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“If he’s available, he will be selected,” McCullum says amid concerns around Moeen’s spinning finger

Matt Roller21-Jun-2023

Moeen Ali inspects the damage to his spinning finger•Getty Images

England hope that a week’s gap between the first and second Ashes Tests will enable their bowling attack time to recover ahead of back-to-back fixtures at Lord’s and Headingley, following a heavy workload at Edgbaston this week.The second men’s Test starts on June 28 at Lord’s and England are only expected to train twice before then, giving their bowlers time to recharge after spending 208.4 overs in the field during their two-wicket defeat to Australia in Birmingham.”Seven days is actually quite a long time to give everyone a good rest,” Ben Stokes, England’s captain, said. “We’ll meet up again in three or four days’ time I think, and we’ll assess how everyone’s going and we’ll have to make a decision from there.”There is particular concern around Moeen Ali’s spinning finger, which he cut open on the second day of the first Test on his return to red-ball cricket following a 21-month absence. Moeen was clearly struggling to grip the ball and only bowled seven overs on the final day – precisely the moment when Stokes would have hoped to lean heavily on his primary spinner.”I told Mo to tell me if his finger was sore, and I’d sensed that it was even before that,” Stokes said. “For him to come back into his first Test match and operate in the way that he did and really put himself through the pain barrier for the team [was great].”You could see what it meant to him going out to play for England again with a huge smile on his face. I selected him for his match-winning moments. He had a few of them with the ball and nearly got us over the line… [The break] gives Mo a good chance for his finger to heal up.”Related

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England are yet to decide if they will call up another spinner as cover for Moeen, but were expected to discuss the possibility on Wednesday. Rehan Ahmed, Liam Dawson and Will Jacks are among the front-runners if they decide to do so. They may also consider fielding a four-man seam attack at Lord’s, not least after Joe Root’s tidy returns with his offbreaks across the first Test – though Brendon McCullum said that Moeen would play if available.”I thought Mo did a great job,” McCullum said. “He bowled a couple of absolute jaffas in the game and that was what his role was, to try and make breakthroughs when he had the opportunity with the ball, and with the bat, to try to disrupt it a little bit. I thought he did that pretty well too.”We’ll monitor Mo’s finger over the next few days and hopefully he’ll come right for the next one. You have planning for everyone… but I’m pretty confident that over the next few days, we can get on top of Mo’s finger and that’ll give us an opportunity to select him in the next game. If he’s available, he will be selected.”Stokes marked Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson out for putting in “incredible” shifts on the last evening but James Anderson, for so long the leader of England’s attack, had an off-game. He returned match figures of 1 for 109 and was overlooked when England took the second new ball in the final stages of the Test.Speaking before play started on Tuesday, Anderson admitted to Sky Sports that he was “still searching for a bit of rhythm” on his return from a groin niggle that kept him out for over a month, including England’s 10-wicket win over Ireland.James Anderson chats with Ben Stokes•PA Photos/Getty Images

“It’s been difficult,” Anderson added. “I feel like I do need a bit of game time to get back into it and it has been five-six weeks since I last played. I feel like I’ve bowled OK but I definitely feel like there’s more there.”Mark Wood, overlooked for the first Test, will come into contention at Lord’s.Stokes himself bowled seven overs in each innings and took two vital wickets, trapping Steven Smith lbw in the first innings and inducing a chop-on from Usman Khawaja in the second with a leg cutter. He hardly celebrated Khawaja’s dismissal – “I was absolutely flying on caffeine,” he explained – but said he saw his bowling workload as “a massive boost”.”I’ve put my body through more than it’s actually been through over the last year, which is obviously great signs for myself and another confidence boost for me,” Stokes said. “Getting through that, knowing we’ve still got four games coming up has given me a massive boost.”I can’t remember the last time I’ve sort of been able to continually bowl. I was just really happy that I was able to get a good long spell in, and I just love being in that situation. I love bowling long spells, especially when the game’s on the line.”

