Russell Martin is the man charged with bringing the glory days back to Glasgow Rangers. He was announced as the club’s 20th permanent manager in midweek, and thoughts now turn to the transfer window.
The 49ers will likely give the new manager some funds to strengthen his squad, especially given how important next season is for the Ibrox side.
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1 ByBen Gray Jun 5, 2025
Reclaiming the Premiership title will be his priority. To build a squad capable of challenging Celtic, he might need to cash in on a prized asset or two.
Why Rangers could sell Mohamed Diomande
Both Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande have been linked with moves away from Glasgow this summer.
The latter has been subject to interest from Everton recently, although Martin may well reject an offer should it arrive for the Ivorian.
However, should the Toffees make a bid too good to turn down, Martin simply must cash in.
Metric
Premiership
Europa League
Goals
4
1
Assists
7
2
Key passes per game
1.2
0.9
Total duels won per game
4.3
5.3
Tackles per game
1.2
1.9
Far too often in the past have the club rejected bids, only to see star players walk away for a pittance. Or even worse, for free, in the case of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos, for instance.
Diomande recorded 15 goal contributions last season – six goals and nine assists – while showcasing his versatility across numerous positions.
Mohamed Diomande
Given that the club may have to rely on Europa League football next season, selling players when the iron is hot might be the best way to bolster the finances.
If so, Martin may look to seal a deal to bring in an ideal replacement for Diomande this summer…
Rangers could land the perfect Diomande replacement
Last month, the Light Blues were linked with a move to sign Brazilian starlet Metinho from Ligue 1 side Troyes.
The Daily Record has since claimed earlier this week that it will take an offer of around £5m to secure his signature this summer. It remains to be seen how much Martin will have to spend, but selling a player for a high fee could help his cause.
He will be out of contract next summer, hence Troyes’ decision to move him on this summer if the fee is right. Martin could be signing an ideal replacement for Diomande should he land the player, that’s for sure.
Metinho spent the second half of last season out on loan at FC Basel, helping them win the Swiss league title in the process.
Although not as effective in the final third as Diomande, Metinho shone defensively, averaging 2.6 tackles, one interception and recovered 4.4 balls per game for the club.
Having started his career at Fluminense, Metinho was hailed as one of “Brazil’s best” by SelecaoTalk in 2021.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
While his career might not have lived up to this lofty praise as yet, there are still signs as to why he could be an “excellent” signing for Rangers – as noted by writer Kai Watson.
Still only 22, Metinho has plenty of time on his side to fulfil his potential. If he does this at Rangers, there is no doubt the midfielder could land the club a solid profit in a few years.
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Football works in mysterious ways, and with the majority of players having numerous clubs during their careers, there’s a good chance some will come back to haunt their former sides.
From scoring important goals or regularly being a thorn in their ex-club’s side over the years, we’ve seen it on multiple occasions on the biggest stages.
Anthony Elanga recently came back to bite Manchester United, who will surely be regretting selling the winger in the summer of 2023, particularly with Nottingham Forest now miles ahead of their midweek opponents, who were beaten by the Swede’s special winner at the City Ground.
Here, we’ve taken a look at 11 stars who have haunted their former clubs.
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ByStephan Georgiou Mar 31, 2025 1 Anthony Elanga Nottingham Forest v Man Utd
Anthony Elanga has been something of a revelation since his move to Nottingham Forest, with the Reds benefiting from the Swede being unable to find a home during his stay at Manchester United.
The winger has often been in electrifying form, but showcased his talents to his former employers with a superb solo run before scoring an eventual winner in their recent Premier League clash.
With Forest set to finish in the European places, the move has certainly worked out for the 22-year-old.
2 Robin van Persie Man Utd v Arsenal
Robin van Persie receives guard of honour from Arsenal for Manchester United.
Robin van Persie made what was a controversial move at the time from Arsenal to Man Utd in 2012.
