تحدث بيب جوارديولا مدرب مانشستر سيتي بعد الفوز الصعب على ليدز يونايتد بثلاث أهداف لهدفين على ملعب الاتحاد في الدوري الانجليزي الممتاز.
وكانت أهداف مانشستر سيتي في المباراة قد جاءت عن طريق فيل فودين الذي سجل هدفين في الدقيقة الأولى والدقيقة 91، وأحرز جفارديول في الدقيقة 25 أيضًا.
بينما سجل لصالح ليدز يونايتد كل من دومينيك كالفيرت لوين في الدقيقة 49 ولوكاس نميشا في الدقيقة 68.
وقال بيب في تصريحات نشرتها “بي بي سي” البريطانية: “كان من دواعي ارتياحنا أننا حققنا الفوز في النهاية في ظل الوضع الذي كنا عليه”.
وأضاف: “في الدوري الإنجليزي نعرف ما يحدث، لم يكن الشوط الأول مثاليًا، فقدنا بعض الكرات لكننا لم نستقبل أي تسديدة، وصنعنا أربع أو خمس فرص وكان من الممكن أن تحسم المباراة”.
اقرأ أيضاً.. فودين بعد فوز مانشستر سيتي القاتل على ليدز يونايتد: لا أحد يعلم ما ينتظرنا
وواصل: “في الشوط الثاني غيروا أسلوب لعبهم واعتمدوا على خطة 5-3-2، واستقبلنا أول هدف واضطررنا لتعديل أسلوب الضغط، عانينا في تلك اللحظة، بعد التعادل 2-2 تقدمنا خطوة للأمام، ودفعنا بمزيد من اللاعبين لمنطقة الجزاء مثل عمر مرموش وفودين وريان شرقي وخلقنا فرص كافية لتسجيل الهدف الثالث، في النهاية جاءت جودة فيل فودين، نحن سعداء بعودته، سجل هدفين وتميز بجودته في إنهاء الهجمات”.
وتابع: “لقد حصدنا ثلاث نقاط، وعندما تنظر للمباراة بشكل عام، يفترض أن يكون الشوط الأول قد انتهى، وفي الدوري الإنجليزي عندما تستقبل هدف ثالث، لا ينتهي الأمر، لكن الفوز بهذه المباريات ضروري أحياناً وسنحتل المركز الثاني في جدول الترتيب، استمروا”.
وأشاد بيب جوارديولا بلاعبيه: ” اللاعبين فعلوا كل شيء وأنا سعيد لذلك”.
وأثنى جوارديولا على فيل فودين: “عاد لقمة مستواه هذا الموسم، الموسم الماضي كان أشبه بموسم الفريق بأكمله لكنه عاد هذا الموسم، لم يعود فقط اليوم بل في مباريات عديدة لعب بهذه الطريقة”.
وعلق بيب على إصابة دوناروما لإتاحة الفرصة للاعبي مانشستر سيتي للقيام بحديث جماعي: “بصراحة لم أتحدث مع دوناروما، عندما حدث ذلك، نظرت لمقاعد البدلاء، وقلت لجيمس ترافورد: قم بالإحماء، بصراحة لا أعرف في المؤتمر الصحفي القادم، يمكنك سؤالي وسأسأل دوناروما، أنا متأكد إذا كررنا الحديث الجماعي عندما يصاب لاعب من مانشستر سيتي فإن الدوري الإنجليزي سيغرمنا مرة أخرى لذا من الأفضل ألا نفعل ذلك”.
وختم: “عندما نتأخر خمس ثواني في الشوط الثاني نضطر دائماً لدفع مبلغ كبير جداً للبريميرليج، الآن علي الانتظار 30 دقيقة لأحضر إلى هنا، للمؤتمر الصحفي لأن فاركه بالطبع عليه أن يتحدث، وبعد ذلك لا مشكلة، آمل ألا يغرموني بسبب تأخري 30 دقيقة، فقط لأن فاركه كان هنا، الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز عرفتم ذلك الآن”.
