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Aston Villa will have to go for broke when they welcome PSG to Villa Park in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

The Premier League side trails 3-1 after the first leg and, given how dominant the French side has been this season, it will be an extremely tall order for Unai Emery to mastermind a 3-0 win which will secure progress into the last four.

The club take on Southampton in the top flight this weekend. However, Emery will likely make a change or two, especially considering how important the second leg is.

Morgan Rogers shone against the Ligue 1 outfit, but the manager should rest him up ahead of the second leg.

How Morgan Rogers performed against PSG

Despite the 3-1 loss to the current French champions, Rogers was one of Villa’s shining lights. The Englishman opened the scoring after 35 minutes at the Parc des Princes with a nice little finish inside the box to give the away side a confidence boost.

Elsewhere, Rogers also created a big chance, made one key pass, attempted four dribbles – succeeding with one – and was fouled twice during his time on the pitch.

Southampton have already been relegated from the top flight after a dismal season. With this in mind, Emery must ruthlessly ditch Rogers from his starting XI in order to unleash a player who hasn’t had many chances to shine since joining the club from Borussia Dortmund in January.

Donyell Malen, however, scored in their last two league outings, against Brighton and Nottingham Forest respectively, indicating that he deserves another chance this weekend.

Why Donyell Malen must start against Southampton

The Netherlands international wasn’t included in Villa’s Champions League squad for the knockout rounds, hence why it makes perfect sense to bring him back into the starting XI this weekend.

Across nine league matches, Malen has scored twice, while having a 22% goal conversion percentage and has even missed two big chances, suggesting he might have had another goal or two with more accurate finishing.

Donyell Malen’s statistics this season (league only)

Metric

Bundesliga

Premier League

Goals

2

3

Assists

0

0

Big chances created

0

1

Shots on target per game

0.8

0.4

Goal conversion percentage

22%

16%

Via Sofascore

During his spell in the Bundesliga, Malen received high praise from his former teammate Mario Götze, who said: “Donyell is extremely fast and very dangerous. If he has a chance, it’s usually a goal, too.”

In the first half of the season for Dortmund, Malen scored five goals for the German side, including one against Real Madrid in the group stages of the Champions League.

Hardly the most prolific tally in the world, yet when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, Malen currently ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.64) and in the top 9% for total shots per 90 (3.47) over the previous 365 days.

These statistics make him the perfect choice for Emery against the Saints. Not only will it give Rogers a rest ahead of the second leg, but unleashing Malen will give him the chance to score for the third Premier League game in a row.

Therefore, the Spanish must axe the England international from the starting XI for his own good, rather than for performance-related reasons, to bring the January addition in.

Related Emery struck gold on Aston Villa star worth more than Doue & Kvaratskhelia

Aston Villa made a brilliant investment with this player

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Apr 11, 2025

And who has the highest individual ODI score against England?

Steven Lynch04-Mar-2025Was Ibrahim Zadran’s 177 the other day the highest score against England in an ODI? asked Muhammad Sarfaraz from Pakistan

There have been only three individual innings against England in one-day internationals higher than Ibrahim Zadran’s sparkling 177 in Lahore last week.Joint top, with 189 not out, are Viv Richards (for West Indies at Old Trafford in 1984), and Martin Guptill (for New Zealand in Southampton in 2013). Another New Zealander, Ross Taylor, hit 181 not out against England in Dunedin in 2018.Zadran’s innings was the highest individual score in ODIs for Afghanistan, beating his own 162 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2022, and easily their highest against England, which previously was Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 80 in Delhi during the World Cup in 2023 . It was also the highest individual score in the Champions Trophy, beating Ben Duckett’s 165 for England against Australia in Lahore four days previously.Josh Hazlewood has a big percentage of his Test wickets caught behind. Is he the leader by that yardstick? asked Jared Marshall from Australia

