Sky Sports man Anthony Joseph is now reporting that Celtic are eyeing another striker alongside Michel-Ange Balikwisha this summer.

Celtic reach agreement in principle to sign Balikwisha

The Hoops haven’t always had things their own way during the current transfer window, with Brendan Rodgers recently hinting at his frustration at a lack of business.

“It’s not my decision in the end. You know, I can prepare the team, the staff, and the players that are here have been fantastic over pre-season. We are all clear on what we need to improve, and for whatever reason, we haven’t been able to do that. So now we are in this position and we have to accept it, not dwell on it and try to come through it for Saturday and for Tuesday.”

On the plus side, one recent report has claimed that Celtic have reached an agreement to sign Royal Antwerp forward Balikwisha, who has been a long-time target for the Scottish Premiership champions.

The 24-year-old could be just what Rodgers is looking for in the coming days, as he looks to bolster his attacking options, not least in order for his side to give a better account of themselves in the Champions League this season.

Celtic pushing for striker alongside Balikwisha

Now, Sky Sports reporter Joseph has claimed that Celtic are “looking to sign another striker” alongside Balikwisha before the windows slams shut.

That said, he also states that “two new wingers” are also potentially being looked at as an alternative option, allowing Daizen Maeda to then take up a centre forward role, with Adam Idah, Shin Yamada and Johnny Kenny the backup players in that position.

Celtic fans would love to see an extra striker signing for Rodgers, especially as it would show plenty of ambition after a lack of it has arguably often been on show this summer.

Brendan Rodgers makes transfer demand to Celtic board after Parkhead chants

The Hoops drew 0-0 with Kairat Almaty.

By
Charlie Smith

Aug 21, 2025

It remains to be seen who the striker in question with Balikwisha could be, but some names have been touted of late, including Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy.

At 38 years of age, the Englishman’s very best days are now long behind him, but that’s not to say that he couldn’t be a success in the Scottish Premiership for a year or two.

Vardy could be an older addition alongside Balikwisha, allowing Rodgers to bring in both relative youth and vast experience, with the former Foxes hero still possessing the pace and finishing ability to trouble defences, as well as the character to make him an instant favourite among the fanbase.

From 146 for 2, built on Tom Lammonby’s fifty, visitors fall to 187 for 7 as Jordan Clark bags five at The Oval

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Apr-2025

Jordan Clark bagged a five-for•Surrey CCC/Getty Images

Somerset fought back to edge an absorbing first day against Surrey’s high-class seam attack on day one at the Kia Oval.Tom Lammonby made 76 but from 146 for 2, Somerset fell to 187 for 7 before skipper Lewis Gregory led a fightback by their tail with 62 as 96 were added for the last three wickets. Gregory was caught in the deep in the final over with Somerset dismissed for 283. The excellent Jordan Clark picked up 5 for 68.Such was the consistency of the bowling, before a partnership of 62 for the eighth wicket between Gregory and Josh Davey, only 12 boundaries had been scored, 11 of them in a stand of 98 between Lammonby and Archie Vaughan, who shaped up well for his 36.Related

Archie Vaughan: Famous offspring happy to be 'own man' at Somerset

Durham sign South African Codi Yusuf amid injury crisis

Jake Ball five-for gives Durham early honours

As ever at The Oval, the wicket had a good covering of grass and it was no surprise that for the 18th consecutive first-class or Test match there, the team winning the toss elected to bowl.Somerset’s top order have struggled in the first innings recently. Against Sussex a fortnight ago they were 79 for 7 and they slumped to 96 for 7 against Hampshire last week.They could have been in similar strife had it not been for Lammonby and Vaughan, who did well at times just to survive never mind construct an important alliance after Sean Dickson had to retire when he was hit on the right hand in Gus Atkinson’s first over.The ball beat the bat regularly as Atkinson and Dan Worrall produced Test-quality new ball spells. Vaughan had a let-off on 17 when he pushed at Worrall’s outswinger, but Dan Lawrence shelled the catch at third slip.There was brief relief when Atkinson was replaced by Clark whose first three overs went for 22 but no one epitomised the durability of Surrey’s attack than the 34-year-old, whose figures across his next four spells were an excellent 5 for 46 from 21.1 overs.Surrey finally broke through in the third over after lunch. Atkinson produced a fine delivery which nipped away at decent pace and Vaughan was held at second slip.Tom Lammonby and Archie Vaughan laid the platform for Somerset•Surrey CCC/Getty Images

