Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has now identified a “special” Real Madrid star as a priority target, joining several other Premier League clubs in the race for his signature.

Man Utd's attacking prowess on show in win at Molineux

Man United returned to winning ways on Monday night, putting in a quality attacking performance to secure a 4-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux, with Bruno Fernandes bagging a brace.

Bryan Mbeumo also bagged his sixth goal of the Premier League season in the rout, with Mason Mount getting in on the act too, and Amorim was very impressed by the Englishman’s performance.

After the attacking midfielder scooped up the Player of the Match award, Amorim said: “He can defend, he can attack, the quality when he touches the ball is really good, so it’s not a surprise for me,”

“He’s a different type of leader. It’s not like Licha [Lisandro Martinez], for example. It’s a guy that leads by the example.”

With Matheus Cunha also grabbing an assist in the routine win, which lifted United to sixth in the table, Amorim clearly has plenty of top-quality forward options at his disposal, but a Real Madrid attacker is now of interest.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Man United are now stepping up their pursuit of Arda Guler, who has been identified as a priority target by Amorim ahead of next summer.

Arsenal and Liverpool are also in the race for Guler’s signature, with Arne Slot’s side believed to be leading the race as things stand, although Madrid aren’t planning to sanction a departure easily.

The Turk is viewed as an important part of the Spanish side’s long-term project, so it remains to be seen whether the Red Devils can tempt them into a sale.

"Special" Guler could be fantastic long-term signing for Man Utd

Just 20-years-old, the attacking midfielder has managed to establish himself as an important player for Real Madrid this season, amassing three goals and seven assists across 21 matches in all competitions.

Former manager Carlo Ancelotti has also waxed lyrical about the starlet, saying: “I think the closer to goal, the better. He is very effective, he scores a lot with little space, he has a special talent. He shows it better closer to the goal.”

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1

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4 days ago

Having already proven himself at a high level, setting up two goals in the Champions League in 2025-26, and scoring six goals in 26 appearances for Turkey, the £87k-a-week youngster could be a fantastic long-term addition to Amorim’s squad.

He’s been described as “the single best midfield prospect in world football” by writer Neal Gardner and the fact he finished second in the 2025 Golden Boys rankings, only behind PSG’s Desire Doue, says a lot.

That said, it is somewhat difficult to envisage Madrid sanctioning a sale, given that Guler remains under contract until 2029, so there is no pressing need to cash-in, and he has been a key player for Xabi Alonso this season.

Arne Slot says he has "no clue" whether Mohamed Salah has played his last game for Liverpool after claiming the club had "thrown him under the bus". The 33-year-old was an unused substitute in the Reds' 3-3 draw with Leeds United at the weekend, prompting him to state that "someone doesn't want him" at the title holders. Now, Slot has addressed the matter for the first time.

Salah in angry Liverpool tirade

Less than an hour after Liverpool's thrilling draw with Leeds on Saturday, the Egypt international was taking swipes at the club and manager Slot. The former Chelsea man claimed he had earned his right in the starting XI after being on the bench more often than not of late, and that someone at the Merseyside outfit wanted him to "get all of the blame".

He told journalists: "I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden we don't have any relationship. I don't know why but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. This club, I will always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much and I always will. It [the situation] is not acceptable to me, to be fair. I don't get it. It's like I'm being thrown more under the bus. I don't think I'm the problem. I have done so much for this club. I don't have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it. I am not bigger than anyone but I earned my position. It's football. It is what it is."

AdvertisementGetty/GOALSlot responds to Salah's outburst

In response, Liverpool decided against Salah being part of their squad for their Champions League game against Inter Milan on Tuesday. And on Monday evening, manager Slot said he doesn't think his authority is under threat off the back of the Egyptian's remarks. 

He told reporters: "I don't feel that my authority has been undermined. It's not the way I feel it. It's not about me, if my life is difficult, yes or no, that's not very important in a situation like this. It's if it is more difficult for the team and for the club. No one likes us to be in the situation we're in at the moment. First of all, it's difficult to see staff members who work so hard are affected by the situation we're in now. Mainly because of the results. I'm the manager, I have to pick a team so to a certain extent I'm important, but my focus is on the team and not on me."

In the wake of this drama, speculation has mounted that Liverpool and Salah will part company soon. However, the former Feyenoord manager didn't go that far. 

When asked if the ex-Roma ace has played his last game for Liverpool, he replied: "I have no clue. I cannot answer that question at this moment in time."

What is Slot's relationship like with Salah now?

Salah, who trained with the first team on Monday, said he no longer had a good relationship with Slot after being an unused substitute in two of Liverpool's last three league games. But it seems the Dutchman still has hope that relations can improve between the two. 

"We let him know that he's not travelling with us so that was the only communication that there has been from us to him," he said. "Of course, before Saturday, the two of us have spoken a lot. Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. That's not the way I feel [that relationship has broken down] but he has the right to feel how he feels things. I haven't felt that at all – until Saturday evening, for sure. When I didn't play him, usually players don't like the manager that much but he was very respectful to my staff, to his teammates and he trained really hard. So, to an extent, it was a surprise to me when I heard after the game that he gave the comments that he gave. Like I said, it's not the first time and won't be the last time that when a player doesn't play, that he says something similar to what he did. My reaction to that is also clear. He isn't here tonight."

