All posts by n8rngtd.top

Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst is set to embark upon his first summer transfer window in charge of the club in the coming months.

The Dutch head coach came in after last year’s dealings and was then backed in January with the signings of Aaron Ramsey, Mateusz Zukowski, James Sands and Amad Diallo.

John Souttar is officially set to join upon the expiry of his contract at Hearts to become the first signing of the 2022/23 campaign.

One player the club have now been urged to move for is Everton center-forward Ellis Simms. Former Gers striker Kenny Miller has tipped them to swoop for the Hearts loanee: “The one player in Scotland I’d look at for Rangers is Simms.

“I really like the look of him. When you see the trouble Rangers had with strikers towards the end of the season, it’s something I’d consider.”

Kemar Roofe 2.0

Van Bronckhorst can find a new striker to come in and challenge Alfredo Morelos for his place in the starting XI next season.

Simms, who was born in Oldham less than 90 miles from Roofe in Walsall, is another English-born centre-forward who has the potential to improve the club’s options at the top end of the pitch. The Jamaican international scored 10 goals in 21 league games as he played second fiddle to the Colombian and the Everton man can play a similar role.

In 11 Premiership starts, he produced five goals and one assist for Robbie Neilson’s side. This comes after he scored 10 goals in 19 League One starts for Blackpool in the previous campaign, with these two loan spells illustrating his knack for putting the ball in the back of the net.

Everton U23s Assistant John Ebbrell previously lauded the forward’s talents, saying: “What I do know with Ellis, if he ends up one-vs-one with the goalkeeper, he’s scoring.

“From experience, I know if you have time to think for that finish it can be difficult but Ellis is really calm and composed in those situations. He very rarely misses.”

Toffees reporter Chris Smith also dubbed him a “clinical finisher” and his aforementioned statistics back that up as he has an impressive strike rate at senior level during his loan spells – 15 goals in 30 starts.

Simms can come in and be the new Roofe to challenge Morelos for his throne at Ibrox. Cedric Itten tried and failed and now it is time for a new challenger to enter the fray.

At the age of 21, he has plenty of years left ahead of him to develop and the statistics in the early parts of his career show that he has an excellent base to build from. This is why Rangers must seal a deal to sign him from Everton, initially on loan or permanently, as he can be a superb addition to the squad.

AND in other news, Race won: Wilson lands Rangers deal for sought-after teenage gem, GvB will be buzzing…

Pundit Frank McAvennie has been left hailing some news that he has now heard from Newcastle United on Eddie Howe.

The Lowdown: New deal?

As per The Daily Mail, the St. James’ Park faithful are now set to open talks talks with Howe over a new deal.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-6/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

He only has two years left on the contract that he signed when he took over in the North East, and having guided them to safety in the Premier League, he is set to be rewarded with a new one.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie has now given his reaction to the news, with the 62-year-old claiming that it is ‘brilliant’ for both Howe and the Tynesiders:

“Eddie took a chance on Newcastle, he really believes in his own ability.

“I didn’t see this happening, how good Newcastle have been. I thought he would keep them up but I didn’t see them maybe finishing in the top 10.

“The work he has done is nothing short of miraculous. It’s why he’s been nominated for manager of the year.

“I’m not sure the fans were completely sold on him when he came in, maybe the owners weren’t either.

“A new deal would say ‘he is our guy for the future’. It would be a statement.

“It’s brilliant news for him personally as well, it’s deserved.”

The Verdict: Deserved

Howe’s new contract is thoroughly deserved, having guided Newcastle to safety with a few games to spare.

When he took over from Steve Bruce in November, the Magpies were 19th in the table and five points away from safety (BBC), and the 44-year-old has since managed to steer them well clear of the relegation zone.

Howe has been shortlisted for Manager of the Year as a result, despite not being at the Toon from the start of the season, so giving him a new contract is the least that the board can do after the job that he has done.

In other news, find out what ‘late’ NUFC injury update has now been shared here!