Worrall got a deserved success with a ball which shaped away that Tom Abell edged low to second slip, but Lammonby and Tom Banton got stuck in for the next 20 overs although aggressive shots were rare in their third-wicket stand of 48.Clark returned to remove Banton who was turned around by a straightish delivery and Lammonby played his first poor shot when he moved across his stumps to Worrall and had his leg stump pegged back. He’d faced 173 balls with seven fours.Atkinson’s pace proved too much for James Rew, who played on, before Clark struck with successive deliveries after tea. Kasey Aldridge was bowled around his legs aiming towards fine leg and Migael Pretorious bowled groping forward.It didn’t look as if Somerset would make 200 but Gregory and Davey prospered as the bowlers finally tired. It was the redoubtable Clark who came back to break the stand when he nipped one back into Davey’s pads.Jack Leach was expertly taken down the leg side by Ben Foakes – the 500th dismissal of his first-class career – but the day ended with Dickson returning to help Gregory, who hit three sixes and five fours, add a further 33.

Everton have been blessed with some standout attacking talents over the years.

Stars such as Tim Cahill, Romelu Lukaku, and Richarlison remain as beloved hall-of-famers to this day, with the current crop at David Moyes’ disposal in the form of Jack Grealish and many others giving these past heroes a run for their money.

Indeed, Grealish has already tallied up an outrageous four assists donning his new Everton blue, finally released from the shackles that held him back at Manchester City.

However, there is a different star in the exciting attacking ranks that could well be Moyes’ modern-day take on Steven Pienaar, with the South African winger yet another revered figure on Merseyside from the Scotsman’s first distinguished reign in charge.

Down memory lane: Pienaar's heroics at Everton

While Pienaar did line up for some gigantic clubs during his career, such as Ajax and Borussia Dortmund, the Johannesburg-born attacker is more well-known for his stints on Merseyside.

The nimble and slick forward would go on to amass a mammoth 229 games for the Toffees across two permanent spells, with a sublime 26 goals and 45 assists also coming his way to cement himself as one of the club’s most recent greats.

Moyes would become so enamoured by the skilful former Ajax man that he would bring him to Sunderland during his doomed stint on Wearside, with the well-travelled boss even dubbing him a “terrific” asset to have back in 2012.

Pienaar’s reputation for routinely bamboozling Premier League defences for fun down the flanks does draw some obvious similarities to Grealish, but there’s another Toffees ace strutting his stuff under Moyes and he’s a similarly vibrant source of entertainment.

The £22m "match-winner" who is Everton's new Pienaar

Of course, Pienaar is remembered with extreme fondness when delving into nostalgia based on Everton being a force to be reckoned with during large parts of his stay.

Indeed, during his breakout 2008/09 offering of ten goal contributions, the Merseyside outfit would finish in a sensational fifth spot in the final Premier League rankings.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

On top of that, the Pienaar-led side would also fall at the final hurdle in the FA Cup against Chelsea, losing 2-1 to the Blues at Wembley to finish as runners-up.

History could well repeat itself now, with the good days looking like they’re returning to the blue half of Liverpool, courtesy of Iliman Ndiaye wrongfooting defenders galore – much like Pienaar – with the goals also there to back up his tricky displays.

While Grealish is, of course, stealing most of the headlines, Ndiaye has also proven himself to be a bright spark for Moyes’ men during the early stages of the campaign.

Indeed, his two goals in league action to date have steered the Toffees to an early fifth position, the same spot Pienaar and Co. managed to reach way back in 2009.

Sheffield United

88

22 + 14

Marseille

46

4 + 5

Everton

41

13 + 0

Everton has really relied on the Senegalese forward’s magic since he sealed a switch from Marseille to Merseyside last summer, with a weighty 13 strikes next to his name from 41 total contests also helping his lowly team beat the drop last season, before embarking on a far more positive adventure under Moyes.

However, much like Pienaar needed the warmth of Goodison Park to come his way after a zero-goal stint in Germany, it’s clear that Ndiaye also needed the confidence boost of a return to England to regain his mojo after a forgettable stay in France, with the £22m-rated star now even being heralded as a “match-winner” for his consistent quality to create something from nothing by ex-Everton attacker Aaron Lennon.

