Allrounder reveals details of phone call with Brendon McCullum as he plots international recall

Matt Roller05-Feb-2025Player of the tournament in a World Cup win. More than 100 England caps across all formats. Back-to-back Hundred trophies, one as MVP. Million-dollar IPL contracts. A walk-on role in a County Championship three-peat. At 26, Sam Curran has already achieved more than most cricketers manage across their lifetime.Yet as he heads towards the peak years of most sporting careers, Curran is experiencing a lull: for the first time since he burst into international cricket nearly seven years ago, he finds himself outside of England’s squads in all three formats. There is little doubt that he will be back at some stage, but life on the fringes brings an uneasy novelty.Curran has kept his head down since he was left out of England’s white-ball squads for their tour to India and the subsequent Champions Trophy, with his focus on the ILT20 in the UAE. But he has decided the time is now right to address it, telling ESPNcricinfo from Dubai that he will be “banging the door” down until he is back in the international set-up.Related

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“There were loads of different reasons I didn’t get picked,” Curran says. “More so the T20s, but I naturally felt I should have been in both teams. But they’ve obviously got their plans and you can look at the way they’re lining up now… The 50-over side is going to be similar to the T20 line-up, and they wanted the same structure of the top six.”At the time of his omission, Curran spoke to Brendon McCullum – whom he is yet to play under – and valued the clarity he received. “He just said: ‘You’re not in right now, but go away, score runs and take wickets.’ I respected it a lot: sometimes you just get the easy: ‘It’s not the end.’ But it was pretty clear what they wanted me to do.”Yet there is a sense that McCullum might consider his style of bowling – left-arm swing rather than seam, and speeds closer to 80mph than 90mph – an awkward fit in his England teams. His first white-ball squads contained a battery of right-arm quicks, and he overlooked Curran last summer when Ben Stokes’ hamstring tear had seemed to open up a return to the Test side.It prompted Curran to reveal his fear that he no longer “fit the mould” that England were looking for – less through his personality than his physical attributes. With McCullum in charge across formats and making abundantly clear that his preference is for a level of convergence in selection, the route back is unlikely to be entirely straightforward.But England’s 4-1 defeat to India served to highlight the value of variety in any T20 side, however expensive Curran has proved in the past two years. It means that twelve months out from another T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, the unlikely star of England’s 2022 triumph is confident that he can force his way into the side.Curran says England’s 2022 T20 World Cup win “feels quite a while ago”•AFP/Getty Images”Everyone knows things can change quickly,” Curran says. “I’m the type of guy that will go away and do well and improve. It was just a case of them going with the top six they want, and backing the five bowlers they’ve chosen. [McCullum] told me to keep banging the door down and I feel like I’ve come here and done pretty well. I’m in a good headspace.”Curran has taken the setback as well as could be hoped but the two years since England’s T20 World Cup win have not been without their challenges. He was dropped early in their disastrous defence of the 50-over World Cup and his form has oscillated between extremes – as is the case for most players whose calendars are dominated by T20.”It feels quite a while ago,” he reflects on England’s win in Australia. “There were some tough times for the team [after that]. It’s just been inconsistency, being in and out a lot of the time. That was the big message from above: go away and show consistency. I feel like hopefully I’ve done that, and will keep doing that.”

“I’m driven by winning trophies… If I can finish the tournament with loads of runs, a lot of wickets and winning a trophy, I feel that’s all I can really do”Sam Curran on playing in the ILT20

Curran is playing for Desert Vipers, Avram Glazer’s franchise, in the ILT20 and his performances helped them finish top of the group stages. He has taken six wickets with the ball but his main role has been with the bat: used in his preferred role at No. 4, he is their second-highest run-scorer and has walked off unbeaten in three successful run chases.Curran’s batting record in T20 internationals makes for ugly reading – an average of 14.24 and a strike rate of 124.47 – and it is increasingly clear that England have used him out of position. He has had no impact when used as a finisher but can control an innings from the middle order: his only T20 half-century for England came in his only innings at No. 4.If McCullum continues to favour high pace, consistent run-scoring may yet be the best way to get noticed. With England’s middle order struggling badly against spin, Curran’s status as a left-hander should play in his favour: he could feasibly be used as the one lower-tempo batter in a line-up of power-hitters, as Ben Stokes was during their 2022 success.Consolation came through the identity of the winning bidders: Chennai Super Kings, his old team. “I was buzzing,” Curran says, laughing off the significance of the price tag. “Chennai was where I kickstarted my IPL career. As soon as I was picked up, I had 10-15 messages from people who were there four years ago.”He will finally get to experience their home crowd this year, with his previous stints coinciding with Covid-enforced neutral venues. “I’ve played there as the away team, and you see the love for the players. It also helps when you have the habit of winning and great consistency with [Stephen] Fleming and those guys who have been there since the start.”A short break in the meantime will allow Curran a rare opportunity to take stock, and to keep his career in perspective. “Cricket – especially T20, let’s be honest – is very fickle,” he says. “You can get a good ball, or two bad ones, and it goes the other way: that’s what happens in T20. But for now, I’ve just got to keep banging the door down.”

