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Rangers players and staff were informed that a new manager had been chosen over the weekend, with Heart & Hand sharing insight into the message given by the club.

Rohl chosen as new Rangers manager

It has taken the Gers some time to bring in their next manager, with both Steven Gerrard and Kevin Muscat deciding against taking the job, in two blows for the Scottish Premiership side.

It is Danny Rohl who will be Russell Martin’s successor at Ibrox, with the 36-year-old most recently in charge of Sheffield Wednesday, producing a miracle escape act with them in the Championship in 2023/24, before steadying the ship further last season.

The German is an exciting young manager with fresh ideas and a ball-playing approach, and while the Rangers job has become something of a poisoned chalice, supporters will be desperately hoping Rohl is the right man to take the club into the future.

Rangers players were told about new manager on Sunday

According to Heart & Hand Podcast, Rangers’ players were told that a new manager had been picked on Sunday evening, prior to Rohl being revealed as the man to take charge, so it seems the club’s leadership had already been closing in on the deal over the weekend, with just the finer points left to iron out on Monday.

Any Gers fans is likely going to feel trepidation about who the club appoint, considering the reigns of both Philippe Clement and Martin have been unsuccessful.

To some, a more experienced head than Rohl was needed – Sean Dyche had been mentioned, but he is becoming Nottingham Forest’s next boss instead – but to others, the German is a young coach with a huge amount to offer, having learned from Hansi Flick at Bayern Munich.

Rangers supporters should be buoyed by what Barry Bannan said about him recently, having thrived alongside one another at Wednesday.

“If he’s appointed, I definitely think he’ll go in there and get results right away. For me, he’s up gather with the very best I’ve worked with during my career. I know Glasgow can be a difficult environment because of the expectation at the Old Firm. But I would expect him to really hit the ground running because he’s the type of man people respond to.”

Rohl won't like him: Rangers must drop Ibrox star with "big potential"

It’s unlikely Smith will persist with this Rangers underperformer.

ByBen Gray Oct 20, 2025

Hopefully, this is the moment that Rangers change for the better, following a dreadful start to the season, but Rohl has a massive job on his hands, not least clawing back 13 and eight points on Hearts and Celtic, respectively, at the top of the table, and impressing in Europe.

While much of the early-season crisis talk has centred on Manchester United and Liverpool, Chelsea have quietly slipped below their biggest Premier League rivals, finding themselves ninth after nine games. Consistently inconsistent, Saturday's shock home defeat to Sunderland has left them at a crossroads, with plenty of issues to address if they are to avoid their season drifting into mediocrity.

"I think in general we were not good enough," head coach Enzo Maresca said in the wake of the oh-so-predictable late 2-1 loss to the newly-promoted Black Cats, where his side had been second-best throughout. "When you are not good enough in the Premier League we know that the consequences can be bad. I have said many times, when you are not able to win, it is important you do not lose."

That third defeat in nine games has deservedly left Chelsea down in mid-table, with no-one really sure of what the league's youngest squad is capable of; they feel as close to a full-blown crisis as they do to mounting a push for a top-four place.

Maresca, then, has plenty of work to do, but time is on his side and the fixture list could provide him with the ideal opportunity for the Blues to kickstart their campaign.

• AFP
  

  Win against 'lesser' opposition

  It's Chelsea's inability to overcome the teams that, on paper, they should be beating that has cost them dearly so far this season, with the agonising late home defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland at the weekend just the latest example of Maresca's side failing to impose themselves as favourites.

  The Blues have now dropped points in uninspiring performances against Crystal Palace, Brentford, Manchester United (when Ruben Amorim's men were in the depths of their early-season woes), Brighton and the Black Cats, with the latter three results all defeats. Those struggles were belied, though, by the rousing victory over champions Liverpool before the October international break.

  The head coach is acutely aware they need to find some consistency, regardless of the opposition. "For sure, if you want to be there (a top team), you need consistency, something that winning four in a row and today’s game (against Sunderland), you can probably show that," Maresca said in the wake of the latest disappointment. "But because we lost points, we did not show that.