Pienaar was also often lauded, too, for his split-second moments of genius, having been noted as being an “influential character” to have around by former teammate Phil Neville.

The dream will now be that Ndiaye can keep up this sparkling individual form to secure a top-half finish or even more for the Toffees, as an exciting new dawn at the Hill Dickinson Stadium continues to breed more optimism.

Everton sold "world-class" talent who's now playing like Grealish & Gordon

Everton could have used a player of Grealish and Gordon quality in their new-look team…

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 4, 2025

One of the biggest talking points around Leeds United at the moment is their struggles at the top end of the pitch in the 2025/26 Premier League season so far.

Four games into the new campaign, Daniel Farke’s side have failed to score a single goal from open play in the top-flight after they won the Championship title with 95 goals scored last term.

Lukas Nmecha’s penalty against Everton at Elland Road on the opening day of the season is the only goal scored by the Whites in the league so far.

The West Yorkshire outfit failed to find the back of the net in losses to Arsenal and Fulham and in their draw with Newcastle United, which is a cause for concern even at this early stage.

xG

3.8

15th

Goals scored per game

0.3

19th

Open play goals per game

0.0

Joint-20th

Shots on target per game

2.0

20th

Big chances created

5

17th

Touches in the opposition’s box

74

17th

As you can see in the table above, Leeds have been one of the worst teams in the division in the final third across the first four matches of the campaign.

This woeful start to the Premier League season in front of goal has led some to question the decision to send Largie Ramazani out on loan to Valencia.

Why Leeds should have kept Largie Ramazani this season

Farke decided to send the Belgian forward out on loan for the 2025/26 campaign instead of keeping him around to compete for a position out wide in his 4-3-3 system.

The German head coach now has Noah Okafor, Brenden Aaronson, Jack Harrison, Wilfried Gnonto, and Dan James at his disposal to play on the left and right flanks.

That is despite concerns over some of them not being up to the task of playing in the Premier League. Per Sofascore, James provided one assist in 24 games and Aaronson managed three in 36 outings in the 2022/23 top-flight campaign, whilst Harrison did not register an assist in 34 league games for Everton last season.

Okafor, meanwhile, is playing in England for the first time after he failed to register a single assist in 15 outings in the Serie A during the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

Ramazani has already set up one goal in two games for Valencia in LaLiga, one of Europe’s best leagues, whilst Leeds are still waiting for one of their attackers to record an assist in the Premier League.

Non-penalty xG

0.54

Top 2%

Shots on target

1,84

Top 2%

Goals

0.69

Top 2%

Assists

0.23

Top 20%

Chances created

1.50

Top 32%

Dribbles completed

2.07

Top 15%

As you can see in the table above, the Belgian attacker made the most of his limited minutes in the Championship last season, averaging 0.92 goals and assists per 90.

Ramazani scored six goals and provided two assists in the league, despite only starting seven games, per Sofascore, and it feels like Leeds are currently lacking the attacking spark that he can provide in the final third.

The winger is not the only player shining in a major European league whom the Whites made a mistake with, though, as the club had an even bigger howler by selling an Italian star.

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.

Leeds had goalkeeper Elia Caprile on their books until Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta decided to sell him to Bari for £1.4m in 2022. That has turned out to be a fairly significant misstep by the club.

Why Leeds made a mistake with Elia Caprile

What the Italian shot-stopper has gone on to achieve in his career in the last three years, since leaving the Whites for £1.4m, shows that the club made a mistake by cashing in on him when they did.

After one season in the Serie B with Bari, Italian giants Napoli swooped to sign him in the summer of 2023 and loaned him out to Empoli for the 2023/24 campaign.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig called Caprile a “superstar” during his time with Bari, as he kept 15 clean sheets. His impressive form carried over to the Serie A, as the shot-stopper saved 75% of the shots on his goal and prevented 0.96 xG across 23 top-flight outings for Empoli.

The 24-year-old star prevented 3.33 xG and saved 70% of the shots on his goal in 22 Serie A games for Napoli and Cagliari combined in the 2024/25 season, which led to him sealing a permanent move to Cagliari in the summer transfer window this year.

Caprile, who is valued at £7.8m by Transfermarkt, has proven himself to be a reliable shot-stopper in the Serie A for several reasons. He has also outperformed new Leeds signing Lucas Perri in the current campaign.

