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Manchester United have been in contact with a “superstar” who Barcelona are looking to sign for free this summer.

Man Utd produce memorable Europa League comeback against Lyon

The Red Devils produced one of their best European comebacks in recent history on Thursday evening against Lyon, advancing to the semi-finals of the Europa League in the process.

Ruben Amorim’s side looked to be cruising to the last four before Lyon took the tie to extra time, and despite having 10-men, the Ligue 1 side then took a two-goal lead with just 10 minutes remaining.

However, goals from Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo and a Harry Maguire winner in injury time sparked wild scenes at Old Trafford, with United running out 5-4 winners on the night and 7-6 victors on aggregate.

Man Utd will now take on Athletic Club in the last four, with Tottenham or Bodo/Glimt awaiting in the final in Bilbao at the end of May.

Talking after the dramatic win over Lyon, Amorim said: “I was watching again the ’99, the documentary [when we completed the Treble by beating Bayern Munich with two late goals in the Nou Camp], so to have some inspiration for this moment. But, was a great night. I think the team were tired and you feel it during the game, and then 4-2 with one more player and, in the end, you think it’s over. But here, it’s never over.

“We tried to put Harry Maguire [up there] because he’s the only guy that can score a goal with his headers. And then Kobbie Mainoo, he has a lack of pace in this moment because he had that injury and he stopped for a while, but he’s really good on short spaces, and then he has the ability to do that kind of goal. And then we try it, and sometimes it works, and today was a good day.”

Man Utd now in advanced talks to sign £52m star who's "out of this world"

The Red Devils are making progress in their pursuit of a midfielder, but there could be competition from rivals Manchester City.

ByDominic Lund Apr 18, 2025

All of United’s focus now will be on winning the Europa League to guarantee Champions League football at Old Trafford for 2025/26, something which could help in regards to signing some top players over the summer.

Man Utd make contact to sign 25 y/o Barcelona target for free

One player who has been linked with a move to Man Utd is Lille striker Jonathan David. Out of contract at the end of the season, the Canada international looks set to find a new club over the summer, with Amorim recently demanding the Red Devils to pursue a move for the 25-year-old.

According to TBR Football, Barcelona are the most likely to sign David for free this summer, however, Man Utd have been in contact with the striker’s representatives recently.

Dubbed a “superstar”, David is also being eyed up by Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool after another excellent season in front of goal.

A move to Barcelona remains David’s preferred destination, but by the looks of things, a move to Man Utd can’t be ruled out at this stage, especially with the Red Devils still having the chance of Champions League football next season after Thursday night’s rescue mission.

This has been a fantastic season for Liverpool and Arne Slot, now inches away from a Premier League title which may be delivered to Anfield’s doorstep as early as this weekend.

While this is unlikely (Liverpool would need to beat Leicester City away and hope that imperilled Ipswich Town earn three points at home against Arsenal), it’s a certainty at this stage that Liverpool will be the word etched into the trophy before the summer.

Sporting director Richard Hughes will no doubt have spent many months adding sheaf upon sheaf to his transfer plans, tasked with stocking Slot’s squad with new parts ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Now that Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah’s contracts have been taken care of, rumours around who will replace the outgoing Darwin Nunez at number nine have been ramping up, but Liverpool need to strengthen across the park.

Bringing a new central defender carries every bit as much weight as signing a new striker.

Liverpool's pursuit of a centre-back

Liverpool are looking to strengthen across a range of positions this summer, and despite Van Dijk’s much-anticipated renewal, central defence is set to be chief among the list of priorities.

It seems Liverpool have already identified their favourite target, with recent reports claiming Liverpool are leading the tight-packed race to sign Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, who is enjoying an exemplary breakout year in the Premier League.

Huijsen might be young and largely untested at the highest level, but his specific skill set bespeaks a future role at the very forefront of the European game.

It’s no coincidence that so many of the continent’s top outfits are lining up to make their move.

Real Madrid have registered their interest but Huijsen is expected to snub the La Liga superstars in favour of staying in the Premier League, report Spanish sources.

This is quite the novelty. But it reinforces Liverpool’s position in the driving seat as Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes confer ahead of the transfer window.

Huijsen is a terrific talent with a big future ahead of him, but he would be joining a vastly talented Liverpool backline and there are no assurances that he’d fit right into the starting fold from the get-go.