The Dutch striker was the Gunners captain and star striker at the time, so to swap the Emirates for Old Trafford was a high-profile deal and all eyes were on the first meeting between the two sides months later.
Just three minutes into his first appearance against Arsenal, Van Persie scored for the Red Devils in a 2-1 win and netted again at the Emirates that season, helping Man Utd to another – and his first – Premier League title.
His and United’s fortunes dwindled after that, but he scored in their next meeting in late 2013, this time celebrating fully.
3 Robert Lewandowski Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund
Polish striker Robert Lewandowski is one of the greatest goalscorers of the modern era, netting 103 times for Borussia Dortmund before leaving the club for rivals Bayern Munich in 2014.
Lewandowski would go on to spend eight years as a Bayern player, netting a remarkable 344 times in 375 games and winning 19 major honours.
He would regularly come up against Dortmund in the Bundesliga and in various cup competitions, and scored 27 times in 26 games against BVB for Bayern – more than any other club in his career.
Wins
19
Goals
27
Assists
3
Hat-tricks
2
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ByRoss Kilvington Feb 3, 2025 4 Emmanuel Adebayor Man City v Arsenal
One of the most memorable instances of a player haunting their former club came back in 2009, when Emmanuel Adebayor decided to run the length of the Etihad pitch to celebrate a goal for Manchester City in front of the Arsenal fans.
The striker swapped the red of north London for the sky blue of Manchester that summer and was suspended for two games and fined £25,000 by the FA for his celebration.
At the time, Adebayor’s reasoning for the celebration was: “I was being abused by people who six months ago were singing my name. The abuse was for no reason. It wasn’t my fault I left, it was Arsene [Wenger] who wanted to accept the offer for me.”
5 Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid v Man Utd
Cristiano Ronaldo’s move from Man Utd to Real Madrid in 2009 remains one of the biggest in history, so it was always going to be huge when the Portuguese superstar came up against the Red Devils for the first time.
It took four years for Madrid and United to cross paths in the Champions League, being drawn against each other in the last 16 in 2012/13.
Ronaldo scored the equaliser in a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu in the first leg and then netted what proved to be the winner at Old Trafford.
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ByRobin Mumford May 14, 2025 6 Mohamed Salah Liverpool v Chelsea
Liverpool's MohamedSalahreacts
Many didn’t think much of Chelsea’s decision to sell Mohamed Salah on a permanent deal to Roma in 2016 after the winger scored just twice for the Blues in 19 appearances.
However, following his return to England with Liverpool a year later, Salah has gone on to star in the Premier League for the Reds, scoring more than 200 goals and registering over 100 assists on Merseyside.
Salah has faced off against Chelsea on a regular basis over the last eight years, helping beat the Blues in the final of the FA Cup, EFL Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
The Egyptian has also scored five times and registered four assists against Chelsea for Liverpool, including a stunner back in 2019.
7 Kevin De Bruyne Man City v Chelsea
Another player who Chelsea let go too soon was Kevin De Bruyne, who has starred for Man City years over the last 10 years.
De Bruyne made just nine appearances for the Blues before they and Jose Mourinho decided to sell the Belgian to Wolfsburg in 2014. After starring in Germany, the attacking midfielder returned to England 18 months later and has gone on to win everything at the Etihad.
He scored a crucial winner for City at Stamford Bridge in 2017, helping Pep Guardiola’s side reach 100 points that season, while he netted four times in five appearances against the Blues between 2019 and 2022.
8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic Milan v Inter
Iconic forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic played for multiple European giants during his career, including both Milan and Inter.
The Swedish striker had three successful years with Inter between 2006 and 2009, and after a two-year stint in Spain with Barcelona, he returned to the San Siro, with the Rossoneri.
In his first Milan derby, Ibrahimovic earned and converted a penalty for Milan, an effort which proved to be the winner and helped his side to a Serie A title. He’d go on to score seven more times for Milan against Inter.
