How BCCI and state association officials reacted to the Supreme Court of India accepting most of the Lodha Committee recommendations

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2016Niranjan Shah
On BCCI and state association office bearers having to retire at 70 (Shah is over the age cap): “Disappointing, but we respect the Supreme Court’s verdict. We will see [about voluntarily resigning]. First, we will have to go through the judgement. Not now [we haven’t convened a meeting of the Saurashtra Cricket Association]. First, let the BCCI convene their meeting, and then we will see how it affects the state associations. I think in two-three days everybody [in the state associations] will start meeting. The board has to meet immediately, there is no doubt about it. I can be a member of the BCCI if my association allows me.On one-state, one-vote (Saurashtra is one of three full-member associations from Gujarat): It means we will vote in rotation [with Gujarat and Baroda] once every three years. I have not gone through all these details. I think we are not barred in participation, organisation and subsidy. What is important is you are full member and for the next two years you become an associate member. You have done so much for cricket, so, yes, disappointed. It’s a small matter [who the voting cycle begins with]. We three associations [from Gujarat] won’t have any problem on this. We don’t know. First let BCCI structure things. Everything changes now.Ganga Raju
On his position being in jeopardy due to his dual positions in the BCCI and ACA, and being over the age cap: If we are not there somebody else is there to take care. It’s not run by a single individual, and we have back-up people who can take the association forward. I don’t think Andhra Cricket Association will have a problem even if I am not there. ACA is in such a position that nobody is indispensable. Our help will be there to the institution and whoever runs it. I think meetings are to be conducted [by the BCCI] and judgement has to be looked into. Either way it doesn’t really matter. If we are allowed to [hold the positions], we do it. If not we have something else to do. And we can guide the people. We may not be office bearers but we can always look into [how] things are going on.On voluntarily stepping down from either position: When Supreme Court gives an order, we will have to follow it. We cannot comment on the judgement. If we disqualify ourselves [in the eyes of the] Supreme Court, we are ready to step down. Once Supreme Court has asked us, we have to conduct a meeting and find an alternative. If somebody resigns, we have to call for a meeting and then nominate somebody for those positions. Nomination, normally, is unanimous, but if there is an election [needed], then we conduct it.Ajay Shirke
On the choice between state and BCCI: “I have always said that I have no fascination for designations. If somebody wants, they can take away both posts from me,” he told PTI. “But if you ask me, I feel at this juncture, the board needs me more than my state association. I am a person who will not run away from my responsibilities unless the members ask me to do so.”

James Harris, the Glamorgan allrounder, has been re-elected for a second term as chair of the Professional Cricketers’ Association.Harris, 32, took over from the previous incumbent Daryl Mitchell in 2021, and will remain in the post until February 2025 – the maximum four-year stint permitted by the PCA’s constitution.”Being re-elected is a huge honour,” Harris said. “I’ve really enjoyed the first two years. Having an extra two years will be brilliant and I’m really looking forward to pushing through some meaningful change in my second term.”Harris’ first term coincided with the sport’s recovery from the Covid pandemic, and in addition to representing the organisation in Parliament, at the DCMS Select Committee hearings, he has also overseen the PCA’s increased commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.iAs a Director of the Professional Cricketers’ Trust, he also helped raise funds for the PCA’s charitable arm by cycling over 1,000km to and from Cardiff, via Headingley and Lord’s.”The PCA has a huge role to play in the evolution of the game worldwide, we need to make sure that we’re moving forward with the game, keeping pace with the game, because there’s so many opportunities to play around the world in different tournaments which wasn’t available 10 years ago,” Harris said.”I think with the opportunity for players to travel and improve their game around the world, there really is no better time to be a professional cricketer than right now and I can only see that trending in one direction as we move forward.”PCA Chief Executive, Rob Lynch, said: “I’m really pleased that James has been elected by his peers to take on a second term as Chair of the Association.”A lot has happened in the world of cricket in the last two years and James has been as been at the forefront of the change in England and Wales.”I’m looking forward to continuing our strong working relationship and strategic planning for the next two years is already under way in this crucial point in the history of our game. With key priorities assessed to ensure we continue to champion the interests of professional cricketers in this country, we will be updating our members in the coming weeks through the AGM, Rookie Camp and pre-season meetings with all 26 domestic squads.”