Former captain says circumstances for this year’s trip are ‘completely different’ from Covid tour of 2021-22

Vithushan Ehantharajah08-Oct-2025″Maybe it is,” laughs Joe Root, when asked if Matthew Hayden’s threat to walk naked across the Melbourne Cricket Ground is extra pressure on his shoulders.As Root heads into his fourth Ashes tour, Hayden has backed him to end his wait for a century on Australian shores. His previous 27 innings, dating back to 2013, have produced just nine fifties, but Hayden is so certain that that drought is about to end, he is willing to don his birthday suit for a stroll across the iconic ground if it doesn’t.Hayden’s comments on the “All Over Bar The Cricket” podcast came after co-host Greg Blewett had omitted Root from a combined Ashes XI for lacking in the hundred column. Both perspectives hint at a simple truth; the success of Test cricket’s second-highest runscorer correlates directly to England’s best chance Down Under since their famous 2010-11 success.It is a sentiment Root acknowledges to be true. But he is reluctant to ascribe his own legacy to England’s fortunes. Nor is he willing to dwell on the words of former Australians.”They are going to say what they want to say anyway, so why bother worrying about it?” Root says, matter-of-factly. “It doesn’t make a huge amount of difference. When we look back in five years’ time, no one is going to remember what Matthew Hayden said to me … Greg Blewett, Mark Waugh, whoever it is. They are going to look back on the scoreline and think that is a historic England win or not.”At the end of the day, this tour is not about me. If I am scoring runs and scoring heavily it gives us a great opportunity to win a series out in Australia. That is the main focus.”A narrower focus has paid dividends so far. Since relinquishing the captaincy in 2022 to Ben Stokes, Root has averaged 58.00 (lifting his career average to 51.29 in the process), with 14 hundreds converted from the 27 times he has passed fifty. Beyond scoring quicker – his strike-rate is 66.89 across this period – there is an evident sense of joy in his batting.Joe Root passes on some tips at an RBC skill share day•Chance to ShineThough he has been part of two successful home Ashes campaigns in 2013 and 2015, it is a joy the Australian public has not witnessed first-hand. Root’s maiden tour in 2013-14 resulted in him being dropped for the only time in his career as he averaged 27.42 amidst a 5-0 capitulation, before he captained successive 4-0 defeats, averaging 47.25 and 32.20, respectively.Root insists the burden of leadership did not contribute to his failings. But he was certainly hamstrung by situations around both tours.”I go there in a completely different capacity to last time, different circumstances, a lot more experience now and I feel like I have a really good understanding of my game and how I want to manage it in these conditions,” he says. “If I focus on that sort of stuff more than myself and my own individual stuff, I will give myself a way better chance.”The most recent tour, in 2021-22, came during the Covid-19 pandemic. Fears about touring among the England team – Root included – became a reality, as both sides felt the effects of the virus. Despite the severe restrictions of their trip, positive tests and forced isolations became a regular occurrence, with visiting head coach Chris Silverwood forced to miss the Sydney Test after a family member became England’s seventh Covid-19 case. Stuart Broad later suggested the tour should be considered “void”, feeling the burden on the players did not lend itself to “high-level performance”.Broad, having signed off his career in style at the end of the 2023 Ashes, will be out in Australia this time as a commentator for Channel Seven and SEN. “It’s not really in Stuart’s nature to wind up Australians is it?” Root jokes. “I’m sure he’ll be really well behaved.” Regardless of what extra support he may have from the commentary box, Root – now back in the ranks – urges his teammates make the most of this trip following that previous, chastening experience.”Are we going to be allowed out of our rooms? Is everyone going to make the plane? It is a completely different set of circumstances for everyone involved on that tour. There are so many different things they don’t have to deal with now.”I am really going to encourage the lads to really enjoy Australia as a country,” he adds. “Anyone that was on that previous tour didn’t get the chance to do that. It is a great place to go and play cricket and have the pleasure of visiting. We should absolutely go and explore it, and see all of the great things that come with being an international cricketer and playing in that country.”Root has struggled to produce his very best on his previous tours of Australia•Steve Bell/Getty ImagesRoot is one of five returning players this time around, along with Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Mark Wood and, of course, Stokes. The allrounder’s participation in 2021-22 was only confirmed late in the day, as he returned from a mental health break, having also struggled with a badly broken finger. Four years earlier, he had missed the 2017-18 campaign due to an ECB suspension, following his involvement in a fight outside a Bristol nightclub in September 2017.There is an argument to be made that this iteration of Stokes will be the best to touch down in Australia, even as he recovers from a right shoulder injury. Though he impressed on his first trip as a 22-year-old debutant in 2013-14, making a brilliant maiden century at Perth before taking 6 for 99 in Sydney, he has yet to show the Australian public the fruits of that early promise.It was only this summer, aged 34, that Stokes bettered that first series haul of 15 dismissals, claiming 17 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. And having seemingly rediscovered his verve with the bat – averaging 43.42 against India – Root believes form and leadership has forged a more complete Stokes.”He’s not really had many opportunities to be (himself in Australia) really, has he?” he says.”He’ll be ready. You look at him when he’s been running around at different county grounds, he’s making sure he’s absolutely ready. I’ve never seen him (like this)… making sure he’s done absolutely everything he can to be as fit as he can possibly be, as mentally ready, and as hungry as he is.Related

