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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is under serious pressure as uncertainty revolves around his future in north London, with chairman Daniel Levy shortlisting multiple candidates to replace the Australian if he departs N17.

Managers linked with Tottenham as Ange Postecoglou timeline shared

According to reports this week, in the event Postecoglou is in fact shown his P45, Spurs would be aiming to bring in a replacement before the first summer transfer window opens on June 1st (Pete O’Rourke).

Tottenham talking about hiring "class" Iraola alternative who Guardiola loves

The City boss has called him “one of the best” around.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 16, 2025

The Premier League confirmed that there will be two separate windows this year. One will be open from June 1st to June 10th, and the other from June 16th to September 1st – which allows clubs like Man City and Chelsea to sign players before the Club World Cup.

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Tottenham apparently aim to take advantage of the early window to sign players for their prospective new head coach (Pete O’Rourke), and it is believed that Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva are their two “top candidates” – even if their clubs will battle to keep them.

Bournemouth owner Billy Foley is attempting to agree a new contract with Iraola to keep him out of Levy’s clutches, while Fulham vice-chairman Tony Khan admitted this week that the west Londoners are extremely keen to keep hold of their high-performing manager Silva.

Postecoglou, meanwhile, admitted before Spurs’ clash with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League that he’s in the dark about his future.

“No – no idea,” said Postecoglou on whether he’ll be at Tottenham next season.

“We have a game tomorrow night, but it’s not something I need to think about. I’ve never thought about those things in terms of what is important.

“What is important is the game. That’s a massive opportunity for this group of players and this football club to get closer to achieving what everyone wants to achieve. Anything other than that, particularly in terms of me, I don’t really have much thought process that thinks about my career or what I’m doing in that way.”

Tottenham are on course for their worst ever Premier League campaign to date, after losing 17 top-flight matches, and Postecoglou has attracted fierce criticism throughout 2024/2025 despite the injuries which have depleted his squad.

Tottenham planning to make approach for Brentford boss Thomas Frank

Now, as per TEAMtalk, an update has emerged on their links to Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

The Dane has apparently shot up Levy’s managerial target list, following news that Iraola is leaning more towards remaining at the Vitality Stadium for next season.

According to TT’s information, Tottenham will ask Frank about replacing Postecoglou if they decide to sack him, and it is also believed that the 51-year-old is ready for the next step in his managerial career after transforming the Bees into a solid Premier League outfit.

Interestingly, his contract also contains a release clause, akin to Iraola and Silva. The cost to bypass negotiations with Brentford and head straight to Frank stands at around £10 million, so Levy would still need to invest significantly in his capture.

That being said, Frank is highly-rated by his peers, with Man City boss Pep Guardiola calling him “one of the best” managers around.

The crowd favourite hit a rut after a bright start as the promised turn arrived, but it was his team-mates who saved the day for Pakistan

Danyal Rasool12-Oct-2025There were plenty of loud cheers on day one of the first Test between Pakistan and South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium. That is not much of a surprise; it was a good day for Pakistan, one which they may well look back on as the one that secured them a 1-0 lead in this series against South Africa midway into next week. But none of the cheers was quite as boisterous as the one that followed the dismissal of Pakistan captain Shan Masood. Except, perhaps, the one that confirmed his departure upon review. The raucousness of that excitement took even Simon Harmer, South Africa’s lead spinner, by surprise.”I had a good chuckle at that,” he would laugh later.Not because Masood’s continued presence was detrimental to his side’s chances: quite the contrary. The Pakistan captain had seen through a period of pressure early on after Abdullah Shafique’s first over dismissal. Alongside the more conservative Imam-ul-Haq, he had controlled the first session and a half to put on 161 for the second wicket, getting their runs in early before they congeal and calcify as scoring becomes ever more arduous on an already wearing pitch.Related