Gary Ballance, the former Yorkshire and England cricketer who recently relaunched his career with his native Zimbabwe, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect.Ballance, 33, made four centuries in 23 Test appearances for England between 2014 and 2017, a record that compared favourably with many other players to have debuted in a similar period.However, he was heavily implicated in Azeem Rafiq’s explosive testimony during the DCMS parliamentary hearings in Westminster last November, after his use of the racial slur “P**i” had been deemed to be “banter” in the initial report into allegations of institutional racism at Yorkshire.His career within English cricket ended amid the controversy, and after several months of open-ended leave on mental health grounds, Yorkshire released him from his contract at the end of the 2022 season, shortly after he was charged by the Cricket Discipline Commission alongside six other Yorkshire cricketers, including Michael Vaughan (who was subsequently cleared) and Matthew Hoggard.His move back to Zimbabwe – whom he had represented at Under-19 level prior to his England call-up – had been a bid for a fresh start, and it was initially a successful one too. He signed a two-year contract with ZC in December and played a total of eight international matches between January and March, including a one-off Test against West Indies in Bulawayo in which he scored a memorable 137 not out.The feat made him only the second Test cricketer to score centuries for two different nations, after Kepler Wessels, the former Australia batter and South Africa captain. However, after signing off with an unbeaten 64 to seal last month’s ODI series against the Netherlands, Ballance has now decided to call time on his relaunched career.”After much thought, I have decided to retire from all forms of professional cricket with immediate effect,” he said in a statement.”I had hoped my move to Zimbabwe would provide me with a new-found happiness for the game and I will always be thankful to Zimbabwe Cricket for providing me with an opportunity to return to international cricket and welcoming me into their team.”However, I have reached the stage where I no longer have the desire to dedicate myself to the rigours of professional sport and this would do Zimbabwe Cricket and the game itself a disservice, should I carry on. I wish them every success going forward.”I have been fortunate to have some incredibly memorable moments in cricket, winning County Championships with Yorkshire and gaining the ultimate honour of representing England and Zimbabwe. I want to thank all of my clubs, coaches, support staff, teammates and supporters for their guidance and encouragement over my career, it has been a privilege.”It is now time for me to move on to the next chapter of my life. I will be making no further comments on my decision at this time.”He retires with a total of 1653 runs at 40.31 from his 24 Tests, and 12031 first-class runs at 47.74 all told, including 42 centuries and a further eight in List A cricket.

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are making plans ahead of the summer transfer window, as they sense an opportunity to sign one highly-rated forward for free.

Postecoglou and Levy under pressure as Spurs prepare for Man United

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, despite his squad being blighted by injuries to key first-team stars, has been under mounting pressure in recent weeks.

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The same can be said for ENIC and chairman Daniel Levy, who face fresh protests from disgruntled supporters against United this weekend, amid claims that private Qatari investors are planning a phased buyout of Tottenham.

Spurs have won just one of their last eight Premier League matches, losing 13 in the league alone already, with Postecoglou’s side languishing in 14th.

Man United (home)

February 16th

Ipswich Town (away)

February 22nd

Man City (home)

February 26th

Bournemouth (home)

March 9th

Fulham (away)

March 16th

The Australian appears to be walking a tightrope when it comes to keeping the Spurs job, and reports this week have linked the Lilywhites with a succession of potential Postecoglou replacements in Simone Inzaghi, Thomas Frank, Edin Terzić and Andoni Iraola.

“Managers have gone a lot quicker than Ange, and not done as bad as his results, and sadly you can only hide behind injuries for so long, irrespective of how much it’s affecting the team and how difficult it is to get through that period,” said ex-Premier League boss Sam Allardyce on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast.

“You’ve got to find a way to get results, and I think that as the game is today, his inability to change – and to provide a way of playing to win – is much more important than the style of play, and he doesn’t seem to accept that.”

Tottenham attempted to back Postecoglou in January, albeit mostly in dramatic last minute fashion. Antonin Kinsky, Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel joined to bolster a number of key areas in the team, with Spurs also making a late attempt to sign Axel Disasi, who ended up joining Aston Villa instead.

Whether or not Postecoglou remains in the dugout for 2025/2026 remains to be seen, but Spurs are planning to bolster the squad again this summer.

Tottenham hold talks with Malaga winger Antonio Cordero's camp

As per The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey, Malaga winger Antonio Cordero is attracting Tottenham’s interest, with the highly-rated winger available for nothing later this year as his contract expires at the end of this campaign.