Let the debate begin. Do you agree with the final XI selected by ESPNcricinfo’s county writers?

Andrew McGlashan24-Sep-2016Keaton Jennings (Durham) 1548 runs at 64.50
The leading run scorer in the country, Jennings made a strong claim to be included in England’s Test squad. His seven Championship centuries – including two unbeaten double-hundreds, one carrying his bat against Surrey – were a Durham record and he scored more runs in 2016 than his previous two seasons combined. Resisted the temptation to move counties and will have a huge role to play in the post-Stoneman-Borthwick era of Durham’s battingHaseeb Hameed (Lancashire) 1198 runs at 49.91
A new star of English cricket after becoming the youngest Lancashire batsman to make 1000 runs in a season and the first to score two centuries in a Roses match. “Born to play for England,” was the assessment of many and the call came when he was included for the Bangladesh tour. “I’m a modern-day Boycott,” Hameed has said, but even during this season his range of strokeplay has broadened out. Batting time, though, remains his strength and a skill not to be forgotten in the modern age.Nick Gubbins (Middlesex) 1409 runs at 61.26
The season began with most of the attention on his opening partner, Sam Robson, who has already had a taste of Test cricket but by September it was Gubbins closer to a call-up. A left-hander who has often drawn comparisons with Andrew Strauss, Gubbins began the season without a first-class hundred but scored four Championship tons including one in the final match of the season against Yorkshire.Keith Barker had another impressive all-round season•Getty ImagesBen Duckett (Northamptonshire) 1338 runs at 60.81
The most exciting uncapped batsman in English cricket. After a difficult period when Duckett struggled to adapt to the disciplines – on and off the field – needed for professional cricket, 2016 was a remarkable success story for the left hander. Churning out the runs from start to finish with breathtaking flamboyance, his returns included an unbeaten 282 against Sussex – the highest score of the season – which would surely have been a triple-century but for two days of rain. His first-class strike of 79.35 was also the fastest for the summer.Tom Westley (Essex) 1217 runs at 52.91
Westley’s most prolific season against the red ball saw him pass 1000 runs for the first time and was capped with a career-best 254 against Worcestershire as Essex’s promotion campaign approached fulfilment. In imperious form at No. 3, he began with a century in the opening-round victory over Gloucestershire and followed that up with scores of 86, 16, 64 and 125, his leg-side whip and cover drive in full working order as Essex took an early grip on top spot in Division Two.Ben Foakes (Surrey) 759 runs at 42.16, 43 catches and 3 stumpings
Regarded by Andy Flower and Alec Stewart as the best gloveman in English cricket, Foakes started to flourish having been given the chance as Surrey’s first-choice wicketkeeper. Could not force his way past Jos Buttler as the reserve Test keeper – despite Buttler playing just one first-class matche in a year – but remains in the mix longer-term alongside Sam Billings.Keith Barker (Warwickshire) 608 runs at 32.00; 59 wickets at 23.13
Another impressively consistent all-round season for Barker, ending with his best Championship haul for a campaign. He only played four games of white-ball cricket in the season which meant he was able to put his efforts into the four-day game and he was ever-present in the Championship. His hundred against Nottinghamshire was his sixth in first-class cricket with all of them coming at Nos. 8 or 9.Jack Leach was the standout English spinner but could not earn a tour place•Getty ImagesGraham Napier (Essex) 298 runs at 22.92; 63 wickets at 23.17
In his final season as a professional, Napier produced his best-ever Championship analysis before hobbling out of his last game, promotion secured. Essex’s Division Two title was won by batting big and then letting their seamers get to work and while there were honourable mentions for Jamie Porter, David Masters and Ravi Bopara, Napier consistently led the way. Joe Leach edged ahead of him in the final week to top the Division Two tally, but the “King of Colchester” took a five-for and scored a hundred on his Castle Park farewell to boot.Jeetan Patel (Warwickshire) 69 wickets at 24.02
Remained the standout spinner in domestic cricket – it was also his most prolific season – although was pushed closer for that tag than the previous summer when a few of his home truths about English spin had hit a nerve. A better bowler now than he was during his international career, Patel has firmly said his New Zealand days are behind him even though he has been asked back.Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire) 49 wickets at 23.12
Started the season with a bang, under the gaze of the selectors, and was often remarked on as looking a Test match bowler. By the time the first England squad of the summer was announced he had 19 wickets at 21.15. He sustained his form to the end, following his Test debut against Pakistan, and took nine wickets in the match against Middlesex – including a hat-trick – but it was not enough to save Nottinghamshire from relegation.Jack Leach (Somerset) 65 wickets at 21.87
This was the tightest call in selection with Leach tying on three votes with Jack Brooks. The chairman of selectors opted for a balanced, varied attack of three seamers and two spinners, plus it was a magnificent campaign for Leach who pushed himself close to England recognition. Enjoyed the change of tactics at Taunton, with a spin-friendly surface, but it was his performance at Headingley in the penultimate round which showed how rapid his rise had been.

