Left-arm spinner’s 6 for 26 to skittle Durham for 108 in pursuit of 242

ECB Reporters Network31-Jul-2024

Jack Leach took his maiden five-wicket haul in limited overs cricket•Getty Images

England might not need Jack Leach but Somerset certainly do. The England slow left-armer took 6 for 26 to lead his county to a 133-run victory over Durham in Wednesday’s Metro-Bank One-Day Cup victory at the Riverside.No one played Leach with any comfort on a pitch that was receptive to spin throughout the match, and his bowling ensured that Somerset defended 241 in some comfort to collect their second win in this season’s competition.It also threw into sharp relief the value of Lewis Goldsworthy’s 93 in the visitors’ innings. Durham were eventually dismissed for 108 with Scott Borthwick’s 35 providing home spectators with scant comfort.Somerset’s innings began poorly when Andy Umeed was caught behind off Bas de Leede for nought in the second over and things would have been worse had Paul Coughlin not overstepped when he had George Thomas caught at slip for seven.But Thomas and Lewis Goldsworthy then brought some stability to the innings and then began to milk the home bowling very efficiently. Indeed, the second-wicket pair had put on 119 in 27 overs when Colin Ackermann struck twice in two balls.The off-spinner bowled Thomas for 48 when the 21-year-old attempted an uncharacteristically inelegant hoick to leg and he then bowled James Rew with a magnificent delivery that drifted in before straightening sharply to hit the left-hander’s off stump.Ackermann completed his ten-over spell with figures of 2 for 35, meaning that he and George Drissell had delivered their twenty overs of spin for only 79 runs. However, Sean Dickson joined Goldsworthy in a 65-run stand in a shade above 12 overs before Coughlin became the second home bowler to take wickets with successive deliveries.Having made 37, Dickson chopped the ball onto his stumps, and then Josh Thomas’s waft outside the off stump gave Mustard his second catch. Two overs later Coughlin took his third wicket when Goldsworthy pulled the seamer to Jonathan Bushnell at deep midwicket and the last six overs of the innings saw the usual trading of quick runs for wickets.Kacey Aldridge and Jack Davey both made twenties and Bushnell picked up two cheap wickets in the final over. Coughlin finished with 3 for 47, de Leede took 2 for 53 and Daniel Hogg bowled five overs for 19 runs on debut.Durham’s pursuit of 242 for victory began well when Alex Lees and Ben McKinney put on 40 in under eight overs but the loss of four wickets for eight runs ruined the good work. Having made 17, McKinney lofted Alfie Ogborne to Jack Leach at mid-on and a few moments later Lees was lbw to Davey for 18.Then Leach struck twice in his first over, first by having Ackermann caught behind for four and then bowling Michael Jones for a fourth-ball duck. A score of 48 for 4 allowed Dickson to give Charlie Cassell his first bowl for Somerset and the debutant sent down three tidy overs for nine runs before giving way to Goldsworthy’s left-arm spinners.Next over, the wheels finally became detached from Durham’s innings when de Leede was bowled by Leach for 12 and Bushnell was lbw for nought. At that stage, Leach’s figures were four for 11 from 3.3 overs and Durham were 70 for 6.The home side’s last realistic hope of victory disappeared with the score on a hundred when Borthwick smacked a short ball from the leg-spinner Umeed straight to Leach at midwicket and departed for 35. Leach completed his five-wicket haul when he had Coughlin caught by Rew for a single and took his sixth wicket when Haydon Mustard was dismissed for 12 in similar fashion.The game ended in the next over when Drissell was caught behind off Goldsworthy for a single.

Leeds United are back in the big time, and deservedly so, shaking off their Wembley heartbreak to secure the Championship title last time out – reaching 100 points in the process.

Another year in the second tier may suggest that Daniel Farke’s side are now better prepared to make the step up to the Premier League, although is that really the case?

The team that came so close in 2024 was blessed with the dazzling duo of Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville, for instance, the former having contributed 16 assists in total that season, while the latter man registered 21 goals for the Yorkshire side.

