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South Africa, meanwhile, are quietly preparing for their first Test in Bangladesh in nine years

Mohammad Isam20-Oct-2024 Big picture: A new era for Bangladesh Instead of a legend’s goodbye, the Dhaka Test will now be Bangladesh’s first Test in the post-Shakib Al Hasan era, after the government advised Shakib not to come to the country, due to security reasons. Bangladesh are also dealing with a change of head coach, as the BCB has sacked Chandika Hathurusinghe and swiftly appointed Phil Simmons.South Africa, meanwhile, are quietly preparing for their first Test in Bangladesh in nine years. To counter their lack of experience in Bangladesh, the visitors are reportedly spending long hours in the nets at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada are the only survivors from their last tour of Bangladesh, when rain forced both Tests to be drawn. Bavuma will miss the first Test due to an elbow injury, which means Aiden Markram leads the side. South Africa are likely to have at least one debutant in their top four to replace Bavuma. The T20 star Dewald Brevis could be the one stepping up.Related

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South Africa’s batting will largely depend on Markram and his opening partner Tony de Zorzi, while David Briedingham and Tristan Stubbs have to handle the middle order. The experienced Keshav Maharaj leads the bowling attack, while Rabada could be required to do mostly holding jobs if the Dhaka pitch’s last rating is anything to go by.New Zealand captain Tim Southee called it “probably the worst pitch” he had ever seen, after the spinners completely dominated proceedings last December.Bangladesh already have three frontline spinners, before adding left-arm spinner Hasan Murad in place of Shakib. At least three are likely to feature in Dhaka, which could leave them with the dilemma whether to play four or five bowlers. There is no obvious replacement for Shakib of course, but Bangladesh will be hoping they can settle on a balanced XI soon. Form guide Bangladesh LLWWL (last five Tests, most recent first)South Africa WDLLL In the spotlight: Hasan Mahmud and David Bedingham Hasan Mahmud has made a promising start to his Test career. The slim medium-pacer bowls a mean line and length on a dime outside offstump. Debuting earlier this year, Mahmud has already taken five-wicket hauls in Pakistan and India. His 20 wickets in five Tests is easily the best start by a Bangladesh fast bowler. A home Test is always a challenge, particularly at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, but Mahmud’s discipline will come in handy.Fresh off a strong county season for Durham, David Bedingham has a new challenge in front of him: playing in the sub-continent for the first time. That means the stylish middle-order batter will be up against skillful spinners. It could be an important tour for the 30-year-old who has only six Tests under his belt.A lot of South Africa’s batting will depend on Aiden Markram and his opening partner Tony de Zorzi•AFP/Getty Images Team news: Brevis could debut; Bangladesh mull five bowlersPlaying five specialist bowlers would mean Bangladesh promoting Mehidy Hasan Miraz to No 5. The other option would be to leave out one of the pacers, and bringing in Jaker Ali to debut in the middle-order.Bangladesh XI (probable): 1 Zakir Hasan, 2 Shadman Islam, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Nayeem Hasan, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Hasan MahmudTemba Bavuma’s injury could mean that Dewald Brevis debuts at No 4. South Africa have pace options, but the left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy could replace the injured Nandre Burger.South Africa (probable): 1 Aiden Markram (capt), 2 Tony de Zorzi, 3 Tristan Stubbs, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 David Bedingham, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Senuran Muthusamy, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Dane PiedtPitch and conditions: Has the Dhaka pitch improved? The ICC rated the Dhaka pitch unsatisfactory in its previous Test in December last year, and it remains to be seen if the curator Gamini Silva has put in the work in the last ten months. There’s some rain in the forecast from the third day. Stats and trivia Bangladesh are yet to beat South Africa and India in Tests. South Africa have lost 10 of their last 13 Tests in the sub-continent, drawing the other three. Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada are the only survivors from South Africa’s last tour of Bangladesh. Quotes “We are not thinking of the outside noise. We are focused on the match. We haven’t won against South Africa before so this is a great opportunity given our team and that the fact that we playing at home.””We have been here now for a few days and, nice and hot and sweaty for us. That’s been nice to get used to that again. conditions-wise, it’s pretty much what we’ve expected and the facilities have been really good. the hotel’s been great. People have been really accommodating towards us. So, we enjoyed our, first few days here and from the cricket side of things.”

The fast-bowling coach, who worked with Pakistan over the last year, talks about Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, and what went wrong in the England series

Interview by Danyal Rasool06-Feb-2023Shaun Tait was named Pakistan’s fast-bowling coach in February 2022 for a year*. As one of the fastest bowlers of his generation, his appointment appeared to make sense, particularly to the cricketing nation with the most reverential relationship with its fast-bowling history.The Pakistan backroom staff at the time felt transitional by its very nature; Saqlain Mushtaq had just had his interim stint extended by another 12 months. Pakistan had several highly promising fast bowlers, all frighteningly quick, most extremely young. Tait was with the team in a frenetic, tumultuous year that had its fair share of joy and frustration.During one of those low points, the evening before England put the finishing touches on a 3-0 Test whitewash, we spoke to Tait about his time in Pakistan. He spoke, individually, about Hasan Ali’s streakiness, Mohammad Hasnain’s pace, and Naseem Shah’s leadership qualities.How has your stint with Pakistan been?
I’ve enjoyed it. It was so exciting. Asia Cup, World Cup, the lead-in to that, I loved that period. Our bowlers were up and ready and they were bowling fast. We had a couple of huge games against India with big crowds and our guys bowling good pace. To me, that’s it. That’s what I liked as a player – entertainment. As a coach, I like to see the bowlers do that – entertain, run in to bowl fast, take wickets. So that was enjoyable.Is your role tactical or more focused on man management?
I just read an article about Allan Donald [working] with the Bangladesh fast bowlers. He said that he coaches mindset. I’m not gonna put myself in his category, but that’s a similar approach, I guess, to what I have. Big on relationships with the guys, but also giving them their space. Not hugely technical unless I really see something that is worth talking about. And then I’ll have a conversation with the player if the technical side of things needs to go further. But I’m certainly not going to try and change people. I’m not a by-the book-coach.A lot of it goes on feel, learning about the player. I think if you use your ears more than your mouth as a coach and listen to the players, that serves you well. I’ve learned more about the modern-day cricketer by listening to them. The technical stuff is there, but I’m not an overly technical coach. I’m not huge on the analytics, but it’s there and you’ve got to use some of it. But I’m big on feel, mindset and relationships.Why did the England series go so horribly wrong?
It was certainly eye-opening for a lot of people. We knew the way England were going to approach it. We’ve seen the way they’ve been playing in recent times. They obviously stepped it up a little bit.It started from the first Test. They got the rub of the green. England winning the toss on a wicket where they could certainly play their shots helped. We ended up with a couple of injuries. The first Test was a perfect storm for England. The momentum just continued from there. It’s been a tough series, but I think there’s been moments when Pakistan have certainly stepped up and had a crack. There’s been times when we’ve moved the game forward, more so than maybe in the past. It just goes a little bit unnoticed.Related

