praised for being "absolutely relentless with his pressing and energy" by The Athletic's Mike Stavrou, but he's not a natural anchor and Chelsea touted him at £80m in the late days of January.

But the England international also ranks among the top 10% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 11% for progressive passes received per 90, highlighting his aptitude as an immense ground-covering midfielder.

Gomes would be the shrewder man to sign on top of being the better-suited stylistic fit, and Postecoglou must seriously consider binning his interest in the Stamford Bridge star come summer.

Especially given that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is likely to leave at the end of the season; the Danish midfielder has only started six Premier League matches this season and while he has been crisp and composed in possession, his lack of progression and mobility precludes a prominent role in the system.

Indeed, while he has completed 89% of his passes, Hojbjerg has only created 0.2 key passes per game, and though this might be forgiven if his defensive metrics were on point, the 28-year-old has averaged just one tackle and 2.3 successful duels per outing. That is quite a considerable way behind the industrious Gomes.

Hojbjerg was linked with a move away throughout the January transfer window but rejected offers from multiple angles, seemingly content with staying put until the summer, when he may have a greater choice of options.

Described as an "accurate & tenacious tackler" by talent scout Jacek Kulig back when he plied his trade in his homeland, Gomes has definitely transferred this core quality over to English shores.

He would add something different to the Tottenham team and given his raw defensive ability, it might just be that Gomes is a better fit for Postecoglou's side, with the likes of Bentancur and Sarr already offering excellent multi-functionality.

Given Gomes' relatively affordable price tag, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy might cast a rueful eye back to an opportunity missed come summer, when money flows more freely and the suitors will inevitably circle.

Seldom has the word “some” carried more meaning than in how Josh Hazlewood characterised England’s Test batting line-up. It is a team composed of, in Australia’s view, “some” great Test cricketers and several great one-day cricketers. Ruthlessly and relentlessly, Australia have attempted to pressure this hodgepodge of batsmen, some of whom were World Cup heroes a matter of weeks ago, into the horrendous display at Headingley, where they were shot out for 67 and left almost certain of losing the Ashes at home in the space of three Tests.Hazlewood, who had never before taken the field to bowl with Pat Cummins and James Pattinson, stated bluntly that drying up the runs and forcing England into errors like those committed by Jason Roy and Ben Stokes was key to the Australian blueprint, which now sees them on the verge of retaining the urn in a Test series in this part of the world for the first time in 18 years.”That’s probably the general plan, they’re all great one-day cricketers, some are great Test cricketers, so I think they love to feel bat on ball, especially through that middle order,” Hazlewood said. “So if we can dry up the runs and force a mistake, which we saw a couple today, then that’s fantastic.ALSO READ: Australia find Ashes gold at end of pace rainbow“I think when Davey [Warner] and Marnus [Labuschagne] were batting yesterday, you can see the runs can pile up really quickly in England, with such quick outfields and that hour or hour-and-a-half here or there, can really decide the game if the runs can flow quickly. I always love the scoreboard going nowhere and picking up a wicket here or there.”I don’t think many teams are winning if one of their innings is 60 or 70 runs, it makes it difficult. I think if we start well again next innings, they might think ‘here we go again’, so it’s about creating that doubt in the mind. I think through the way we’ve gone about it is not letting the foot off, just keep going.”Similarly, Hazlewood said that England’s decision to send Joe Root in at No. 3, meaning he is frequently facing a new and moving ball, has worked to Australia’s advantage. “I certainly like him in there as early as possible,” he said. “They follow him a little bit, he’s the leader, he’s the captain, he’s got the best average, he’s their best batsman going by numbers. So if we can get him I think they can be vulnerable at times, same as any other team, if their best batter’s out you feel a bit more relaxed about your business.”Josh Hazlewood acknowledges his five-wicket haul•Getty Images

