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Fair to say, Chelsea have been pretty active in the transfer market in recent years, and this activity is showing little sign of slowing down.

Since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital bought the Blues in 2022, they’ve signed over 40 senior players, costing in excess of £1bn, but are forecast to spend big again this summer.

So, do the West London side now have a highly-rated defender in their sights?

Chelsea's latest centre-back target

According to a report by Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports News, Chelsea are ‘seriously considering’ a move to sign Jorrel Hato, a 19-year-old defender who plays for Ajax. The Blues are said to hold a ‘long-standing’ interest in him.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider reports that the soon-to-be-re-crowned Eredivisie champions value the teenager at £40m, a fee the Blues would surely not be shy to pay, given their recent track record.

Kieran King of Football London notes that Hato ‘has established himself as one of Europe’s most talented young defenders’, while Jacek Kulig from Football Talent Scout labels him “immense”, describing him as both a “complete full-back” and a “ball-playing centre-back”.

So, could he be the latest youngster on his way to Stamford Bridge?

Chelsea's current centre-back conundrum

In recent weeks, Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah have emerged as Chelsea’s first-choice centre-back duo, starting three of the last five Premier League matches alongside each other.

Nevertheless, Enzo Maresca has spent the majority of the season chopping and changing his centre-back partnership, as the table below outlines.

Levi Colwill

33

31

31

Trevoh Chalobah*

15

12

10

Wesley Fofana

14

14

14

Tosin Adarabioyo

34

27

13

Benoît Badiashile

18

16

3

*was recalled from a loan spell at Crystal Palace in January

As the table emphasises, Colwill has been, by some distance, Chelsea’s most utilised central defender this season, especially in the Premier League, starting 31 of their 34 league fixtures to date.

His performances have yielded widespread praise, with Simon Johnson of the Athletic labelling him Chelsea’s ‘untouchable figure at the back’, while David Hytner of the Guardian notes that his ‘impressive’ form has earned England recognition.

However, like transfer target Hato, the 22-year-old England international can be both deployed at centre-back and left-back, suggesting they would be vying for the same position, so let’s assess how the duo compare this season.

Appearances

33

47

Minutes

2,880

3,932

Goals

1

3

Assists

1

6

Pass completion %

89.7%

88.5%

Tackles

40

81

Tackles won

34

54

% of dribblers tackled

61.5%

80.4%

Blocks

34

45

Interceptions

34

36

Clearances

104

79

Errors leading to a shot

4

5

Ball recoveries

108

166

% of ground duels won

50.8%

57.6%

% of aerials duels won

59.2%

51.85%

Touches per 90

88

65

As outlined by the table, Hato would represent a massive upgrade on Colwill, especially defensively, with the Dutchman excelling when it comes to tackles, blocks, interceptions, ball recoveries and ground duels this season.

Of course, there will be a question mark as to whether the teenager would be able to thrive at a higher-level; according to Global Football Rankings, the Premier League is the strongest league in the world, with the Eredivisie ranked 12th.

Nevertheless, still only 19 years old, of course, Hato appears to have all the attributes to become a world-class defender, so will he be the latest young talent on their way to West London?

Approach made: Chelsea now ready to splash out £60m to sign "amazing" star

He almost joined Arsenal in January…

ByTom Cunningham May 3, 2025

Manchester United have been in contact with a “superstar” who Barcelona are looking to sign for free this summer.

Man Utd produce memorable Europa League comeback against Lyon

The Red Devils produced one of their best European comebacks in recent history on Thursday evening against Lyon, advancing to the semi-finals of the Europa League in the process.

Ruben Amorim’s side looked to be cruising to the last four before Lyon took the tie to extra time, and despite having 10-men, the Ligue 1 side then took a two-goal lead with just 10 minutes remaining.

However, goals from Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo and a Harry Maguire winner in injury time sparked wild scenes at Old Trafford, with United running out 5-4 winners on the night and 7-6 victors on aggregate.

Man Utd will now take on Athletic Club in the last four, with Tottenham or Bodo/Glimt awaiting in the final in Bilbao at the end of May.

Talking after the dramatic win over Lyon, Amorim said: “I was watching again the ’99, the documentary [when we completed the Treble by beating Bayern Munich with two late goals in the Nou Camp], so to have some inspiration for this moment. But, was a great night. I think the team were tired and you feel it during the game, and then 4-2 with one more player and, in the end, you think it’s over. But here, it’s never over.

“We tried to put Harry Maguire [up there] because he’s the only guy that can score a goal with his headers. And then Kobbie Mainoo, he has a lack of pace in this moment because he had that injury and he stopped for a while, but he’s really good on short spaces, and then he has the ability to do that kind of goal. And then we try it, and sometimes it works, and today was a good day.”

Man Utd now in advanced talks to sign £52m star who's "out of this world"

The Red Devils are making progress in their pursuit of a midfielder, but there could be competition from rivals Manchester City.

ByDominic Lund Apr 18, 2025

All of United’s focus now will be on winning the Europa League to guarantee Champions League football at Old Trafford for 2025/26, something which could help in regards to signing some top players over the summer.

Man Utd make contact to sign 25 y/o Barcelona target for free

One player who has been linked with a move to Man Utd is Lille striker Jonathan David. Out of contract at the end of the season, the Canada international looks set to find a new club over the summer, with Amorim recently demanding the Red Devils to pursue a move for the 25-year-old.