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Do you have any input on the kind of wickets Pakistan produce in Test cricket?
I don’t have any input whatsoever. I would like to see different pitches, and I’m not the only one, but I’m not saying I should have any say in that. We didn’t have the attack that people thought we may have gone in with. We lost Haris [Rauf]. We lost Naseem [Shah]. Shaheen [Shah Afridi] was out injured. The team looks a little bit different to what it did maybe nine months ago.But I’d like to see pitches different because I’m a bowling coach, I’m a fast bowler. I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to realise that it would be nice if things were different.Pakistan produced great fast-bowling wickets against South Africa before you came in, so have the fast bowlers given you any input into what’s changed?
Talking to you right now, I’m probably learning more about them. I don’t know enough about cricket wickets to know if they can make these pitches fast-bowling friendly. I don’t talk to the curators about whether they can make a wicket better for fast bowlers. I don’t think it would matter if I did, to be honest. If I, as a fast-bowling coach, walk up to the curator and say, “Can you please make this wicket fast bowling friendly?” I don’t think he’s going to do that.Most of the fast bowlers seem to have bought into what you’re trying to do with this unit. How have you built that rapport with them?
Maybe they can relate to me a little bit because I played and I bowled with pace myself. Certainly not as good as these guys. I played three Test matches, 35 ODIs, but I think they can relate to the fact that I bowled with pace and I liked to entertain. They can warm to that and I can relate to them. That helps. I sort of know what they’re going through – not all the time but a lot of the time. I haven’t tried to force them to do things that they don’t want to do just because I believe in it. Except, I’ve held them fairly accountable to death bowling, which has been ongoing, and I knew it was going to take quite a while for it to happen.By the time the World Cup came, I looked at them and I’m happy we did that death-bowling preparation. It started months and months ago, the discussions around death bowling and being disciplined in the basics of death bowling. Ruthless in the basics and adding some of their strengths in with that. I think we did a good job of that in the World Cup. Being brave at the death is not always going to work out, but when it does, it’s such a great feeling for a fast bowler. You’ve pulled off the last four overs of the game. That specifically has been something that I think I’ve added to their mindset.

“There’s no way – no way – an express fast bowler can now play all three forms consistently”

Is it different coaching high pace vs regular pace? Are express pace bowlers more vulnerable?
Yeah, I think so. I step back from the medical and fitness side a little bit and let those experts work with the fast bowlers. I’m just in the conversation, helping out. So from that point of view, it’s been interesting.We’ve had back-to-back stuff. Even if it’s T20, it’s still high intensity and we’ve got guys on the sidelines. Your Shaheens, your Naseems, your Haris Raufs. They were on the sidelines for much of our season, so I suppose that is a good example of the toll it’s taken.Can extreme fast bowlers bowl in Tests?
It didn’t work for me! If you talked to Brett Lee, it might be a different story. It doesn’t happen very often, but I have to say this: There’s no way – no way – an express fast bowler can now play all three forms consistently. That’s for sure.Afridi’s injury during the Sri Lanka Test series was mismanaged. He went on to break down in the World Cup final. Is there a recognition that lessons need to be learned from what happened there?
I don’t know. Like I said, I step back from that [medical] side. If you look at the FTP [Future Tours Programme] going forward, it’s stacked. That’s what I mean when I say there’s no way an express bowler can play all forms. But it’s certainly opened our eyes up to how polished our management of Shaheen’s going to be.What do you think of the level of sports science around Pakistan’s fast-bowling unit? Is it where it needs to be? How far does it need to go?
I hate the sports-science subject. I’m not a big analytical coach and I’m not a huge sports-science guy. It’s not that I don’t believe in it. I just don’t know how much you can constantly throw into sports science and expect that these stallions are going to keep going. Every individual is different and that has to be taken into account. For me as a bowling coach, it’s taken time to work out every individual and what they need differently. I’ve got a good grasp of that myself now. My relationship with individuals is quite good, I suppose. I would say sports science is getting better, but that’s not my subject.Is there space for you to be more assertive in how much the fast bowlers play and when they rest?
Those conversations have happened, and I’m asked for my input, but if I knew what causes injuries, I wouldn’t have got injured so much myself and I would have played a lot more Test cricket probably. If you get someone that’s got a great eye for bowling technique, I’m sure they’ll come up with something. There’s a six-month process required to change things. There’s not a great time to do that because the media, the fans, selectors, want to see players on the park.”My input with Hasnain is purely about just using his athleticism. Getting that grunt as a fast bowler and being angry. Just running in fast and feeling good. He can play Test cricket, but not a great deal”•Christopher Lee/ECB/Getty ImagesWe played a hell of a lot of T20I cricket in the World Cup and its build-up, and bang, we were playing five Tests. A couple of guys get injured because they’re so used to bowling four overs. And even though you’re trying to build up their workloads during that time, it’s very difficult to get into Test cricket on a flat pitch. I don’t think that’s a great shock. You look at England – their fast bowlers were pretty much red-ball bowlers that haven’t been with the T20I side. Our guys have been with the T20I side and then they came into the Test side. That was asking a lot of those bowlers.Does there need to be segregation between white- and red-ball teams?
You have to start going down that path, which is not easy because you have to then pigeonhole players about whether they’ll be Test or white-ball bowlers. The players have to be in that conversation, but definitely, there’s got to be some separation. You’re also away from home now, even the coaching staff. It’s not just physical, it’s mental as well. It’s definitely got to be looked at.Are there lessons to be learned from your own career in the way you manage these players?
I think you can’t help but look back on your own career a little bit. And everybody’s different. You don’t necessarily come in and manage or mentor or coach thinking every player is [like yourself]. That’ll be unsuccessful. But I certainly think about times from my career and I sometimes mention to players what worked for me. “What do you think, maybe it’ll work for you?” I have empathy for them because I know what they’re going through a little bit, which helps. So yes, at times you do draw on your own experience.When you were hired in Ramiz Raja’s time, it was obvious he was influenced by the Australian mindset. Do you think that was part of what you were expected to bring to this role?
I don’t know if that’s why I got hired – maybe it is. But it suits this fast-bowling pack. There’s a whole heap of obstacles in the way for cricketers. Whatever those obstacles are, my job is to remove as many of those as I can and make life easier for them. That would be the No. 1 part of the job. And if that’s the mindset, then great. I hope the players are enjoying it.You’ve got to get their trust as quickly as possible. Once you get their trust and they know you’re in their corner, that’s great. It’s not, “I’m the coach and you’re there.” I don’t like that way of coaching. I’m in the corner with them and we’ll fail together and then have success together as well. I think if I can walk up to Naseem, put my hand on his shoulder, and if it has any effect on him at all, that’s great. That’s part of my job, I guess.