Tottenham have reached out to Cordero’s representatives for talks, but the north Londoners will have to beat off a host of other clubs to acquire his signature, with Newcastle thought to be in pole position right now.

Nevertheless, a transfer race is never over until the player officially puts pen to paper, so Spurs are still in with a shout of acquiring the Spain Under-19 international ahead of next campaign.

Cordero has scored four goals and registered six assists in all competitions for the Spanish Segunda División side this term, with football analyst Ben Mattinson calling him an “exciting” and “direct” forward player.

Brendon McCullum, England’s Test head coach, believes “it would be awesome” for Rehan Ahmed to be signed by an IPL franchise for the 2023 season in Friday’s auction in Kochi.Rehan became the youngest man to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut on Tuesday, running through Pakistan’s middle and lower order to return figures on 5 for 48 and swing the Karachi Test England’s way.He played 14 T20 Blast games for Leicestershire last summer and five times for Southern Brave in the Hundred, and is available at a base price of INR 40 lakh (£40,000 approx.) in Friday’s auction. There is rarely much demand for overseas spinners at the auction, but Rehan’s low price point and huge potential could convince a franchise to take a punt on him.”It would be great,” McCullum, who played in the first 11 IPL seasons and recently coached Kolkata Knight Riders, told the BBC’s . “It would be awesome if he did. Why not? Why not get an opportunity to go and play under different coaches and different captains and rub shoulders with different players and pick up those experiences? What 18-year-old kid anywhere else in world cricket is going to get those chances? I think we should encourage it.”Related

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Mo Bobat, the ECB’s performance director, said in October that Rehan had been “inundated” with offers from franchise leagues for the 2022-23 season and that “English cricket has a real responsibility to manage him carefully”. He has already pulled out of one tournament – the Pakistan Junior League – this winter and has a contract with Andy Flower’s Gulf Giants in the inaugural ILT20 in the UAE in January and February.His availability for that tournament could be curtailed if England pick him for any of their ODI series in South Africa in late January, their Test tour to New Zealand in February or the Lions tour to Sri Lanka, but McCullum said he would “encourage him to play as much franchise cricket as he can”.McCullum said: “He’s got a real future. He’s a guy who has been on the radar of English cricket for a little while. It took some courage from Stokesy [Ben Stokes] and a few people to thrust him into this opportunity. The more we’re prepared to do that, the more we can discover how talented people are and how much they can grow on the big stage as well.”The important thing for Rehan is that we continue to look after him. He won’t be in every squad and I’ll encourage him to play as much franchise cricket as he can, and get as many experiences around the globe and play with different players, under different coaches and in different conditions.Ben Stokes hands a stump to Rehan Ahmed after England’s victory in Karachi•Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

“His skill is not a problem, his attitude is absolutely brilliant. We’ve just got to get as much experience into him as possible. That’s not just at Test level but in leagues as well. I couldn’t be happier for him: it will give other kids around England some motivation that if you work hard enough and you’ve got skill and the game is your passion, then you can actually achieve it, maybe sooner than you thought.”If Rehan is not picked up in Friday’s auction, he will spend the first two months of the English season with his county, Leicestershire. He played only three County Championship games out of a possible 14 last year, and was seen as the second spinner behind the slow left-armer Callum Parkinson.Asked if he would like to see Rehan given more opportunities in the Championship, McCullum told Sky Sports: “You can’t force anyone to do anything. But I think maybe a few people might have realised just how talented he is and what a difference he can make in the game.”I’m pretty relaxed, to be honest. [He could] go and play some franchise cricket around the world, get some exposure to different conditions and try and play as much cricket as you possibly can, and get as many experiences as you possibly can in the shortest period of time. We’ll end up benefiting from it.”Stokes said that Rehan’s emergence was “seriously exciting” for English cricket. “One thing I was very impressed with is that the more he got into the game, the more confident he felt in himself to start talking to me about fields and what he wanted the batsmen to try and do,” he told Sky.”Legspinners are absolute gems. They can change the game and we’ve seen that in that spell yesterday afternoon when he came in and bowled us to victory. For an 18-year-old to have the ability that he does, being nowhere near the finished article in my opinion, is seriously exciting.”Rehan was watched by his father, Naeem, throughout the Karachi Test, whom England invited into their pre-match huddle when Nasser Hussain presented Rehan’s cap. “That cap presentation was absolutely brilliant,” McCullum said. “There were a few tears flowing around the dressing room after that.”Even a couple of days deep into it, the boys were still talking about how amazing that moment was and sometimes reminds you that you should never take it for granted. Rehan is just an amazing story. He’s a guy who loves the game so much, his family love the game so much.”He’s clearly got a huge amount of talent and ability. And we’ve just got to allow him to be able to go up at his own pace. We’ll give him the opportunities when they come but also we’ll look after him when we need to. He couldn’t have been any more impressive than what he’s been so far.”

