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Real Madrid have reportedly abruptly ended their interest in Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate amid his poor form for the club. The France international is in the last year of his contract and so far has shown no signs of extending his stay on Merseyside. However, his hopes of a dream move to Los Blancos appears to be over ahead of the January transfer window.

• Konate issues Liverpool rallying cry amid contract uncertainty

  Last season, Liverpool appeared to be in a huge bind as key trio Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold were in the last few months of their Liverpool deals. Fortunately for the Reds, captain Van Dijk and star forward Salah signed new two-year contracts, but Alexander-Arnold chose to leave, before eventually signing for Madrid. Liverpool have reportedly been trying to extend the stay of defender Konate, whose terms run until 2026, but so far, no breakthrough has been struck. The Frenchman was linked with Los Blancos earlier this year, and amid that speculation, he gave a rather coy comment on his future. 

  He said a fortnight ago: "My agents continue to discuss with Liverpool. I hope my decision will be made very soon so I can announce it." He also rubbished claims the Reds had approached him with a new contract.

  It seems, however, that this contract uncertainty has led to Konate taking his eye off the ball, with the ex-RB Leipzig man making a string of mistakes this season – the latest of which was in his side's humbling 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. 

  After that loss, he wrote on social media: "We have to take this moment on the chest. Criticism is part of football, and we’ll fight back every time and come through this storm. In these moments, the fans matter most. The ones who stand with us in the good times and the bad – the ones who sing for us even in the difficult moments! Your voice and your support mean everything to us. We know we need to improve and we’ll keep fighting for you. Always."

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  Real Madrid move on from Konate

  According to The Athletic, Liverpool tried to extend Konate's deal way back in 2023. But fast forward to the present and it is uncertain where he will be playing in 2026. The report states that Madrid have informed Liverpool they now have 'no interest' in signing the 26-year-old. That could strengthen the Reds' hand in the contract negotiation stakes, although Konate will be able to talk to foreign clubs in January in regards to a possible pre-contract agreement for the summer. The former Sochaux man has chalked up 150 appearances for Liverpool, and over the years, he has been a competent ally to team-mate and fellow defender Van Dijk. Although his form has nosedived this season, manager Slot continues to pick the 6ft 4in player, partially because they are short on defensive options. Their inability to land Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi is looking more and more costly.

• Konate sent Liverpool contract message

  Former Liverpool ace Vladimir Smicer believes that Konate should decide on his Anfield future as soon as possible. If he does that, the Frenchman's form could improve.

  He told BOYLE Sports: "We've seen this last season with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah. Two players stayed, one went. Personally, I don't like this situation (with expiring contracts). I think for the players, it's better when they know their future. At the moment, I can't see if Ibrahim Konate is sure about his next move. Anytime he's not performing at the top level, the fans question his contract situation. It's normal, it will always be like this.

  "If you commit your future, then the fans will say, 'Okay, maybe he was not good today' – but because the situation is like this, anytime he makes a mistake, they will say, 'He will go.' That will be in his head. We experienced this situation last season with three players, but personally, when I was playing, I always wanted a long-term contract. It's better for your confidence, for your life, for your position in the team. I knew my future, and I committed to the team. I’d like Konate to decide as soon as possible what he's going to do in the future."

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  What comes next for Konate?

  With Madrid pulling the plug on a potential Konate move, the France ace will hope to fire Liverpool to victory this weekend away at lowly West Ham. Subsequent games against Sunderland and Leeds United could reportedly determine the fate of Reds boss Slot.

Leeds United made it three defeats in succession in the Premier League when they were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon.

The Whites had the lead at half-time thanks to a goal from Lukas Nmecha, who bundled the ball in from close range after Anton Stach competed with Emi Martinez for a high ball.

Unfortunately, though, the away side struck twice in the second half, both goals coming from Morgan Rogers, and walked away from West Yorkshire with all three points.

Daniel Farke only made one change to his starting line-up from the side that lost 3-1 to Nottingham Forest before the break, and it backfired on the Leeds boss.

The Leeds change that backfired on Daniel Farke

The German head coach opted to take Jaka Bijol out of the team, after he won four of his six duels against Forest, and brought Pascal Struijk back into the side, possibly to have a natural left-footer in that position.

Whilst the Dutchman certainly opens up more passing angles as a left-footer on the left side of the defence, his defensive work left far too much to be desired against the Villans, and that is why the change backfired on the manager.