Imam, Masood, Rizwan and Agha hand Pak opening-day honours

But for this Lahore crowd, the partnership between Imam and Masood had delayed their gratification just a touch too long. It was now early afternoon, and the Gaddafi, which threw open its doors to the public free of charge, was busier than it would be all day. For just the second time in his career, Lahore’s golden boy stepped over freshly trimmed afternoon grass in white, steeling himself to face an international red ball on home ground. It was, as ever, all about Babar Azam.Lahore may not have wanted to see such an extended warm-up act before the main event, but the value it held for Pakistan was plain to see. For all the nits that can be picked with Pakistan’s approach to this format, Masood’s Test side is arguably the most honest thing going in Pakistan cricket. They want to take 20 Test wickets and prepare pitches that cannot give them away quick enough. But before anyone is really paying attention, they want to steal a few runs with batters who are finding ways to outmanoeuvre opposition by stealth, having failed to outbat them on more conventional surfaces.Masood set that tone with a pair of boundaries on either side of the wicket inside the first over. In this phase of a career that has seen more stages than there have been French Republics, Masood’s belligerent batting when conditions are easiest ensures time spent at the crease brings maximum possible value. By the tenth over, Pakistan had put on 51; in two games at the recently concluded T20 Asia Cup, they hadn’t managed to get that far by this stage.Imam’s everyman assiduousness, with all the tenacity of a chihuahua panting up a hill, was holding back South Africa’s coterie of spinners who had bought into spooky stories of wild turn perhaps a little too eagerly. He had got his bright start while the seamers still operated; 26 off 29 balls by his standards is a hurtle. Against the spinners, it was a test of patience, and that is one thing Imam has never lacked.Babar Azam came in to bat with limited situational pressure on him, but scored only 23•Getty Images”I got balls I could attack against the fast bowlers. When the spinners came on, I didn’t find as many deliveries to attack,” Imam said after the day’s play. “Shan found he could attack more of them, and was able to get more boundaries against them. They leaked runs in the first session, but you have to respect the bowlers. Things didn’t go their way then, but they came back strongly in the second session, dried out the runs, and got a couple of wickets at the end.”With every run the pair scored, and every South African spin over that went wicketless, there was a feeling of a game slipping by, even as early as day one of a Test. Of the four previous games for which Pakistan have prepared extreme spin tracks, the side batting first have won three, with day-one partnerships ultimately proving decisive.Against England in Multan last year, Kamran Ghulam and Saim Ayub put on 149 for the third wicket in the first innings, using it to secure a 75-run lead that translated into a comfortable victory. Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel amassed 141 for the fifth wicket on a foggy first day against West Indies in Multan earlier this year, and never let go. To suggest Imam and Masood haven’t just done the same thing here in Lahore would be flying in the face of history.Post-match, Harmer wistfully noted that the game, in a sense, had moved to within the fringes of South Africa’s reach.”What you need to understand about the subcontinent is [that] the toss plays a big part,” he said. “The best batting conditions are in the first session. They got the luck of the draw with the toss, and they maxed them out. Full credit to them; I think they played extremely well.”Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha finished the day unbeaten on half-centuries•AFP/Getty ImagesBut the men South Africa – and seemingly so much of Lahore – wanted to see dismissed had ensured that the crowd favourite would come in to bat with limited situational pressure on him. It was around then, just before tea, that the promised turn had begun to arrive. Babar, whom supporters had thronged in to see, had found his innings hitting a rut after a bright start. When Harmer trapped him in front and got the lbw on review, Babar had scored just one run of his previous 26 balls after starting off with 21 in 22 deliveries. It was the first of three wickets to arrive without the scoring moving from 199 to 200, a shot across the bow from a surface already starting to awaken.Masood and Imam were among those to have fallen by now. The stealthy runs early on which they set the game up had been scored; Rizwan and Salman Agha, who finished the day unbeaten on half-centuries, had built upon that foundation to tilt the game further Pakistan’s way. Imam and Masood, meanwhile, had fallen just short of hundreds – not that the Gaddafi faithful seemed to mind too much. And for a side that is learning to eschew flashy individual milestones for gritty collective victories, it was perhaps strangely appropriate.