“The bowling unit will get incredible confidence,” Tamim said after the win in the third ODI, where Ireland needed 52 in nine overs with seven wickets in hand

Mohammad Isam15-May-2023Tamim Iqbal is happy with the “tough cricket” Bangladesh played in their 2-0 ODI series win over Ireland in Chelmsford.After the washout in the first ODI, Bangladesh chased down 320 in a rain-curtailed 45 overs-a-side second ODI and then their bowlers rallied in the last nine overs to keep Ireland at bay in the third match. In both the games, Bangladesh were in the sort of positions they have often been unable to turn around in the past.”I thought throughout the series we played really tough cricket,” Tamim said. “Chasing 320 in 45 overs, regardless of the ground size or opposition, is a hard task. The way we batted was amazing. Today, it is a very special game for me. We have always seen this kind of situation on the other side. We lost from such winning positions especially with the ball.”Related

• Mark Adair rues 'poor decisions' as Ireland let slip their chance for series leveller

• Tamim Iqbal slips out the side door after rare taste of English hospitality

• Bangladesh find a home away from home to breathe life into Ireland's series in exile

• Bangladesh enhance their ODI credentials with dramatic Chelmsford win

• Finger injury rules Shakib out of third ODI, could also miss Afghanistan Test

Tamim took calls that came good in the turnaround on Sunday. With Ireland needing 52 with seven wickets in hand in the last nine overs, he handed the ball to part-time bowler Najmul Hossain Shanto. The offspinner, who imitates Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s bowling action, had Harry Tector caught at deep midwicket to break the 79-run stand with Lorcan Tucker. Tamim then opted to bowl out Mustafizur Rahman by the 47th over instead of saving him for the end and the left-arm pacer picked up a wicket in each of the 43rd, 45th and 47th overs to finish with a four-for. Ireland were stifled right when it mattered, before Hasan Mahmud bowled a stunning final over to give Bangladesh the win.”The bowling unit will get incredible confidence from this win. It wasn’t easy to defend 274 at this ground. I thought we did a great job,” Tamim said. “Miraz’s bowling inspired me to take a chance with Shanto. He took a wicket in the first over and so I continued with him. The match turned on its head in his three overs and Mustafizur’s overs.”In crucial moments in the series, Shanto and Mahmud, both among the younger players in the line-up, stepped up for Bangladesh. Shanto was adjudged the Player of the Series for his returns of 196 runs, including his first ODI century, and the match-turning wicket in the last game. Mahmud, meanwhile, kept his calm in the last over of the third game with nine to defend, while also bowling incisive opening spells in the series.”[Shanto] has been playing really well in the last two or three series,” Tamim said. “He is scoring quite regularly, which is a great thing for us. We could never nail down the No. 3 position but I think he has cemented his place [by] not just scoring runs but the way he fields, too. He gives his 100% everywhere. He is a great team man.”[Mahmud] has been impressive. He is world-class, particularly with the new ball. He is a very young guy but has an old head. He is calm under pressure. It is a great learning for him. You can bowl thousands of balls in the nets but to deliver under this pressure is something else.”Najmul Hossain Shanto scored his first ODI ton and picked up his first international wicket in the series•Andrew Miller/ESPNcricinfo Ltd

