Another Frenchman could lift the Ballon d'Or by following the Ousmane Dembele blueprint. Indeed, according to Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus, Michael Olise has the potential to become the first Ballon d'Or winner from Die Roten after 45 years. The 23-year-old has been exceptional since arriving from Crystal Palace in 2024 and is reportedly set to be offered a new deal.

• Olise, Bayern's new hero in town

  Bayern legend Mathhaus has no qualms that Olise can emulate Dembele by winning the Ballon d'Or next year. Since arriving from Palace in a move worth £52 million (€60m/$70m), Olise has been among the best attackers in the world. He was nominated in the top 30 for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, where he deserved to finish much higher than 30th position. 

  His numbers for the Bavarian giants have been staggering. Including the Club World Cup, the Frenchman has seven goals and five assists in twelve competitive matches. Overall, he has already been involved in 50 goals in 62 matches for Bayern (24 goals, 26 assists).

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• AFP
  

  Matthaus wants Olise to take a leaf out of Dembele's book

  Matthaus spoke highly of Olise in an interview with . "He has everything an outstanding footballer needs. I see no limits for him. And the example of Ousmane Dembele shows that a winger can become a world-class footballer," said the 64-year-old. "It always depends on the success of the team, especially in the Champions League – but yes, I believe Olise can [win the Ballon d'Or]."

• Premier League waiting for Olise's return?

  At the end of August, speculation arose about Olise's long-term future. The 23-year-old is said to have an exit clause in his contract that could allow him to return to the Premier League as early as next summer, preferably to Liverpool as Mohamed Salah's successor. Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked, too.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Bayern set to reward Olise with new deal

  That is why Die Roten are keen to secure an early contract extension with Olise in the near future. He is currently under contract with the club until 2029. According to information from , there is already internal discussion at Munich about keeping Olise beyond that date. It is even conceivable that talks about this could begin during the course of this season. However, no contact has yet been made with Olise and his agent.

Australia allrounder will prepare for WTC final with five County Championship matches

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2025Gloucestershire have signed Australia’s Cameron Green for five County Championship matches, in a deal made possible by a “significant donation” from one of the club’s members.ESPNcricinfo reported this month that Green is hoping to make his return from a back stress fracture before the end of the Sheffield Shield season, and that he was lining up a stint in county cricket. Gloucestershire announced on Friday that he will play five games for them between April 18 and May 26 in the second division of the Championship.Green’s stint will enable him to play competitively ahead of June’s World Test Championship final, which sees Australia face South Africa at Lord’s. He will only be available as a specialist batter, rather than an allrounder, and faces competition for places in the middle order after the recent success of Josh Inglis and Beau Webster early in their Test careers.Gloucestershire’s finances have been perilous in recent years, with the club posting a £1.19 million loss in their most recent accounts. But chair Peter Matthews said one of the club’s 2,000 or so members had donated a sum of money which will enable them to cover the cost of Green’s wages without exceeding their playing budget for the 2025 season.”We are delighted to welcome Cameron to Gloucestershire,” Matthews said. “This deal would not have been possible without a significant donation from a member of the club, and we are incredibly grateful for his generosity, which has enabled us to do this deal without going over the playing budget.”Related

Green unlikely to play Shield cricket before county stint

Bancroft named Gloucestershire captain after shoulder 'trauma'

Hampshire sign Stoneman as Vince cover

Green hopeful of Shield return and county cricket ahead of WTC final

Green has never previously played county cricket and will link up with his Western Australia team-mate Cameron Bancroft in Bristol, who was appointed captain for their Championship season earlier this week.Mark Alleyne, Gloucestershire’s coach, said: “Cameron Green’s ability is unquestionable… He usually operates in a key position for the best Test team in the world at the moment and having that pedigree in our camp is amazing for the players alongside him. We have serious ambitions in all formats in 2025 and Cameron’s signing will reinforce this sentiment.”Elsewhere, Hampshire have confirmed the signing of another Australian allrounder in New South Wales’ Jack Edwards. ESPNcricinfo reported this week that Edwards will effectively replace Mohammad Abbas for the first two months of the Championship season, with Hampshire’s hoping Edwards’ ability to bat No. 7 will help them fill the void left by James Vince quitting red-ball cricket.