Stats highlights from the second day of the first Test in Dominica, where Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma set new highs with a 229-run stand

Sampath Bandarupalli13-Jul-2023229 The partnership between Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, the highest opening stand for India in Tests outside Asia. The previous highest was 213 between Chetan Chauhan and Sunil Gavaskar at The Oval in 1979. It is also India’s third highest opening stand away from home.350 Balls faced by Jaiswal by stumps on the second day, the most by an Indian in an innings on Test debut. The previous highest, where balls-faced data is available, was 322 by Mohammad Azharuddin in 1984, during his 110 against England at Eden Gardens.2 Number of players with a higher scores on Test debut for India than Jaiswal’s unbeaten 143. Shikhar Dhawan scored 187 against Australia in 2013 in Mohali, while Rohit made 177 against West Indies at Eden Gardens the same year.3 Indian openers with a century on Test debut, including Jaiswal. Dhawan’s 187 was the first century by an Indian opener on debut, while Prithvi Shaw made 134 against West Indies in 2018.131 Sourav Ganguly’s score against England on debut in 1996 at Lord’s – the highest by an Indian debutant away from home until Jaiswal’s 143*.1 It’s the first instance of India taking the first-innings lead without losing a wicket. The closest they came before this match was in the 1978 Sydney Test, where Gavaskar and Chauhan had a 97-run opening stand after Australia got bowled out for 131.2008 The last time both openers scored hundreds in the same Test innings against West Indies, before Rohit and Jaiswal. Phil Jacques and Simon Katich scored tons in Australia’s second innings in the 2008 Bridgetown Test.1 The partnership between Rohit and Jaiswal is India’s highest for the first wicket in Tests against West Indies, surpassing the 201-run stand between Virender Sehwag and Sanjay Bangar in the 2002 Wankhede Test.

With Joe Root seemingly unable to trust Moeen and Craig Overton, he repeatedly asked more of his senior seamers

George Dobell05-Sep-2021There was a telling moment, about 140 overs into the India innings, when Jasprit Bumrah launched a delivery from Chris Woakes down the ground.It wasn’t just the sight of England’s best bowler, in this match at least, being thrashed to the boundary by a man who came into this Test with a batting average of 4.81 that was revealing. It was also the fact James Anderson had to trot from his position at mid-on to fetch the ball.Related

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Joe Root, at mid-off, had attempted to intercept it. But he appeared to slip and, for a moment, clenched his leg in pain. So it was left to Anderson, as it so often is, to make amends.At that point, Anderson – the 39-year-old Anderson – had bowled 33 overs. Despite his age, despite the fact he has played in every Test in the series and despite the fact that England would like to include him in the final game, which starts in Manchester on Friday, he had bowled more overs in the innings than any of his colleagues.Anderson had, by his own admission, tried everything to gain some lateral movement. He had tried to swing the ball and seam the ball. He had tried to bowl cutters and tried to find reverse. He had bowled from both ends. In the end he settled for simply attempting to bowl dry and build pressure that way. Woakes and Ollie Robinson had, more or less, come to the same conclusion.The problem was, such a plan requires more than three bowlers to execute. And, at that stage of the innings, Craig Overton, the fourth seamer, had only bowled only 16 overs while Moeen Ali, the spinner, was conceding four-and-a-half an over. So Anderson, Woakes and Robinson were forced into spell after spell. Even when it became obvious, from their pained expressions and, in Robinson’s case, diminishing pace, they had to bowl as, to put it bluntly, their captain appeared to lack confidence in his other options.It was a passage of play which may well have consequences for the rest of the series. With the final Test starting on Friday, England will be loathe to press Anderson and Robinson, in particular, into service once again. They have already lost Jofra Archer for the T20 World Cup and Ashes. They have already lost Stuart Broad for the rest of this season. They really don’t want to be in a position where they are taking risks with Anderson or Robinson. It was, perhaps, telling that neither emerged after tea on day four. The exact reasons for this are, at the time of writing, unclear. But it is far from impossible the team management simply said “enough”.