Appearances

3

3

Sofascore rating

7.23

6.07

Saves per game

3.7

1.0

Save success rate

85%

38%

Goals prevented

+0.66

-1.99

Error led to shot/goal

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the former Italy U21 international has been far better as a shot-stopper for Cagliari in the Serie A than the Brazilian has been for the Whites in the Premier League.

Leeds reportedly paid £15.6m to sign Perri from Lyon in the summer, which was a significant investment by the club, but it looks like the player they once let go for £1.4m would be an even better option for them at this moment in time.

Therefore, the Whites had a howler when they allowed Caprile to move on from Elland Road because they let him leave before giving him an opportunity to show his class on the pitch for the club.

That is why the decision to sell him was an even worse decision than the one to loan Ramazani out this summer, because they made a definitive call on the goalkeeper, whilst the Belgian winger is only out on loan and could return in January or next summer.

It's not Darlow: Leeds star is in danger of becoming their new Meslier

This Leeds United star is in danger of becoming the next Illan Meslier at Elland Road.

ByDan Emery Sep 16, 2025

Leeds could have had a goalkeeper who has the quality to deliver outstanding performances at the top level between the sticks without having to splash £15.6m on a new shot-stopper if they had kept Caprile, which could have freed up funds for more quality in the attacking areas.

In an attempt to solve one of their biggest problems, Manchester United are now reportedly willing to submit a big-money offer to sign a Real Madrid star in 2026.

Ruben Amorim sack update

Having been handed the benefit of the doubt last season, Ruben Amorim simply had to get off to a good start in the current campaign. After just one win in four Premier League games and a shock Carabao Cup defeat at the hands of Grimsby Town, however, time is running out for the former Sporting Club boss to save his job at Old Trafford.

Reports are now suggesting that he has just three games to turn things around and keep hold of his position. That would mean that this weekend’s clash against rivals Chelsea, next weekend’s trip to face Brentford and then the visit of Sunderland are all must-not-lose games for the Red Devils. Failure to avoid defeat, especially against Brentford and Sunderland, may leave INEOS with no choice but to bid farewell to Amorim.

Whether those reports spark a change in system at Man United is the big question. Amorim was adamant once again last weekend that the problem is not with the system and when asked whether he would change it, he told reporters: “I’m not going to change. When I want to change my philosophy, I will change. If not, you have to change the man.”

It's not Hojlund: Man Utd let "incredible" Sesko upgrade go for just £16m

Manchester United may now be regretting letting go of one former star who’s better than Benjamin Sesko.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 18, 2025

The solution could, instead, be to bolster his system with further reinforcements, with transfer reports already indicating the big-money target that Man United have set their sights on for 2026.

Man Utd willing to bid £87m for Valverde

According to reports in Spain, Man United and INEOS are now willing to submit an offer to sign Federico Valverde from Real Madrid worth as much as €100m (£87m) in 2026.

The impressive midfielder would be an instant upgrade on Manuel Ugarte and would finally provide Amorim with the technician that he needs to make his double pivot work. Whether the Real Madrid star decides to ditch the Spanish giants for a side in turmoil remains to be seen, however.

Minutes

3,032

1,785

Progressive Passes P90

6.71

3.08

Goals

6

1

Ball Recoveries P90

5.16

6.16

When compared, it’s Valverde’s passing ability and knack for goals that stands out, whilst Ugarte’s struggles to do the same represent why his Man United career is yet to take off.

In the Real Madrid man, United would be signing one of the best midfielders that European football has to offer and those in Spain have been well aware of that for some time.

Full of praise for Valverde, former Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said: “I make the decisions, but the player is always available. He never asks for anything. That is his strength, and that’s why I believe he’s arguably the most complete player in football. He could even play as a center-back without any problem.”