Having been close to being an automatic selection when fit for most of the past four years, Hazlewood was left out of the team for the opening Test at Edgbaston and had to work his way back via a tour game in Worcester. He has responded with several of the spells of his life, not least his 5 for 30 here, and agreed that the extra pressure for places – created by the presence of Cummins, Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc and Michael Neser on tour – had pushed all bowlers to raise their standards.”Yeah, I guess at times you might get a little bit comfortable, a little bit relaxed in there’s no-one really knocking the door down,” he said. “I guess that can happen at certain times. But when they’re right here training every day, putting pressure on you every day, it adds that extra element, I think. How quickly the Tests are spaced together it brings that extra element of having six quicks here. Five of those have played a lot of Test cricket.”We see how well Siddle has bowled this series, he’s been fantastic, our best at times. I would love to play every Test. The body feels great, I have had my issues over the last few years which has been disappointing, but I feel really good and hope I can go back-to-back Tests. But the way the series is set out, we have six great quicks here and it keeps you on your toes.”A hallmark of the England innings was how wickets fell steadily, not in a rush of two or three in an over, through the constant pressure being applied. Another was the pace, bounce and carry in the surface, which offered Australia’s catchers an excellent sight of the ball. It was not until Matthew Wade spilled a running chance from short leg, before Hazlewood bowled Jack Leach next ball, that Australia missed out on a perfect ten chances taken out of ten.”It didn’t feel like there was a big collapse,” Hazlewood said. “The runs stayed stagnant for a long time and we just kept taking wickets here and there. A bit of luck went our way and it felt like it was just our day. We bowled well, a couple of really good deliveries in those wickets and we were very happy with how we went about our plans. The slips caught well and everything went our way.”I think they all carried through hip high, which is what you want. I wouldn’t say it’s slow, the carry is pretty good for both teams, there is sideways movement off the wicket, which is doing the damage and I am sure the slips love it coming through a bit higher. I guess sometimes in England they can go quite low but this wicket seems pretty good.”

Newcastle United have made some brilliant signings since the takeover by the Saudi Prince Investment Fund (PIF) back in 2021.

The Magpies have brought in players such as Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes for fees well over £30m, with both players playing a pivotal role in securing the club Champions League football for the first time in 20 years last season.

Since the arrival of the PIF, the club have spent in excess £420m on players, with the board investing a huge amount to push the club forward and close the gap on big spenders Chelsea and Manchester United.

Under current boss Eddie Howe, the club have gone from battling relegation to a comfortable top-half Premier League side – with the Magpies' current position unthinkable just two seasons ago.

As good as the squad and recruitment have been, the club may have made a huge mistake in letting a youngster leave St James' Park in 2018, with the former Magpie currently tearing it up in England once again.

Adam Armstrong's stats at Newcastle United

Striker Adam Armstrong joined the Magpies as a youngster, with the Newcastle-born forward arriving at the club as a nine-year-old before quickly developing through the ranks at St James' Park.

He eventually made his first-team debut for the Magpies in 2014, replacing Luuk De Jong in the 86th minute of the Premier League encounter against Fulham – making him Newcastle's second-youngest Premier League player at the time.

Armstrong would have to wait another nine months before his first top-flight start for his boyhood club, with the then 17-year-old leading the line for Newcastle in the 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford.

The striker had multiple loans to Football League sides such as Coventry City and Barnsley, impressing in both, scoring 26 goals over the two spells away from St James', but it wasn't enough to force himself into the first-team picture.

GK – Rob Elliot

RB – Daryl Janmaat

CB – Steven Taylor

CB – Fabricio Coloccini

LB – Paul Dummett

CM – Jack Colback

CM – Mehdi Abeid

CAM – Adam Armstrong

RM – Gabriel Obertan

LM – Sammy Ameobi

ST – Emmanuel Riviere

His last appearance for Newcastle came in 2016, before two more loan spells at Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers before the latter made his move permanent in August 2018 for a fee in the region of £1.7m.

Adam Armstrong's stats since leaving Newcastle United

Armstrong enjoyed a steady start to life in the Championship with Blackburn during the 2018/19 season, scoring five and assisting five in his 44 league appearances – a fair return for a 21-year-old in his first full season in England's second tier.