Not with Slot’s current options so talented, so proven in this title-winning team. Liverpool need more, but they’ve already hit the jackpot on a star worth even more than the Premier League’s most exciting young centre-half.

Liverpool have hit gold on Klopp signing

Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah was fast-tracked to first-team significance last season after Joel Matip suffered a career-ending knee injury in December 2023.

He’s since become a mainstay in the wider squad, and though Slot hasn’t used the 22-year-old all that frequently this term, he’s still played his part and has attracted interest from Newcastle United, who would be willing to do business for a £30m figure – which is lower than Liverpool’s valuation.

Huijsen, with a £50m release clause, is worth more. However, Ibrahima Konate’s value is higher than it’s ever been following his part in Liverpool’s soon-to-be triumph.

Konate has been with Liverpool for four seasons now, joining from RB Leipzig after his £36m release clause was activated. Long regarded for his sinewy physique, formidable defending and sharp technical skills, injuries have always been the France international’s sticking point.

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He’s suffered from a bit of fitness bother this term, but Konate has never played more in the Premier League, hailed by analyst Josh Williams as a “monster at covering ground and dealing with one vs one situations.”

This is clear when peering at the data. As per Sofascore, Konate has won 65% of his duels in the top flight this year, keeping ten clean sheets and completing 90% of his passes.

Huijsen is a great talent, but he’s not yet on the towering 25-year-old’s level. The Spain international, for example, has only won 56% of his Premier League duels, also completing 84% of his passes.

Heading toward his first league title, Konate has been a bona fide success on Merseyside, with Liverpool hitting the jackpot on the talented defender. However, given that he’s about to enter the final year of his contract, FSG will surely be concerned they may lose another member of their backline on a free, with Trent Alexander-Arnold set to join Real Madrid this summer.

Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are both known admirers of the French defender, but Liverpool won’t be letting him leave on the cheap this year, with Spanish sources claiming the Reds would refuse discussions if their €60m (£51m) price tag was not matched.

Given Konate’s just one year away from his deal expiring, this goes to show that Liverpool have got quite the defender in their mix.

There’s no question that Liverpool will hope to retain their monstrous defensive star’s services, especially now that Van Dijk’s future has been sorted and Konate’s fears allayed in that regard.

For now, we wait and see, but whichever way the pendulum swings this summer, Liverpool have hit the jackpot on Konate and will likely do the same on Huijsen, who could join Konate on Merseyside or even take his place in the coming months.

FSG must ruthlessly sell Liverpool's new version of Thiago this summer

He’s failed to win Arne Slot over at Liverpool this season.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Apr 18, 2025

It’s no secret that this has been an incredibly turbulent season for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou’s job is currently hanging by a thread, and if his side don’t win the Europa League, then it’ll truly be a year to forget.

Fortunately, the transfer window is just around the corner, and with it, there is a chance to reinforce the squad with genuine quality, but even then, problems could be ahead.

For example, recent reports have claimed that one of the club’s most important stars is on the wishlist of a European giant and could leave in a move reminiscent of Kyle Walker’s all those years ago.

Spurs' potential exits

There isn’t just one first-team player who might be on the way out of Spurs in the summer, as reports from late last month revealed that the midfield could be in for a big revamp.

In particular, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur could be up for sale, with the former catching the eye of fellow Premier League side Everton and the latter simply “not part of Tottenham’s plans moving forward”, according to former scout Mick Brown.

However, while plenty of fans might be okay with their exits, they might be less so if Cristian Romero also leaves.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Argentine has been a key target for Atlético Madrid ‘for weeks’, and to make matters worse, Diego Simeone has personally contacted the player.

Moreover, the report has claimed that the interest is mutual and that the Spanish giants are ”studying an offer that can convince’ the North Londoners into selling, which, according to another story, could be around the £67m mark.

It would be a sizable sum of money for Tottenham, but losing Romero could be a massive blow, akin to losing Walker in 2017.

Why Romero could be Walker 2.0

Spurs have made several defensive sales in the years since Walker left the club, including Cameron Carter-Vickers, Juan Foyth, and Toby Alderweireld. So, what makes this potential transfer so similar to the Englishman’s?

Well, there are a few reasons, the first being just how much money could be involved.

When the former Lilywhites star was sold to City in 2017, he went for a massive fee of up to £53m, and while that ended up being value for money, it was a world record for a defender at the time.

