All posts by h716a5.icu

Domingo part of coaching setup, while Ryan van Niekerk to temporarily replace head coach Ryan Cook, who is busy with IPL commitments

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2023Roelof van der Merwe has returned to the Netherlands’ ODI squad and is in line to play his first 50-over game for them since November 2021 after being named in a 17-member squad for their ODI tour to Zimbabwe and South Africa.Netherlands also announced that former South Africa and Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo will be part of the coaching set-up alongside former South Africa international Heino Kuhn. Domingo had resigned from his position as Bangladesh coach in December last year. In addition, head coach Ryan Cook will not be available for the tour to South Africa and Zimbabwe due to commitments at the IPL and will temporarily be replaced by Ryan van Niekerk.Van der Merwe has played 16 ODIs in all – 13 for South Africa and three for Netherlands – and comes in after a successful T20 World Cup for Netherlands and SA20 in South Africa. Part of the winning Sunrisers Eastern Cape side, the allrounder finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with 20 scalps in 10 games and was also player-of-the-match in the final. He has been unavailable for most of their recent ODIs due to his county commitments with Somerset.Related

South Africa players to join IPL on April 3 after Netherlands ODIs

Russell Domingo resigns as Bangladesh head coach

Also back in the squad are fast bowlers Brandon Glover, Paul van Meekeren, Fred Klaassen, all of who were missing from Netherlands’ last ODI assignment against Pakistan back in August 2022 due to county commitments. Colin Ackermann is also back in the ODI fold, though he will not be available for the matches against South Africa alongside Glover and Bas de Leede due to the start of the county season. In addition, Wesley Barresi and Aryan Dutt will not be playing the ODIs in Zimbabwe.From the squad that played the three-game ODI series against Pakistan, Logan Van Beek, Tim Pringle and Arnav Jain are missing. Pringle and van Beek are both unavailable due to commitments with their domestic teams in New Zealand.Netherlands will play three ODIs in Zimbabwe from March 21-25 in Harare before travelling to South Africa for two ODIs which will be played on March 31 and April 2 in Benoni and Johannesburg respectively. All five ODIs will be part of the ODI Super League.Netherlands squad for ODIs against Zimbabwe and South Africa: Scott Edwards (capt & wk), Colin Ackermann, Musa Ahmad, Shariz Ahmad, Wesley Barresi, Tom Cooper, Aryan Dutt, Brandon Glover, Vivian Kingma, Fred Klaassen, Ryan Klein, Bas de Leede, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van Meekeren, Teja Nidamanuru, Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh.*Colin Ackermann, Brandon Glover and Bas de Leede will not available for ODIs against South Africa*Wesley Barresi and Aryan Dutt will not be playing the ODIs in Zimbabwe

Manchester United legend Teddy Sheringham claimed that Bruno Fernandes is 'not captain material' after a nightmare 2024-25 campaign.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Sheringham slammed Fernandes' leadershipHailed the Portuguese's abilityAl-Hilal keen on signing midfielder ahead of Club World CupFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

United are set to finish the 2024-25 Premier League season in their worst position since the 1973-74 campaign. They also saw their chance of securing a Champions League spot disappear after a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final. While the entire team, including head coach Ruben Amorim, have been lambasted for the terrible performances, Fernandes has had to face his fair share of criticism for being the captain of the side.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

After Roy Keane had criticised the Portuguese midfielder for his reaction after the club's loss to Newcastle United in April, another Red Devils icon, Sheringham, has now raised questions on the 30-year-old's leadership as he claimed that Fernandes is 'not a captain material'.

WHAT TEDDY SHERINGHAM SAID

Speaking to , Sheringham said: "I think in terms of whether or not Bruno Fernandes is captain material for Manchester United, then I agree with [Keane] a bit on that front. It’s similar to Martin Odegaard at Arsenal. I think that they’re both fantastic players for their clubs, and I love them, I love the way they play. But they’re not real captain material, they’re missing leadership qualities. They’re closer to flair players that can come and go over the course of a season. Two top players, but not captains in the Keano or Adams mould for me."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BRUNO FERNANDES?