يلتقي منتخب الجزائر مع نظيره أوغندا، مساء اليوم الثلاثاء، في إطار منافسات المباراة الختامية من عمر التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026.

منتخب الجزائر يلاقي أوغندا، ضمن مواجهات الجولة العاشرة والأخيرة، من عمر منافسات المجموعة السابعة لـ تصفيات كأس العالم.

منتخب الجزائر، حسم التأهل بشكل رسمي إلى بطولة كأس العالم، للمرة السادسة في تاريخ محاربي الصحراء، بعد الفوز في الجولة التاسعة على الصومال 3-0.

ويتواجد منتخب الجزائر في المجموعة السابعة من تصفيات كأس العالم، بجانب منتخبات الصومال وأوغندا وموزمبيق وبوتسوانا وغينيا.

ويتصدر منتخب الجزائر، ترتيب المجموعة من تصفيات كأس العالم، برصيد 22 نقطة، حيث فاز في 7 مباريات وتعادل في واحدة وخسر في لقاء.

طالع | ترتيب مجموعة الجزائر في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026

بينما منتخب أوغندا، يتواجد في المركز الثاني في ترتيب المجموعة ذاتها، برصيد 18 نقطة، يأمل في الفوز لضمان تواجده في المحلق القاري للتأهل إلى كأس العالم. موعد مباراة الجزائر وأوغندا اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

تقام مباراة الجزائر وأوغندا، اليوم الثلاثاء 14 أكتوبر، إذ تنطلق المواجهة في تمام الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، 5 بتوقيت الجزائر. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة الجزائر وأوغندا اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

تنقل مباراة الجزائر وأوغندا، عبر قناة الجزائرية المفتوحة على النايل سات، بالإضافة إلي منصة شاهد.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

We answer all your questions about the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE

Hemant Brar06-Feb-2025

When is Champions Trophy 2025 starting?Champions Trophy 2025 will begin on February 19, with hosts Pakistan taking on New Zealand in Karachi. The final will be played on March 9. Click here for the full schedule.It has been a while since we had a Champions Trophy, right?Yes, the previous edition was played in 2017, in England and Wales, where Pakistan beat India in the final. Here is the list of all previous winners.Why has there been such a long gap?Since its inception in 1998, the tournament was played every two years till 2009. After that, it was moved to a four-year cycle. India were supposed to host the 2021 edition but it was replaced with the T20 World Cup, which was ultimately played in the UAE.Related

From BPL to Champions Trophy – Simmons wants 'that 50-over mentality' quickly

England bank on familiar core for Champions Trophy acid test

Batch of new quicks gives in-transition Bangladesh hope

SA replace injured Nortje with Bosch for Champions Trophy

Context is king as Pakistan and New Zealand open pre-Champions Trophy tri-series

So Pakistan are the hosts this time?Yes, but there is more to it. Since India refused to travel to Pakistan, the PCB opted for a hybrid model with India’s matches to be held in Dubai. That decision was arrived at after a long impasse. The Pakistan leg will be played in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi. The National Stadium in Karachi and the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore are undergoing significant upgrades and renovation, almost racing against time. Their readiness will be tested during the tri-series, involving Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa, just before the Champions Trophy.Where will the opening ceremony be held then?The PCB will host an event in Lahore on February 16 to mark the start of the tournament. However, there will be no captains’ meet, or press conference, because of logistical reasons. This also ends the speculations about whether India captain Rohit Sharma will travel to Pakistan or not.But why are India not going to Pakistan when everyone else is?Because of political tension between the two countries. Even Indian match officials are not travelling to Pakistan. The last time India visited Pakistan was for the 2008 Asia Cup, even though Pakistan have played several ICC tournaments in India since then, including the 2023 ODI World Cup. Before the Champions Trophy, the two boards and the ICC reached an agreement that till 2027, even Pakistan’s matches in an ICC tournament hosted in India would be played at a neutral venue.When was the last time an ICC tournament was held in Pakistan?For that, you will have to go all the way back to 1996, when Pakistan co-hosted the ODI World Cup with India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan were supposed to host the Champions Trophy in 2008. But due to security concerns, the tournament was eventually played in South Africa in 2009.Are India playing Pakistan in Champions Trophy 2025?Yes, they are in the same group and will face each other on February 23, Sunday in Dubai. Unlike the World Cups, where India have a 15-1 head-to-head record, things have been much closer in the Champions Trophy, with Pakistan leading 3-2.Fakhar Zaman, centurion and Player of the Match in the final of the last Champions Trophy, has been recalled for this year’s edition•Getty Images