According to TBR Football, Barcelona are the most likely to sign David for free this summer, however, Man Utd have been in contact with the striker’s representatives recently.

Dubbed a “superstar”, David is also being eyed up by Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool after another excellent season in front of goal.

A move to Barcelona remains David’s preferred destination, but by the looks of things, a move to Man Utd can’t be ruled out at this stage, especially with the Red Devils still having the chance of Champions League football next season after Thursday night’s rescue mission.

Your one-stop destination to know all about the 13th edition of the tournament that will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka

Srinidhi Ramanujam25-Sep-2025An ODI World Cup in India? Tell me more… when is it?Yes, that’s right. The Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, hosted by India with a few games to be played in Sri Lanka, starts September 30. The semi-finals are on October 29 and 30 and the final on November 2.A total of 31 matches will be played over 34 days in a round-robin format, with the top four teams progressing to the knockouts. All matches will begin at 3pm IST (0930 GMT) except New Zealand vs England on October 26, which will start at 11am IST (0530 GMT).This is the fourth time India is hosting the Women’s ODI World Cup, having done so in 1978, 1997 and 2013, and the first time for Sri Lanka.Related

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Suzie Bates: 'I feel like there's no milestones on my list anymore'

Devine to retire from ODIs after the World Cup

Tell me about women’s ODI cricket since the last World CupIt has never been more high-scoring. Before the 2022 ODI World Cup, the participating teams for the current edition had crossed the 300 mark a combined 44 times. Since then, they have had 34 totals of 300 or more between them, with Australia and India posting 400-plus once each. This surge highlights the growing skill and depth in women’s batting, setting the stage for an exciting tournament.The tournament will feature an all-female line-up of match officials. The prize pool, meanwhile, has soared to US$ 13.88 million – nearly four times of what it was in 2022.Which teams are playing?Eight teams are participating. India qualified by virtue of being the hosts and were joined by the top five teams – Australia, New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka, South Africa – in the Women’s Championship cycle.Bangladesh, Ireland, Pakistan, West Indies, Thailand and Scotland competed in the World Cup Qualifier in Lahore, where Pakistan and Bangladesh secured their spots.So no West Indies?That’s right. This is the first time in six editions since 2000 that West Indies will not be part of a Women’s ODI World Cup. They narrowly missed out after Bangladesh pipped them by 0.013 on net run rate.Australia are the defending champions•AFP/Getty ImagesTell me about the venuesGuwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam and Navi Mumbai in India, and Colombo in Sri Lanka will host the games. Colombo will host ten matches – all Pakistan games, the first semi-final, and the final if Pakistan qualify. Originally, Bengaluru was one of the host cities but was removed after the M Chinnaswamy Stadium was denied police clearance following the stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations in June.Do India have home advantage?Not quite. While India are the co-hosts, the venues tell a different story. The Holkar Stadium in Indore has never hosted women’s internationals. The Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati is yet to stage a women’s ODI, and its last women’s T20I was back in 2019. Visakhapatnam last hosted a women’s ODI in 2014, and while Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium has seen sold-out crowds for women’s T20Is and the WPL, it has never hosted a women’s ODI. The unfamiliarity with these grounds means India may not enjoy the advantage host countries generally do.Isn’t it going to rain in Colombo?Yes, probably. The north-east monsoon looks like it has arrived a little early this year, and the cricket is almost certain to be affected. In the week leading up to the tournament, it seems as if the monsoon hasn’t settled in properly yet however, which means while there are showers around, they don’t stay all day. As Sri Lankan grounds get fully covered, generally this means cricket can usually happen every day. Expect rain-curtailed matches, however.Are Australia still the favourites?On form, yes. They have lost just four of their 31 ODIs since the start of 2023 and remain the benchmark in the format. They have a settled core and an unmatched tournament pedigree, having won the title seven times.India are yet to play an ODI in three of their four World Cup venues•Getty ImagesBut India won’t be far behind. They have had a strong run in 2025, losing only four of their 14 ODIs so far. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes her side can “beat Australia on any day” and they showed glimpses of that in the recent 2-1 series loss to them. Even Australia captain Alyssa Healy acknowledged that this is the “most stable” Indian team she has seen. That said, England, New Zealand and South Africa cannot be ignored.Where and when will the high-profile contests take place?Defending champions Australia kick things off with a high-octane trans-Tasman showdown against T20 world champions New Zealand in Indore in the second match of the tournament, on October 1.One of the most anticipated contests is the face-off between India and Australia on October 12 in Visakhapatnam. Australia will take on their Ashes rivals England on October 22 in Indore. Then there is India vs England on October 19, Australia vs South Africa on October 25, and New Zealand vs England the following day, all of which could have a big say in the semi-finals line-up.Pakistan’s Sidra Amin is in sensational form•PCBWhat about India vs Pakistan?That will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on October 5. In women’s cricket, the India-Pakistan rivalry has been firmly one-sided. The two teams have faced off 11 times in ODIs, with India winning every single game. The gulf in experience, infrastructure and depth has been evident over the years.Hmmm… Tell me more about the players. Who are the ones to keep an eye on?Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux has returned from her knee injury to boost Australia’s chances. Even though she hasn’t played an ODI since December, she remains vital in spin-friendly conditions. England’s Charlie Dean, another fingerspinner, could also be a key player.Among the batters, South Africa’s Tazmin Brits, India’s Smriti Mandhana and Sidra Amin of Pakistan are in the form of their lives. Brits and Mandhana have already scored four ODI hundreds this year.This will also be Heather Knight’s first tournament after she relinquished England captaincy.What about those playing a World Cup for the first time?In just ten months since her debut, India opener Pratika Rawal has scored six half-centuries and one century in 17 innings, and has an average of 50.12. Her ability to score consistently in different conditions has made her a crucial part of India’s batting line-up.Jemimah Rodrigues is yet to play in an ODI World Cup•Getty ImagesAmong bowlers, England spinner Linsey Smith announced her arrival in ODIs with a five-for on debut against West Indies in May. Having made her T20I debut at the 2018 T20 World Cup, she had to wait six-and-a-half-years for a chance in ODIs.This will also be the first ODI World Cup for Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal. Though she made her ODI debut in 2019, it’s only in the last couple of years that she has become a regular in the team, thanks to her wicket-taking ability. Incredible as it may sound, this is also India batter Jemimah Rodrigues’ first ODI World Cup.Are there a few players for whom this could be the last ODI World Cup?Certainly. New Zealand captain Sophie Devine has already said so, just like Megan Schutt and Alyssa Healy as well. It could be the same for Suzie Bates, Marizanne Kapp, Chamari Athapaththu, Heather Knight, and a few others. Harmanpreet will be 40 by the time the next edition rolls in, so it could be her last too.Where to watch the games?All matches will be live on the JioStar network and the JioHotstar app in India, Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, Amazon Prime Video in Australia, Sky TV in New Zealand, PTV and Ten Sports in Pakistan, Maharaja TV in Sri Lanka and Willow TV in the USA and Canada.