Following United's loss in the Europa League final, Fernandes had fuelled speculations over his future as he said he would stay with the club until they tell him "it's time to go". later reported that Al-Hilal could step up their efforts to sign the star player before the Club World Cup starts next month.

Edu is gone, so is Arsenal’s title bid. However, amid the Gunners’ 7-1 win over PSV Eindhoven last week and the arrival of new sporting director, Andrea Berta, the future looks brighter again.

It’s safe to say that the Londoners haven’t got things right in recent transfer windows but they will hope that Berta, aged 53, can take their recruitment to the next level with Mikel Arteta in tow.

First on the agenda for the Italian will be fixing Arsenal’s problems in the final third with the addition of a fancy new centre-forward.

Alexander Isak, valued at a ridiculous £150m by Newcastle, seems out of reach, so they may have to settle for Benjamin Sesko instead.

Andrea Berta's dream XI at Arsenal: New Haaland signs & Partey gets the axe

Andrea Berta is on the verge of linking up with Arsenal as their new sporting director.

2 ByMatt Dawson Mar 10, 2025

We say settle, but Sesko would be a mighty fine acquisition too having scored 17 goals in 35 outings for RB Leipzig this season.

Still, Berta shouldn’t just have his eye on a new centre forward…

Arsenal's dream first signings under Berta

It goes without saying that Isak would tick every box imaginable. Sesko would be a solid alternative while reports have emerged this week that Berta holds a similar admiration for Wolves’ Matheus Cunha as Arsenal do.

The Premier League’s second-placed side sniffed around the Brazilian in January but he went on to pen new terms at Molineux instead, just as Sesko did last summer.

A striker is the number one priority but the club should also be looking to strengthen out wide. According to new reports, they could do just that over the summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, as per Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of a number of English clubs lining up a move for Barcelona winger Raphinha and are said to be closely monitoring his progress in the final months of the campaign.

The Brazilian has long been a target for Arteta with Arsenal coming close to luring him away from Leeds back in June 2022 with a bid being submitted. Instead, his dream club in Barcelona came calling and he has been there ever since.

Newcastle, Liverpool and Manchester United are also looking at the wide man with the league leaders notably on the lookout for a Mohamed Salah heir.

Why Arsenal must do everything to sign Raphinha

In the words of Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, Raphinha has “been Europe’s best player in 24/25”. It’s incredibly hard to dispute that fact.

Capable of playing off Bukayo Saka’s favoured right-hand side, behind the striker and off the left, it’s in that role where the 28-year-old has thrived for Barca this term.

Throughout 40 matches in all competitions, the dazzling winger has scored 25 goals and supplied a staggering 18 assists. He’s averaged a goal involvement every 75 minutes of football.

In LaLiga, he has scored 13 times, making him the 21st highest-scoring player in Europe’s top five leagues, while his league assist count of nine is bettered by only five other forwards; Salah, Saka, Florian Wirtz, Lamine Yamal and Omar Marmoush. He’s certainly in fine company.

Meanwhile, throughout those top five divisions on the continent, only Villarreal’s Alex Baena (77) has registered more key passes than Raphinha (74).

So, having actually trounced Isak for goal contributions this term – the Swede has 22 goals and five assists – there is an argument to suggest he would be a better signing.

Why? Well, you can make a case to suggest that Arsenal’s lack of goals this term is a creativity problem. Only Saka – who has spent the last three months out injured – has posted more than eight assists and he has 13.

Assessing the numbers behind Arsenal’s creation and specifically, Martin Odegaard’s output this term, it’s evident someone like Raphinha could be the extra spice Arteta needs to win the title next season.

Assists

0.2

0.3

Key passes

2.4

3

Big chances created

0.4

0.5

Accurate crosses

0.7

0.9

Crossing accuracy %

18.2%

39%

Goals *

1.90

2.4

Expected goals (xG) *

1.56

2.00

Shots on target *

4.9

6.0

Big chances missed *

1.9

1.7

Goal-creating actions *

3.18

4.0

Key passes *

11.0

13.5

Comparing last season to this, the difference is incredibly concerning. Arsenal do have a problem with finding the net but it’s largely because they’re not providing as many key passes to their forwards and subsequently, not producing as many goal-creating actions.