Per Sofascore, Struijk only won three of his eight duels, losing both of his ground duels, and did not complete a single tackle in the game, which shows that he struggled with the physicality of the match.

The one tackle that the former Ajax man did attempt was his late lunge on Ross Barkley, which resulted in the free-kick from which Rogers scored the winning goal.

Struijk was far from the only poor performer on the pitch, though, as Brenden Aaronson is another player who should be ruthlessly ditched from the starting line-up.

Why Leeds must drop Brenden Aaronson

The USA international had delivered a goal and an assist in the three Premier League matches prior to the international break, which made his inclusion in the side an understandable call from Farke.

However, the return to fitness of Dan James has thrown his place in the line-up into doubt, and their respective performances against Aston Villa on Sunday suggest that the Wales international deserves a chance from the start.

Aaronson, who was awarded a 4/10 player rating by LeedsUnitedNews, lower than Struijk’s 6/10 rating, failed to create a single chance for his teammates in 80 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore, as he came inside and got crowded out all too often.

Vs Aston Villa

Brenden Aaronson

Dan James

Minutes

80

19

Shots

3

3

xG on target

0.15

0.15

Crosses attempted

1

5

Key passes

0

1

Big chances created

0

0

Dribbles completed

1/5

1/1

Possession lost

12x

6x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, James offered more to the team on the right flank in 19 minutes than the American lightweight did in his 80-minute outing against the Villans.

The fact that the Welshman attempted five times as many crosses as Aaronson, in roughly an hour less on the pitch, speaks to the difference Leeds could make to their attack by bringing him into the starting XI.

Aaronson, for all his hard work, is not a natural winger who is going to hug the byline and test teams consistently with runs in behind and crosses into the box.

James, however, is that player and almost made an instant impact when his brilliant run and ball across the box led to Dominic Calvert-Lewin finding the back of the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for a handball by the striker.

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The Welshman deserved an assist for his play. Now, he deserves a place in the starting line-up because Aaronson was even worse than Struijk in the defeat to Villa, as he offered little to the team in or out of possession, whilst Struijk, at the very least, completed 95% of his passes and made five clearances, per Sofascore.

Arne Slot is determined to put things right at Liverpool. Because it’s all gone very wrong this season, the champions 12th in the Premier League standings after losing five of their past six matches.

There is more than enough time for the Dutch coach to turn things around, but improvements are needed quickly if Slot is to repel rising noises regarding the security of his position in the hot seat.

The curious case of Alexander Isak. Liverpool’s record-breaking striker has flattered to deceive since joining from Newcastle United for £125m this summer, and getting him up to speed is paramount if the Reds are to fire on all cylinders going forward.

And with Mohamed Salah struggling and the Anfield side altogether imbalanced up front, FSG appear to be turning toward the transfer market once again.

Liverpool lining up new forward

Salah, 33, is waning. Then again, Liverpool have malfunctioned this season and the Egyptian superstar will surely rekindle his form after a lifetime of genius on Merseyside.

But, regardless, Liverpool need to draw up a succession plan, and they appear to have done exactly that after earmarking a former Premier League sensation to take his berth on the right wing.

As per Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool view Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise as a “future dream target” to replace Salah, who extended his stay on Merseyside until the end of the 2026/27 season in April.

Olise would cost a pretty penny, though, having been priced by Die Roten at a staggering €140m (about £122m).

Still, FSG have shown they will do business for such a fee in recent times.

Why Michael Olise would be perfect for Alexander Isak

Olise was immense throughout his debut season in Germany last season, steering Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title and earning acclaim for his dynamic attacking displays.

The 23-year-old has gone up a gear this term, posting nine goals and ten assists from 18 matches in all competitions, and TNT Sports pundit Owen Hargreaves said that he “could be as good as anyone” after one Champions League performance.

Whether Olise winds up at Liverpool remains to be seen, but his remarkable physical traits and natural playmaking qualities make him a tailor-made winger to accommodate Isak and Hugo Ekitike at number nine.

One thing’s for sure: he would provide a huge upgrade on this current version of Salah, whose wastefulness in front of goal is being matched by an inability to influence as he usually does across other areas.