“England have already lost Archer due to an injury which may have been caused by an excessive workload. They have to find a way to spread the load more evenly”

“We’re all feeling it,” Woakes said afterwards. “I think we have all bowled 45 overs plus in the game. Naturally, you’re going to be a little bit sore. There are occasions in England where you can maybe bowl at about 90 percent but here you had to slam every ball into the pitch to get anything out of it. Naturally that takes it out of you, so there’s a few sore bodies in the dressing room.”None of this reflects especially flatteringly on either Overton or Moeen. Overton had a really encouraging match in Leeds where the surface provided assistance for his brand of fast-medium seamers. But if he is going to be a viable option in Test cricket, it is on days like this he must earn his living. It is on days like this he must ease the burden on his celebrated colleague and fulfil the task of stock bowler with hours of grunt work. It was his job to bowl 35 overs for around 60 runs and ensure Anderson and co could be used in shorter, sharper bursts. But such was Overton’s profligacy on day two – when he conceded four an over – Root seemed to have little faith in him.Much the same could be said about Moeen. He passed Jim Laker’s record for Test wickets during India’s innings (only Graeme Swann, among English offspinners, has more) but it was not a day which enhanced his reputation. England desperately required control but Moeen, in conceding 4.53 an over, was unable to provide it. He claimed a couple of big wickets – he has now dismissed Virat Kohli six times in Test cricket – but also made a fearful hash of an important run-out opportunity, was involved in the decision to use (and squander) all three reviews and, by his own admission, brought India back into the game with his dismissal in England’s first innings.”When I was batting in the first innings, I felt we had them down a bit and I tried to hit a six and got out and that brought them back in a bit,” he told Sky. “It was a crucial time.”Joe Root wears a dejected look•PA Images via Getty ImagesJack Leach may not offer Moeen’s ceiling with the bat or ball. But he is reliable, worthy and, in his Test career to date, has never let England down. You wonder if Root might not have wished he was around a few times during the day.In mitigation, it must be noted that India’s bowlers found the pitch no less heartbreaking than England’s. While there is just a little rough for the spinners to work with outside the left-handers’ off stump, there is almost no other encouragement for bowlers. As Moeen put it, “if Bumrah comes in and hits Woakesy straight down the ground, it’s a great wicket.” Moeen also pointed out that he has hardly played red-ball cricket in recent months and that his action is “a little bit off”. As he admitted: “I could have bowled better.”England have some lessons to learn here. They have already lost Archer due to an injury which may well have been caused by an excessive workload. They have to find a way to spread the load more evenly if others are not to follow.It was said long ago that Anderson was a sports car being used to deliver scaffolding. These days he is a classic sports car being used to commute to work, ferry the kids to school, hired out for weddings and to deliver scaffolding. And remember, that second-innings bowling average in his 15 most recent Tests is now 60.57. In the same period, his first-innings bowling average is 17.87. Over such an extended sample size, those are statistics that cannot be ignored. The warning signs are there.Still, all results are possible going into the last day. And there will be a sellout crowd at the Kia Oval on Monday for the fifth day in succession. It reflects well on this venue and this series. Test cricket faces many issues, many challenges. But the reason for sustained optimism is that we have a great game. Monday might just offer us something of a classic final day. Anderson will be hoping that, for once, England can get by without him being required a make a contribution.

Chelsea have made an approach to sign a former Real Madrid sensation, and it is believed that the west Londoners could even strike a deal in January.

Enzo Maresca’s side, despite some shock defeats at home to Brighton and Sunderland recently, have made a solid start to the season overall — losing just once in their last nine matches and climbing up to third in the Premier League table.