Isak wouldn’t help that part but Raphinha certainly would. He’d give Arteta’s side an abundance of creativity from either flank while boasting the ability to score goals too.

It would cost a pretty penny, of course, but it would be less than Isak and they’d be signing someone with better overall numbers in 2024/25. It’s a win-win for new director, Berta.

Big Merino upgrade: Arsenal plot £101m offer for "the best 9 in the world"

The exceptional goalscorer could fire Arsenal to title glory.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 10, 2025

Alan Gardner watches visitors turn the tables despite moment of controversy

Alan Gardner22-Apr-2023Yorkshire 298 (Carson 5-79) and 138 for 3 (Lyth 69*, Hope 53*) need a further 63 to beat Sussex 361 and 137 (Bess 3-36)One bad session. It’s the sort of thing good teams guard against – and that Sussex have been looking to eradicate from their cricket after three dispiriting red-ball campaigns. The home side controlled this contest for the first two days but suffered a disastrous second-innings collapse to open the door for Yorkshire, who were then guided by unbeaten fifties from Adam Lyth and Shai Hope in their chase of 201 to win.The game was not beyond salvaging for Sussex, who endured more than a few jitters in getting to a target of 231 eight-down against Durham here two weeks ago. Those prospects would have increased had Tom Alsop held an outside edge from Hope in the dying overs of the day – but as things stand, a grim weather forecast for Sunday looks like being Sussex’s best chance of avoiding defeat.While the final session was punctuated by cries of “Yorkshire! Yorkshire!” from the scattering of visiting support, there had been a good deal of chirping from Sussex as they strove to stay in contention. Home irritation centred on a moment in the 18th over when Hope was given not out despite having wandered out of his crease before wicketkeeper Oli Carter threw down the stumps. Hope had clearly tapped his bat before the bails fell and square leg umpire Neil Pratt declined the appeal – presumably having decided that the ball was already dead.Grant Flower, Sussex’s batting coach, was in no doubt after play about the “average umpiring” that led to Hope’s reprieve. “We noticed that he had left his crease once or twice in the first innings and in the second, so we thought if he did it again, we’d run him out. Which was the case, his bat wasn’t in the ground and he hadn’t got permission from our fielders to leave the crease so the ball wasn’t dead.””It’s annoying. The score was 54 for 3, the game was totally in the balance. [He’s their] overseas player, it could have turned the match.”The Hove groundsman has been instructed to leave more grass on the pitches this season and there was up-and-down bounce in evidence, with seven lbws given in Sussex’s second innings – but after Fynn Hudson-Prentice’s two-wicket burst left Yorkshire 39 for 3, the chances all but dried up. On a day in which 16 wickets fell it was the unbroken stand between Lyth and Hope that looked like being decisive.It might not feature on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs but those on the playing side at Yorkshire will have been craving nothing more than a first win of the season, after another winter of off-field discontent was followed by defeat and a washout in their opening Division Two fixtures. Lyth and Hope will get the plaudits should the points be secured but the turnaround would not have been possible without a much-improved bowling performance, held together by Dom Bess’s 3 for 36 from 16.1 overs, as well the tail-end humpty of No. 11 Ben Coad.This game took the first of several sharp turns shortly after Yorkshire’s ninth wicket had gone down on the third morning, at which point Sussex were sitting on a lead of 121. As in the Sussex innings, the last pair added a valuable half-century stand – though the way in which Coad and Mickey Edwards rattled off 59 runs in the space of seven overs brought an almost-palpable change to the atmosphere around the 1st Central County Ground.Coad batted like the angry fast bowler he very much does not appear to be, harrumphing five sixes in an innings of 45 off 32 balls that set Sussex nerves on edge. And although Jack Carson ended his fun to claim a third first-class five-for – and first since Sussex lost a similarly close-fought game against Yorkshire here two years ago – it was soon Coad Red for the home side as two wickets fell in the Yorkshire seamer’s sixth over, following an opening partnership of 41 that had pushed the Sussex lead back into three figures.That the first of ten wickets to fall for the addition of 96 runs was via a run-out perhaps added to the sense of foreboding. There was certainly ill luck about Ali Orr’s dismissal for 26, as Coad got fingertips to a Tom Haines drive – that is until you consider that Orr has now been run out backing up in identical fashion in each of his last three Championship appearances. It won’t be long before the opposition analysts start claiming them.Alsop fell lbw to his first ball, but the presence in the middle of Haines and the captain, Cheteshwar Pujara – Sussex’s two most-reliable batters – prompted the thought at lunch that a session of steady accumulation was the likeliest outcome. Instead, after easing along to 61 for 2 and a lead of 124, both fell in the space of two Jordan Thompson overs and Sussex duly shipped 8 for 76 to cede their position of strength.Haines was caught behind driving on the up, before Thompson removed Pujara in much the same fashion as the first innings – beating him on the inside with a straight one. Tom Clark’s poor start to the season – he has scores of 4, 22, 1 and 4 – continued when he was hit on the pads by Bess, and by now Yorkshire had more than a sniff, despite Hudson-Prentice counterattacking effectively with 30 out of a stand of 39 for the sixth wicket.On the Sussex livestream, thoughts were already turning to the chase: “175 will be hard to get,” was the view of one sage, while a follower of the home side averred that “another 100 should do it”. But on the field, their chances of even getting to 200 in front were quickly dwindling, as Matthew Fisher won lbw decisions against Hudson-Prentice and Nathan McAndrew, and at the other end Carson was winkled out by Bess.Ollie Robinson fell to a sharp catch at slip by Lyth, giving Edwards a first Yorkshire wicket, although there was still time for the visitors to make life harder for themselves by missing two chances to take the last wicket, both off Bess – a low edge from Henry Crocombe put down by Lyth and Hope unable to complete the stumping of Carter. Shakeel had also shelled a straightforward catch off Orr at the start of the innings – but it was Sussex who had dropped the ball by the close.