He opens up about chasing elusive title at the Under-19 World Cup, his “awesome experience” in India, pursuing a bachelor’s in criminal justice, and more

Shashank Kishore30-Jan-2024Oscar Jackson was 11 when cricket truly captivated him. A day out at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington in the summer of 2015 was his ticket to a “lifelong dream.” Nine years later, he is captaining New Zealand at the Under-19 men’s World Cup, hoping to win the tournament, something no other Kiwi team has managed to.”Watching Martin Guptill wallop that double-hundred in a World Cup game against West Indies sparked something.” Jackson reminisces with ESPNcricinfo. “The way he was hitting them out of the park, it was an amazing moment to be a part of, especially watching from the stands. It wasn’t my first memory of the game but quite an experience nonetheless.”How Brendon McCullum and Co won the hearts of an entire country had several youngsters, including Jackson, take to the game. Until then, he had grown up playing both cricket and rugby. When Jackson made his school’s first XI two years down the line, he eventually decided to pursue cricket “more passionately” than any other sport.Related

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“It was around then I realised I want to push as hard as I can for as long as I can with cricket,” Jackson says.In 2017, he had his first taste of cricket outside New Zealand when he toured India with the Hutt Hawks Cricket Club. He was part of the group alongside current New Zealand star Rachin Ravindra. Jackson remembers his time in India fondly, for he brought up his first hundred in any form of cricket on that tour, in Anantapur, a town 200 kilometres north of Bengaluru.”Went over to India with Ravi [Krishnamurthy, Rachin’s father] at the end of 2017 and it was an awesome experience,” Jackson says. “To get the opportunity was cool. It’s the kind of cricket I had never experienced before. To play against quality spin on those pitches was tough and scoring my first-ever hundred was special.”A lot of guys, me included, are grateful for Ravi for taking us on those trips. I haven’t come back to India since, but I’m really looking forward to another opportunity whenever it happens.”On Tuesday, he will play against India in a Super Six game at the ongoing Under-19 World Cup. New Zealand will have one other game against Ireland. They will likely need to win both to make the semi-final. Jackson himself has had a middling tournament, scoring a match-winning 75 against Nepal followed by scores of 26 and 12. He has also picked up three wickets with his seam-ups.Before coming on tour, he sought out Ravindra for some advice. “He’s an unbelievable guy,” Jackson says. “He’s super nice and shows genuine interest towards the youngsters coming up in Wellington. He’s very relatable. To see him make the step up from Under-19s to Wellington to the Black Caps side is very cool. He’s humble and grounded, is always looking out for the youngsters, so to be able to learn off him has been awesome.”Oscar Jackson made 75 against Nepal, followed by scores of 26 and 12•ICC/Getty ImagesJackson is equally passionate about his academic pursuits. He’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s in criminal justice from the University of Canterbury. “I love it,” he says. “It keeps me motivated in terms of balancing cricket and university. It’s tough. I play in two different cities. I’ve been fortunate to have two supportive clubs. So balancing studies, cricket, social life, friends and family – it’s tough but I am working towards getting the balance right.”What is his degree all about? “It’s sort of looking into preventing crime,” Jackson explains. “Looking to rehab those who have committed a crime, how you can help reintegrate them back into society after serving time in prison. It’s a mix of policing, studying law, and psychology. It’s a nice little mix of all those things put together. To have those in one degree is pretty cool.”Jackson plays for the Onslow Cricket Club in Wellington from November to January and represents Burnside West Cricket Club in Christchurch from February to April. Shuttling between two cities has given him the best of both worlds. More importantly, it has made him a “true allrounder.””At home, I was pretty useless,” he laughs. “Everything was done for me. You put the dish in the sink, and you see the dishwasher has done the job. You put the clothes into the washing basket and the next day the clothes come clean. So moving to Christchurch for university was a step up in terms of life skills and self-management which I took time to adjust to.