“Being brave at the death is not always going to work out, but when it does, it’s such a great feeling for a fast bowler. You’ve pulled off the last four overs of the game”

Is that also the way you were coached?
Not necessarily. I was in and out of the Australian team quite a bit, so I didn’t have huge influences on my bowling. The biggest influence on my bowling was with my team-mates. So as a young guy in the Australian squad, I had Brett Lee, [Glenn] McGrath, [Jason] Gillespie, [Michael] Kasprowicz, but not necessarily coaches, no.Hasan Ali is an enigma, given the huge gulf between his ceiling and floor. How do you deal with that?
He needs to trust himself more. You can get 20 different opinions about your bowling, but I think he’s probably earned the right to trust himself and realise what works for him. He had a fantastic couple of seasons not long ago. I have not sat with him and done a lot of technical work, but I’ve tried to have a few discussions with him about clearing his mind and just keeping things simple. I know that sounds like a cliché and a bit lazy. He’s a good bowler. I think he just needs to get some confidence back.Is he someone who’s more susceptible to outside voices, the media, etc?
Possibly. What I tell them is to shut out the noise as much as possible and just concentrate on what you’ve done in the past that’s been really good. It’s such a simple approach. With him, I certainly think that’s necessary. But he’s a smart bloke as well. Smart guys like him are not the easiest to coach because he’s smarter than me!Sometimes if I say something stupid, Hasan’s going to go, “Really? I don’t think that’s right.” So he’s a smart bloke and he can work it out for himself. I don’t know what the future holds, but it’d be nice to do some more work with him.The fastest bowler Pakistan have is perhaps Mohammad Hasnain, but he struggles with confidence and has had action issues. What sort of career do you see for him?
Hasnain has got the ability to bowl proper rapid, but yeah, there’s no doubt [there’s an air of vulnerability to him]. I mean he went through the whole action thing, so he’s now getting used to his body. It was Umar Rasheed [a bowling coach at the National High Performance Centre] who did a lot of work on his action. They’re quite tight. He did a lot of work with him, and he’s been great.But my input with Hasnain is purely about just using his athleticism. Getting that grunt as a fast bowler and being angry. Just running in fast and feeling good. During the World Cup, I had a good chance of working on his run-up. He can play Test cricket, but not a great deal. But you see how the English manage Mark Wood. They do it pretty well. Potentially someone like Hasnain, maybe he gets his pace up and bowls short spells. He’s going to be tough to deal with.”Hasan Ali needs to trust himself more. I’ve tried to have a few discussions with him about clearing his mind and just keeping things simple. I think he just needs to get some confidence back”•Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesCould you do this job for a reasonable length of time?
I’ve enjoyed this role, and I certainly don’t take it for granted. Going forward, I have no idea what the decisions are going to be. I have no clue. I like this job. I love the boys. I love working here and the people of Pakistan. Even travelling to Australia and New Zealand and the Netherlands, the amount of [Pakistan] fans are ridiculous. There’s obviously a great following. It’s a big thing to be part of. Pakistan’s a big team with a great bunch of fast bowlers. I get asked for selfies all the time, much more so than I do in Australia. I probably get abused by Australian supporters more than anyone else!Do the players consider you a hard taskmaster?
Unfortunately, no!Do you have aspirations of being a head coach?
I don’t know. I have weird goals. I’m not overly ambitious, but I could see myself being a head coach one day. But that doesn’t mean [only in] international cricket. I don’t sit there and go, I want to be with the biggest team in the world and I want to be the head coach. I don’t have those overarching goals. I just enjoy the ride as it is.What doesn’t happen in Pakistan fast bowling right now that you think needs to happen?
[Long pause] I won’t talk about the pitches anymore, but if they leave some grass on the wicket, that would help a lot. The fact I haven’t got a straight answer is probably not a bad thing.Do you wish one of these fast bowlers was a bit older? Because these pace bowlers are a similar age and that way it’s harder for a natural leader to emerge.
No, I like that. Shaheen’s a natural leader. They all are. Even Naseem, he may be a young bloke, but he’s got a head on his shoulders that’s far above his years. I don’t even think they need a great deal of leadership. I think they’ve got it in them. And they’ve got charisma. The Asia Cup stood out to me this year, their charisma and presence. I talk to them about presence all the time as a fast bowler. That stood out in the Asia Cup. Everyone was talking about the Pakistani bowling attack, the way Naseem knocked over KL Rahul, the celebration – it all just looked great. And [that too] on debut. The way he bowled was just a guy that was above his years.One thing I would like to see is a little bit more mongrel, you know? A little bit more. They can be aggressive but I’d like to see even more aggression. I’m Australian. I think Australians are trying to behave themselves on the cricket field more nowadays, but I don’t think you can ever rub that off. I would love to see us be less friendly in general.Have you conveyed that to them?A little bit, but probably not enough. Watch out for it in the future.*Feb 6, 2023, 10.09GMT: The introduction to the interview was edited to make it clear that Tait’s appointment as Pakistan’s fast-bowling coach was only for one year.

