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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has made no secret of the fact that he would like to see the club bring in more attackers before the end of the summer transfer window.

At the time of writing, Lukas Nmecha is the only attacker signed by the Whites so far, having joined on a free transfer from Wolfsburg early on in the window.

The Championship champions have still yet to replace Manor Solomon, who returned to Spurs at the end of his loan spell last season, with a new winger to bolster the squad.

However, Farke is reportedly on course to land a new option to pick from in the centre-forward position, in the form of free agent Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein reports that the former England international is set to undergo a medical before completing a switch to Elland Road.

It currently remains to be seen whether or not he will be signed in time to make his debut against his former club at Elland Road in the Premier League on Monday.

What Dominic Calvert-Lewin could bring to Leeds

Above all else, Calvert-Lewin is a proven Premier League striker who has been there and done it in the division over a number of years at Everton.

The 28-year-old star scored 71 goals in 273 matches in all competitions during his time with the Toffees, as per Transfermarkt, and will bring experience that Farke does not currently have in that position with Nmecha and Joel Piroe.

Even when he is not at his best from a technical perspective, the 6 foot 2 marksman will also provide a physical presence in the number nine position for Leeds. As per Sofascore, the forward won 3.3 aerial duels per game at a success rate of 51% in the top-flight last term, which shows that he can hold his own against towering defenders.

However, there may be some understandable concerns about his goalscoring record over the last four seasons or so, as he has been far from prolific of late.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s Premier League career

Season

Appearances

Goals

24/25

26

3

23/24

32

7

22/23

17

2

21/22

17

5

20/21

33

16

19/20

36

13

18/19

35

6

17/18

32

4

16/17

11

1

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Calvert-Lewin has not hit double figures for goals in the Premier League since the 2020/21 campaign, when fans were not allowed in grounds, and only scored three times last season.

This suggests that Leeds will need plenty of creativity in their side to ensure that enough chances are created to boost the English striker’s output, and a fresh report suggests that they could be on course to add a big creative threat.

Leeds have held talks to sign Championship star

According to CaughtOffside, Leeds United have already held talks with the representatives of Leicester City attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss.

The report claims that the Whites have already offered contract terms to the Morocco international, with a £50k-per-week deal waiting for him at Elland Road if he opts to make the move.

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It adds that the number ten has a £24.5m release clause in his contract with the Championship side, and that the West Yorkshire outfit are willing to pay it to snap him up this summer.

CaughtOffside reveals, though, that Newcastle United, RB Leipzig, and Borussia Dortmund are also interested in the 21-year-old playmaker, which means that it will not be an easy deal for Leeds to get over the line.

It is now down to the Championship champions to convince El Khannouss that a move to Elland Road is the best next step for him, and this report suggests that is exactly what they are trying to do at this moment in time.

Why Calvert-Lewin would love El Khannouss

Signing the Leicester playmaker shortly after agreeing a deal to sign Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer could make a lot of sense, because they have the potential to strike up a partnership for the Whites in the upcoming season.

El Khannouss is an attacking midfielder who plays behind the striker, as a number ten in Farke’s 4-2-3-1 system, and this means that he would be directly behind the former Everton man and tasked with supplying him with chances to score.

As aforementioned, Calvert-Lewin has not been in the best of form in front of goal in recent seasons, which means that it is imperative that the Whites supply him with plenty of opportunities to get him back on the goal trail and back to his best.

El Khannouss may have been relegated from the Premier League with the Foxes in the 2024/25 campaign, but he was still able to showcase his quality at the top end of the pitch.

The 21-year-old talent delivered three goals and five assists in all competitions for Leicester, per Sofascore, but his underlying numbers in the Premier League were even more eye-catching.

24/25 Premier League

Bilal El Khannous per 90

Percentile rank vs AMs & wingers

xAG

0.19

Top 46%

Assists

0.12

Bottom 35%

Passes attempted

43.85

Top 15%

Progressive passes

5.28

Top 14%

Passes into the final third

3.67

Top 10%

Key passes

1.73

Top 37%

Through balls

0.45

Top 16%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, El Khannouss ranked highly among his positional peers in a host of creative metrics in the top-flight, but was not rewarded with the assists that his excellent play deserved.

These statistics show that the Moroccan youngster is an attacking midfielder who likes to find his teammates in dangerous positions in the final third, with progressive passes, key passes, and through balls to cut open opposition defences on a regular basis.

His creative prowess was on display for Leicester in their opening game of the Championship season against Sheffield Wednesday, as he recorded two assists and created three ‘big chances’ in a 2-1 win for his side, per Sofascore.

The £24.5m-rated talent would be a dream for Calvert-Lewin, therefore, because he has the creativity, the passing quality, and the Premier League experience to be a dream number ten for the striker to play ahead of.

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Whilst it will then be down to the forward to make the most of those chances, the former Everton man will be delighted to have a player who can consistently tee him up for shots at goal.