Goals scored

0.63

0.34

Assists

0.63

0.17

Shots taken

4.62

2.43

Shot-creating actions

6.82

3.27

Touches (att pen)

7.55

6.21

Pass completion (%)

81.6

68.1

Progressive passes

6.40

4.19

Progressive carries

5.45

3.94

Successful take-ons

2.31

0.92

Ball recoveries

4.72

2.77

Tackles + interceptions

1.36

0.34

Isak is one of the best strikers in the world, but he needs service. The Sweden international darts upfield and finds space in between the lines. Olise could help activate this area of his skillset at Liverpool, averaging over six progressive passes per Bundesliga game this term.

Olise is also less focused on goalscoring side of the game. That’s not to say he’s not capable of show-stopping strikes, as has been seen numerous times in the Premier League, but serve as evidence that he could be the perfect counterweight in Liverpool’s attacking system to give rise to Isak’s striking ability.

Such an athletic and hungry wide forward with a proven pedigree in the Premier League could prove the key to success at Liverpool, whose forwards are toiling and surely need some fresh inspiration to lift them back into the ascendancy.

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 25, 2025

If this is to be the end of Martin O’Neill’s brief return, what a way to sign off.

On Thursday night, Celtic ended a 16-match, four-year-long winless streak in European away games by beating Feyenoord 3-1 at De Kuip, coming back from a goal down to do so; Yang Hyun-jun, Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren all on target.

This means O’Neill has won five of six matches since being parachuted into the role following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation.

The 73-year-old, alongside Shaun Maloney, is set to remain in charge when the Celts visit Easter Road to take on Hibernian on Sunday lunchtime, but there is optimism that Wilfried Nancy will take over soon, potentially in time for the visit of Dundee on Wednesday.

Once the Frenchman does swap Ohio for Glasgow, one of Celtic’s breakout stars from this season could well become a key figure, currently on course to replicate an active club legend.

Callum McGregor's importance at Celtic

While players, managers and board members come and go, Callum McGregor remains a constant, the heartbeat in both the team and the club as a whole.

Thursday saw the captain make his 540th appearance for the club, starting 21 of 22 matches so far this season, accumulating 1,939 minutes out of a possible 2,040 so far (95%).

When Scott Brown departed in 2021, his leadership and all-around brilliance was supposed to be impossible to replace, but McGregor has transitioned into this role seamlessly, lifting 24 major trophies to date, and it is incomprehensible to imagine a Celtic side without him.

As well as winning back the ball and keeping the team ticking in possession, McGregor continues to produce key moments, lashing home a 95th-minute winner at St Mirren last Saturday night, having scored a similar rocket against Rangers in the League Cup semi-finals earlier this month.

Having joined the club as an eight-year-old, McGregor continues to set an example to all those in the Celtic academy dreaming of representing the first team one day, but who is currently on course to follow in his footsteps?

Celtic's next academy star

Celtic have endured rotten luck in terms of injuries this season.

Cameron Carter-Vickers could be out for the rest of the season following achilles surgery, Jota remains sidelined after rupturing his ACL in April, while Alistair Johnston suffered a torn hamstring against Kairat in August, only to aggravate the issue 26 minutes into his return when Sturm Graz visited Parkhead.

With Johnston, who has been so excellent since joining the club, having started only five matches all season, most would have expected Anthony Ralston to deputise, but it appears as though Colby Donovan has leapfrogged him in the pecking order.

After featuring sporadically during pre-season, scoring against Cork City at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in July, the 19-year-old made his competitive senior debut against Livingston when Rodgers made wholesale changes in between the two legs against Kairat.

Well, since then, he hasn’t really looked back, starting just two Premiership matches, but included in the lineup for four of the five Europa League fixtures, these against Crvena zvezda, Braga, Sturm Graz and now Feyenoord, putting in an excellent display in Rotterdam.

The table below documents how well he has played in Europe so far.

As the table documents, Donovan has been excellent in the Europa League this season, contributing in a wide variety of ways.

The teenager ranks highly for all the in possession metrics, recording an assist for Liam Scales’ crucial equaliser against Sturm Graz, while only Arne Engels and Benjamin Nygren have created more big chances, ranked first in terms of goal-creating actions.

Given that incoming manager Nancy deploys a 3-4-2-1 formation, his Columbus Crew side featuring flying wing-backs Max Arfsten and Andrés Herrera, his imminent arrival could be great news for the youngster.

Speaking ahead of the clash with Braga, then-manager Rodgers praised Donovan’s “outstanding” performances, labelling him a “real bright spark” as well as heralding his “personality” and “mentality”.