You’re right that Australia’s Josh Hazlewood seems to pick up a lot of caught-behind dismissals in Tests: of his 279 wickets so far, 90 have been caught by the wicketkeeper. That’s 32.25% of his victims, the highest percentage for anyone with more than 100 Test wickets: next, with 31.70% (39 of 123 wickets) comes Ewen Chatfield of New Zealand. Third at the moment is India’s Mohammed Siraj at 31% (31 of exactly 100 Test wickets so far).If we lower the requirement to 50 Test wickets then Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz comes out on top at 40.96% (34 of his 83 wickets), just ahead of Chris Tremlett of England at 39.62% (21 of 53).Adil Rashid took four wickets in five balls in an ODI in 2018-19 without taking a hat-trick – has anyone else done this? asked Jamie Campbell from England

The England legspinner Adil Rashid achieved this unusual feat in St George’s(Grenada) in 2019 . It transformed the match: West Indies had started the 48th over needing 32 with four wickets left and Rashid nursing figures of 1 for 83. After the first ball was hit for two, the rest of the over went WW0WW: West Indies were all out for 389, and England had won by 29 runs.Rashid finished with 5 for 85, still the most expensive five-for in ODIs. He’s the only player to take four wickets in five balls in an ODI without a hat-trick: the four-in-fives of Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan vs Zimbabwe in Peshawar in 1996) and Dane van Niekerk (South Africa Women vs West Indies Women in Basseterre, St Kitts, in 2013) both did feature a hat-trick.Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka uniquely took four wickets in four balls against South Africa in Providence (Guyana) during the 2007 World Cup.In Grenada in 2019, four of Adil Rashid’s wickets came in his last five balls, but did not feature a hat-trick•Associated PressI noticed that in Barbados in 1983, West Indies needed just one run to win in their second innings, and it came from a no-ball. Are there any other instances where all the runs in a successful fourth-innings chase were extras? asked Chris Goddard from England

The match you’re talking about was the fourth Test against India in Bridgetown in 1983: West Indies needed one to win, and the visitors’ wicketkeeper, Syed Kirmani, was entrusted with the ball for the first time in a Test. Almost immediately he sent down a no-ball, and the match was over. Kirmani had two more bowling spells in his 88-Test career, and even took a wicket – of Azeem Hafeez of Pakistan in Nagpur a few months later.There’s only one other Test in which all the runs in a successful chase came from extras. In Mirpur in 2010 , India needed two to beat Bangladesh: the second ball of the innings, from Shakib Al Hasan, kept low, was missed by batter Virender Sehwag and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim, and scooted away for two byes to end the game.This is not quite the same question, but there are 19 completed innings in Tests in which the highest contribution came from extras. The highest total involved is England’s 339 against West Indies in Kingston in 2004, which included 60 extras.Abid Ali scored 225 in a total of 346 in a domestic match in Pakistan recently. Was this the lowest completed total to include a double-century? asked Ishaq Siddiqui from Pakistan

The former Pakistan Test batter Abid Ali carried his bat for 225 in Sui Northern Gas Pipelines’ total of 346 against Eshaal in a President’s Trophy match in Karachi last week. Rather surprisingly perhaps, this is quite a long way from the record for a completed innings: Namibia’s 282 all out against Kenya in an Intercontinental Cup match in Sharjah in 2008 included 230 from Gerrie Snyman (the next-highest score was 13).The only lower first-class innings to contain a double-century was Oxford University’s 280 for 1 (Micky Walford 201 not out) to beat MCC at Lord’s in 1938. The Test record for a completed innings is India’s 329 against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2008, when Virender Sehwag carried his bat for 201.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Mohit Sharma had kept at it, behind the scenes, and made sure he was ready for his moment when it came, ready to make it his

Karthik Krishnaswamy14-Apr-20230:52

Tewatia: ‘Mohit has been working really hard in the last two years’