With both men having since flown the nest, question marks remain surrounding Farke’s current attacking crop. Indeed, Brenden Aaronson provided just four goal involvements during his previous Premier League stint, with Daniel James registering one fewer while on loan at Fulham during that 2022/23 campaign.

Those prior woes don’t necessarily mean that Leeds’ attacking unit will flounder again next term, although it is evident that more firepower is needed before the window is out. As it is, reports appear to suggest that the Elland Road side are working to find a solution to that problem.

Latest on Leeds' search for a forward

The Whites have so far only bolstered their attacking ranks with the free transfer addition of Wolfsburg’s Lukas Nmecha, albeit with reports earlier this week outlining that contact had been made regarding a move for Juventus’ £12m utility man, Timothy Weah.

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Whether the United States international ends up at Elland Road remains to be seen, however, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano outlining that Ligue 1 side Marseille are also engaging in talks amid a potential move for the 25-year-old.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, French outlet Foot Mercato have noted that Leeds are among a quintet of clubs who are keen on signing Borussia Monchengladbach forward, Franck Honorat, with Farke and co said to be showing ‘strong interest’ in the Frenchman.

As per the report, the likes of Nice and Freiburg are also keeping a close eye on the 28-year-old, while both Valencia and Stade Rennais are also said to have entered the frame, with Honorat previously lining up for Brest in Ligue 1.

Valued at £11m by Football Transfers, the experienced talent has spent the last two seasons in Germany, although a fresh start could be on the horizon. Might it be worth Leeds taking a punt?

Why Honorat could be Farke's new Rutter

The signing of an exciting and versatile French talent from the Bundesliga – ring any bells?

Of course, Leeds forked out a club-record fee of £35.5m to prise the aforementioned Rutter from Hoffenheim in January 2023, with the former France U21 international shaking off a quiet first six months in Yorkshire to emerge as a real shining light under Farke’s watch.

In all, the 23-year-old registered 26 goals and assists in just 66 games prior to his £40m switch to Brighton last summer, having been the creative hub in the side in 2023/24, having created 22 ‘big chances’ in total in the second tier.

While at 28, Honorat isn’t exactly a ‘prospect’, he has been described as “one to watch” this summer by journalist Santi Aouna, having showcased his own creative flair for Gladbach in recent seasons.

Indeed, in just 56 games for the German side, the in-demand forward – who, like Rutter, can operate centrally or on the flanks – has already registered 22 assists, alongside chipping in with ten goals, having been a revelation since his 2023 switch from France.

Games (starts)

32 (28)

19 (18)

Goals

3

4

Assists

9

7

Big chances created

19

12

Key passes*

2.8

2.7

Pass accuracy*

74%

76%

Successful dribbles*

0.7

0.6

Total duels won*

2.4

2.3

Possession lost*

15.1

13.3

As for last term, in particular, Honorat notably provided seven assists and created 12 ‘big chances’ in the Bundesliga, having boasted a stellar average of 2.7 key passes per game from his 19 appearances. For comparison, Rutter averaged 1.9 in that regard during 2023/24.

Had it not been for injury, the Gladbach man could well have even improved upon that return of goal involvements, albeit while still standing out as an exceptional ball carrier, after ranking in the top 15% of wingers and attacking midfielders in the Bundesliga for progressive carries per 90.

That is a trait that is no doubt shared with his compatriot, with Rutter’s dribbling prowess evidenced by the fact that he ranked in the top 4% of his peers for successful take-ons per 90 in 2023/24.

Like Rutter, Honorat may not exactly be a household name at present, but he could prove to be Farke’s next playmaking magician at Elland Road, if a deal can be struck.