9 Ronaldo Real Madrid v Barcelona
Brazilian striker Ronaldo is well known for his time scoring for fun at the Bernabeu for Real Madrid between 2002 and 2007, but he also played for rivals Barcelona prior to his time as a Galactico.
Ronaldo scored 47 goals in 49 games in all competitions for Barcelona in 1996/97, winning the FIFA World Player of the Year award at the age of 20.
The forward moved to Inter in a world-record transfer but returned to Spain with Madrid, where he would come back to haunt Barcelona on numerous occasions.
In total, Ronaldo scored in four separate El Clasico matches, two of which came at Camp Nou, and every time he scored against Barcelona, Madrid never lost.
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1 ByBarney Lane May 10, 2025 10 Frank Lampard Man City v Chelsea
It’s easy to forget that Frank Lampard spent his final year in the Premier League as a Manchester City player.
The Chelsea legend left Stamford Bridge in 2014, and after penning a pre-contract with New York City, he joined Manchester City for the 2014/15 season, where he would come up against Chelsea.
It was written in the stars for the attacking midfielder to make an impact against the Blues. Lampard scored his first City goal late on against Chelsea in September 2014 to end his former side’s winning start to the season.
Dawson, Wheal, Crane and Ellis all ply their usual trade at Hampshire and it’s Brave’s loss
Cameron Ponsonby12-Aug-2022Home, famously, is where your heart is. A quirk of the modern cricketer, adorned in various shades of neon as they trot across the globe, is that they live out of a suitcase whilst pledging their heart and soul to a different franchise six weeks at a time.And tonight, Matthew, I’m going to be a Chattogram Challenger.A lifelong adventure of international flings that rarely, if ever, collide with your one true love at home. But sweat away, sailor you don’t mind.However, in today’s fixture between Southern Brave and London Spirit, four of the visiting Spirit side and 80% of the bowling attack in Liam Dawson, Brad Wheal, Mason Crane and Nathan Ellis ply their trade at Hampshire, with a fifth, Glenn Maxwell, also previously of this parish.The result was a cricketing episode of Whose Home Is It Anyway? A comedy improv show where the away team’s five ‘home’ players outnumber the home team’s three (James Vince, James Fuller and Ross Whiteley) and they trade gags as Jake Lintott and Crane bowl googlies to their heart’s content in the background.”We had the Blast here”, said Hampshire’s T20 final match-winner Ellis to Sky Sports ahead of the game, “so I was expecting some noise when my name came up on the screen. There was nothing.”When I played for Hampshire I got a room with a balcony [in the adjoining Hilton]. Now I’m here as a visitor, I’m facing the other way with no balcony.”Nathan Ellis. A stranger in his own kingdom.Mason Crane celebrates taking the wicket of Alex Davies•ECB/Getty ImagesIn the first innings, London Spirit reached an ultimately match-winning total of 147 thanks to Daniel Bell-Drummond who, in his first appearance of the competition, top scored with 46 off 33 balls.But the plot thickened when Spirit’s ‘away’ bowling attack took on Brave’s home batting line-up. Between Dawson, Ellis, Wheal and Crane, London Spirit’s attack had taken 69 Blast wickets this year for Hampshire. And of Brave’s top seven, Vince, Whiteley and Fuller had combined for over 1000 runs.”It’s pretty much the Hampshire winning attack with Chris Wood on the bench”, Bell-Drummond said after the game. “So they obviously know the ground really well and know Vince and Fuller extremely well. So that was very helpful for us.”Ahead of the opening game of the season, Southern Brave had asked to reduce the boundaries to 70m all around only to be denied due to competition regulations. It is unclear whether the change was requested for reasons of business or pleasure, but crucially, it would have made it different.The result of the move not being allowed, however, is that the dimensions of the ground remained the same as those in the Blast. A fact all the more important due to Hampshire’s longstanding success at the Ageas existing on a diet of pace-off bowling being combined with boundaries that are large enough to be considered intercontinental borders.As the chase began, so too did the all Hampshire affair as Vince faced up to the offspin of Maxwell. However, in a moment very much not in the script, Vince was bowled. A big wicket