There’s been a retro flavour to IPL 2023. MS Dhoni is smacking it at a 200-plus strike rate. Amit Mishra, Piyush Chawla and Karn Sharma are taking wickets and reminding the world that no team is complete without a chubby legspinner.Thursday night in Mohali was yet another retro night. Gujarat Titans were fresh off a shock defeat in which one of their young quicks, Yash Dayal, had been hit for five successive sixes in a dramatic final over. They took Dayal out of the firing line for this game against Punjab Kings, and replaced him with a 34-year-old, whose last season as an IPL regular was in 2018. He’d played one game in 2019, one in 2020, and nothing since.Mohit Sharma. Purple Cap winner in 2014. World Cup semi-finalist in 2015. He had disappeared from our TV screens for years and years, and he was back now.Related

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Rahane, Chawla, Mishra and others with surprise comebacks at IPL 2023

Gill and Tewatia show their class as Titans return to winning ways

He was back, and from a spectator’s distance he seemed to be the same bowler he has always been. He was doing the same things he’s always done, and he was doing them well.Mohali served up an interesting pitch for this game – Titans captain Hardik Pandya suggested afterwards that it was a hard pitch where the new ball came on to the bat beautifully, but so hard that it quickly roughened up and softened up the ball. This meant that by the time Mohit came on, in the 11th over of Punjab’s innings, the ball was in just the sort of shape to behave a little unpredictably off the pitch.Mohit is a natural at maximising that sort of unpredictability. He hits an awkward, bail-trimming length – too short to drive on the up, not short enough to pull. And he’s always been adept at hitting that length while shuffling through his variations – on pace, either with the seam upright or scrambled, or off pace, delivered either as an offcutter or out of the back of the hand.

Everything about his comeback screamed pragmatism. At this time last year, Mohit was travelling around the IPL with Titans as a net bowler. Mohit had gone unsold at the auction, and he’d jumped at the chance to train and work on his bowling when Titans coach Ashish Nehra had offered him the net-bowler role

On a pitch that’s a little bit two-paced, or when he’s armed with an old ball that’s gone a little soft, Mohit can be extremely hard to hit.Punjab discovered this on Thursday, and it was a gradual realisation rather than a sudden jolt of knowledge, a realisation that dawned over a succession of dot balls and half-timed singles to deep fielders. By the time he was finished, with figures of 4-0-18-2 next to his name, their innings had stalled and stultified.Mohit dismissed Jitesh Sharma in his first over, the ball straightening ever so slightly from that in-between length to brush the outside edge of an attempted back-foot punch. Sam Curran joined Bhanuka Rajapaksa at the crease, and Punjab had a left-left pair at the crease all the way until Mohit’s final over.Mohit took his second wicket in that final over, the 19th of the innings, hitting the pitch hard with an offcutter-bouncer and daring Curran to hit against the angle, against the deviation, and towards the longer leg-side boundary. Curran took on the shot, and picked out deep midwicket. This was the perfect Mohit wicket, full of skill and smart playing of percentages.

“If you have to upgrade your cricket or better it in any way, you need competitive practice. I felt, what am I going to do sitting at home? I was here and doing competitive practice instead, I kept myself involved in cricket, and I think it was a good time for me”Mohit Sharma, on spending IPL 2022 as a net bowler with Gujarat Titans

The right-handed Shahrukh Khan walked out to the crease, and this was immediately followed by what may have been the day’s first sighting of Mohit’s most famous party trick, the back-of-the-hand slower ball.This is the ball that made Mohit’s name, a dipping topspinner that emerges with the seam miraculously upright. It’s a more spectacular variation than his offcutter, and comes out of his hand with a far bigger drop in speed, but on this day, he shelved it for most of his spell because he was bowling mostly to left-hand batters and wanted to use the variation that deviates away from them. Another illustration of the smart, pragmatic cricketer Mohit is.Everything about his comeback screamed pragmatism. At this time last year, Mohit was travelling around the IPL with Titans as a net bowler. Mohit had gone unsold at the auction, and he’d jumped at the chance to train and work on his bowling when Titans coach Ashish Nehra had offered him the net-bowler role.Mohit Sharma, in his comeback game in the IPL, returned 2 for 18•BCCI”I had had a back surgery, and a lot of people weren’t sure if I had played enough domestic cricket [to be signed at the auction],” Mohit said when he was interviewed by between innings. “I got a call from Ashu , saying I should be with the team, and if someone gets injured I’d get a chance.”Obviously, if you have to upgrade your cricket or better it in any way, you need competitive practice. I felt, what am I going to do sitting at home? I was here and doing competitive practice instead, I kept myself involved in cricket, and I think it was a good time for me.”You may think that a cricketer of Mohit’s experience and stature might balk at being a net bowler, but he didn’t see it that way.”It’s not a bad thing to be a net bowler,” he said. “You get very good exposure, you get to play alongside good players, and if you don’t do competitive practice, your cricket won’t evolve.”Mohit Sharma. He had all but disappeared from our TV screens for years and years, but he’d never really gone away. He’d kept at it, behind the scenes, and made sure he was ready for his moment when it came, ready to make it his.