Robert Lewandowski claimed Barcelona are now even 'stronger' after making a long-awaited return to their iconic Camp Nou home with a 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Club. The Polish forward opened the scoring early in the game before Ferran Torres grabbed a brace and Fermin Lopez netted for the Blaugrana as they kept up the defence of their La Liga title.

• Dream return to Camp Nou

  Barcelona returned to Camp Nou on Saturday after a two-year exile due to the renovation of the venue. Hansi Flick's side marked the comeback to the iconic stadium with a memorable 4-0 win over Athletic Club in La Liga. Lewandowski scored the opening goal in the fourth minute before Torres doubled the team's lead at the stroke of half-time.

  Shortly after the break, Lopez added a third goal before Torres completed the demolition with a second strike in the 90th minute to seal important three points for the Blaugrana. 

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  'We're a slightly stronger team'

  Speaking to after the match, Lewandowski said: "We were returning to Camp Nou, and it was a special day for us. We're very happy to be able to play here. From the beginning, we played very well, scoring two goals in the first half and another two in the second. We added three more points, although the most important thing is that we're back here. Simply because it's a different experience when we play here."

  He added: "We were determined to attack from the start. So it felt special to score the first goal. I'm very proud. We have a very good team and now we have to look ahead. When we play at Camp Nou, we're a slightly stronger team."

• Williams faced hostility

  Nico Williams was strongly linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer transfer window until he decided against signing for the Catalan giants at the last moment and signed a new contract at Athletic Club. Thus, Barcelona fans were naturally angry at the Spain international winger as he faced hostility from the home crowd during the game.

  At full-time, Williams' team-mate Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta told reporters: "I was expecting this atmosphere, and I saw him calm. We’re gutted. We knew we had to do everything perfectly and that they had to have an off day. We have to pick ourselves up quickly because we have a game on Tuesday. Any mistake is punished against players of that calibre, even more so. Missing any game is a real bummer, and I’m gutted about it."

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  Why did Rashford miss Athletic Club clash?

  Rashford has reinvented himself under Flick at Barcelona after being frozen out at Manchester United under head coach Ruben Amorim. The England international move to the Catalan side in the summer transfer window on a one-year loan with an option to buy him permanently next season. Rashford has made a dream start to his journey with Barca and has also returned to the national team set-up.

  Unfortunately for Barcelona, he was ruled out of the clash at Camp Nou on Saturday after catching the flu. The official statement from the club read: "Marcus Rashford will miss today’s match against Athletic Club due to [the] flu."

  Flick will now hope that Rashford recovers quickly and is well enough for the trip to Chelsea on Tuesday in the Champions League and for their home La Liga encounter with Alaves next Saturday.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl lost for the second time in as many matches in charge of the club in the Europa League against Roma on Thursday night.

The Italian giants came to Ibrox and won 2-0 under the lights, thanks to two first-half strikes, to make it three defeats in five matches for the new Light Blues boss.

It is hard to blame the former Sheffield Wednesday tactician for that dismal start to his career at the club, though, as he has had a tough run of fixtures, including this clash with Roma and a League Cup semi-final against Celtic.

Rohl has inherited a team that struggled badly under former manager Russell Martin, who only won five matches in all competitions during his time in Glasgow.

However, the German boss does have a chance to make it three wins out of three in the Scottish Premiership when his side travel to play Dundee away from home on Sunday.

With that match in mind, the Ibrox head coach must ruthlessly ditch centre-forward Youssef Chermiti from the starting line-up after an underwhelming performance on Thursday night.

Why Youssef Chermiti should be dropped by Rangers

The £8m summer signing from Everton has now produced one goal and one assist in 12 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues in the 2025/26 campaign.