Taskin Ahmed was the first player called in this year’s BPL draft when the new franchise Durbar Rajshahi picked the 29-year old fast bowler. Defending champions Fortune Barishal took Mahmudullah, who recently retired from T20Is, with the seventh overall pick as they retained several of their last season’s squad members for the 2024-25 team.Like Taskin, fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana were also first round picks, for Khulna Tigers and Rangpur Riders respectively. Litton Das (Dhaka Capitals), Shamim Hossain (Chittagong Kings) and Rony Talukdar (Sylhet Strikers) rounded off the first round. There was however no takers for Category A players legspinner Rishad Hossain and Najmul Hossain Shanto, Bangladesh’s current T20I captain and the top scorer from 2023 season.Barishal would later pick both Shanto and Rishad with the 15th and 43rd overall picks for local cricketers. Shanto hasn’t been in great form off late, while many believed that Rishad’s availability is slightly unclear as the Hobart Hurricane picked him for this season’s BBL.Sylhet took Mashrafe Mortaza, who appeared for the same franchise for the past two seasons. Sylhet had retained Zakir Hasan, Tanzim Hasan, Paul Stirling and George Munsey, while directly signing Jaker Ali. Among those they picked in the draft were Reece Topley, Rahkeem Cornwall and Samiullah Shenwari.Defending champions Barishal retained Tamim Iqbal, the player-of-the-tournament last season, and Mushfiqur Rahim. They directly signed Towhid Hridoy, Dawid Malan, Kyle Mayers, Mohammad Nabi, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Ali and Jahandad Khan. They also took Pathum Nissanka from the draft although the Sri Lankan batter is available partially during the BPL.Pakistani cricketers Saim Ayub (Dhaka Capitals), Akif Javed (Rangpur Riders) and Mohammad Hasnain (Khulna Tigers) were the first three overseas picks, followed by James Fuller (Barishal) and Graham Clark (Chittagong).Among the uncapped Bangladeshi players, Nahid Rana (Rangpur), Habibur Rahman Sohan (Dhaka) and Jishan Alam (Rajshahi) were the early picks.The BPL teams can continue to sign players directly till the scheduled tournament start date of December 27. Barishal, Khulna, Sylhet and Rangpur are the existing franchises while Dhaka, Chittagong and Rajshahi are new in this season.

Promising fast bowler handed first senior call-up after slew of fast-bowling injuries

Andrew McGlashan16-Sep-2024

Mahli Beardman was a star of Australia’s Under-19 World Cup victory in February•Gallo Images

Australia have responded to their mounting fast-bowling injury list by adding Mahli Beardman, the 19-year-old Western Australia seamer, to their ODI squad for the five-match series against England, which gets underway at Trent Bridge on Thursday.Beardman, 19 years old and 6ft 2in, was a standout performer in the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, in particular with his Player-of-the-Match winning figures of 3 for 15 in Australia’s victory over India in the final in Benoni.Though he has played just one List A match in his career to date, he was picked up in August by Perth Scorchers for this year’s Big Bash League, and is one of a crop of young fast bowlers in Australia’s set-up whom the selectors have been monitoring closely, alongside Callum Vidler, Charlie Anderson and Tom Straker.His call-up comes amid a slew of injuries among Australia’s fast bowlers. Xavier Bartlett sustained a side strain during the first T20I against England, while Nathan Ellis was pulled from the Scotland leg of the tour after aggravating an injury sustained in the Hundred.Spencer Johnson was ruled out before the tour began, while Riley Meredith did not play after first T20I in Scotland, with both men sustaining side issues.Related

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Josh Hazlewood had been a doubt for the T20I series after a late arrival in the UK following a minor calf strain, but played a major part in Australia’s victory in Southampton before being rested for the second match in Cardiff.Speaking to SEN last week, Andrew McDonald, Australia’s head coach, said that his team would be closely monitoring the fitness of his “big three” bowlers – Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, ahead of a five-Test home series against India later this year.”A lot of our priorities will be geared around that,” Andrew McDonald, Australia’s coach, told SEN last week. “You’ll see that unfold with the management of our players. We’ll be very pointed around who does what in terms of [Sheffield] Shield cricket coming into the summer to make sure that they are ready for that first Test match.”Beardman and Cooper Connolly, who had been a part of the T20I squad, have been on the Australian bench in Perth in the past two summers as part of Cricket Australia’s Under-19 induction program.Connolly will remain in the UK with the ODI squad, as will Ben Dwarshuis who has been added as cover for the remainder of the tour.Australia’s squad for the ODIs will also be boosted by the arrival of Starc, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Glenn Maxwell.Australia ODI squad vs EnglandMitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (wk), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa | Traveling reserve: Mahli Beardman

Non-compliance concerns centre around USAC not fulfilling governance norms set by the US Olympic body, and longstanding vacancies in top administrative posts

Nagraj Gollapudi18-Jul-2024

The USA was co-host of the T20 World Cup in June, hosting games at three venues•ICC/Getty Images