“I’d see myself anywhere in the top four, probably more comfortable up-top for the time being,” he says

Firdose Moonda31-Mar-2021A long, long time ago, in the age BC (Before Coronavirus), South Africa played an ODI series. And won. Really.In March 2020, they swept Australia 3-0 at home, prompting suggestion of a tide being turned, that came to nothing. Just consult the results and boardroom shenanigans of the last few months as proof.But a long, long time before that, in the age of, let’s call it BB (before Mark Boucher took over as national men’s coach), Aiden Markram played an ODI. South Africa won that one too but by then they had lost so many others that they registered their worst performance at a World Cup and returned home disgraced.Markram scored 34 in that match but hasn’t played a white-ball international since, losing ground through injury and the other players’ form. Understandably now that we are entering the age NN (New Normal), in preparation for three white-ball World Cups in as many years, he said being part of a limited-overs group felt “a bit foreign” because he wasn’t banking on being part of South Africa’s squad.Related

Temba Bavuma era begins with sights on 2023 World Cup

SA's IPL-bound players will be allowed to leave Pakistan series early

“I wasn’t expecting it at all. I understand my white-ball game for the Proteas hasn’t been where I would have liked it to be. In general you never expect selection but more so in this case for myself,” Markram said.Though Markram’s domestic record is outstanding – he averages 63.04 in 22 matches for the Titans and has scored seven centuries – he has not been able to translate that to international level. In 26 ODIs, his average is 27.95 and he has not brought up one three-figures score. On one hand, that may be because he was burdened with the stand-in captaincy two matches into his ODI career in a series against India (which South Africa went on to lose 1-5); on the other, he has been shifted around the top four with little indication of if or where he may settle permanently.The series against Pakistan is an opportunity to change the latter, even though South Africa have a bottleneck of top-order players in the squad. Incumbent openers Quinton de Kock and Janneman Malan are likely to start the series, but when de Kock leaves for the IPL after the second match, Markram may get a chance to open, which he will gladly take.”The few discussions I’ve had with the coach and Temba (Bavuma) are to try to be quite versatile. I’d see myself anywhere in the top four, probably more comfortable up-top for the time being,” Markram said. “I’d still like to get to know numbers three and four a little bit more but certainly something I am open to doing. As a player, you’d be happy to take any spot that’s available in the team.”Markram acknowledged that there is a pecking order which includes captain Bavuma, who has also laid claim to a position in the top four, and allrounder Jon-Jon Smuts. “I still need to do a lot,” Markram said. “It’s just been about getting back to the game plans I used when things were going well for me, albeit at franchise cricket. It’s just about addressing plans from a mental side of things. I don’t think technically too much changes.”But there is much else about South Africa’s set-up that has changed. Since Markram last played ODIs, South Africa have moved from a Faf du Plessis captaincy through a de Kock one and now, to Bavuma. In that, Markram was overlooked for a leadership role he is thought to be destined for, not least because he took South Africa’s Under-19 team to World Cup glory in 2014.Markram may still get the job in future but until the 2023 World Cup, he is happy to be a foot soldier in Bavuma’s army and is impressed by what the new captain has offered so far. “He has been brilliant this week in guiding the brand of cricket he would like the Proteas to play,” Markram said.To date, South Africa’s new style of play has not been revealed but Markram indicated it will be built on meticulous plans. “Temba will be doing a lot of planning before a game so that when we are in the game he has got options to fall back on. Quinny (de Kock) is quite a free-spirited person and quite a free-spirited captain and was able to develop plans as they go. I’m not saying Temba can’t do that but his preparation might be different to Quinny,” Markram said. “We’ve got a couple of years to build on something and hopefully when 2023 comes, each player knows his role under the brand of cricket Temba wants.”And so South Africa enter the age of operation 2023, in a bid to become more of the team they were when they beat Australia BC and to finally get their hands on a WC. That’s World Cup, by the way.