Yes, competition for his signature is fierce, but that can only be a good sign…

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David Lloyd anchors run-chase after top-order implosion from visitors

ECB Reporters Network07-Jul-2024Derbyshire 131 for 3 (Lloyd 50) beat Yorkshire 130 for 9 (Ferreira 44, Thomson 3-26) by seven wicketsAlex Thomson took three wickets in an over to put Derbyshire Falcons on course for a crushing seven-wicket Vitality Blast victory over Yorkshire Vikings in front of a 5,200 sell-out crowd at Chesterfield.Vikings collapsed to 21 for 5 on a ground where they have now lost their last seven T20 games and although Donovan Ferreira made 44 off 32 balls, they could only manage 130 for nine.On a two-paced pitch, Thomson’s off-spin claimed 3 for 26 and Pakistan pace ace Mohammad Amir took 2 for 23 while skipper Samit Patel conceded only 15 from his four overs.Falcons made short work of chasing down the target with skipper David Lloyd scoring 50 off 32 balls and Wayne Madsen a composed unbeaten 30 to take the home side to 131 for 3 in 15 overs.After heavy rain in the morning delayed the start by 30 minutes, Vikings started disastrously losing three wickets to Thomson in the second over.Dawid Malan sliced the first ball he faced to gully, Adam Lyth drove straight to cover and Shan Masood was stumped after he came down the pitch to play through the offside.It got even worse for Yorkshire in the next over when Amir pinned James Wharton in front with a yorker to reduce the visitors to 10 for 4Vikings hopes of setting any sort of competitive score rested with Ferreira who survived a difficult swirling catch to Lloyd running back from short third man off Zak Chappell when he was on four.Chappell took a stunning catch in the next over when he plucked the ball one-handed at point to remove George Hill which left the Vikings in danger of falling short of their lowest T20 total of 68 made on the same ground last year.Ferreira drove and pulled Pat Brown for two fours to take the visitors to 52 for 5 after 10 overs and put a dent in Thomson’s figures by pulling him for the first six of the innings.That drop was starting to look costly when he mistimed a cut at Luis Reece low to point and although Matt Revis and Jordan Thompson both cleared the ropes in a Madsen over that cost 14, Revis pulled Amir to deep square leg and Dom Bess skied Chappell to mid-wicket.Thompson pulled Amir for six but Brown conceded only three from the final over to leave Falcons chasing a modest target.Vikings needed early wickets to have any chance but Masood dropped Aneurin Donald at mid off in the first over from Bess.Donald put a dent in the target before he drove Revis to mid on and Reece struck two sixes to take Falcons to 50 in the fourth over.Reece miscued a drive off Ben Cliff to long on but at the end of the powerplay, Falcons were 68 for 2 and well on their way.Lloyd was intent on finishing it quickly, hitting five fours and a six from the first 13 balls he faced as he cruised to 50 from only 31 deliveries.Thompson yorked him in the 14th over but by then it was too late and Falcons wrapped up victory with five overs to spare to boost their hopes of making the quarter-finals.

Nottingham Forest are now looking to capitalise on a European’s club’s horror situation and sign a “true icon” for just £21 million, according to a recent report.

Nottingham Forest in talks to sign two new players

The Reds are now closing in on the signing of Igor Jesus from Brazilian side Botafogo in a deal believed to be worth £10 million, but the forward could soon be joined by fellow new arrivals. According to ESPN Brazil, Forest have opened talks to sign winger Pepe from FC Porto.

The Portuguese side are looking to get around £12 million for the 28-year-old this summer, and Forest’s interest in Pepe comes as Newcastle United continue to circle around Anthony Elanga.

The Magpies have been keen on the former Man United man for a while now, and they decided to formalise that interest with a £45 million bid last week, which was rejected straight away.

As well as looking at potential replacements for Elanga, Nuno also wants to strengthen other areas of his team, as they have to deal with European football next season. Despite Ola Aina impressing a lot last season, the Reds have now made a £5 million bid to sign Pablo Maffeo from Mallorca.

The Premier League side are pushing to find an agreement with his club, and they have already agreed personal terms with the defender.

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The list of potential new arrivals doesn’t stop there for Forest and Nuno, as they are now among the teams interested in a new striker.

Forest to capitalise on Lyon situation with Mikautadze move

According to TEAMtalk, Nottingham Forest are among the teams in a race to sign striker Georges Mikautadze from French side Olympique Lyon.