However, even taking into account their form on paper, not to mention Chelsea’s near-£300 million spend in the summer, there are suggestions that Maresca is dissatisfied with his current squad and could look to upgrade key areas in the winter.

Premier League Clubs’ Summer Spending
Rank	Club	Gross Spend	Sales	Net Spend
20.	Bournemouth	£136.7m	£202.5m	+£65.8m
19.	Brighton	£67.7m	£127.5m	+£59.8m
18.	Brentford	£92.8m	£152m	+£59.2m
17.	Wolves	£105.6m	£126.5m	+£20.9m
16.	Chelsea	£296.5m	£314.4m	+£17.9m

Chelsea have lost all of Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwil, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo to injury at various points already this season, with Maresca reportedly prioritising the addition of a new centre-back in January.

Now that injury-ridden midfielder Romeo Lavia is also set to be out for “at least” a month with a quadriceps injury (Fabrizio Romano), Chelsea are said to be looking at new midfield options ahead of 2026 as well.

Nico Paz now keen to join Chelsea with approach made to Como

Indeed, it is reported by TEAMtalk that Chelsea have identified Como starlet Nico Paz as their most viable January midfield target, with Maresca looking to strengthen his squad in the engine room as well as further forward.

Chelsea have apparently opened discussions with both the Serie A club and Paz’s representatives through direct enquiries, as they look to address squad depth issues that have been exposed by recent injury problems.

The Blues are actively compiling a shortlist of midfield reinforcements, with Lavia’s latest injury lay-off prompting urgent action.

Paz, who came through Real’s academy system and is valued at around £62 million, has emerged as the leading candidate to arrive at Stamford Bridge in January ahead of both Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton and Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo.

What makes the potential deal particularly encouraging for Chelsea is the player’s own enthusiasm about the move. Paz is understood to be genuinely interested in a transfer to England and sees Chelsea as an ‘ideal’ next career step.

His technical ability on the left foot and creativity is said to have caught the eye of Chelsea’s scouting department, who believe he fits perfectly within their current recruitment philosophy.

The young Spaniard represents exactly the type of signing Chelsea have been targeting under BlueCo’s leadership – a player with high potential who ticks multiple boxes in terms of age profile, quality and future sell-on value.

However, Paz still won’t be an easy signing by any means.

Real Madrid basically own the player in practice if not officially, possessing full matching rights on any deal for him, not to mention a 50 per cent sell-on clause and multiple buy-back options worth just £8 million for the summer of 2026 and £8.5m in 2027.(Football Italia).

This means that Xabi Alonso’s side have a massive say over Paz’s future, so Chelsea may even have to negotiate with the La Liga giants alongside Como to make this deal happen.

Kylian Mbappe is in danger of missing Real Madrid's massive Champions League clash with Manchester City due to an injury to his left leg. The French striker was absent from Los Blancos' open training session the day before the game against Pep Guardiola's side at the Santiago Bernabeu, handing yet another headache to under-pressure Real coach Xabi Alonso.

Mbappe a surprise absentee from training

Alonso made no mention of any injury to Mbappe in his press conference ahead of the City game, but in the training session that followed it, reporters noted that the striker was absent along with midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.

Spanish radio station Cadena Cope reported that Mbappe had suffered an injury in his left leg, making him a serious doubt for the game with City.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesInjury spells more pain for Alonso

Mbappe has been Madrid's standout player this season, with 25 goals across La Liga and the Champions League, plus four assists. He is also on course to break Cristiano Ronaldo's record for the most goals for Real in a calendar year. The Frenchman has been responsible for half of the team's goals in the Spanish top flight and a remarkable 75% of their goals in Europe's top competition, netting a stunning four strikes in his last continental outing against Olympiacos.

Alonso is under huge pressure following Madrid's dismal 2-0 defeat at home to Celta Vigo on Sunday, which also saw Alvaro Carreras and Fran Garcia sent off and key defender Eder Militao hobble off with a muscle injury that is set to keep him out for up to four months. The result left Real trailing Barcelona by four points in the title race, while they have won just two of their last seven games in all competitions.