Nottingham Forest chiefs privately want owner Evangelos Marinakis to replace Ange Postecoglou with a “master” tactician, with the latter relieved of his duties immediately after their 3-0 defeat to Chelsea.

Ange Postecoglou sacked by Nottingham Forest after Chelsea loss

Goals from Josh Acheampong, Pedro Neto and Reece James cemented Postecoglou’s title as the shortest reigning manager in Premier League history, but his departure has been inevitable for quite some time.

Forest failed to win a single game during the Australian’s brief 39-day tenure in charge, with reports over the international break suggesting that Marinakis and co performed due-diligence on a host of potential replacements.

Ange Postecoglou’s tenure at Nottingham Forest	Competition
Arsenal 3-0 Forest	Premier League
Swansea 3-2 Forest	Carabao Cup
Burnley 1-1 Forest	Premier League
Real Betis 2-2 Forest	Europa League
Forest 0-1 Sunderland	Premier League
Forest 2-3 FC Midtjylland	Europa League
Newcastle 2-0 Forest	Premier League
Forest 0-3 Chelsea	Premier League

Postecoglou also broke a 100-year record at the City Ground, making the worst start out of any new Forest boss in a century, forcing Marinakis to call time on the former Tottenham boss after a nightmare stint.

In his final pre-match press conference, the 60-year-old went down swinging, perhaps realising that a loss to Chelsea this afternoon would spell the end.

Marinakis had apparently made up his mind about sacking Postecoglou before their clash with Chelsea had even finished, with the Greek billionaire even seen storming out of his seat (talkSPORT).

Postecoglou was informed of the decision just moments after the full-time whistle blew (talkSPORT), and he then said goodbye to his Forest players in the dressing room before the club officially announced his departure.

Now, attention turns to who could replace Postecoglou in the hot seat.

A succession of managers have been linked within the past fortnight — including Sean Dyche, Oliver Glasner, Steve Cooper and Rafael Benitez — but it is Fulham boss Marco Silva who’s seriously admired by the Forest hierarchy.

Nottingham Forest chiefs want Marinakis to replace Postecoglou with Marco Silva

According to the BBC, internal figures at the club have identified Silva as their “preferred option” to succeed Postecoglou.

The 48-year-old, who reportedly has an £8 million release clause in his contract, is poised to become a free agent at the end of this season, and it’s believed that Silva is likely to leave Craven Cottage in 2026 after rather public spats with the owners about their transfer activity.

However, it’ll be much more difficult to prise him out of West London immediately, as Forest are mindful of the compensation fees due if they decide to try and appoint Silva right now.

Marinakis has only just paid off Nuno, and will also have to compensate Postecoglou now that Forest have parted company with him too — meaning the club aren’t overly keen on shelling out yet more money for a new manager.

The Tricky Trees have studied alternatives to Silva amid the difficulties surrounding his appointment, but if Marinakis does decide to invest the cash, it is clear that he’s a very ideal candidate.

The former Everton and Hull City boss has worked wonders at Fulham on a shoe-string budget since guiding them back to the Premier League at the first time of asking in 2022.

They briefly contended for Europe last season as well, despite their meagre transfer spend compared to rivals, and Silva has been lavished with praise as a “master” tactician by players who’ve worked with him.

Newcastle United are now reportedly preparing a move to sign an impressive striker in 2026, who has outscored Nick Woltemade so far this season.