“He’s an unbelievable guy. He’s super nice and shows genuine interest towards the youngsters coming up in Wellington. He’s very relatable.”Oscar Jackson on Rachin Ravindra

“It wasn’t that hard, I wasn’t sad or anything, but yeah it was a bit of a wake-up call for me to take more ownership. That has really helped me in all facets of my life, including cricket.”Jackson also looks up to Kane Williamson for his calm demeanour, and range of strokes and he hopes to be able to discuss with the New Zealand white-ball captain one day. He likes building an innings, and lives by the mantra of “batting positively without being reckless.””I’d like to think I am naturally aggressive,” he says. “[I] take some time at the start, but look to also put pressure back on the bowlers by being dominant. I like to show good intent.”Intent the Finn Allen [another Wellington mate] way?”Nah, nah, definitely not that level,” he laughs. “He’s had remarkable success lately. His ball-striking is second to none. I’m not quite that aggressive but yes, I do give myself a chance to get in initially, play percentage shots and take it from there.”As we wind up the chat, Jackson has one simple request. Of wanting to show his gratitude and acknowledge the contributions of some key personnel in his life.”Ivan Tissera my one-on-one coach from childhood, has been a great mentor for me who has helped me technically and mentally,” Jackson says. “Our school’s first XI coach Duncan Murray was an unbelievable leader and role model on and off the field. They’ve shaped me to become the cricketer I am.”For now, he’s happy to indulge in everything – fun and serious – that teenagers do. Including cooking, playing golf and, of course, cricket.”Golf is a nice way to reset,” he says. “I don’t play it too seriously, but I put it with my mates. I love spending time outdoors, never been those indoor guys on the PlayStation or Xbox. That’s not for me. I’d rather be outdoors, playing ball, kicking or hitting the ball or teeing off. Being active outdoors keeps me going.”

The Ireland series was a historic event in the calendar but Covid-19 still ended up having the final say

Peter Della Penna29-Dec-2021The opening encounter for USA vs Ireland may not have been the biggest crowd to ever grace the Broward County Stadium. The venue has played host to 10,000 people for the CPL, West Indies, New Zealand and India over the years. The official tally was 328 fans for the first T20I between the host country and their Full Member counterpart. But considering just 19 people turned up to see USA play their first ever home ODI a little over two years ago, it was progress.One of those people is Phil Mielke, a man originally from Wisconsin but now residing in Ohio. He discovered cricket while on a work trip to France in 2008 when it was being shown on one of the only English language channels available in his hotel room. He’s since turned into USA’s unofficial super fan, having travelled to see them play live across the country and around the world: from Morrisville, North Carolina, to Los Angeles; from Toronto to Kampala, Uganda to Dubai, where he was the lone USA fan to see them play ODIs against Scotland and UAE in December 2019 and was rewarded with a jersey straight off the back of Elmore Hutchinson. But on most of those occasions, Mielke was not just a super fan. He was literally the only fan. Not so in Florida.”To hear people cheering for USA Cricket and to chant, ‘U-S-A! U-S-A!’, it’s something I’m not even sure I thought I would be able to hear in my lifetime,” Mielke said from the stadium ahead of the second T20I on December 23. “I felt like crying. Just being a fan for as long as I have been, you go some places and you’re the only person there. So, a big change.””I wanted to see two matches and this was the only time to do two days in a row. It just so happened that it was the first ones, which is even better. It’s historic for sure and to get the win yesterday was amazing.”When the USA players walked off the field upon completing the historic 26-run victory over Ireland, they made clear that they were not taking it for granted. The entire squad walked across to the east stand where all the fans who had been chanting “U-S-A! U-S-A!” were assembled, and showered them with applause. Some of the players even shouted back, “Thank you! Thank you! Please come back tomorrow night!”USA captain Monank Patel leads the team to thank the fans for their support•Peter Della PennaWhich they did. More than twice as many people came for the second T20I as attendance for the two games eclipsed 1,000. On paper, yes, this is still not much in a venue that has had more than 10 times that number crammed in like sardines to watch India play.But it was a sign that momentum was building, in spite of the obstacles that included a series announced with less than six weeks notice, many fans who could not come due to previously arranged holiday plans over the Christmas period, not to mention a spike in Covid cases that made the remaining available fans hesitant to travel. The publicity from USA’s first win over Ireland was so good that local celebrities from other sports, former England international and current Inter Miami manager Phil Neville as well as South African golfing legend Ernie Els, were rumored to be joining the VIP hospitality suite for the final ODI on December 30.Yet just as quickly as it was snowballing for the remaining fixtures in the tour, the momentum melted in the Florida heat. Initially it was an umpire that tested positive, causing the first ODI to be canceled out of logistical complications – they couldn’t get replacements in at short notice. Then the rest of the series was scrapped after the visiting support staff and family members tested positive, though, no Irish player caught the virus and all but one USA player had been deemed fit to go.It may make people wonder, why were these final matches canceled when a similar situation unfolding in Melbourne resulted in a Test match continuing uninterrupted? Why were the T20Is also allowed to go ahead despite five USA players being ruled out with Covid yet an entire ODI series was canceled just days later when all but one out of 30-plus players returned a negative test? The short answer is that the Irish side did not want to risk running into any quarantine complications entering Jamaica for the second leg of their international tour. If the USA had been their only destination, it is highly probable that the matches would have gone on as scheduled.Mick Kirby-West (left) and Dave Kirby drove 137 miles to discover the ODI they had tickets for was canceled•Peter Della PennaBut the decision to cancel the matches over the “risk of further players testing positive if the series continued” looks even more incongruous when the USA team was immediately booked on flights home later that same day. So it’s unsafe to be playing a cricket match with everyone spaced out on a massive outdoor field, but heading straight to the airport to get on jam-packed, sold-out, five-hour domestic flights is perfectly fine?The extreme caution with which the decision was made left a sour taste in the mouths of some fans. Dave Kirby and Mick Kirby-West, a 74 and 53-year-old father and son originally from Portsmouth, England, had driven two hours on the morning of the second ODI from Mick’s current home on the west coast of Florida in Cape Coral. Only after completing their 137-mile trek were they informed at the stadium office that the match was called off.Kirby-West had not seen a match since he left England in 2015, and his father had never seen one live. They had bought tickets off the USA Cricket website at 6:43 pm on December 27 and got a standard confirmation email almost immediately. But when news of the postponement came out less than two hours later at 8:21 pm on USA Cricket’s website and social media, neither saw it. Both men wondered why there was no follow-up email sent directly to ticket holders to inform them of the initial scheduling change.”If they are seriously thinking about hosting a Cricket World Cup [sic: The ICC hosts World Cups, not the local board], I think they need to get their s**t together,” Kirby-West said. “You can’t organise a Cricket World Cup if you can’t get a little bit more organised than what they have for these games.”USA super fan Phil Mielke (right) was all smiles after the win over Ireland•Peter Della PennaThough the face value of the tickets was USD 15, the reality is that lots of people travelled from long distances to attend. The true price of admission is closer to USD 1000 when flights, hotels, local transportation and meals are included. The fans are eating that cost, and not USA Cricket.Diane Palmquist, a Minnesota native currently living in New York City, would go to see Test matches in England almost every summer prior to the pandemic. She was at the 2019 World Cup and had also attended numerous events on US soil, including the 2015 Tendulkar vs Warne Cricket All-Stars tour. She was so desperate to see live cricket again that she booked a detour from her family Christmas trip in Minnesota to fly to Florida for the second ODI before returning to New York. Instead, she wound up going to Key Largo for the day when the match was scrapped.”There’s a lot of issues with USA Cricket,” Palmquist said, “But I think we were all hopeful that they would be able to play and I’m just very sad that Covid is getting in the way of everything. I don’t know if they could handle it better. I like that they tried hard to handle it and let the game go on until they couldn’t. I’m pretty tired of everything getting canceled way ahead of time. So I would actually rather come down here and have them try to play and not be able to than just cancel it weeks in advance. Because everything else I have tickets for is getting canceled two months early and I’d rather try to make it happen.”I certainly hope that there are more USA matches like this. I was very excited to have the opportunity to see USA Cricket play here. I would love to come to other matches here and see other international matches here.”