How many teams are participating in all?Eight, the same as the 2017 edition. The only difference is that Afghanistan have qualified ahead of Sri Lanka this time. The teams are divided into two groups. Group A has India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and Group B South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan and England. You can find all the squads here.How were the participants decided?Being the hosts, Pakistan secured automatic qualification. The other seven teams were decided based on the 2023 ODI World Cup standings. Sri Lanka and Netherlands, who finished ninth and tenth, missed the cut.What happened to West Indies?Since West Indies had not qualified for the 2023 ODI World Cup, they could not compete for the Champions Trophy either. It was the same case for Zimbabwe and Ireland, the other missing Full Members.What is the format for the Champions Trophy?Each team will play its fellow group members once. After that, the top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, with A1 playing B2 and B1 playing A2.If India qualify, they will play their semi-final in Dubai on March 4, irrespective of their position on the points table. Similarly, if Pakistan qualify, they will play their semi-final in Lahore on March 5.The final will be played on March 9 in Lahore, unless India make it till there. In that case, the venue will once again be Dubai.What will happen if a match ends in a tie?All tied matches throughout the tournament will be decided via the Super Over. If the Super Over is also tied, then subsequent Super Overs will be played until there is a winner.Joe Root is back in England’s ODI plans for the Champions Trophy•Getty Images

Is there a reserve day for the knockout matches?Yes, the two semi-finals and the final have a reserve day. But every attempt will be made to finish the game on the scheduled day itself. If that is not possible, the match will resume on the reserve day from where it was stopped.In the knockout matches, the team batting second should have the opportunity to play at least 25 overs – as opposed to 20 in the group stage – for the result to be decided via the DLS method.What happens if there is still a washout?In case of a no result in the semi-finals, the team that finished higher in the group stage will proceed to the final. If the final is washed out, the trophy will be shared.Has there ever been joint winners?Yes, India and hosts Sri Lanka shared the trophy in 2002 after the final was washed out. There was a reserve day in place but, as per the playing conditions back then, the match was played afresh. On both days, Sri Lanka batted first and played their full 50 overs, but rain did not allow more than ten overs in the second innings on either occasion.What are some of the key things I need to know about the teams?Australia go into the tournament as ODI world champions but their captain Pat Cummins, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and allrounder Mitchell Marsh have been ruled out with injuries. Also Marcus Stoinis has retired. Australia have until February 12 to name their replacements.South Africa will be without Anrich Nortje and Gerald Coetzee (both injured). On the other hand, a fit-again Ibrahim Zadran is back for Afghanistan. Also keep an eye out for their mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar.India will hope Rohit and Virat Kohli come good after poor returns in Test cricket lately. Pakistan have recalled Fakhar Zaman, the Player of the Match in the final last time, and England have done the same with Joe Root, while Bangladesh have left out Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das. New Zealand will play their first global tournament under Mitchell Santner.Finally, where can I watch the games?Depending on your location, you can watch the games as per the following.Afghanistan – Ariana TV
Australia – Prime Video
Bangladesh – Nagorik TV and T Sports
England – Sky Sports
India – Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar
New Zealand – Sky Sport
Pakistan – PTV, A Sports and tapmad
South Africa – SuperSport
Sri Lanka – Star Sports Network
UAE – Starz On
USA – Willow TV
As always, ESPNcricinfo will have full coverage, from scores, news and features to analysis and expert opinions.

Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, has rejected suggestions that his players did not take their preparation seriously on the tour of India, saying it was “factually incorrect” that the team had not done enough training during the T20I and ODI series, both of which ended in one-sided defeats.During a discussion on TV commentary for the third ODI between Ravi Shastri and Kevin Pietersen, it was claimed that, with the exception of Joe Root, England had not netted during the ODI series. England had trained before the first ODI in Nagpur, but opted not to do so ahead of the second and third games in Cuttack and Ahmedabad.With the Champions Trophy looming, a 142-run defeat in the final game saw England go down 3-0 in the ODIs, having previously been beaten 4-1 during the T20I leg.The tourists have also had to deal with injuries, with Jacob Bethell ruled out by a hamstring strain and Jamie Smith nursing a sore calf – meaning that assistant coaches Marcus Trescothick and Paul Collingwood were named as substitute fielders in Cuttack.Related

• Ben Stokes declares he's ready for England return after hamstring surgery

• Ben Duckett passed fit for Champions Trophy after groin scan

• Jacob Bethell 'ruled out' of Champions Trophy, Tom Banton called to India as cover

• McCullum promises focus on entertainment as England white-ball era begins

• Missing in action: Players injured and unavailable for the Champions Trophy

“Firstly, it’s factually incorrect, the whole statement that we don’t train,” McCullum told talkSPORT after the third ODI. “We’ve trained plenty right throughout, guys have come from a lot of cricket as well. I think it’s an easy thing to have as a throwaway line that guys don’t train enough when the results aren’t right.”But we’ve got a style and a method that we believe in. We’ve got guys who are battling injuries and trying to make sure that we’ve got enough bodies out on the field, knowing that we’ve got a huge assignment coming up in a week or two. Ultimately it’s factually incorrect what’s been said and we’ll stay true to what we believe in.”Jos Buttler, England’s captain, also denied that the poor results in India had been down to “lack of effort” when speaking to reporters after the Ahmedabad game.”We’ve had a reasonably long tour, a few long travel days,” Buttler said. “There have been a couple of times we have not trained but we have done plenty of training throughout the tour. We try to create a really good environment but don’t mistake that for a lazy environment or lack of effort. The guys are desperate to perform and do well and improve.”McCullum only took on the role of white-ball head coach in January, having previously had sole responsibility for the Test side, and said that the tour had provided valuable lessons ahead of the Champions Trophy, which gets underway in Pakistan next week.England will spend the next few days in the UAE before beginning their campaign against Australia in Lahore on February 22. They have confirmed Tom Banton in their 15-man Champions Trophy squad as a replacement for Bethell.”I’ve learned a lot,” McCullum said. “There’s guys in our team who are incredibly talented, if we can add a little bit of craft and give ourselves a bit of confidence within the dressing room, which is ultimately the task of us as coaches, then we’ll see some of that talent will flourish. It’s been a good tour, so much good will come from it, albeit the results are very disappointing. But that’s the nature sometimes when you come up against a very good side in their own conditions.”Ultimately you’re judged on results,” he added. “From our point of view, we’ve got to strip away the fear of failure that results can bring. Guys are fiercely determined and competitive… how do you allow an environment to provide the freedom and clarity of thought to go out there and allow your talent to come out?”That’s what we’re trying to do in the group we’re building and that’s what we’ll try and do over the next week as well, give the guys a freshen-up in Abu Dhabi, make sure all the bodies are fit and ready to go, we’ve got a full squad to pick from come that first game against Australia. We do that, hopefully we walk a little taller and play a little better and end up getting better results as well.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico Luís Castro adotou um tom de despedida assim que chegou ao Nilton Santos para comandar o Botafogo. Em entrevista antes da partida com o Magallanes, pelo Grupo A da Copa Sul-Americana, o treinador se esquivou de adiantar seus próximos passos no futebol. No entanto, indicou que esta deve ser sua última partida à frente do Glorioso.