But there is a lot of room for improvement for Bangladesh.”I think we should have batted a bit better, especially in a situation like today’s game,” Tamim said. “We were batting at six [runs] an over in the first 25 overs. We should have scored 310-315. We are playing without one [extra] batter. All of us should have taken a little bit more responsibility.”I am overall happy with this series. We chased 320 successfully. We didn’t defend games like today [in the past] but did it here. There are more positives than negatives.”Tamim felt that Sunday’s win came because of an all-round performance from Bangladesh. The two debutants, Rony Talukdar and Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, didn’t have an impactful performance but fielded well. Talukdar was sent to open but struggled for 4 off 14 balls. Chowdhury bowled eight wicketless overs for 64, including a 21-run 37th over that seemed to turn the tide in Ireland’s favour. But they took good catches and pulled off plenty of saves in the deep.”Mrittunjoy didn’t bowl from an easy end,” Tamim said. “An inch here and there in length, it would go for a six. He bowled very well. He knows he can do better. Contributions from everyone made the win possible today. We didn’t think we would win the game. Some brilliance changed the game.”

Leus du Plooy and Wayne Madsen carve out a sizeable advantage

ECB Reporters Network05-May-2023

Leus du Plooy and Wayne Madsen batted Derbyshire into a dominant position against Leicestershire on a rain-interrupted second day of the LV=Insurance County Championship match at Derby.The pair shared a stand of 122 from 184 balls with du Plooy failing by six runs to become Derbyshire’s first century maker of the season.Madsen continued his prolific run against Leicestershire with 67 and although 42 overs were lost to the weather, Derbyshire closed on 326 for 7, a lead of 204, and with two days remaining threaten to end the Foxes’ bright start to the season.Leicestershire’s bowlers struggled until Wiaan Mulder struck with the second new ball to end the day with figures of 5 for 55 from 24 overs but his side have a lot of work to do to save the match.Leicestershire’s head coach Paul Nixon said: “Wiaan has been a groove machine in practice. He has come back this year and his action has been more consistent and he’s really confident about his bowling which is wonderful.”Madsen’s latest productive shift against Leicestershire bowlers proved that even in uncertain times, there are things you can rely on.He came into the game averaging 60 in first-class cricket against one of Derbyshire’s neighbours so Leicestershire knew they needed to dismiss him quickly to have a chance of staying in the game.Opportunity knocked in the third over of the morning when Madsen had added only four runs to his overnight total but Colin Ackermann fluffed his lines. Madsen’s edge off Chris Wright was regulation as slip catches go but Ackermann standing at second spilled it.That looked a big moment in the game and by the time a storm swept across the ground shortly before midday, Madsen and Du Plooy were set and ticking along nicely.At least the break gave the visitors time to regroup but when play resumed in bright sunshine, there was little to trouble the fourth wicket pair. The bowlers were unable to build any pressure with a consistent line and there were too many wide balls for Madsen and du Plooy to score off.Madsen was first to his fifty which came off 96 balls and when England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed was brought on in the 60th over, du Plooy completed his half century from 74 balls.Ahmed did almost get through Madsen with a ball that scuttled through but there was nothing else in his three overs which cost 25 runs to threaten the batters.When the breakthrough did come, it was down to a rash shot from Madsen who dabbed at a ball from Tom Scriven and was caught behind. But by tea, the lead was 177 with du Plooy on 94 and after rain forced a 90-minute delay, he fell to the second ball after the restart.Leicestershire’s decision to claim the second new ball paid off as Finan had du Plooy caught behind off what looked an inside edge which was well taken by Peter Handscomb.Matt Lamb played on to Mulder and Luis Reece was bowled attempting to hit him back over his head which suggested Derbyshire may declare overnight with further rain forecast to take more time out of the game on Saturday.

