Rangers are among the clubs who are interested in signing a legendary player in the summer transfer window, according to an exciting new update.

What's going on with Rangers' manager search?

The Gers are continuing their search for their next manager, as they look to get their appointment spot on after the disappointing reign of Philippe Clement.

Davide Ancelotti is still a leading option to take charge at Ibrox ahead of next season, having left his role as assistant manager at Real Madrid. Only 35, the Italian may want to test himself in management, going his own way rather than working alongside with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti.

Meanwhile, Rangers are also believed to have held talks with former Ajax boss Francesco Farioli about becoming their next manager, following a sad end to the season for his side, being pipped to the Eredivisie title by PSV Eindhoven.

The likes of Russell Martin and Steven Gerrard are also among the front-runners to come in and hopefully guide the Gers to greater heights moving forward, and it is essential that the club pick the right man, during a period in which they have only won one Scottish Premiership title since the end of the 2010/11 season.

Whoever is given the job will know the importance of adding to their squad, and a hugely exciting transfer rumour has now emerged.

Rangers lining up stunning summer signing

According to The Daily Record [via Ibrox News], Rangers are keen on signing Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy this summer, with the 38-year-old now a free agent.

There is plenty of interest in the striker,however, including from some Premier League clubs, so it may not be easy for the Gers to strike a deal.

At 38, Vardy clearly isn’t the force he used to be, not possessing the electric pace of old, but that’s not to say he couldn’t still be an effective signing for Rangers.

The Englishman still scored nine goals in the Premier League last season, in a team that got relegated, and Gary Lineker paid tribute to him recently, calling him “inimitable”.

Vardy has the character to be a hero at Ibrox, always enjoying goading opposition fans, but most importantly, he remains a good goalscorer who could add firepower to Rangers’ squad.

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Signing him on a one or two-year deal would make sense for the Gers, during which time he could have the potential to be a cult hero, doing his best to get his hands on the Scottish Premiership trophy.

Manchester United fans will be glad to see the back of a disastrous 2024/25 campaign.

The Red Devils couldn’t even clinch a Europa League success in Bilbao against fellow Premier League strugglers Tottenham Hotspur to try and restore some dented pride, with that final heartbreak making their dire 15th place finish in the top-flight an even harder blow to stomach.

To add to the misery, Ruben Amorim’s side hasn’t been that successful in the transfer market to date away from the impending arrival of Matheus Cunha.

Man United dreaming of statement striker deal

Long-term target Liam Delap has now chosen Chelsea over joining the Theatre of Dreams ranks with his medical due on Sunday, but the red side of Manchester could bounce back in style after this knockback by acquiring their dream striker target instead.

As per a new update from transfer expert Fabrizio Romano via GIVEMESPORT, United are dreaming about the possibility of adding Sporting goal machine Viktor Gyokeres to their camp/

Romano reveals that there as several candidates on the United shortlist when it comes to obtaining a new, potent centre-forward, with Gyokeres very much at the top of that list.

That said, United’s failure to secure Champions League football will make this deal a difficult one to complete.

The Swedish hotshot has also been looked at by Arsenal, but with the Gunners now looking to add Benjamin Sesko instead, United could try to secure this outlandish deal regardless of its improbability.

After all, if they were successful in their advances, Amorim’s men would be about to land a huge upgrade on another of their standout attacking targets in Victor Osimhen.

How Gyokeres would be a big upgrade on Osimhen

Gyokeres’ insane goalscoring journey with Sporting would funnily enough start with Amorim at the helm of the Lisbon-based giants.

The Scandinavian menace would never look back after leaving ex-employers Coventry City behind, with the 26-year-old just getting started in Portugal when bagging 43 goals across his stunning debut season.

He has amazingly bettered that tally across a staggering 2024/25, leaving Gyokeres with a colossal total of 54 strikes from 51 clashes to blow any of the alternative striker targets out of the water, which even includes Osimhen, who has shown off his own deadliness leading the line for Galatasaray.

The explosive Nigerian has managed to collect a hefty 37 league strikes from 39 games this season plying his trade in Turkey, but when compared next to the Sporting ace, his numbers fall flat.