West Indies are three wickets away from clinching the Antigua Test against Bangladesh. The visitors ended the fourth day on 109 for 7 after they were set a target of 334. Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales led the way for the hosts with three wickets each, as Bangladesh’s specialist batters failed to put together a performance for the umpteenth time this year.West Indies themselves couldn’t put up a bigger target after they were bowled out for 152 in the second innings. Taskin Ahmed got his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests, finishing up with 6 for 64. This came on the back of Bangladesh’s surprise declaration on the fourth morning, despite being 181 runs behind West Indies’ first-innings total of 450 for 9.Bangladesh’s batters, however, couldn’t repay their bowlers. Both their openers got out similarly to how they were dismissed in the first innings. Zakir Hasan inside-edged Roach on to his stumps, while Mahmudul Hasan Joy edged Seales to third slip. Roach then set Shahadat Hossain up in the 11th over, getting the ball to seam away several times before bowling a booming inswinger. The ball kissed Shahadat’s gloves as he tried to get out of the way, before Joshua Da Silva took the inside edge.Shamar Joseph then saw two dropped catches in his first over, both of Mominul Haque. Da Silva dropped a chance down the leg side, before Mikyle Louis couldn’t hold on to a straightforward one at gully. Mominul, however, couldn’t last long, as Roach took a superb caught and bowled from his drive in the next over.Taskin Ahmed took a career-best 6 for 64•CWI

But Shamar’s bad luck continued at the other end. Alick Athanaze dropped Mehidy Hasan Miraz at second slip, with the Bangladesh captain on 14. Litton Das cut one uppishly, only for Seales to get a hand on it at backward point. Shamar’s exasperation at having four catches dropped off his bowling, however, didn’t last too long. He had Litton caught at fine leg for 22 to reduce Bangladesh to 59 for 5 in the 18th over.Mehidy was the only one fighting for Bangladesh, riding out the short-ball barrage, and keeping the scoreboard moving. He made 45 off 46 balls with five fours and a six, before Seales got him caught behind, as Da Silva took a fine catch. Seales then clean bowled Taijul Islam as well.West Indies’ morning had started with good fortune despite the declaration surprise. Shahadat, at first slip, dropped captain Kraigg Brathwaite on 9. Next ball, Taskin slammed an inswinger into Louis’ front pad, but umpire Kumar Dharmasena said not out. Replays showed that the batter was plumb in front, but Bangladesh hadn’t taken the review.Taskin, however, removed Louis in his next over when the opener was caught behind for 8. Taskin then had Keacy Carty caught at third slip, a further reward of his excellent line and length in his first spell. Brathwaite then guided Shoriful Islam to second slip in the following over, as the visitors’ decision to declare got an early vindication.Kavem Hodge and Alick Athanaze nearly got West Indies out of trouble. The pair struck eight fours either side of the lunch break, but just when they added 50 for the fourth wicket, Bangladesh struck three times in as many overs. Taskin’s beautiful delivery that nipped slightly away had Hodge caught behind for 15. It was also Litton Das’ 100th catch in Tests.File photo: Jayden Seales also finished the day with three wickets•AFP/Getty Images

Mehidy then removed Athanaze in the following over. He made 42 off 63 balls, with seven fours, but the young left-hander played a superfluous shot, struck on the back foot while trying to cut a ball that was spinning into him. Then Taskin clipped Justin Greaves’ off stump with another fantastic delivery, as the first-innings centurion made just 2 in the second.Alzarri Joseph immediately counterattacked against Taskin, and this time there were no verbal exchanges between the two. Da Silva followed suit by getting two fours off Taskin’s next over. He struck Taijul for a straight six, but then the left-arm spinner got one to get big on Da Silva, who gave a catch to point.Alzarri then holed out to short fine leg after top edging Mehidy. He had earlier survived a similar top edge, but Mominul had dropped a relatively difficult chance. Mominul had earlier also dropped Carty at short cover.It was, however, all forgotten when Taskin yorked Shamar to complete his first five-for. He finished up the West Indies innings when Mehidy took a brilliant diving catch at mid-off, after Roach was deceived by a Taskin’s slower ball.But Bangladesh’s batters couldn’t be inspired by their bowlers, as they crumbled on the fourth day.

Glasgow Rangers are now in talks with a European club over the sale of a “brilliant” key player, who has already agreed personal terms to go, according to a recent report.