The ICC has warned USA Cricket (USAC) it risks being “put on notice” for non-compliance with its Associate membership status, barely a month after the last game of a historic, first-ever ICC global event staged in the country. The USA was a co-host, with the West Indies, of the T20 World Cup in June, staging games at three venues as the ICC acted on its long-held ambition of breaking into North America.But the difficulty of that ambition is evident in the warning, which says USAC is potentially in breach on two counts. One concerns USAC not fulfilling the governance norms set by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) necessary for it to earn the National Governing Body (NGB) status, which is mandatory for all sports that were last year added to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. And on the second the ICC has hauled up USAC for not having a “fit-for purpose administrative structure”, including not filling in the vacant CEO position after it sacked the previous incumbent months into his job.”USA Cricket is currently Non-compliant with ICC Associate Member Membership Criteria 2.2(b)(i) (governance structure) and 2.2 (b)(ii) (administrative and executive structure) and is at risk of being placed ‘On Notice’,” the ICC said in an note sent recently to all its members attending the global cricket body’s AGM, which will take place on July 22 in Colombo immediately after the ICC Board meets.Titled “Associate Member Membership Update”, the five-page document, accessed by ESPNcricinfo, was sent on July 11. The ICC noted that the USOPC had “expressed serious concerns” over the governance model of USAC. “The USOPC has written to the USAC expressing serious concerns about the ongoing governance of USAC. Whilst this does not put USAC in breach of ICC Membership Criteria, it reflects broader concerns regarding USAC’s governance.”However, USOPC have stated if USAC do not achieve NGB certification, they will be required to commence a process to recognise an alternate NGB for cricket, which could put USAC in breach of ICC Membership Criteria to be “recognized by the ICC (at its absolute discretion) as the primary governing body responsible for the administration, management and development of cricket (men’s and women’s) in its country”.This is second time this year the ICC has put USAC on alert. After its quarterly meetings in March, the ICC sent a missive to USAC hauling it up over several issues, including warning it even back then that USAC was not doing enough to become USOPC compliant. The ICC also raised the issue of not having a CEO in place ever since it released the incumbent Dr Noor Mohammad Murad, as well as not appointing an independent director on its Board.That email, sent by ICC CEO Geoff Allardice six days after the ICC Board met in Dubai, was addressed to USAC chair Venu Piske, who was elected to the position in July 2023. While the ICC Board acknowledged USA’s “importance” as a “cricket territory”, Allardice noted in the email, seen by ESPNcricinfo, it was also aware of the “long history of problems” with USAC.The ICC Board had even toyed with the idea of suspending USAC membership in March for “being in serious breach of membership obligations”, but it did not happen eventually only because Allardice said it would disrupt USA’s preparation for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Instead, the ICC Board decided to give USAC a “last chance” to “remedy” the non-compliance issues.As a primary punitive measure though, the ICC Board did stop the annual funding USAC receives until it fulfilled all membership criteria, only allowing “controlled funding” on an “exceptional basis” between April and July “to enable cricket in the USA not to be prejudiced”. During the T20 World Cup, ICC chair Greg Barclay and Allardice once again reiterated to USAC that it was in danger of being suspended if it failed to comply with the membership criteria.Now, in the July AGM note, the ICC said the USAC continued to still be in breach and recommended stronger sanction. “USAC still does not have a fit-for purpose administrative structure. USAC do not currently have a CEO, having terminated the employment of their most recent one after only a few months in the role. A recruitment process for a replacement CEO has commenced. In April, the two remaining USAC Development staff (the Development Manager and Women’s Manager) resigned. A process to replace these staff as has not yet commenced. Currently, replacement staff are temporary and part-time contractors.”It is Management’s view that USAC has not remedied all areas of non-compliance as outlined in the ICC’s letter to USAC dated 21 March, 2024, and is therefore at risk of being placed ‘On Notice’.”In its initial response, sent on July 12, USAC is understood to have told the ICC that it had appointed an independent director – Pintoo Shah – who also took charge as the Treasurer. His appointment was ratified by the USAC Board on the same day. The delay in filling up the independent position, USAC explained, was due to it amending its constitution to fall in line with USOPC regulations.The USAC email, copied to senior USOPC officials, also said it was harsh on ICC’s part to threaten “drastic action” when it was working hard to meet compliance. USAC said it was informed of the NGB accreditation process only on January 24, so it was unfair to expect it to be compliant by March when the ICC sent the initial warning, and especially when the deadline for compliance submission to USOPC was September 30.As for the vacant CEO position, USAC said that it had received several applications when it advertised for the position this April and shortlisted names, keeping ICC Americas in the loop. The new USAC CEO, it is understood, will be appointed immediately after the ICC AGM.

Leeds United are now believed to be right in the mix to complete the signing of an exciting young Premier League player in the summer transfer window.

Who are Leeds trying to sign this summer?

Nikola Krstovic has emerged as a rumoured transfer target for the Whites this summer, with the returning Premier League outfit even reportedly tabling a £29m offer for his services. The Lecce attacker scored 11 goals in 37 Serie A appearances last season, and could add much-needed firepower to Daniel Farke’s squad.

Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz has also been linked with a move to Leeds before next season gets underway, with the Turin giants willing to move him on, despite his quality. He could be a signing of real intent by the Whites, having shone for Aston Villa previously.

Meanwhile, Joe Gomez has been backed to join Leeds if he wants to leave Liverpool this summer, but unfortunately, he has seemingly committed his future to the Reds on Instagram: “It’s been a blessing to be a part of the different dressing rooms and getting to create such special memories over the years with so many great players & staff.

“I felt it was important to share my thanks to you all for the support throughout the years, it’s always meant the world and I will never take it for granted. A decade in red… and still hungry to keep going.”

Leeds pushing to sign "incredible" Premier League ace

According to a fresh update from Marca [via Sport Witness], Leeds are battling Feyenoord for the signing of Wolves left-back Hugo Bueno this summer. The 22-year-old spent last season loan at the Eredivisie side, and they are now keen on turning his temporary move into a permanent switch.

Bueno could be exactly the type of shrewd squad signing that Leeds are after this summer, coming in and providing squad depth, having proven himself as a solid squad player in the Premier League.