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Getty Images SportWas Salah thrown under the bus by Liverpool?

Salah will head to the Africa Cup of Nations next week, with the Premier League clash against Brighton this weekend set to be his last game before flying out to Morocco. When asked if he understood why the veteran said he had been thrown under the bus, Slot opted against wading into those murkier waters.

"I would need to know what he means by it and why he says this, who he is referring to," he said. "I have not had that conversation, no, not with those words. Usually I'm calm and polite but that doesn't mean I'm weak. If a player has these comments about so many things then it is up to me, us, as a club, to react and you can see now that he's not here."

Ireland leave Bangladesh with a 2-0 Test series defeat but their 26-year-old allrounder has impressed with his batting ability

Mohammad Isam23-Nov-2025

In the aftermath of their 217-run defeat to Bangladesh, Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie was still proud of the fight put up by Curtis Campher, Gavin Hoey and Jordan Neill on the fifth day in Dhaka.The visitors batted 59.3 overs on Sunday, holding Bangladesh up till almost the tea break, when Hasan Murad removed Hoey and Matthew Humphreys with successive deliveries. Nobody could remove Campher though. He made an unbeaten 71 having faced the greatest number of balls by an Ireland batter in the fourth innings of a Test match (259). Hoey was second on the list with 104.”[Curtis Campher] is someone that is hard to get out when he is in his bubble,” Balbirnie said. “He is very determined not to get out even when he is in the nets. He has such a strong defense, he showed that today.”Bangladesh were pushed to a little bit of an extreme, bowling 100 overs for the first time in the fourth innings at Shere Bangla National stadium. Campher played a big part in that.Related

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“If he puts his mind to it, he can do it,” Balbirnie said. “It is a shame that no one from the top and middle order could hang around for long enough. I think the batters showed fight today, to bat till just before tea on the fifth day. We were behind the game a lot. Bangladesh deserved to win the series 2-0.”Balbirnie also talked about Hoey and his recently-developed skillset as an allrounder: “I play with Gavin in club cricket in Dublin. I have known him since he was a kid. His dad was an Irish international in the 1990s. He was a legspinner as well. I think [Hoey] has only been bowling legspin since [Covid] lockdown, so it’s been five years. He was a seam bowler [earlier].Andy Balbirnie was candid about Ireland’s inability to bat for long periods•ECB/Getty Images

“So to have that skillset in this short time is really impressive. He will get better and better from experiences like this. We have to make sure that he gets enough overs under his belt. We need to have our spinners develop consistency so that we do well in these conditions.”Ireland had some hope of batting the day out and coming away with a draw. “[There were expectations] probably just before Murad took the two wickets,” Balbirnie said. “There was a small bit of excitement in the dressing room at that drinks break. Credit to the Bangladesh spinners. They don’t miss their line and length too often. They test batters a lot. The two wickets in two balls put an end to that [hope] pretty quickly. It was an enthralling day’s play. I think Curtis can be proud of his work today.”The fact that the Test match stretched to the fifth day was also a tribute to the type of pitch prepared for the encounter. “A lot of us had seen the West Indies ODI series. We were a bit nervous coming here,” Balbirnie said, referring to pitches that had, on one occasion, witnessed fifty overs of spin in the first innings. “When we arrived, we thought [the pitch] would break up quickly, but it held together. There was turn, but it wasn’t every ball. It was a good cricket wicket. I thought it was a pretty fair wicket. We had two good wickets over the two Tests.”Balbirnie was also candid about what Ireland hoped for from the series. “We had won three Tests in a row before coming here, so there was confidence in the group,” he said. “We had to manage our expectations. You are coming to places that have experienced cricketers.”We are trying to get that consistency. Our top-order didn’t fire for the last two games. Bangladesh’s top-order showed us how to do it – to bat for a long time and get big hundreds. [Their batting] was the big difference. We weren’t competitive against Bangladesh for longer periods. They showed their class over the nine days,” he said.

While this season is shaping up to be a spectacular one for Arsenal, Sunday was a disappointment for Mikel Arteta and Co.

The Spaniard’s team looked second best in their Premier League game against then-second-placed Chelsea, and then failed to capitalise when the Blues went down to ten men.

With that said, while it was a poor showing from the Gunners, they were without a number of the best players, like William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães and just as important, Leandro Trossard.

The Belgian has been in scintillating form for Arsenal in recent months, and yet, if reports are to be believed, the club are looking to sign someone who’d be a significant upgrade.

Arsenal target Trossard upgrade

During the summer, it looked like Trossard would be leaving Arsenal, as he didn’t have a great campaign and was linked with clubs like Bayern Munich.

Transfer Focus

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

However, the former Brighton & Hove Albion gem stayed, was handed a pay rise, and since then has played like a man possessed.

For example, it was his thunderous effort against Sunderland that ensured the Gunners left with a point, and then against Tottenham Hotspur, he scored and assisted a goal.

However, even with performances such as these, it looks like the North Londoners are looking to sign an upgrade on the 30-year-old.

At least that is according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, which claims Arsenal are interested in Michael Olise.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the club have placed the Frenchman at the top of their wishlist for next year and, with Sporting Director Andrea Berta, are already laying the groundwork for the deal.

However, it won’t be a cheap transfer to get over the line, with the report claiming that it will cost in excess of £100m to convince Bayern Munich to sell their star attacker.