  "If we can have that level (raises his hand high in the air) and this level (drops his hand much lower), probably it is better to have something in between. I think overall, since we started (the season), we performed much better compared to today’s game. We were not good enough. We did not create a lot, apart from the goal probably, and we struggled. We need our players to perform 100 per cent."

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  Make Stamford Bridge a fortress

  To make matters worse, the draw with Palace and defeats to Brighton and Sunderland all came at Stamford Bridge, while Chelsea were wholly unconvincing in the fortunate home wins over Fulham in the Premier League and Benfica in the Champions League. A home league record of two wins, one draw and two defeats simply isn't good enough.

  Long gone are the days when Jose Mourinho made the Bridge an impregnable fortress across his two spells in the dugout, going 60 and later 77 home games unbeaten, but the Blues – and indeed their fans – must find a way to make their opponents fear visiting their stadium once again.

  Perhaps a hangover from the club's struggles in recent years since the Boehly-Clearlake takeover, the atmosphere at the Bridge can sour quickly if things aren't going Chelsea's way. The collective groans and bursts of frustration from the stands visibly sap the confidence of the players on the pitch, with the young squad undoubtedly finding it difficult to step up in the face of vociferous criticism from their own supporters.

  The victory over Liverpool – Chelsea's best performance of the season so far by some distance – demonstrated the power of their home crowd as Maresca's men were willed over the line by a raucous atmosphere that fuelled a late onslaught, eventually yielding a euphoric injury-time winner from Estevao Willian.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Start stronger

  So far this season, Chelsea have developed an unwanted reputation for being slow starters, with their sluggishness out of the blocks enabling their opponents to get on top of them and set the tone.

  That was the case against West Ham, Fulham, Brentford and Manchester United, as well as Nottingham Forest and Ajax more recently, with an early red card for the Dutch giants significantly aiding their cause in that Champions League clash.

  With the youngest squad in the Premier League, the widely-held view is that Chelsea lack the experience and know-how to manage games for the full 90 minutes, and the need to rotate because of injuries and the more demanding schedule are certainly playing their part following the club's return to the Champions League, but the Blues still must find a way to impose themselves early in games and use that momentum. Too often they are finding their supposed authority undermined from the first whistle.

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  Disciplinary issue

  It's well documented that discipline has been a serious and debilitating issue for Chelsea in the opening few months of 2025-26, with the Blues ridiculously seeing red in four out of the six games they played in all competitions between September 20 and October 18.

  Those misdemeanours were particularly costly in the consecutive league defeats to Manchester United and Brighton; Robert Sanchez was dismissed just five minutes into the former at Old Trafford with the scores goalless after charging out of his goal and clattering into Bryan Mbeumo, while Trevoh Chalobah was sent off for a last-man foul early in the second period in the latter when Chelsea were 1-0 up.

  On both occasions, Maresca's side were unable to cope with the one-man deficit, as United went on to establish an insurmountable first-half lead and Brighton pulled level late on before bagging a stoppage-time winner of their own.

  Having initially insisted Chelsea's indiscipline wasn't a problem, the head coach admitted after the most recent incident (Malo Gusto's needless red card at Nottingham Forest): "It's something that we can do better. The last one (Gusto's) is completely avoidable, because it’s 0-3, the game is finished. For sure there is something that we have to improve."

Well, that was not the way Chelsea would have wanted to kickstart their European adventure.

After being out of the Champions League for over two years, the Blues were given a rough welcome back by Bayern Munich.

Enzo Maresca’s side found themselves down 2-0 within 27 minutes, and while Cole Palmer halved the deficit in the 29th minute, the Germans eventually ran out deserved 3-1 winners.

There were a couple of players who did themselves proud, but more who let the fans and manager down, including one starter who was even worse than Trevoh Chalobah.

Chalobah's disappointing display

Unlike some of his teammates, last night was not Chalobah’s first experience of the Champions League.

In fact, it was his tenth appearance in the competition, with his last being the quarter-final against Real Madrid in April 2022.

However, you’d never have guessed that, as instead of providing a calm presence behind his midfield, the Englishman was all over the place for much of the game.

Moreover, it was the 26-year-old who opened the scoring for the hosts when he poked home a cross from Michael Olise, a cross that Tosin Adarabioyo probably should have cleared.