Martin wants more defensive reinforcements at Rangers

The Gers are closing in on their return to pre-season action, as it is less than four weeks away until they return to competitive action in the Champions League second qualifying round. Before that, Russell Martin will hope to have as much transfer business wrapped up as possible, as he will want to make a strong start as the new Rangers boss.

The Scottish giants announced the signing of Max Aarons on a season-long loan deal from AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday. The defender is “delighted” to be joining Rangers, as he describes the Gers as a “huge club”.

Aarons told the club’s media team: “I am delighted to be here; as you can see, it’s a huge club, and you realise that when you walk through the doors. I can’t wait to get going.

“I’ve got a lot of experience now in different leagues, and I have played a lot of games. I think I can bring that experience; I can bring a new energy, and I think Rangers fans can be excited – I am really looking forward to it.”

Rangers bid made: 49ers table offer to bring "spectacular" 22 y/o to Ibrox

The Gers want a permanent transfer.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 26, 2025

Aarons may not be the only defender to arrive at Ibrox this summer, as the Gers are in talks to sign Conor Coady from Leicester City. Meanwhile, Rangers are also looking into the possibility of a deal to sign Owen Beck from Liverpool, with the new boss making it clear he wants to improve his defensive ranks.

Rangers now in talks to sell Hamza Igamane

Deals for Coady and Beck may soon become more financially viable too, as according to Sacha Tavolieri, Rangers are in talks to sell Hamza Igamane to French outfit Lille.

Tavolieri states that Lille have made Igamane a top target, as they see him as the person to replace Jonathan David, who is leaving the club on a free transfer.

He adds that the Rangers forward has spoken to the club and has now agreed personal terms, and all that remains is the two clubs, who are in talks, to agree a transfer fee.

Earlier this week it was reported that Rangers were “at risk” of losing Igamane, as teams such as Marseille and Lazio were circling with interest. In fact, it was claimed that Marseille had made an approach to sign the 22-year-old, which had rocked the Scottish club.

Rangers have set a £20 million asking price on Igamane, but it remains unclear if Lille would be willing to pay that much.

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The Morocco international was sensational for the Gers last season, as he netted 12 goals in 33 league games, as well as a further four in the Europa League. A standout moment was him netting the winner in the 3-2 win away at Celtic, an impact that Derek Ferguson lauded as “brilliant”.

“Igamane is a real breath of fresh air, the young man. The manager said he was trying to get him up to speed, but in the last few games he has been nothing short of brilliant. He is off the cuff, and he had three or four nutmegs this afternoon – and took his goal brilliantly. I don’t know if you remember Ted McMinn, but Igamane’s got that unpredictability.”

Bryan Mbeumo rapidly appears to be the latest player to be edging closer to completing a move to Manchester United this summer, looking to add to their first-team overhaul.

Matheus Cunha has already completed his own switch to Old Trafford, costing a fee in the region of £62.5m – with the Brentford talent potentially being next in line.

The 25-year-old has already chosen the Red Devils as his next destination, leaving the hierarchy to agree a deal with Thomas Frank before he can complete a medical.

It’s been reported that they’ve already placed a £45m offer with £10m in add-ons, but it’s expected to be rejected with the Bees demanding a fee in the region of £70m to sell the Cameroonian.

It appears that the move is heading in the right direction, but he’s not alone in being wanted by the club this summer, with multiple other stars also on their radar ahead of 2025/26.

The latest on United’s pursuit of new additions

As previously mentioned, United have wasted no time in identifying options to help improve Ruben Amorim’s squad, in his attempts to transform the club during his first full season in charge.

Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen and Liam Delap are just three names who’ve been on their list, but have had to look elsewhere – with the latter joining Premier League rivals Chelsea.

However, such a transfer could massively help the Red Devils in their latest pursuit, with Blues talisman Nicolas Jackson another name they’re targeting, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The report claims that Amorim’s side are seriously interested in a move for the 23-year-old forward, who managed to find the net 10 times in his 30 league appearances this season.

It also states that the Senegalese international could be available for the right price this summer, but doesn’t state how much they could demand, with Aston Villa also credited with a strong interest.

Why United’s latest target could be Amorim’s own Isak

Alexander Isak is a player who has torn up the Premier League over recent years, being one of the most feared attackers after joining Newcastle United back in the summer of 2022.

The Swede has since scored 54 league goals in just 86 appearances, with 23 of his efforts coming in 2024/25 – with only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah registering more goals this campaign.

His subsequent tally from this campaign is nearly three times higher than the Red Devils’ top scorers Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes – showcasing how impressive the Magpies ace has been in front of goal.

However, given his goalscoring record, he would cost a pretty penny, with Eddie Howe’s side placing a £150m valuation on the 25-year-old’s head this summer.

The Red Devils could be about to land their own version of the Swede in the form of Jackson, with FBref labelling the Chelsea talent as a similar player to Isak based off their respective figures in 2024/25.

When delving into the stats and comparing them, the Blues star has managed to match or better him in numerous key areas, handing Amorim his own version of the talisman should he move to Old Trafford.

Jackson, who’s been labelled “special” by journalist Rahman Osman, may have registered fewer goals this season, but has posted a higher shot on target accuracy rate – showcasing his ability to get his efforts on target, which could lead to added goals down the line.

Games played

30

34

Goals & assists

15

29

Shot-on-target accuracy

45%

43%

Pass accuracy

76%

75%

Aerials won

37%

32%

Shots on target per game

1.4

1.3

Fouls won

1.2

0.4

He’s also managed to win more aerial battles, whilst also completing more of the passes he’s attempted, handing Amorim an all-round option within the final third at Old Trafford.

The 23-year-old’s talents don’t stop there, winning more fouls per 90, offering a constant nuisance to the opposition backline, which could make him a real threat alongside the likes of Cunha and Fernandes at the Theatre of Dreams.

It’s safe to say that Jackson won’t be many supporters’ first choice for the centre forward role this summer, but he has that raw ability that could shape him into an elite-level talent.