The 24-year-old only joined the French giants last summer, but given their relegation to Ligue 2, which is under appeal, and their financial situation, he could be one of many players that is allowed to leave in this transfer window.

TEAMtalk reports that as well as Forest, AS Roma and Eintracht Frankfurt are also keen on a deal for the Georgia international, who is valued at €25 million by Lyon, which is roughly £21.4 million.

Some good form during a loan spell with FC Metz made Mikautadze one to watch going into the European Championships last summer, where he earned a share of the golden boot with three goals for an exciting Georgia side.

Lyon swooped in as a result, and he then scored 11 times in 34 Ligue 1 games last term, as well as a further four goals in the Europa League.

Georges Mikautadze in Ligue 1 24/25

Appearances

34

Goals

11

Assists

6

Shots per game

1.6

Key passes per game

0.6

Should Mikautadze, who has been dubbed a “true icon” by scout Jacek Kulig, join Forest in this transfer window, he would be up against Chris Wood, Taiwo Awoniyi and likely Igor Jesus for a starting spot, so it would not be a surprise to see Awoniyi search for a move elsewhere if a deal goes through.

Cricket South Africa [CSA] will host a three-day diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) Indaba (conference) from Friday, with the main aim of identifying a roadmap to ensure a demographically-reflective national men’s team by the 2027 ODI World Cup at home.They will also address issues of representation in the game overall but have changed the labelling of the event from Transformation to DEI to reflect an agenda that addresses the cricketing infrastructure in totality and is not entirely focused on a particular race group.”It is not only about black players but about building a diverse structure,” Mudutambi Ravele, CSA board member and DEI Chairperson told ESPNcricinfo. “For example, we have looked at the data from the Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) province and seen that the number of players of Indian heritage has got less and less. We want to address that. We have looked at Limpopo and there are no white players. We can’t have that. We want to address the issues holistically.”The cases explained above are important when contextualised against the backdrop of South Africa’s history, demographics, and national representation in cricket. While 84.8% of the population is black African, before readmission in 1992, South Africa fielded all-white national sides. Since then, efforts have been made to reflect the country’s other, and most significantly, majority race group, but there was only one black African player in the T20 World Cup 2024 squad – an issue that raised concerns and makes the timing of this conference important.Related

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While CSA has expressed concerns with the lack of black African international players, they also hope to develop the game holistically, especially in places where they can identify gaps in the talent pool such as in Ravele’s examples. The KZN province is the area in the country with the largest percentage of people of Indian descent – 9.3% compared to 2.7% countrywide – while Limpopo, the northernmost province of the country, has a 97.3% black African population but still around 2% of white citizens. Both those race groups have historically high participation in cricket and CSA will seek to understand why those numbers have dipped.However, even their more wide-reaching approach does not take away from the key problem which is the lack of black African representation, that could set CSA back on the agreed annual targets with the country’s sports ministry. In 2016, failure to meet targets saw CSA, and three other sporting federations, banned from hosting major events and with 2027 in mind, CSA is keen to demonstrate a strong commitment to change.When asked why Kagiso Rabada was the only black African in the T20 World Cup squad, South Africa’s white-ball coach Rob Walter pointed to the domestic system and asked it to “really up the ante”. Broadly, CSA agrees with him. At the time, they recognised that “various initiatives that have been pursued over the years have not yielded the desired results,” and now, Ravele said they continue to look at the domestic system to identify where it is lacking.”We want to look at the pool of players who are available and how we can support them to stay in the pool. There are a number of social issues that affect players from disadvantaged backgrounds.”CSA has also launched a specialised program for black African batters since this is an area of particular need.Walter will be present at the DEI , where he will be part of a panel of a discussion with black African batter Khaya Zondo, women’s international bowler Tumi Sekhukhune and former selector Patrick Moroney, who served on South Africa’s last panel under Victor Mpitsang.The selection committee was done away with when Walter and Test coach Shukri Conrad (who will not be in attendance as he readies the squad to leave for a two-match series in West Indies) were appointed last January. As head coaches, they were given sole decision-making powers over their squad selections. This is likely to change with some inside CSA pushing for the return of a panel, which Ravele supports. “A panel helps a lot because there are different views and people can think more broadly. There are more ideas,” she said.If the re-introduction of a selection panel emerges as one of the recommendations from the , it will still need to be ratified by CSA’s board but will ultimately take away Walter and Conrad’s independence.Kagiso Rabada was the only black African in South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad•ICC/Getty Images