Even so, given Olise’s immense ability and further potential, this is a deal Arsenal should be going all out for, especially as he’d be a significant upgrade on Trossard.

How Olise compares to Trossard

So the first thing to get out of the way is that, yes, Olise is primarily a right-sided player, and Trossard plays mostly on the left.

However, Arteta has made it quite clear with the signing of Noni Madueke that he is more than happy to play wingers on the opposite flank, and given the Frenchman’s immense ability, it feels like he should have no problem playing out there.

Moreover, when the former Chelsea ace has played in the team, he and Bukayo Saka have swapped sides back and forth during games, which suggests the manager has almost moved beyond the idea of a wide player starting and sticking to a position as matches progress.

With all that said, why would the former Crystal Palace star, who shone with Eberechi Eze in South London, be an upgrade on the Belgian?

Well, the first and most important reason is the simple fact that he is a far more potent goal threat, be that through scoring or assisting them.

A “magician” – according to Bayern teammate Dayot Upamecano – in 20 appearances this season, totalling 1583 minutes, he’s scored nine goals and provided ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.05 games, or every 83.31 minutes.

In contrast, the former Brighton star has scored five goals and provided five assists in 16 appearances, totalling 948 minutes, which averages out to a goal involvement every 1.6 games, or every 94.8 minutes.

The second reason is that, at just 23 years old, the 13-capped international has far more upside than the 30-year-old and should even improve in the coming seasons.

Finally, on top of his better output, the former Reading man also comes out on top when you take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

1.00

0.38

Progressive Carries

5.70

2.63

Progressive Passes

6.40

3.63

Shots on Target

1.99

0.62

Passing Accuracy

81.4%

69.3%

Key Passes

2.60

1.38

Shot-Creating Actions

6.68

3.25

Goal-Creating Actions

1.10

0.37

Successful Take-Ons

2.40

0.88

For example, he comes out ahead in the most critical metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, successful take-ons, goal and shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Trossard is a brilliant player, but Olise is clearly superior in practically every way and more than justifies Oliver Glasner’s claim that he’s “one of the best talents in the world.”

Therefore, even if it costs a king’s ransom, Arsenal should do all they can to sign him in 2026.

Their next Eze: Berta agrees deal to sign "exciting" new star for Arsenal

The hugely promising teenage talent could one day become Arsenal’s heir to Eberechi Eze.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 2, 2025

Left-arm spinner has had to wait for her chance but has seized it at first opportunity in Guwahati

Valkerie Baynes03-Oct-2025Four months into her ODI career, four overs into her maiden 50-over World Cup, Linsey Smith made quite the impact, wrecking South Africa beyond repair as her England side secured an emphatic 10-wicket win in their opening match.Smith, the 30-year-old left-arm spinner, walked off the Barsapara Stadium field at the innings break – which arrived after 20.4 overs – with the stunning figures of 3 for 7 from four overs. She dismissed the usually formidable top-order of Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp as the Proteas collapsed to 19 for 4, before being bowled out for just 69.Smith was the pick of the England bowlers, who capitalised on lacklustre batting from a South African line-up devoid of footwork and thoughtful shot selection where only Sinalo Jafta, promoted to No.6, reached double figures with 22.Almost as impressive was Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 2 for 5 from three overs as she joined Lauren Bell in a two-pronged seam attack, having bowled just 9.3 overs in warm-up games since the WPL final in mid-March owing to an Achilles tendon injury.Bell dismissed Sune Luus, South Africa’s other top-order batter, while spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean took two wickets apiece.Smith’s performance was made all the more impressive given what had gone before.Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont mopped up England’s 10-wicket win over South Africa•ICC/Getty ImagesHaving made her T20I debut in 2018, Smith played her first ODI against West Indies in Derby in May and took a five-for. That was after she had been recalled to England’s T20I squad for last winter’s tour of New Zealand. Her absence of nearly five years told of her struggle to break into a squad boasting the world’s best left-arm spinner, Ecclestone.Smith earned a place at last year’s T20 World Cup, six years after her previous appearance at the tournament, and held her own in what was a disappointing campaign for England. Ahead of that event, she told ESPNcricinfo that she had feared her chance had passed her by.She played in only one T20I during the ill-fated Ashes tour of Australia in January then, during the 2025 home summer, she was the leading wicket-taker in three ODIs against West Indies with seven at 9.00 and an economy rate of 3.15. Against India, however, she played just two of the three ODIs, taking three wickets at 34.00 and 6.80, before just one more in three T20Is, which left her feeling on edge.”I definitely felt the pressure and the nerves coming into this,” Smith said. “But to start the competition how I have, and put in a performance for the team to get a big win, is something I’m really happy with.”England’s captain, Scvier-Brunt, opted to field first, hoping the pitch would improve for batting under lights, then called on Smith to open the bowling on a surface that ultimately didn’t offer huge assistance to spinners or seamers.That was proven when Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont navigated the meagre run-chase with an unbeaten 40 off 50 balls and a 34-ball 17 not out respectively.No stranger to opening the bowling at domestic level or in T20Is, where she has done it six times in 22 appearances for England, the decision for Smith to share the new ball with Bell was premeditated, and paid off handsomely as the pair defied South Africa, Smith with drift and Bell with swing.Sune Luus loses her stumps to Lauren Bell•ICC/Getty Images”I found out yesterday, which was nice, a bit of a heads-up,” Smith said. “It’s nothing that I’m too surprised by, I think it suits my bowling well. I enjoy the competition and the toughness of it and I’m glad that it came off today.”The conversations I had with Nat and Lottie (head coach Charlotte Edwards) was just about backing what I’ve done well over the years in domestic cricket. That’s, more often than not, try and hit the stumps and put a lot of pressure on the batters that way.”Smith took centre stage with her second delivery, in the second over of the day – a straightforward caught-and-bowled, as Wolvaardt sent a leading edge straight back to her with a shot indicative of the South African batting to come.Wolvaardt’s fellow opener, Brits, had made back-to-back ODI centuries against Pakistan just over a fortnight ago, but Smith splattered her leg stump with the first ball of her next over, finding devastating drift to slip through the gate.Bell then bowled Luus with an inswinger before Smith brought that drift to the fore again to beat Kapp’s forward defence and smash middle stump.Sciver-Brunt entered the attack in the eighth over and struck with first ball in each of her first two, trapping Anneke Bosch – preferred to Annerie Dercksen at No. 5 – directly in front of middle and leg stumps and enticing a leading edge from Chloe Tryon which went to Alice Capsey at mid-on.With leg-spinner Sarah Glenn on the bench, Ecclestone and Dean played their part.Ecclestone drew an attempted drive from Nadine de Klerk with one that straightened, Heather Knight gratefully accepting the catch at slip, and removed a charging Jafta, who took a wild swing at a slower ball that crashed into off stump.Related