Howe "hugely frustrated" by Tottenham draw

It may now be three Premier League games without defeat for Newcastle, but Eddie Howe couldn’t hide his frustration after Tottenham Hotspur rescued a late draw on Tuesday evening. It could have capped off the beginning of their resurgence following wins over Manchester City and Everton, but ultimately highlighted their frailties instead.

Speaking to reporters at full-time, Howe said: “I think we’re hugely frustrated with ourselves really. That was a game where we had to work really hard for the first goal. I thought we were the dominant team and knocking on the door all through the first half.

“The goal came when it came and I felt then we were in a strong position having been relatively comfortable defensively to then concede the two goals in the way that we did, in the manner that we did. It’s hugely disappointing because we pride ourselves on being better than that defensively.

“Technically, second half, I don’t think we were particularly good, especially when we were leading. When you’re leading and you’ve got the advantage, one or two really quality passes in different moments can make the difference and we went the other way.”

Fewer passes than Ramsdale: Howe must drop 6/10 Newcastle star after Spurs

Newcastle United were denied another Premier League win by Tottenham Hotspur last night.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

The Magpies don’t have long to lick their wounds, however. Up next, they play host to Burnley in their third game in the space of a week. Victory there would represent another step in the right direction in a hectic festive period.

As each game comes, Yoane Wissa also edges closer and closer to a comeback. The DR Congo forward opted out of playing in the Africa Cup of Nations to reward Newcastle for their patience, but that may not be enough to prevent those at St James’ Park from reinforcing their frontline in January.

Newcastle preparing Igor Thiago move

While the Magpies are intent on bolstering their youth ranks, notably joining the likes of Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea in the race for Cardiff’s Dylan Lawlor, they are also very much thinking about the present.

Indeed, according to Caught Offside, Newcastle are now preparing a move to sign Igor Thiago from Brentford in January after completing their scouting mission.

The impressive forward has scored 11 goals in 13 Premier League games this season – a number that only Erling Haaland has bettered – and could now seal a well-earned move when the January transfer window arrives.

Minutes

1,101

965

Goals

11

5

Assists

0

1

Expected Goals

8.5

4.5

Whilst there’s no denying that record signing Woltemade has made a fantastic start at Newcastle, Thiago has been on another level. The Brentford star has stepped up to replace Bryan Mbeumo, but could now complete a similar move in another blow for Keith Andrews.

The young manager has been full of praise for his forward this season, telling reporters last weekend: “He is a dream to work with. As a person, his hunger and appetite to get better is impressive.

“He is having a fantastic season, it doesn’t take a genius to see that. The numbers will tell you that, the performances he produces consistently well, how well he has integrated into the way they are playing and with individuals.”

Better than Anderson: £70m "monster" is now open to joining Newcastle

The Seattle Mariners lost to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, but it wasn't due to a lack of effort from outfielder Victor Robles.

In the bottom of the ninth inning the Mariners and Giants were tied, 4-4. With one out and a man on first, Patrick Bailey hit a long, high fly ball to right field that slowly drifted into foul territory as it soared through the air. Underneath it, Robles broke into a dead sprint in a desperate effort to make the catch—and boy, did he ever.

Robles managed to catch the ball, but slammed into the low wall in right field of Oracle Park. He flew over the railing and bent as he hit the net.

Remarkably Robles maintained control of the ball throughout, but was clearly shaken up afterwards. It's a strong catch of the year candidate, even if Robles is definitely going to feel it in the morning.

A truly ludicrous effort. Unfortunately it sort of backfired for the Mariners. Robles being in pain after making the grab allowed Luis Matos to tag up from first base to reach second; he would score on a single in the next at-bat.

Still. What an epic catch.

Inter have joined Manchester United in the race for Karim Adeyemi, with the Borussia Dortmund winger leaning toward a move away from Germany next summer. His camp has already held early talks with both clubs, signalling a growing market for the 23-year-old. With contract renewal far from likely and tensions rising at BVB, Adeyemi’s future is now one of Europe’s most intriguing storylines.