The former opener said that some tough selections call will need to be made

Andrew McGlashan08-Nov-2022

Australia’s selectors will need to look ahead•Getty Images

Matthew Hayden has urged Australia’s selectors to be ruthless as they build towards future World Cups following the team’s early exit for the T20 event on home soil.There is expected to be a significant turnover in players for the 2024 T20 World Cup in West Indies and the USA, but before that, there is the ODI World Cup in India next October. The selectors have taken the first step towards that tournament by naming a full-strength squad to face England later this month with Travis Head given the chance to cement a position as Aaron Finch’s replacement at the top of the order.Only one change was made from the squad that won the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE with Tim David replacing Mitchell Swepson although Cameron Green later came in for the injured Josh Inglis. Finch has said he won’t make an immediate call on his future but is not expected to feature in the 2024 edition while Matthew Wade is unlikely to feature. Steven Smith’s position will also be up for debate while there may be a restructuring of the bowling attack away from the all-format quicks.Related

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Hayden, speaking in his capacity as Pakistan’s team mentor, drew comparisons from his playing days when the selectors made bold calls to rebuild teams with an eye on future World Cups.”The Australian team has some thinking to do. There has to be some freshness,” Hayden said. “And I think one of the great strengths of Australian cricket has been its ability to be able to recognise when to make that gear change into a different playing roster. I think full credit and respect has to go to the players that played this tournament, [they] certainly deserve to be there.”A little bit like Mark Waugh giving away to someone like myself after World Cup campaigns, it’s always been quite ruthless preparing for the next World Cup and they seemingly come around more often than not.”Just 12 months ago, we were sitting here talking about the T20 champions and that was Australia…so the tournaments are coming around quick and fast. But certainly, from an Australian cricket point of view, there has to be planning heading towards World Cups. They’re the premium events. They’re the events that everyone across the world plans for, and Australia, unfortunately, just didn’t get it right.”Hayden termed the decision to leave out Mitchell Starc for the Afghanistan match as “really significant.” At the same time, national selector George Bailey attempted to further explain the move saying it came about because Cameron Green, who had replaced the injured Finch, gave Australia another middle-overs option and they wanted to strengthen the death bowling.”Every time an Australian team goes into a major series or tournament … the expectations are very high,” Bailey said. “We’re disappointed we’re not taking part from this point on in the semis. Specifically to Starcy…it was a tactical decision, it was a match-up decision. People can make of that what they will. And they are.”However, Bailey agreed that Australia’s tournament had been left with too much catching up to do after the opening 89-run defeat against New Zealand at the SCG. Daniel Vettori, the assistant coach, has since suggested that it would have been a wiser approach from the batters to minimise the margin of defeat when victory was out of the question.”To get behind the net run rate as far as we did, it meant a lot of things were probably out of our control,” Bailey said. “Every game post that, you provide opportunities to try and chase some of that net run rate back, but you have to give credit to other teams as well. That’s where it went wrong, that first game, to be beaten so comprehensively. You’d like to think that the batting line-up should be able to find its way to 140-150 then you are probably having a different conversation.”

It’s been a draining season for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou’s side came into the campaign hopeful of doing one better than their fifth-place finish last year and qualifying for the Champions League, yet as things stand, they have lost more Premier League games than they’ve won and sit nearer the relegation zone than the top four places.

Now, while a significant reason for their poor results can be attributed to questionable tactics from the manager, the North Londoners have also been utterly ravaged by injuries.