When Mikel Arteta took over from interim boss Freddie Ljungberg in 2019, he was handed two of the finest young talents to emerge out of Arsenal’s Hale End academy.

One of them was Bukayo Saka, a young winger who has now gone on to play 250 times for the Gunners by the age of 23.

The other was Emile Smith Rowe. You know how the song goes, Arsenal fans. The attacking midfielder may now be plying his trade at Fulham but he was much loved at the Emirates Stadium.

It wouldn’t be drastic, to say that the duo saved Arteta’s first year in full management. Come the end of the 2020/21 campaign, the Hale Enders were on fire, contributing with 25 goals and assists between them.

While Arteta’s job is not under threat in 2025, he does have another pair of fine academy talents who have stepped up amid injuries to help Arsenal reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

If you didn’t already know their names, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are the duo.

What makes Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly so special

When Nwaneri was handed his Premier League debut at the age of 15, it sparked outrage. Many thought it was a performance, some overdramatics from Arteta.

Speaking on talkSPORT, pundit Danny Murphy said: “I’m not convinced that it’s the best move for a young player, I’m really not. He’s obviously a super talent and doing well in training and impressing everyone but surely they’ve got other 18, 19, 20-year-olds who are further ahead in their development and could have got on the bench.”

Well, how wrong he was. Three years on, having only just turned 18, Nwaneri is a major part of this Arsenal squad.

He’s not just one of the finest teenagers in the Premier League, but he’s one of the best in the global game, ranked as the sixth-best wonderkid in the world by GOAL’s famed NXGN 2025 list.

Nwaneri had the innate ability to make something happen out of nothing. He can beat a player on either side and is already among some fine company.

Only Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen scored more goals for a Premier League club in all competitions before turning 18. In total, the teen has scored eight times this season, supplying one assist.

Alongside him has been Lewis-Skelly. Also 18, the youngster has been a more regular starter for Arteta’s Arsenal side but deserves equal praise.