Adeyemi’s future drifts away from Dortmund

Speculation around Adeyemi’s next step has intensified after fresh reports indicated the Dortmund forward is “far from” considering a contract extension. The 23-year-old’s deal runs until 2027, but figures close to the player suggest he is leaning strongly toward a move in the summer, even if BVB have not yet been formally informed of his intentions. United have already held early contact with Adeyemi’s representatives, with super-agent Jorge Mendes, who recently orchestrated moves for Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte to Old Trafford, now central to discussions. According to , Inter have also entered the scene, with initial communication taking place as the Serie A giants monitor his situation and map out potential scenarios for 2026.

The growing interest comes at a time when the forward has faced both on-field struggles and off-field complications, creating a sense of uncertainty around his long-term prospects at BVB. This rising tension naturally widens the lens on what his next career chapter might look like.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportAdeyemi in a slump amid off-field troubles

Adeyemi has neither scored nor assisted since late September, a stark contrast to the bright early-season form that once re-established him as a key figure under Niko Kovac. In recent weeks, tensions have bubbled over publicly. During BVB’s 1-0 win against Koln, he threw a water bottle toward the bench after being substituted, leading Kovac to respond sharply: “I think that's unnecessary. It's okay that he can be angry sometimes, but that's unnecessary, he's an adult.”

The strained dynamic flared up again during the 1-1 draw with Hamburg, where the pair argued after Kovac substituted him in the 66th minute. These moments paint a picture of a player battling for composure as form dips and pressure grows. Off the pitch, the €450,000 fine for illegal possession of weapons added an unexpected layer to his year. Adeyemi addressed the incident publicly, calling it: “A huge mistake… one that I deeply regret, that cost me a lot, and that I remorse deeply.”

BVB and the German Football Association (DFB) imposed additional community service, with sporting director Lars Ricken stressing the club’s stance: “We took the matter very seriously. However, it should also be taken into account that he had to pay an expensive fine, no one was harmed and the player is still not considered to have a criminal record."

This combination of sporting frustration and personal turbulence has made Adeyemi’s situation one of the more complex transfer stories heading into the summer window.

Mendes working on Adeyemi's future

Behind the scenes, Mendes is believed to be shaping the German international's next move, leveraging his strong network in England and Italy. United’s long-term need for wide players and Inter’s evolving transfer vision for 2026 both position Adeyemi as a strategic target rather than just an opportunistic one. The legal issue, stemming from what Adeyemi described as ordering an online “mystery box” that unexpectedly contained restricted items initially raised questions about club interest. Yet early indications suggest that neither United nor Inter view it as a deal-breaker, especially given the player's transparency and the swift completion of sanctions.

His community service commitment and willingness to publicly explain the situation have helped stabilise his image in the eyes of potential suitors. This rehabilitated narrative now plays into a broader storyline: a talented winger whose Dortmund chapter appears to be winding down as new doors open.

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AFPSummer window battle looms

All signs point toward a decisive summer for Adeyemi. Inter and United are expected to intensify discussions once the season ends, while Die Borussen wait for formal communication before planning their next steps. With no extension in sight, BVB may be forced into a strategic sale rather than risk a depreciating asset over the next two years.

Adeyemi’s immediate goal will be to break his scoring drought and repair ties with Kovac as Dortmund push through the second half of the season. But with rising transfer noise, increasingly public tension, and strong interest from two European giants, the stage is already set for a major battle for his signature. His next defining chapter appears to be approaching and Europe’s biggest clubs will be watching closely.