Sophie Devine has hit her purple patch right in time to lead New Zealand into the Women’s T20 World Cup

Alex Malcolm19-Feb-2020If New Zealand allrounder and now captain Sophie Devine leaves the MCG on March 8 with the World T20 title, a mountain of runs to her name and a bag of wickets, her rivals from Australia and England will have had a significant part to play.Devine, 30, enters the T20 World Cup in career-best form, ranked the world’s No. 1 allrounder, equal with Ellyse Perry, and the world’s No. 2 ranked batter.The newly minted New Zealand captain became the first player, male or female, to reach 50 in five consecutive T20Is less than two weeks ago, completing a stunning sequence with her maiden T20I century against South Africa in Wellington to help the home side to a 3-1 series win after being clean-swept in the preceding ODI series.ALSO READ: Sophie Devine’s form gives New Zealand hope of successThis came off the back of the WBBL, where she was the player of the tournament for her part in the Adelaide Strikers’ run to the final. She was the leading run scorer of the WBBL and was joint fourth among the wicket-takers.Devine partly credits her scintillating summer to a rare pre-season in Perth with Western Australia in Australia’s Women’s National Cricket League. The unusual opportunity came about through then WA coach and now England coach Lisa Keightley, who had previously worked with Devine at Loughborough Lightning in England’s Women’s Super League.”The pre-season I had in WA was fantastic for me,” Devine says. “It was the first pre-season I’d had in a number of years. So to be able to go back to basics and work day-in-day-out and with a great bunch of coaches [was great].