His goal, as shown in the clip above, was aided by some fairly questionable goalkeeping, and his assist was a simple pass to Danilo, who took a brilliant touch and scored from the edge of the box.

The Portugal U21 international has not provided enough quality in the final third to justify his price tag, yet, and his performance against Roma did little to convince supporters that he has been a good addition to the squad.

Roma had Artem Dovbyk leading the line for them at Ibrox and the gulf in class between the Ukraine international and Chermiti in their respective displays was staggering.

Whilst the Serie A marksman, who scored 17 goals for Roma last season (Sofascore), provided the perfect foil for his team to build attacks from, Rangers could not rely on Chermiti to bring others into play.

As you can see in the table above, Dovbyk was almost perfect in possession and created four chances for his team on the night, including one for the second goal, whilst the Gers striker did not create any chances for his side and was a bit loose with his passes.

The former Everton forward also struggled in the 3-1 loss to Celtic at Hampden Park on Sunday. Pundit Michael Stewart bemoaned his “poor” finishing after the attacker spurned two huge opportunities to find the back of the net in the first half.

Therefore, Rohl should drop him from the starting line-up to take on Dundee in the Premiership on Sunday and unleash Danilo, who has scored in each of his last two appearances in the Premiership under the German head coach.

Chermiti is not the only underperforming Rangers player who should lose his place in the starting XI for that trip to Dundee before the international break, though.

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

The former Bayern Munich and Southampton assistant manager should also ruthlessly ditch left-sided defender Jayden Meghoma from the side, after another disappointing showing.

Why Danny Rohl should drop Jayden Meghoma for Rangers

Rohl should drop the defender from the team after he decided to withdraw him from the game at half-time in order to change formation and move Max Aarons to left-back.

The Rangers head coach opted to move away from a 3-4-2-1 formation to chase the game with a 4-3-3, which meant that Aarons moved from right wing-back to left-back and James Tavernier moved from right centre-back to right-back.

Rohl deciding to move Aarons, who is a right-footed right-back, over to left-back instead of moving Meghoma back into a left-back position in a back four suggests that he was less-than-pleased with the Brentford loanee’s contributions in the first half.

As you can see in the table above, it is easy to understand why the manager may not have been too impressed by the wing-back’s first-half showing, as the 19-year-old flop failed to win a single duel.

Meghoma offered very little to the team in or out of possession in the opening 45 minutes, with no key passes, dribbles, tackles, interceptions, or duels won for the Scottish giants.

The Scotsman handed the youngster a player rating of 4/10 for his performance against Roma and wrote that he looked ‘out of his depth’ as an ‘untested’ youngster, which is hard to disagree with, given Rohl’s decision to withdraw him at half-time and his dismal statistics.

After the 3-1 loss to Celtic in the League Cup last weekend, Football FanCast suggested that the left-back may be on borrowed time in the starting XI because he was caught out defensively for the opening goal from Johnny Kenny, as shown in the clip below.

Meghoma was also caught out aerially from a set-piece in the 3-0 defeat to Brann in Rohl’s first match in charge, when he allowed Jacob Lungi Sorensen to get the run on him to score from a free-kick.

The teenage defender, who has won 25% of his aerial duels in the Premiership (Sofascore), has not proven that he can be a reliable option for the Light Blues at this moment in time, and the change at half-time on Thursday suggests that the manager trusts Aarons ahead of him in a back four.

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Dominic Lund

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Therefore, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Meghoma and Chermiti in order to unleash Aarons at left-back in a back four and Danilo up front against Dundee on Sunday.

“He wishes to utilise this period to build endurance, body resilience and work on his fitness,” BCCI secretary says