• Switch Hit: Ashes optimism department

• Pace is the ace: why you need quick bowlers to win in Australia

• Ashes tracker: Labuschagne shines as Konstas stumbles

• Doubts over Cummins' fitness for first Ashes Test grow, return remains unknown

• Cricketkind has received one of its greatest threats

“For him to be going out there as our leader of the back, off a series where he’s got the most wickets he’s ever got in a Test series, off the back of a Test hundred as well, and playing really well with the bat. In conditions which, I think, really suit the way he plays cricket; the bounce of the ball as a batter, and the way he combats pace. Clearly as a bowler, what he has to work with there, and his mentality and physicality, I think he’s got great attributes to exploit the conditions there.”So as a player alone, I think it’s going to be huge that he’s out there, he’s fit and he’s firing. But more so as a leader, and his mentality in bringing the best out of the players around him.”Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Stokes’ inspirational qualities is that, for the past two years, he has been moulding a new group of players. Only eight of the touring party played in 2023’s home Ashes, three of whom will be on their first Test tour of Australia. Yet, there are no fears that they will be overawed.Root points to big series such as 2023, and the India series – both at the start of 2024 and in the summer just gone – in which players have experienced high-pressure moments, irrespective of the fact that England have yet to win a five-Test series under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.He cites the struggles individuals have had – “a number of guys have had to weather a small storm in their career” – that will hold them in good stead for what, ultimately, is a bucket-list tour. One of the most important of their collective careers.Joe Root and Ben Stokes will be looking to right the wrongs of previous tours of Australia•Getty ImagesIndeed, Root’s biggest excitement comes from what some of those first-timers will provide – namely the pace of Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue. England may well roll out their fastest-ever combination for a Test match in Australia, when the teams line up for the opener at Perth’s Optus Stadium on November 21.”We’re going to be able to hit them with something quite different in terms of our bowling attack,” he says. “The opportunity to potentially play three or four bowlers that bowl 90mph-plus for a sustained period of time, which we haven’t had on the three previous tours there. And a batting order that is always going to look to put pressure on the opposition.”It’s not like we are going to go there with the same formula and expect different results. We are going to go there and try and do it a slightly different way which I think is really exciting. And the way we’ve been playing lines up well with how we want to go and attack all those conditions.”There are not many teams that can offer that when they go to Australia. The one team that has previously, recently anyway, is India and they’re the ones that have had the most success there. It’ll be interesting to see how that correlates with how we go about things.”This seam attack is a change from the norm, and very much by design. The onus on speed, which essentially brought an end to James Anderson’s career last year, has been driven by the desires of Stokes, McCullum and managing director Rob Key to form a battery of quicks capable of challenging all comers in all conditions – even in England, with the management ordering flatter pitches for their batters which require bowlers of sharper speeds and skills to take 20 wickets.Seamers have enjoyed more success in Australia in recent seasons, which heightens the sense that bowlers on both sides will be a determining factor this winter. “It looks like they’re slightly more bowler-friendly since Pat (Cummins) has been captain!” Root says of the pitches, tongue firmly in cheek.Of course, even with Australia’s struggles over the identity of their top three, and increasing uncertainty around Cummins’ back injury, nothing is being taken for granted. Particularly given England have not won a Test over there since 2011.”Clearly they’re a very good team. They’ve got a brilliant record at home against everyone but especially against us. I think it’s just a great oppportunity to go in, probably as big underdogs, and show them what we can do.”It’d be nice to put that right and bring the urn home. I just see it as a great opportunity for the group. There’s no other way to look at it, really. It’s exciting that we can go there with a completely different approach and just enjoy what a brilliant tour it is.”Just soak it all in, expect a little bit of ‘abuse’ or ‘banter’. It could be six weeks that live long in the memory if we get it right.”Joe Root was speaking as a brand ambassador for RBC Wealth Management, who are the Community Leadership Partner of children’s cricket charity Chance to Shine. He was speaking at an RBC skill share day, designed to develop the leadership skills and confidence of secondary school girls.

