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Nottingham Forest travel to face Swansea City in the third round of the Carabao Cup tonight, with new manager Ange Postecoglou hunting for his first victory in charge.

The Aussie suffered a 3-0 defeat against Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday, but has the opportunity to make amends in South Wales this evening.

Whilst the game against lower league opposition presents an excellent chance for rotation, the 60-year-old needs to avoid a shock defeat to help win over the fanbase.

He stated in his pre-match press conference yesterday that changes are likely to be made to rest some players and hand the opportunity for others to impress the new boss.

However, the competition presents the first opening for the former Spurs boss to claim a trophy for the Reds – something which owner Evangelos Marinakis desperately desires.

With the Europa League also on the horizon, rotation will certainly be needed, which could result in Morgan Gibbs-White being dropped against his former side, with numerous debuts being handed out across the board.

30/04/2022

5-1 (W)

11/12/2021

4-1 (W)

17/02/2021

1-0 (L)

23/01/2021

5-1 (L)

29/11/2020

1-0 (L)

15/07/2020

2-2 (D)

14/09/2019

1-0 (W)

30/03/2019

2-1 (W)

15/09/2018

0-0 (D)

So, here is our Forest predicted XI to take on Swansea this evening.

GK – John Victor

The Brazilian shot-stopper joined the Reds late on in the summer transfer window, providing a needed backup to Matz Sels after Carlos Miguel returned back to his homeland.

He’s expected to make his debut for Ange’s side tonight and hopefully stake his claim for a regular first-team role in the months ahead – given the hectic schedule.

RB – Nicolo Savona

Nicolo Savona made his first Forest appearance in the defeat against Arsenal last Saturday, being brought on after Murillo limped off during the first-half.

The Italian should be handed his first start this evening, helping him build up the needed match fitness to fill the void left by the injured Ola Aina.

CB – Willy Boly

The 34-year-old has often provided a needed experienced presence at the back, which is undoubtedly a reason he penned a new contract at the City Ground over the summer.

He could provide that just that once again this evening, potentially partnering a young talent at the heart of Postecoglou’s backline.

CB – Jair Cunha

Jair Cunha is one of just four additions made from Botafogo by the Reds hierarchy this summer, but has had to bide his time before making his debut in the Garibaldi.

He’s only been named in one matchday squad to date, but the cup competition could offer the 20-year-old a perfect start to kickstart his career in England.

LB – Oleksandr Zinchenko

The 28-year-old was a surprise late addition on deadline day for Forest, joining the club on a season-long loan from fellow Premier League side Arsenal.

He was unable to make his debut against the Gunners on Saturday, but like Savona, he needs valuable minutes to build up his fitness given the lack of depth in full-back areas.

CDM – Ryan Yates (C)

Ryan Yates is a player who has constantly defied the odds at Forest, still remaining as the only player left in the first-team squad from the promotion-winning side.

The 27-year-old is yet to make a Premier League start in 2025/26, but could be set to lead the side with the armband once again tonight, potentially starring alongside another summer signing.

CDM – Douglas Luiz

Huge excitement was generated amongst the fanbase after the loan signing of Douglas Luiz from Juventus, but his transfer is yet to take off given his lack of action.

The Brazilian is yet to make a single appearance for the Reds, but tonight could be the perfect chance for the former Aston Villa star to stake his claim for a regular starting spot.

RW – Omari Hutchinson

Eyebrows were certainly raised when Omari Hutchinson joined Forest in a club-record £37.5m deal from Ipswich Town – but they reached another level when he was left out of the Europa League squad.

However, the youngster is deserving of an opportunity to feature in the Carabao Cup, needing valuable minutes given his lack of action in the Premier League to date.

CAM – James McAtee

Former Manchester City star James McAtee was another one of the club’s big-money additions during the off-season – costing a fee totalling £30m including add-ons.

However, like Hutchinson, he’s yet to start a single game for the Reds, but could be utilised in the number ten role ahead of Gibbs-White in South Wales.