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Sep-20255:11

Aaron: If Iyer says he has back issue, you have to believe him

Shreyas Iyer has requested the BCCI for a six-month break from red-ball cricket due to concerns about his back, which the board has approved*. ESPNcricinfo learned that Iyer sent an email to the board to that effect and pulled out of the ongoing four-day match between India A and Australia A in Lucknow.Confirming the update on Thursday morning, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said in a press statement that Iyer “has informed the BCCI of his decision to take a six-month break from red-ball cricket”. “Having undergone back surgery in the UK and managed his recovery well, he has recently experienced recurring back spasms and stiffness while playing the longer format,” Saikia wrote. “He wishes to utilise this period to build endurance, body resilience and work on his fitness. In view of his decision, he was not considered for selection for the Irani Cup.”Iyer was the India A captain in the first four-day game against Australia A, but withdrew from the second. He was likely to have been picked in the Rest of India squad to play defending Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha in the Irani Cup, but will now miss that game.Before scoring 8 in his only innings against Australia A last week in Lucknow, Iyer had played the Duleep Trophy semi-final for West Zone against Central Zone in September at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence on the outskirts of Bengaluru. He made 25 and 12 in that outing, his first competitive match since the end of IPL 2025.Iyer had problems with his back in December 2022 and the injury flared up during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at home in March 2023, after which he had surgery in April and missed the IPL that year. He returned for the Asia Cup in September and was a key part of India’s unbeaten run to the 2023 ODI World Cup final in November.He continued to have issues with his back, though, and skipped some first-class matches for Mumbai, as a result of which he was omitted from the BCCI’s central contracts list in February 2024. Iyer was back on the list of contracted players the following year. More recently, in February-March this year, Iyer was India’s highest run-getter (243 in five innings) and the second-highest run-getter overall in the run to the Champions Trophy title, after which he led Punjab Kings to the final of IPL 2025.

Arsenal’s incredible unbeaten run that saw them keep eight clean sheets on the bounce had to come to an end at some point, but few would have predicted Sunderland would be the ones to end it.

However, that’s precisely what happened on Saturday afternoon, as the Black Cats scored two goals to hold the Gunners to a hard-fought draw.

However, there is no need to panic for Mikel Arteta and Co, as they remain four points clear of Manchester City atop the Premier League table, and still played some brilliant football in the second half.

Moreover, one of the Gunners’ stars who looked to be on the way out in the summer could now feasibly start for any team in the league, and his uptick in form has helped the club deal with a massive injury list.

How Arsenal have overcome their injury crisis so far

Now, most Arsenal fans and the players themselves would likely admit that the team simply weren’t good enough to seriously compete with Liverpool last season.

Chalkboard

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

However, what is equally true is that the team had very little chance of competing with the Reds, as, unlike their competition, they were drowning in injuries.

Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhães, and Ben White were just some of the vital first-team players to spend time on the sidelines last year, and with a much thinner squad, there was very little Arteta could do to mitigate the impact.

Therefore, it makes a lot more sense why the club took the approach they did in the summer, forgoing the mega-money signings to bring in a larger number of players to bulk out the squad.

The decision to do it this way has already paid off massively this season, as the club has already been as unlucky, if not more so, than last year when it comes to injuries, but has had the backups to deal with it.

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Chelsea

Eberechi Eze

Crystal Palace

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting

Piero Hincapie

Leverkusen

Noni Madueke

Chelsea

Cristhian Mosquera

Valencia

Christian Norgaard

Brentford

Martin Zubimendi

Sociedad

For example, Saka was covered by Noni Madueke and then vice versa; Eberechi Eze is covering for Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres came straight into the side for Havertz, and Cristhian Mosquera has already filled in for William Saliba and Gabriel.

The North Londoners’ improved squad depth has been the number one reason they’ve been able to survive and thrive during their current injury crisis.

However, the international break might have come at the right time, as with Gyokeres now out, the team were threadbare in attack against Sunderland, even if a player who looked destined to leave in the summer but is now playing out of his skin once again found himself on the scoresheet.

The Arsenal player who could get into any side in the Premier League

There are a few Arsenal players who could realistically get into any side in the league this year, from most of the defence to Saka, who scored a sensational goal on Saturday.

However, it’s no surprise that these stars are playing out of their skin, unlike Leandro Trossard.

Now, there is no denying that the Belgian is a hugely talented footballer, as in his first full season for the Gunners, he produced 20 goal involvements in 46 games.

However, what is equally true is that he took a significant step backwards last season, producing as many goal involvements, but in ten more appearances.

Moreover, he also appeared far less influential on a moment-to-moment basis during games, and so it wasn’t too much of a surprise to see him linked with an exit over the summer.

However, that exit never came, and he was instead handed a pay rise, which looked pointless at the time, but has since been more than justified.

For example, in just 14 appearances, totalling 832 minutes, the “little magician,” as dubbed by Arteta, has scored four goals and provided four assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.75 games, or every 104 minutes, which is the sort of output that could surely see him start for any team in the league at the moment.

Moreover, it’s not as if he’s scoring meaningless goals either, as his strike against Sunderland put the Gunners ahead and ensured they left with at least a point.

Likewise, he scored the only goal in the win over Fulham and got the assist for the second in the win over Burnley.