After a tough couple of days, the Ahmedabad pitch gave a bit of respite for batters on a hot Saturday afternoon. Karun Nair, KL Rahul, and Delhi Capitals’ (DC) middle-order batters got starts, but none of them crossed 39. Gujarat Titans (GT) used only five bowlers for 19 overs of the innings. Prasidh Krishna, who got hold of the purple cap, pulled the visitors back after a great start with a four-wicket haul.DC leaving out Jake Fraser-McGurk created the new opening combination of Abhisek Porel and Nair. Porel’s boundaries in the first over; a drive on the up over mid-off and a help-along flick behind square, showed that the pitch could be trusted.He fell to a full toss from Arshad Khan and Rahul’s shift in approach kept DC ticking. Rahul cut Siraj and was able to pump him down the ground. His start was ominous but an outswinging yorker from Prasidh trapped him lbw for 28 off 14 balls.Nair, too, got boundaries on both sides of the wicket. He was out in a relatively soft manner, ramping a shortish ball straight to deep third.A pristine cover drive from Stubbs off Prasidh brought up DC’s hundred in the ninth over. But he and Axar Patel were relatively sedate after that during the 53-run stand off 36 balls. They were happy to take Rashid Khan and Ishant Sharma for ones and twos.Rashid bowled quicker and at the stumps in his first two overs. He slowed the pace down in his third as Stubbs took him for six down the ground but then miscued a swipe across the line. Rashid ran back but couldn’t hold onto the catch close to the ring at mid-on. It led to a slog-swept six from Axar next ball.Ishant was struggling in the heat and went off the pitch after two overs. Siraj returned and removed Stubbs, who reverse swept a yorker and the ball lobbed to short third.GT’s death bowlers included a lot of yorker attempts with short balls peppered in between. It nearly worked first ball, but Rashid dropped Axar at the start of the 17th.The DC skipper could not hit a boundary in his last nine balls and was out caught behind. He charged Prasidh and tried to slap a length ball over cover and got an edge. Prasidh was on a hat-trick a ball later, thanks to a brilliant diving catch from Jos Buttler to dismiss Vipraj Nigam.Ashutosh Sharma was the primary boundary hitter in the final overs. He got a six and a four off Arshad early in his innings and hit two sixes off Prasidh later on. R Sai Kishore, whose only over was the final one of the innings, went for just nine, as GT inched past the 200 mark.

Yeremy Pino's glowing comments about Adam Wharton will do little to ease concerns among Crystal Palace fans that the midfielder won't be at Selhurst Park for the long-term. Since making the step up from Blackburn Rovers less than two years ago, Wharton has been heavily linked with a high profile move away in recent months, with Real Madrid a rumoured suitor.

Real Madrid tracking Wharton

Real Madrid interest in Wharton emerged during the summer transfer window, having not directly replaced either Toni Kroos, who retired in 2024, or Luka Modric in the centre of the pitch. But Los Blancos were not the only side credited with rival interest, with Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool all thought to be monitoring his progress and situation as well.

Wharton's skillset makes him the ideal central midfielder in the modern game, combining great energy with precise passing and a ball-winning bite. It was that mixture of attributes which previousy propelled a pre-ACL Rodri to the top of the mountain, named the best player in the world in 2024 when he became the first defence-minded winner of the Ballon d'Or in almost 20 years.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWharton good enough for Spain

Wharton's similarities with Rodri are not lost on Yeremy Pino, who played alongside the Manchester City star at former club Villarreal. The winger, who joined Palace towards the end of the summer transfer window as a replacement for Arsenal-bound Eberechi Eze, has been enormously impressed by what he has seen from Wharton in his first few months in England.

"Adam can do everything," Pino told The Athletic. "Defensively, he is a fighter. He goes in very strong, wins a lot of balls. Technically, you just have to watch him and enjoy him."

The highest praise came next: "He has the quality to play in the Spain national team, no doubt."

Spain is perhaps the side in all of international football most revered for the level technical ability throughout the squad. It would also make full sense for a club like Real Madrid to be interested in a player like Wharton if that is the level he is considered by a colleague in the know to be operating at.

A history of Brits at the Bernabeu

Although British footballers haven't always had the same technical reputation as those from continental Europe or South America, Real Madrid have never shied away from them over the years and there has been a steady string of English, Scottish and Welsh imports. As it goes, the club's first ever captain was an Irishman named Arthur Johnson.

Not all have been a huge success. Where Jude Bellingham and Gareth Bale have been Champions League winners in all-white, and David Beckham played a role in expanding the club's already enormous international reach at the peak of the orginal Galacticos era, Jonathan Woodgate was never fully fit and Michael Owen understandably couldn't dislodge Ronaldo or Raul from the starting XI.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWharton left out of England squad

The talent considered good enough to get into Spain's team – if he was, of course, eligible and not born and raised in Lancashire – was not selected by England manager Thomas Tuchel for this month's international fixtures against Wales and Latvia.