The once-capped international’s statistics also made for some ugly reading, as in 96 minutes of action, he failed to make a single tackle, was dribbled past once, lost 50% of his ground duels, misplaced 50% of his long balls and won just 50% of his aerial duels.

It was enough for football.london’s Bobby Vincent to award him an 8/10 match rating at full-time, and describe his evening as something of a ‘nightmare.’

However, while Chalobah did score an own goal, one of his teammates was just as bad against Bayern, and therefore has to be dropped for the game against Manchester United on Saturday.

The Chelsea star who has to be dropped

Now there are a few other players who could be argued to be dropped for the game against United off the back of their performance last night, like Adarabioyo, Enzo Fernández and even Joao Pedro.

Chalkboard

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

However, in this instance, the player who disappointed us, and seemingly much of the fanbase, the most was Pedro Neto.

The Portuguese international started on the left and, unlike Palmer on the opposite flank, offered practically nothing throughout his time on the pitch.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers star was a ghost for almost all of the game, and when he did occasionally get involved in an attacking phase of play, he’d make a mistake.

It might sound overly harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by Vincent, who also awarded him a 4/10 match rating, writing that he ‘struggled’ and was ‘unable to make any sort of impact when Chelsea were attacking.’

Unsurprisingly, his statistics more than back up this appraisal of his performance.

Minutes

68′

Expected Goals

0.02

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.02

Assists

0

Touches

25

Accurate Passes

11/14 (79%)

Key Passes

1

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (0)

Long Balls

0

Shots on Target

0

Dribbles (Successful)

4 (2)

Ground Duels (Won)

6 (2)

Dribbled Past

2

In 68 minutes of inaction, the 25-year-old amassed a paltry combined expected assist and goals figure of just 0.04, took just 25 touches – 22 fewer than Robert Sanchez – completed just 11 passes, played one key pass, misplaced 100% of his crosses, failed in 50% of his dribbles, lost the ball nine times and was dribbled past twice.

Ultimately, while Chalobah will get the criticism for scoring the own goal, Neto was just as bad, if not worse, last night.

Therefore, he has to be dropped from the squad for Saturday’s game against United.

Chelsea chiefs now convinced 17-year-old could be their next Estevao

Stamford Bridge officials hold high hopes over another huge talent.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 17, 2025

Manchester United hero Wayne Rooney remains one of the deadliest strikers to have played at Old Trafford, and it appears that he hasn’t lost his ability to score stunning goals, even after his retirement.

Wayne Rooney scores blockbuster goal in Nexon Icons match

While the Premier League begins to heat up again after the conclusion of the international break, football fans on the other side of the world were able to take in a thrilling match-up of legends in Seoul on Sunday.

In the latest instalment of the Nexon Icons 2025 Series, FC Spear and Shield United went head-to-head for the Nexon trophy and plenty of the world’s best at their craft were on show in front of their adoring crowd.

Rooney led the line for FC Spear, followed up by a support act of epic proportion, including Didier Drogba, Thierry Henry, Kaka and Steven Gerrard, among other star-studded faces.

On the other side, Carles Puyol, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Iker Casillas were just some of the names on display, but former Manchester United star Rooney grabbed the headlines, even if his side went on to lose 2-1 courtesy of strikes from Maicon and Joo Ho Park.

As seen below, the Three Lions icon delivered a magnificent effort from outside the area to level the scoring, one that bore striking similarities to his strike in Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat against Barcelona in the 2011 Champions League final at Wembley.

Forever a legend at both Everton and Manchester United, he is enjoying life after his playing days and still has a God-given talent most footballers would kill to replicate. Now, it remains to be seen whether he dips his toe back into management.

Full transcript of line-ups from Nexon Icons match

Shield United: Young Kwang Kim, Iker Casillas, Alessandro Nesta, Michael Carrick, Marchisio, Gilberto Silva, Joo Ho Park, Sol Campbell, Claude Makelele, Ashley Cole, Maicon, John Arne Riise, Nemanja Vidic, Carles Puyol, Young Pyo Lee, Rio Ferdinand.