The Australian hasn’t been able to field his first-choice backline for almost the entire campaign, and now he’s set to be without club-record signing Dominic Solanke for at least six weeks.

Fortunately, recent reports have touted another Premier League poacher for a move to N17 this month, a forward who might actually be better than the injured Spurs ace.

Tottenham target Premier League striker

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are intent on adding a new striker to the squad this month.

Transfer Focus

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

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One of the players they are keen on is Brentford star Yoane Wissa, although they are not the only ones, with Nottingham Forest and Arsenal also credited with interest in reports from earlier this month.

The story does not reveal how much the 28-year-old sharpshooter might cost to get out of West London this month, but as his £25k-per-week contract is set to expire next summer, there’s a chance that said price won’t be too exorbitant.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line for Spurs, but given Wissa’s incredible form, it’s one well worth pursuing, especially as he might even be better than Solanke.

How Wissa compares with Solanke

So, if Spurs were to get ahead of the competition, pull the trigger, and bring Wissa to the club this month, he’d be the perfect player to step in for Solanke while he’s out injured.

However, who will get the nod to start once the Englishman returns to the fold, and who will be the long-term first choice?

Well, a way to work that out is by simply comparing their form this season, although in doing that, it’s the Brentford ace who comes out on top.

For example, in just 23 appearances this season, totalling 1639 minutes, the “massively underrated” forward, as dubbed by football analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 12 goals and provided two assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games, or every 117.07 minutes.

In contrast, the former Bournemouth star has scored 11 goals and provided six assists in 29 appearances, totalling 2248 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.70 games, or every 132.23 minutes.

Moreover, when we compare their relevant underlying numbers, the Congolese international once again comes out on top.

For example, the 28-year-old emerges victorious in most metrics, including, but not limited to, expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, passing accuracy, key passes, shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Wissa vs Solanke

Statistics

Wissa

Solanke

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.70

0.62

Actual Non-Penalty G+As

0.79

0.56

Progressive Passes

2.06

2.08

Progressive Carries

2.12

1.52

Shots

2.67

2.59

Shots on Target

1.28

1.07

Passing Accuracy

78.2%

70.7%

Key Passes

0.91

0.67

Shot-Creating Actions

2.25

1.86

Goal-Creating Actions

0.36

0.39

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 PL Season

Ultimately, it does appear as if Wissa is currently the more dangerous striker out of the pair, and the fact he is playing this well for a team outside of the traditional ‘big six’ makes it all the more impressive.

Therefore, Spurs should do all they can to bring him to N17 this month, as not only could he cover for Solanke, but he might even surpass him.

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Chelsea hold a Premier League star in very high regard, and it is believed they’re prepared to battle for his services, as those within Stamford Bridge believe he could be an imperative addition to the squad.

Chelsea prioritise centre-back with Wesley Fofana out for a long period

Enzo Maresca confirmed the news that Chelsea supporters really didn’t want to hear, with mainstay centre-back Wesley Fofana facing a lengthy absence for the second time in his career at the club.

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The Frenchman has partnered Levi Colwill to brilliant effect so far this season, but Maresca will now have to cope without him for a very long time, which could even be for the rest of this season, despite Chelsea’s boss originally predicting he’d miss just “three, four, or five weeks”.

“Unfortunately, he could be out for the season, so we don’t know exactly for the entire season, but unfortunately he could be out for part of the season,” said Maresca on Fofana’s injury at Chelsea.

“And we are together here since we start, and every time you ask me about Wes, I said many times that I’m in love with Wes.

Bournemouth (home)

January 14

Wolverhampton Wanderers (home)

January 20

Man City (away)

January 25

West Ham (away)

February 3

Brighton (away)

February 14

“I was in love with Wes, also because Wes is that kind of defender that gives you the chance to press and be aggressive and to leave him 1v1 with Watkins on pitch.

“We did exactly the same when Wes was injured with Benoit Badiashile, 1v1 with Solanke on pitch, and they can deal with that, and it’s very difficult to find that kind of defender, but now unfortunately both are injured. We are trying to find different solutions, but for sure for us Wes is a huge loss.”

Chelsea are believed to be prioritising a centre-back in January, even before Fofana’s injury, but there are also some suggestions that they have their eyes on reinforcing their forward options.