In fact, the left-back has been so good that he was named in Thomas Tuchel’s first-ever England squad and even scored on his debut against Albania on Friday.

A midfielder by trade, Lewis-Skelly has needed little adaption to make the left-back spot his own, keeping out £42m signing Riccardo Calafiori out of the team.

He’s cocky, arrogant, but all in a good way for Arsenal fans. He’s played 26 times this term and excusing a few red cards, hasn’t looked out of place in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League.

As such, both Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly are among the most prominent young players in England’s top flight.

That said, for every success story that comes out of Hale End, some don’t always make it despite incredible hype.

The Arsenal youngster who was ahead of Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly

For every Saka and Nwaneri, there is a Gedion Zelalem, a Jeff Reine-Adelaide, a player who shows a remarkable amount of promise but doesn’t quite make the grade in the senior team.

That certainly applies to young Charlie Patino. He looked like the best thing since sliced bread when he broke through into Arteta’s first team, notably compared to the likes of Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas for his technical ability in midfield.

The hype was certainly real here, with Arsenal scout Brian Stapleton telling GOAL a few years ago: “Shaun O’Connor discovered Jack Wilshere and he said to me that Charlie is the best player who has ever walked through the doors at Hale End. The kid has got so much potential, but he’s not there yet.”

Such a ringing endorsement was something we didn’t see again until the likes of Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly emerged on the scene. That potential looked like it was going to be realised too when Patino found the net on his first-team debut in 2021, scoring in a Carabao Cup tie with Sunderland.

Described as a “special talent” by Black Cats reporter Phil Smith, from that moment, things never really took off for the talented midfielder.

A teenager at the time, he only went on to make one further appearance in Arsenal colours before he was rather forgotten about.

Blackpool

37

3

4

Swansea

35

4

4

Arsenal U18

25

1

4

Arsenal U21

22

2

1

Deportivo

4

0

0

Arsenal

2

1

0

He needed regular game time, he deserved game time given his potential and he received that at both Blackpool and Swansea City on loan. He caught the eye, scoring seven goals and supplying eight assists across 72 games in those two stints.

Yet, Arteta never quite took a liking to him. Patino was impressing but his performances were not blowing onlookers away. He notably struggled to get back in the side at Swansea after a change in manager in December 2023.

So, Patino returned in 2024 and with game time paramount, all parties decided it was best he left the club. According to Arsenal reporter Charles Watts, there just wasn’t sufficient interest from Premier League or Championship clubs, which led to Edu and Co accepting a measly £1m offer for him to move to Deportivo La Coruna in Spain’s second tier.

Considering the Nwaneri-level hype that was generated after his debut, this is a shame for everyone really. He’s made just four appearances this term, struggling to move himself from the bench.

It’s a classic what might have been story.

Arsenal struck gold on amazing star worth more than Trossard & Lewis-Skelly

The incredible ace will be a star for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 19, 2025

Lionesses star Lucy Bronze has revealed that she was the first person Mary Earps called about her shock decision to retire from England duty.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Earps announced shock England retirement last weekBronze reveals she was first person to knowExplains why it was 'difficult' for Lionesses 'to take'Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Earps stunned the football world last week when she announced her immediate international retirement, little over a month before the European Championship begins. The goalkeeper was locked in a fierce battle with Hannah Hampton to be England's No.1 but while the Chelsea star was, in Sarina Wiegman's words, "a little bit ahead" in that race as of late, she now inherits first-choice status by default after Earps shockingly called it quits.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

reported that the timing of the decision 'angered' Wiegman, adding that it came after the England boss had told Earps that Hampton would be No.1 at this summer's Euros. It has certainly weakened the Lionesses' goalkeeper pool, with neither Khiara Keating nor Anna Moorhouse – the other two shot-stoppers involved in the current squad – having a cap to their name.

WHAT BRONZE SAID

Asked about Earps on Monday, Bronze revealed that she was one of the few not to be caught out by the official announcement, though admitted the news was "difficult to take". "I think I was the first person she called to tell," she explained. "I was probably in the know before everyone else, just because we have such a good bond and connection.