Should he make the move to the North West and get anywhere close to the goal tally produced by Isak, it would be one hell of an addition – pushing the club one step closer to returning their former glory in the coming years.

As exciting as Mbeumo: Man Utd ramp up move for "better version of Haaland"

Man Utd’s swift start to the window could be followed by the signing of a new centre-forward

ByRobbie Walls Jun 5, 2025

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer found himself in the spotlight with his recent heroics in the Club World Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain making waves far beyond the pitch. The 23-year-old Englishman was filmed snapping a selfie with a New York Police Department officer outside the Peninsula Hotel on Monday, a day after Chelsea’s emphatic victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

• Palmer basking in CWC glory
• Winning hearts in the USA
• Was stopped for a selfie by an NYPD officer

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Palmer’s new-found status in the Big Apple comes after his sensational performance at the MetLife Stadium, where he scored twice and assisted another in Chelsea's 3-0 dismantling of the French champions. His dazzling display earned him the prestigious Player of the Tournament accolade, an honour which was presented by none other than U.S. President Donald Trump.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Palmer paused to engage with a member of the NYPD as he exited his hotel in midtown Manhattan. Captured in a video shared by the Palmer smiled for a selfie with the officer, an interaction that symbolised his rising stardom in the U.S.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR PALMER?

  Following their Club World Cup triumph, Chelsea players and staff were treated to a private celebration to toast a remarkable end to their campaign. The trophy was their second piece of silverware as they previously earned Conference League glory, beating Real Betis in the final.

After losing Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly set their sights on signing an impressive Championship forward this summer.

Cunha officially joins Man Utd

In one of the earliest, though perhaps least surprising moves of the summer, Cunha has now officially swapped Wolves for Manchester United. In truth, as soon as the Brazilian’s £63m release clause came to light, his exit seemed inevitable. For Wolves, it’s now more important than ever that they spend the money well and replace their talisman in seamless fashion. That, however, is easier said than done.

Appearances

92

Goals

33

Assists

15

Cunha’s record speaks for itself. The former Atletico Madrid man particularly found his best form throughout the 2024/25 campaign and replacing his impact will undoubtedly be Wolves’ toughest task this summer.

Whilst it’s easy to assume the worst, Wolves already experienced a glimpse of life without Cunha throughout the season when he was missing through injury and suspension. It was then that Vitor Pereira’s side proved that they’re more than just the Brazilian, securing three of their six impressive consecutive wins to send a statement in the battle to secure their Premier League status.

With that top-flight status secured and £63m to spare, Wolves should ensure that life without Cunha remains blissful rather than the nightmare many have envisaged in the past.

To that end, who could arrive remains to be seen. Stars such as Harvey Elliott have already threatened to steal the headlines in recent weeks and signing a Premier League champion would certainly do no harm.

Whether the former Fulham gem is capable of producing the same output as Cunha is the big question, though. Instead, Wolves could push on to sign a proven goalscorer in the coming months.

Wolves "monitoring" Ivanovic

According to South London football reporter Richard Cawley, Wolves are now “monitoring” Mihailo Ivanovic following his excellent debut season at Millwall. The Serbian striker scored 12 goals in his first Championship campaign and only looks set to get better at just 20 years old.

Given how he starred in his first season, Millwall may naturally be reluctant to let their forward leave so soon after he initially arrived. But the Premier League call is certainly a difficult one to turn down.

Millwall manager Alex Neil has been among those full of praise for Ivanovic in recent months, telling reporters in April: “Any 20-year-old that leads the line in the Championship and can get nearly [10 goals], and he’ll get double figures before the end of the season.

“If you do that, that’s an unbelievable season and it won’t be surprising me if people start talking about him. I’ve already seen something the other day talking about the top 10 young talents in Europe – he’s one of them.”

Having lost a top talent in Cunha, if Wolves managed to sign one of the top 10 young talents in Europe – as Neil believes Ivanovic is – then that should be seen as excellent business.

Together against Bangladesh, Chatara and Jarvis produced a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate parts