Will India go with spin-heavy, seam-heavy or find a middle ground?

Karthik Krishnaswamy30-Sep-20252:05

Chopra: A chance for Rahul to ‘right the wrongs’

Barring last-minute injury or illness, this is almost certainly how India will line up in the first Test against West Indies: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, X, Y, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.Who X and Y are will mostly come down to conditions. Two days before the Test match, the Ahmedabad pitch wore a healthy cover of grass; while some of it may be shaved off by day one, this is still likely to be a surface with some help for the quicks, which would be a significant departure from the sharp turners that have by and large defined India’s home Tests over the last four years or so.This makes India’s selection tricky, because recent history may have to go out of the window. To make things more complicated, the presence of four allrounders in their squad – of whom Jadeja, Washington and Axar Patel bowl spin and Nitish Kumar Reddy seam – allows them to choose from a mindboggling number of combinations, most of which make cricketing sense in one way or another.Related

• Between formats and futures: Shubman Gill's most unprecedented test yet

• From invincibles to uncertain: India begin home season with everything to prove yet again

• Gill: India won't be 'looking for any easy options' against West Indies

• The weight of the maroon cap: WI face test of identity in India

• Alzarri Joseph ruled out of India Test series with lower-back injury

Kuldeep, Axar or neither?

The luxury of having a plethora of spin-bowling allrounders has allowed India to play three spinners almost by default in their home Tests. A surface tilted towards seam could prompt a shift to two spinners, who are likely to be Jadeja and Washington, who can both bat in the top seven and turn their stock ball in opposite directions.This would mean India playing neither Kuldeep Yadav nor Axar.If India do go with three spinners, Kuldeep is likely to get the nod, given the variety he adds to the attack with his left-arm wristspin – Axar and Jadeja both bowl left-arm orthodox – and the fact that he needs less help from the surface to be able to test both edges of the bat consistently. He showed this in Dharamsala last year, picking up a day-one five-for against England when India’s fingerspinners found little assistance from the surface, after their seamers had beaten the bat frequently but lucklessly with the new ball.With India already likely to bat solidly down to No. 8, Kuldeep’s wicket-taking ability should outweigh any extra runs Axar may score.Axar, though, cannot be discounted for two reasons. One, Ahmedabad is his hometown, and the scene of three of his five Test-match five-fors (though they came on square turners in his debut series against England in 2021). Two, he has shown even in white-ball cricket that he is becoming a more rounded bowler, delivering with more overspin and pace variation than he used to in the past.

Prasidh, Reddy, or both?