"You think of players who know what it means to play for England, I think Mary was one of them, right at the top. Her career at England has been absolutely fantastic. Obviously, the news was difficult to take as team-mates, because we all love Mary and we all want her to be here. But as a person and as a friend, we all accept her decision. We celebrate her and everything that she's done for this team, both on and off the pitch, and then we just have to look forward.

"We've got fantastic goalkeepers here. Mary's left a great legacy that means that they're all in a great position, that they're all prepared, because they've had such a great mentor in the past number of years to learn from. Hopefully, the goalkeepers that we have now can, I guess, just live in that energy and just enjoy the fact that they were able to work alongside such a great professional, and then they can just bring that to the team as well."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Some may have thought that Earps' decision might lead to Wiegman giving one of Keating or Moorhouse their first cap on Friday, as England faced Portugal in the kinder of their two fixtures over this break. However, when asked after that 6-0 win if she ever thought about starting anyone other than Hampton, who made her 14th Lionesses appearance in the game, Wiegman simply said: "To be honest, no. I'm happy with Khiara and Anna too, in the 'keepers unit, but Hannah is the first goalkeeper."

Alex Davies, Rob Yates fire chase of 147 before Ben Raine gives Durham a glimmer

ECB Reporters Network20-Jun-2023Jacob Bethell held his nerve under pressure in the final over to guide Birmingham Bears to a two-wicket victory over Durham in a thriller at Seat Unique Riverside, keeping the visitors on top of the Vitality Blast North Group.The Bears were miserly with the ball after winning the toss. Hasan Ali was excellent at the top of the order and collected figures of 2-15 from his four overs, while Danny Briggs also claimed two strikes. Ollie Robinson and Ashton Turner notched fifties, but Durham’s total of 146 for 5 looked short of par at the interval.Alex Davies and Rob Yates led an explosive start to the Bears’ chase, sharing an opening stand of 80 to put the visitors ahead of the rate. But, Nathan Sowter continued his impressive campaign with two wickets to halt the Birmingham charge. Ben Raine then set nerves jangling with two in two in the 17th over and he performed heroics again with the same feat in the 19th.The game turned again when Bethell held his composure from the final over to smash a six and a four in back-to-back balls to steer Birmingham over the one with three balls to spare, edging them closer to a quarter-final berth.After Graham Clark scored three early boundaries, Durham’s momentum was halted by losing both openers within three balls. Chris Woakes made the breakthrough on his return as Alex Lees was undone by a slower delivery before Clark was bowled by Hasan.Hasan produced a brilliant spell with the new ball, bowling three overs for the cost of just seven runs, limiting the hosts to 29 from the powerplay.The Bears continued to restrict the Durham batting ranks as the run rate hovered at just below six an over. The pressure to score allowed Briggs to strike in successive deliveries. Michael Jones was caught on the fence by Jake Lintott, who produced a clever catch on the rope to prevent a maximum, while Brydon Carse fell first ball.At 60 for 4, the hosts could ill afford to lose further wickets. Robinson and Turner duly responded with an excellent partnership worth 86 to allow Durham to post a competitive total. Turner found his timing against the Birmingham spinners and raced to his half-century from only 29 balls with seven fours and slog-sweep six against Lintott.Robinson was more sedate compared to his team-mate, but still brought up his fourth fifty of the season with a massive strike over the rope against Woakes. He tried to add another off the final ball from Hasan, only to be caught on the relay by Lintott and Ed Barnard.Birmingham had no difficulty adjusting to the pitch in the powerplay and made the chase seem straightforward. Davies and Yates found the boundary with ease without taking risks, racing to fifty after 4.2 overs. The Bears were a staggering 37 runs ahead of the home side at the end of the powerplay, ending the opening six overs 66 without loss.Davies and Yates both fell for 40 as Liam Trevaskis and Wayne Parnell prevented the visitors from racing away with the chase. On his 400th T20 appearance, Glenn Maxwell’s attempt to reverse-sweep Sowter to the rope ended his knock for 14 and the legspinner sent Dan Mousley on his way to put the pressure on.Raine set up a tense finale by matching Briggs’ exploits removing Chris Benjamin and Ed Barnard in successive deliveries. The right-armer then performed similar heroics to dismiss Woakes and Hasan with two in two in the 19th. But, Bethell dispatched Trevaskis for a six and four to guide his team to victory in the final over.