Liam Brickhill04-Nov-2018Many of the best fast-bowling double-acts have been built around variation. Wasim and Waqar, Donald and Pollock, Marshall and Garner, Anderson and Broad – their differences are a vital ingredient in their shared success. So after Tendai Chatara and Kyle Jarvis shared five wickets to dent Bangladesh and secure a first-innings lead on the second day in Sylhet, Zimbabwe bowling coach Douglas Hondo settled on exactly the right word to describe his quicks’ complementary relationship: synergy.”They have got synergy,” Hondo said. “They’ve played a long time together. Chatara takes it away, Jarvis a little bit in, so that’s a good mix.”Though Jarvis is two years older, he and Chatara made their first-class debuts within two weeks of each other in 2009. They bowl at similar speeds, though both men started their careers in tearaway mode and had to re-adjust after major injuries, Jarvis to his back while Chatara broke his leg playing football. Both men have had breaks from the international game: Jarvis when he went to Lancashire for four seasons, and Chatara when he was out for more than six months after his horrific leg injury. But that is where their similarities end.Jarvis was always destined for cricket. Born into a famous cricket-playing family – his father Malcolm played five Tests and 12 ODIs for Zimbabwe as a left-arm medium pacer in the 1990s, and would have taken the first wicket by a Zimbabwean in Tests were it not for a dropped catch – he grew up in Harare’s leafy northern suburbs, hanging out with Mitchell Marsh when he lived in Zimbabwe for a time while his father Geoff was coaching the national side.Chatara was born in Dangamvura, a poor, high-density suburb in Mutare, nestled in Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands. He never attended any of Zimbabwe’s main cricket-playing schools, and turned up at his first Under-17 cricket trial wearing basketball sneakers. Indeed, basketball and athletics were Chatara’s primary sports until he was picked for the national Under-19 side.Their bowling actions speak to their contrasting paths into the game: Jarvis bowls with an orthodox action lacking in frills, while Chatara’s action is one of homespun lopsidedness. But together, against Bangladesh, they produced a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate parts.Before this Test, Hondo worked hard with them to alter their lengths to suit the longer format. Where they had tried to keep batsmen on the back foot in the ODIs, to prepare for this game he placed the bowling target mat on a much fuller length, attacking the stumps. Jarvis, in particular, stuck firmly to this tactic virtually throughout his spells, making the batsmen play a high percentage of deliveries, while Chatara – who had also worked on honing his line to left-handers, offered the temptation of a line outside off stump. On game day, the bowling coach’s instructions were: “Just bowl enough balls in the right area to ask enough questions and don’t give up, don’t let up. Just keep bowling in the right areas. The pitch has enough natural variation, the pitch will do enough.”With Bangladesh stuck in one-day mode, batsmen played at deliveries they might easily have left alone, with Imrul Kayes and Mahmudullah playing on and Nazmul Hossain Shanto nicking a distinctly short-format drive against Chatara. Jarvis, meanwhile, had Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim caught behind poking at outswingers, having kept the batsmen tied down with a constricting wicket-to-wicket line.”They had a good series in the ODIs, so we knew that they were going to come and play in that one-day mode, which will present us with a lot of chances in the Tests because the field sets will be quite attacking,” Chatara said. “I think they haven’t really adjusted from ODI cricket to playing Tests, where you leave many balls, whereas in ODIs you’ll be looking for scoring shots.””Early on I was just trying to hit a good area, because there’s so much talk about Bangladesh [pitches] being flat,” he added. “So hitting a good area early on, and making the batsman play as much as possible.”Chatara and Jarvis did just that, but Bangladesh’s top order also obliged them with an overly attacking mindset. The end result of that impatience was that, while there are still three days left in the match, the game moved on very swiftly on day two and it is now Zimbabwe who hold an unlikely ascendancy.”It’s Test cricket, sometimes you have to leave some balls, sometimes you have to hold yourself in,” explained Hondo. “There’s five days of play so you have to play accordingly. If you ask enough questions and they’re obliging, things will happen like that. We’re just trying to complement our batters, who took a lot of time at the wicket. So we have to complement them by bowling in the right areas.”Chatara admitted even he was a little surprised by how easily Bangladesh slipped into the seamers’ traps to put Zimbabwe in a good position. “Considering the fact that we won the toss and batted first, we really wanted to bat deep, to tea today,” Chatara said. “With Bangladesh batting before lunch, it actually felt like we gave them too much time to bat today. So I actually thought they were going to bat well. But the way we bowled, we bowled very well to restrict them to the score they had at the end of the day.”

The Frenchman is set to move to the Stade Louis II on a free transfer, while Barcelona's No.10 could arrive on loan with an option to buy

Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro revealed last September that his goal was "to have 50 percent of the first-team squad made up of academy players" within the next three years. It's an ambitious but arguably achievable goal for a club long renowned for developing homegrown talent, such as Thierry Henry, David Trezeguet and Kylian Mbappe.

However, Scuro remains acutely aware of the importance of continuing to scour the market for potential bargains in order to ensure that Monaco maintain the requisite blend of youth and experience to compete at Champions League level.

For that very reason, the Brazilian is willing to take a punt on Paul Pogba and Ansu Fati, two fallen stars desperately hoping to shine again at the Stade Louis II…

• Popularity unaffected by doping ban

  Because of their focus on unearthing hidden gems and polishing rough diamonds, Monaco haven't made many waves in the transfer market since the summer of 2013-14, when club president Dmitry Rybolovlev spent just under €150 million (£128m/$174m) on new players, including Colombian stars Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez.

  One could easily argue, then, that Pogba would represent Les Monegasques' most high-profile signing of the past decade. For example, the former Juventus midfielder has 63 million followers on Instagram – more than 30 times as many as Monaco – and that's in spite of the fact that Pogba hasn't played a competitive game of football since September 3, 2023 because of a doping ban.

  Right from the start, the Frenchman accepted his share of the blame for taking a supplement prescribed by a doctor in Florida that led to elevated levels of testosterone in his system, which was picked up by a drugs test after a Serie A game against Udinese, but Pogba insisted all along that he had never "knowingly or deliberately" ingested a banned substance. As a result, he fought the four-year ban initially imposed upon him by Italy's anti-doping committee (Nado), and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ultimately reduced his suspension to 18 months, ruling that while "Mr Pogba was not without fault, and that, as a professional football player, he should have paid a greater care in the circumstances," the breach "was not intentional".

  "Finally the nightmare is over," Pogba said after his appeal was "partially upheld". "I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again. I play with integrity and, although I must accept that this is a strict liability offence, I want to place on record my thanks to the Court of Arbitration for Sport's judges who heard my explanation. This has been a hugely distressing period in my life because everything I have worked so hard for has been put on hold."

  Now, though, he's free to resume a top-flight career that appeared to be over.

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  The fall of Fati

  At 22, Ansu Fati is 10 years younger than Pogba – and yet there is just as much concern over whether the Spaniard is also finished at the highest level.

  It now feels like an eternity ago but, back in 2019, Fati was the most exciting young player in world football, a 16-year-old striking sensation breaking one record after another at Barcelona and wowing the world in much the same way as Lamine Yamal is now.

  Then came the injury that changed everything. On November 7, 2020, just a fortnight after Fati had become the second-youngest goal-scorer in Clasico history, he tore the meniscus in his left knee. Barca said the teenager would be out of action for four months. He didn't return for nine, though – and even when he did, he wasn't the same player.

  There were flashes of Fati's former self during the 2022-23 campaign, in which he scored 10 goals in all competitions, but the mere fact that Barca loaned him to Brighton the following season showed that the club had lost faith in a forward upon whom they had bestowed the ultimate honour by giving him Lionel Messi's iconic No.10 jersey.