The squad Walter picked for the T20 World Cup 2024 was South Africa’s most successful and reached the final for the first time, but Ravela would not be drawn into conflating their success with the issue of representation. “The squad did really well, but did they do well because they didn’t have black players? I think we should view their performance as a matter of progress, as they have been to the semi-finals several times before.”She stressed that CSA will not revert to stipulating a quota for XIs, as they have done in the past, but remain set on average goals. “For the national teams, we don’t put a number of players per event. We want to develop a plan for the year and ask what combinations of players can be used to make sure we are fielding diverse teams.”As things stand, South Africa’s national teams are required to field, on average over the course of a season, at least six players of colour of which two must be black African. At the provincial level, the same target is expected to be met but at least three of the six players of colour must be black African.The SA20, in which CSA owns the majority share although teams are privately owned, has no transformation target or even expectation imposed on it and will remain untouched. Ravele hoped that the franchise owners would keep South Africa’s segregated history and attempts at redress “in the back of their minds,” but so far, the competition is the least representative domestic event. In 2024, there were 13 black African players listed across the six squads, with one – the Pretoria Capitals – having none at all. Of those, only Rabada (MI Cape Town), Junior Dala, Tony de Zorzi (both Durban’s Super Giants), Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo (both Paarl Royals) and Sibonelo Makhanya (Joburg Super Kings) played more than one match for their team.

واصل منتخب المغرب انتصاراته خلال تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026، بتحقيق فوز جديد اليوم الإثنين على زامبيا، بهدفين دون رد.

والتقى منتخب المغرب مع زامبيا، على أرضية ملعب الأخير، في إطار الجولة الثامنة من عمر مباريات المجموعة الخامسة لـ تصفيات كأس العالم.

وسجل هدف منتخب المغرب الأول، اللاعب يوسف النصيري في الدقيقة السابعة من عمر الشوط الأول، وأضاف الثاني حمزة إكمان في الدقيقة 47. أهداف مباراة المغرب وزامبيا في تصفيات كأس العالم

وبذلك، يتواجد منتخب المغرب الذي حسم تأهله من الجولة الماضية إلى نهائيات كأس العالم، في صدارة مجموعته برصيد 21 نقطة بعدما خاض 8 جولات.

طالع | المنتخبات الإفريقية المتأهلة لـ كأس العالم 2026 (محدث باستمرار)

بينما على الجانب الآخر، منتخب زامبيا في المركز الثالث بترتيب المجموعة برصيد 6 نقاط، حيث فاز في مباراتين وتلقى 4 خسائر.

وتضم المجموعة الخامسة من تصفيات كأس العالم، كل من المغرب وزامبيا وتنزانيا ووالنجير والكونغو وتم استبعاد منتخب إريتريا من الاتحاد الدولي فيفا بعد الاعتذار عن المشاركة في التصفيات.

يذكر، أن منتخب المغرب كان قد حقق فوزًا بخماسية في الجولة السابعة على النيجر في المباراة التي أقيمت بالأراضي المغربية يوم الجمعة.

Following an excellent campaign last time out, Nottingham Forest are looking to use the summer transfer window to ensure that their European qualification was no blip. And that could reportedly start with the addition of a Bayern Munich midfielder.

Nuno Espirito Santo extends Nottingham Forest contract

Starting as they mean to go on this summer, Nottingham Forest confirmed the news that Nuno Espirito Santo has agreed a new deal with the club and will now remain in charge until at least 2028.