After his first campaign at Ewood Park, the former Newcastle youngster never looked back, scoring 16 times in 46 games – with Armstrong the joint-sixth top scorer in the division.

However, despite his impressive goalscoring record in 2019/20, it was the 2020/21 season that caught the eye of multiple Premier League sides, with Armstrong a man in demand.

His tally of 28 Championship goals that season, a tally only bettered by another former Newcastle youngster in Ivan Toney, saw Southampton fork out £15m for his signature – with Armstrong finally back in the Premier League just three years after his permanent departure from St James' Park.

2018/19 (Blackburn)

44

5

2019/20 (Blackburn)

46

16

2020/21 (Blackburn)

40

28

2021/22 (Southampton)

23

2

2022/23 (Southampton)

30

2

2023/24 (Southampton)

35

17

It's safe to say he struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League during his first two campaigns at St Mary's with the striker only managing to find the net four times in his 53 top-flight appearances for the Saints.

However, after relegation at the end of last season, the now 27-year-old is brimming with confidence and looking like a completely different prospect.

In his 35 Championship games under Russell Martin this season, the striker has scored 17 times whilst laying on 11 assists for his teammates – with Armstrong currently having the most combined goals and assists of anyone in the Championship this season with 28.

Although current Magpies strikers Isak and Callum Wilson are enjoying fine goalscoring campaigns for Howe's side, the pair's tally of 11 and eight goals respectively is way off Armstrong's tally of 17 – albeit in a higher-quality division.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

With Wilson now aged 32 and struggling with injuries, the club might regret getting rid of Armstrong at such a young age. The striker is about to enter his prime, with the 27-year-old currently in the form of his life.

The 5 foot 8 forward's contributions at Southampton haven't gone unnoticed, with the striker almost guaranteed to be playing Premier League football once again next season, regardless of whether the Saints manage to secure an immediate return to the top flight after last season's relegation.

يلتقي الفريق الأول لكرة اليد بنادي الزمالك، اليوم السبت، بنظيره درب سلطان المغربي، ضمن منافسات بطولة إفريقيا لكرة اليد.

وتقام المباراة في البطولة الإفريقية لتحديد المركزين الثالث والرابع، بعد خسارتهما في نصف النهائي.

طالع.. موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي وفلاورز اليوم في نهائي بطولة إفريقيا لكرة اليد

وخسر الزمالك، في نصف النهائي أمس الجمعة، أمام الأهلي، في المباراة الذي أقيمت بينهما، بنتيجة 26-25.

وفي الجهة المقابلة، تلقى درب سلطان الخسارة أمام فلاورز البنيني بنتيجة 40-38 مساء أمس الجمعة.

الزمالك يشارك في البطولة بقائمة تضم كلًا من: “أحمد الأحمر، كريم هنداوي، محمود خليل (فلفل)، يوسف ناجي، أكرم يسري، بلال أحمد،أحمد حسام، عمر الفولي، زياد حشاد، عمر الوكيل (بكار)، أحمد سامح، مازن رضا، شادي خليل، محمد طارق، يوسف عزو، عمر بيبو، يوسف بن معرف”. موعد مباراة الزمالك ودرب سلطان في بطولة إفريقيا لكرة اليد

وتقام المباراة بين الزمالك ودرب سلطان المغربي، في تمام الثانية والنصف ظهرًا بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. موعد مباراة الزمالك ودرب سلطان في بطولة إفريقيا لكرة اليد

وتنقل الصفحة الرسمية للاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة اليد، والقناة الرسمية للاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة اليد على موقع يوتيوب المباراة.

He made his third Shield half-century in four innings to secure a four-wicket win

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2019Marnus Labuschagne continued his solid start to the season with an unbeaten 72 to guide Queensland to a four-wicket win against South Australia.It was his third half-century in three Shield innings, all coming in two matches at the Gabba where the ball has held sway, to build on his impressive work from the Ashes. While there is debate over one or two batting spots in the Test side, Labuschagne’s is certainly not one of them.Queensland resumed the final day needing 48 with five wickets in hand after Labuschagne had played well the previous evening to steady the chase following Nick Winter’s three wickets.Winter struck again to remove Jimmy Peirson – his eighth wicket of the match – with 34 still needed, but Labuschagne found sturdy support in Michael Neser who faced 22 balls for his 1 not out.Labuschagne hastened the match to a finish with three boundaries in four balls off Wes Agar, finally breaking a spirited effort by South Australia.While some of Labuschagne’s Australia team-mates will now break off from the Sheffield Shield for the T20I series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan he is not involved so can remain focused on red-ball cricket.