Bangladesh fought hard through the game, but missed chances under pressure as de Klerk sealed another chase
Andrew Miller13-Oct-20253:33
Review: SA find ways to win under pressure
South Africa 235 for 7 (Tryon 62, Kapp 56, de Klerk 37*, Nahida 2-44) beat Bangladesh 232 for 6 (Shorna 51*, Sharmin 50, Mlaba 2-42) by three wickets For the second match running, Nadine de Klerk produced the crucial winning hand – an unbeaten 37 from 29 balls, albeit with several huge slices of late luck – as South Africa outmuscled a spirited Bangladesh to seal a thriller by three wickets and with three balls to spare in Visakhapatnam.The final result mirrored their previous win over India on this same ground on Thursday, but the manner in which it was secured was significantly less assured. Against a potent attack led by Nahida Akter and Ritu Moni, Chloe Tryon produced a priceless knock of 62 from 69 balls, with Marizanne Kapp also chipping in with a hard-fought fifty. However, the final difference between the teams came down to Bangladesh’s fielding under pressure with a succession of crucial chances going down in the fraught final overs.The most crucial of those came with just ten runs needed from eight balls. De Klerk miscued a drive off Rabeya Khan to long-off where Shorna Akter, 18 years old and fresh from a breakthrough innings of her own, looked set to seal a match that she deserved to make her own. Instead, the chance slapped off her palms to the turf, and with eight still needed in the final over, de Klerk capitalized with a four and a decisive six in three balls.Bangladesh were crestfallen at the conclusion, and little wonder. After winning the toss in an overcast Visakhapatnam, their captain Nigar Sultana had chosen to stare their shortcomings in the face by batting first despite a previous tournament highest total of 178, rightly assessing that a score on the board of any description was the best means to give her bowlers “a chance”, as she had put it at the toss.And so it came to pass, though perhaps not in the manner that many would have predicted. South Africa created few out-and-out chances in their bowling display, as each of Bangladesh’s top four reached at least 25. Sharmin Akhter anchored the innings with 50 from 77 balls. But for the first 30 overs of the innings, South Africa scarcely needed to make breakthroughs, such was the safety-first attitude of a batting line-up that conceded 126 dot-balls, or more than four per over, across that period of the innings.By degrees, however, Bangladesh turned South Africa’s lack of penetration to their advantage, and when Nigar holed out to cover to bring Shorna to the crease at 150 for 3 with 9.5 overs of the innings remaining, the stage was set for a transformative onslaught.Shorna Akter and Ritu Moni shared a 37-run stand off just 18 balls•Getty Images
Shorna cracked three fours and three sixes, each of them over long-on, in her 34-ball fifty, the fastest by a Bangladeshi in women’s ODIs. It was hitting with power and purpose, unrecognizable from the defensive fare that had preceded it. She was joined in her up-tempo approach by Moni, who lashed each of her first three balls for four off a previously parsimonious Kapp, to seal a flying finish with 19 not out from eight balls, as 37 runs came from the final three overs.A target of 233 was probably 60 runs more than South Africa had been bargaining for after Bangladesh’s moribund start, and their anxieties were heightened in the second over of their chase. With five ODI centuries in 2025, Tazmin Brits is arguably the in-form batter in all of 50-over international cricket, yet now she registered back-to-back ducks – and back-to-back caught-and-bowleds – after meeting her first ball with a tentative back-foot push that Nahida grabbed in front of her face.Brits’ latest dismissal wasn’t quite as spectacular as Kranti Gaud’s one-hander in last week’s India contest, but it needed to be held all the same … as Rabeya went on to demonstrate three overs later. This time, Laura Wolvaardt – on 11 – pushed through the line off the back foot, but Rabeya couldn’t close her hands around on a near-identical chance off her fourth ball.It looked like being an innings-turning let-off. Anneke Bosch got herself up and running with a brace of boundaries before Wolvaardt punished Rabeya with back-to-back fours square of the wicket, and as the pair pushed through to a 55-run stand inside the first 15 overs, the chase seemed to be entirely under control.Then, however, calamity struck out of the blue. On 30, Wolvaardt nudged the legspinner Fahima Khatun off her pads but failed to commit fully to a potential second run. Fargana Hoque tracked the ball down at midwicket, and as the batters hesitated mid-pitch, an accurate return to the keeper left South Africa’s skipper stranded.Rabeya Khan celebrates after bowling a ripper•ICC/Getty Images