The Portuguese manager has taken the Midlands club to fresh heights in the Premier League and Evangelos Marinakis was clearly keen to ensure that he remains the man for the job at the City Ground.

The Greek owner told Nottingham Forest’s official media channels: “Nuno has made a great impact and performed very well during his time with us so far.

With that contract signed and delivered, Nottingham Forest can now turn their attention back towards the transfer window. Already, it looks as though Jair Cunha, Igor Jesus and Cuiabano are all on their way from Brazilian club Botafogo, who just defeated Paris Saint-Germain at the Club World Cup. But those in the Midlands could yet return to the market.

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Reports are now suggesting that the Midlands club have joined the race to sign a Champions League midfielder who looks destined to return to the Premier League this summer.

Nottingham Forest join £30m Palhinha race

According to Caught Offside, Nottingham Forest are now eyeing a move to sign Joao Palhinha this summer. The midfielder is reportedly free to leave Bayern Munich for up to €35m (£30m) in what is a cut-price deal considering that the German giants initially paid Fulham as much as £42m to secure his signature just one year ago.

The transfer fee is unlikely to be the main sticking point in any deal. Instead, there may be concerns about Palhinha’s wage demands. If he requests the same £8.5m-a-year contract that he earns at Bayern Munich then the likes of Nottingham Forest could instantly look elsewhere for options.

With Manchester United, former club Fulham, Benfica and West Ham United also in the race for his signature, Palhinha may have a decision to make regarding his salary if he wants to secure an exit away from Munich this summer.

At his best, there’s no denying that Palhinha is capable of making a significant impact with Fulham boss Marco Silva dubbing him “impressive” during his time in West London. Now, however, the Portugal international desperately needs a return to English football to rediscover his top form.

It is hard to map out what exactly a successful season for Celtic would look like next season. They have won the Scottish Premiership title in each of the last four seasons and won the League Cup last term.

Perhaps Brendan Rodgers will be targeting more progress on the European stage, after reaching the play-off round of the Champions League against Bayern Munich in the 2024/25 campaign.

In order to kick on, the Hoops could look to use the summer transfer window to improve their squad, as they have already done with the additions of Kieran Tierney, Ross Doohan, and Benjamin Nygren.

There could be more yet to come for the Hoops, though. Who will move on from Parkhead? Who will fill the spot Jota’s injury has left on the wing? Here’s what Celtic’s dream summer could look like if everything goes according to plan.

The new arrivals Club-record winger and Premier League striker sign

Jota suffered a knee injury in May that ruled him out for up to nine months, and this has left the Premiership champions in need of a new left-sided attacker for next season.

Sarpsborg forward Sondre Orjasaeter is a reported long-term target for the Hoops, but is valued at £11m by the Norwegian club, which would see him equal the club-record fee paid for Arne Engels last year.

Appearances

28

7

Goals

5

1

Big chances missed

5

2

Big chances created

12

7

Key passes per game

1.9

2.0

Assists

5

2

Dribbles completed per game

2.4

2.7

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old talent is a direct and dynamic winger who likes to take opposition players on, whilst delivering end product with goals and assists as well.

Orjasaeter may not be the only high-profile signing Celtic make this summer, in a dream world, as they are also reportedly confident of landing a loan move for Brighton striker Evan Ferguson.

The Ireland international, whose finishing was lauded as “phenomenal” by James Milner, has scored 13 goals in 28 Premier League starts in his career, and could be the replacement for Kyogo Furuhashi, who joined Rennes in January.

Ferguson would not be the only striker to arrive at Parkhead this summer, though, as Callum Osmand has put pen to paper on a four-year contract. The 19-year-old is yet to make his senior bow for Fulham, however, and could be a back-up option at first.

As well as the teen sensation, Celtic are set to sign left-sided centre-back Hayato Inamura, as per Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, to bolster their depth at the back.

That is not all. The Hoops are also reportedly in the market to add another midfielder to the group, and are interested in signing Andy Irving from West Ham United to provide competition for Callum McGregor.