Granted, if the former Atalanta star does join Atlético in the coming months, it won’t be for another world-record fee, but it will be the most the North Londoners have got for a defensive player and the third-highest fee they’ve received full-stop, behind only Harry Kane and Gareth Bale.

The second similarity is that, like the multiple Premier League champion, the Córdoba-born World Cup winner would be leaving N17 as one of the club’s most important players.

Appearances

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1.69

For example, while he’s missed much of this season due to injury and fitness issues, the 6 foot 1 “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Charlie Eccleshare, has made 115 appearances for the club, in which he’s scored seven goals, provided one assist and been named as one of the squad’s co-vice-captains.

So, it wouldn’t be hyperbolic to suggest that losing someone Lionel Messi describes as “the best defender in the world” would be just as, if not more, devastating to the North Londoners than losing Walker was.

Ultimately, if Romero is set on going, then Spurs might just have to make peace with it and get as much money for him as possible. However, if there is a chance he wants to stay, then they should be doing all they can to tie him down to a new deal, as they might find it as hard to replace him as they did Walker.

Spurs were rinsed by Pochettino signing who was a "poor man's Soldado"

The promising striker failed to live up to expectations in North London.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 2, 2025

When Freddie Freeman takes the field on Friday night for Game 1 of the World Series, it will feel like he's playing in one of his homes away from home at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. While Freeman's job with the Dodgers in their quest to capture back-to-back championships will be front and center on his mind, playing baseball in Canada, in which he holds dual citizenship along with the United States, will be special for both he and his family.

"Yeah my dad is obviously going to head out there tomorrow as well," Freeman said Tuesday. "So it's going to be pretty special. And I'm not so sure the Canadian fans, Blue Jays fans, will be cheering for me this time around like it was in the World Baseball Classic the last couple of times. But it is special."

Freeman played for Canada in both the 2017 and 2023 World Baseball Classics, changing his representation to Canada through his citizenship from his parents. Freeman's return to Toronto will also be an emotional one, given that he'll be returning to the city where his mother grew up. She died after being diagnosed with melanoma when he was just 10 years old.

"Both my parents are born and raised in Canada, especially in the providence of Ontario—my mom from the Toronto area. My dad from Windsor," Freeman continued. "So, it is special. Everytime I go there, you just have this feeling inside that you feel just a little bit closer to my mom. So I'm looking forward to it."

And even though Freeman will be playing against the Blue Jays, he's still excited about what the team has accomplished thus far, given his Canadian roots.

"I mean, that’s special,’" Freeman said. "When you have a whole country that you know is behind one team, that’s pretty amazing. And then, obviously, what they’ve done. They’ve invested in their team, into that stadium, the visiting clubhouse, they’ve put a lot into the Toronto Blue Jays.

"So to just see the city come together, and get to experience so much jubilation that they had going to the World Series for the first time in 30-plus years, you know it’s an exciting time. And being from Canada, it’s pretty cool."

Van Niekerk’s 19-ball 41 took South Africa to their second consecutive 200-plus total, which laid the foundation for a 65-run win

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2025Dane Van Niekerk’s late blitz on the back of a sedate half-century from Faye Tunnicliffe helped South Africa beat Ireland by 65 runs in the second T20I in Paarl and take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.Opting to bat, South Africa racked up 201 for 5 in their 20 overs. In reply, allrounder Orla Prendergast scored an unbeaten 43-ball 51 while Leah Paul hit 40 off 29 balls, but Ireland could only manage 136 for 3, falling well short.In her comeback series, van Niekerk thrashed a 19-ball 41 in the back half of the first innings, taking South Africa past their second consecutive 200-plus total of the series. She struck three fours and three sixes in her knock. By the time van Niekerk fell to Arlene Kelly, South Africa’s run rate had jumped past ten an over. Chloe Tryon’s unbeaten seven-ball 16 in the final overs took them to 201, as she also broke Lizelle Lee’s record for most sixes by a South Africa batter in women’s T20Is (49).Van Niekerk’s cameo complemented a slower – but equally crucial – knock by Tunnicliffe at the top of the order. She reached her maiden T20I half-century off 40 balls: the majority of her innings was played alongside fellow opener, Sune Luus, as the two put up a 78-run opening partnership to lay the foundation.Aimee Maguire dismissed both of them, as well as captain Laura Wolvaardt, returning 3 for 43 in her four overs.Ireland’s batters were slow in their response, scoring 33 runs in the powerplay despite losing no wickets. Tryon sent back both openers – Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis – as Ireland were reduced to 35 for 2 in the seventh over.Their run-rate never picked up, but Prendergast and Paul stayed solid in the middle to share a 76-run partnership for the third wicket. Paul finally fell for 40, but Prendergast stayed around till the end to bring up her half-century in the final over, off 39 balls. By then, the result of the match was a foregone conclusion.