Wharton had to withdraw from September's squad through injury and the boss opted to stick with the same team that he'd used for those games when October came around. The 21-year-old was told exactly why and appeared happy to accept the reasoning.

"He just gave me a message saying I'm playing well, I'm close and I deserve to be there, but he's going to stick with the same team," Wharton explained.

"That's football, I'm not too fussed about that. I can take the time off, go see my grandparents, and it's not the end of the world, as there's another camp next month. I'm just focusing on Crystal Palace and playing well, and hopefully, if I play well, I'll get the call. It's nice to hear, but I think my focus is on Palace and if that goes well, then England is just a bonus."

Wharton was a surprise inclusion in the England squad Gareth Southgate named for Euro 2024, but it would come as a shock if he doesn't reclaim his place before next summer's World Cup. There is, however, significant competition for places, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jordan Henderson back in the fold this year, and Jude Bellingham also currently out of the picture.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta recently handed 15-year-old Max Dowman his Premier League debut, with the schoolboy joining a contingent of rising stars at the Emirates.

The attacking midfielder dazzled in a 5-0 rout against Leeds and even won a penalty for star summer signing Viktor Gyokeres to fire home, right after he became the second-youngest Premier League debutant in history.

He’s also Arsenal’s second-youngest professional appearance-maker ever, behind Ethan Nwaneri, with Arteta rewarding Dowman by picking him in their final Champions League squad for the league phase.

Premier League’s youngest ever players	Age	Club
Ethan Nwaneri	15 years, 181 days	Arsenal
Max Dowman	15 years, 235 days	Arsenal
Jeremy Monga	15 years, 271 days	Leicester City
Harvey Elliott	16 years, 30 days	Fulham
Matthew Briggs	16 years, 68 days	Fulham

The hype around Dowman is monumental right now, and club legend Paul Merson has already suggested he could be one of the best in the world.

Dowman and Nwaneri, if all goes to plan, could stock Arsenal’s attacking midfield options for the foreseeable future, with 18-year-old defender Myles Lewis-Skelly also rising to prominence last season.

The left-back played his way into England’s squad with some excellent performances both domestically and in Europe, pushing established Premier League players like Oleksandr Zinchenko down the pecking order.

Lewis-Skelly comes as an excellent alternative to Riccardo Calafiori as well, who’s impressed this season but has also struggled with injuries since joining Arsenal from Bologna in the summer of 2024.

In any case, the future looks very bright indeed, with Arsenal’s reputation for producing stellar gems via their Hale End academy only reinforced.

Arsenal also brought in some promising talent from elsewhere, namely defender Cristhian Mosquera in a bargain deal from Valencia in the summer.

Arsenal think Cristhian Mosquera could be one of the best in the world

The Spain Under-21 international played right-back against Leeds and did a solid job replacing the injured William Saliba against Liverpool, with Arsenal believed to hold Mosquera in very high esteem behind-the-scenes.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to TBR Football, while new signing Piero Hincapie is threatened by the 21-year-old when it comes to game time, those within the club believe Mosquera could be one of the best in the world at Arsenal in a few years.

The ex-La Liga sensation has also earned serious praise from Arteta already, who called him an “exciting” talent with “huge” potential.

"La France, c'est vous." Translated as 'France, is you', that was what French president Charles de Gaulle told footballer Rachid Mekhloufi in 1968. Mekhloufi had just led his Saint-Etienne side to the double, and the reward was an audience with the most powerful man in the country. For Mekhloufi, this sentence brought things full circle. Now he was both Algerian and French; 10 years earlier, he had – in a sense – been neither.

• Superstar in the making

  At the beginning of 1958, the situation in France's colony of Algeria came to a head. After years of foreign rule, the Front de la Liberation Nationale (FLN) was pushing ever more vehemently for the independence of their country. The French military responded brutally – while at the same time, the French national team eagerly awaited the upcoming World Cup in Sweden. Two players of Algerian descent were entrenched in the squad: Mustapha Zitouni from Monaco and Mekhloufi, the superstar of reigning champions Saint-Etienne.

  Like so many young football talents, Mekhloufi had once crossed the Mediterranean in the hope of a great career in Ligue 1. At the age of 17, he arrived in Saint-Etienne for a trial. "Anyone who knows anything about football can see Rachid's class from his first touch of the ball," coach Jean Snella is said to have remarked afterwards.