Bosch thumped her next ball through the covers to hint that all was still well. But one ball later, she too was gone, caught on the edge of the ring by Sobhana Mostary for 28, as she failed to connect with an ambitious launch through the line.At 62 for 3, and with two new batters yet to face a ball, a big rebuild was required. Instead, Annerie Dercksen and Kapp managed two scrambled singles in their next 17 balls, before the former was extracted by the ball of the match, and arguably the tournament to date – an inch-perfect legbreak from Rabaya that drifted in and gripped just enough to kiss the outside edge of the off stump, and leave Dercksen utterly bamboozled as she turned to the square leg umpire to determine whether she was out.Four overs later, Sinalo Jafta also lost the top of her off stump, although there were no such doubts about her dismissal, as Fahima skidded a high-kicking topspinner through her back-foot push, like a latter-day Anil Kumble.At 78 for 5, South Africa had lost 4 for 20 in 44 balls, and their challenge was in tatters. It could have been even worse when Kapp, on 15, climbed across a short ball from Shorna and under-edged a tough half-chance that the keeper Nigar couldn’t gather.Chloe Tryon did not let the momentum slip for South Africa•Getty Images
Marufa Akter returned to the attack in the 27th over, but her extra pace was much more to South Africa’s liking, as Tryon cuffed a brace of cuts through point – the first of them being her side’s first boundary for 43 balls. Though Bangladesh quickly reverted to spin, that 12-run over had just loosened the shackles a fraction, and Kapp’s subsequent sweep for four off Fahima brought up a fifty stand for the sixth wicket from a relatively brisk 62 balls.Speaking at the toss, Wolvaardt had said she’d be happy to chase given the likelihood that dew would be a factor at the back end of the second innings, and sure enough there was a lengthy break at the final drinks break to run a rope around the outfield. Nevertheless, the spinners held their threatening full lengths, stretching the required rate past 7.5 per over until Kapp seized on a rare full-toss from Shorna to club the first six of the innings over long-on and bring up a 67-ball fifty.She was unable to push on, however. With 71 required from the final ten overs, Kapp stepped into a drive off Nahida, and picked out Shorna, who coolly made amends, ten metres in from the rope at long-off.Bangladesh celebrated wildly as South Africa’s mainstay departed for 56, but after de Klerk had announced herself with an immaculate second-ball sweep for four, Tryon set about ripping the contest back towards her team, although not without a big slice of luck. On 40, she found an under-edge off Moni that raced through the keeper’s legs for four. Then on 46, she wound into a slog-sweep to deep midwicket, but the substitute Sumaiya Akter ran through the chance without laying a hand on it.Tryon then cashed in with a huge leg-side six to make it 16 in the over, but once again, Bangladesh found a means to battle back – this time via a sharp shy from Moni at backward point, which caught Tryon inches short to send her on her way for 62 from 69.With the run-rate nudging eight an over, Masabata Klaas brought up the 200 with a streaky single to mid-off, which would also have been run-out had Fahima’s shy found its target. De Klerk then walked across her stumps to hoist a priceless boundary through backward square, and when Fahima served up an untimely front-foot no-ball, she stepped back to lift the resulting free hit over the covers.Even then the anxieties weren’t done. With 11 still required, de Klerk top-edged a full-toss into the gap at square leg – and nearly ran herself out in the confusion – but two balls later, she received the decisive let-off. A miscued slap to long-off, where Shorna was waiting to complete the heroics she had begun. The chance went begging, and so too did Bangladesh’s hopes. For South Africa, however, their wild campaign marches on, with three wins in a row, and one foot firmly planted in the semi-final standings.