“Cricket can be a really fickle game, particularly T20. You can train the house down and feel a million bucks and get an absolute peach of a delivery and you’re out for a golden duck”

“We didn’t have anything New-Zealand-wise, so it was almost pure luck really. I don’t think it happens too often [that] you invite Kiwis over, but I really do appreciate everything the WACA provided for me.”Devine only played four games for WA in the WNCL either side of her WBBL commitments with the Adelaide Strikers and her Wellington and New Zealand duties, but she had a profound impact on the group during the pre-season.She made a match-winning century for WA against a Victoria attack featuring Australia trio Perry, Annabel Sutherland and Sophie Molineux in January. WA went on to win their first ever WNCL title last weekend against New South Wales, despite Devine and Keightley being absent.She also credits her form to her Wellington mentor Christie van Dyk, who pushed her to become a more consistent player. “A lot of my success recently has to go to him. He’s just really pushed me to be better, to want more for myself and to value my wicket,” Devine says. “If you asked players about me a couple of years ago, they would have said, ‘Could be a great player but just throws away her wicket a little bit.'”So I instilled that in my training and in games – really valuing my wicket and wanting to be a batter and spending time at the crease. Looking at my strengths, I know I can have that power side of the game, but if I can be in for more than 10-12 overs, I can hopefully cause some damage.”Devine’s consistency has been stunning. She made nine half-centuries in the WBBL in 16 innings at a strike-rate of 130.33. She then backed that up with a century and two more half-centuries for Wellington to win the Women’s Super Smash, with the hundred for WA in between.Devine’s maiden T20I hundred capped a five-match run of 50-plus scores, the first in T20Is for any player•Getty ImagesShe rolled that form into her first official T20I series as captain of New Zealand. She says there was no magical technical or physical change in her preparation that has seen her game go up a level. The change was simply an attitudinal one.”I think a massive part is the mindset,” says Devine. “The top two inches is the most important thing in cricket, and that’s been something that I’m really striving to want more from myself.”The other really important thing is, cricket can be a really fickle game, particularly T20, in that you can train the house down and feel a million bucks and get an absolute peach of a delivery and you’re out for a golden duck. I guess as long as you’re consistent with your processes, your performance looks after itself.ALSO READ: Sophie Devine named WBBL player of the tournament”That’s certainly important for me as a captain, and even as a team-mate, just passing on that knowledge and experience I’ve gained. Cricket has plenty of ups and downs, and if you ride each and every one of them you’re going to be pretty knackered from it. Staying consistent and level-headed and working as hard as you can helps performances out on the park.”Captaincy can be a burden for some players but Devine seems to be thriving, having taken over from Amy Satterthwaite. “I’m really honoured,” she says. “Any opportunity you get to play for your country, let alone leading the team into battle, is special and something I don’t take for granted.”The key thing for me at the end of the day – I’m a player first. I’m an allrounder that wants to perform with bat and ball, and if I can do that, lead from the front, hopefully I can drag a few of the others alongside me. It’s about me focusing on doing my role, what’s required for the team at the time, and then worrying about the captaincy almost after that.”

“If you asked players about me a couple of years ago, they would have said, ‘Could be a great player but just throws away her wicket a little bit'”

Her biggest challenge as captain will be how and when to bring herself on to bowl. She only bowled 8.5 overs in the four matches against South Africa, preferring to give others an opportunity.”That’s a challenge that any bowling captain has,” Devine says. “I guess I’m really fortunate that I’ve got Suzie Bates in the team, who has obviously led the team for a long, long time, and really successfully, and I’ve relied a lot on her for her honesty and her thoughts. There have been times where she has literally thrown the ball to me and said, ‘You need to bowl’, and you do need to have that support and courage to bowl yourself. So having her on my shoulder helps massively.”Though it’s all about the match-ups. I might be ideal to bowl to someone but not against another team, but that’s something we’ll be looking towards in this World Cup.”Devine admitted New Zealand are entering the World Cup not knowing what their best side looks like, having used 15 players in the South Africa series. “I’m actually really comfortable with it,” she says. “I think it’s a really good thing for us. We’ve got plenty of options and that’s what you want heading into these events. Then it just comes down to who the best match-up is. We’ve got 15 players who can all do a job.”She will lean on the experience of Bates, Lea Tahuhu and Rachel Priest through the tournament. But if her form and mindset are anything to go by, Devine is more than capable of carrying New Zealand on her shoulders, and perhaps even heading home with the trophy for the first time.

Milwaukee Brewers rookie pitcher Jacob Misiorowski made his highly anticipated Major League debut on June 12, throwing five hitless innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. Eight days later he carried a perfect game into the seventh against the Minnesota Twins. It is one of the most impressive opening acts any pitcher has ever put together. And through five starts the righthander has been excellent, posting a 4–1 record with a 2.81 ERA, inflated by a sole misfire against the New York Mets.

So, with 25 innings pitched to his name, he is an All-Star. He'll soon be rubbing shoulders with future Hall of Famers with sparest résumé to share in the game's history. This is a surprising development and there are no shortage of fans and players who downright hate it. Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos made pointed comments about the decision, which left their deserving Phillies teammates Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez to watch from home. Turner called it a joke and terrible. Castellanos wondered whether MLB is turning into the Savannah Bananas. Columnists everywhere are having a field day ripping the perceived publicity stunt and pleading for a return to meritocracy.

Yet one must ask themselves honestly whether that ever existed. The All-Star Game voting process, which allows fans to select starters, is a popularity contest. Sure, in an ideal world the most deserving are rewarded on reasonable sample size. In practice, that doesn't happen. Fans happen. As someone who loves the Detroit Tigers, it's awesome that Javy Baez is starting in Tuesday night's game. As someone with a sense of fairness, something feels askew.

Life is absolutely too short to worry about All-Star game snubs. Baseball enters this week with the best exhibition in all of sports and will leave with that status. People aren't necessarily wrong to cry foul over this and for their sake one hopes they're too busy doing that to realize Misiorowksi is actually in Atlanta because of his first innings.