  Mekhloufi scored three goals in his first game. From then on, the prolific playmaker became an indispensable part of the up-and-coming team. At the age of 20, he became a France international and led Saint-Etienne to the first championship title in the club's history. But at 21, he threw away his promising career and a place at the World Cup to fight for his country's independence.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Escaping in secret

  The FLN pulled out all the stops: It was no longer just soldiers who were required to fight, but also footballers – at least symbolically. Their idea was to use an Algerian national team in exile to promote independence. FLN co-founder Ahmed Ben Bella knew only too well about the power of football, having once played for Marseille himself.

  In 1958, a total of 33 players of Algerian origin were under contract in Ligue 1. Organiser Mohamed Boumezra approached them on a secret mission with the question: Are you prepared to end your career in France to tour the world with an FLN selection? Many said yes, including the two most famous: Zitouni and Mekhloufi.

  "It was a continuation of the struggle of the Algerians who lived under French colonial rule. It was the most effective way to show that there was a war going on in Algeria. Due to censorship in the French media, the world did not know what was happening in our country. Our action, our departure from France, showed that there was indeed a movement and that war was raging," Mekhloufi recalled decades later in an interview with GOAL, explaining his motivation for joining the FLN team.

  The players' secret departure was planned for April 13 and 14, but there were complications. Mekhloufi, of all people, injured himself in what would likely to be his last game for Saint-Etienne and had to spend a night in hospital. Still in his pyjamas, he was picked up the next day and taken with three colleagues to the French-Swiss border. Instead of asking critical questions, the border police only asked for one thing: autographs.

  However, it didn't take long for suspicions to arise in France. "Nine Algerian footballers missing," read the headline in April 15. Hacene Chabri and Mohamed Maouche, meanwhile, were arrested on departure and were only able to leave France at a much later date. Meanwhile, their team-mates gradually arrives at the meeting point in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, where the provisional Algerian government was based.

• Travelling the world

  Clubs terminated the contracts of the players involved, the French Football Federation banned them and FIFA rejected an application for membership from the FLN team and also threatened potential international opponents with consequences. Despite these complications, Mekhloufi's team played 83 matches in 14 countries over the next four years against clubs, city teams, junior sides and senior national teams, mainly from the Arab and Asian regions as well as the Communist bloc.

  In sporting terms, the high-calibre team was able to take on almost any opponent. They started with victories against their recently independent neighbours Morocco and Tunisia, with the longest trips taking them to Vietnam and China. New players of Algerian origin from France joined the team over time, too.

  "We were professional players fighting a political battle. We were rebels," Mekhloufi told GOAL. "Contact with heads of state, revolutionaries, citizens and journalists opened my eyes. Before that, I was an idiot! I played football with my friends. We laughed, chased girls and went to the cinema. That was it."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Triumphant return

  Meanwhile, Mekhloufi's former France team-mates chased the title in vain at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden as they were eliminated in the semi-finals. But what might have been possible with the two lost stars?

  "I've always said that this team was wonderful and played beautiful football. Yes, we could have become world champions. Of course, it's all hypothetical, but this team was very strong – both in terms of football and politics," Mekhloufi told GOAL. And indeed, there was no resentment towards the rebels; Raymond Kopa of Real Madrid, top scorer Just Fontaine and the rest of the France team even sent their rebellious friends a postcard from Sweden.

  From the outset, there was understanding in France for the Algerians' behaviour, and gradually, more and more members of the public rejected the bloody war. In 1962, Algeria finally gained independence through the Evian ceasefire agreement. The FLN selection became the official national team – and many players returned to their previous clubs in France.

  Mekhloufi's Saint-Etienne had meanwhile been relegated to Ligue 2. However, with their 25-year-old superstar back in the line up, they managed to bounce straight back up before winning the championship title the following season and later two more, culminating in the double in 1968.

  Upon his retirement, Mekhloufi returned to Algeria, where he remained a key figure within football, serving as both national team coach and president of the football federation. He was assistant coach by the time Algeria made their first World Cup appearance in 1982, where they famously beat Germany, only to become the victims of the 'Disgrace of Gijon' as Germany and Austria played out a mutually beneficial game that knocked their African rivals out.

  Mekhloufi died in the autumn of 2024 at the age of 88, but he will forever remain a face of the independence movement.