Well, these all feel like compliments that could be thrown the way of a certain McGregor, whose leadership is as invaluable as his quality to this team.

Thus, it is certainly still early days, but all the signs suggest that Celtic supporters are rightly excited about Donovan, who will go on to have quite the career should he manage to match McGregor’s achievements and make 500+ appearances for the club.

Celtic man was finished under Rodgers, now he can be undroppable for Nancy

Celtic’s wait for a European away win is over, beating Feyenoord 3-1, with a star Brendan Rodgers once labelled “sloppy” playing like an £100m man.

By
Ben Gray

Nov 28, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Bahia venceu o Fluminense por 2 a 1, pela 2ª rodada do Brasileirão, na Fonte Nova. O Time de Guerreiros abriu o placar com Germán Cano, mas os mandantes viraram com gols de Caio Alexandre e Cauly.

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➡ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Com o triunfo, o Bahia chegou a sua primeira vitória na competição e ocupa parcialmente a 8ª colocação. Por outro lado, o Fluminense segue com apenas um ponto e está na 14ª colocação.

⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?

Na etapa inicial, Jhon Arias roubou uma bola de Santiago Arias no campo de ataque e serviu Cano, que estufou as redes com apenas três minutos de jogo. A partida foi paralisada por conta da forte chuva e do estado ruim do gramado da Fonte Nova. Na volta, o Bahia voltou pressionando, teve uma boa oportunidade com Ademir, que parou em defesa de Fábio, mas Caio Alexandre anotou um golaço em uma finalização de fora da área.

Na segunda etapa, o Bahia voltou melhor e se aproximando da virada. Aos 15 minutos, Cauly foi acionado por Jean Lucas, driblou Manoel e bateu para marcar um belo gol. Fernando Diniz tentou colocar o Fluminense mais para frente com substituições, mas que surtiram pouco efeito. Os mandantes não conseguiram aproveitar os contra-ataques devido aos espaços na defesa do Time de Guerreiros.

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📆 O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

No sábado (20), o Fluminense encara o Vasco, pela 3ª rodada do Brasileirão, no Maracanã. Por outro lado, o Bahia também tem um clássico contra o Vitória, no domingo (21), no Barradão.

Tudo sobre

BahiaBrasileirãoFluminense

Broadcast legend Mike Francesa has no shortage of legendary on-air moments.

One particular moment that has stuck in the minds of sports radio fans was his rant to caller “Dan in Warwick,” who asked Francesa if he believed the New York Giants and San Francisco Giants ever hung out together. You know, because they’re both Giants?

Francesa was not amused.

But in a recent promo for Eli Manning’s eponymous show, Francesa leaned into the bit, walking in on a few legends of both the Giants and the Giants, Manning included, as they sat down for a meal together and planned next year’s festivities for their apparent annual meet-up.

“They really do get together,” Francesa says with a smile before closing the door.

Fans loved the moment and celebrated it on social media.

The timing of the clip could not have been better, as the baseball Giants just finished up a series at Citi Field against the Mets.

While it was hardly the acting performance that Francesa put on for , it’s good to know he can play comedy too if called upon.

Shreyas Iyer told him he would be playing all the Punjab Kings matches this season, and that’s freed him up to bat the way he likes best

Ashish Pant12-Apr-20252:37

Jaffer: Hope to see Arya in India colours soon

Punjab Kings (PBKS) opener Priyansh Arya is your quintessential T20 cricketer. Young, uninhibited, fearless, whose instincts tell him to hit every ball out of the ground irrespective of the match situation. It’s pretty straightforward. First ball of the innings or last, if the ball is in his zone, it must be out of the ground. A simple see-ball-hit-ball approach.These instincts told him to whack the first ball he faced from Chennai Super Kings’ [CSK] Khaleel Ahmed for six over deep point. It didn’t matter that he had fallen for a golden duck three days prior to that game or that he had a single-digit score in a match before that. He saw the ball in his zone, he took his chance.But what if he had been caught in the deep? What if his instinct was wrong? Wouldn’t back-to-back golden ducks look bad on his young resume?Related

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“Attacking batsman out [An attacking batsman always looks ugly when he gets out],” Arya says with a smile at a press interaction. “Not just me, look at every attacking batsman. I don’t think about failures, or whether this shot could get me out or not when I am batting. I just watch the ball and look to hit it.”Getting out on a zero is not a big deal, it’s a part of the game. At times, I’ll get out on a zero, but the next day, I will also score a century.”And score a century he did as he sent the CSK fielders on a leather hunt in Mullanpur. He was dropped by Khaleel second ball of the innings, and played a false shot two balls later. Even the most aggressive IPL batters might have taken a step back. Not Arya. He went again the very next ball, carving Khaleel over cover point for six. He trusted his instincts. It got him a 43-ball 102 and a Player-of-the-Match award.It’s helped that Arya has the backing of PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer.