A torcida do Palmeiras recebeu uma ótima notícia nesta sexta-feira (8), quando a diretoria do Verdão comunicou que todos os setores do Allianz Parque terão ingressos mais baratos para o próximo jogo do Verdão no Brasileirão, diante do Goiás, daqui uma semana.
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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui
Os setores da casa do Verdão tiveram um grande desconto em comparação à última partida no Allianz Parque, diante do Deportivo Pereira, pela Libertadores: Gol Norte (R$ 180 para R$ 100), Gol Sul (R$ 300 para R$ 140), Central Leste (R$ 380 para R$ 180), Central Oeste (R$ 400 para R$ 200) Superior Norte e Superior Sul (R$ 240 para R$ 110) e, por fim, Superior Leste e Superior Oeste (R$ 260 para R$ 120).
Os ingressos começam a ser vendidos na próxima segunda-feira (11), a partir das 10h (horário de Brasília), apenas para Sócios Avanti, já a venda geral começa só na quarta-feira (13), também a partir das 10h.
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Confira os preços dos ingressos para Palmeiras x Goiás:
Gol Norte:R$ 100,00 Gol Sul:R$ 140,00 Central Leste:R$ 180,00 Central Oeste:R$ 200,00 Superior Norte:R$ 110,00 Superior Sul:R$ 110,00 Superior Leste:R$ 120,00 Superior Oeste:R$ 120,00
كشف مصدر مسؤول داخل الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، حقيقة ما تردد في بعض التقارير المغربية حول إقامة مباراة ودية بين منتخبي مصر والمغرب قبل انطلاق منافسات كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025.
وأوضح المصدر في تصريحات خاصة لموقع بطولات، أن اتحاد الكرة المصري لم يتقدم بأي طلب رسمي لمواجهة منتخب المغرب وديًا، كما أن المدير الفني للفراعنة حسام حسن لم يطلب خوض هذه المباراة ضمن تحضيرات المنتخب للبطولة.
وأضاف المصدر أن بعض شركات التسويق الرياضي كانت قد عرضت بالفعل فكرة تنظيم لقاء ودي بين المنتخبين، مؤكدًا أن الجانب المصري رحّب بالفكرة من حيث المبدأ نظرًا لقوة المنتخب المغربي وقيمة المواجهة الفنية، إلا أن الرفض جاء من الجانب المغربي.
طالع أيضًا | خاص | منتخب مصر الثاني يخوض وديتين قويتين قبل كأس العرب
وأشار إلى أن منتخب المغرب كان قد حدّد مسبقًا برنامج مبارياته الودية قبل كأس الأمم، سواء خلال فترة نوفمبر المقبل أو معسكر ما قبل البطولة، وذلك بناءً على رؤية الجهاز الفني لأسود الأطلس، بالإضافة إلى وجود اتفاق مالي يربط المغرب بإحدى المباريات الودية التي سيخوضها ضمن استعداداته الرسمية.
ومن المقرر أن تستضيف المغرب بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025، والتي ستنطلق يوم الأحد الموافق 21 ديسمبر وتستمر حتى الأحد الموافق 18 يناير 2026.