Finally, his brilliant form has not been limited to these shores either, as he scored and assisted in the 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao to ensure the North Londoners got their Champions League campaign off to a flier.

Ultimately, while he underwhelmed last season, Arsenal fans should be delighted that Trossard was never sold in the summer.

Arsenal leading race to sign "explosive" gem ahead of interest from Barcelona

He’s a man in demand.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 10, 2025

Nurul, Mahedi and Taskin replaced Tanzid, Saifuddin and Nasim for Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2025Toss Bangladesh’s stand-in captain Jaker Ali won the toss and elected to bowl against Pakistan in what is a virtual semi-final in the Asia Cup. The winner of this game will face India in the final on Sunday.Bangladesh’s regular captain Litton Das missed a second game in two days with a side strain. Jaker took over the captaincy once again and will stay as the wicketkeeper.Bangladesh also made three changes. Nurul Hasan, allrounder Mahedi Hasan and fast bowler Taskin Ahmed replaced Tanzid Hasan, seamer Mohammad Saifuddin and left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed.As for Pakistan, they were unchanged from their win against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi earlier this week. Jaker’s decision at the toss went down well with his counterpart Salman Agha, who said Pakistan wanted to bat first. The slower bowlers could thrive on what looked like a dry Dubai surface.Bangladesh: 1 Saif Hassan, 2 Parvez Hossain Emon, 3 Towhid Hridoy, 4 Shamim Hossain, 5 Jaker Ali (capt), 6 Nurul Hasan, 7 Mahedi Hasan, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Tanzim Hasan Sakib, 11 Mustafizur Rahman.Pakistan: 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Saim Ayub, 4 Salman Agha (capt), 5 Hussain Talat, 6 Mohammad Haris (wk), 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Shaheen Afridi, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Abrar Ahmed.

Veteran Thomas Muller, who joined Major League Soccer outfit Vancouver Whitecaps just months ago, has given a clear indication of where his future lies, with his contract expiring at the end of this year. The legendary former Bayern Munich attacking midfielder has made a great start to life in North America and is determined to bring unprecedented success at the BC Place.

Muller enjoying sensational start to life with Vancouver Whitecaps

After his contract with Bayern Munich expired following their quarter-final exit at the Club World Cup, Muller decided to join Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit Vancouver Whitecaps on a deal until December 31, 2025. The contract includes an option to extend for the entirety of 2026.

Less than two months after arriving from Bavaria, Muller landed his hands on the Canadian Championship, with the Whitecaps beating local rivals Vancouver FC 4-2 in the final. In the process, he became the most decorated German footballer of all-time with 35 trophies to his name, overtaking former Bayern team-mate and Real Madrid icon Toni Kroos.

Muller has been in pristine form as far as his individual performances are concerned; in 10 games, the 2014 World Cup winner has scored nine goals and delivered four assists.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMuller set to extend Vancouver Whitecaps stay

"Yes – full attack", the German enthusiastically replied when asked him if he'd be staying in Vancouver beyond 2025.

The Whitecaps will be facing rivals Los Angeles FC in the MLS Cup Playoffs, Eastern Conference semi-finals this weekend. "In the current context, it would mean a great deal; it's my here and now," Muller conceded when asked about the importance of winning more titles. "Above all, I've moved to a new league and a new country and would then have experienced an extraordinary team performance within a short period of time.

"Consequently, I can say that I am very happy here and am having a lot of fun. But it is of course much more relaxed than in Munich or the rest of Germany."

He also noted that he didn't join the Whitecaps for "vacation", asserting that he is not taking his stint in the MLS for granted. "It was very easy to jump in, they put me in good positions,” he said. “They won a penalty for me in every game. For sure you have to be ready for the competition but I was not coming here for vacation, I wanted to do a serious job and that was always my goal when I came here that I wanted to perform.

“But you never know in a different country, a new league and a new team how long this process will last till you’re a real part of the team. In the end I’ve always been able to adapt to a situation really quickly, I've adjusted my playing style in tiny ways so often. It’s nothing special.”

Bayern president wants Muller to return in operation role

Earlier this month, Bayern president Herbert Hainer confirmed that he held talks with Muller regarding a potential operational role at the club in the future after his exit was finalised. "After his departure was confirmed, Thomas Muller came to my office. I advised him in a personal conversation that if he later wanted a job in sports, he should move to MLS," he told

"He can work operationally for us. He can become a brand ambassador. He could even succeed me one day. It is the wish of the fans and the club that former players take on a leadership role at Bayern Munich."