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• Smith and Jones set seal on England's rout of South Africa

Dean twice beat the bat to rattle off stump as Masabata Klaas played for some non-existent turn and Nonkululeko Mlaba swung through thin air to one that angled in, consigning South Africa to their lowest ODI total against England and their second-lowest total at a World Cup, after their 51 all out against New Zealand in 2009.The diminutive Smith chose not to question her elevation to opening bowler in this format, relishing the opportunity just as she has done with her ODI career.”I don’t know why Lottie made the decision to be honest, but that was what she went with, and I was happy be the one that they turned to,” she said. “I’m not your most traditional spinner. I’m not going to get the turn and bounce that necessarily Sophie gets, which is why I think we work well together in the team. But for me it was just about trying to hone in on the stumps as much as possible.”I’m not the tallest so I won’t get much bounce, which I think can help in these conditions. A few kept low today as well, which suited me. It’s early days in my ODI career, which is something I’ve really strived towards, so I’m just delighted I could help the team win today.”

Manchester United’s failings in the Premier League over the last couple of years have been there for all to see, with the fans undoubtedly growing frustrated by the lack of success.

The side have now failed to win the league in each of the last 12 campaigns, with Sir Alex Ferguson the last manager in charge to lift the league title at Old Trafford.

However, Ruben Amorim will be hoping that he can be the man to end such a drought, but it’s safe to say his time in the role to date has failed to lift off in recent months.

He was only able to secure a 15th-place finish in England’s top-flight last time around, with the hierarchy already spending over £200m on new additions since his arrival.

The manager has already made some bold calls on the future of some players at the Theatre of Dreams, including one player who massively failed to deliver in 2024/25.

The stats behind Andre Onana’s struggles in 2024/25

During the 2024/25 campaign, numerous players have failed to deliver in the Premier League – but none more so than goalkeeper Andre Onana, with the shot-stopper costing the side in key moments.

The Cameroonian joined the Red Devils in a £47.2m deal back in the summer of 2023, with such a move potentially going down as one of the worst in the club’s history.

He maintained the number one shirt for the majority of the campaign, but Amorim made the decision to offload him during the recent summer transfer window.

Onana left to join Turkish side Trabzonspor on a season-long loan after the arrival of Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp, a decision that proved to be the right one given his struggles in 2024/25.

The 29-year-old featured 50 times across all competitions last campaign, but made nine direct errors that led to goals, many of which came in key moments.

He could only muster a 67% save percentage in England’s top-flight last season, whilst also failing to impress in possession – as seen by his pass accuracy of just 68%.

However, one player within the current side has taken over from the goalkeeper in terms of failing to deliver, which could leave the manager with a huge call to make in the months ahead.

Man Utd's biggest liability since Onana

Patrick Dorgu has certainly been a player who has left fans frustrated at United over the last couple of months, especially after the excitement generated around his move 11 months ago.

The Danish international arrived in a £30m deal from Italian side Lecce, with real promise that the youngster could provide a long-term solution to their left-back issues.

However, in 2025/26 alone, he’s massively struggled with the demands of the Premier League, as seen by his tally of just seven league starts out of a possible 13.

His underlying stats in and out of possession this season showcase his struggles, with the manager taking the right call to drop him from his starting eleven in recent weeks.

Dorgu has completed just 72% of passes in 2025/26, whilst also making just 3.4 ball recoveries – with both stats ranking him in the bottom 20% of players in the division.

However, despite the Dane’s struggles, fellow full-back Diogo Dalot has also been under fire as of late and rightfully so given his poor form under Amorim for the Red Devils.

The Portuguese international, who’s usually a right-sided full-back, has often been called upon to feature in a left-wing-back role, which has no doubt affected his performances.