Tim David’s 74 off 38 took the hosts to 186 for 6 in Hobart but it was not enough

Alex Malcolm02-Nov-20251:52

David: I was hoping it would land on the beach

India finally won a toss and their three inclusions in Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar and Jitesh Sharma all made superb contributions as they withstood a stunning innings from Tim David to cruise to a five-wicket win in Hobart and level the series at 1-1.Arshdeep was Player of the Match for his 3 for 35, including the key scalps of Travis Head, Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis for a fine 64, to help restrict Australia to 186 for 6 despite David’s devastating 74 off 38. Varun Chakravarthy picked up two key wickets and Jasprit Bumrah was also miserly with the ball.India’s entire top seven made contributions in the chase but it was Washington and Jitesh who finished the chase superbly with an unbeaten 43-run stand. Washington, playing as a specialist bat given he didn’t bowl, made his second-highest T20I score of 49 not out off 23 while Jitesh made 22 not out off 13 in his first T20I in over 18 months after replacing Sanju Samson.Arshdeep’s early strikes, David’s devastating counterAustralia are still getting used to seeing David walk out in the third over of an innings, as he did after Head and Inglis fell cheaply to Arshdeep’s early swing. But David showed zero regard for the perilous position his team was in and unleashed a brutal counterpunch. He drove his first ball for four wide of mid-off and launched Bumrah over cover. Having fallen meekly to Varun in Melbourne, he clubbed the spinner for four and six off consecutive balls. David gave a life off Bumrah on 20, slicing a hard-hit square drive to backward point which burst through Washington’s hands. It proved costly. David carved Bumrah over cover again and then assaulted Axar Patel with two huge hits in three balls. One was projected to travel 129m had it not clattered off the roof above the sightscreen.1:43

Washington: There’s purpose to each of my practice sessions

India’s attempt to use Shivam Dube as the fifth bowler was met with three thunderous cover drives in four balls to bring up David’s fifty in 23 deliveries. He shared a 59-run stand with Mitchell Marsh who contributed just 5. What was most impressive was how he handled Varun. Marsh holed out to India’s trump spinner before Mitch Owen was clean bowled first ball through the gate, completely misreading the length, line and variation.David hadn’t had a great previous record against Varun in T20s, scoring just 22 from 16 balls with two dismissals including one in Melbourne on Friday. But compared to Owen, who had never faced him before this series and now has two runs from five balls in the head-to-head, the previous 16 balls experience over five games for David paid dividends.Varun returned in the 11th over to bowl his third with figures of 2 for 14 and Australia vulnerable. David launched him fearlessly for two massive sixes to finish with 26 from 10 off India’s most dangerous spinner. He looked set for a certain century only to slightly under-club Dube to Tilak Varma, who took another wonderful catch at long-off while tight-walking the rope.Stoinis and Short combine, Bumrah and Arshdeep finish wellAustralia are looking for a new finishing combination with David’s elevation looking permanent. In the absence of Glenn Maxwell, Stoinis and Matthew Short showed their wares. Stoinis played particularly well, facing just four dot balls in his first 14 to allow David to continue his domination in a partnership of 45. Two reverse sweeps off Axar and two thumping pulls off Dube showed his versatility. He then struck four boundaries off Arshdeep in the 18th and 20th overs before holing out to hand Arshdeep his third wicket. Short’s contribution was significant given he had failed to score more than 6 in his six previous outings at No. 7 in all T20s. He added an unbeaten 26 off 15, although Bumrah and Arshdeep put on a death bowling clinic in the last two overs to ensure it wasn’t more.Tim David came in at 14 for 2 and counterattacked•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesEllis versus Abhishek 3.0Abhishek Sharma threatened to take Australia apart again, racing out of the blocks with two fours and two sixes as India raced to 30 for 0 in three overs. But for the third time in the series Nathan Ellis picked him up, this time with a bouncer clocked at 147 kph. It hurried Abhishek, who top-edged a pull shot straight up. Suryakumar Yadav kept the momentum going with two sixes of his own but Ellis struck again, slipping a full straight delivery through the defence of Shubman Gill to trap him plumb lbw. When Suryakumar chipped Stoinis to cover for 24 off 11 India were well ahead of the rate but had lost their best three batters for unfulfilled starts with their chief tormentor Josh Hazlewood watching from his couch in Sydney.Washington wizardry sees India homeWashington not bowling a ball when Dube and Abhishek conceded 56 as India’s fifth bowler was strange, especially as Australia’s right-hand heavy line-up was known before Washington was selected. But he proved why he’d been picked to bat at No. 6. Bouncers had accounted for two of India’s top five. Ellis and Sean Abbott’s three combined attempts to bounce Washington all disappeared into the square leg seats. India had lost wickets at regular intervals but the continued clean striking meant there was never any run-rate pressure. Washington cleared the rope once more off Matt Kuhnemann to get the target under a run-a-ball inside the last four overs. Jitesh played an excellent cameo in his first T20I in over 18 months, including scooping Ellis to the rope. He got a reprieve when Owen dropped him running back from mid-off. But Washington kept calm and carried on, nailing Stoinis straight before Jitesh lofted over cover to win it with nine balls to spare.