Castro aceitou a proposta de comandar o Al-Nassr, clube da Arábia Saudita. Em suas palavras ao sair do ônibus do Alvinegro, o técnico afirmou:

–  Ao longo da minha vida, eu me foquei naquilo que é meu compromisso. Meu compromisso de hoje é o que me acompanha sempre. Sempre cumpri meus contratos, cumpri todas as linhas que as duas entidades assinam. Assinou o Botafogo, assinei eu. Uma das linhas diz que, se eu quiser sair antes, tenho que dar ao Botafogo aquilo que iria receber até o fim da temporada – afirmou, em entrevista à Paramount +.

O treinador evitou adiantar se a torcida botafoguense voltará a vê-lo na beira do campo do Alvinegro. Em seguida, exaltou a força da equipe para o futuro.

–  Botafogo não depende de pessoas, depende de perfis para desempenharem funções dentro do clube. O Botafogo sabe caminhar por ele e terá um futuro brilhante, tenho certeza, por ter uma torcida apaixonada, pessoas trabalhando no clube de forma apaixonada. Interessa é o perfil, ser um perfil de acordo com aquilo de que o Botafogo necessita. Um perfil de honestidade, dignidade, determinação e ambição – garantiu.

Manchester United’s need for added attacking reinforcements this summer was evident after only managing to find the net on 44 occasions in the Premier League last season.

Anthony, Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford have all departed the Red Devils, freeing up funds for Ruben Amorim to make the additions he wanted this summer.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are two signings who have joined the club, with the latter already opening his account after netting against Burnley last Saturday.

Whilst the duo may have cost the hierarchy around £130m, they do have the Premier League experience needed to help the club avoid a bottom-half finish – just like they did in the 2024/25 campaign.

However, other additions have been made within the final third throughout the off-season, leading to Amorim and the board taking a gamble on one young European talisman.

Benjamin Sesko’s move to join United this summer

A new striker was a huge priority for United this summer, with Benjamin Sesko the man chosen to lead the line for the Red Devils in 2025/26 and beyond.

The hierarchy forked out a deal totalling £73.7m, including add-ons – a figure that is a huge gamble on a player who’s only featured in Europe’s top-five leagues for two seasons.

The Slovenian has only made one start for United to date – coming in the Carabao Cup against Grimsby Town – but has been named as a substitute in all three league outings.

As a result of his limited action, the 22-year-old is yet to open his account for the club, but judgement will need to be held on his addition, given his lack of action in recent weeks.

Hopefully, Sesko will get the chance to showcase his talents after the current international break, but he could’ve been aided at the club had the hierarchy kept hold of one talent.

The former United star who would’ve got Sesko firing

As previously mentioned, Cunha and Mbeumo have also been added to the United attacking department – injecting needed goals and assists to the club’s frontline.

The pair combined for 48 combined goal contributions throughout 2024/25, with such a record higher than the Red Devils squad managed as a whole last season.

If they can replicate such numbers, they will make themselves fan-favourites, whilst also providing Sesko with the opportunities he will need to thrive within the final third.

Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system relies upon two attacking midfielders – the positions Cunha and Mbeumo have featured in – but also two wing-backs, who are tasked with having an impact in forward areas.

Patrick Dorgu currently occupies the role down the left-hand side, but former United star Alvaro Carreras is a player whom the hierarchy may regret selling too prematurely.

The 22-year-old spent four years at Old Trafford – but failed to make a single senior appearance – being sent on loan spells at the likes of Preston, Granada and Benfica.

It was the Spaniard’s spell at the latter that catapulted him to stardom, with the Portuguese outfit triggering the £5m option in his contract at the end of his loan spell in 2023/24.