The Scotland international completed 90% of his attempted passes in ten Premier League outings last season, and could offer an assured presence in possession for Rodgers when called upon.

Final incomings: Kieran Tierney, Ross Doohan, Benjamin Nygren, Sondre Orjasaeter, Evan Ferguson, Callum Osmand, Hayato Inamura, Andy Irving

The outgoings Bye-bye Auston Trusty

Naturally, a host of new signings will mean that members of the current first-team squad will likely move on from Parkhead, as has already been the case with Scott Bain’s move to Falkirk to make way for Doohan’s arrival as the third-choice goalkeeper.

Bringing Orjasaeter and Nygren in, on top of already having Nicolas Kuhn, Daizen Maeda, Hyun-jun Yang, and Jota, could mean that Luis Palma and Marco Tilio, who spent last season on loan at Olympiacos and Melbourne City FC, respectively, could be on the chopping block.

They would find game time incredibly difficult to come by, hence why they had to go out on loan even before two potential new additions, and that is why they will be sold in an ideal world.

The same can be said of Stephen Welsh, Gustaf Lagerbielke, and Hyeok-kyu Kwon. They all spent the 2024/25 campaign out on loan away from Parkhead, and the signings of Inamura and Irving, in a dream summer, would send them even further down the pecking order, which is why they should be moved on.

Perhaps the most surprising exit that could happen in a dream world this summer, though, is one for Auston Trusty, who only joined the club from Sheffield United last year.

Appearances

26

22

Clean sheets

14

10

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.9

2.3

Dribbled past per game

0.2x

0.5x

Error led to shot

1

4

Error led to goal

0

1

Duel success rate

72%

64%

As you can see in the table above, Liam Scales significantly outperformed the USA international as a left-sided centre-back option for Celtic, making far fewer mistakes and winning a much higher percentage of his duels.

These statistics suggest that Scales should be the first-choice option in that area of the pitch, which is now set to be bolstered by the signing of Inamura. This would leave Rodgers with three left-sided centre-backs to fill one position, as well as having Maik Nawrocki who can cover there.

Therefore, moving Trusty on this summer, after just one season at Parkhead, could be a dream result for the Hoops, as it would recoup some money, if there are any interested clubs, and leave them with Scales and Inamura to compete for that position, with Nawrocki and Carter-Vickers on the other side.

Final outgoings: Auston Trusty, Luis Palma, Stephen Welsh, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Scott Bain, Marco Tilio, Hyeok-kyu Kwon

The contract renewals Daizen Maeda puts pen to paper

Celtic may also want to tie down some of their top talent this summer to avoid losing them. Sky Sports have reported that the club are set to open contract talks with both Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn.

Brentford have been linked with a potential bid for the Japan international, whilst RB Leipzig are reportedly in talks to sign the German winger ahead of next season.

This shows that the two Celtic attackers are in-demand and that is why pinning them down to new contracts could help to secure their respective futures at Parkhead.

Another player who could warrant a new contract is central midfielder Luke McCowan. His current deal is due to expire in the summer of 2027 and the Hoops may want to extend his deal to ensure that they are not in a position where they may have to sell him next year to avoid losing the Scottish ace for nothing.

Contracts renewed: Daizen Maeda, Nicolas Kuhn, Luke McCowan

All in all, the business mapped out here could represent a special summer for the Premiership champions, as they would bolster their squad with fresh talent, secure the futures of their top players, and move on fringe players who are unlikely to contribute much on the pitch.

Celtic have hit gold on "incredible" star who's worth way more than Nygren

Celtic have hit the jackpot with this star who is currently worth millions more than Benjamin Nygren.