Viktor Gyokeres vs Victor Osimhen from 2023/24 to 2024/25
Stat (* per game)	VG (23/24)	VO (23/24)	VG (24/25)	VO (24/25)
Games played	33	25	33	29
Goals scored	29	15	39	26
Assists	10	3	7	5
Shots*	3.5	3.6	4.2	4.7
Shots on target*	1.8	1.6	2.4	1.9
Goal conversion %	25%	17%	28%	19%
Big chances missed	12	15	23	25
Stats by Sofascore.

As can be seen, Gyokeres has beenon a one-man mission at times leading the line for Sporting, leading to data analyst Spencer Hossman heralding him as “the best finisher in the world”, even whilst Osimhen has bagged a sturdy 41 goals for both Napoli and Galatasaray over the last two seasons.

There’s no doubts surrounding the 26-year-old’s ice-cold ability to finish off chances, but the forward positions would be drastically enhanced at the Theatre of Dreams if Gyokeres were to soon enter through the door instead.

United fans would no longer have to make do with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee clumsily leading the line. Instead, they’d have one of the world’s best on their hands.

Better than Amad: Man Utd ready bid for £67m Bruno Fernandes replacement

Manchester United could secure themselves a dream Bruno Fernandes replacement this summer.

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Kelan Sarson

Jun 1, 2025

Arsenal find themselves in the midst of their most important transfer windows for years and could now beat Manchester United to a statement addition, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Arsenal pushing to sign an elite striker

Make no mistake, Mikel Arteta faces the biggest transfer window of his reign in charge of the Gunners as his side bid to become Premier League champions after pushing their rivals all the way in recent times.

Without doubt, bringing a striker in at the Emirates that is capable of producing defining moments is the Spaniard’s central priority. However, Jack Wilshere doesn’t believe signing a number nine alone will solve all the Gunners’ problems.

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Of course, injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus hampered Arsenal’s title charge last term. Nevertheless, Arteta is crying out for an old-school centre-forward to take his side to the next level.

Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has emerged as a central target for the Gunners. Arteta is personally keen to sign him, but finances may hinder the signing of the Brazil international, who could form a statement pursuit for the club alongside their efforts to land RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

Why Arsenal need a new striker this summer

Kai Havertz

Appearances – 36 Goals – 15

Gabriel Jesus

Appearances – 27 Goals – 7

Bolstering other areas will also be in the pipeline for Arsenal, though it can’t be emphasised enough how important a striker is to their tilt at claiming the Premier League title.

Now, reports have emerged suggesting they could have an advantage in the race for one of Europe’s most prolific marksmen.

Romano: Arsenal hold advantage in race to sign Viktor Gyokeres

Taking to social media platform X, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Sporting Clube de Portugal star Viktor Gyokeres would favour a move to Arsenal over Manchester United this summer.

The Sweden international is still firmly on the radar despite the Gunners’ advances to sign Sesko, and the Red Devils now feel it is ‘unlikely’ they will bring the former Coventry City star to Old Trafford.

Commended for his “fantastic” development by Niko Kovac, the Stockholm-born man registered an incredible 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25.

Giving his ‘priority’ to the Gunners, Gyokeres, valued at £67 million, is now in clear sight for Arsenal as they desperately search for an elite striker to become the missing piece of the jigsaw under Arteta. Moving forward, it appears they have a good chance of pushing a deal over the line.

In an attempt to continue a growing trend at the City Ground, Evangelos Marinakis is reportedly monitoring a deal to sign yet another South American gem for Nottingham Forest.

Nottingham Forest write to UEFA

In a ruthless mood as ever, Marinakis has wasted no time before attempting to take advantage of Crystal Palace’s UEFA troubles. The Eagles are at risk of being kicked out of European football despite qualifying for the Europa League last season, with John Textor’s involvement in both Palace and Lyon breaching UEFA’s multi-club ownership rule.

Whilst many have assumed that their European spot could go to Brighton & Hove Albion, who would move into the Europa Conference League, Nottingham Forest have seemingly spotted an opportunity of their own. The Midlands club have reportedly written UEFA in an attempt to take Crystal Palace’s Europa League place and move above the Europa Conference League as a result.

It’s not a move that will win many friends around the Premier League, but it is one that could have an impact on Forest financially and, therefore, in the summer transfer window.

With a place in the Europa League to offer, the Tricky Trees could turn their attention towards reported transfer targets such as Douglas Luiz. The Juventus midfielder has endured a nightmare first season in Turin and may now be on his way back to the Premier League after just one season away.