Ipswich Town star Liam Delap is a target for Chelsea, and they’ve had some contact with his club in the build up to this window (Simon Phillips).

Chelsea view Newcastle star Isak as "key" potential signing

According to reports out of Spain, Newcastle United star Alexander Isak is on their striker shortlist too. It is believed Chelsea view Isak as a potential “key” signing for Maresca, and they’re “ready to compete” with Atlético Madrid and Arsenal for his signature.

The Magpies will demand a price tag of around £99 million, or perhaps even more going by other reports, which is hardly surprising given Isak is arguably the division’s best centre-forward right now.

“Alex is a world-class talent,” said Newcastle boss Eddie Howe recently.

“The way he took his goals, he has that coolness and composure very few have. When you add into the mix his technical skills, I think he’s got it all. He has unique skills, and the challenge is to get him into the game as much as we can. Earlier in the season we weren’t doing that, but now the team are performing much better.

“He’s a player with a real confidence and we’re seeing a return to his really best levels – that’s highlighted by the goals he has scored.”

Celtic are back in Champions League action this week after a long stretch of purely domestic action, as they prepare to welcome Swiss giants Young Boys to Parkhead on Wednesday night.

Brendan Rodgers will be hoping that his side can secure all three points to move one step closer to qualifying for the play-off round of the competition, after his team were knocked out in the group stage last season.

The Hoops have been in terrific form domestically. They currently sit top of the Scottish Premiership, have won the League Cup, and beat Kilmarnock 2-1 in the SFA Cup on Saturday.

Celtic are on course for another successful season under Rodgers, who won the Premiership title and the SFA Cup in his first year back at the club, after the board heavily backed him in the transfer market.

Arne Engels was brought in from Augsburg for a reported fee of £11m, a club-record deal for the Hoops, whilst the likes of Paulo Bernardo, Auston Trusty, and Luke McCowan, among others, were also snapped up.

One of the club’s deals from the summer transfer window may come under some scrutiny, though, as Adam Idah has struggled at times this season.

Adam Idah's form this season

The Scottish giants swooped to sign the Ireland international from Norwich City in a deal worth £8.5m, plus another £1m in potential add-ons, ahead of this season.

It was a significant outlay for a player who had spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Parkhead and caught the eye with his performances in the centre-forward position for Celtic.

Idah scored the winner in the SFA Cup final against Rangers, as shown in the highlights above, and scored eight goals in 15 appearances in the Premiership.

The 6 foot 3 marksman’s impressive form in front of goal in the final few months of the season convinced Rodgers and the club to sanction a big-money move for the striker, but it has not gone to plan for him so far this term.

His efforts in Europe have been underwhelming, with a return of one goal in six appearances in the Champions League, and he has been incredibly wasteful in the final third in the Premiership.

Appearances (starts)

15 (5)

20 (10)

Goals

8

5

Big chances missed

7

10

Conversion rate

27%

13%

Assists

2

0

As you can see in the table above, Idah has failed to hit the heights that he reached in his time on loan at the club last season, with just five goals in 20 appearances in the Scottish top-flight.

These statistics show that the Irish striker has not lived up to his price tag at this moment in time, due to his struggles at the top end of the pitch, and Celtic have been linked with a forward who could come in as a big upgrade on the ex-Norwich man.

Celtic's interest in Danish forward

At the start of last month, Football Insider reported that the Scottish giants are interested in a January deal to sign Brondby centre-forwad Mathias Kvistgaarden to bolster their squad.

Transfer Focus

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

The outlet claimed that the Hoops have been keeping tabs on the Denmark U21 international’s performances in the Superliga, whilst it added that the club have been long-term admirers of the striker.

Celtic were linked with an interest in the 22-year-old forward last summer, when his transfer value was reported to be around £8.5m, and remain keen on the impressive youngster.

Football Insider revealed, though, that the Bhoys would be prepared to wait until the summer transfer window if a move is not viable in January, but their hand could be forced by interest from elsewhere.

Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg recently claimed that Eintracht Frankfurt are eyeing Kvistgaarden, whom he described as an “explosive” talent, as one of many potential targets to replace Omar Marmoush, who is set to sign for Premier League champions Manchester City.