Mbappe-Haaland showdown at risk

With Mbappe having scored 25 goals for Madrid and Erling Haaland on 20 strikes in 20 games for City, the game was expected to be a showdown between the two most ferocious strikers in Europe, who are also set to face off in the World Cup next year when France take on Norway.

Mbappe ran riot when Madrid met City in last season's competition, scoring a hat-trick in a 3-1 win at the Bernabeu in the second leg of the knockout play-off and also netting in the 3-2 victory in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium. Haaland struck twice in the first leg but missed the second leg due to injury and has failed to score in his previous two visits to the Spanish capital.

"At the end of the day, we must defend as a unit and show serious defensive commitment," said Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni. "We're up against a top side with Haaland, and his current form is unbelievable. If we play at our best level, we can win this game. We will talk about the game plan with the coach now. 

"We have a lot of injured players in defence, but we have a lot of players who can perform at a high level in that position. They're an excellent team, especially on the ball. They like to have the ball, and we'll have to be very compact both when we defend and when we have the ball to create chances."

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AFPGuardiola could seal Alonso's fate

Alonso faced several questions about his uncertain future at Madrid in the press conference and there is speculation that defeat to City and his former coach Guardiola – with whom he spent two years at Bayern Munich – could see him sacked just seven months into succeeding Carlo Ancelotti in the Bernabeu hotseat.

Alonso put on a brave face amid the questioning and insisted he maintains a good relationship with the squad and with the club's hierarchy. "We are all in the same boat," Alonso said. "We have to go through positive and negative times. We need to believe the next game is an opportunity and tomorrow we have a very exciting game for all of us, and we need to keep our eyes open to have that energy so the Bernabeu enjoys what it sees. Communication [with the board] is constant. We are united, we are all together in this and I have a good relationship with them."

Tchouameni also declared that the players backed the coach and said it was up to them to improve their recent run of poor results. He said: "If we don't win games, it's because we have to do things better with and without the ball, with commitment from everyone and play better in defence and attack. We hope to improve and win more games because what's happening now cannot go on."

"We're all together. If we want to win games, we all have to fight, coach and team in the same direction. It's us who are on the pitch, and we have to do things better out there. We have a good opportunity to change the dynamic and pick up more points in the Champions League."

MatériaMais Notícias

Os torcedores nas redes sociais culparam Rogério Ceni pela eliminação do Bahia na Copa do Nordeste. Após empate sem gols no tempo normal, o Tricolor de Aço foi derrotado nos pênaltis para o CRB, caindo na semifinal da competição.

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➡️ Vai dar Brasil? Aposte no Lance! Betting e fature com a Copa América

Além da eliminação precoce na Copa do Nordeste, o Bahia de Rogério Ceni também decepcionou no Campeonato Baiano, sendo derrotado pelo rival Vitória na final do estadual.

➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

Após a pausa no Brasileirão, o Bahia de Rogério Ceni vai enfrentar o Atlético-MG na Série A. O duelo será disputado no domingo (2), às 16h, na Arena MRV. O Tricolor de Aço é o vice-líder da competição, empatado em pontos com o Athletico-PR.

continua após a publicidade

Rogério Ceni ainda não conquistou títulos pelo Bahia, mas desde que se aposentou e virou treinador, ele faturou a Florida Cup (2017) pelo São Paulo; a Série B: (2018), Campeonato Cearense (2019, 2020) e Copa do Nordeste (2019) pelo Fortaleza; e o Brasileirão (2020) Supercopa do Brasil (2021) e Campeonato Carioca (2021) pelo Flamengo 

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos do Brasileirão

Tudo sobre

BahiaRogério Ceni

Arsenal’s terrible luck with injuries last year seems to have carried over to this season.