LW – Dilane Bakwa

While the Reds suffered a 3-0 defeat on Saturday, winger Dilane Bakwa was a bright spark, making a huge impression on the fanbase despite only featuring for just 30 minutes.

He completed 100% of his passes, while also attempting two dribbles – potentially having the opportunity to start from the off for the first time in his Reds career.

ST – Arnaud Kalimuendo

Alongside Bakwa, Arnaud Kalimuendo was another young star brought into the club from France – costing a fee in the region of £26m from Stade Rennes.

The 23-year-old scored 18 times in all competitions last campaign, having the goalscoring nouse that could see him be the long-term replacement for Chris Wood.

Forest XI to face Swansea: Victor; Savona, Boly, Cunha, Zinchenko; Yates, Luiz, Hutchinson, McAtee, Bakwa; Kalimuendo.

Nottingham Forest now willing to make serious bid for "super" £22m striker

Forest are preparing the groundwork for a transfer, with a centre-forward now in their sights.

ByDominic Lund Sep 16, 2025

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) must “accept reality” and focus on getting the most out of their current squad rather than make drastic changes just four games into IPL 2025, in the opinion of former CSK batter Ambati Rayudu.CSK are currently ninth on the points table with only one win in four games. On Tuesday, they will aim to end a run of three losses when they take on Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.”They’re trying to compare this CSK team to erstwhile CSK teams, which have been really good and won tournaments,” Rayudu said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut. “When you see it like-for-like, players in the past compared to now, I’d say they’re not the same. It’s very difficult to replace a certain player with a certain player. They have to accept reality and get the best out of what they have. That’s where I feel they seem confused and can’t get their combinations right.Related

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“Players [like Deepak Hooda or Rahul Tripathi who have been dropped three games in] they thought would deliver in certain numbers, certain positions, they haven’t been able to do that. It’s quite an uphill task for them going [deep] into the season. I feel they will come back strong once they get their combination and personnel right.”Rayudu, a three-time IPL champion with CSK, said that conditions and pitches should be the least of CSK’s worries. They lost two out of their three home games, both heavy defeats to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC). Coach Stephen Fleming has pointed to the lack of home advantage at Chepauk for a few years now.”The pitch they’re playing on is tailor made for Chennai. It’s just that they’ve not been able to execute well, and batters have come up short,” Rayudu said. “I feel they can drop one of their two really good weapons. Noor Ahmad or [Matheesha] Pathirana – should sit out to boost their batting. It’s a luxury they may not afford at this point, but one of them has to sacrifice for [Jamie] Overton.”Sanjay Bangar, the former India batting coach, said CSK’s struggles at the top of the order were having a ripple effect on the rest of the batting line-up, including key players like Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni in the lower-middle order. So far, CSK have been the slowest-scoring team in IPL 2025.Ruturaj Gaikwad has had to come in at No. 3 in the second over in three out of four games. Opener Tripathi was dropped after three matches, while Hooda was axed after two. In total, CSK have used 17 players, including all seven of their overseas options – a stark departure from their usual strategy of maintaining continuity.”The top order not getting runs is one of the issues,” Bangar said. “Shivam Dube not being the Dube of the last couple of seasons is an issue. MS-Jadeja at the stage they are, more so MS, I’m not expecting him to come up and do a bulk of the scoring in the last six-seven overs.”Bangar said there was little more that could be done in terms of tweaking their combination. “It seems right, what they’ve now arrived at after the first three experimental games. In the fourth game, I felt their combination was just about right. It’s a matter of the batting coming together and giving them runs at the top to get the confidence back.”1:49