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Getty Images SportMuller confident of beating LAFC in MLS Conference Semi-Finals

This Sunday, Vancouver Whitecaps will lock horns against Son Heung-min's LAFC in the Conference semi-finals. However, Muller was quick to remind fans that Son has never been able to get the better of him.

"The problem is Sonny was a very good player in Hamburg and Leverkusen, but the teams weren't on the same level," he jokingly explained. "It’s maybe not really fair to judge or compare the situation now. We’re in two very good teams and he’s a big player there and I’m a big player there so it’s a little bit different.

“When he was in Hamburg, whenever we came with Bayern at that time we crushed them every time, I think we had 8-2s or 9-1s, but he was still a very good, talented young player at this time, so it’s not the right discussion to look too far back.

“If you go into the details for sure we know how good this team can be. But if you look back at the last few weeks they’re very reliant on [Denis] Bouanga and Son so if they’re not scoring they don’t score. It’s very tough to keep these two quiet, but if we get it done we have a good chance. For me, it's just my first conference semi-final. We’re gonna beat them – that's what I think about this game."

Everton have found goals hard to come by from their strikers under David Moyes this season, and they could now be set to target a clinical forward in January.

After a run of frustrating results, the Toffees knew that their clash against Fulham came with added pressure to claim three points in front of an expectant home crowd at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The Cottagers had their fair share of chances, though Everton prevailed comfortably against Marco Silva’s men courtesy of goals from Idrissa Gana Gueye and Michael Keane.

Speaking post-match, Moyes made it clear that his side are keen to become more clinical to improve their Premier League position as they seek to add high-calibre stars similar to Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as part of their long-term strategy.

“We don’t want to lose what we’ve had – desire, heart, commitment – but I think we had to try to find a way of getting a little bit better at certain things, and I think we have to build. Look, I trust the owners will help us in all the windows as we go forward and we’ll try to make things better as we go along.

“We need to get people believing in Everton like we do, like the supporters here do, and what we want us to be in the future. To do that we need to keep picking up the wins and attracting top players like Kiernan and Jack Grealish and players of that ilk. We need to keep attracting that level of players to come to the club.”

Still, their profligacy in the final third is a concern. Beto has netted just twice this campaign, while £27 million summer signing Thierno Barry has yet to score since arriving on Merseyside.

There is a feeling that Everton could be further up the table than their current mid-table predicament with a little more luck in front of goal, and they may now have identified a potent answer to their scoring problem.

Everton eyeing move for FC Midtjylland striker Franculino Dju

According to Football Insider, Everton are keen on FC Midtjylland striker Franculino Dju after his haul of 18 goals this term for the impressive Danish outfit.

Adding further context, Toffees officials were present to watch the Guinea-Bissau international against Celtic last week, where he expertly beat Kasper Schmeichel with a curled strike to seal a 3-1 victory for the hosts in the Europa League league phase, where they sit at the summit.

Everton’s strikers in comparison with Franculino

Beto

2 goals in 13 appearances

Thierno Barry

No goals in 13 appearances

Franculino

18 goals in 25 appearances

Clearly, there is a vast difference between Franculino and both of Everton’s current forwards when it comes to the sole measure of goals. Iliman Ndiaye leads the way for the Toffees with four strikes this season, though the fact that Michael Keane is their joint-second top scorer tells a story in itself.

Intriguingly, Moyes is reportedly keen to offload Beto in January and Barry may not be far behind him if his poor form continues, creating room for new reinforcements in mid-season.

Everton have also entered the race for a renowned European forward

Undoubtedly, the Toffees’ boss has made comments on Everton’s ambition at a telling time, and Franculino could well be an excellent solution amid his return of 51 goals in 98 appearances for his current employers.

With Amazon Warriors needing 11 from the last over, Naseem Shah held his nerve to concede just five