With this in mind, Celtic should make their move to sign the Danish dynamo before the end of the January transfer window to ensure that they do not lose out in the race for his signature, as he could come in as a big upgrade on Idah.

Why Celtic should sign Mathias Kvistgaarden

The 22-year-old star has been in impressive form for Brondby in the Danish top-flight and his performances this season suggest that he would offer more to Rodgers than the Irish marksman has so far this term.

As aforementioned, the £9.5m signing from Norwich has not done enough in front of goal to nail down a regular spot in the starting line-up, with ten ‘big chances’ missed and only five goals scored in 20 appearances in the Premiership.

Kvistgaarden, meanwhile, has taken his game to another level in the Superliga this season after a return of eight goals and five assists in 24 league matches last term.

The Celtic and Frankfurt target has provided a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch for Brondby as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which has attracted interest from clubs this month.

Appearances

20

15

Goals

5

10

Big chances missed

10

6

Conversion rate

13%

26%

Assists

0

4

As you can see in the table above, Kvistgaarden has significantly outperformed Idah at league level this season, with twice as many goals and four more assists, whilst also missing four fewer ‘big chances’.

The Danish star also scored two goals and provided one assist in three Europa Conference League qualifiers, to go along with two goals in four domestic cup matches – taking his tally to 14 goals in all competitions.

These statistics suggest that Kvistgaarden would offer far more to Celtic, as both a finisher and a creator in the centre-forward position, to make the most of the high-quality chances that Idah has been spurning in the Premiership.

Celtic submit huge bid to sign "incredible" upgrade on Maeda at Parkhead

Celtic have already had a £10m bid turned down by the Premier League side.

ByDan Emery Jan 19, 2025

It is now down to Rodgers and the board to push for this deal to get over the line before Frankfurt have the chance to swoop in and secure his services this month.

That Gloucestershire might have actually stolen this match crept up on Hampshire when least expected. They dominated the bulk of the night but assumptions that a critical match was in the bag were thrown into doubt when they still found themselves defending 12 from three balls. At that point Chris Wood summoned an excellent yorker to Benny Howell, from which only a single accrued. Jack Taylor was bowled around his legs from the next ball and Hampshire finally quelled an unlikely rebellion.With 19 needed from the last six balls, Wood had begun his final over with a gift on leg stump, but Taylor flicked it straight to Toby Albert at short fine. Wood then had another aberration and this time his leg-stump half-volley was deposited over square leg for six. Three hours of professional cricket nearly fell apart in a couple of balls.Other than a nervewracking finish, pity the person charged with trying to put together a highlights reel from this match because it was a pretty uninspiring affair, but the outcome of the sweat and the labour of another hard-fought night in the Vitality Blast, was that Hampshire’s late charge to the quarter-finals continues, and most probably at Gloucestershire’s expense. They are playing intelligent, well-drilled cricket.Hampshire now leapfrog Gloucestershire and knock them out of the top four. They must meet again at the Ageas Bowl in their penultimate match on July 1.At 64 for 5 from 7.5 overs, Gloucestershire appeared to be dead in the water, except that James Bracey, a finisher at No. 6, and Taylor, an utterly unpredictable flayer, a place lower, both have the ability to oxygenate an innings. Bracey would do so by approved methods, the sort of guy who would not only have a First Aid certificate but remember the lessons. Taylor? Not so convinced. But when he did save a life it would probably be packed with so much action it would make a Hollywood movie.Bracey fell for 40 in 26 balls, an ugly bottom-of-the-bat swing to mid-off, but the attack was then taken up by Howell, who finished with 34 not out from 18 balls in an inspired but unrewarded finale.Sometimes the scoreboard does not quite convey the mood. Hampshire’s innings had felt like a perpetual struggle, an innings short of memorable hits with the boundary cleared on the full only three times. But if the mood was 160 at best, the outcome was 178 for 7 and two more points towards another last-eight place.Ben McDermott’s third half-century of the season came on a much-needed night and two doughty professionals down the order, James Fuller and Liam Dawson, added some late vitality with 51 coming in the last 28 balls. No forgetting 17 extras: only a cricket tragic heads for home talking about extras, but it was a night when such things mattered. Hampshire conceded none – their discipline exemplified.James Vince’s silky, run-strewn season has been at the heart of Hampshire’s recovery from a dreadful start. He had made two hundreds in the past three matches, against Somerset and Kent, but this was a grey and grouchy, pint of mild. Bristol night, rather than a bottle of quality midsummer Chablis, and it was no surprise when Vince offered a static cut at a wide one and edged Mohammad Amir to the wicketkeeper.McDermott, stocky and potentially destructive, was comparatively guarded, and he had a life, on 37, when he thrust his head back in disappointment as he failed to make clean contact with a pull against Taylor only to find that he had mistimed it so badly that Glenn Phillips could not quite make ground from deep square leg.David Payne, who can now proudly call himself “England’s David Payne”, even if nobody else quite remembers a debut in an ODI against Netherlands in Amstelveen, conceded 10 from two muscular pulls. McDermott then quickened his pace against Taylor’s spin but when he moved across his stumps and defied Payne to lock on to his leg stump, Payne did just that with pinpoint accuracy. England bowler, fella. Don’t come that one with me.Gloucestershire’s top-order misfired. Fuller, a former Gloucestershire player, is having an influential season and he had Ian Cockbain caught off a leading edge for 19 and then bowled Chris Dent through the gate for 24 in an impressive 2 for 23.As spin bowlers have had so few mentions this season, it should also be remarked that two slow left-armers – Tom Smith, to bowl Joe Weatherley, and Dawson, to strike Higgins’ off stump in similar fashion – both produced classically turning deliveries. The only difference was that Dawson followed up his by rushing towards the crowd with his finger to his lips to tell them to shut up – all to do with an earlier boundary save. In football, such gestures are almost de rigueur, but in cricket it is not remotely etiquette at all and the umpires will be nervously fingering their report sheets and wondering whether to ignore it.