Rayudu: CSK’s best shot is for Gaikwad to open

In the lower order, Dhoni has struggled to hit sixes like he did last season. When asked about Jadeja’s form and whether he had passed his prime as a batter, Rayudu felt he still had plenty to offer.”I won’t say that,” Rayudu said. “He’s someone who is really fit, actually has come into his own in the last five-six years. He’s been a brilliant batsman, which we’ve not seen in his early years, [we’ve seen him] play some match-winning knocks chasing, specially playing in those 16-20 overs period. That’s the period ideally for Jadeja and Dhoni if they bat, they’ll be much more effective than coming in overs 10-14, it’s not their strength.”Rayudu also defended CSK’s methods when asked if they had not done enough to nurture young talent over the years.”Generally, we’ve seen over the years teams that have come up with lot of youngsters and have gone nowhere,” he said. “MI brought in, bred youngsters, but one at a time not four-five at a time. Fans are emotional, they want results immediately. You’ve got to believe in process when things are not going well. This has worked for many years; they’ve done well. Have a little bit of patience, trust the management. A little bit of freedom and things will turn around.”

“There might be a short tour in July, which we have mostly confirmed. We will inform you when we finalise it”

Mohammad Isam08-Mar-2025Pakistan are likely to tour Bangladesh for a series of white-ball matches in mid-2025, according to BCB president Faruque Ahmed.Bangladesh are already scheduled to tour Pakistan in May for three ODIs and three T20Is as per the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP). Following recent talks between BCB chief Faruque and his PCB counterpart Mohsin Naqvi on the sidelines of the Champions Trophy, a reciprocal white-ball tour has been agreed for a window in July and August, Faruque said.”The PCB told us that they would tour Bangladesh outside of the FTP,” Faruque said on Saturday. “There might be a short tour in July, which we have mostly confirmed. We will inform you when we finalise it.”I have also spoken about Bangladesh being part of a [Pakistan] tri-series in the future, wherever it is, if it is held at a suitable time for us.”Following on from Bangladesh’s Champions Trophy group-stage exit, Faruque said the BCB will begin to look at Bangladesh’s build-up for the next 50-over World Cup, to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2027. “The board will give its policy [for 2027]. I think someone like Najmul Abedin Faheem [head of the BCB’s men’s cricket operations committee] is an experienced individual to take care of the operations committee. We will discuss how to take cricket forward.”Bangladesh also have some decisions to take on their T20I side, after Najmul Hossain Shanto stepped down as captain in January. Faruque said that a new captain will be chosen from among those who have captained the side recently; many speculate this will be Litton Das.”We will try to appoint a captain from among those who have captained the team recently. We will get to a decision soon, and you will know about it,” he said.The BCB are also planning a farewell for Mushfiqur, who announced his retirement from ODIs last week. “We will plan on how to give Mushfiqur Rahim a proper farewell. He is probably one of the legends of our team,” Faruque said. “He is one of the architects of Bangladesh cricket over the last 19 years.”I can remember how he started in 2005, and then played a vital role in the 2007 World Cup. The path that he has shown is ideal for the younger generation.”

Chelsea are in advancing talks to sign RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons, but according to a new report, they’re also speaking with another winger as BlueCo keep their options open.

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Emilio Galantini

Jul 25, 2025

Enzo Maresca and his squad are due back at Cobham for the week commencing August 4, and they have precious little time to prepare for the new season, given they take on Crystal Palace in their first Premier League game just 13 days later.

In the meantime, Chelsea are working to back Maresca with much-needed reinforcements to his squad, especially in the attacking third.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season	Average match rating
Cole Palmer	7.33
Moises Caicedo	7.02
Enzo Fernández	6.95
Nicolas Jackson	6.88
Noni Madueke	6.82
via WhoScored

The west Londoners struggled against sides in the low-block last season, which is a key reason why Maresca has identified Chelsea’s forward line as the main area of improvement before transfer deadline day on September 1 (Simon Phillips).

They’ve already sealed Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro this summer for a combined fee of around £145 million, but Maresca is rumoured to want another major attacking signing to give his side the best possible chance of challenging for the title next season.