FC Spear: Bum Young Lee, Gianluigi Buffon, Ja Cheol Koo, Ki Hyon Seol, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Clarence Seedorf, Eden Hazard, Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale, Kaka, Steven Gerrard, Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Ji Sung Park, Didier Drogba.

What next for Wayne Rooney in management?

On the management front, Rooney is without a club after leaving Plymouth Argyle in 2024 after a run of five wins, six draws and 14 losses in 25 matches across all competitions.

Previously, he has also enjoyed spells in charge of Derby County, DC United and Birmingham City, albeit the Manchester United hero has enjoyed varied degrees of success at all four clubs.

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ByCharlie Smith Sep 11, 2025

Speaking to The Rest is Football earlier this year, Rooney admitted he would like to take on a new challenge in the dugout, but only if it comes in the right set of circumstances.

“I would like to go back in (to management). But it would have to be the right club. Certainly the right club. I think you always have that ego, don’t you? You always have that confidence you could go in and get the best out of a bad or difficult situation.”

Coaching vacancies will become available throughout the next few months, though some would suggest that Rooney putting his boots back would be an even better use of his time!

An “unbelievable” Manchester City player could now leave the club when January arrives, despite reportedly closing in on a contract extension at the Etihad.

Ederson sends goodbye message to Man City fans

It is officially the end of a glorious era between the sticks at City, with the legendary Ederson’s time at the club coming to an end earlier this week.

The Brazilian has been an unbelievable servant for Pep Guardiola’s side, winning six Premier League titles, and he has spoken glowingly about his time at the club after sealing a move to Fenerbahçe.

“For me, it’s amazing. Six Premier League titles in eight seasons. I remember after my last Premier League title, I spoke with Fred Caldeira (TNT presenter) and said after winning four-in-a-row it’s like normal now! It’s not normal.

“In the future when you stop, you will see you made history with your team. No other team has won four-in-a-row. We made history, my team made history. The players, the staff, this club made history.”

Ederson’s brilliance on the ball could be a big loss for City, even though the elite Gianluigi Donnarumma has replaced him from Paris Saint-Germain, and now another exit rumour has emerged.

"Unbelievable" Man City ace linked with exit

According to Caught Offside, Manchester City are “facing serious January transfer window interest” in youngster Nico O’Reilly, with numerous Premier League clubs eyeing him up.

Bayer Leverkusen, Lyon, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Brighton are all eyeing a move for the in-demand Englishman, so it looks as if Guardiola will have to beat off suitors with a stick.

This is despite Fabrizio Romano recently reporting that the 20-year-old is set to sign a new deal at the Etihad, even though his current contract doesn’t expire until the summer of 2028.

Losing O’Reilly this early in his career would be a risk for City, assuming they are happy to potentially offload him when the January window opens.

The Englishman has emerged as one of the best young players at the club, displaying and being hailed by teammate Bernardo Silva, who is clearly a big admirer.

“He was unbelievable. Against Plymouth it showed the impact that he can have on the game and the energy he brought into the game changed completely the game for us so well deserved I’m happy for you and that’s what we needed.”

More rounded than Isak & Haaland: Man City must rue losing 'world's best CF'

Manchester City must regret selling a centre-forward sensation who could rival Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak

ByWill Miller Sep 6, 2025

Ultimately, the decision rests with Guardiola, who must assess how important O’Reilly is to him and City moving forward, but it would be a shame to see a young homegrown talent leave so early in his career, as was also the case with Cole Palmer, for example.

Manchester United are now in a strong position to win the race for a “fantastic” Carlos Baleba alternative, despite rival interest from Juventus.

Man Utd eyeing Baleba alternatives after halting pursuit

It was always going to be difficult for Man United to lure Baleba to Old Trafford this summer, given that Brighton & Hove Albion were set to hold out for £115m, and Ruben Amorim’s side are now believed to have pulled the plug on the deal.

As a result, the Red Devils have been forced to move on to different targets in central midfield, and a number of exciting options have made their way onto the shortlist.

Player

Current club

Potential cost

Mateus Fernandes

Southampton

£30m+

Adam Wharton

Crystal Palace

£100m

Fermin Lopez

Barcelona

£69m

Morten Hjulmand

Sporting CP

£68m

Amorim knows Morten Hjulmand well, with the United boss working with the midfielder during his time at Sporting, but given the £68m release clause in his contract, a deal could be on the expensive side.