During his seven-year stint at Old Trafford, he’s been known to be more dominant out of possession rather than with the ball at his feet – with Amorim needing to take responsibility for his continued selection.

The recent victory over Crystal Palace may have been an impressive win for the side, but it didn’t stop Dalot from being able to fall below the standards expected of him once again.

Minutes played

90

Touches

68

Passes completed

71%

Dribbles completed

0

Crosses completed

0

Long balls completed

0

Shots on target

0

Tackles won

1

He featured for the entirety of the victory at Selhurst Park, but was unable to complete any of his attempted dribbles, whilst also failing to find a teammate with any of his crosses.

Dalot’s struggles continued in attacking areas, subsequently being unable to direct any of his two shots on target – something which he’s been unable to do all season long.

However, he also failed to deliver when trying to stop the opposition, as seen by just one tackle won and one interception made – resulting in Adam Joseph labelling him “toothless”.

It’s evident that the 26-year-old is massively unsuited to his current wing-back role, but Amorim has made no efforts to try and resolve the current situation at hand.

The first team have massively struggled for quality in wide areas since the manager’s arrival 12 months ago, with such an issue rearing its head right before the January window.

As for Dalot, he’s constantly proving to be an unreliable figure, with the defender potentially emulating Onana’s failures if no change is made in the near future.

Better than Dorgu: Man Utd plot move to sign 'the world's most coveted LB'

Manchester United look set to make yet another big-money move in the defensive department.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 2, 2025

Both teams picked four seam options with Nortje returning for his first international game since last year’s T20 World Cup final

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Dec-2025India went back to losing the toss under a new captain in the first T20I against South Africa, after winning the toss in the series decider in the ODIs. As expected, Aiden Markram chose to chase with dew expected to play a role in the night. Suryakumar Yadav wasn’t too fussed, expecting having to bowl with the wet ball.India welcomed back Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya to the XI after injury-forced breaks. “The body feels perfectly fine physically, I spent some time at the COE [BCCI’s Centre of Excellence],” Gill said. “Perfectly fine physically and mentally feeling ready. I had a disc bulge in my neck which was hitting the nerves. When I went there [to bat in the Kolkata Test], I had a bit of a spasm before the start of play in the morning. And when I played the game, I got a bulge which hit the nerve and had to go the hospital for a couple of days but recovered well after that.”Japsrit Bumrah, who was rested for the ODIs, also returned to the XI for the first T20I, along with the format’s specialists – Suryakumar, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakravarthy, Jitesh Sharma. India decided they needed two quicks in the XI, which meant Kuldeep Yadav was left out. They went for Arshdeep Singh ahead of Harshit Rana as the second fast bowler, which meant India had batting depth till No. 8 and not No. 9. Axar Patel, left out for the ODIs, was listed at No. 8. Varun, Arshdeep and Bumrah were nine, ten and eleven.South Africa welcomed back Anrich Nortje, David Miller and Donovan Ferreira into the XI. Lutho Sipamla and Lungi Ngidi were the other two fast bowlers to go with Nortje and Marco Jansen, and Keshav Maharaj the lone frontline spinner.India: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 8 Axar Patel, 9 Varun Chakravarthy, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Jasprit BumrahSouth Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Aiden Markram (capt), 3 Tristan Stubbs, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 David Miller, 6 Donovan Ferreira, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Lutho Sipamla, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Lungi Ngidi

Left out, written off, then crowned Player of the Final in a tournament Shafali Verma wasn’t even meant to play. If that’s not destiny, what is?

Sruthi Ravindranath03-Nov-20258:05

‘What dream? We’re living it’

If there’s one place where destiny writes its most dramatic scripts, it’s the sports field. For Shafali Verma, the story unfolded on one of the most historic days in Indian cricket.It wasn’t supposed to be Shafali’s tournament. She wasn’t part of the 15-member World Cup squad, and she didn’t even make the reserves. For a player whose name has been synonymous with fearless strokeplay, her omission raised eyebrows when the squad was announced.Yet, in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, fate had other plans for her. Shafali had made the tournament hers. She finished as India’s highest scorer in the final and, remarkably, also picked up two wickets – the same Shafali who had bowled just six times in her 31-match ODI career – earning the Player-of-the-Match award and cementing her place in World Cup lore.Related

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Harmanpreet tries to grasp enormity of India's greatest day