That said, the Brazilian may not be the only South American to complete a move to the City Ground this summer, with Marinakis now reportedly eyeing another talent.

Nottingham Forest monitoring Cepeda

As reported by Chilean outlet Prensa Futbol, Marinakis is now monitoring a deal to sign Lucas Cepeda from Colo-Colo for Nottingham Forest this summer. The Chile-born winger reportedly has a release clause worth just $5m (£4m), which could see those in the Midlands land a bargain deal for another South American talent.

It’s at the City Ground that Cepeda could follow in the footsteps of Murillo, Ramon Sosa, Carlos Miguel and others by swapping South America for the Premier League and Nottingham Forest. At just 22 years old, like those before him, the winger could realise his full potential at Nottingham Forest.

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It’s an impressive trend at the City Ground and one that Marinakis should be able to continue more than ever now that Nottingham Forest are in a position to offer European football.

Whether Cepeda is ready for the Premier League will be the big question, however. The winger only managed four goals and one assist last season following eight goals and four assists in the season prior. Given how talented the Forest squad is these days, there will also be questions as to whether Cepeda would earn the game time he needs in the Midlands.

Tottenham Hotspur could undergo a serious squad revamp ahead of Thomas Frank’s first full campaign in charge of the Lilywhites, with a few intriguing names facing uncertain futures in north London.

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Their most high-profile departure of the summer window could well be club legend Son Heung-min, who’s about to enter the final 12 months of his contract, and he was initially set to leave on a free this year, before chairman Daniel Levy triggered the season-long extension clause in his contract.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Son is attracting serious interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League, and credible news outlets like The Telegraph suggest there is every likelihood that the season just gone may have been the South Korean’s last at Spurs.

Asian media sources claim Levy will demand around £50 million for the 32-year-old, as Tottenham’s chief looks to make as much money back off his sale as possible, but he may not be the only star player to depart before the beginning of 2025/2026.

Defender Cristian Romero, who played a key role for Spurs in their Europa League campaign, winning the tournament’s Player of the Season award, is a wanted man in Madrid.

Atlético boss Diego Simeone recently confirmed his interest in signing Romero, and if the La Liga side make a significant-enough offer, Spurs may well be forced to consider it given the Argentine has just two years left on his contract.

The likes of Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil appear nailed on to leave at this point, given both men spent 2024/2025 on loan elsewhere, and the former’s sale would count as pure profit in the eyes of PSR due to the fact he signed as a free agent.

Another player who joined Spurs two years ago, but hasn’t quite found a route into the first-team, is 21-year-old striker Alejo Veliz.

Tottenham in talks to sell Alejo Veliz after bid made

The Argentine has spent the last one and a half seasons on loan spells at Sevilla and Espanyol, but he hasn’t exactly set the world alight in that time – scoring just one La Liga goal.

For Tottenham, Veliz has made just eight Premier League appearances, scoring once in a 4-2 defeat against Brighton in 2023, and Levy could well decide to cut his losses.

According to South American news outlet Ole, via Sport Witness, Racing de Alma have made a bid to sign Veliz from Tottenham, reporting on Thursday night that it came in the last few hours.

Frank’s side are clear; they’ll only consider a permanent deal, not a loan, and Racing are attempting to oblige. They also want a significant sell-on clause inserted into the deal, with Racing currently “in full negotiations” to find an agreement, though there is no mention of whether their opening bid will be accepted.

Racing have apparently offered around £3.6 million for the forward, who’s been called a “phenomenon” by 1978 Argentine World Cup winner Daniel Bertoni, so Levy may have to take a loss on the £12 million they paid to sign Veliz from Rosario Central.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes playing in Chennai is a “great opportunity” for the side to get used to the conditions, given it could be one of the venues for the Women’s ODI World Cup next year.India’s women’s team last played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk in a Quadrangular series in 2007. They last played a women’s Test here in 1976, and the ground hasn’t hosted any women’s T20Is yet. Since the end of 2022, all women’s internationals in India have either been in Navi Mumbai or Mumbai, till the ODI-leg of the South Africa series was hosted in Bengaluru last week. Following the one-off Test against South Africa starting on Friday in Chennai, India will also be playing three T20Is against them at the same venue.”As a team, it’s a great opportunity for us,” Harmanpreet said on the eve of the Test. “We are getting used to home conditions… even though they are home conditions, we don’t have much experience here. But I think this series will definitely give us a lot of confidence to see how the wicket is going to behave and what combinations we can look for [for the World Cup]. Before the World Cup, with [about] one year left, I think as a team we are taking this opportunity with both hands whenever we are playing home series. It’s a great opportunity to see how the wickets are and how we can improve our skills.”Related