Max Holden and Emilio Gay also did their bit as Lions ended day two 320 behind but only two wickets down
Nagraj Gollapudi31-May-2025
Karun Nair celebrates after recording his fourth first-class double-century•PA Images via Getty Images
England Lions 237 for 2 (Haines 103*, Holden 64*, Gay 46, Kamboj 1-24) trail India A 557 (Nair 204, Jurel 94, Sarfaraz 92, Hull 3-72, Akhter 3-73, Jack 2-75) by 320 runsIf you put up a total over 550, you think you are in command. Yet, India A were made to work hard for a lot of the second day as Sussex top-order batter Tom Haines led England Lions’ fightback with a resolute century in response to the imposing 557 in Canterbury.It was a contrasting start and end to the day for the visiting side. In the first hour, Karun Nair celebrated his fourth first-class double-century. Nair, who last year played county cricket for Northampton, joined an exclusive club of Indian batters to score multiple double-centuries in England in the process. His seven-plus-hour vigil came to an end as Zaman Akhter forced an inside edge that went into the gloves of James Rew behind the wickets.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Nair had shown patience, composure and solid defensive technique during his 435-minute stay that lasted 281 balls as the runs came at a decent clip. His 204 included 26 fours and a six. As he walked back with the Lions players rushing to congratulate him, and the 1700-plus crowd giving him a standing ovation, Nair would think he had put himself in pole position to stake a claim for a slot in the India batting order for the first Test against England in Leeds, starting June 20.India A finished after 125.1 overs, and the focus was now on the bowlers after the Lions began their second innings just over an hour after lunch. The new ball was shared by Mukesh Kumar and Anshul Kamboj. While Mukesh struggled to find his lines and rhythm, Kamboj was disciplined.Related
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A strong unit, broad-shouldered, just about six-feet tall, Kamboj can bang the hard lengths and move the ball off the seam. Unlike Mukesh, Kamboj offered no width and forced the batters to play every ball as he attacked the top of off stump. Ben McKinney, the tall Durham opener with a high backlift, had been beaten by one such delivery, the first of Kamboj’s third over (the sixth of the innings). Next ball, delivering from close to the stumps, Kamboj pitched on the top band of good length and managed to shape the ball from middle to off while sneaking past McKinney’s outside edge to uproot the off stump.Kamboj should have had his second wicket soon after: Emilio Gay nicked a delivery, but wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel put down the sitter. Soon after, Shardul Thakur, early in his first spell, should have had Haines. Then on 11, Haines poked at a fifth-stump delivery, but Sarfaraz Khan, at second slip, failed to latch on to a low attempt to his left. Annoyed, Thakur momentarily stood in teapot stance.The sloppy fielding became a cause for annoyance for India A. There were several misfields, including another life to Haines when, on 83, he slashed hard at a wide delivery outside off from Harshit Rana, which flew to point fielder Abhimanyu Easwaran. The India A captain threw himself to his right to attempt a double-handed catch but the ball burst through.Tom Haines ended the second day unbeaten on 103•PA Images via Getty Images
Haines would soon celebrate his 15th first-class century, and his third so far this summer, having started the season with two centuries in April for Sussex. Haines, who is among the leading run-makers in the County Championship, showed why he is rated among the best top-order batters around as he did not let go of any scoring opportunities. The Indian bowlers helped his cause by spraying the ball wide and short, or going too straight.He was also fluent against Harsh Dubey, who was a late entrant into the India A squad. Haines was comfortable reading the left-arm spinner, especially utilising the sweep and reverse sweep to good effect while also playing it late and being mindful of the arm ball Dubey used frequently.The pitch, though, had flattened and become slower, making batting easier. Haines said after the day’s play that the bowlers had to “really smash the pitch to get something out of it”. Still, the Indians would have liked to control the scoring tempo, which was over four runs an over through the afternoon.Two bowlers the Indian team management would want to look at during the two four-day games are Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy. While both went wicketless, Thakur showed more control, conceding 37 runs in his ten overs, including a maiden. Reddy, whose inclusion as an allrounder for the England tour has become a talking point considering he had barely bowled in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, was brought in about half-an-hour before the close of play. He went for 27 runs in three overs and was quickly replaced.
كشف أحد لاعبي مانشستر سيتي أن مسيرته كانت من الممكن أن تسلك طريقا آخر تماماً في بداية مراهقته قبل أن ينضم لفريقه الإنجليزي الحالي.
وبرز جوسكو جفارديول المدافع الكرواتي الدولي كواحد من أكثر المدافعين تكاملاً في أوروبا بعد أن انتقل بمبلغ قياسي إلى ملعب الاتحاد، على الرغم من أن صعوده في عالم كرة القدم لم يكن سهلاً.
وكانت سنوات مراهقة جفارديول قد اتسمت بفترة من الشك والرغبة في السعادة بعيداً عن ضغوط رياضة الشباب.
وقال جفارديول في تصريحات نشرتها “سيتي إكسترا” :”كنت أفكر في الاعتزال لأنني أحب كرة السلة أيضاً، لم أعد متأكداً من نفسي في كرة القدم، عندما تصل لملعب التدريبات لا تشعر بالسعادة كما تعلم”.