In what would hand their shock European place hopes an even greater boost, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly keeping tabs on a £25m striker who’s scored more goals than Chris Wood so far this season.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Those in the Midlands have enjoyed quite the season so far, rising to as high as fourth in the Premier League to shock the rest of England’s top flight. Potentially stealing the torch from Aston Villa as the shock qualifiers for the Champions League this season, Forest sent Unai Emery’s side packing in dramatic fashion last time out, scoring a last-gasp winner courtesy of Anthony Elanga.

They won’t want this current run to end anytime soon either, with Brentford awaiting before the visit of Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing Day, handing Forest the chance to end the year on the ultimate high.

Meanwhile, it’s not just on the pitch that the Midlands club are seemingly looking to compete against England’s best as the January transfer window continues to approach.

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According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Nottingham Forest are now keeping tabs on Manfred Ugalde, who has a release clause of just £25m at Spartak Moscow. The clinical forward hasn’t just attracted the interest of Forest, however. Reports have also indicated that the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Aston Villa are all eyeing moves to secure the 22-year-old’s signature in 2025.

Such interest should come as no surprise. At £25m, Ugalde could arguably be one of the bargains of the year, especially as a player who is yet to reach his best years. Even outscoring the high-flying Wood in the current campaign, Ugalde is undoubtedly going to be one to watch when 2025 arrives and clubs begin to swarm his way.

"Superb" Ugalde could eventually replace Wood

There’s no denying the fact that Wood is one of Nottingham Forest’s most important players. In fact, it’s not even absurd to suggest that he’s one of the most reliable strikers in the Premier League these days. But there’s also no denying that he’s now 33 years old and closer to the end of his career than the peak of his powers, and that presents Forest with a problem that Ugalde could solve.

The impressive striker has scored a staggering 15 goals in 18 games in the Russian Premier League for Spartak Moscow so far this season, which is five more than Wood’s 10 goals in 16 Premier League games. It’s a clinical record that not many can match and one which may suggest that Ugalde is only just getting started at 22 years old.

It’s a rise that Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig has seen coming since the turn of the year, praising Ugalde for a “superb” season at FC Twente before he earned a winter move to Spartak Moscow.

Hoping to maintain their place in the Premier League’s top six beyond the current campaign, Ugalde is a player that Nottingham Forest should race to sign when 2025 arrives.