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This will be India’s third Test in seven months. They played back-to-back Tests against England and Australia in December 2023, posting massive wins in both matches. Harmanpreet says playing those two matches has helped the side get rid of “overthinking” while playing in a format.Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur take part in close-catching drills•PTI

“In the long format you have to be there [in the middle] for four days. But if you think like that as a player you can overthink. The last time [we played a Test] we only thought about winning the sessions and that really helped us. This time also we will focus on each session. The best thing about Test cricket is you have time to come back. If you lose one session, you always have time to [make up for] things.”That’s the key point which our support staff told us: ‘just focus on each and every session and if you can [break it] down to two to two-and-a-half hours, think about how you’re going to perform as a player’. I think that really helps, [rather] than thinking that it’s a 100 overs [roughly per day] game which makes you overthink. Those little points really helped us win the last two Tests and we just want to continue [to apply] those.”India will be relying on head coach Amol Muzumdar’s red-ball experience heading into the Test, Harmanpreet said. Muzumdar, who played 171 first-class matches in a 20-year-long career, has also played two red-ball matches at Chepauk.”I didn’t have much experience in Test cricket when I got to captain those two Tests,” Harmanpreet said. “Amol sir help me. He has played lot of Test [red-ball] cricket and he has a lot of experience. With his experience, he has helped me with things like how to take decisions on the field. I do have a bit of an idea now.”We don’t have much idea about how Chennai wicket is going to play. We have only seen when the men were playing but women’s cricket is totally different… the pace, the way we bowl and bat, I think we’ll know that only once we take the field tomorrow, see how the pitch behaves and take decisions. The experienced support staff are definitely going to help us.”

Newcastle United’s search for potential signings is underway. Eddie Howe must bolster certain areas of his squad, considering they will take on Europe’s best in the Champions League next season.

There has been reported interest in both Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon in recent weeks, and the thought of losing either of his star players must fill the head coach with dread.

If he can keep both of them at St James’ Park next season, while adding another couple of high-profile players, the club could make progress in the Champions League.

It appears as though the manager has eyes on someone who shone on Europe’s brightest stage last term…

Newcastle eye move for German star

According to journalist Lee Ryder, writing in the Chronicle, the Magpies have sent scouts to monitor Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn throughout the winter months and remain keen on signing him during the current summer transfer window.

Brendan Rodgers has set a price tag of £15m on the German star, which is certainly more than affordable for the Toon, who are eyeing up the left-footed attacker.

RB Leipzig are also showing plenty of interest, but with the promised land of the Champions League set to grace St James’ Park once again, Kuhn has a big reason to favour a move to the north-east of England over a return to his former club.

Howe was keen on making a move for Anthony Elanga, but Nottingham Forest have placed a price tag of £60m on the winger.

On the surface, might Kuhn be a better signing than the former Manchester United starlet?

Why Nicolas Kuhn would be a better signing than Elanga

First and foremost, the price difference is staggering. Of course, Elanga has proven experience in the Premier League, scoring six times while grabbing 11 assists.

There is no doubt he could add something different on the right flank for Howe, but the winger has played just three Champions League games throughout his entire career.

Metric

Kuhn

Elanga

Goals

13

6

Assists

9

11

Key passes per game

1.6

1.3

Big chances created

11

9

Shots per game

1.9

1.2

Successful dribbles per game

1.8

0.7

This is when a move for Kuhn becomes advantageous. In the competition last season, the German not only scored three goals, including one against Bayern Munich, but he also provided an assist.

Furthermore, he had a goal conversion percentage of 38%, while also creating five big chances, averaging 1.5 key passes and succeeding with 1.7 dribbles against the best Europe can offer.

Overall, Kuhn scored 21 times and recorded 15 assists in all competitions for Celtic last season. It is no wonder he was hailed as “breathtaking” by pundit Marvin Bartley amid his excellent 2024/25 campaign.

Yes, making the step up from the Premiership to the English top flight is difficult, but for just £15m, Howe must be keen on taking the gamble.

His form in the Champions League must make him a slightly more attractive option than Elanga, especially with Newcastle keen to do well next term.