2 ByDan Emery Jun 30, 2025

Experienced batter strikes 46* as Invincibles rue missed chances in rain-hit match

ECB Media08-Aug-2024England star Danni Wyatt led Southern Brave to a breakthrough win and moved top of the women’s runscorers list in a seven-wicket rain-affected win against Oval Invincibles.Wyatt hit an unbeaten 46 from 37 balls, after twice being dropped, to guide the defending champions to a belated first win of this year’s competition with one ball to spare.Lauren Cheatle and Tilly Corteen-Coleman, two weeks shy of her 17th birthday, claimed two wickets apiece as the hosts were restricted to 79 for 4.Marizanne Kapp struck an unbeaten 26 from 17 balls for the hosts, whose innings was delayed for over an hour by rain.A revised target of 83 was therefore set and Invincibles had their chances to claim the key wicket of Wyatt, who was dropped on 4 and 14.Smriti Mandhana was run out cheaply and Maia Bouchier bowled by the impressive Ryana MacDonald-Gay, who claimed 1 for 7 from a maximum 15 balls.Wyatt went past Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 209 runs to become the leading run-scorer in this year’s women’s competition before Sophia Smale claimed Freya Kemp for 3.The 19-year-old left-arm spinner was then tasked with bowling the final five and initially held her never to restrict Wyatt to a dot and a single, before a smart stop kept Chloe Tryon to a single. But Wyatt’s experience told as she made room to shovel her over leg for the winning boundary.Cheatle earlier removed Chamari Athapaththu for a duck from the third ball, edging behind, and then had Alice Capsey caught in the deep after the England young gun had slapped her for six.Rain stopped the game with the home side 38 for 2 after 35 balls as the game was reduced to 65 balls per side.Corteen-Coleman had Invincibles skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill caught and the in-form Paige Scholfield caught in the deep from successive balls before Kapp added late firepower.

Australian Daniel Hughes made 144 as second division leaders Sussex established a strong position after day one against Derbyshire at Hove.Derbyshire elected to bowl first then saw Hughes and Tom Haines put on 196 in just 36 overs. Haines made 72 and after Hughes departed Tom Alsop hit an unbeaten 69 as Sussex closed on 391 for 4.It was just the response they would have wanted after losing only their second game of the season to promotion rivals Yorkshire last week.They began the game six points clear of second-placed Middlesex and nine ahead of Yorkshire, who are playing each other at Headingley, but three of their remaining four matches are at the 1st Central County Ground where they won three out of four this season and know the conditions well.Once again there was a good covering of grass on the pitch which would have influenced Derbyshire skipper David Lloyd’s decision to insert Sussex but his seamers, armed with the Kookaburra ball which is being used for the next two rounds of Vitality County Championship fixtures, struggled for consistency, particularly before lunch, and Hughes and Haines cashed in.It wasn’t until deep into the second session, when spinners David Lloyd and Jack Morley operated in tandem, that the run rate dipped below five an over but by then Sussex had taken control.Hughes offered one chance on 35 when he drove at Zak Chappell, but Derbyshire skipper Wayne Madsen couldn’t hold on to the edge diving to his right at second slip, and by lunch the two left-handers had plundered 161 from 28 overs, targeting the short boundary on the scoreboard side.Hughes duly eased to the ninth first-class hundred of his career just after lunch and it was a surprise when he fell for 144 off 142 balls. South African Daryn Dupavillon had bowled a wide earlier in the over when he speared another delivery outside off stump which Hughes could have ignored, but instead under-edged to keeper Brooke Guest. Hughes hit 18 fours and three sixes, but it was a somewhat tame end to an excellent innings by the 35-year-old from Sydney, who has already confirmed that he will return to Sussex next season. It was also the 1500th century scored against Derbyshire in all formats.Haines had already departed for a fluent 72 when Chappell tempted him into a loose drive and this time Madsen held on at slip while Tom Clark, one of the five left-handers in Sussex’s top six, squandered a promising start when left-armer spinner Morley found extra bounce and the edge looped to slip high off the bat.But by then Alsop was easing to his seventh half-century of the season as he added 66 for the fourth wicket with James Coles, who looked untroubled until he played across the line to off-spinner Lloyd. Alsop has yet to convert any of those fifties into a hundred but he won’t have a better opportunity when he resumes tomorrow, having so far put on 39 for the fifth wicket with captain John Simpson, who was dropped by Madsen off Dupavillon on 21 late in the day.