أقرأ أيضاً.. مرموش: أريد إظهار أن مصر لديها لاعبون عظماء للعالم
وأضاف :”كنت أحاول البحث عن حلول أخرى، والشعور بسعادة أكبر مما هو قبل ذلك لأن جميع أصدقائي كانوا يلعبون كرة السلة، كان حلمي أن أصبح لاعب كرة قدم محترفا لكنني لم أكن أعلم أنني سأصل لهذا الحد”.
وواصل :”لو عدت خمس سنوات وسألتني، هل ترى نفسك في مانشستر سيتي في 2023 أو 2024 أو 2025، كنت سأقول لا، مستحيل حقاً”.
وكان جفارديول قد جذب اهتمام أندية أوروبا الكبرى بمشاركاته في الدوري الألماني ومستوياته، وانتقل لمانشستر سيتي مقابل 77 مليون جنيه إسترليني في صيف 2023.
Sandeep Sharma went for a costly final over which included four sides and a no ball
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Apr-2025
Axar Patel went after Rajasthan Royals’ spinners•BCCI
Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs gave late impetus to a floundering Delhi Capitals innings on Wednesday night; they finished with 188 for 5 after being put into bat by Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in IPL 2025. This was the first sub-200 score by a team batting first in the last nine T20 innings at this ground.Axar injected momentum in the death with a takedown of Wanindu Hasaranga, hitting 34 off 14 in all. Stubbs, dropped on 12 off 8 by Riyan Parag off Hasaranga, batted through to also finish 34 not out off 18 balls as the last three overs went for 42 runs.This included a 19-run final over off Sandeep Sharma, who until then had sensational figures of 3-0-14-0. Sandeep bowled four wides, and a no-ball in what proved to be a 11-ball over that ended with Maheesh Theekshana dropping a sitter at point off Stubbs.The tone was set up top by Abishek Porel, who picked 23 off Tushar Deshpande’s first over – the second of the innings – by Jake Fraser-McGurk and Karun Nair fell early. McGurk began by lofting Jofra Archer for consecutive boundaries in the first over, but holed out to mid-off trying to loft a hard-length delivery.Nair, coming off his IPL best of 89 on debut, then survived three rocket deliveries from Archer. Two of those were bouncers that whizzed past his ear and had him mistime a pull that nearly carried to square leg. Then he was run out at the non-striker’s end following a mix-up with Porel as he walked back for a duck.KL Rahul was cautious to begin with, the slowness of the surface proving challenging to score, especially when deliveries were dug into the pitch on a length. At one stage he was on 17 off 18, but couldn’t quite push on – eventually falling for a 32-ball 38 when he pulled Archer to deep midwicket.This is when DC had Axar to thank as he immediately took down spin to inject momentum that Stubbs carried forward to give them a total to bowl at.
Celtic supporters have been lucky enough to enjoy plenty of top-quality centre-forwards in recent years.
Henrik Larsson will forever remain the gold standard, given that he scored 242 goals in 313 appearances for the club between 1997 and 2004, winning eight major honours, firing them to the UEFA Cup Final of 2003 and picking up the European Golden Shoe in 2001.
In more recent times, Odsonne Édouard, Moussa Dembélé and Kyōgo Furuhashi have all racked up plenty of goals and trophies as Celtic’s centre-forward.
Supporters may argue they do not have a striker of the requisite quality right now, although that opinion could soon be changing, while a player you’ve probably completely forgotten ever played for Celtic is tearing it up in one of the world’s strongest leagues.
Kelechi Iheanacho's start to life at Celtic
Fair to say, not a lot was expected of Kelechi Iheanacho when he arrived at Celtic, considering he joined after the transfer window had closed as an archetypal panic buy.
Well, so far, the Nigerian international is proving the doubters wrong, converting a stoppage time penalty to snatch victory at Kilmarnock on debut, before breaking the deadlock during Wednesday night’s Europa League draw with Crvena zvezda in Belgrade.