At some point perhaps they can take a deep breath and realize that Paul Skenes had thrown 66 1/3 innings before starting for the National League last season, which he'll do again on Tuesday. Skenes was more hyped and clearly dominant and no one's ever going to wonder why he was tasked with being the fifth rookie to ever get the ball first in an ASG. His 11 first-half starts tied the previous record for fewest starts by an All-Star Game starter, set by rookie Mark Fidrych in 1976. Hideo Nomo had been on the mound 13 previous times in 1995. Fernando Valenzuela made 14 starts in his stunning 1981 first half. The Washington Senators' Dave Stenhouse made 15 in 1962.

These All-Star Games turned out to be the apex of Fidrych's and Stenhouse's careers. Valenzuela and Nomo had long and productive careers. It's not super premature to start planning a weekend in Cooperstown around Skenes and pray for no injuries. Point is, with these pitching comets, it's a speculative market. Prior performance does not ensure future results. So how crazy is it that Misiorowski is being given extra credit for barely a tease? Maybe not as wild as one may think when you make a more accurate comparison. Yet that presents what makes the decision strange.

Fidrych talked to the ball and took pictures with Big Bird. Valenzuela owned Los Angeles at 19. Nomo was a great unknown and a peak at a new international market. Dontrelle Willis was appointment television during his rookie year of 2003. Carlos Perez delighted with his intensity and antics for the Montreal Expos in 1995. Those latter two would find themselves in All-Star Game relief duty.

The difference with Misiorowksi, in addition to the service time, is that there hasn't been the same organic buzz or phenomenon growing. Perhaps it's correct to say there hasn't been enough time. All the previous versions of this type of pitcher has spawned a reaction whereas in this case it feels like baseball is doing something proactive.

Like the with "fetch," it's not unfair to say baseball is trying to make Misiorowski happen. That is not the worst thing in the world. They want to spark intrigue among viewers and consumers. He's being treated no differently than a stock that's shown impressive early returns. The great part here is that the stakes are remarkably low. If he looks hittable in the second half, no one will care because it'll be on to the next great injustice. And plenty of other one-time All-Stars have faded out of the public eye as quickly as they came.

Or this could be the greatest thing to ever happen to him. A fun story about clean slates and wide-open futures. Something to care about and someone to root for or against based on perception. Imagine two months ago being told that you would have a strong Jacob Misiorowski opinion. Imagine being confident you have the correct one now, with almost nothing to go on.

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O Botafogo inicia sua caminhada no Brasileirão 2024 tentando esquecer a decepção de não ter ganho o título em 2023. Após não conquistar a competição mesmo liderando grande parte no ano passado, o Alvinegro passou por reformulações tanto no elenco quanto na comissão técnica, e terá de escrever uma nova história no Campeonato Brasileiro.

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ELENCO E REFORÇOS

O elenco do Botafogo passou por muitas mudanças neste início de temporada, entre chegadas de reforços badalados e saídas de peças importantes. Além disso, houve troca também no comando técnico, com o português Artur Jorge assumindo o lugar de Tiago Nunes. Ao todo, 12 jogadores deixaram o grupo principal do Glorioso, com destaque para Lucas Perri, Adryelson, Victor Cuesta e Victor Sá.

Por outro lado, outros 13 nomes são novidades do Alvinegro para 2024. O principal deles é Luiz Henrique, atacante que vem do Real Bétis como a contratação mais cara da história do futebol brasileiro. Completam a lista John, Jeffinho, Lucas Halter, Alexander Barboza, Savarino, Pablo, Damián Suárez, Gregore, Raul e Óscar Romero, além de Allan e Igor Jesus, que assinaram pré-contratos e chegarão no meio do ano.

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INCERTEZAS E DESAFIOS

Após um início de ano abaixo do esperado, o Botafogo tenta se encontrar neste início de Brasileirão. O mal desempenho na Taça Guanabara – que rendeu ao clube apenas o quinto lugar e a não classificação às semifinais – fez com que a diretoria optasse por demitir Tiago Nunes, que teve problemas com o elenco. O interino Fábio Matias assumiu a equipe por 10 partidas, e a melhora no futebol apresentado culminou em oito vitórias, dois empates e uma derrota.

Apesar do bom desempenho de Matias, o Alvinegro decidiu por trazer um novo comandante. O português Artur Jorge deixou o Braga e aceitou o desafio de treinar o Botafogo. Em sua estreia, derrota para a LDU na altitude de Quito na última quinta-feira (11), pela Libertadores. Aos 52 anos e com apenas um clube no currículo, o treinador terá de se adaptar e implementar seu estilo de jogo no futebol brasileiro.

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➡️ Equilíbrio! Aposte R$100 e fature R$311 no Lance! Betting se você acredita no empate entre Cruzeiro e Botafogo pelo Brasileirão

Por último, os fantasmas de 2023 têm de ser deixados para trás. A reformulação no elenco parece o primeiro passo para uma nova caminhada no Brasileirão e no restante da temporada, no entanto, o assunto não deixa as manchetes alvinegras. Dono da SAF do Botafogo, John Textor fez acusações de corrupção nos dois últimos campeonatos e afirmou ter provas de que o Palmeiras foi favorecido. Enquanto os cartolas lutam nos bastidores, o Glorioso precisa focar no campo e esquecer o passado.