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Sep-2025In what was a must-win game for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Mohammad Rizwan and the bowlers helped them get the better of Guyana Amazon Warriors by five runs in a last-over finish in Providence.Chasing a mere 150, Amazon Warriors needed 11 from six balls with three wickets in hand. Naseem Shah held his nerve and had Keemo Paul caught at long-on with the first ball. For the rest of the over, he mixed slower balls into the pitch with yorkers to give away just five. While the result ended Patriots’ three-match losing streak, their playoff chances still look bleak. They need nothing less than a win in their last league match, against Barbados Royals on Friday, but also other results to go their way.Earlier, Patriots did not have a great start and were 26 for 3 inside five overs with Andre Fletcher, Kyle Mayers and Leniko Boucher all falling in single digits. But Rizwan’s 85 off 62 balls steered them to 149 for 6.Rizwan stabilised the innings with Rilee Rossouw and took the side to 64 for 4 at the end of ten overs. He was on 36 off 30 at that point but scored 49 off the next 32. In all, he hit eight fours and three sixes and was responsible for Patriots scoring 45 in the last four overs.Patriots’ Pakistani stars Mohammad Rizwan and Naseem Shah celebrate the big wicket of Shimron Hetmyer•CPL T20 via Getty ImagesAmazon Warriors had a much better start, reaching 41 for 1 after the powerplay. But they could not build on that, losing two wickets in the next four overs to be 67 for 3 at the halfway mark. Patriots pegged them back further by dismissing Hassan Khan and Shai Hope in successive overs. Dominic Drakes had Hassan caught and bowled and Navin Bidaisee castled Hope with a slider that kept low.After 15 overs, both sides were 100 for 5. But while Patriots had a set better in Rizwan, Amazon Warriors did not. With 50 needed from the last five overs, Dwaine Pretorius tried to take on Waqar Salamkheil but perished attempting a slog sweep. On the very next ball, Salamkheil could have had Romario Shepherd caught behind but Rizwan was not sure if there was bat involved. Replay showed a clear outside edge.Shepherd rubbed it in by pulling the last ball of the over for a six. Paul did the same against Naseem in the following over but could manage only a leg bye from the other five deliveries.With 21 needed from ten balls, Jason Holder had Shepherd caught at long-on with a short ball. Quenton Sampson hit two fours off the next three balls to bring it down to 11 needed from the final over. But Naseem denied them.

As has been widely reported, Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy is now the overwhelming favourite to become the new Celtic manager.

The Frenchman has held talks with the Celtic board over the weekend, as the Scottish champions continue to search for a replacement for Brendan Rodgers, who surprisingly resigned last month.

Nancy has won MLS Cup and Leagues Cup in charge of the Crew, also leading the Black and Gold to a first-ever CONCACAF Champions Cup Final, and could be appointed Celtic manager sooner rather than later, after Columbus’ season came to an end in the first round of the MLS play-offs, ousted by cross-state rivals FC Cincinnati.

Across all 136 matches in charge of Columbus, as well as 79 as CF Montréal head coach beforehand, Nancy has always deployed a back three, usually a 3-4-2-1 shape, so it’ll be interesting to see if he sticks with that, in a Rúben Amorim-esque fashion, or is more adaptable, given the depleted squad at his disposal.

Currently seven points adrift Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts, irrespective of who the new manager is, expect Celtic to be busy in the January transfer window, so here is the dream XI they could build should Nancy take over.

1 GK – Kasper Schmeichel

Despite the fact he’s now 39 years old, Kasper Schmeichel remains a consistent performer in the Celtic goal.

To date, the Danish veteran has kept 33 clean sheets in 67 appearances for the Celts, conceding only 63 goals, seven of these shutouts coming in 11 Premiership outings so far this year.

On top of this, according to Squawka, he boasts a save percentage of 75.35% in the Premiership across this season and last, which does drop slightly to 69.57% when looking at the Europa League, albeit only Jari De Busser of Go Ahead Eagles and Ștefan Târnovanu of Steaua București have made more than his 16 saves in this season’s league phase.

Thus, with Schmeichel’s contract expiring next summer, following the World Cup, who knows what his future holds but, for now, Nancy can rely on the Great Dane.

2 RB – Alistair Johnston

Right now, Alistair Johnston is one of numerous key Celtic players sidelined due to injury, seeing just 26 minutes of action since suffering a serious hamstring tear against Kairat in mid-August, but, once fit again, will be a key figure in Nancy’s side, as he was in Québec three years ago.

3 CB – Cameron Carter-Vickers

Another major absentee right now is Cameron Carter-Vickers.

In the same match Johnston reaggravated his hamstring issue, the 2-1 Europa League victory over Sturm Graz, Carter-Vickers suffered a ruptured achilles tendon which will see him sidelined for around six months, all but ending his hopes of representing the United States on home soil next summer.

Since arriving under Ange Postecoglou in the summer of 2021, Carter-Vickers has been one of the first names on the team sheet at Parkhead, racking up 172 appearances in hoops, in the opinion of many, Celtic’s best centre-back since Virgil van Dijk, so Nancy will surely make him a central pillar, even if he’ll have to wait to do so.