During his time at Leicester City, Iheanacho was known as a “deadly finisher”, his best campaign coming in 2020/21, scoring 19 goals in all competitions, four of which came in the FA Cup, a key figure as the Foxes won that competition for the first time ever.
Since then though, he’s not managed more than eight goals in a single campaign, scoring zero times in La Liga during his brief time at Sevilla, hence why los Nervionenses jumped at the chance to cut ties with him.
Nevertheless, reunited with Brendan Rodgers, his manager in the East Midlands of course, Iheanacho looks revitalised and reinvigorated, back to his clinical best in front of goal.
Nevertheless, there is a forward, who made almost no impact at all at Celtic, who actually has more goals to his name at this early stage of the season.
Forgotten Celtic flop on fire in the Bundesliga
We all have that one player who, when they first burst onto the scene, you are certain they’re going to be a future Ballon d’Or winner one day.
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Well, for many in Scotland, that player was Oliver Burke.
Back in 2016, having made just 31 appearances for Nottingham Forest, Burke was sold to recently promoted RB Leipzig for £13m, a then-record for a Scottish player, but fair to say he never lived up to this hype.
The table below documents the still only 28-year-old’s manic career so far.
Burke career record
Club
Games
Goals
Bradford City
2
Zero
Nottingham Forest
31
6
RB Leipzig
26
1
West Bromwich Albion
24
1
Celtic
19
4
Deportivo Alavés
32
1
Sheffield United
36
2
Millwall
31
4
Werder Bremen
46
8
Birmingham City
23
Zero
Union Berlin
5
3
Stats via Transfermarkt
As the table outlines, Burke has played for 12 different clubs in four different countries, yet to score double figures in terms of goals for any of them, which is honestly mind-blowing, with the four he managed during a six-month loan spell at Celtic Park from West Brom in 2019 among his higher tallies.
In hoops, he bagged a brace during his Premiership debut against St Mirren, before also netting during home wins over Hibernian and Motherwell, often deployed as a centre-forward by Neil Lennon, who succeeded Rodgers during this period.
This summer, having previously played for RB Leipzig and Werder Bremen, Burke returned to Germany, joining Union Berlin, and perhaps he could finally fulfil his potential at Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
On Sunday, during die Eisernen’s crazy 4-3 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt at Waldstadion, Burke scored a 24-minute hat-trick, becoming the first Scotsman to ever bag a treble in the Bundesliga – and bettering Iheanacho’s own 2025/26 tally in the process.
Speaking on Sky Sports News, Andy Brassell labelled them “ice-cold finishes”, noting that Union Berlin are playing to Burke’s strengths, which is utilising his pace in-behind, given that he has always been lightning quick.
Burke has remained such an enigma throughout his career; his raw and physical attributes are seemingly what ensures that clubs keep signing him, but as far back as his Leipzig days there were concerns over his tactical awareness, with then manager Ralph Hasenhüttl comparing him to an “empty hard drive” who had a lot to learn.
The most recent of Burke’s 13 Scotland caps came against Israel in Netanya back in November 2020 but, if he continues to score Bundesliga hat-tricks, Steve Clarke will have to pay attention.
Who knows, he could have been an even better emergency centre-forward option for Celtic than Iheanacho will prove to be.
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Leeds United have now opened talks with the entourage of an “incredible” player with 10 England caps to his name, according to a report.
Leeds looking to avoid drop by building experienced squad
Upon their return to the Premier League, Leeds’ main aim next season will be to avoid an instant return to the Championship, and it looks as though Daniel Farke is planning to avoid the drop by building a squad with a wealth of top-flight experience.
Indeed, the Whites have been linked with players in a range of different positions, many of whom have proven themselves over a number of years in the Premier League.
Target
Current club
Position
PL appearances
Yves Bissouma
Tottenham Hotspur
CM
191
Aaron Cresswell
West Ham United
LB
312
Jamie Vardy
Leicester City
ST
342
Callum Wilson
Newcastle United
ST
239
Aaron Ramsdale
Southampton
GK
183
The interest in Ramsdale comes about amid doubts over Illan Meslier, who was dropped for Karl Darlow during the promotion run-in, but the Southampton shot-stopper, who is available for £25m following the Saints’ relegation, is not the only English goalkeeper on the shortlist.