However, according to a report from Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), Man United should be in a strong position to win the race for Hjulmand, despite rival interest from Juventus, as they are less likely to be put off by the huge asking price.

The Italian club, on the other hand, had been hoping to sign the maestro for less than half of Sporting’s asking price, and consider the Portuguese club’s current valuation to be way too high.

Man Utd chiefs convinced they'll win race for "elite" number one stopper

The Red Devils are feeling more than optimistic…

1 BySean Markus Clifford Aug 18, 2025

As such, the Red Devils are better-placed to sign the 26-year-old this summer, and the next few days are said to be crucial, with Juventus standing no chance of winning the race if Amorim’s side decide to launch a formal move.

"Fantastic" Hjulmand impressing for club and country

The Danish midfielder has certainly impressed at international level in recent times, with compatriot Andreas Christensen saying: “Morten has become extremely important to the team. For us in defense, he always offers a passing option and provides a lot of tranquility. He is a fantastic player.”

Christensen is right to point out that passing is one of the central midfielder’s key strengths, as his ability in possession of the ball has regularly been on display for Sporting over the course of the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Passes attempted

63.65 (89th percentile)

Pass completion %

90.2% (97th percentile)

Progressive passes

6.75 (85th percentile)

That said, there are some doubts over whether the Sporting star is a like-for-like alternative to Baleba, given that the Brighton midfielder is arguably more solid defensively, having averaged more tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90 over the past year.

Not only that, but Man United should also be wary of Hjulmand’s huge asking price, as £68m would be a huge sum to pay for a player who is yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues.

The PCB chairman remains steadfast about hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Nov-2024

The ICC has called for a board meeting on November 29, hoping to get a clear answer on where and how the 2025 Champions Trophy will be played. With India not willing to travel to Pakistan and with Pakistan refusing to back down and adopt a hybrid model that allows India to play their games in a second country, it is likely members will be asked to vote on a solution. ESPNcricinfo understands the meeting will be virtual and a final decision could be taken after the ICC Board arrives at a consensus.While the window for the eight-team ODI tournament has been earmarked between February 19 and March, the ICC has not announced the dates as well or a schedule formally. Normally, for a global tournament, the ICC has in the past announced the schedule 100 days prior to the event.The reason for the delay is the Indian government’s refusal to allow Rohit Sharma’s team the permission to travel to Pakistan. That decision was communicated to the ICC a fortnight ago. The PCB, who were awarded the hosting rights for Champions Trophy in 2021, subsequently wrote to the ICC posing several questions around the exact reasons BCCI had given, and when they informed the ICC. According to a PCB official, they have not received a response from the ICC to date.The PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has remained steadfast about hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan, at three venues: Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Last week he said he would be open to a dialogue with the BCCI to break the deadlock. An ICC spokesperson confirmed Friday’s meeting, but the PCB has made no comment so far.Related

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The ICC Board comprises representatives from the 12 Full Member countries, three representatives from Associates, an independent director along with the ICC chairman and CEO. The meeting comes right at the end of the tenure of the current ICC chair Greg Barclay. This will be the last board meeting he chairs before, on Sunday (December 1st), he is replaced by Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary and a key figure in the Champions Trophy matter.Naqvi, the PCB chairman, is also a key figure in the Pakistan government, as its interior minister. Over the last couple of days he has been preoccupied in Islamabad in an effort to quell political protests by PTI, the party of former premier (and captain) Imran Khan.