“When I went to the [IPL team] trials and I didn’t get selected, it never affected me much, because I wasn’t consistent. I debuted for the senior team in 2021, and I was out of the team after two matches because I wasn’t performing well. Obviously, anyone would be out of the team with those performances”Priyansh Arya on the lows in his career

“I spoke to Ricky sir [after his first-ball duck] and he told me that if I get the same ball in the next match, I should hit it out of the ground. I was very confident after hearing that,” Arya says. “Shreyas also told me not to worry: ‘you will play all the 14 matches’. That calmed me down a lot. If the captain is backing me so much, I felt very confident after hearing that.”It wasn’t all about swinging away to glory, Arya also showed cricketing smarts against CSK. When R Ashwin, 14 years his senior and one of the modern-day greats, came into the attack inside the powerplay, he looked like knew that the offspinner would try and cramp him for room. On cue, Ashwin fired a length ball on the stumps that Arya duly slog-swept to the square-leg boundary. A few balls later, when Ashwin went marginally short outside off, Arya deposited him over wide long-off.Arya’s strike rate of 210.66 is the third-highest in the tournament at the moment. He has hit 11 sixes, the second-highest for PBKS behind his captain’s 14. But Arya has not always been this free-flowing six basher.Priyansh Arya’s strike rate of 210.66 is the third-highest at the moment in the tournament•Associated Press”I developed it with time. I wasn’t this bold at the start of my career when I was younger,” he says. “With time and maturity, you have to bring those changes within yourself. You can’t keep playing like you used to. The opponents are experienced enough to know your strengths and weaknesses.”Arya is just 24, but his career has already had a fair few ups and downs. He made his senior T20 debut for Delhi in 2021, but was out of the side after only two games and it took him two years to get another game. He was called up for trials by a few IPL teams, but Arya remained unsold in the 2024 player auctions. However, he was pragmatic about his snub.”When I went to the trials and I didn’t get selected, it never affected me much, because I wasn’t consistent, so the non-selection didn’t bother me,” he says. “I debuted for the senior team in 2021, and I was out of the team after two matches because I wasn’t performing well. Obviously, anyone would be out of the team with those performances.”The 2024 Delhi Premier League, however, changed everything. His six sixes in an over thrust him into the limelight and got him a place in the Delhi 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali squad, where he was Delhi’s highest run-scorer. “When DPL started, I wanted to be as consistent as possible,” Arya says. “I made runs in DPL and this time in T20s [Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy] as well and I got picked [in the IPL]. So, in my mind, I realised that consistency is key.”2:44

Is Arya’s ton the greatest IPL knock by an uncapped player?

Coming into the IPL, Arya has not changed his technique much but has worked on the mental side of things. “Everyone has the same level of preparation. But the mindset is very important. Controlling the mind is the most difficult thing. If you keep yourself calm, you can perform better.”He has also worked extensively with his childhood coach Sanjay Bharadwaj, particularly on the cuts and pulls, because “IPL ball . [In the IPL, no one will dish out slot balls]. The bowlers will hit that hard length, which makes the cuts and the pulls important shots to have.”There is no question that Arya’s approach is fraught with risk. He might fail more often than he succeeds. But with a mature head on his shoulders and the backing of his coach and captain, he will hope to leave a mark on IPL 2025. He’s started well. Now for the consistency which has brought him thus far.

Middlesbrough aren’t just looking at a move for Steven Gerrard, with a Championship title-winning manager also on the Riverside radar.

Gerrard among top Middlesbrough targets to replace Edwards

Boro’s search for a new manager is now officially underway after Rob Edwards’ move to Wolves was confirmed on Wednesday. Taking to social media, Edwards released a statement, saying:

Adi Viveash remains in interim charge for the time being and oversaw the club’s 2-1 win at home to Birmingham City prior to the international break, a victory which saw Boro return to the Championship automatic promotion spots.