has never been met with such silence, as a stunned stadium looked on in disbelief. Most of all Vince, who stood his ground and waited for the replay in disbelief that a ball would have the audacity to go anywhere near his stumps on his own ground of all places.It wasn’t until Jordan Thompson came on as second change that Spirit abandoned their Hampshire connection. Dawson bowled his 20 deliveries in two sets of 10, conceding just 21 runs in the process, before Crane too bowled a set of 10. In total, all of Crane and Dawson’s deliveries were sent down from the Pavilion end as London Spirit’s Hampshire played Southern Brave at their own game.”Hampshire play on used wickets here”, said Spirit captain Eoin Morgan to Sky at the close, “they’ve pushed the boundaries out with Mason, Dawson, [Danny] Briggs over the years and taken pace off the ball and used variations.”Whether they’ve set targets or chased them down, they’ve been really busy, they’ve not gone gung-ho with the bat, looking for boundaries, they’ve built momentum with ones and twos and applied pressure in a different way.”It was fitting then, that it was only to Ross Whiteley that Spirit’s plan almost came crumbling down. Whiteley, newly signed to Hampshire this year after playing for Brave last season, struck 52 off 33 balls to get Brave within striking distance before ultimately falling nine runs short.”It’s always fun playing against your mates,” Whiteley said after the game, “and knowing how successful they’ve been it’s always going to be tricky.”They’re great bowlers and they know how to bowl on that surface. They’ve shown it, winning a trophy this year, and they’ve done it again tonight.”In the end, home advantage won out. Just not in the way we’re used to.
Before 2001, Australia had a 28-11 lead, but since then India have won 17 and lost only 15 Tests against Australia
S Rajesh25-Dec-2020The Australia-India Test matches have been among the most intense match-ups in the last few years, and on Boxing Day, the rivalry will achieve a significant milestone: it will be the 100th Test between the two teams, and the 50th in Australia.This will be the seventh rivalry to hit the century mark; Australia and England have obviously played each other the most often – in fact, they have played more than twice as many matches as any other pair of teams. Australia have also played 100-plus Tests against West Indies, while for India it is their second entry into this club: they have also played 100-plus Tests against England.ESPNcricinfo LtdAustralia have a significant overall advantage, 43 wins to 28 defeats. Among the three teams against whom they have played 100-plus Tests, their win-loss ratio against India (1.54) sits in the middle – it is better than their ratio of 1.33 against England, but not quite as good as their record of 1.81 against West Indies. Among these seven rivalries with 100-plus Tests, the most lopsided is the one between England and New Zealand – England have won 48 out of 105, and lost only 11.As you would expect, both Australia and India have been dominant at home, but Australia have been exceptionally strong on home turf against India, winning 30 Tests and losing just seven. India have won 21 and lost 13 at home.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe Australia-India Test journey started 73 years ago, on November 28, 1947, when Brisbane hosted the first game of a five-Test series. Australia trounced the visitors by an innings and 226 – India’s match tally of 156 over two innings fell 29 short of Don Bradman’s 185 – but India improved as the series went along, though they lost 4-0. Vijay Hazare and Vinoo Mankad struck a couple of hundreds each, while Dattu Phadkar struck one and averaged 52.33. India’s first win came in 1959 in Kanpur, in the tenth Test between the two teams. That was thanks largely to Jasu Patel’s incredible match haul of 14 for 124.ESPNcricinfo LtdAustralia were utterly dominant in the first 20 Tests, winning 13 and losing just two. Since then, Australia have only stretched that advantage of 11 to 15. In fact, since 2001, India have had the edge, with a 17-15 record. Both have been equally dominant at home over the last 20 years: Australia have an 11-4 record in 21 Tests in Australia, while India have won 13 and lost four in 21.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Two years after pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series, pitcher Merrill Kelly is reportedly headed to the team that beat him there.