Bumrah – unless India rest him, which they aren’t likely to in seam-friendly conditions – and Siraj are almost certain to play. Depending on how much grass remains at toss time, there’s a chance that India’s attack includes a third frontline quick in Prasidh Krishna.On Tuesday, Prasidh beat the bat consistently at the nets while getting through a solid bowling workload alongside Siraj and Reddy – Bumrah, Axar and Kuldeep, who have only just landed in India after the Asia Cup, did not bowl in the nets, though Gill, who also played that tournament, batted with the rest of the top order.Prasidh enjoys bowling at the Narendra Modi Stadium, particularly when India and his IPL franchise Gujarat Titans play on its red-soil pitches, which provide plenty of bounce. The pitch for the Test match is a red-soil strip. While Prasidh is yet to play a home Test, and has only played one first-class match at Motera, his white-ball record at the venue makes him a tempting option.He has nine wickets in three ODIs here – all against West Indies, for what it’s worth – at an average of 7.55, and more T20 wickets here (20 at an economy of 7.89) than anywhere else.The other seam option is the Reddy. The flexibility that Jadeja and Washington offer allows India to use Reddy in two ways. As X, his role would lean more towards batting, with either Prasidh or a third spinner taking the Y slot. As Y, he would be expected to shoulder the third seamer’s workload, with India picking a specialist batter in Devdutt Padikkal – or a fourth allrounder in Axar, which you cannot rule out in a team coached by Gautam Gambhir – as X.

The Atlanta Braves had been plagued by injuries to their starting pitching rotation, with multiple starters currently shelved with various ailments.

In dire need of healthy arms, the Braves took to the trade market and struck a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals in order to acquire veteran right-hander Erick Fedde, per a team announcement.

Fedde will step in as a much-needed starter who is ready to be deployed immediately. As it stands, Atlanta's starting pitchers currently on the injured list include Grant Holmes, Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo Lopez and AJ Smith-Shawver. All three of Holmes, Sale and Schwellenbach went down with injuries this month.

Fedde, 32, had been designated for assignment by St. Louis earlier in the week. He owns a 5.22 ERA with 63 strikeouts across 101 2/3 innings and 20 starts on the year. It's been a disappointing season for him after he logged a 3.30 ERA across 31 starts with the Cardinals and White Sox in 2024, but he'll be hoping to turn things around with the Braves.

Heading to the Cardinals in the trade are cash considerations and a player to be named later.

Liverpool may make their move for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo in January once his £65 million ($87m) release clause becomes active, as the situation involving Mohamed Salah continues to intensify behind the scenes. The Reds reportedly feel that this situation, coupled with rival interest in Semenyo, may force their hand and result in a mid-season bid for the Ghanaian.

• Liverpool could make January move for Semenyo amidst Salah uncertainty

  Semenyo is a top target for the Reds amongst several other Premier League sides, and has been touted for a big winter move ever since he shot to goalscoring form with Bournemouth in the early weeks of the season.

  It was revealed earlier this autumn that the 25-year-old has a release clause worth an initial £60m plus £5m in add-ons within his Cherries contract, inserted when he signed a new deal to fend off interest from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur over the summer.

  But an exit for the Ghana international feels an inevitability at this point, and Liverpool could be rivalled by Manchester City and Tottenham for his signature, amidst additional reported interest by Arsenal and Manchester United, both of whom are believed to be happy with their current strike-forces but are assessing the situation.

  Reported by The Mirror, Liverpool have been given ‘transfer impetus’ by the current circumstances involving Salah and this could accelerate their approach for Semenyo once the January transfer window opens. But Spurs could offer Semenyo the best financial package amidst the club's new ownership structure led by Joe Lewis' children and their ambitions for sustained success on the pitch, as per BBC Sport.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Salah exit could pave way for Semenyo Liverpool signing

  Semenyo has been touted as a possible long-term replacement for Salah for a number of months, but few would have expected a replacement to be needed as urgently as this January. Following the Egyptian’s recent outburst following last weekend’s 3-3 draw away at Leeds United, though, the situation may have rapidly changed.

  The 33-year-old Reds legend claimed he had been “thrown under a bus” by Arne Slot and the club, feeling as though he had been scapegoated for the club’s woeful run of form after the was dropped to the bench for three consecutive matches, only coming on as a substitute in one of them. Following his comments and the subsequent backlash by pundits and fans alike, Salah was left out of the squad to travel to Inter Milan entirely.

  Salah departs for AFCON at the beginning of next week and there are no guarantees that he will play for Liverpool ever again thereafter, amidst resurfacing rumours of an exit to the Saudi Pro League, who would relish the opportunity to secure the signing of one of the most famous footballers on the planet. 