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PERSPECTIVAS PARA A COMPETIÇÃO

É difícil traçar espectativas para o Botafogo no Campeonato Brasileiro meio a um início de temporada tão turbulento, com altos e baixos. No entanto, o elenco elvinegro – principalmente no setor ofensivo – qualifica o clube como canditado à vaga na Libertadores, competição que já está disputando neste ano. Reforços na defesa, porém, podem elevar o time a outro patamar.

Contudo, a torcida alvinegra parece ter outra ideia sobre o que esperar do Botafogo no Brasileirão. Em enquete realizada no Canal de Whatsapp Lance! Botafogo, cerca de 56% dos participantes acreditam que o Glorioso irá brigar pelo título da competição. Você pode deixar sua opinião também no post abaixo, no Instagram do Lance!.

O Botafogo faz sua estreia no Brasileirão 2024 diante do Cruzeiro, fora de casa. A bola rola no Estádio do Mineirão às 17h de domingo (14).

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Celtic are in the process of attempting to make Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy their permanent successor to Brendan Rodgers, who left the club last month.

Fabrizio Romano claims that the Hoops are in talks with the French manager over a move to Parkhead, as they look to get a deal done in the days and weeks to come.

Celtic are due to play St Mirren away from home in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday and the club have already confirmed that Martin O’Neill will take charge once again as the interim manager.

Once Nancy is in the building, should a deal get done, it will be interesting to see which players fail to make the cut if he goes with the system he has played in the MLS.

Players Wilfried Nancy might drop from Celtic's squad

Per Transfermarkt, the Frenchman’s preferred formation is a 3-4-2-1 and that would be interesting to see play out with the wide and full-back options that Celtic have.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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Jahmai Simpson-Pusey played at right-back last time out, but is a centre-back by trade, and could drop into a back three alongside Auston Trusty and Liam Scales.

That would free up a right wing-back spot. Anthony Ralston, who has no assists in 11 appearances this season, does not have the offensive quality to play in that role, so Nancy could use a player like Forrest to be an attack-minded wing-back.

That could see Ralston drop out of the squad, as he is not suited to playing as a centre-back or as a wing-back in that system, but he was only on the bench against Kilmarnock, so it would not be a major change to the squad.

An even bolder move that could be made by Nancy would be to instantly ditch Sebastian Tounekti from the starting line-up for his first match in charge, whenever that ends up being.

Why Wilfried Nancy should drop Sebastian Tounekti

It may seem like a bold call to suggest that the winger should be dropped from the team, because he has provided the supporters with some excitement since his move to the club from Hammarby in the summer.

Earlier this season, pundit Michael Stewart described the Tunisia international Celtic’s “danger man” and claimed that he “unsettles defences”, thanks to his direct and aggressive play out wide.

However, Tounekti has only scored two goals and has failed to provide any assists in 13 appearances in all competitions for Celtic, per Sofascore, which shows that there has been a lack of quality in the final third to back up his exciting build-up play.

The 23-year-old forward started on the left flank against Kilmarnock for O’Neill last time out in the Premiership, and put in a rather dismal display for the Hoops.

Vs Kilmarnock

Sebastian Tounekti

Minutes

78

Shots

2

Goals

0

Key passes

0

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

Crosses completed

0/2

Dribbles completed

2/10

Possession lost

23x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Tounekti lost the ball a staggering 23 times in 78 minutes on the pitch, without creating a single chance for his teammates in that time.

A wasteful performance like that could see Nancy immediately remove him from the starting line-up, on top of it potentially being a sensible decision for tactical reasons.

If the Frenchman goes with the aforementioned 3-4-2-1, Kieran Tierney or Marcelo Saracchi would offer the width as the left wing-back and Celtic would need a player to play more centrally as a left-sided ten behind the striker, which is not Tounekti’s style.

Instead, those two ten roles may be more suited to Arne Engels, as explained in the linked article below, and Daizen Maeda. This, along with his performance against Kilmarnock, is why Nancy should instantly ditch Tounekti from the starting XI if and when he has his first game in charge.

Related Nancy could turn "world-class" Celtic star into the new Matt O'Riley

Celtic have a “world-class” star who could explode under Wilfried Nancy at Parkhead.

Posts ByDan Emery Nov 16, 2025

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Depois de contratar o atacante Luiz Henrique, formado nas divisões de base do Fluminense, o Botafogo volta a mirar sua atenção para um “cria” revelado em outro rival do Rio de Janeiro: o volante Allan, ex-Vasco.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasNotíciasAgora vai? Nova Iguaçu nunca venceu o Botafogo na históriaNotícias02/02/2024BotafogoSem espaço no Botafogo, Segovinha vai jogar no futebol europeuBotafogo01/02/2024

No primeiro contato da diretoria alvinegra, o jogador, de 33 anos afirmou que preferia seguir no atual clube, o Al-Wahda, dos Emirados Árabes Unidos. Mas a chegada de Luiz Henrique teria animado a transferência do volante, que participou da conquista da Copa do Brasil pelo Vasco em 2011.

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Allan trocou o time da cruz de malta pela Udinese, da Itália, em 2012. Três anos depois, ele se trasnferiu para o Napoli. Em 2020, o volante foi contratado pelo Everton, onde atuou em 57 jogos e não marcou nenhum gol. No Al-Wahda desde 2022, ele esteve em campo em 19 partidas, não fez gols e deu três assistências.

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