Kelly is being traded to the Texas Rangers, according to a Thursday afternoon report from ESPN's Jeff Passan.
The 36-year-old Houston native has spent his entire seven-year career with the Diamondbacks, who signed him out of the KBO League before the 2019 season. Evolving into a solid starter after leading the National League in losses his rookie year, Kelly won 62 games over seven seasons with Arizona.
This season, he's 9–6 with a 3.22 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 128 2/3 innings.
Kelly appears set to join a Texas Rangers team just barely hanging on to a tie with the Seattle Mariners for the American League's final wild-card spot. The Rangers are 57–52, and have recovered somewhat from a 78–84 dud after their 2023 World Series title.
The pitcher started Game 2 of that series, and beat Texas 9–1—striking out nine over seven innings.
This has not been a good week for Chelsea Football Club.
Down to ten men against league leaders Arsenal, they did at least salvage some pride from that game. To hold one of the best sides in Europe, if not the best side in Europe this season to a 1-1 draw with fewer players is certainly reason to celebrate.
However, a week on from defeating Barcelona in the Champions League, this midweek was a great deal more frustrating for Enzo Maresca and Co.
A game against Leeds United should have been easy, right? Think again. The Blues lost 3-1 and slipped further behind the Gunners in the race for the title. That dream looks over for another year, but according to Maresca, there is one big reason to remain positive.
Maresca shares good news for Chelsea
Maresca has admitted that Cole Palmer’s return to action at Elland Road was the only positive.
The attacking midfielder has been absent for a large portion of the season but has been back among the matchday squad across the last two games.
Palmer came off the bench in the 61st minute for his first outing since late September after toes and groin problems and understandably, that was the only consolation Chelsea’s Italian gaffer could extract from such a horror night on the road.
Maresca said: “Probably it’s the only good news of the night. I’m happy for him, he’s back, now he needs to build a little bit the physical condition and he will be important for us, for sure.
“He’s getting better, but he needs to play minutes. He had more-or-less half-an-hour, hopefully we can give him more in the next game.”
Palmer has been a breathtaking signing at Stamford Bridge, notably bagging 18 goals and registering 14 assists in all competitions for his club last season.
Well, Maresca will certainly need his talisman to rediscover that form after dropping points in consecutive fixtures.
Speaking about the result, the former Leicester City manager stated: “When you play the last two games against Barcelona and Arsenal, you expect a better performance, no doubt.
“But, for many reasons, it’s not going to be possible for every game again, because we change players, because we have players that we said many times it’s not possible to play every two, three days. When you change players, also the level drops, that is the reality, because they are important players for us. Moises, Reece (James), with these kind of players, we cannot use them every game. It’s impossible, because otherwise they can get injury again and be out for months.”
Chelsea are now fourth in the table after Aston Villa defeated Brighton in midweek. While the Blues looked in something of a title race last week, they are now nine points off top spot.
For the World Champions, you would expect that their hopes now rest on the cup competitions for the rest of the ongoing season.
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Chelsea’s title hopes seemingly went up in smoke away at Leeds United.
Despite the £200m spending spree in the summer transfer window, Manchester United have failed to address the need for a new central midfielder in Ruben Amorim’s side.
His 3-4-2-1 system requires two dominant ball-playing options, with Bruno Fernandes currently occupying one of the two positions at the heart of the side.
The Portuguese international is primarily a number ten, but the arrivals of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have seen him drop into a slightly deeper number eight role.
Casemiro has often been the man to partner him in the middle of the park, but with his contract expiring at the end of 2025/26, it’s evident that a long-term solution is needed.
As a result, the Red Devils have since been drawing up a shortlist of potential options, with the January transfer window now rapidly appearing on the horizon.
Man Utd’s hunt for a new central midfielder in January
In an attempt to improve the options in the midfield department, the United board have identified Stuttgart star Angelo Stiller as a potential addition this January.
The German has developed into one of Europe’s leading performers, but he could be available for a fee in the region of £53m – a potential bargain given his recent rise in the Bundesliga.