  While a January exit for Salah would be an almighty turn of events in such a short space of time, comparable with when Cristiano Ronaldo departed Manchester United for Al-Nassr in January 2023, Liverpool’s pursuit of Semenyo reflects the fact that they feel planning for the future of their right-wing position has now become more urgent than ever.

• Ghana head coach Addo speaks on Semenyo's 'next step'

  The Mirror’s report continues that Liverpool may ‘have’ to move for Semenyo in January, with other situations ‘forcing their hand’ and resulting in the potential of a big-money move in the upcoming transfer window, which would take the Reds’ spending for the season over £500m ($669m).

  Semenyo has scored six goals and laid on three assists in the Premier League this season, and the belief amongst many is that he is ready for the big step up. This includes his Ghana head coach Otto Addo, while Bournemouth are reportedly ‘braced’ to lose their star man.

  Addo told The Athletic: “He has done very well at Bournemouth, but with all the respect for Bournemouth and what they’re doing, surely it is natural for him to take the next step. Whether it’s in the winter or summer, it is a different question but it won’t make a difference for us. I’m looking forward to him showing more of what he can to the world.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Semenyo's future expected to be decided early in January window

  Semenyo’s release clause is believed only to be active for the opening two weeks of the January window, meaning there is likely to be rapid progress on this deal if it was to go ahead this winter.

  Debate over the future of Salah is then likely to rage on until the back end of the window, with AFCON coming to a close on January 18. It will be fascinating to who will be taking up Liverpool’s right-wing position by February 1, and whether both of Salah and Semenyo can coexist in the same squad together if the Egyptian opts to stay put until at least the end of the season.

West Ham United have now set their sights on welcoming a Premier League rival to become Nuno Espirito Santo’s first signing at the club, according to reports.

Frankfurt end interest in Fullkrug

It could be a fairly busy January transfer window on all fronts for West Ham as Nuno looks to mark his stamp on the side. The Hammers endured a frustrating summer transfer window and watched on as Graham Potter paid the price. In just under a month, however, they’ve got the chance to make up for lost time.

West Ham are brewing another Potts and he finishes just like Jarrod Bowen

West Ham United could have another Potts-esque academy gem on their hands who could be the next Jarrod Bowen.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 3, 2025

That should see a number of reinforcements arrive, but it could also spell the end for a handful of current stars. And one of those likely to leave is Niclas Fullkrug. The towering German has simply never got going at the London Stadium and now finds himself behind the pecking order to Callum Wilson.

He desperately needs a move away, but that move won’t come courtesy of Eintracht Frankfurt. Despite initial interest, the Bundesliga side have reportedly dropped out of the race to sign the former Borussia Dortmund man.

Where that leaves the 32-year-old is the big question. There reportedly remains interest from Italian giants AC Milan and there’s little doubt that a winter sale would be the best outcome for all parties.

In the meantime, the Hammers must look towards the transfer market for reinforcements of their own. Whilst a striker should sit top of their priority list, it is also worth noting that they could do with further competition for Alphonse Areola following Mads Hermansen’s struggles. And that could come courtesy of Jose Sa.

West Ham targeting Jose Sa move

According to Football Insider, West Ham are now targeting a move to sign Sa as Nuno looks to raid his old club in 2026. The goalkeeper was recently dropped by new manager Rob Edwards and could only watch on as his replacement, Sam Johnstone, also struggled between the sticks.

Sa, who is represented by the same agent as Mateus Fernandes, is certainly not short on experience. The 32-year-old has been in the Premier League for the last four years and has maintained his starting place for the most part. As backups go, he would be a solid option for West Ham.

The choice between Sa and Johnstone may be a tad more complicated these days, but it wasn’t so long ago that Gary O’Neil was full of praise for the former, saying in 2024: “There’s no headache, no. Johnstone was injured today. Jose’s trained really well and been excellent. Sam was injured, Jose was excellent and has always been ready. There’s no headache, it’s really clear where we go next.”

The goalkeeper’s arrival wouldn’t steal the biggest headlines at the London Stadium, by any means. Alas, it would solve Nuno’s frustrating Hermansen problem.