Rishabh Pant’s dismissal in India’s fourth-innings chase has emerged as a potentially match-turning moment in the Mumbai Test. He was given out caught bat-pad, with DRS overturning the on-field umpire’s decision, and India captain Rohit Sharma is not sure if that was the right call. Pant stood between New Zealand and a historic 3-0 series sweep with 64 off 57 balls, and before his dismissal India were 106 for 6, their target 41 runs away. New Zealand eventually won by 25 runs.”About that dismissal, I honestly, I don’t know,” Rohit said after the match. “If we say something, it is not accepted well. But if there is not conclusive evidence, it has to stand with the umpire’s on-field decision. That is what I have been told. So I don’t know how that decision was overturned, since the umpire didn’t give him out.Related

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“The bat was clearly close to the pad. So, again, I don’t know if it is the right thing for me to talk about. It is something for the umpires to think about. Have the same rules for every team, not keep changing their mind.”New Zealand had already missed a chance to review an lbw shout against Pant earlier in the day, when India were 59 for 5. Replays returned three reds on that incident. Then, in the 22nd over, Ajaz Patel twice went up in appeal against Pant. Once for a catch at slip. The on-field decision was not-out, and DRS upheld it.Two balls later, Ajaz spotted Pant charging out of his crease, pulled his length back, and forced the batter into a defensive prod. Pant had enjoyed a lot of success when he had come down the track in this innings, often hitting the ball straight and hard to the boundary. Here he had little choice but to try and adjust, and the ball lobbed off him, into the keeper’s gloves. Ajaz and the close-in fielders thought there had been an inside edge onto his front pad. Umpire Richard Illingworth didn’t. New Zealand captain Tom Latham sent it upstairs for a review.Rishabh Pant walks back, unhappy with the third umpire’s decision•AFP/Getty Images

A spike appeared on UltraEdge when the ball seemed to pass the bat. But the bat and pad were also in close proximity at the same time, which meant the spike could have come from the bat brushing the pad.When the replays came up on the big screen, New Zealand began celebrating. Pant looked completely unflustered until this point – he’d performed a double glove-touch with his batting partner Washington Sundar as soon as New Zealand went up to review; it was their last remaining review. Now he walked over to the on-field officials with his hand extended.Third umpire Paul Reiffel, in making his judgment, noted that the spike could have been from bat hitting pad. But then, after further replays and rocking-and-rolling of the moment where bat, pad and ball were close together, he changed his mind based on what he thought was a deflection at the moment the ball passed the bat.Latham explained New Zealand’s thinking about the dismissal at the post-match press conference. “A few of us heard two noises, and I guess when you review in that situation you leave it up to the umpire’s hands,” he said. “We can’t necessarily see the footage that the third umpire gets so that’s certainly out of our control in terms of what that may look like. We obviously heard a couple of noises and decided to take the review and obviously it fell on the right side for us so that’s obviously up to the umpires. It’s out of our control.”New Zealand had reduced India to 29 for 5 on a rank turner and looked heavy favourites to win. But Pant managed to turn the tide for a while and Rohit felt his wicket had a huge impact on the game. “That dismissal actually was very, very crucial from our point of view. Rishabh was really looking good at that point. And it felt like he will take us through. But it was an unfortunate dismissal. Got out and then we were bowled out right after that.”

Kamboj, Vyshak and Gaurav Yadav shared six wickets between them to restrict India A to 224 for 7

Ashish Pant19-Sep-2024Shashwat Rawat waged a lone battle for India A with an unbeaten 122 off 235 balls as the India C quicks kept a lid on proceedings on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy 2024-25 encounter in Anantapur.Anshul Kamboj grabbed three wickets, Vijaykumar Vyshak two, while Gaurav Yadav returned one wicket to restrict India A to 224 for 7 in 77 overs on day one.It could have been a lot worse for India A who lost their top four for single-digit scores if not for Rawat’s defiance. Coming in at No. 5, he recorded his sixth first-class hundred in only his 17th match to take the side past 200. At stumps, he had Avesh Khan for company on 16 with the duo already having added an unbroken 70-run stand for the eighth wicket.Related

Kamboj: 'As a fast bowler, your challenge is to always look to create opportunities'