تحدث الفرنسي، كلود ماكيليلي، لاعب ريال مدريد وباريس سان جيرمان الأسبق، عن مواجهة الفريقين ضمن منافسات كأس العالم للأندية 2025.

ويواجه الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد نظيره باريس سان جيرمان، في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما مساء غدٍ، الأربعاء، ضمن منافسات دور نصف نهائي كأس العالم للأندية 2025، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.

وتأهل ريال مدريد إلى هذا الدور بعد فوزه على بوروسيا دورتموند بثلاثية مقابل هدفين، في ربع النهائي، بينما تأهل باريس سان جيرمان بعد فوزه على بايرن ميونخ بهدفين نظيفين.

وتحدث ماكيليلي، في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ماركا”: “قدم باريس سان جيرمان موسمًا رائعًا، وإذا نظرنا إلى ما قدموه، نجد أنهم كانوا الأفضل في دوري أبطال أوروبا واستحقوا اللقب عن جدارة، ما زالوا يلعبون بشكل جيد لكن احذروا من ريال مدريد، عندما يتعلق الأمر بالمواجهات الإقصائية، فهم قادرون على فعل أي شئ”.

اقرأ أيضًا | حكم الأزمات يدير مباراة ريال مدريد وباريس سان جيرمان في كأس العالم للأندية

وعن تشابي ألونسو، أكمل: “بالطبع هو يتحسن، والأمور ستتغير تدريجيًا، لكن مهمة المدرب ليست شهرًا أو شهرين أو ثلاثة أشهر بل سنة أو سنتين، حان الوقت لندعه يعمل ولنتركه يفعل ما يريد وسنرى التحسن، نحن نعرف ريال مدريد وصعوبة الحصول على وقت كافي”.

فيما يعلق بصفقات ريال مدريد والبحث عن لاعب في خط الوسط أضاف: “لا بد وأن نجد نوعًا مختلفًا من النجوم، لا ينبغي أن نقارن بين الجيل الحالي والماضي، لقد أُرسلت لي مؤخرًا صورة للفريق الذي كان لدينا وكانوا جميعًا جيدين للغاية، الآن يبحثون عن لاعب خط وسط مركزي، ولا يجب أن يكونوا ماكيليلي، يجب أن يكونوا أنفسهم”.

وأردف: “في السابق كنا نتحدث دائمًا عن المهاجمين، ولكن لم نتحدث أبدًا عن لاعبي خط الوسط والذي بدونهم لا توجد كرة قدم”.

وعن علاقته بتشواميني تابع: “تشواميني؟ إنه أخي الصغير، من السهل على ريال مدريد إظهار لعبهم، لكنه ساعد الفريق كثيرًا في الدفاع وأعتقد أن تشابي سيضعه في هذا المركز، أقول له استمتع بكرة القدم أكثر”.

وعن كيليان مبابي، وتأثيره في المباراة أتم: “كان باريس سان جيرمان سيفوز بدوري أبطال أوروبا لو بقي مبابي، لا يمكنك رفض عرض ريال مدريد، ولهذا السبب انتهى به الأمر إلى الرحيل هناك”.

Tottenham Hotspur drew 2-2 with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday afternoon, undoubtedly placing more pressure on boss Ange Postecoglou.