The Spaniard has made 43 appearances in England’s top flight, while former Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs has lauded his impact from a very young age at Molineux.

“Since joining us as a 16-year-old number 10, the work that Hugo and the coaches have put into changing his position, and the acceptance he had of doing that, shows what a good pro he is. To be able to get his head around a new position and develop at the rate he has was incredible.

“Hugo’s one of the huge success stories of the club. Bringing him in from a grassroots team in Spain when he was just 16, and he’s now 21, playing in the Premier League and being a regular Premier League player, it’s testament to everyone involved.”

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Bueno could provide stiff competition for Sam Byram at left-back next season, and given his age, there is no reason why he won’t blossom more as a player as the years pass.

The Champions League is the biggest competition in club football. It is a chance for the world’s best to prove their calibre against the finest leagues and teams in Europe for the ultimate prize of ‘Old Big Ears’ come May or June every year.

As is the case with any competition, it is a marathon rather than a sprint, and Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for most Champions League goals, with 141 in 183 appearances.

However, the way a club starts can often foretell their chances of glory at the end. This came to pass in the first season of the brand new league phase in 2024/25, with three of the top four clubs reaching the semi-finals.

With this in mind, Football FanCast takes a look at the top 12 goalscorers in the Champions League group stage/league phase.

Stats correct as of 14th May 2025.

Rank

Player

Goals

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

Robert Lewandowski

Karim Benzema

Raul

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Thierry Henry

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Mohamed Salah

Antoine Griezmann

Alessandro Del Piero

Erling Haaland

12 Erling Haaland 33 goals

The newest entrant to this list has wasted little time making a name for himself, with Erling Haaland racing into the record books thanks to his incredible knack for goals.

His first Champions League strikes came for RB Salzburg in the 2019/20 season, scoring a hat-trick on his group stage debut against Genk, before scoring five more in the four matches that followed.

Continuing his hot streak for Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City – with whom he won the competition in 2023 – Haaland has already become one of the competition’s best strikers, yet he’s barely 25. If there’s one challenger to the top scorers, it’s him.

11 Alessandro Del Piero 33 goals

Known as one of the great one-club legends, Alessandro Del Piero is another whose talent perhaps deserved more than the sole winners’ medal he earned in 1996. He always favoured loyalty over glory with Juventus, but his 33 goals in the group stages of the Champions League prove his devotion was bettered by his goal-getting instinct.

In the competition’s history, Del Piero is the highest-scoring Italian, with nine goals in the knockouts bringing his total to 42 on the continental stage.

10 Antoine Griezmann 34 goals

Antoine Griezmann may not have got his hands on the Champions League trophy, but his exploits for Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have ensured his place in the competition’s history.

The Frenchman came closest to the trophy in 2016, when his Atletico side were beaten on penalties by city rivals Real. Griezmann missed a penalty in normal time before Los Rojiblancos found an equaliser, though he made up for it somewhat by scoring in the shootout.

With a further nine goals outside of the group stage, he remains one of the best goalscorers that the Champions League has eluded in the modern era.

9 Mohamed Salah 35 goals

Mo Salah was pivotal to Liverpool’s sixth European triumph when his early penalty against Tottenham set Jurgen Klopp’s men on the way to victory in 2019.

On top of this, he has become the club’s top goalscorer in Europe, while across all UEFA club competitions, he holds the record for most goals scored for an English club, previously set by Thierry Henry in 2006.

In the Champions League, Salah has edged ahead of the likes of Sergio Aguero in the group stage, with his contributions for Basel, Roma and Liverpool making him a legend of the competition.

8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic 38 goals

Europe’s finest journeyman, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is known on and off the pitch for his confidence and distinctive maverick personality.

In front of goal, he was a monster, and from 38 group stage goals for seven different clubs, there weren’t too many that weren’t absolutely 10/10 spectacular.

Whether it be with his head, left foot, right foot, or through a volley, rocket, or a swerving, curling strike, Zlatan could score any type of goal from any angle or range.

7 Thierry Henry 38 goals

Also on 38 goals, Thierry Henry had a long and successful time playing in the Champions League.

Before Kylian Mbappe tore up the record books, the Arsenal Invincible was the youngest Frenchman to reach the 40-goal mark, while he remains the competition’s all-time second-highest goalscorer from France with half a century – second only to the marvellous Karim Benzema.

Henry crowned his fruit-bearing European adventure in 2009 when he lifted the trophy with Barcelona after brushing Manchester United aside in the final.

6 Ruud van Nistelrooy 50 goals

50 goals in the Champions League group stage is quite the jump from 38, especially since there were only six such games each year. But perhaps even more surprising is the fact that Ruud van Nistelrooy is the only Dutchman to make the top 12.

Despite the Oranje boasting a successful bloodline of special footballers, it is the striking endeavours of the Eindhoven product turned Man United and Real Madrid superstar that stand at the very top.

The Ruud Devil, however, is another who never lifted the famous trophy. But in 2001/02, 2002/03 and 2004/05, he finished as the competition’s top goalscorer.

Remarkably, he only ever scored six goals in the knockouts, but everything adds up to an impressive overall tally of 60 Champions League goals.

5 Raúl González 53 goals

Raúl is the highest-ranking Spanish player to feature and is one of his nation’s most decorated footballers.