As they look to deal their Premier League rivals a major blow and land a key reinforcement in the process, Aston Villa are now reportedly prepared to complete Unai Emery’s transfer request to hijack a major star from Tottenham.

Aston Villa ready to grant Emery's wish

Having dragged them from the depths of relegation battles all the way to a Champions League quarter-final and a place in the last four of the FA Cup, to say that Emery is well-placed to make his own transfer requests at Villa Park would be an understatement. Together with sporting director Monchi, the Spaniard has earned the backing of those in the Midlands.

To Villa’s credit too, they’re often just as ambitious as their manager in the transfer market – welcoming both Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on loan during the January window. And that ambition is only likely to increase if they qualify for the Champions League for a second-consecutive season – perhaps resulting in moves for the likes of Dusan Vlahovic.

Aston Villa in contact to sign "magnificent" France U21 rising star

They could land an absolute bargain…

ByTom Cunningham Apr 1, 2025

The Villans are reportedly leading the race to sign the out-of-favour Juventus striker and could land a deal for as little as £33m this summer. It’s not just the Serbian forward on their radar, however.

According to Football Transfers, Aston Villa are now preparing to grant Emery’s request and sign Cristian Romero from Tottenham Hotspur this summer. The Argentina defender is reportedly ready to move on from North London and will cost as much as £55m, with Villa ‘willing to offer Romero a five-year contract’.

A World Cup-winner and Champions League-level defender, Emery’s interest in Romero should come as little surprise. It represents how far Spurs have fallen at the same time as Villa’s rise that the two clubs have almost swapped in positions both on and off the pitch. It wouldn’t be absurd to suggest that, in 2025, a move to Villa Park is bigger than heading to Spurs.

"Strong" Romero would be impressive coup

Luring one of the most influential players at one of the so-called top six clubs to the Midlands would not only validate Villa’s place in the battle for European places, it would also send a damning statement of intent. Emery already knows all about Romero’s quality and whilst there may be some concerns over his recent injury history, there’s no doubt that he would instantly hand Aston Villa a defensive leader.

Ollie Watkins also knows all about the defender’s quality. As Spurs thrashed Aston Villa 4-1 earlier this season, the England international was limited to just three touches in the opposition box and lost as many as nine duels. Romero, meanwhile, made four interceptions and won four out of seven ground duels whilst maintaining a pass accuracy of 95%.

If that was his Aston Villa audition, then the Argentine passed with flying colours. It’s those types of performances that have seen Romero praised by the likes of teammate Micky van de Ven, who told reporters last season: “Amazing player, unbelievable player. Defensively so strong, with the ball so strong, keeps talking, for me an amazing player.”

Ajax star Brian Brobbey was the victim of an extortion plot which resulted in explosive attacks and a near-fatal shooting for his friend.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ajax star victim of an extortion plotRefusal to pay led to attacks and a friend being shotClub unaware for a long timeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

As per Het Parool, Brobbey was being blackmailed under the "Holleeder Method," a scheme in which criminals fabricate problems for wealthy individuals and demand hefty payments for their resolution. This tactic, perfected by Dutch criminal Willem Holleeder, subjected Brobbey to years of sleepless nights. The ordeal tragically escalated, leading to his friend being shot and left fighting for his life.

AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The plot reportedly began when Brobbey was approached by Jeymon A., a notorious Antillean-Amsterdam criminal known in the underworld as 'Piccalo'. On the night of December 17-18, 2022, A. met with Brobbey at a concert at Valhalla – a music festival. A. asked Brobbey to step aside for a private conversation, claiming that "Moroccan criminals from Utrecht" were looking for him. A. assured the Ajax star that he had already solved this fabricated problem, subtly suggesting that a "generous compensation" would be a reasonable exchange.