Chelsea are apparently willing to bid for a "spectacular" player this summer as chairman Todd Boehly plots to continue the club's lavish spending.

Pochettino faces season-defining next few Chelsea games

Reports have suggested manager Mauricio Pochettino's future at Chelsea could depend on how they perform over their next few matches, especially their crunch EFL Cup final clash with Liverpool at Wembley (Pete O'Rourke).

Journalist shares "key" detail on how Chelsea chiefs could sack Pochettino

Todd Boehly and senior club officials may take action on one condition.

By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 7, 2024

The Blues, before their much-needed 3-1 win away to Aston Villa in the FA Cup earlier this week, suffered back-to-back humblings with Liverpool and Wolves putting Pochettino's side to the sword.

This piled pressure on Chelsea's head coach, who has so far failed to build upon the club's near-£400 million summer spending spree last year. Boehly and the club's board have spent over £1 billion in total since Clearlake Capital's takeover in 2022, but that so far hasn't translated to consistently excellent on-field performances.

"We are not good enough [today]," said Pochettino after their defeat to Wolves last weekend.

Chelsea's worst-performing players in the Premier League	Match Rating
Lesley Ugochukwu	6.20
Noni Madueke	6.47
Malo Gusto	6.50
Mykhailo Mudryk	6.55
Axel Disasi	6.63
(minimum 10 appearances, via WhoScored)

"Myself, also. I’m responsible for this ­situation. What we showed today was not good enough. We didn’t manage the ­situa­tion properly and of course no one can be safe. I don’t want to come here and say I am the best. We’re all responsible.

"The players need to take responsibility like I take responsibility. At the moment we’re not matching the history of the club. That’s true. We need to accept it, be critical but we cannot give up. We’ll work hard to change. If it’s not working in this way, we need to move on and find a different solution."

With the summer window just around the corner, it will be interesting to see if Chelsea dip into the market again to try and solve glaring issues. It is believed they want to strengthen the midfield department further as one example, with news emerging on Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong.

Chelsea willing to bid £85 million for De Jong

The Dutchman is apparently attracting Stamford Bridge interest, and it is believed Chelsea are even willing to bid around £85 million to sign him in the summer.

That is according to journalist Luis Miguelsanz, who wrote as much in an article for Sport this week. De Jong, who is rumoured to be on around £231,000 per week, has been at the centre of contract re-negotiations to disperse his salary over more years at Camp Nou.

However, talks are proving very difficult in what is a complicated situation. If Barcelona are forced to sell their star midfielder, then clubs like PSG and Chelsea are apparently waiting in the wings.

Xavi is in no doubt about the player's quality, though, having called him one of the best midfielders in world football.

"He has been at an extraordinary level for months," Xavi said.

"He gives us a lot. He breaks lines of pressure, he drives forward. He is one of the best midfielders in the world. He's spectacular."

It's been another rollercoaster of a Premier League season for Chelsea fans this year.

Mauricio Pochettino's men have looked both scintillating and disastrous at points this campaign, with some outstanding results – notably away to Manchester City – and some dreadful ones in equal measure.

However, the Blues have a chance to make it a season worth remembering on Sunday when they take on Liverpool in the League Cup Final. It's a game that will define their campaign, and they'll need their leading men firing on all cylinders, including Conor Gallagher.

The stand-in skipper is one of the few first-teamers who looks set to end the season with his stock higher than it was in August, but he might have to start looking over his shoulder in the future, as the club have a tremendously talented youngster coming through who could be gunning for his place in the XI.