His numbers from last season are nothing short of mind-boggling, registering eight combined goals and assists across all competitions – numbers which could’ve handed Sesko the ammunition he’ll need for success in Manchester.

Carreras, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, also created 1.2 chances per 90 last campaign – completing 23% of the crosses attempted, with the latter aiding the Slovenian’s aerial abilities had the hierarchy kept hold of him.

Alvaro Carreras – stats for Benfica (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

52

Goals & assists

8

Chances created

1.2

Cross accuracy

23%

Pass accuracy

83%

Dribble success

53%

Tackles won

61%

Recoveries made

5.5

Stats via FotMob

However, despite only joining Benfica a year ago, he secured another transfer in the recent window, this time moving to LaLiga giants Real Madrid in a reported £43m transfer.

Such a transfer has just compounded the Red Devils’ misery over recent years, further highlighting how many mistakes they’ve made in the transfer market, whether that be incomings or outgoings.

The prospect of the Spaniard linking up with Sesko in forward areas is something the supporters would’ve loved to see under Amorim – but unfortunately, it’ll always be a case of what could’ve been with their loss, now Madrid’s gain.

Related Man Utd may regret selling perfect Mainoo replacement for just £500k

Manchester United may have made a mistake in allowing a young star to depart Old Trafford.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Sep 4, 2025

The fans might not have got everything they wanted, but it was a pretty good summer transfer window for Chelsea this year.

The club were able to ship out several players they deemed no longer good enough, and bring in a host of brilliant young talents who could develop into superstars for Enzo Maresca.

However, unlike some of their Premier League rivals, there was no blockbuster move for a certifiable world-class player, like Alexander Isak.

The Swedish international’s £125m move to Liverpool is now the league’s record transfer, although, painfully, Chelsea did lose a young talent in the past who is now worth more than that.

The best Ex-Chelsea gems

Over the last five years or so, Chelsea have seen a pretty constant stream of academy products come through and make it into the first team.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

However, like every other team, they’ve also lost out on some serious stars when they were young, with Declan Rice being a big one.

The Arsenal star came up through Cobham alongside Mason Mount and a number of other notable players, but at the age of 14 was let go.

He then moved to West Ham United, where he made 245 appearances and won the Conference League before joining the Gunners for £105m in the summer of 2023 and becoming a key cog in Mikel Arteta’s midfield.

Another youngster the Blues missed out on was Michael Olise, who left the club at the age of 14 and has gone on to become one of the best wingers in world football.

The Frenchman earned a £50m move to Bayern Munich last summer after impressing at Crystal Palace and more than justified his price tag.

In 55 appearances, he scored 20 goals and provided 23 assists, which comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games.

In all, Chelsea have missed out on some unreal talents of the years, although perhaps the worst is someone now worth more than Isak.

The ex-Chelsea gem worth more than Isak

Unfortunately for Chelsea, there are plenty more stars they let slip through their fingers, but in this case, the player worth more than Isak is Jamal Musiala.

Yes, the German international was once a part of the Blues’ academy, but in the summer of 2019, he opted to join Bayern, for which the club received just £170k.

It was seen as such a disaster by some that Massimo Franchi, the creator of the Golden Boy award, compared it to “the Louvre losing the Mona Lisa!”

Dramatic? Slightly, but the mercurial midfielder has been exceptional in the years since, and according to the CIES Football Observatory, is worth up to 151m.

That converts to around £131m, or £6m more than Isak’s record-breaking move, and while that sounds absurd, his performances suggest otherwise.

For example, despite still being just 22-years-old, the “world-class” superstar, as dubbed by former manager Julian Nagelsmann, has racked up 207 appearances for Bayern, totalling 12163 minutes, in which he’s scored 64 goals and provided 39 assists.

That comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every other game, or every 118.08 minutes.

Appearances

207

Minutes

12163′

Goals

64

Assists

39

Goal Involvements per Match

0.49

Minutes per Goal Involvement

118.08′

On top of that, he has already won 40 senior caps for Germany, in which he’s scored eight goals and provided eight assists.