Goals from Brennan Johnson and Rodrigo Bentancur weren’t enough for Spurs in North London after Jorgen Strand Larsen fired home a late equaliser for the visitors.

The point leaves Postecoglou’s side 11th in the Premier League table at the halfway stage of the campaign, 11 points off the Champions League spots, with the dream rapidly fading away week after week.

The draw leaves Spurs chasing their first win in three matches, losing two and conceding nine goals in the process, with the defensive injuries causing havoc once again.

However, such issues shouldn’t excuse the performance levels of numerous players who once again failed to deliver at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs’ disappointing performers against Wolves

Striker Dominic Solanke has often been the man to provide the goods within the final third this season after his club-record £65m transfer from Bournemouth in the summer.

The Englishman has scored six Premier League goals in 2024/25, but was unable to add to his tally this afternoon, looking wasteful in possession throughout the score draw.

He only completed one of his four attempted dribbles in North London, whilst also winning just six of his 16 duels and losing possession 11 times in the process.

As for goalkeeper Fraser Forster, he was once again unable to pull up any trees as he covered for the injured Guglielmo Vicario between the sticks.

The 36-year-old made his tenth appearance of the season earlier today, but wasn’t able to add to his clean sheet tally, conceding two or more for the fifth time.

He was beaten by a sensational strike by Hwang Hee-chan for the opener, but certainly could’ve done more to keep out the visitors’ leveller, being beaten way too easily at his near post.

However, one other Spurs player failed to produce once again despite continued faith shown by Postecoglou, with the Aussie needing to take action ahead of the next league clash next weekend.

The Spurs player who was as bad as Forster against Wolves

Spurs captain Heung-min Son has for so long been the player to cause havoc for the club in attacking areas, but in recent months has struggled to produce the goods on a consistent basis in 2024/25.

The South Korean attacker has only managed to notch five goals in the league to date, with this afternoon another one of his displays to forget in North London.

He featured for just 64 minutes before being replaced by Timo Werner, but his withdrawal was understandable given his lack of impact during his hour on the pitch.

The 32-year-old only registered 27 touches of the ball, only completing 15 passes – losing possession six times and looking wasteful throughout the draw with the relegation-threatened side.

Son also missed his spot kick in the first half, with Postecoglou’s side undoubtedly going on to claim all three points had he managed to find the back of the net.

Minutes played

64

Touches

27

Passes completed

15/17 (88%)

Possession lost

6x

Penalty missed

1

Crosses completed

0/3 (0%)

Dribbles completed

0

He also failed to complete any of his three attempted crosses, unable to succeed in dribbling past the opposition, looking a shadow of his former self, with his days at the top level undoubtedly numbered given his recent showings.

As a result of his dismal showing, he was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by Football London’s Alasdair Gold – highlighting how disappointing he was once more.

Chalkboard

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

Given his failure to deliver once again this afternoon, Ange simply must drop him from the starting lineup in the next meeting with Newcastle United next weekend.

It’s been sad to see a fan-favourite decline given what he’s done for the club over his decade in North London, but ultimately, the Aussie needs to be brutal to save his job and take the Lilywhites back to the top end of the table.

He's like Rice: Spurs could finally axe Bissouma by signing £21m sensation

He could be Spurs’ answer to Declan Rice

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 28, 2024

Newcastle have tied defender Fabian Schar to a new contract, keeping him at the Premier League team until the summer of 2026.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Schar signs one-year extension
• Magpies defender still a first-team regular
• Will remain at St James park until 2026

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 33-year-old was set to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign, but he has ensured his spell at St James' Park will last at least eight years after his extension was announced on Thursday.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Switzerland international has been key to the heart of the Magpies' defence this season, making 33 appearances in all competitions – only two of those were off the bench. He helped Eddie Howe's team to a Carabao Cup final victory against Liverpool last month and they are aiming to secure a place in next season's Champions League.