However, he’s also seemingly on the radar of European giants Bayern Munich, which could lead to a huge battle for the 24-year-old’s signature in the months ahead.
He’s not alone in being a potential target for Amorim’s men, with Joao Gomes another talent that’s currently being considered for the central midfield role.
According to one Brazilian outlet, the Red Devils are advancing in talks for the 24-year-old, with a £44m transfer fee being mooted for his services this winter.
The report notes that a deal is ‘widely expected’ to be completed and that the player is ‘close’ to transfer clubs over the winter.
It also states that the Wolves star would be open to a switch to Old Trafford, but it remains to be seen if his current employers would sanction a move during the mid-point of the campaign.
Why United’s latest target would be a better signing than Anderson
Over the last couple of weeks, Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson has been another player who has been on their radar to bolster the central midfield department.
The Englishman has been one of the star men in the Premier League this campaign, leading to a first string of international appearances under Thomas Tuchel.
He’s featured in every single minute of the Reds’ league campaign to date, even playing a key role in the recent 3-0 triumph over Liverpool at Anfield this weekend.
His form has led to huge rumours over a potential switch to Old Trafford, but his current side are demanding a fee in the region of £100m to part ways with him in the near future.
Such a deal would be a club record, breaking the £89m fee paid for Paul Pogba way back in the summer of 2016 – potentially making a transfer somewhat unlikely this winter.
As a result, cheaper alternatives will likely have to be considered by Amorim and the board, which could result in a transfer for Gomes in the coming months.
When comparing the Brazilian’s stats to those of Anderson from the opening months of the season, the Wolves star has managed to outperform him in numerous areas – that’s despite his side sitting rock bottom.
Gomes, who’s been described as “one of the best pressers in the league” by one analyst, has completed more of his attempted passes and notched more passes into the opposition box per 90 this season.
Such numbers in possession showcase that the Brazilian thrives at finding a teammate, which could benefit some of the £200m additions within the final third at Old Trafford.
How Gomes & Anderson compare in the PL (2025/26)
Statistics (per 90)
Gomes
Anderson
Games played
12
12
Goals & assists
0
2
Pass accuracy
85%
83%
Passes into opposition box
1.3
1.2
Clearances made
2.1
1.1
Interceptions made
1.2
1.1
Tackles made
1.8
1.5
Take-on success
50%
46%
Stats via FBref
He’s also won more tackles per 90 whilst making more clearances and interceptions per 90 – numbers which make him the perfect ball-winning option for the Red Devils.
Gomes’ all-round dominance is further reflected in his higher take-on success and aerial duels won per 90, which could make him an absolute steal at his current asking price.
£44m in the current climate would be an excellent piece of business, with the midfielder having the opportunity to improve further in the years ahead given he’s just 24.
There’s little denying that Anderson would be the dream addition for many fans, but it’s evident that Gomes would be a cost-effective addition for the short term.
However, that shouldn’t discredit the Wolves star’s talents, with his numbers this season certainly going under the radar, which could make him a stellar addition for Amorim.
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The upcoming women’s ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka will feature an all-female line-up of match officials. On Thursday, the ICC announced the panel of four match referees and 14 umpires, featuring women from nine countries for the tournament that runs from September 30 to November 2.The match referees are Trudy Anderson (New Zealand), Shandre Fritz (South Africa), GS Lakshmi (India) and Michell Pereira (Sri Lanka).The on-field and TV umpires are Sue Redfern (England), Claire Polosak and Eloise Sheridan (Australia), Candace la Borde and Jacqueline Williams (West Indies), Kim Cotton (New Zealand), Sarah Dambanevana (Zimbabwe), Shathira Jakir Jesy (Bangladesh), Kerrin Klaaste and Lauren Agenbag (South Africa), N Janani, Vrinda Rathi and Gayathri Venugopalan (India) and Nimali Perera (Sri Lanka).Related
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Among them, Polosak, Williams and Redfern will be appearing in their third women’s ODI World Cups, while Agenbag and Cotton will be at their second.Three recent events – the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the two most recent women’s T20 World Cups – also featured all-female panels of match officials.