DC have lost two of the three games in Delhi and defending champs KKR will look to take advantage of their inconsistency

Abhimanyu Bose28-Apr-20253:53

DC’s bowling a concern at Kotla?

Big picture: DC’s home form a concernUnder first-time captain Axar Patel, Delhi Capitals (DC) got off to an flier, IPL 2025 winning their first four matches. But their fortunes took a tumble since their return to Delhi. In their three matches at the Arun Jaitley Stadium so far, they have lost two and their only win came via a Super Over.Against Mumbai Indians, they collapsed in a 206 chase despite being in the driving seat until Karun Nair fell in the 12th over. Against Rajasthan Royals, they looked like they were headed for defeat until Mitchell Starc defended nine runs in the final over to take the game to a one-over shootout. Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, their bowlers couldn’t capitalise on an early collapse.Related

Sai Sudharsan takes back IPL 2025 Orange Cap from Kohli

Harshit Rana missing Gambhir's 'aura' at KKR

A drop-off in the form of some of their key players has played a part. KL Rahul scored 185 runs in his first three games (he missed DC’s season opener), averaging 92.50 and striking at 169.72. However, since their first game in Delhi, he has only managed 179 runs in five innings, with his strike rate also dropping to 127.85.In DC’s first four games, Kuldeep Yadav took eight wickets, conceding at less than a run a ball. In the next five matches, his number of wickets have halved, his economy rate has gone up to 7.35 and his strike rate has jumped from 12 to 30. Similarly, Mitchell Starc took nine wickets from his first four outings, but he has only picked up two wickets from the next five games.KL Rahul’s top score in Delhi has been 41 so far, while he has three half-centuries in four away outings in IPL 2025•BCCIUntil now, DC have been in the top half of the points table, but now they need to regroup and rediscover consistency as the battle for the playoffs heats up.Form guideDelhi Capitals LWLWL(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Kolkata Knight Riders LLWLWTeam news and likely XIIsIt’s a very short turnaround time for DC after their last game against RCB, but they are likely to continue with the same combination. They could continue with their tactic of starting with just six batters even if they bat first, as even then they have six bowling options.Delhi Capitals XII (likely): 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Abishek Porel, 3 Karun Nair, 4 KL Rahul (wk), 5 Axar Patel (capt), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Vipraj Nigam, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mukesh Kumar, 12 Ashutosh Sharma/Mohit SharmaKKR made a couple of changes in their last game, bringing in Rovman Powell and Chetan Sakariya in place of Ramandeep Singh and Moeen Ali, and are unlikely to tinker with their combination after the washout against Punjab Kings.Kolkata Knight Riders XII (likely): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Rovman Powell, 8 Andre Russell, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Vaibhav Arora, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Chetan SakariyaIn the spotlightWith Jake Fraser-McGurk woefully out of form, the expectations will be high on Faf du Plessis to deliver at the top for DC. He played in three of the first four matches of the season, before missing four games with a niggle. He struggled on his return against RCB, and has failed to cross 30 in any of the four matches he played except his half-century against Sunrisers Hyderabad.2:51

Bishop: Need to give Powell, Russell ‘time to tee off’

In his third season with KKR, Rahmanullah Gurbaz has a chance to get an extended run of games, having replaced Quinton de Kock at the top of the order. The opening partnership has been an area of concern for KKR and they will hope that Gurbaz can form a strong alliance with Sunil Narine. Gurbaz was out for just one run in his first game of the season and scored 1 not out in the washout against PBKS, so he will hope for a good outing in Delhi.The big questionPitch and conditionsDC mentor Kevin Pietersen said after the RCB game that they had gone for a slow and low surface to counter their opponents’ strength but they will hope for a better batting surface on Tuesday night. The match will be played on pitch No. 5, which is in the centre, so there won’t be a shorter side for the batters to target.Stats and trivia Kuldeep Yadav has bowled three deliveries to Sunil Narine in two innings and dismissed him twice. Only R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Piyush Chawla (27 each) have more wickets against DC than Sunil Narine, who has 24. Only Chennai Super Kings (19.77) have a lower average for the opening partnership this season than KKR (19.87) and DC (24.22)Quotes”He’s bowling really good, the lengths he is hitting. And he is mixing it up well. I won’t take any names, but we should keep learning watching other teams play.”