According to a report from Leeds United News, Leeds have now approached the entourage of Newcastle United’s Nick Pope, who has emerged as a top target for Farke now that Caoimhin Kelleher has decided to make the move to Brentford.
Transfer expert Graeme Bailey also dropped a further update on Pope’s St. James’ Park future, saying: “Pope, he’s on a very good contract there and age is not on his side. It depends where Leeds want to go with it as well.
“Do they go experience or young? I think they are assessing all options. He’s a very solid option.
“Clearly he’s going to be on the radar, but I don’t think they have 100% decided which way they’re going to go just yet.”
"Incredible" Pope could be exactly what Leeds need
Meslier simply cannot be trusted, with the 25-year-old costing Farke’s side 10 points in the Championship last season, and there is every indication the Newcastle goalkeeper would be a more reliable option between the sticks.
The England international, who has 10 caps to his name, has proven himself in the top flight across spells with Burnley and Newcastle, making a total of 221 Premier League appearances, while also catching the eye in the Champions League.
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Journalist Liam Kennedy was left particularly impressed by the £60k-a-week goalkeeper’s performance in a 0-0 draw against AC Milan in September 2023, claiming the Magpies “wouldn’t have got a point without his incredible performance in goal”.
There is clearly a strategy to bring in proven Premier League players this summer, and Pope certainly ticks that box, while his Champions League and international experience indicates he could be a real upgrade on Meslier, who has been far too error-prone.
Manchester City have opened talks over a deal for an “incredible” defender, who is now high up their list of targets, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Man City set sights on new full-backs
Pep Guardiola’s rebuild got underway during the January transfer window, with Kyle Walker being shipped out on loan to AC Milan to make way for Rico Lewis and Matheus Nunes, while Nico O’Reilly has come into the fold on the opposite side of the defence.
It was an impressive debut campaign on a personal level for O’Reilly, who rotated with Josko Gvardiol at left-back, with the Englishman picking up five goals and two assists in all competitions, and Guardiola has praised Nunes for his defensive performances.
However, there have been suggestions the manager is now looking to upgrade his options at full-back, having identified Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento as a priority target for the summer.
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Livramento is not the only Premier League defender of interest to Man City either, with Romano recently taking to X to reveal they have now opened talks over a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Ait-Nouri is now believed to be “high” on City’s list of targets at left-back, and having now submitted an enquiry, talks are expected to continue as we approach the summer transfer window.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' RayanAit-Nouriin action
There may be competition for the defender’s signature, however, with Liverpool also being named as potential suitors earlier this month, at which point it was revealed that Wolves could look to hold out for a fee of £51m.
"Incredible" Ait Nouri impressing at Wolves
The Algerian was one of Wolves’ most consistent performers in the Premier League throughout the 2024-25 campaign, averaging a 6.95 WhoScored match rating, the second-highest in the squad, proving himself to be both solid defensively and a threat going forward.
Indeed, the 23-year-old is impressive at both ends of the pitch, as showcased by the fact he has regularly chipped in with goals over the past year, while also ranking highly for tackles per 90, when compared to other full-backs.
Statistic
Average per 90
Non-penalty goals
0.12 (88th percentile)
Assists
0.20 (84th percentile)
Successful take-ons
1.82 (97th percentile)
Tackles
2.58 (82nd percentile)
As such, the France-born defender is able to play in a number of different positions, according to former manager Gary O’Neil, who said: “I’m enjoying working with Rayan, I think he’s an incredible talent, a great guy and he brings a real enthusiasm and life to the place. We can use him anywhere so, unfortunately, at the moment we have to because we don’t have many others.
“But he is talented enough when we roll him in and play him in midfield a few times and we played him as a right 10 in the second half today.”
Guardiola will no doubt be pleased by O’Reilly’s emergence as a first-team regular, but should the manager decide to sign another left-back, Ait-Nouri has proven he could be a brilliant option.