Amid their advanced talks for Ajax defender Jorrel Hato, who has already agreed personal terms, Chelsea are actively working towards signing Simons.

There are even some reports that a deal for the Netherlands international is actually even further along than the likes of Fabrizio Romano are reporting (Simon Phillips), but until he’s signed on the dotted line, anything can happen.

“The last our sources heard on Simons to Chelsea was that it was very close but had some final details to sort out,” wrote journalist Simon Phillips, via his Substack.

“As I said yesterday, I’ll be shocked if this doesn’t get done now, but it doesn’t mean it 100% does get done. I’ve been in this industry now long enough to know that a deal is never done until you see the player holding the shirt or a club announces it! So don’t get excited yet.”

Chelsea still speaking to Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho

Taking this into account, journalist Graeme Bailey has told TBR Football that Chelsea are still talking to Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho and his representatives.

The Argentine, who can play both on the left and in central attacking midfield like Simons, bagged 11 goals and 10 assists in all competitions last season. United want to sell, as is common knowledge at this point, so much so that they’ve now slashed his price tag from £70 million to around £40 million.

Following consistent links to the 21-year-old, Bailey reports that Chelsea remain in dialogue with Garnacho despite their fast-progressing negotiations with Leipzig. They also remain big fans of Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, who would actually be their first-choice, so it appears Chelsea are still open to different scenarios if they cannot strike a deal for Simons.

Garnacho, in terms of being an excellent alternative to the 22-year-old, could really fit the bill, with Red Devils legend Rio Ferdinand branding him the “real deal”. As well as his excelling reputation, the South American also boasts proven Premier League experience.

أكد ريان جرافنبيرخ، نجم نادي ليفربول، أهمية مواجهة فريقه اليوم السبت أمام تشيلسي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

تشيلسي سوف يستضيف نظيره ليفربول مساء اليوم السبت على ملعب ستامفورد بريدج، وذلك في إطار قمة الجولة السابعة من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويدخل ليفربول لقاء اليوم بهدف تحقيق الفوز، خصوصًا بعد الهزيمتين المتتاليتين التي منى بهم الريدز أمام كريستال بالاس 2-1 يوم السبت الماضي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ثم أمام جالطة سراي بنتيجة 1-0 في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

أقرأ أيضًا .. فليك يثير الغموض بشأن موقف يامال من اللحاق بالكلاسيكو.. ويوجه رسائل للاعبيه قبل لقاء إشبيلية

وقال جرافنبيرخ في تصريحات لموقع ليفربول الرسمي: “بالطبع خسارة فريق مثل ليفربول مرتين متتاليتين أمر سيء، لكنني أعتقد أننا حللنا الأمر جيدًا والآن تشيلسي بانتظارنا، لذا سنستعد لمواجهة تشيلسي ونبذل قصارى جهدنا للفوز بالمباراة”.

وأضاف جرافنبيرخ في حديثه: ”بالطبع الخسارة مرتين ليست بالأمر الجيد، لكن ما قلته هو أننا سنبذل قصارى جهدنا للفوز وسنستعد جيدًا ونبذل قصارى جهدنا، هذا هو كل ما يمكننا فعله”.

وأوضح: “أحيانًا تسير الأمور في صالحنا وأحيانًا لا، هذه المرة لم تكن كذلك لكننا خلقنا العديد من الفرص ضد جالطة سراي ولم نستغلها، لكنني متأكد من أننا سنفعل في المستقبل وأعلم أننا سنخرج من هذا الموقف بكل تأكيد”.

وأردف الدولي الهولندي عن مستوى تشيلسي: “نعلم أن تشيلسي يمتلك فريقًا جيدًا، ولاعبين أكفاء وأعلم أن المباراة ستكون صعبة، إنها في الواقع أول مباراة لي في ستامفورد بريدج، لم ألعب هناك بعد لذا أتطلع إليها بشوق وسنستعد جيدًا”.