Conor Gallagher this season

Gallagher's role in the team has grown tremendously this year, as while he made 45 appearances for the Blues across all competitions last season, he played just 2022 minutes of first-team football – in which he scored three goals and provided one assist.

In comparison, the 24-year-old has already played 2600 minutes of football in 2023/24 from just 33 appearances.

Season

2022/23

2023/24

Appearances

45

33

Minutes

2022'

2600'

Goals

3

3

Assists

1

6

Goal Involvement per 90'

0.17

0.31

The Epsom-born dynamo's importance to the team is certainly apparent through this increase in minutes, but it is perhaps more evident in the fact that he has captained the side on 16 occasions this term, stepping in for the injured Reece James and Ben Chilwell.

He has also been more productive this term, scoring three goals, providing six assists in all competitions, and swapping back and forth between attacking and central midfield roles depending on the make-up of the rest of the team.

With how integral he has shown himself to be in Pochettino's transitioning Chelsea side, it seems farcical that he was almost sold in the summer and again in January.

Still, perhaps the reason for that is the emergence of a youth gem who's starred for the junior sides and has been out on loan this season.

Why fans should be excited about Cesare Casadei

The youngster in question is Italian midfielder Cesare Casadei, who joined the club from Inter Milan in August 2022 for a fee of around £12.6m with £4.2m of potential add-ons.

Described as an "exciting emerging talent" by Chelsea's then-head of youth development, Neil Bath, the teenager went straight into the Pensioners' U21 squad, where he scored five goals and provided one assist in just 13 appearances from central and attacking midfield.

With his impressive displays for the U21s and his record of 41 goals and eight assists in 105 games of youth football in Italy, he was sent out on loan to Reading in January 2023, where he netted once in 15 games and made an impact on the then-Royals boss Paul Ince, who said "sometimes you look and wish he was our player" in late February.

Club

Inter

Chelsea

Appearances

105

13

Goals

41

5

Assists

8

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.46

0.46

The "remarkable" talent, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, was then sent on loan to Leicester City at the start of this season.

He scored three goals and provided two assists in 1111 minutes of action for the Foxes but was recalled in January to join the Blues' first team and help cover for injuries and has made two Premier League cameos since.

Ultimately, he's unlikely to get a significant amount of minutes this season.

The "outrageous" Chelsea ace who left for £0 & is now outscoring Mudryk

The quality veteran has still got it.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 23, 2024

Still, with his impressive record at the youth level, glowing endorsements from scouts and those who have worked with him, and the fact that he plays in the same positions as Gallagher, he could well be duking it out with the Englishman for a place in the team next season.

USMNT star Sergino Dest has bid an “emotional” farewell to Barcelona and admitted that he wishes things had worked out “differently”.

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• Defender moved to Camp Nou in 2020
• Slipped down the pecking order
• Returned to homeland as a free agent

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States international defender moved to Catalunya from Ajax in 2020. He was considered to be a hot prospect back then, with Barca buying into his potential for future development. Things did not, however, play out as planned.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Dest did take in 72 appearances for the Blaugrana across two seasons, but slipped down the pecking order and found regular starts hard to come by. With that in mind, a loan move to AC Milan was agreed in 2022. The 23-year-old completed another transfer in 2023 when linking up with PSV.

• WHAT DEST SAID

  The Netherlands native has now returned to Eindhoven on a permanent basis, with Dest posting on Instagram as he severs ties with La Liga giants: “This is an emotional moment for me! An amazing club with such a nice history! I would have liked to see it differently but sometimes in life things are out of your control. I had a great time, especially the first 2 years, and would like to thank the fans, staff, players and everyone who supported me for these wonderful years. May we meet again. Gracias por todo!”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Dest won the Copa del Rey with Barca in 2021, alongside Argentine superstar Lionel Messi. He helped PSV to Eredivisie title glory last season, despite seeing his season cut short by injury, and is looking to kick on with club and country after leaving Spain as a free agent.

Liverpool's owners are looking to create a multi-club model as the Fenway Sports Group (FSG) is in talks to buy French side Bordeaux.