Ultimately, Musiala is an exceptional world-beating talent, and Chelsea must rue the fact that they weren’t able to keep hold of him.

Chelsea star who was sold for a £38m loss is now playing like Xavi Simons

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 4, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur could now emerge as serious contenders for the signature of an “unstoppable” £100m star following the departure of long-serving chairman Daniel Levy.

Levy's Tottenham era comes to an abrupt end

Levy’s 25-year tenure as Tottenham chairman came to an abrupt end earlier this week, with the 63-year-old choosing to step down, although there have been suggestions the decision came from above.

The businessman has been subjected to widespread criticism during his time as chairman, having overseen just two major honours in 25 years, while also making some very questionable managerial appointments.

Tottenham now planning aggressive talks to sign "intense" Man Utd target

They’re not giving up.

ByTom Cunningham Sep 6, 2025

Peter Charrington has since been named as the new non-executive chairman, and said: “This is a new era of leadership for the club, on and off the pitch.

I do recognise there has been a lot of change in recent months as we put in place new foundations for the future. We are now fully focused on stability and empowering our talented people across the Club, led by Vinai and his executive team.”

With Levy gone, there will be hope that Spurs can now finally achieve their potential as a club, but in order to make that dream a reality, new additions will be needed to the squad, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham could now re-emerge as serious contenders for Rogers’ signature following Levy’s departure, with the Aston Villa star still greatly admired by the north Londoners.

With Levy gone, the Lilywhites may now choose to be more ambitious in the transfer market, which means they could compete for Rogers’ signature, although a deal will be on the expensive side, with it previously being reported Villa are looking to receive £100m.

"Unstoppable" Rogers would be statement signing for Spurs

It would be a real statement of intent if Tottenham were able to win the race for the Villa star’s signature, given that he is also in Chelsea’s sights, while the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal have previously been named as potential suitors.

It is no surprise the 23-year-old is attracting so much interest, given the level of some of his performances for Aston Villa, regularly providing goals and assists right the way through the 2024-25 campaign.

Competition

Appearances

Goal contributions

Premier League

37

19

Champions League

12

7

FA Cup

5

4

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher also singled out the Englishman for high praise last season, describing him as “unstoppable” after impressing in a 3-2 victory over Everton in September.

With Levy gone, it is exciting news that Tottenham are set to be a little more ambitious in the transfer market, and Rogers is exactly the type of signing who could turn them into real contenders for major trophies.

Michael Bracewell will continue as captain while uncapped Rhys Mariu has also been called up as batting cover

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Mar-2025

Tom Latham has been ruled out of the ODI series against Pakistan after suffering a fractured hand during training with Michael Bracewell to lead the side in his absence while Henry Nicholls has been called up.Latham, who was due to the captain New Zealand with Mitchell Santner at the IPL, was struck on the right hand this week with x-rays confirming the extent of the damage.Related

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Mitch Hay will replace Latham as wicketkeeper while Bracewell will continue to lead the team as he did in the T20I series.Meanwhile, Will Young will drop out of the squad following the first match in his hometown of Napier ahead of the birth of his first child. The uncapped 23-year-old batter Rhys Mariu, who has a first-class average of 61.73, has earned his first call-up as cover.”We’ve had to be flexible this tour with numerous players unavailable for different reasons,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said. “What it does do is offer opportunities to others players and it’s nice to introduce Rhys into the environment for the first time, as well as welcome back Henry.”Henry’s been in good form since returning from his three-month injury lay-off and he’ll add valuable skills and experience to the team.”It’s obviously disappointing to lose Tom as captain on the eve of the series and we wish him a speedy recovery. The side is in safe hands with Michael who’s done a great job through the T20I series.”Finally we wish Will and his wife Elise all the best next week as they await their first child which is such a special and important time for them.”The uncapped pair of Muhammad Abbas and Nick Kelly had previously earned call-ups for the series while Kane Williamson made himself unavailable.New Zealand won the T20I series 4-1.