وعن إصابة أليسون بيكر، حارس مرمى ليفربول، واصل جرافنبيرخ: “نعلم أن غياب أليسون خسارة كبيرة فهو بالنسبة لي، أفضل حارس مرمى في العالم”.

وقال: ”لكننا نعلم أن جيورجي أظهر بالفعل جودته وهو جيد جدًا في التدريبات، أعلم أنه سيقدم لنا أداءً رائعًا. أنا سعيد من أجله لأنه سيخوض مباراته الأولى في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وأتطلع إليه بشوق”.

وعن ترشيح هدفه ضد إيفرتون لجائزة أفضل هدف في شهر سبتمبر بالدوري الإنجليزي أضاف جرافنبيرخ: “لم أسجل في الموسم الماضي، والآن سجلت هدفين هذا الموسم، وكان هدفي ضد إيفرتون أيضًا هدفًا رائعًا. من الرائع أن أكون مرشحًا”.

وأردف: “المبادئ لا تزال كما هي كما في الموسم الماضي، الآن لدي بعض الحرية في الملعب وأستطيع التقدم للأمام، لكن يجب أن يشغل لاعب خط الوسط المهاجم لاعبًا آخر، يجب أن يكون هناك لاعب في هذا المركز ثم أستطيع التقدم للأمام”.

واختتم: “من الجيد أن أتمتع بحرية التقدم للأمام قليلًا، ولكن إذا تقدمت للأمام يجب أن يكون هناك لاعب يغطي مكاني، لذا الأمور تغيرت هذا الموسم”.

The PCB’s much-trailed ‘connection camp’ ended on Monday with what officials said was a roadmap to bring the game out of the doldrums it finds itself in at the moment.Officials and the team management, including both head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, described a day of open and robust conversations, including about the lack of unity within the national side, with the two national captains, Shan Masood and Babar Azam, and a group of other players.The camp was organised as Pakistan stutter through one of the bleakest periods in their history, with administrative tumult begetting a succession of disastrous on-field results. Over the last year, Pakistan have lost to Afghanistan in the ODI World Cup, to USA at the T20 World Cup and most recently 2-0 to Bangladesh in a home Test series.Related

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Speculation has been rife throughout of growing differences in the dressing room, building from last year but propelled this year by the appointment and swift removal of Shaheen Shah Afridi as Pakistan’s T20I captain, and the return of Babar Azam as the T20I captain. Kirsten, the white-ball coach, is said to have been surprised by the degree of it when he first took up the job.Salman Naseer, the PCB’s chief operating officer, acknowledged that a lack of unity had been part of the discussions, not just within the team but between the board and players.”The session was about this, that we openly and candidly accept and identify [issues] and ask for a commitment from each other, demand it, on how we can improve our performances and how we work together as a team,” Naseer said at a press conference in Lahore after the camp ended. “Our unanimous view was that we need to resolve this going forward and need to identify how we do it.”Naseer did not go into the details of the discussions, saying that providing a “safe space” was essential in allowing people to open up. But tension between players and the board has also been building, especially after a number of top stars were denied NOCs to participate in leagues over the summer. Afridi, Babar, Mohammad Rizwan and Naseem Shah were all prevented from playing in leagues before the start of Pakistan’s home season, with workload management the primary reason cited by the board.”Where the talk is of unity, it wasn’t only about the team,” Naseer acknowledged. “It was between the team and management and how we can work together to do things more successfully. These were definitely part of the discussions. We talked about planning, we talked about workload management.”Everyone is feeling that the performances of players, and management, can be better. The idea was to sit together, identify issues and what can be better. What our vision is and how do we get there?”The camp is not believed to have brought up the more immediate questions facing the Pakistan side, in the immediate aftermath of the loss to Bangladesh and with England’s imminent arrival for a three-Test series in October. But Kirsten, who has been in Pakistan for the last 12 days watching the Champions Cup, struck a note of optimism in praising the depth of talent in Pakistan – in contrast to the chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s recent observations on the same.”I’ve been here the last 12 days or so watching the Champions Cup and have been really encouraged at the depth of quality of players in this tournament,” Kirsten said. “It’s been fantastic to see. I’ve really enjoyed the tournament. The quality of the competition has been high. Been great to see a lot of young players showcasing what they are capable of.”The discussions will continue, according to Gillespie. “Because we’re new to the job, our job is to listen and learn and look to implement ways where we can be more effective as players, as a team, and as coaches. What was really clear today was the pride the Pakistan players have in playing for Pakistan and how they want to inspire the country. That was really exciting to hear. The players care and are desperate to do well. We’re on this journey together and we’ll do everything we can to help.”