Stats – Deepti in a league of her own in World Cups

For those who have followed her journey since she burst on to the scene at 15 as India’s youngest T20I debutant, this felt like fate merely catching up. The same confidence, the same audacity and the same ability to bend a game before anyone realised it. But this innings showed something more: a new calm beneath the aggression, a maturity that didn’t need much recklessness to dominate. And it arrived, fittingly, on the biggest stage.After being left out of the white-ball squads last year, Shafali had returned to domestic cricket, searching for the rhythm that once made her India’s most feared opener. She fought her way back into the T20I side but not ODIs. Then came the bittersweet twist.An untimely injury to Pratika Rawal opened a door for her return to the ODI squad. It was right before the World Cup semi-final. “I think it’s all destiny, I really believe in that. We didn’t want her to feel that she [Shafali] came in under an injury cloud,” Harmanpreet Kaur said at the press conference after the final. Shafali played the semi-final without much impact but on Sunday, she turned it around.When Shafali walked out to bat, she was unmistakably herself – a brisk jog to the crease, a look around the field, a slight adjustment of the helmet, that familiar swagger. The first few strokes carried intent and authority: coming down the track to slice, drive and flick boundaries that sent South Africa’s fielders sprinting to the rope. After a crisp cover drive, she strolled down to Smriti Mandhana, shaking her head with a smile that probably meant “we’ve got this”.Shafali Verma hit seven fours and two sixes•AFP/Getty ImagesWhen the field spread after the powerplay, Shafali miscued one playing across the line and Mandhana gestured towards her, seemingly urging patience. For a moment, it seemed the young opener would heed the advice. There was a period where she did not hit a single boundary for 20 balls.But could Shafali really be contained for long?Waiting and watching had never quite been her thing.When Nadine de Klerk returned to bowl, Shafali advanced down the pitch and lifted her straight back over the head for six. She held the pose – a picture of audacious control – as she walked down the pitch, eyes following the trajectory of the ball. The Navi Mumbai crowd roared twice as loud for her as for anyone else that night. Many had perhaps only heard tales of her boldness; now, they were seeing it in front of them.It wasn’t a century, but her 87 – scored at better than a-run-a-ball – was pure Shafali. It powered India to 298 and set the tone for what would happen.Then came the twist no one saw coming. In the 21st over of South Africa’s chase, with Laura Wolvaardt in full flow and Sune Luus finding rhythm, Harmanpreet threw the ball to Shafali. India’s spinners had toiled without much success. But the gamble didn’t just come out of instinct, it was part of a plan, as Harmanpreet later revealed.Shafali had been bowling regularly in domestic cricket. She has eight wickets in seven games in the 2024-25 Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy, another eight in six innings in the recent domestic T20 Trophy, both tournaments where she also finished as the top run-getter. But this was a World Cup final.Shafali Verma celebrates with her captain after delivering a breakthrough•ICC/Getty ImagesHer first delivery was a 95kph dart, and the next, a teasing 84.2kph offbreak. Luus, looking to work it fine, ended up chipping it straight back. Shafali was smiling even before the ball settled in her hands. The stadium erupted, and soon, chants of “Sha-fa-li, Sha-fa-li” echoed throughout.In her next over, she produced one that spun back into Marizanne Kapp, who edged to the keeper. The breakthrough shifted momentum in India’s favour – the crowd roared, the team surged, and once again, Shafali was at the heart of it all, revelling in the moment.”When Shafali joined the team, we were missing the overs from Pratika,” Harmanpreet said. “So, when Shafali came in, we saw that she was bowling a lot of overs in domestic cricket. So, [Amol Muzumdar, head coach] sir and I spoke to her about it, and she [Shafali] said, ‘Sir, I’m ready for ten overs.’ That shows how confident she was to bowl.”Today, when that partnership started in the middle, suddenly I got the thought that I should give Shafali a try to see what happens. It was a gut feeling. I thought it could be risky too, but at the same time, I was positive because she had shown confidence when we spoke to her. I didn’t want to go back to the room later thinking, ‘Why didn’t I try?’ because they were looking good. And when I gave her that over and she got back-to-back breakthroughs, that was the turning point for us.”Shafali Verma was the Player of the Final after not being in the original squad•ICC/Getty ImagesIt was a night that defied any script. A match-winning knock, a game-changing spell, and a Player-of-the-Final performance in a tournament she wasn’t even meant to play. If that’s not destiny, what is?What remains to be seen is where Shafali will fit into India’s ODI plans once Rawal returns from injury. Will it be at the top of the order, or a more flexible role, or someone who contributes more frequently with the ball? In all of this, one thing is certain: Shafali has stamped her authority, and India will have to find a way to fit her in without disrupting the cohesion that carried them to the trophy.During the victory lap, Shafali trailed just behind her captain, grinning, waving to the crowd that refused to leave. When her turn came to hold the trophy, she lifted it as though it had been waiting for her all along.Her World Cup call-up wasn’t planned. Her performance in the final wasn’t planned. Even India’s title wasn’t planned with her in mind. But she wasn’t just a late replacement who rose to the occasion. She was, in every sense, destiny’s child, summoned when the team needed her most and crowned on a night India will never forget.

MatériaMais Notícias

Álvaro Pacheco foi apresentado pelo Vasco na tarde desta sexta-feira (31), às vésperas do clássico contra o Flamengo. O técnico cruz-maltino não revelou a estratégia que vai usar contra o rival, mas garantiu que a equipe vai jogar com coragem para ganhar.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

A estratégia não vou dizer. Enfrentaremos um time que lutará pelo título do Brasileirão. Eles já se conhecem há mais tempo e conhecem o treinador, vêm de um trabalho mais longo. Mas antes de qualquer jogo, podemos vencer. Sabendo o que somos capazes de fazer e mostrar que o que treinamos pode nos trazer a vitória. Ter coragem e jogar para ganhar. Esse é o DNA do Vasco. Nesse momento, nossa ideia de jogo não está tão sólida como estará daqui a um mês. Mas sempre jogar para ganhar. Isto é ser Vasco. Isto é ser Gigante da Colina

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cravou Álvaro Pacheco

O técnico do Vasco já conversou com Pedrinho, que apresentou a história do clube. Álvaro Pacheco afirmou que encontrou um clube focado e unido.