Having scouted him in spells last year, it is clear there is serious interest. Will Howe make his move sooner rather than later?

Only time will tell.

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Flintoff signs 2019 World Cup hero after Brydon Carse is ruled out through suspension

Matt Roller26-Jun-2024Andrew Flintoff’s Northern Superchargers have handed Jason Roy a lifeline in the Hundred, signing him a replacement player after he went unselected at March’s draft.Roy, a key part of England’s World Cup-winning ODI side in 2019, was released by defending Hundred champions Oval Invincibles over the winter after averaging 17.11 in their title-winning 2023 season. He entered the draft with a £100,000 reserve price and went unsold, with none of the eight teams deeming his recent form worthy of a high salary.But ESPNcricinfo understands that he will soon be announced as a replacement signing by the Superchargers. The ECB’s operations team confirmed to Hundred sides on Sunday that Roy – along with Mark Wood – had withdrawn from Monday’s wildcard draft because he had been offered a contract as a replacement. His deal to replace Brydon Carse has since been finalised.Carse was due to play a fourth successive season for the Superchargers after he was retained on a £60,000 contract, but his recent betting ban will rule him out of the Hundred this year. Details of Roy’s contract have not been disclosed, with replacement players able to negotiate a salary directly with teams so long as they do not breach the overall salary cap.Related

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Roy could miss the Superchargers’ opening match due to his commitments in Major League Cricket. He is due to travel to the United States shortly to represent Los Angeles Knight Riders for the second year in a row and the tournament’s final is scheduled for July 28 – two days after the Superchargers’ season opener against Trent Rockets.Flintoff will take over from James Foster as Superchargers coach in the men’s Hundred this year, his first job as a head coach. He has become gradually more involved in England’s white-ball backroom staff since recovering from severe injuries last year and is currently with the squad in Guyana ahead of their T20 World Cup semi-final.It has been a quiet start to the English season for Roy: he pulled out of the IPL in order to prioritise time with his young family, and has scored 122 runs at 24.40 in his five T20 Blast appearances for Surrey. He scored 55 from 40 balls against Gloucestershire in his most recent innings but has missed Surrey’s last three games with a calf injury.Wood is yet to sign a replacement deal at a Hundred team but withdrew from the wildcard draft since his availability is not yet clear. He is likely to be involved in England’s squad for the third Test against West Indies, which clashes with the first week of the Hundred, and could sign a short-term replacement contract closer to the time.

In an attempt to get their summer business underway, Aston Villa have now reportedly joined the race to sign a 19-year-old Ligue 1 sensation who’s available at a cut-price this summer.

How much Aston Villa can spend this summer

With the transfer window now open, Aston Villa would usually be ready to spend in normal circumstances. This time around, however, they must act with caution. At risk of PSR sanctions more so than most Premier League sides, the Villans may need to sell at least one star name this summer if they want to ease their profit and sustainability problems.

That’s not to say Aston Villa can’t spend at all, though. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire recently offered insight into just how much those at Villa Park can splash out as things stand. He told BBC Sport: “Without any outgoings, it appears Villa will be at the bottom end of the £50-100m spending range.”

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Whether the Midlands club decide to increase that figure through player sales remains to be seen. The likes of Emiliano Martinez and Morgan Rogers have already been linked with summer departures, but both sales would undoubtedly weaken Unai Emery’s squad as they go in pursuit of Champions League football once again next season.

How they choose to spend that rumoured £50-100m will also be interesting. To that end, the rumours have also been coming thick and fast. Names such as Fares Chaibi have threatened to steal the headlines, as have the likes of Nicolas Jackson in what would be quite the move from Chelsea. Both may be within the Villans’ price range, albeit a limited one, which instantly makes them two names to keep an eye on.

They’re not the only targets in Villa’s sights, however. Moncho and co. are also reportedly battling to sign a Ligue 1 sensation to add to Emery’s side in the coming months.

Aston Villa join race to sign Atangana

According to Bild in Germany, as relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa have now joined the battle to sign Valentin Atangana alongside West Ham United and Eintracht Frankfurt. The 19-year-old midfielder enjoyed an impressive season in a struggling Stade Reims side who were eventually relegated from Ligue 1.

Whilst that relegation would have disappointed the teenager, it may well provide him with a route to bigger and better things this summer. In a far weaker position in negotiations following relegation, Reims could now sell Atangana for as little as €10m (£8m) this summer.