A top two finish in 2026 will be the ask of Edwards’ permanent successor and there have already been named linked with the Riverside vacancy.

Gerrard is one who has been heavily mooted with a move to Middlesbrough in what would be his first taste as a manager in the Championship.

Out of work since January when he left Saudi Arabia and Al-Ettifaq, Gerrard is rated by Steve Gibson and is thought to find the idea of a move to the Riverside appealing.

Journalist Graeme Bailey said: “Gerrard is well liked by Boro, he has an impressive CV and would be a significant coup to land him, but it is not certain if they could put together the package to persuade him to move to the North East.”

Middlesbrough also eyeing Tony Mowbray return

According to Bailey and The Rousing Kop, Middlesbrough are also eyeing up former manager Tony Mowbray as an alternative to Gerrard.

As well as Mowbray, Alex Neil, Paul Heckingbottom, Raphael Wicky, Gary O’Neil, Robbie Keane and Mark Robins are also named as potential candidates to come in on a permanent basis.

Mowbray, who has six wins against Middlesbrough as a manager, spent three years in charge of Boro between 2010-2013 but failed to guide the club back to the Premier League.

Tony Mowbray’s record as Middlesbrough manager

Games

153

Wins

61

Draws

37

Losses

55

Points per game

1.44

Players used

66

The 61-year-old is currently out of work, with his most recent spell in the dugout coming at West Brom, where he was labelled “exceptional” by Baggies’ sporting director Andrew Nestor.

He won the Championship title during his first stint as Baggies boss back in 2008 and has even been linked with a short-term role at Southampton in recent weeks, so Mowbray’s return to the Riverside could be one to keep an eye on.

Aston Villa are now leading the race to sign Borussia Dortmund forward Julian Brandt, who could be available for a bargain fee in the January transfer window.

Villa have been much-improved since the end of September, winning eight of their last ten matches in all competitions, having started to be much more clinical in front of goal, as showcased in the 4-0 victory against AFC Bournemouth at the weekend.

Emiliano Buendia was particularly impressive against the Cherries, receiving the Player of the Match award after opening the scoring with his third Premier League goal of the season, while the Argentinian also has two assists to his name.

UnaI Emery certainly isn’t short of top-quality options in attacking areas, and the manager will no doubt be extremely pleased that one of his key players recently put pen to paper on a new deal.

However, despite having a breadth of talent in forward areas, with Ross Barkley and Donyell Malen also getting on the scoresheet against Bournemouth, the Villans are now looking to sign a new attacking midfielder.

Aston Villa now leading race for Julian Brandt

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are now leading the race for Borussia Dortmund star Brandt, who could be in line to leave the German club in the January transfer window, given that he is yet to extend his contract beyond the end of the current campaign.

Talks over a contract extension are ongoing, but the 29-year-old is open to a move, and he is regarded as a ‘creative upgrade in midfield’ by Villa.

With the German’s contract set to expire in the summer, he could be available for a bargain fee this winter, but there could be competition, as rival Premier League sides are also in the race, alongside clubs from the Serie A and La Liga.

The Bremen-born attacking midfielder is yet to test himself outside his home country, but he has proven himself as a reliable source of goals and assists over a number of years with Dortmund and former club Bayer Leverkusen.

Julian Brandt’s attacking record

Goals

Assists

Borussia Dortmund (279 games)

50

68

Bayer Leverkusen (215 games)

42

52

Lauded as “incredible” by journalist Manuel Veth, the ex-Bayer Leverkusen man has averaged 0.47 assists per 90 over the past year, which places him in the top 2% of all attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues.

As such, Brandt clearly has the talent to succeed in the Premier League, and he could be a solid signing for Villa, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if they miss out, considering Emery already has the likes of Rogers and Buendia at his disposal.

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ByJames O'Reilly Nov 5, 2025

South Africa’s next three games are against teams in the bottom of the points table – Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Sruthi Ravindranath12-Oct-20252:51

Can Bangladesh choke South Africa with spin?