Nuno must cash in on West Ham star who's quickly becoming the new Di Canio

Inter head coach Cristian Chivu faces a severe defensive crisis ahead of the pivotal Champions League showdown against Liverpool, as key summer signing Manuel Akanji missed the final training session on Monday, leaving the Nerazzurri dangerously exposed against Arne Slot’s prolific attack.

• Chivu rocked by latest fitness concern

  The atmosphere at the Inter training centre was noticeably tense on Monday morning as the team conducted their final preparations ahead of the monumental Champions League showdown against Liverpool. What should have been a routine session of tactical fine-tuning turned into a source of major anxiety for head coach Chivu, as key defender Akanji was absent from the group.

  The Swiss centre-back, who arrived on loan from Manchester City on deadline day and has since established himself as a pillar of the Nerazzurri backline, did not participate in the final training session before the midweek match. Reports emerging from Appiano Gentile suggest that the defender is suffering from flu-like symptoms, a concern that has cast a shadow over his availability for the upcoming European fixture. For a manager still finding his feet at the elite level like Chivu, losing his most dynamic defender on the eve of facing the English champions poses a huge concern. The club medical staff are reportedly working around the clock, but with the game less than 48 hours away, the odds of the 30-year-old starting are drifting swiftly from possible to unlikely.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Inter stretched thin for Liverpool clash

  Akanji's potential absence exposes the fragility of an Inter squad that underwent significant surgery in the summer. When the club sanctioned the loan of Benjamin Pavard to Marseille and brought in the Swiss international as his temporary replacement, the logic was sound: swap one elite defender for another. However, that decision relies heavily on the fitness of the new arrival, and with Akanji now sidelined, the depth chart looks alarmingly thin.

  Chivu is now forced to shuffle a pack that is already light on options. The veteran Stefan de Vrij is the natural replacement in the centre of the back three, but the Dutchman lacks the recovery pace that makes Akanji so effective in a high line. Alternatively, the manager could turn to the towering Yann Aurel Bisseck, a player of immense promise but one who arguably lacks the experience for a high-stakes duel against Premier League opposition. The defensive unit, anchored by Alessandro Bastoni, relies on chemistry and fluid movement; removing a key cog like the former Borussia Dortmund man disrupts the entire mechanism. 

• Akanji absence could be fatal for Inter

  Facing Liverpool is a daunting task at the best of times, but doing so without your quickest centre-back is flirting with disaster. Under Arne Slot, the Reds evolved into a ruthless transition machine, and their attack is specifically designed to exploit gaps in opposition backlines. However, they are set to take to the field without Mohamed Salah amid the breakdown in his relationship with Slot and the Reds' ongoing struggles this season.

  Akanji’s greatest asset is his ability to cover wide channels and manage one-on-one situations, traits that are essential when facing the pace of striker Alexander Isak or the creative wizardry of Florian Wirtz. Without him, Inter risk being exposed to rapid counter-attacks, particularly if they try to impose their possession game. De Vrij or Francesco Acerbi offer positional intelligence, but if they are isolated against the speed of the Liverpool forwards, the result could be catastrophic. The English giants are struggling this season with just one win from their last six matches, but they still have the firepower to punish even the smallest error, having beaten Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt in the competition before their shock 4-1 defeat at home to PSV last time out.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  What comes next?

  The dilemma facing the Inter boss is classic risk-versus-reward. He could hand a start to Bisseck or De Vrij in the biggest game of the campaign so far, but will be concerned about the structure of his backline for such a big game. A pragmatic approach might see Inter sit deeper to protect their slower defenders, inviting pressure from a Liverpool side that loves to dominate the ball. The final decision will likely be made on the morning of the match, after one last fitness test. Until then, the Nerazzurri camp remains in a state of suspended animation, waiting to see if their defensive leader can pull off a miracle recovery. If not, it will be up to the remaining soldiers to form a shield wall capable of repelling the English invaders.

The magnitude of Tottenham Hotspur’s victory over Brentford in the Premier League last weekend cannot be understated. Had the Bees taken the spoils against their old boss, Thomas Frank, the atmosphere down N17 may have become poisonous.

But Spurs rallied after a tough run of results, secured three points, restored the faith that this new system, more pragmatic, better organised, will stop spinning its wheels and start showcasing actual progress.