On top of the mountain of attacking injuries, Mikel Arteta is now set to be without Gabriel Magaheles for up to two months.

Fortunately, the squad is fairly well stacked in defensive areas, and so while it’s not ideal, the Spaniard should be able to find a way to make his backline work.

Moreover, that defensive depth is likely to get even stronger within a few years, as Hale End are currently brewing someone who could be a dream Gabriel heir.

Arsenal's next Hale End stars

It feels like every season now, a Hale End gem or two emerge and slot right into Arsenal’s first team, be that Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly or even Max Dowman.

The good news for the Emirates faithful and Arteta is that the production of incredible young talents shows no signs of stopping, with a few academy gems looking likely to make a first-team appearance or two in the coming years.

One of those who seems destined for the senior side is Northern Irish youth international Ceadach O’Neill.

The 17-year-old attacker joined the club in 2023 and has shone for the u18s.

On top of being able to play across the frontline, the “brilliantly” talented gem, as dubbed by the Gunners’ U21 coach David Horseman, has shown an eye for goal, scoring 11 and providing five assists in 32 games for the u18s.

Right Winger

11

2

3

Centre-Forward

7

6

1

Left Winger

7

3

1

Right Midfield

2

0

1

Left Midfield

1

0

0

Another hugely exciting young attacker is Brando Bailey-Joseph.

The 17-year-old only signed scholarship terms with the club a few months ago, but has already been rewarded with a professional deal thanks to his sensational performances this season.

For example, in 14 appearances this season, totalling 929 minutes, he’s scored four goals and provided four assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.75 games, or every 116.12 minutes.

Hale End expert Will Balsam has described the youngster as an “explosive” attacker whose “quickness and sharp cuts” make him a “menace” for opposing defenders – which sounds like the sort of left-winger the first team could use.

In all, there are more than a handful of academy gems like O’Neill and Bailey-Joseph who could soon make it into the first team, but few are as exciting as Hale End’s best defensive prospect in years.

Hale End's future Gabriel replacement

Now, for a youngster to be considered as a future replacement or heir for Gabriel, they’ve got to be something pretty special.

Fortunately, as things stand, Marli Salmon looks to be just that.

In fact, Mattinson has gone out on a limb and described the exceptionally talented prospect as “the best CB Hale End has produced.”

What makes the 16-year-old so special, then? Well, like the big Brazilian he might one day step in for, he’s excellent at reading the game and is incredibly cultured on the ball.

For example, Mattinson has described him as “technically advanced,” and Balsam argues that he’s “different gravy on the ball” and has a perfect “mix of control and aggression.”

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

However, if he wants to one day step into Big Gabis’ shoes, he also needs to be someone who can engage in a bit of old-school defending, someone who can hold their own against the battering rams.

Fortunately, despite looking relatively slight – he is still 16 after all – the Hale Ender is already showing signs that he’s far stronger than he looks.

According to Balsam, he’s an “athletically gifted” defender who marries technical composure with “freak physical attributes.”

Finally, the last sign that he has a bright future ahead of him is that he featured in pre-season and, just like Dowman, didn’t look too out of place.

Ultimately, there is still a long way to go, but Salmon looks like he could be Hale End’s next superstar and the perfect long-term replacement for Gabriel.

A new Zubimendi: Berta makes first move to sign "Rodri-like" CM for Arsenal

The incredibly exciting prospect could be another Zubimendi for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 20, 2025

أعلن محمد فتحي نائب رئيس الاتحاد المصري لكرة السلة، قرار الاتحاد الرسمي بشأن مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري في نهائي دوري المرتبط التي كان مقررًا لها اليوم الإثنين.

وانسحب فريق الاتحاد من مواجهة الأهلي، اعتراضًا على خروج الجماهير من المدرجات وذلك بعد قرار الاتحاد المصري لكرة السلة، عقب الاشتباكات التي حدثت في مباراة الشباب بين فريق الأهلي والاتحاد التي أقيمت في الخامسة مساءً.