Big Picture – South Africa look to extend winning runIt’s been a change of fortunes for both sides since their respective opening games at the Women’s World Cup, 2025. After a crushing defeat in their opener, where they were bowled out for 69 against England, South Africa have turned things around in style, edging past New Zealand before putting themselves back as strong contenders by beating hosts India in an epic chase.Bangladesh began with a statement win over Pakistan but have since faltered. They pushed England close and were thoroughly outplayed by New Zealand, leaving their campaign teetering.Related

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South Africa’s resurgence has been powered by individual brilliance. Tazmin Brits stood tall against New Zealand, while Nadine de Klerk delivered a game-changing performance against India, with Chloe Tryon playing a supporting role. Captain Laura Wolvaardt, too, found form at the top of the order. South Africa will hope their core batters can fire in unison as the tournament enters its crunch phase.It’s not just their batting that South Africa will be pleased with. Nonkululeko Mlaba has been the standout among bowlers, her left-arm spin proving decisive in the middle overs. South Africa’s next fixtures are against Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, teams currently occupying the bottom three spots on the points table. With their net run-rate still in the negative (-0.888), South Africa will want more than just wins to stay in the hunt for the top four berth.For Bangladesh, their bowlers have performed well so far in the tournament, boasting the second-best team average (23.26) behind only England, but the batting remains a concern. While two different players have registered fifties in the tournament, the lack of consistency has held them back. If Bangladesh are to challenge South Africa, they’ll need their top and middle order to click.Nigar Sultana needs to step up with the bat for Bangladesh•ICC/Getty ImagesForm GuideBangladesh LLWLL (last five matches, most recent first)
South Africa WWLLWIn the spotlight – Chloe Tryon and Nigar SultanaAfter a quiet start to the tournament, Chloe Tryon chose the right moment to shine, showcasing her all-round skills against India. She first dented India’s batting with a clinical spell of 3 for 23 by removing key players in Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Amanjot Kaur. Then she walked in with South Africa 81 for 5 in their 252-run chase, and helped script one of their most memorable wins. She managed all of this while nursing a calf niggle.While Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana has led energetically on the field, her form with the bat has been a concern. Scores of 23, 0, and 4 in her last three outings, each ending with a soft dismissal, have left a void in Bangladesh’s top order. She was full of praise for her bowling unit after the loss to New Zealand, but called out the team’s shortcomings with the bat, stressing the need to build partnerships and show composure when chasing targets over 200.Team news – Tryon fit for Bangladesh clashWith batting being a concern, will Bangladesh look to bring back the experienced Fargana Hoque at the top of the order?Bangladesh (probable): 1 Rubya Haider, 2 Sharmin Akhter, 3 Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), 4 Sobhana Mostary, 5 Sumaiya Akter, 6 Shorna Akter, 7 Fahima Khatun, 8 Nahida Akter, 9 Rabeya Khan, 10 Marufa Akter, 11 Nishita Akter NishiChole Tryon, who batted with a calf niggle against India, is fit and available for South Africa•ICC/Getty ImagesSouth Africa will want to keep their winning XI. Tryon, whose calf required heavy strapping when she was batting against India, is fit and available to play.South Africa (probable): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Anneke Bosch/Annerie Dercksen, 6 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 7 Chloe Tryon, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Tumi Sekhukhune, 10 Ayabonga Khaka, 11 Nonkululeko MlabaPitch and conditions – Rainy and humid in VizagVisakhapatnam has been the most batting-friendly venue of this World Cup so far, with a high-scoring pitch laid out during the India-Australia clash. There is a chance of rain on Monday afternoon, but the weather is expected to clear up later in the day. The temperature will peak around 31°C with high humidity. Dew has been a factor in the evening and could influence the toss.Stats and Trivia This will be South Africa’s 50th World Cup game Fahima Khatun has 15 wickets this year. She needs to add six more to her tally to have the most for Bangladesh in a year Marizanne Kapp is two wickets away from becoming South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in World Cups, going past Shabnim Ismail’s 36. Fargana Hoque needs four more runs to complete 500 runs against South Africa. She will become the first Bangladesh player to hit 500 runs against any opponent in women’s ODIsQuotes”With a bowling style like mine, what I try to do is bowl my variations as much as possible. Coming to the subcontinental teams, sometimes pace doesn’t work, or rather, go your way. So, I think I try to change up my pace there and then see how that can actually work for me.”
“I agree our batting collapsed [against New Zealand]. We’ve already discussed it with our batting coaches and among the players. We’ve been working on those weaknesses, and hopefully the batters will come back in the next match. We have other capable batters in the team. And our captain, Joty, always plays in a way that inspires us. I believe she’ll do better from the next match.”