• WHAT SCHAR SAID

  Schar was delighted to commit to a new deal with the English club, saying: "I'm buzzing to extend my stay here. It's been a very good few weeks for everybody at Newcastle United after winning the Carabao Cup and I'm really happy now to sign another contract with this amazing club. It's my seventh season here and everybody knows how happy I am at the club and how comfortable I feel in the city, so I'm really glad to be continuing that. "Now it's about looking forward and finishing the season as strong as possible."

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR NEWCASTLE?

  Schar and Co. are currently fifth in the Premier League and on a three-game winning run. They will be confident of making it four in a row when they take on struggling Leicester on Monday.

da stake casino： Having already secured the arrival of Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa are now reportedly setting their sights on an in-demand forward worth over £21m.

Aston Villa transfer news

da betsson： Desperate to make it back-to-back top four finishes in the Premier League and qualify for the Champions League as a result, those at Villa Park have acted as swift as ever to hand Unai Emery a fresh option going forward. Malen – an experienced forward after his Dortmund exploits – instantly hands the Spaniard an upgrade on the struggling Leon Bailey and a player capable of sharing the goalscoring responsibility with Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran.

When asked about that aforementioned experience in a question and answer session with the club’s official website, Malen said: “I’ve seen a lot of football. I’ve been in different leagues now. I’ve played Euros, I’ve played a lot of tournaments, so that creates a lot of character, so from there, I just have to show it.”

As one experienced option arrives, however, a younger option looks to have emerged onto the radar of those in the Midlands. According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign Stefanos Tzimas from PAOK Salonika following his loan spell at FC Nurnberg at the end of the season.

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The 19-year-old striker has also attracted the interest of Liverpool an Brighton & Hove Albion to create quite the race for his signature which will reportedly be worth €25m (£21m) plus add-ons when the summer transfer window arrives.

A player who has thrived in Germany’s second division on loan this season, Tzimas could yet receive the ultimate chance to take the biggest step of his career so far courtesy of Aston Villa.

"Exciting" Tzimas is one to watch

Whilst he is still only a teenager, Tzimas has shown all the signs that point towards a future star whilst at Nurnberg and deserves to reap the rewards for such success. Alas, whether Aston Villa’s interest brings Duran’s future into question once more will be interesting to see. The clinical forward has already been linked with a move away to West Ham United this month and Tzimas could be seen as an ideal replacement when the summer arrives.

Scoring eight goals and assisting another two in 15 games in all competitions so far this season, the Greek striker certainly knows how to find the back of the net in a rise to stardom that Jacek Kulig saw coming in October. The Football Talent Scout dubbed the forward “one of the most interesting young strikers in Europe” and predicted an “exciting future ahead”.

A summer switch to Aston Villa would only see the forward accelerate towards that increasingly impressive potential too.

Glasgow Rangers slipped 15 points behind their rivals following yet more away day woes on Thursday evening, dropping two points against Dundee.

The 1-1 draw followed the same pattern as many of the club’s away matches this season, and it is clear that the Premiership title is now out of reach.

The January transfer window may be open, but the only move the vast majority of the Ibrox faithful want to see is Philippe Clement shown the exit door.

Although this would be the popular choice, finances indicate it will be too expensive, especially considering the manager has a contract until 2028.

This means he will be responsible for who is brought into the team this month. With plenty of rumours circulating already with regard to transfer targets.

Several areas of the side need bolstering, especially the defence and midfield, with an upgrade potentially needed on Connor Barron amid his recent woes.

Connor Barron's game in numbers vs Dundee

Against Dundee, the midfield struggled to dominate things from the middle of the pitch, with Barron unable to make much of an impact as he started in place of the suspended Nico Raskin.

The former Aberdeen starlet arrived at Ibrox to much fanfare and duly impressed over his first few months, slotting in alongside Mohamed Diomande at the heart of the midfield.

Raskin was recovering from an injury sustained in pre-season, but since a return to full fitness, his displays on the field have kept Barron on the bench.