India C’s decision to field was vindicated almost immediately, with Kamboj and Vyshak cutting through the India A top order who lost their first five wickets with just 37 on the board.Kamboj struck first taking out opener Pratham Singh for 6 in the seventh over, with the ball taking the inside edge of his bat onto pad and lobbing to Sai Sudharsan at square leg. He then had Mayank Agarwal edging a straightforward catch to Ishan Kishan before Vyshak got into the act, getting rid of Riyan Parag.Parag’s was a soft dismissal as he drove a full-length Vyshak delivery well outside off stump and failed to keep it down and Sai Sudharsan at point gobbled up a simple catch. Things went from bad to worse when Tilak Varma was run out at the non-striker’s end with Shashwat’s full-blooded straight drive catching Vyshak’s left hand and ricocheting onto the stumps. Tilak’s bat was in the air and he had to depart for 5.Kumar Kushagra then nicked Vyshak behind for an eight-ball duck as India A lost half their side inside 20 overs before lunch.Rawat and Mulani joined forces to take India A into the break unscathed. The duo added an 87-run stand for the sixth wicket giving their side something to smile about. Mulani struck 44 off 76 balls which included five fours and a six before he became Gaurav’s first victim with Rajat Patidar taking a good catch to his left at gully.Rawat though carried on reaching his fifty off 119 balls. At the other end, Tanush Kotian failed to last long falling to a brute of a delivery from Kamboj that caught his gloves and lobbed to Baba Indrajith at slips. At 154 for 7, it seemed the end was nigh for India A but Rawat found excellent support from Avesh.The duo dug in with Avesh even smashing two fours and a six in his 43-ball unbeaten stay. Rawat reached his century with a tuck to the on-side, getting there in 174 balls. By the end of the day, Rawat had struck 15 fours in his knock and will hope to take India A past the 300-mark on the second day.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now eyeing a move to sign a £10 million Crystal Palace ace to replace Matheus Cunha, according to a reliable reporter.

Wolves targeting new forwards after Cunha's departure

After a stellar campaign in a Wolves shirt, it wasn’t too much of a surprise to see Cunha leave Molineux and move to a bigger football club in the Premier League. Now the Old Gold have the problem of trying to find a replacement who can make the same impact the Brazilian did.

Related Wolves now submit £26m offer for "extremely dangerous" Club World Cup star

The Old Gold have submitted an opening bid for an attacker, who has caught the eye out in the USA.

Posts ByDominic Lund Jul 11, 2025

One player who has emerged as an option for Wolves is El Bilal Toure, who currently plays for Atalanta. The forward spent last season on loan at German side Stuttgart, but it was a campaign that was hit with many injuries. Therefore, his appearances were limited, and he failed to make a big impact in front of goal.

However, Wolves have still made an approach to sign Toure but face competition from teams such as Marseille, Stade Rennais, Paris FC, Como, Villarreal, and Galatasaray.

But Toure is not their only option, as Wolves have also placed a bid worth £26 million to sign Jhon Arias from Fluminense. Arias impressed during the Club World Cup this summer, and that has attracted the interest of the Premier League side, who are in talks about agreeing a transfer.

Wolves eyeing move to sign £10m Crystal Palace ace to replace Cunha

Now, according to reliable journalist Alan Nixon, relayed by Molineux News, Wolves are interested in signing Jesurun Rak-Sakyi from Crystal Palace.

The report states that the Premier League side have placed winger on their list of potential targets to replace Cunha. Rak-Sakyi spent last season on loan at Sheffield United, but this summer he could be set for a permanent switch, as the Eagles have placed a £10 million price tag on his head.

Wolves do face competition from Scottish giants Rangers, who are also interested in signing the 22-year-old, but they could be put off by the asking price set by the South Londoners. The England under-21 international joined Palace in 2019, but minutes in the first team have been hard to come by, as he’s only played 10 games, six of which came in the Premier League in the 2023/24 season.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s club career stats

Clubs

Apps

Goals

Assists

Charlton

49

15

9

Crystal Palace U23

40

24

8

Sheff Utd

36

7

2

Palace U18

17

8

8

Crystal Palace

10

0

0

Chelsea U18

1

0

0

Brighton U18

1

1

0

Before Oliver Glasner, Rak-Sakyi was managed by Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park, and the former England boss labelled Rak-Sakyi as “remarkable” for his maturity.

During his spell on loan at Sheffield United, Rak-Sakyi scored seven goals and recorded two assists in 34 Championship games, as the Yorkshire side were beaten in the play-off final. Wolves will hope that loan experience can help him perform in the Premier League, but should he join the Midlands side, he would have big shoes to fill when replacing Cunha.