Sheffield United are now on the verge of signing an “electric” £3.5 million attacker who Ruben Selles already knows well.

Like every other team up and down the country, the Blades are currently in the midst of their pre-season preparations as the return of domestic action gets closer and closer. United got another pre-season game under their belt on Tuesday night, as they faced non-league side York City and won 6-2.

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However, the Blades were without a few key players for the fixture, with midfielder Tom Davies one noticeable absentee. Selles has revealed that Davies has picked up a groin injury during their time in Girona, and he could now miss the start of the Championship season.

“With Tom Davies, it is a little bit different. He got an injury in Girona, and so we expect him to be out for some weeks. He will be back in approximately a month.

“He’s unlucky. The way we do things and the way we try to perform demand a lot from the players. And with Tom, the most important thing is that he recovers well, and when he comes back, he stays healthy for the rest of the season.”

Sydie Peck was another United player that missed out on Tuesday night, but Selles has revealed that Peck’s injury isn’t as serious: “Sydie picked up a late injury, so he has not been able to start pre-season with us.He has been training, but it was more about building him up, and hopefully, he will be involved in the next game.”

Sheffield United now close to signing Louie Barry on loan

As the Blades continue their pre-season preparations, they are now closing in on their third signing of the summer. According to Sky Sports, Louie Barry is now expected to join Sheffield United on a season-long loan from Aston Villa.

The report states that both clubs have agreed the deal, while Barry has also agreed to the switch, and he is now expected to join up with the Blades next week. This comes after Hull City agreed a deal worth £3.5 million with Villa to sign Barry, only for the deal to then fall through as the Tigers were hit with a three-transfer-window embargo.

This transfer will see Barry link up with Selles once again, as the pair worked together in the second half of last season, as Barry joined the Tigers after a successful first half of the campaign on loan at Stockport County.

Divisions

Apps

Goals

Assists

Championship

4

0

0

League One

47

16

6

League Two

53

17

6

Barry, who has been dubbed “electric” by reporter Sam Byrne, struggled to make an impact at Hull as he picked up a serious injury. But during his time at Stockport, the versatile forward scored 25 goals in 46 games across two separate loan spells, and Selles will be hoping he can get that productivity out of the youngster at Bramall Lane.

Australia’s multi-format stars have been handed their best red-ball preparation for a summer in five years, with players to have up to four Sheffield Shield matches to fine tune for the Test series against India.Cricket Australia announced the schedule for the domestic summer on Thursday, which includes the new women’s T20 competition before the WBBL. As has been the case in recent seasons, the Sheffield Shield while the men’s one-day cup sits at seven matches each.Related