Indeed, the Scot hasn’t started a game since the Boxing Day defeat to St Mirren, but due to Raskin’s suspension, he was brought back into the starting XI for the clash at Dens Park.

Barron lasted just 66 minutes before he was subbed off, but while on the pitch, the midfielder lost possession 12 times, won four of his seven ground duels and was dribbled past twice.

Metric (per 90)

Premiership

Europa League

Accurate passes

42.4

27.5

Tackles

1.8

3.2

Interceptions

0.6

2

Possession lost

6.9

8.3

Ground duels won

2.7

4

He played a part in Dundee’s opening goal too, failing to clear his lines properly, which led to the home side scoring.

Not his finest display in the light blue, but there is clearly a player there, one that can be a fixture for the club over the next few years.

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Adding in some experience, especially without paying a penny in transfer fees, is desirable for the manager, however, which could lead to a concrete move made to bring in one notable target this month.

Rangers make enquiry for Serbian midfielder

According to the Daily Mail, Rangers are showing interest in CSKA Moscow player Sasa Zdjelar and reports coming from Russia state that the Ibrox side have made an enquiry about the midfielder as they look to strengthen their squad.

It could be good news for the club. Zdjelar might be allowed to depart his current side for free as FIFA granted foreign players the right to suspend their contracts with Russian clubs due to the ongoing war with Ukraine.

Considering the financial issues at Rangers, being able to bring in a player such as Zdjelar, who has been capped nine times for Serbia, could be a wonderful start to the window.

Why Rangers should sign Sasa Zdjelar

Across his career thus far, the midfielder has played for five teams, making a total of 403 appearances at club level, while missing just 16 matches through injury since the 2020/21 campaign.

Given how prominent the injury problems have been at Ibrox over the previous few years, signing someone who hasn’t spent much time in the treatment room would be a welcome bonus.

Content creator Kai Watson hailed the 29-year-old amid the recent links with the Gers, lauding his versatility to feature in central midfield and at centre-back, while highlighting the fact that he is “vastly experienced”.

The Serbian has played 21 matches for CSKA throughout the 2024/25 campaign so far, notching up one assist in the process. Going forward is clearly not his forte, although he has succeeded with 75% of his dribble attempts in the Russian top flight, along with creating one big chance and averaging 0.3 key passes per game.

It is his defensive ability that will certainly appeal to Clement, as Zdjelar can control games from the heart of the pitch, giving his side the edge.

Indeed, in the top flight, the CSKA star averages a pass success rate of 87% per game, while averaging 61 touches, making 1.1 interceptions and recovering 3.8 balls per game, showcasing his defensive attributes.

Additionally, the midfielder has won 3.8 total duels domestically – an impressive 64% success rate – which suggests he doesn’t shy out of one-on-one battles in the middle of the pitch.

Compare this to Barron, however, and it becomes clear that the Serbian star could be an upgrade for Clement. The Scot may have a higher average pass success rate (90%), but there is improvement to be made with regard to his defensive ability, especially compared to Zdjelar.

In the Premiership, Barron averages 0.6 interceptions, recovers 3.4 balls and wins 3.2 total duels per game – a success rate of just 45% – as the CSKA midfielder outshines the current Rangers gem across these metrics.

With more game time, Barron will only improve, which will likely see him depart Ibrox in the next few years.

Zdjelar may be approaching the latter stages of his career, but adding some solidity to the midfield could be exactly what Clement is looking for this month.

With various names being linked to Rangers, much will depend on the type of profile the manager and club are looking for.

Signing a current international who has played across Europe and has demonstrated an ability to control matches while offering effective defensive support makes perfect sense for the club. At Rangers, however, sense is often overlooked.

0 duels won: Clement was let down by Rangers ace who lost the ball 19x

Rangers suffered yet more woes on their travels as they drew with Dundee on Thursday evening

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 10, 2025