The magnitude of Xavi Simons’ magnificent solo goal, breaking his duck, cannot be understated, but neither can the fact that some Lilywhites are still flattering to deceive after last season’s inconsistency, and that needs to change.

Spurs' most disappointing players in 25/26

Simons has probably been the most salient disappointment at Tottenham this season, but there is hope that the Dutch playmaker has turned a corner after a standout showing last time out.

However, Randal Kolo Muani’s struggles rage on, the French loanee yet to score in a white shirt. There’s a real player in there, but given Spurs’ attacking problems, Frank will expect more.

Analyst Raj Chohan clearly feels Tottenham need to make a change in the engine room, calling Rodrigo Bentancur a “candidate for worst centre-midfielder at a big six club”.

Bentancur is directly inhibiting Spurs’ central build-up play, but he’s not alone in flattering to deceive, with Pedro Porro’s creativity unable to detract from some really poor defensive displays, lacking awareness and physicality in the challenge.

Porro has been well below the standard this season, but he is not alone in struggling to adapt to Frank’s tactics. Indeed, there’s another defender who simply can’t bring it all together at the moment, and in this, he runs the risk of becoming the London club’s new version of Ryan Sessegnon.

Spurs' new version of Ryan Sessegnon

In 2019, Tottenham signed Sessegnon from Fulham for a whopping £25m fee. He had enjoyed a stunning start to senior life at Craven Cottage, but fell by the wayside after incessant hamstring injuries, five in five years down N17.

One half-season loan spell aside, in 2020/21 with Hoffenheim in Germany, the fact that the 25-year-old only made 57 appearances tells much of his problems, unable to reach the potential that was clear for all to see.

Sessegnon is now enjoying a measure of revival back at Fulham, but his door at Tottenham has been closed, and fans may be worried that lightning is striking twice with Destiny Udogie, who has struggled for form this season after a few injury-hit years in the capital.

Udogie, 23, also has a shoddy track record on the fitness front, with Frank confirming ahead of Tottenham’s Champions League tie against Slavia Prague this week that the Italy international is sidelined until the new year after tweaking his hamstring against Brentford.

For a player who was considered by Clinton Morrison on BBC Sport to be “the best left-back” in the country when he broke onto the scene in 2023/24, this is a real concern. Udogie appears somewhat stagnant, having yet to raise his level to the standard that he can surely reach.

There will be heightened fears that this season could become another write-off after this latest blow. Udogie needs stability and a landscape on which he can take forward strides, and having been ruled out for the remainder of the calendar year, Spurs’ left-sided balance has been knocked out of kilter and so have the defender’s chances of restoring full fluency.

Sofascore outline the player’s struggles, and it’s not pretty reading. Udogie has only won 46% of his duels in the Premier League this season, completing 27% of his dribbles and averaging only 0.6 key passes per match. One coach said that he “needs to wake up” from a defensive perspective this term.

So much has been left to be desired by a rising star who has ebbed and flowed and found himself lower on the chart than he would have envisaged a few years ago.

If injuries continue to weigh him down, we may be looking at Sessegnon 2.0 here.

Their new Son: Spurs have held advanced talks to sign a future £100m player

Tottenham are looking to add fresh quality to their attacking flanks in 2026.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 8, 2025

Most of the attention on the Pittsburgh Pirates' rotation a year ago centered on Paul Skenes, but Jared Jones quietly had a fine year as well.

The 22-year-old went 6-8 in 22 starts for the Pirates last year, posting a 4.14 ERA with slightly better peripheral numbers. He struck out 132 batters in 121 2/3 innings, and appeared positioned to serve as a building block for future Pittsburgh teams.

In March, however, Jones sprained his elbow. On Wednesday, the Pirates said he would go under the knife to treat the injury.

"We will learn of the details of the specifics of the surgery and ultimately the prognosis and timeframe for return," Pittsburgh director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said via MLB.com.

The news comes amid a poor start for the Pirates, who currently hold a 16-33 record. They already trail the Chicago Cubs by 13 games in the National League Central.

Skenes remains potent—his 2.44 ERA ranks fifth in the league—but he can't do it alone.