Raúl became the first player to score 50 Champions League goals when he scored in a 2-1 group stage win over Olympiacos in September 2005 and was also the first to make 100 appearances in the competition. He was also the first player to score in two Champions League finals since the competition’s rebrand, notching in the finals of 2000 and 2002.

It is no surprise, then, to learn that the Spaniard is the fifth-highest goalscorer in the competition’s history, while he is joint-fifth in terms of winning the famous trophy thanks to three triumphs with Real Madrid – the benchmark football club on the continent.

4 Karim Benzema 56 goals

Somewhat overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, in his own right, is one of the greatest out-and-out strikers of all time.

He is France’s top goalscorer in European competition with 90 goals in 140 games, and he is the first in this ranking to have won both the Champions League (five times!) and the Ballon d’Or (2022).

3 Robert Lewandowski 71 goals

Robert Lewandowski’s entire career has been enmeshed in near-misses when it comes to silverware. He should have won the Ballon d’Or in 2020, robbed by a pandemic. Yet, his record proves he’s one of the greatest number 9s ever.

Nowadays, he aims for more glory with Barcelona, even in his mid-thirties. The Poland international will hope to add to his tally group stage goals in 2025/26.

Across all stages of the Champions League, Lewandowski has 105 goals – third in the overall ranking once more.

A player who has been really important for Rangers this season could now be tempted to leave Ibrox in the summer and join Besiktas, according to a new report.

Rangers announce new sporting director

Wednesday was a busy day for the Gers, as they confirmed a deal that they hope can help transform them on and off the pitch, as they look to close the gap on arch-rivals Celtic. Rangers are in the middle of trying to find a new manager, but before that appointment is made, they have announced that Kevin Thelwell is joining as their new sporting director.

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The 51-year-old will join Rangers once his contract with Premier League side Everton expires at the end of the season. The Gers stated that finding a new sporting director was made a priority in their football review, and Thelwell has stated that it is a “huge honour” for him to join the club.

“This is a huge honour for me to be joining a club with the size, stature and expectations of Rangers. From the first conversations, it was clear to me how ambitious the club is, and I’m excited to play a part in shaping its next chapter.

“I know how much Rangers means to so many people, and that brings both responsibility and motivation. Rangers needs to win. That’s the bottom line. There’s a strong foundation already in place, and I look forward to working closely with the teams across the men’s, women’s and academy programmes to build something that delivers consistently.

“Of course, there’s important work ahead, especially in the men’s first-team structure, but we’ll approach it with energy and purpose. While change takes time, I’m confident that we can make real progress. I can’t wait to get started.”

Rangers star could be tempted to leave Ibrox and join Besiktas

Thelwell is not yet through the door at Ibrox, but he already has a lot of work ahead of him, as according to Turkish outlet A spor, via Inside Futbol, Besiktas have added Rangers’ Vaclav Cerny to their list of targets ahead of the summer transfer window opening.

The report states that Cerny has emerged onto Besiktas’ radar after impressing for the Gers, especially in the Europa League this season. Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in charge of the Turkish outfit, and the club’s board are keen to back him with signings over the summer.

The 27-year-old joined the Scottish side on a season-long loan deal from German side Wolfsburg in the summer, and as part of that deal, Rangers do have the option to make the deal into a permanent switch. It is unclear how much he will cost, but given he has scored 11 goals in 28 league games, it is a deal that Rangers are likely going to want to proceed with.

Vaclav Cerny’s 24/25 Europa League stats
Apps	12
Starts	12
Goals	6
Shots per game	3.4
Chance conversion rate	15%
Assists	2
Key passes per game	1.2

However, it does state that Cerny could be convinced to join Besiktas, and if the Turkish outfit manage to secure European football for next season, it could strengthen their bid to sign the Czech Republic international.

Maiden ODI century proves an apt retort after criticism of his previous comments in defeat