Dubbed a “fantastic modern holding midfielder” by scout Jacek Kulig, Villa’s interest in Atangana should come as little surprise. His arrival would hardly break the bank or exceed their PSR limit and would undoubtedly offer Emery the chance to work with a future star.

Victory against Namibia will ensure progress to the Super Eights and no points or run rate are carried over to the next stage

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-20244:28

Paine: England’s white-ball teams are living in the past

Australia have the opportunity to plot England’s downfall at the T20 World Cup 2024 and could jeopardise their rivals’ prospects of qualifying for the Super Eights by resting players in their final group-stage match against Scotland.Andrew McDonald, their coach, repeatedly insisted on Monday that his players are focused on their game against Namibia in Antigua on Tuesday night. If they win, Australia will qualify for the Super Eights with a match to spare. With their seeding in Group 1 of the Super Eights predetermined, they would then enter Saturday’s fixture against Scotland with no pressure on the result.”[Against] Namibia, we need a win to guarantee ourselves a way through,” McDonald said about the prospect of resting players against Scotland. “And then after that, once we’ve firmed up that qualification, then we can start to look at that potential if we feel like it’s necessary… we know if we win this one, then we get the ‘Q’ next to our name.”Related

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England are defending T20 world champions but have just a single point from their first two games: a washout against Scotland and a comprehensive 36-run defeat to Australia on Saturday. It leaves them needing to register convincing wins over Oman and Namibia to overturn a net run-rate (NRR) deficit to Scotland, who have already beaten both teams.Scotland have the added advantage of playing the final group game, putting them on the right side of an information asymmetry with England. Hypothetically, they could find themselves in a scenario where Australia set them, for example, 200 to win – but both teams would know that Scotland might only need to score 150 to keep their NRR ahead of England’s and thereby qualify for the Super Eights.”We’re not really focused on England and where they’re at,” McDonald said. “We played them, we’ve moved past them and we’ll do what’s important to us within those [remaining] games… England have clearly got their own work to do in the next couple of games.”We were put in a similar situation in the last T20 World Cup [in 2022] where we had to chase the net run-rate. It’s always difficult, you’re always dependent on other results and it’s not a nice situation to be in. But that’s for them to work through, not us.”McDonald said that he believes NRR is the best possible tie-breaker: “I don’t think there’s any other way of really doing it. It creates interest.” But he hinted at some frustration that Australia’s record will be wiped clean in the second league phase, as well as the fact that winning Group B would not affect their status as second seeds [B2] heading into the Super Eights.Josh Inglis is one of the squad players who could potentially have an outing against Scotland•Getty Images

“The only thing is that you don’t carry your NRR through to the Super Eights, which is a little bit interesting. The whole tournament starts again. I would have liked to have seen the benefit of the early rounds, and what you were able to do in the early rounds, even right down to the seeds. We’re seeded No. 2. We can’t change that seeding, so it doesn’t change what happens in the Super Eights for us.”In football’s World Cups, teams in the same group play the final round of fixtures simultaneously to avoid situations where sporting integrity could be compromised. That has been a norm ever since a 1982 match – known as the Disgrace of Gijón – which saw West Germany and Austria collude on a result which suited both teams.Asked if cricket could consider a similar system, McDonald drew a comparison with Australian Rules Football: “You’d have to have a rolling schedule, wouldn’t you, to work out what was going to happen and unfold? I know other sports do that now: they don’t lock away their later rounds until they’ve seen the first part of the season.”That’s probably more an AFL lens on that. But I think sometimes you’re a beneficiary of that position, and other times you’re not. So, whatever unfolds, there might be a way for teams to work out whether they’re going through the Super Eights or not.”Australia could play five times in 10 days if they reach the final in Barbados on June 29, and McDonald said their management are conscious of player workloads ahead of Tuesday’s fixture. “We’ve got a short turnaround from the England game into this one. There’s travel involved… we believe that whatever XI we put out there, it’s going to be very, very strong.”Clearly there’s a great challenge there for teams to navigate through the Super Eights: game, travel, game, travel, game. It’s going to be difficult in how you manage your resources and make sure they are ready to perform with short turnarounds. There’s a bit of an art to that. It may not necessarily be a locked XI through that period for teams. But they’re hypotheticals: we’ve got Namibia in front of us first.”