A destructive innings from Ross Whiteley inspired Derbyshire Falcons to a crushing 127 run victory over Notts Outlaws in the Metro Bank Group A One-Day Cup match at Derby.Whiteley hit eight fours and four sixes in a 52-ball 80 to propel the Falcons to 341 for 8 at the Central Co-op County Ground, their highest List A score against the visitors.After Caleb Jewell’s 60 established a platform, Amrit Basra scored 72 from 54 balls, his maiden List A fifty, which helped lead a recovery from 161 for 5 before Whiteley and Zak Chappell launched a savage onslaught. Chappell smashed a 26-ball 47 as the seventh wicket pair plundered 100 from 46 deliveries with 72 coming off the last six overs.Only Brett Hutton with 1 for 40 from his 10 overs escaped relatively unscathed and despite 58 from former Derbyshire opener Ben Slater, the Outlaws came up well short on 214 with Ben Aitchison taking 4 for 34.Jewell gave a taste of what was to come by driving James Hayes for three fours in his second over. But Hutton again showed his nous and experience in a typically tight opening spell that brought the wicket of Harry Came who sliced a big drive to deep backward point in the ninth over.Jewell and Yousaf Bin Naeem added 56 before over-ambition proved their downfall in the space of four overs. Bin Naeem pulled Lyndon James for six but when he tried to repeat the shot was caught behind and Jewell got a bottom edge trying to pull a ball that was too close to him.A stunning one-handed diving catch by Tom Moores removed Brooke Guest and when Martin Andersson missed a slog sweep at Joe Pocklington, the Falcons were wobbling. But the promise of Basra combined with the proven one-day quality of Whiteley to revive their fortunes.Basra impressed in the opening match at Cheltenham and he played with confidence from the start, pulling Hayes for six and driving James for another maximum. The pair added 72 from 54 balls before Basra sliced Rob Lord to third man but Whiteley and Chappell demolished the bowling in a display of brutal hitting.Lord’s last six balls went for 31, the most scored by Derbyshire from a single over in a List A game, with the Outlaws helpless to stem the tide of runs until Whiteley skied Daniel Sams to cover.By then, the damage was done and the Outlaws pursuit of a distant target became even tougher when Haseeb Hameed edged Aitchison to first slip in the fourth over. Slater and Jack Haynes found the ropes with regularity until Haynes edged a pull at Chappell and with the asking rate steadily climbing, Sam Seecharan skied Andersson to long-off.James sliced to third man and when Slater and Moores went in the space of four overs, the game was up for the Outlaws.

أدلى جاري نيفيل، لاعب مانشستر يونايتد السابق، والمحلل الرياضي الحالي بتصريحات بشأن هزيمة ليفربول أمام مانشستر سيتي، منتقدًا أداء أحد لاعبي فريق آرني سلوت، ووجه دانييل ستوريدج انتقادًا لنفس اللاعب.

وتعرض ليفربول للهزيمة من مانشستر سيتي بثلاثة أهداف دون مقابل، خلال مباراة الفريقين أمس الأحد على ملعب “الاتحاد” بالجولة الحادية عشر للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.

وقال نيفيل في تعليقه على قناة “سكاي سبورتس”: “إنه أداء مقلق للغاية لليفربول، إنه أسوأ أداء رأيته منهم منذ فترة طويلة، لقد خسروا كل معاركهم الفردية، كل واحدة منها، بدت أرجلهم ضعيفة في الشوط الأول”.

وأضاف: “كان أداء فيرجيل فان دايك غريبًا للغاية في الهدف الثاني لمانشستر سيتي، كان واقفًا هناك وترك الكرة تصطدم به، هناك حركة بسيطة من ساقه اليمنى ضربت حارس مرماه في مقتل”.

اقرأ أيضًا | روني ينتقد محمد صلاح بعد هزيمة ليفربول أمام مانشستر سيتي: ترك زميله معزولًا

وواصل: “سيشعر مشجعو ليفربول بالقلق، كان هناك قدر كبير من التفاؤل حول سوق الانتقالات، لكن هذا لم يحدث بعد، وهذه خيبة أمل كبيرة اليوم”.

كما شكك مهاجم ليفربول السابق دانيال ستوريدج في دفاع فان دايك في لحظة حاسمة من المباراة، مضيفًا: “قدم فيرجيل أداءً جيدًا، لكنه لم يكن حاسمًا”.

وأفاد: “كان أداء ليفربول ضعيفًا، توقعت تنظيمًا أفضل وضغطًا أفضل، توقعتُ أداءً أفضل بعد فوز ريال مدريد، لكن اللاعبين لم يُقدموا أداءً يُذكر”.