Vithushan Ehantharajah24-Sep-2024A look to the heavens before a puff of the cheeks. A “fookin’ ‘ellll” exhaled out the side of his mouth. Harry Brook’s reaction in the 34th over of England’s chase said it all. Who cares? He does.The relief flowed after his maiden ODI century, a feeling you could apply more broadly to the last week, his central part in it and the situation his team faced at the Seat Unique Riverside. After two humbling defeats, England were well on their way to winning this third ODI in Durham. And a cricketer who perhaps did not realise how sapping ODI captaincy could be – “I was actually knackered when I got out there after 50 overs in the field,” he said at the end – finally got to experience being the lesser stressed of the two leaders.There are caveats of course, though nothing to do with rain taking the players off in the 38th over of England’s pursuit of 305. Brook and Liam Livingstone had begun munching through what was left, and the 51 left on the table was set to be devoured in about half of the 74 balls left. They were 46 ahead on DLS at the break in play.Australia rested Travis Head, which lent itself to a subdued start – they struck just nine boundaries in the first 25 overs – before a late flurry shifted their total to 304 for 7. Adam Zampa’s illness robbed them of an X-factor, with the full-time ‘part-time’ offspin of Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Short combining for three forgettable overs. A healthy amount of legspin would have broken up the monotony of seam that England managed easily through the middle overs as Brook and Will Jacks flourished having come together at 11 for 2. “It’s always a different team when Adam Zampa is not there,” Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald said after the match.Brook also won his third consecutive toss, and though that hadn’t helped at Trent Bridge or Headingley, conditions at Chester-le-Street were conducive to bowling up top. But it turned out to be the first of several correct calls in what turned out to be an accomplished day out for the 25-year-old.Brook admitted he’d found his early experience of the captaincy a bit ‘frantic’•Getty ImagesBefore he starred with the bat, Brook showed a decent amount of cunning in the field. Perhaps the best of it was using an unusually narrow and close mid-on to remove Cameron Green, breaking a stand of 84 with Steven Smith, who was essentially shielding the fielder – Matthew Potts – at the non-striker’s end as Jacob Bethell twirled his left-arm orthodox from around the wicket.”There wasn’t much turn and Beth was kind of just sliding it on,” Brook explained of the unusual placing. Granted, Green did not need to charge down and slap the ball straight to Potts – which Brook acknowledged in his own way. “It was a little bit of luck, to be honest, I’m not going to take the credit too much. But that’s nice to see, when you do make a change and it works straight away.”Another tweak saw the back of Marnus Labuschagne for a duck. The Australian No.5, keen to get off the mark while being denied options down the ground, attempted to find relief with a scoop off Jacks. A ricochet off his grille gave Jamie Smith a simple catch behind the stumps.Despite some sound marshalling of the attack – particularly Brydon Carse, who bowled better than figures of 1 for 55 suggest – things did unravel for Brook at the end of Australia’s innings. Alex Carey’s acceleration and Aaron Hardie’s introduction saw 104 scored off the last 10 overs, with a startling 55 coming from the last four. England looked a seamer light – specifically, an allrounder, and it was some comfort when their most exalted of that breed spent the interval telling Sky he would be more than willing to return when he is inevitably asked.Winning helps of course, but Brook regarded this as an altogether more comfortable outing as captain. “Progressively it’s got more enjoyable. The first game I felt a little bit frantic, at times. But as the series has gone on, I’ve felt a lot more chilled.”It certainly looked that way as far as his batting was concerned. A devastating unbeaten 110 – three figures brought up in just 87 deliveries – breaks a 16-innings streak without a century across all formats, domestic and international. There have been just two half-centuries – for Northern Superchargers against Manchester Originals and in the first innings of the first Sri Lanka Test – since his fifth Test hundred against West Indies at Trent Bridge in the middle of July, among eight other double-figure scores.Related

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There were some welcome hallmarks of the Brook that England fans have come to expect. He explained his success as a case of keeping his head “as still as possible”, watching the ball and playing it late – traits which, to be fair, were abundantly clear today. But there were also the characteristic impulsive streaks.The first time he used his feet was to carve Josh Hazlewood over backward point in the ninth over. He greeted the first deliveries of Maxwell and Short with lofted drives over extra cover, for four and six respectively.In Jacks, he had an ally willing to keep pace, and even sprint ahead. The pair tag-teamed Mitchell Starc in the 23rd over, handing the left-arm quick his third most expensive over in ODIs (19). By the time their stand was broken for 156 – Jacks slicing to point for 84 – the ask was a manageable 138 from 135 deliveries. Brook seemed intent to drive, cut and scoop his way through that figure, eventually having to make do with 40 of the 87 England hacked off before the rains came.”He’s an impressive player,” McDonald said. “He’s going to have a long career for England, and he’s going to give us some headaches along the journey.”You could call this a statement knock of sorts. Two-fold, perhaps. The first being that it gave Brook the chance to clarify comments made after the first ODI. “If you get caught somewhere on the boundary or in the field, then who cares?” was the utterance in question, leading to widespread derision from fans and pundits alike.”I think people took that a little bit the wrong way,” he said. “You’ve got to go out there and play fearlessly and almost have that ‘who cares’ attitude. That’s not a ‘who cares if we lose attitude’ – we still want to win. But you don’t want to go out there and have that fear of getting out.”You could see what he meant at the time, but Tuesday’s knock – studded with 13 fours and two sixes – acts as a handy guide to make it crystal clear. This was Brook leading from the front, in a familiar sweet spot of showing just how much he cares through not caring the right way.

From a setback at Lord’s to the craziness of Rawalpindi, we compare and contrast the Baz-approved method

Andrew Miller21-Feb-2023Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum came together as England’s new captain-coach partnership at the start of the last English summer, with the team in the doldrums having won one of their previous 17 Tests dating back to the previous spring. They’ve now been in harness for nine months and 11 matches, in which time they have won ten and lost one, and overseen a cultural revolution within the team’s ranks. But how have these XI performances matched up against each other, and to what degree have they epitomised the team’s ineffable mind-trick, colloquially known as “Bazball”? Here, ESPNcricinfo attempts to rank each of these performances in terms of their Bazziness* …Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have overseen a revolution in England’s approach to Test cricket•Philip Brown/Getty Images

11. South Africa, Lord’s – Lost by an innings and 12 runs

The first and only setback of the Stokes-McCullum regime, but can it really be described as a failure of Bazball, as such? South Africa’s seam attack piled into England with such ferocity, they were scarcely given the chance to deploy their new method in the first place – hence McCullum’s apparently counter-intuitive appeal to “go harder” at the end of a meek display. On an overcast first day, England were asked to bat first and set the tempo, a whole new proposition after four remarkable run-chases, and Kagiso Rabada was primed to seize on the merest hint of reticence. England’s response with the ball was gutsy but, with 165 on the board, they were always fighting a losing cause. However, the sight of Stokes getting physical in an 18-over stint was a sign of his determination to dig the deepest when the going got tough.Ollie Robinson returned to England’s ranks with a bang against South Africa•PA Images via Getty Images