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But for the first time in a long time, multi-format players will have a long stretch of Shield games to prepare for the Test team’s bid to win back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Australia’s last overseas white-ball commitment this year is on September 29 in England, giving players a week before the beginning of the Shield season on October 8. Even if the quicks are rested from the first round, each state will play another three fixtures before players enter camp for the first Test against India starting November 22.Pat Cummins is missing the entire limited-overs tour of the UK in September while Mitchell Starc will only feature in the ODI series against England. Josh Hazlewood has been included for both formats.While Starc played matches for NSW during the 2020-21 bubble, Cummins and Hazlewood have not played Shield before the first Test since November 2019. Mitchell Marsh, meanwhile, has only played two Shield matches since 2019.Availability of multi-format players for the Shield will likely be impacted by the limited-overs visit of Pakistan with the ODI series starting on November 4. The proximity of the T20Is (November 14-18) to the start of the India series means only players not featuring in the Test will likely be selected. There are also two Australia A-India A matches from late October which will pull players out of domestic cricket.The glut of Shield matches will also provide an opportunity for the likes of Matt Renshaw, Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft a chance to push their selection causes.While Australia’s Test team is largely set for now, they will want to take a reserve batsman into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Chief selector George Bailey said in March there was no longer a front-runner to one day replace Steven Smith or Usman Khawaja at the top of the order, after each of Renshaw, Harris and Bancroft missed out on national contracts.Bailey has indicated that a specialist opener will be the one to eventually replace Smith or Khawaja in the long-term future, after the former was moved into the role to replace David Warner last summer.In total six Shield rounds will be played before the BBL break, before each state plays four more matches in February and March. Shield fixtures will again be interwoven with the one-day cup, which starts on September 22, with Western Australia aiming for a fourth consecutive title in both competitions.The Shield final will take place between March 26-30 while the 50-over finals will take place on consecutive days – the Marsh Cup on March 1 and WNCL on March 2.The 50-over WNCL tournament, where Tasmania are bidding for a hat-trick of titles, again has 12 matches per team, while the newly introduced T20 series for women includes four games each as a result of the shortened WBBL.Each of the eight WBBL teams will feature as well as the ACT Meteors, with the tournament to run while Australia’s big-name players and overseas stars are in Bangladesh for the T20 World Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has his eyes on a title-winning manager who Chelsea are also targeting to potentially replace Enzo Maresca, according to reports, with Ange Postecoglou’s future continuing to be the centre of debate around N17.

Ange Postecoglou comments on Tottenham future

The Australian, ahead of their all-important Europa League final, commented on widespread reports that Spurs’ clash against Man United could be his penultimate game in charge of the club.

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The likes of David Ornstein suggested in the build up to Wednesday night that Postecoglou is likely to leave Tottenham regardless of their success in Europe, with his exit from N17 seeming far more likely than not after a regrettable domestic campaign.

Spurs are on 21 Premier League defeats this season and still counting, meaning Levy could look to part company with the 59-year-old amid intriguing links to a host of alternative top-level coaches.

Postecoglou, speaking ahead of their first European final since their Champions League loss to Liverpool in 2019, said that he is relaxed about his future irrespective of what happens.

“It doesn’t matter because the reality of it is the opportunity is the same, for me and more importantly for the club,” Postecoglou told reporters about his tenuous position as Spurs boss.

“I’ve said before that whatever happens beyond tomorrow is kind of irrelevant when you think about the opportunity that exists right now. That opportunity is to provide something special for the football club and for the supporters and for everyone who has worked so hard, not just this year but for the 15, 16 years, however long it has been without a trophy and also the 41 years without a European trophy.

“If I was worried about my tenure at this football club, it’s fair to say we wouldn’t have been in this position because I would have been distracted long ago. I’m pretty good at just making sure all my focus is on giving this football club the best opportunity that it’s had for a while to do something special. Whatever happens after that, mate, I’m very, very comfortable that I’ll continue on trying to win trophies wherever I am.”

Tottenham shortlist Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi

Spurs could look to Italy in search of Postecoglou’s replacement, with former Ajax boss Francesco Farioli being heavily linked with a move to Tottenham in the last few days after a rumoured recommendation from Fabio Paratici.

As per newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness, Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi is on Levy’s radar as well.

The outlet states that Tottenham have shortlisted Inzaghi as a manager target, and he’s also wanted by London rivals Chelsea as a potential heir to Maresca.