  Unfortunately, Fati failed miserably to impress in the Premier League, meaning there was never any chance of his temporary stay the Amex materialising into a transfer.

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  The Flick factor

  Hansi Flick's appointment as Barca boss last summer hardly improved Fati's fortunes, as the German was charged with making Barca not only better, but fitter. It, thus, came as little surprise to see the injury-plagued Fati afforded just three starts last season – and just 298 minutes of total game time.

  According to , the attacker was deeply affected by the way in which he was treated by the German and has now reluctantly accepted that there is no longer any future for him at Barcelona.

  Of course, the Catalans have been trying to sell Fati for some time now, in order to create some wiggle room on their wage bill and generate some pure profit to alleviate their ongoing financial fair play problems. The problem is that they've been unable to find a buyer for the fragile forward. Monaco, though, are willing to take Fati on loan with a view to permanent move.

  So, what hope do both Fati and Pogba have of kickstarting their careers in the principality?

• AFP
  

  'Inspiring brand of football'

  There are certainly few more privileged places to play football than Monaco. However, the glamorous tax haven is also home to one of Europe's most attractive teams thanks in no small part to the work being done at the Stade Louis II by Adi Hutter.

  After winning domestic titles in his native Austria and Switzerland, with Red Bull Salzburg and Young Boys, respectively, before reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt, the 55-year-old coach took charge of Monaco in July 2023 and immediately led the club back into the Champions League via a runners-up finish in Ligue 1.

  Hutter's side immediately announced themselves as a team to watch by beating Barcelona last September, while they also beat Aston Villa on their path to the knockout phase play-offs, where they were beaten 4-3 on aggregate by Benfica after a thrilling 3-3 draw at Estadio da Luz.

  French football followers were utterly unsurprised by the exciting nature of Monaco's campaign, given Hutter's willingness to afford creative talents such as Eliesse Ben Seghir, Maghnes Akliouche and George Ilenikhena the freedom to express themselves.

  "For me, football is entertainment," Hutter told earlier this year. "I hate boring football: 15 passes around the backline and then back to the goalkeeper. I like to play an inspiring brand of football. It doesn't mean you win every game but the spectators expect you to play the ball forward. In the offensive third, I say: 'Guys, you are creative players.' I don't say: 'You have to play this ball and this ball. Guys, you earn money for your creativity.'"

  One would imagine, then, that Fati and Pogba would relish playing under such an offensively-minded coach.

He will join CSK after clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket, while Shivam Dube has linked up with the side after rehab at NCA

Deivarayan Muthu and Andrew Fidel Fernando21-Mar-2024Chennai Super Kings’ designated death bowler Matheesha Pathirana will miss the initial stages of IPL 2024 with a hamstring injury. The 21-year-old Sri Lanka slinger sustained the injury during the second T20I against Bangladesh in Sylhet earlier this month, when he was unable to finish his spell.ESPNcricinfo has learned that Pathirana is likely to be unavailable for at least two weeks and will travel to the IPL only after getting clearance from SLC medical staff. Currently, he is undergoing rehab at the high performance centre in Colombo. With the T20 World Cup set to begin on June 1 in the USA and the Caribbean, just days after the end of the IPL, SLC want to manage Pathirana carefully. Pathirana is the second Sri Lanka fast bowler on the sidelines, with left-armer Dilshan Madushanka, who was due to make his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians, ruled out of the entire IPL season.Pathirana’s injury is a major blow to CSK, who are already without New Zealand opener Devon Conway, who has been sidelined until May with a thumb injury. Pathirana’s economy rate of 8.00 at the death (between overs 16 and 20) was the best among bowlers who had bowled at least 90 balls during this phase in IPL 2023. He also emerged as the leading wicket-taker during that phase, with 18 strikes in 12 innings.Related

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On the eve of the IPL season-opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, head coach Stephen Fleming focused on the positives, pointing out that CSK had gone through a far bigger injury crisis last season.”Injuries-wise, we’re going pretty good. Compared to last year, we’re flying,” he said. “But we’re a practice [session] away from a couple, so we’re always realistic. But what we do like is the depth of our squad, in particular, in the bowling this year. And the challenge will be getting those combinations right, based on form. But at this point, Pathirana is not with us [at the moment], but everyone else is going pretty well.”Pathirana’s absence could potentially open up a slot for Bangladesh left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman, who also operates at the death. Mustafizur had suffered cramps, and a stretcher was required to carry him off the field in the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Chattogram on March 18. But he has since recovered to join CSK in Chennai, and is available for the IPL 2024 opener against Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 22. If the Chepauk pitch is a turner, though, CSK also have the option of including Moeen Ali in their team ahead of Mustafizur, along with Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell and Maheesh Theekshana.Dwayne Bravo, CSK’s bowling coach, had stressed on the importance on death bowling in the lead-up to the tournament. Shardul Thakur, who has returned to CSK after two seasons, is among their options in Pathirana’s absence.”Death bowling is my speciality. I believe that in T20s, [death overs] is a very important segment of the game,” Bravo had said at an event in Chennai last week. “It requires a lot of skill, bravery and planning – from preparation in practice to the games, match awareness, and situations.”You have to implement it in practice and get these guys to believe in philosophy and work towards it. Last year, we had the best death-bowling team, and we look forward to repeating it… Shardul [Thakur] is also back, which gives more depth. It is always good to have depth in the squad.”Meanwhile, CSK’s designated spin-hitter Shivam Dube, who had missed the Ranji Trophy knockouts with injury, has also linked up with his IPL side after completing his rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.CSK, the defending champions, begin their IPL 2024 campaign with back-to-back home games against Royal Challengers (March 22) and Gujarat Titans (March 26).