10. South Africa, Old Trafford – Won by an innings and 85 runs

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A rare example of England throttling back and coasting into a position of unassailability. South Africa blew their series lead through misguided team selection, ditching the dangerous Marco Jansen in favour of the second spinner, Simon Harmer – which in turn persuaded Dean Elgar to bat first to the visible delight of his opposite number. Despite being routed for 151, South Africa’s new-ball threat remained potent as England slipped to a wobbly 43 for 3. But Stokes throttled back in a relatively old-school stand with fellow centurion Ben Foakes, to grind out a position from which there could be no escape.Joe Root and Ben Foakes are ecstatic as their unbeaten 120-run stand took England to a five-wicket win at Lord’s•Getty Images

9. New Zealand, Lord’s – Won by 5 wickets

A priceless victory in England’s first outing of the summer, and one that paved the way for everything that followed. Although a number of now-familiar tropes were on display throughout the contest – not least the sight of James Anderson bowling to six slips inside the first 30 minutes of the English summer – the new style was all a bit of a work in progress for a side which, at that stage, still hadn’t won a single Test in ten months. In the end, victory was sealed through a reversion to type. As had been the case throughout 2021, Joe Root stood head and shoulders over his peers, making 115 not out in a challenging chase of 279 – the first fourth-innings hundred of his career. Meanwhile, at the other end, Stokes rode some significant luck to produce a pointedly manic half-century. Though it wasn’t an obvious plan at the time, his refusal to play it safe was intended as a message to his troops.Stuart Broad went on a rampage under the Mount Maunganui floodlights•AFP/Getty Images

8. New Zealand, Mount Maunganui – Won by 267 runs

For all its surface-level bombast, there remains a deeply strategic method to England’s madness, as showcased during the first day-night Test of the Bazball era. As had been the case on the Pakistan tour before Christmas, England’s batting tempo was a means to an end – but rather than driving towards a specific target for New Zealand to chase, Stokes’ main concern was session management, to ensure that his bowlers were granted the best of the conditions under the Mount Maunganui floodlights. The policy worked a treat. England romped along at more than five an over in each innings – ludicrously, they even had to apply the handbrake second-time around after threatening to burn out before nightfall – and twice their enterprise was rewarded by a clatter of twilight wickets. Three on day one, and five on day three, as Stuart Broad, fresh from his comic turn as the “Nighthawk”, embarked on one of rampages.England came from behind to beat South Africa in emphatic fashion at The Oval•Getty Images

7. South Africa, The Oval – Won by nine wickets

Fraught emotions swirled around The Oval following the death of Queen Elizabeth during the first-day washout. Day two was cancelled as a mark of respect, and when the match received special dispensation to continue as a three-day affair, England vowed to win it regardless in her honour … and duly wrapped up the series in a mere 909 balls, their shortest home Test in a century. South Africa were thoroughly discombobulated by the experience – they might have expected to be immune to the hosts’ national tumult, but a spine-tingling rendition of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika scotched that notion. They shipped six wickets in the first hour, and were 118 all out by mid-afternoon, with a resurgent Ollie Robinson claiming 5 for 49. Most teams in England’s position might then have slowed down to speed up: bat once, bat big, and go for the innings win. England, on the other hand, opted to max out on mania. They screeched to 158 all out in barely a session – securing a lead of 40 from exactly the same number of deliveries as their opponents had faced, 218 – then laid into South Africa for a second time on a wild Sunday afternoon. Left with a target of 130, Zak Crawley and Alex Lees then went loco. But for bad light, they might have chased it down that night, instead they returned for five more overs the following morning.Rehan Ahmed is mobbed by his team-mates after dismissing Mohammad Rizwan•Getty Images

6. Pakistan, Karachi – Won by eight wickets

The fast-tracking of Rehan Ahmed, an 18-year-old legspinner with just three first-class appearances to his name, was quite possibly the most atypical selection in England’s Test history. But it also made perfect sense within the new team environment, for not only did Rehan meet the team’s needs on a spin-friendly surface, he arrived with full licence to rip his variations and settle into his work without worrying that a rank long-hop or two would see him banished to the outfield for evermore. On the contrary, that likelihood of looseness was priced into his threat, as Babar Azam discovered after holing out to midwicket to fall for 54 – for Stokes had kept a catcher in that position precisely to seize on any such lapse. A match-seizing five-for followed, whereupon Rehan was shoved up the order to No. 3 in England’s run-chase, with licence to treat his Test debut as an extension of the playground. Two preposterous slogged boundaries telegraphed the glee with which England were now playing their cricket.Mark Wood celebrates after England’s win•Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