When Brobbey didn't adhere to A.'s demands, a series of planned attacks began. On the night of 15 January 2023, heavy fireworks were thrown through the letterbox of Brobbey's mother-in-law's house. Two months later, on the night of 18 March 2023, an explosive detonated in Brobbey's car, and his sister-in-law's car was set on fire a month later.

TELL ME MORE

The matter dramatically escalated when Brobbey's childhood friend went to meet A. During this meeting, A. shot Brobbey's friend three times, rupturing his intestine. A week later, Brobbey received a text message demanding €150,000, threatening that A. would "handle things differently" if he didn't pay. Text messages between Brobbey and his friend provided the gist of the situation to the detectives investigating the shooting. However, Brobbey initially denied everything, wanting to keep it confidential and to avoid further escalation.

A. was eventually arrested by the police for a different matter and, on 21 November 2024, he prosecutor demanded an eight-year prison sentence for him. Importantly, the details of Brobbey's blackmail have been provided to the court for a more thorough analysis of the case against A.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

ImagoWHAT NEXT FOR BROBBEY?

This ordeal arguably impacted Brobbey's performance, as his form notably dropped from 18 goals in the 2023-24 season to only four in 2024-25. Despite his personal struggles, Brobbey has consistently shown loyalty to the club and always aimed to keep these matters private.

Alvaro Morata has constantly battled with depression and mental health struggles, and is contemplating retirement from the Spanish national team.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Morata opens up on struggles with mental healthAdmits experiencing anxiety attacksWill consider retirement from international footballFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Morata opened up on his battle with mental health issues, acknowledging that he has suffered from anxiety attacks. The Spain captain also admitted that he would contemplate retirement from the national team following his heartbreaking penalty miss that cost La Roja in the shootout defeat to Portugal in the Nations League final last week.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Spain and Portugal played out an entertaining game that ended 2-2 after 120 minutes in Munich. However, La Roja lost the shootout 5-3, with Morata, who came on as the substitute, missing his penalty. It's not the first time that the former Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea and Real Madrid forward has spoken up about his struggles with depression. Back in October 2024, the 32-year-old conceded that he was battling depression right before the 2024 European Championship.

Now, after the Nations League defeat, the Spaniard has already hinted that his future with the national team is clouded in uncertainty. Not just that, but he also received death threats from a section of fans on social media, pitting all the blame for Spain's loss on Morata. Such incidents would only take a bigger toll on the mental health of any player.

WHAT ALVARO MORATA SAID

Morata spoke to on the occasion of the presentation of his documentary 'They Don't Know Who I Am'. Opening up on his mental health struggles, he said: "Your status has nothing to do with your mental health. You have no idea what's happening to you. There are many people who say: 'You have everything.' But it has nothing to do with it. Depression is a very deep issue, but anxiety attacks are there. Eight out of 10 young people suffer from it. And you're not weaker for saying: 'I'm not well at that moment.' What you need is someone to help you, but you can live a normal life. I'm Morata, I'm like that, and I always try to give my all, but it often doesn't work. I often beat myself up, I have a bad time, like last Sunday, but I stop beating myself up. Now I know I have to live. It's ten seconds, knowing what's coming or celebrating the goal in the corner. It hurts. I'm the first one who wanted to win the title with Spain. I had to take that penalty, I did it with determination, and I missed. Yes. You can miss and nothing happens.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

FUTURE WITH SPAIN NATIONAL TEAM

The 2024 European Championship winner with Spain also shared his thoughts on where he stands with regards to his future with the national team: “I don't have anything on my mind. I need to think. First, out of respect for the fans, then for my teammates, and also for Luis [de la Fuente], who has given me life. I need time to pass and analyze things, and see what's good for the national team and what's good or less good for me. I can't answer that today. My wife and children encourage me to keep fighting, but it's not about that anymore. I know what I've been through, and I would do it again a thousand times. I'm getting older, and you have to think things through, calmly and coolly. When I missed the penalty on Sunday, I spoke to her, and what you have to do is think. I'm impulsive, and when a situation like that comes up… it happens to me with football and in other aspects of my life. I wasn't aware of the decisions I was making in the media.”