Panel of match officials
Match referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandre Fritz, GS Lakshmi, Michelle Pereira Umpires: Lauren Agenbag, Candace la Borde, Kim Cotton, Sarah Dambanevana, Shathira Jakir Jesy, Kerrin Klaaste, Janani N, Nimali Perera, Claire Polosak, Vrinda Rathi, Sue Redfern, Eloise Sheridan, Gayathri Venugopalan, Jacquline Williams
“This marks a defining moment in the journey of women’s cricket, one that we hope will pave the way for many more trailblazing stories across all facets of the sport,” ICC president Jay Shah said in a statement. “The inclusion of an all-women panel of match officials is not only a major milestone but also a powerful reflection of the ICC’s unwavering commitment to advancing gender equity across cricket.”This development goes beyond symbolic value. It is about visibility, opportunity, and the creation of meaningful role models who can inspire future generations. By highlighting excellence in officiating on the global stage, we aim to spark aspiration and reinforce that leadership and impact in cricket know no gender.”We are honoured to recognise a new chapter in the growth of the women’s game. We believe the influence of this initiative will resonate far beyond this tournament, motivating more women worldwide to pursue officiating careers and helping redefine what’s possible within the game.”The 13th women’s ODI World Cup begins with hosts India and Sri Lanka facing off on September 30. Defending champions Australia will take on New Zealand on October 1. Each team will play the other seven teams once with the top four moving into the semi-finals.The matches will be played in Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam, Navi Mumbai and Colombo with the final scheduled for November 2.
Manchester United are, reportedly, ready to part ways with forward Joshua Zirkzee after an inconsistent stint at Old Trafford.
Impressing across a two-year stint with Bologna in Serie A, helping them qualify for last season’s Champions League, Zirkzee signed for Man United in the 2024 summer transfer window. Getting off to a brilliant start by scoring on his debut against Fulham, Zirkzee has since endured a tough time in the Premier League.
Having become well-known for the brilliance, both on the ball and in his playmaking, he had at Bologna, Zirkzee has struggled to showcase his best form in England.
In his maiden season with the Red Devils, Zirkzee netted just three league goals in 32 appearances. Towards the end of the season, manager Ruben Amorim started sometimes using the 24-year-old as an attacking midfielder in his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.
Across the 2025/26 campaign, however, Zirkzee has made just four league appearances after 10 matches. In those games, the Dutchman has played less than 90 minutes collectively, something that has sparked rumours about his future at the club.
Zirkzee set to leave Man United
According to James Marshment of TEAMtalk, interest from elsewhere in Zirkzee is “growing” ahead of the January transfer window. Supposedly, as many as nine teams both in the Premier League and around Europe are considering a move for the Dutchman.
Joshua Zirkzee’s Man United Career in Numbers
Appearances
54
Goals
7
Assists
3
Yellow Cards
4
Zirkzee’s struggles in front of goal may have hampered his chances in the Man United first team anyway, but over the summer the club signed Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo in what was a complete revamp of their attack, pushing Zirkzee further down the pecking order.
The aforementioned trio are now finding form in Manchester. Amorim’s side are on a four-game unbeaten streak in the top flight, having beaten Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion before drawing with Nottingham Forest.
Although Man United would be willing to let Zirkzee leave, it would appear that the Red Devils are not yet ready to take a huge loss like they are with Jadon Sancho. Instead, the club would reportedly prefer to let him leave on loan “with or without an option to buy”, or for a minimum of £35m.
The hope, presumably, is that Zirkzee, who has been called an “absolute imposter” in the past, could find form somewhere else, with that perhaps leading the team who sign him on loan to permanently acquire him for a larger fee. Where Zirkzee ultimately ends up remains to be seen, but it is hard to see a clear path forward for the Dutchman at Old Trafford.