– Nossa primeira coletiva de muitas. Agradeço a oportunidade de treinar este gigante. É muito orgulho. Encontrei um clube com foco muito grande. Com uma preocupação de todos estarem unidos dentro do clube. Foi o que senti desde sempre. Sobre o projeto do Pedro Martins e do Pedrinho para o Vasco – contou o técnico do Vasco.

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– A conversa com o Pedrinho foi importante. Nós já sabíamos, mas soubemos mais o que é o Vasco. Ele está aqui desde os seis anos. Senti uma conversa muito positiva. Temos que trabalhar o nosso conceito de jogo, a nossa ideia, para sermos competitivos e sabermos o que somos e o que queremos. Encontrei um clube organizado. A forma simpática que fomos recebidos. Isso é Vasco. Estou super feliz de estar aqui.

Álvaro Pacheco também contou sobre a ansiedade sobre a possível estreia ser um clássico. O técnico português disse que está testando variações.

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– Jogar o meu primeiro jogo no Brasileirão logo num dérbi. Quando chego, para a ideia de jogo fluir, precisamos de tempo. A nossa preocupação nesse momento é passar conceitos gerais da nossa linha orientadora e colocar em prática no próximo desafio. Temos que ter coragem para jogar. Pôr nossas ideias em campo. Dominar e identificar os momentos do jogo. Nunca perder equilíbrios. Estamos iniciando nosso processo.

– Tivemos poucos dias, focamos em organizar a compactação defensiva, em avançar em bloco, dar nuances do processo ofensivo. Para sermos uma equipe objetiva e pragmática para não se expor tanto. Tem sido fantástico. Meu grande objetivo é fazer os vascaínos olharem o time e saber que a equipe nunca vai desistir e sempre vai lutar pelos três pontos. Acredito muito que faremos isso com essa equipe.

🎙️ MAIS REPOSTAS DE ÁLVARO PACHECO:

PRIMEIRAS IMPRESSÕES DO GRUPO
– Tenho um grupo fantástico. Quando chegamos a um time, sabemos que o elenco tem uma identidade. Entre os jogadores, criam-se relações, identidade. Um grupo solidário, que gosta de partilhar momentos. Um elenco ambicioso. Isso é o mais importante. Essa é a grande característica que encontrei nesse elenco. Eles têm uma disponibilidade muito grande de aprender coisas novas. A ideia de jogo tem que ser passada de forma apaixonada. Se formarmos uma equipe com intensa, aguerrida, corajosa, temos que colocar isso em todos os momentos. Essa é minha forma de ser.

PHILIPPE COUTINHO
– Quem é o treinador no mundo que não gostaria de ter Philippe Coutinho.

– Para onde ele for, espero que seja o Vasco, ele terá um impacto muito grande. É uma situação que ainda tem outras coisas importantes para a decisão final. Mas enquanto técnico do Vasco, quero muito que isso aconteça e será muito importante para dentro de campo, esportivamente, e os valores para os jogadores da base. Ele traz peso. É um jogador da base, que conhece o torcedor, e que, se vier, vem porque quer está aqui. Ele ama o clube e quer vir. Passo a responsabilidade para ele (Pedro Martins).

LIGAÇÃO PORTUGUESA
– No ano passado, vim ao Brasil e acompanhei o clássico entre Vasco e Fluminense. Depois do jogo comprei uma camisa do Vasco, pela envolvência com o jogo e pela forma apaixonada que a torcida viveu aquela partida. Quando pintou o interesse, foi facilmente aceitado. Já tinha vontade de vir ao Brasil. Acho um dos campeonatos mais disputados do mundo. O Vasco tem história com os portugueses. É um clube pioneiro em tudo, com luta em toda a sua história. É um casamento perfeito. Tenho ambição e muito orgulho. Nosso objetivo é levar o Vasco a sua história e sua grandeza.

ESQUEMA PREFERIDO
– Grande estreia. Logo num clássico, expectativa de mais de 30 mil vascaínos no estádio. A envolvência e paixão que a torcida promove no estádio. Não tenho dúvidas sobre como estará o ambiente. Nos últimos dias, treinamos duas varíaveis. A linha de quatro e de cinco atrás. Nossa preocupação tem sido passar referências. O que posso dizer é que será um ponto de partida. Não vou jogar sempre da mesma maneira. Temos que ver o que a equipe fará nos jogos e percebermos o que é o melhor da equipe. Tivemos pouco tempo de treino. Temos que ter um caminho de forma tranquila e passar referências.

SEQUÊNCIA CONTRA FLAMENGO, PALMEIRAS E AMIZADE COM ABEL FERREIRA
– A forma que fui recebido por todos, o carinho dos torcedores com as boinas. É algo indescritível. Traz uma responsabilidade ainda maior. Mas sem dúvidas, temos dois grandes jogos pela frente. Não gosto de rotular se são difíceis ou fáceis, mas são desafios, e eles existem para serem superados. Obviamente que queria mais períodos de treino, mas faz parte do nosso DNA usar os desafios para superá-los.

– Tenho muito carinho por ele (Abel Ferreira). Uma amizade muito grande. Quando ele vai a Portugal, normalmente nos encontramos, falamos sobre futebol. Para aprendermos mais com uns com os outros. Sem dúvidas, eu aprender mais com ele do que ele comigo, porque ele tem uma carreira brilhante. Estou a iniciar, mas também acredito que terei uma carreira boa. Quero que chegue o momento logo para estrear.