4 CB – Axel Disasi: new signing

In the absence of Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, Auston Trusty and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey​​​​​​​ are Celtic’s current central defensive options, hence why they’re expected to target a reinforcement or two in January.

Well, according to reports, Celtic have been offered the chance to sign a trio of Chelsea exiles this winter, namely Raheem Sterling, Deivid Washington and, the one likely to be of the most interest, Alex Disasi.

The France international signed for the Blues for £38.5m from Monaco in the summer of 2023, putting pen to paper on a six-year contract, but has been completely frozen out by Enzo Maresca.

After spending the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, Disasi did not find a new club before the summer transfer window slammed shut, thereby in the proverbial wilderness at Cobham, so could be available on loan in January, and the arrival of his compatriot Nancy could tempt him north of the border.

5 LB – Kieran Tierney

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Back at the very start of the summer transfer window, when Celtic supporters were optimistic and loving life, Kieran Tierney’s return was celebrated like a title triumph.

Since rejoining, the left-back’s minutes have been carefully managed, albeit a long-term injury suffered by deputy Marcelo Saracchi means that won’t be quite so straightforward.

Nevertheless, regardless of whether Nancy wants to play a back three or a four, he’ll surely relish working with Tierney.

6 CDM – Callum McGregor

Celtic managers come and go but no matter who is in charge, Callum McGregor is an omnipresent figure.

The 32-year-old has now made 538 appearances in hoops, winning 24 major honours, looking to add to his haul in December when he will lead the side out in the League Cup Final against St Mirren, having scored this thunderbolt against Rangers in the semis.

McGregor’s in-possession quality, off-the-ball work-rate and leadership skills will be invaluable for any incoming manager, so his name will continue to be written in permanent marker on the team sheet.

7 CAM – Benjamin Nygren

While many of Celtic’s summer signings have been underwhelming, Benjamin Nygren has been very impressive.

Many believed the Swede had been signed to replace Nicolas Kühn on the right-wing, but instead he has established himself as a first-choice member of the midfield trio, scoring six times already, including this winner against Sturm Graz, securing the Celts’ sole Europa League victory to date.

The 24-year-old then increased his stock further this weekend, bagging his third goal for Sweden as they were beaten by Switzerland at Stade de Genève. Thus, Nancy, or any other manager, will surely be impressed by what he’s seen.

8 CAM – Reo Hatate

There are plenty of candidates to complete Celtic’s midfield trio, with Arne Engels, Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan among those vying for this spot, but Reo Hatate is still the Celts’ best option.

Since arriving in January 2022, the Japanese midfield maestro has scored 29 goals and registered 29 assists for the club, including this thunderous strike at Pittodrie in August.

Hatate’s form has been a bit up and down in recent times, but his quality remains undeniable, so he’ll be hoping to get back to his best under Nancy.

9 RW – Jota

​​​​​​​ We’ve already mentioned Carter-Vickers and Johnston, but the other Celtic star on the sidelines long-term is Jota.

Similar to Tierney, Jota returned to Celtic to a huge amount of fanfare in January, but suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury at Tannadice in April, so is expected to return around Christmas time, which will be a timely mid-season boost.

The Portuguese winger remains the Celts’ joint-record sale, moving to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia for £25m two years ago, but back in Glasgow, he will look to further enhance his reputation among the fan base.

10 LW – Diego Rossi: new signing

According to a report by Give Me Sport, Daizen Maeda will push to leave Celtic in January, having been denied the opportunity to depart during the summer, looking to cement his spot in Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan squad ahead of the World Cup; numerous Premier League clubs are reportedly interested.

Maeda would leave a huge void, but could Nancy replace him with a player he knows rather well?

Having starred at LAFC before an unsuccessful stint at Fenerbahçe, Nancy brought forward Diego Rossi to Columbus Crew, worth every penny of the $6.63m transfer fee paid, considering the Uruguayan international scored 45 goals in 101 games for the Black and Gold, including 16 in MLS last season.

Now, according to the Daily Record, he is top of Nancy’s shopping list, should he move to Glasgow.

A diminutive, versatile forward, Rossi has a similar profile to Maeda and has just a year to go on his contract in Columbus, so everything suggests he would be a shrewd addition. That said, they may have to pay a pretty penny considering he is worth £7.5m, as per Transfermarkt.