طالع | الأهلي يتوج بدوري المرتبط لكرة السلة بعد انسحاب الاتحاد السكندري

وقال فتحي خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت” لبرنامج “ملعب أون سبورت”: “جهزنا للمباراة طاقم تحكيم من ليتوانيا، وبعد أن حدثت مناوشات قررنا أن يكون الجمهور خارج الصالة لكن أخذ وقتا طويلا”.

وأضاف: “فريق الاتحاد انسحب، والأهلي تواجد في الملعب والحكام اتخذوا القرار واعتبروا الأهلي فائزًا، اتحاد السلة اتخذ كل التدابير للحفاظ على سلامة الجماهير”.

وأكمل: “لم نتفق مع النادي الأهلي على أي شيء، النادي الأهلي تواجد في الصالة ونحن لم نقرر تأجيل المباراة أو إلغائها، وكنا ننتظر خروج الجماهير من الصالة، والأمن نجح في ذلك”.

وأردف: “طاقم التحكيم وفقًا للقانون اتخذوا القرار، وأعتقد وفقًا للقانون سيعتبر الاتحاد منسحبًا ويذهب اللقب للأهلي”.

وأتم: “مبروك للنادي الأهلي وحظ أوفر للاتحاد، كان نريد الاستمتاع بالمباراة، لكن لازال هناك كأس مصر والسوبر”.

India batted 143 overs in the third innings to save the Test, with Gill, Rahul, Washington and Jadeja all contributing

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jul-20252:09

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India captain Shubman Gill has hailed his team’s fighting effort to secure a draw heading into the final Test at The Oval with the visitors still in with a chance of sharing the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.Gill was at the forefront of India’s fight, putting together 188 for the third wicket with KL Rahul. More importantly, the duo batted for nearly 70 overs after India had lost Yashasvi Jaiswal and B Sai Sudharsan in the very first over, with India trailing by 311.”From 0 for 2, then the partnership KL and I had, I think that ignited [the spark] yes, we can achieve this task”, Gill told . “Extremely happy. To be able to get a draw from the position we were in yesterday is extremely satisfying. This innings of mine was the most pleasing to me.”Related

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Gill brought up his fourth century of the series, drawing level with Don Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar for most centuries in a series in England. It took Gill’s series aggregate to 722, which is 52 short of Gavaskar’s all-time record for most runs in a series by an Indian.Rahul, meanwhile, took his series tall to 511 – the first time he’s passed 500 runs or more in a series – en route a typically stodgy 90, his fourth score of fifty or more so far this series.Gill was equally effusive in his praise for the calmness Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar showed, after he fell for 103 in the second session while wafting at a Jofra Archer delivery. At 222 for 4, with both set batters dismissed, India were still 91 behind with Shardul Thakur, three lower-order batters and an injured Rishabh Pant still to come.2:34

Has Washington nailed his spot in India’s Test XI?

Jadeja fought his way through to score his fifth score of fifty or more in six innings. His fifth Test century, which he raised with a six during the last hour after England were keen to shake hands for the draw, was full of pluck. Having been dropped first ball at first slip by Joe Root off Archer, Jadeja batted through without any further alarms to remain unbeaten on 107.Washington, whose previous best was 96 against England in 2021, also brought up his century, his first in Test cricket. Washington, who began the series at No. 8, earned a promotion to No. 5 in Pant’s absence. The partnership between the two was worth an unbroken 203 for the fifth wicket when both teams eventually shook hands for the draw.”When Jaddu and Washy were batting, it wasn’t easy,” Gill observed. “The ball was doing something, but the way they calmly batted and got Test centuries from there tells you how big of an achievement it is.”Explaining their thought process as they began the prospect of salvaging a draw early on day four, Gill said: “To be able to have the same mindset for 140 [143] overs is very difficult. That’s what is the difference between a good team from a great team. We showed today why we’re a great team.”