COMPANHEIRO PARA VEGETTI
– No Vasco há vários jogadores que passaram pelo futebol português, não só o Clayton. Nessa primeira fase, manteremos um ponta de lança. Isso não quer dizer que, conforme a equipe for amadurecendo, não poderemos passar para ter dois atacantes. Essa ideia de jogo tem que ser sustentada. Quando há algo novo, sempre há coisas boas e ruins. Nos períodos ruins, temos que estar sólidos e saber o que fazer. Vamos manter um ponta de lança, que há as dinâmicas que já haviam. O nosso jogar nunca estará fechado. Vai ser sempre em função do crescimento da equipe. Com a equipe confortável, lançaremos mais estímulos para jogar de formas diferentes. Sempre temos que estar abertos a tudo.

FUNCIONÁRIOS DO VASCO
– Fui recebido de forma extraordinária. Já tive reunião com todos os departamentos. Em clubes desta dimensão, às vezes, não há essa simbiose. Aqui há. Isso se destaca. Aqui tem uma mentalidade de time campeão. Eles reagem muito bem às situações. Tem determinação e ambição. Querem levar o clube a atingir o patamar que merece.

Tudo sobre

Álvaro PachecoFutebol NacionalVasco

تحدث مدرب برشلونة هانز فليك، عقب فوز فريقه على ريال بيتيس في منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني، حيث التقى الفريقان مساء اليوم السبت.

وتمكن برشلونة من تحقيق الفوز على ريال بيتيس بنتيجة 5-3، وذلك في إطار مباريات الجولة الخامسة عشر لليجا.

وقال فليك في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “كان الشوط الأول جيدًا جدًا، كنا متعبين للغاية مع اقترابنا من نهاية المباراة، في مباريات عديدة لم نتمكن فيها من تغيير مجرى اللعب دفاعيًا”.

وأضاف: “لكنني أريد أن أكون إيجابيًا في تقييمي، مع أننا سنحلل ذلك، المهم هو أننا فزنا، أنا سعيد جدًا بالفريق، أحترم كيف قاتلنا وعدنا، كان اللاعبون منهكين في النهاية، قاتلوا لمدة 90 دقيقة، أقدر حقًا ما قدمناه اليوم”.

وأردف: “من المهم دائمًا تسجيل هدفين في وقتين متقاربين والفوز، وهذا ليس بالأمر السهل ضد فريق مثل بيتيس، الذي يتمتع بقدرات فنية عالية وجودة عالية، ويملك لاعبين رائعين”.

وعن لاعبه لامين يامال، في مركز خط وسط مهاجم، أشار فليك: “لقد رأيته يؤدي بشكل جيد، دفاعيًا أيضًا، إنه خيار متاح لدينا، ولم ندربه من قبل على هذا المركز”.

وبشأن ثنائية لامين يامال وباردجي، أفاد: “تحدثتُ مع لامين وسألناه إن كان يرغب باللعب كصانع ألعاب، فأجابني بالموافقة، وأنا سعيدٌ جدًا بذلك، هذا يمنحنا خياراتٍ أوسع، وهذا أمرٌ جيد، كل ما رأيته منه أعجبني، ينسجم بشكلٍ رائع، يتراجع للخلف، ويبذل جهدًا دفاعيًا كبيرًا، إنه يتطور ويتحسن، إنه لاعبٌ رائع”.

اقرأ أيضًا | ترتيب الدوري الإسباني بعد فوز برشلونة على ريال بيتيس

وأشاد بـ فيران توريس قائلاً: “فيران لاعب ذكي للغاية، يجيد قراءة المساحات، وقد تألق اليوم بشكل لافت، يتمتع بالعقلية والثقة اللازمتين، هذا هو الطريق للمضي قدمًا”.

وأكمل: “يستحق أن يكون ضمن التشكيلة الأساسية، إنه دائمًا حاضر عند الحاجة، هذا الملعب هو ملعب فيران توريس، حتى عندما يلعب مع المنتخب الوطني، حيث سجل أيضًا ثلاثية”.

وعن الدقائق الأخيرة في المباراة، حيث أحرز ريال بيتيس هدفين في شباك برشلونة، علّق: “إذا أردتم التفكير في الجانب السلبي، فافعلوا، لكنني لا أفعل، أنا سعيد جدًا بلاعبيّ، بيتيس فريق رائع، وإذا لم يكن لاعبو فريقي في كامل لياقتهم في النهاية، فهذا طبيعي، أداء اليوم إيجابي”.

وسُئل عن رد الفعل بعد الهزيمة أمام تشيلسي، وأجاب: “أركز على التدريب وجودة اللاعبين، نلعب بالمستوى الذي نتدرب عليه، والآن نتدرب بكثافة عالية جدًا، ما رأيته رائع، أؤمن بهذا الفريق، بما أراه”.

وأتم: “أنا سعيد جدًا، نتقدم خطوة بخطوة، نحن على الطريق الصحيح، قدمنا ​​أداءً جيدًا، وعلينا الفوز على آينتراخت يوم الثلاثاء (في دوري أبطال أوروبا)”.