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FSG in talks to take over BordeauxFrench club in dire financial situationLiverpool owners eye multi-club empireWHAT HAPPENED?

FSG confirmed on Tuesday that the organisation is in “the early stages of dialogue and engagement” with the Ligue 2 side. Bordeaux are seen as a strong option for FSG but reports that there are many issues which could derail any potential deal.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Bordeaux have many financial problems to overcome, as the governing body in charge of French teams' finances has ruled that they should be demoted to the third tier from Ligue 2, though the club has vowed to appeal against the Direction Nationale du Controle de Gestion's (DNCG) decision. It is the second time the DNCG has called for Bordeaux to be relegated to the Championnat National, having done so in 2022 before the club won an appeal.

Bordeaux were placed into administration in 2021 and FSG could rescue them from financial peril by buying a majority stake, which would see the American group follow in the footsteps of the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea's owners by creating a multi-club model. The City Football Group (CFG) owns many teams across the world, including New York City FC, Melbourne City in Australia and French club Troyes. Chelsea's owners, meanwhile, also have a significant stake in French team Strasbourg.

WHAT BORDEAUX SAID

"FC Girondins de Bordeaux continues its discussions with Fenway Sports Group in view of the DNCG appeal commission," a statement from the French side said. "During the hearing on June 27, the DNCG had pronounced a stay of proceedings for FC Girondins de Bordeaux in order to provide all the necessary guarantees for financing the 2024-2025 season.

"For the moment, the progress of the case has led the DNCG to pronounce the relegation of the club to the National Championship 1. The club is appealing the decision and now has time to finalise one of the options that will secure funding for next season. In this regard, the project to sell a majority stake in the capital to Fenway Sports Group was presented this morning to the DNCG in the presence of its representatives and we are working hand in hand with them as part of the continuation of negotiations and due diligence."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR FSG & BORDEAUX?

The DNCG issued its ruling to relegate Bordeaux in a statement on Tuesday and the club will hope to wrap up a sale to FSG in the near future to ensure they have a chance of winning an appeal and staying in Ligue 2.

He will also be the new chief selector, bringing in his vast experience across age-groups and the national team to the job

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2019

Andy Moles has had stints as coach of the Afghanistan senior and junior teams•Afghanistan Cricket Board

Andy Moles, who has been a key influence in the rise of the Afghanistan team, will now be their director of cricket. The 58-year-old former coach has also been appointed chief selector, as the team tries to navigate its way out of a patchy 2019.Moles has the experience of being part of the system, having coached Afghanistan from 2014 to 2015, a stint during which they made their maiden World Cup appearance. He has since been preparing the country’s youngsters for the step up to international cricket, working at Under-19 and Under-23 levels. When Phil Simmons resigned from his post as head coach of the senior team soon after the 2019 World Cup, Moles filled in as interim coach and was in the dressing room when Afghanistan secured their dramatic Test victory over Bangladesh in Chattogram.Last week, Afghanistan had appointed former South Africa allrounder Lance Klusener as the new head coach for a tenure running up to 2020, with the possibility of an extension based on results. Rivash Gobind, former South Africa Under-19 cricketer who served as the coach of South Africa’s domestic team Warriors, has also joined the team’s management and coaching structure.Afghanistan, widely considered one of the most watchable teams in recent times, had gone into the World Cup earlier this year with much promise but were hampered by various off-field issues. A few weeks before the tournament was to begin, the ACB sacked captain Asghar Afghan and replaced him with Gulbadin Naib. The move came under fire from senior Afghanistan players such as Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, even before the tournament began, and was followed by them losing each of their nine games.Some way into that World Cup, Mohammad Shahzad was sent home with a knee injury but the wicketkeeper-batsman claimed he was fit and that he had been unfairly left out. In August, he was suspended by the ACB for a year for a breach of contract.There was, however, joy for Afghanistan after the World Cup as they beat Bangladesh in a riveting Test match last month. Rashid, who took over as Test captain, was the star of that game, scoring a half-century and picking up 11 crucial wickets even as rain and bad light threatened to end the five-day game in a draw.