5. Pakistan, Multan – Won by 26 runs

Perhaps this was what McCullum had meant about “going harder” when faced with adversity … in this case, Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan’s new mystery spinner, whose flicked front-of-the-hand release produced funky each-way turn and the sort of unknowable threat that had so often derailed less self-assured England line-ups. Sure enough, Abrar ripped out seven wickets on his very first day of Test cricket, but in the process he was taken at nearly a run a ball, as England lived up to their team mantra of “running towards the danger”. And yet, the brains behind England’s brawn was typified by the apparent rookie in their batting ranks. After chipping Abrar to mid-off on the first day for 9, Harry Brook processed his shot selection and vowed not to make the same mistake as he carried England’s second innings with a brilliant 108. “If he dropped one short I was hitting him over midwicket,” he said afterwards. “So it didn’t really matter if it was spinning.” With a taxing target of 355, Pakistan rose to the occasion in a spirited chase, but this time it was Mark Wood’s turn to “go harder”, with a gut-busting display of raw, raucous fast bowling to seal the series in thrilling style.Jamie Overton is congratulated by Jonny Bairstow after reaching fifty in his debut Test•AFP via Getty Images

4. New Zealand, Headingley – Won by seven wickets

If the Power of Positive Thinking could ever be named as Player of the Match, then this was the game in which it played clean out of its skin. By the end of it all, New Zealand were as baffled as they were beaten – particularly after watching a debutant fast bowler, Jamie Overton, rescue England from 55 for 6 in a stand of 241 with Jonny Bairstow that was somehow inevitable and unexpected at the same time. Either side of that opus, Jack Leach twirled his way to a maiden ten-wicket haul, thanks to a captain who had more faith in his bowler than the man himself – as epitomised by Stokes’ refusal to grant Leach a sweeper when the big shots started raining down, particularly from Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell, who made 308 runs between them across two innings. By tea on day four, they’d surely done enough to set up a consolation victory… not a bit of it. Chasing a lofty 296, England romped to 183 for 2 by the close, then wrapped things up in barely an hour on the final morning.Joe Root took on India with a brilliant century at Edgbaston•PA Photos/Getty Images

3. India, Edgbaston – Won by seven wickets

A proper statement victory against a team that had bullied England into submission in the 2021 leg of their Covid-interrupted series, and the most emphatic evidence yet that Stokes’ men weren’t joking when they said that all that truly mattered to them was that number in the fourth innings. Pick your target, a daunting 378 on this occasion, and we’ll hunt it down – in a freewheeling 76.4 overs, as it happens, with Bairstow capping the season of his life with a second century in the match, and Root channelling his “inner rockstar” to riff his way to 142 not out from 173. The inevitability of the finish belied the battle that preceded it, not least in India’s first innings, when Rishabh Pant blitzed a breathless 146 from 111 balls, adding 222 in 39 overs with Ravindra Jadeja. And when Jasprit Bumrah reprised his match-turning counterattack at Lord’s in 2021 to carve a stunning 35 runs in a single Broad over, it seemed England had lost the plot. Hindsight, however, has backed up Stokes’ insistence that, for this England team, runs conceded are an irrelevance. By focussing on those ten wickets in every innings, the rest looks after itself.England celebrate the moment of victory as Jack Leach seals the Rawalpindi Test•AFP/Getty Images

2. Pakistan, Rawalpindi – Won by 74 runs

Quite possibly England’s greatest overseas Test victory, and by almost any measure the apogee of Bazball. On a dismally flat deck, in a country where they had won just two Tests out of 24 in 61 years, and even after a sickness bug had decimated the team’s build-up, England made every inch of the running. Stokes opted to bat for the first time in his tenure, and his players responded with mayhem. On the first day alone, they racked up 506 for 4 in 75 overs – the batting equivalent of Usain Bolt at the Beijing Olympics – which meant that, even after batting for the best part of two days in reply, Pakistan could neither wipe off their deficit, nor take enough time out of the game to make a draw inevitable. What happened next, however, was quite remarkable. Faced with little more than a session in which to post a target that was at once tempting yet defendable, England responded with a blistering turn of speed – 264 more runs at 7.36 an over, including Brook’s 87 from 65 balls, which was on course to smash England’s record for the fastest hundred, until he redoubled his intensity with the declaration looming. The eventual equation was 343 in the best part of 100 overs, and it proved as perfectly weighted as a 40-foot putt for glory on the 18th. With the winter sun dipping inexorably after tea, England ripped out the final five wickets in 90 minutes, sealing the contest in the 97th over with minutes of daylight remaining.Jonny Bairstow nails the pull off Trent Boult en route to a 77-ball century•Getty Images

1. New Zealand, Trent Bridge – Won by five wickets

Do you remember the first time? Even after the eye-popping feats of the past nine months, there’s still been nothing to match the shock and awe of Bairstow’s post-tea onslaught on this free-entry final day, as England turned on the afterburners at Trent Bridge to finish the second Test in a riot of strokeplay. “Strip it back, it’s only you and the bowler there,” Bairstow said afterwards in a stream-of-consciousness articulation of the Bazball manifesto (as no one within the England dressing-room would dare to call it). “Ben at the other end said ‘don’t even think about hitting one down [the ground], hit it into the stands … it was do or die, so you’ve got to do.” England, remember, had conceded 553 in New Zealand’s first innings, with Mitchell and Blundell seemingly putting the game out of reach in a 236-run stand. But England muscled back to parity at a then-rapid lick of 4.2 an over, before duking it out in the third innings to give themselves a shot. Their target of 299 in 72 overs ought to have been outlandish. Instead, in a fitting tribute to the white-ball methods that the Test team had so dramatically co-opted, it was sealed in exactly 50.

Just the six slips in the first half-hour of the summer. Welcome to Bazball! #EngvNZ pic.twitter.com/Is5ops7Hzm

— Andrew Miller (@miller_cricket) June 2, 2022