The £8.8 million-per-year tactician guided Inter to a Scudetto last season and could still pip Antonio Conte’s Napoli to this year’s Serie A crown, with both sides set for a fierce final day battle for the title.

As Inzaghi also prepares Inter for their Champions League final against PSG, noise will continue to surround his future after an impressive few years at the San Siro. If he becomes available, the “phenomenal” manager is arguably the standout name among Levy’s rumoured candidates.

Liverpool owe much to Mohamed Salah, who has devoted the prime years of his illustrious career to Anfield and cemented his status as one of the Premier League’s all-time greats.

Having clinched 28 goals and 18 assists in the top flight this term, Salah has been the driving force behind his side’s historic triumph, equalling Manchester United’s record of 20 English first division titles.

However, Salah is not the only star in Liverpool’s team. Virgil van Dijk has been an all-commanding titan in defence, while Alexis Mac Allister has pulled the strings in the centre.

It’s Ryan Gravenberch, though, who deserves recognition for being Liverpool’s secret weapon in this title triumph, refashioned by Arne Slot into one of Europe’s superlative number sixes.

Midfield isn’t the main priority for the Reds, heading into the summer transfer window, but FSG might have identified a shrewd way to make Gravenberch even better.

Liverpool chasing new midfielder

According to Spanish reports, Liverpool are looking to take advantage of Frenkie De Jong’s situation at Barcelona, out of contract in little over a year, and will test the La Liga giant’s resolve with a €40m (£34m) bid this summer.

The piece outlines that there is believed to be a ‘willingness’ at Camp Nou to potentially listen to offers for the former Ajax man, albeit with the Reds set to be joined by Arsenal and Manchester City in the race for his signature.

De Jong has avoided injuries for most of the campaign but hasn’t always found his name on the starting teamsheet under Hansi Flick, and given Liverpool’s pedigree and strong Dutch contingent, could be enticed by making the move to Merseyside.

Why Liverpool want Frenkie De Jong

De Jong, 27, has played 253 games for Barcelona since leaving Amsterdam as an illustrious prodigy in 2019 for a £65m fee.

Fitness problems have been the bane of his career in Spain, but there’s no question De Jong is an elite-standard player, with his former boss Xavi calling him “one of the best midfielders in the world.”

However, his La Blaugrana journey under Flick’s wing has been stunted despite improvements on the injury front, and a move to Liverpool could prove the fresh start he needs at this stage of his career, joining Gravenberch in Slot’s midfield.

Gravenberch’s rise from prospect to superstar has been an extraordinary thing this year, and while De Jong is older than his 22-year-old compatriot, he will feel that Slot’s fluid ball-playing football could have a similar effect on his game.

Matches (starts)

26 (12)

34 (34)

Goals

1

0

Assists

0

4

Touches*

28.8

67.3

Pass completion

83%

89%

Key passes*

0.6

0.7

Dribbles*

0.9

1.0

Ball recoveries*

2.8

5.3

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.6

Duels (won)*

2.8 (47%)

5.0 (58%)

Looking at how Slot managed to get a melodic tune out of Gravenberch this season, you’d be confident that he could elevate a fully-fit De Jong back to his best at Liverpool too.

The Dutch international might be somewhat on the margins at Barcelona right now, but he’s still managed to showcase his quality to a good degree, especially important in the Champions League.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of centre-midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 4% for passes attempted and the top 7% for progressive passes per 90.

Such passing quality could play perfectly into Gravenberch’s strengths, striking an exciting connection in Liverpool’s engine room next term as Slot looks to go again, defend his Premier League title and challenge across other fronts.

Gravenberch likes to drive the ball forward and covers a lot of ground in the middle of the park, and having a more rooted deep-lying playmaker beside him could prove a confluence of styles to make this Liverpool side even better, easing the workload that Mac Allister has had to carry.

Liverpool already have enough depth in midfield that this could prove an astute piece of business, and Slot’s coaching success on his countrymen this term suggests it might be worthwhile.

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