Thomas Frank’s position as Tottenham Hotspur manager is under scrutiny following the 4-1 North London derby defeat against Arsenal.

Tottenham’s humiliating defeat at the Emirates Stadium was arguably the low point of the Frank era so far, hardly laying a glove on their bitter rivals, with their only goal coming from a piece of Richarlison magic and just 0.07 expected goals (xG) recorded by the visitors.

Spurs have fallen to ninth in the Premier League table, but they are still within touching distance of the Champions League places, despite picking up just one point in their last three games.

It is the manner of the loss that will be particularly concerning, however, with Frank’s side once again looking extremely poor going forward, having also struggled to create any opportunities in the 1-0 home defeat against Chelsea.

As such, the manager is undoubtedly under pressure, and there has now been a new update on his future in north London.

Tottenham players concerned by Frank's tactics and lineups

In a report for The Telegraph, journalist Matt Law has revealed the Tottenham hierarchy are determined to give the Dane time to put things right, despite the disappointing loss against the Gunners, but some players have two very worrying concerns.

Indeed, some members of the squad believe the 52-year-old has been focusing on the opposition too much, instead of concentrating on the strengths of his own players, with sources around Spurs also of the belief he has chopped and changed his forward line too much.

Only Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea have rotated their starting XI more often than the Lilywhites this season, which is named as one of the reasons for the inconsistent results, but Frank seemingly remains safe in his job for the time being.

Games

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1.53

It would be a little early to relieve the manager from his duties, given that Spurs are within touching distance of the play-offs, but the negative approach has to be called into question.

When asked whether he was surprised by Tottenham’s defensive approach, Leandro Trossard said: “Yeah, maybe a bit. Because as I said, it’s still Spurs. But we have been facing a back five a lot of times this season, so we’re kind of used to it.”

It is understandable not to play an extremely high line away against Arsenal, given that they have the joint-best attacking record in the Premier League, but the lack of attacking threat is inexcusable.

It is a short turnaround for Tottenham, who face another tough test away against reigning Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.

Where Thomas Frank ranks among the 20 current Premier League managers Every current manager in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

Every current Premier League boss ranked from best to worst.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 8, 2025

Wrexham, owned by Hollywood icons Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, have been boosted by a public grant from the government of Wales worth an astonishing £18 million. The funding is set to help the club in their ambitions to rebuild StoK Cae Ras into a world-class arena that meets UEFA's stadium requirements, with the goal of hosting prominent international fixtures in the future.

Wrexham received hefty public grant from Welsh government

Wrexham have received nearly £18 million (€21m/$25m) in non-repayable public grants from the Welsh government – far more than any other football club in Britain, according to UK government state-aid disclosures. Local officials had previously said that Wrexham would get a "substantial amount" of a £25m (€29m/$34m) Welsh government grant earmarked for redeveloping the area around Wrexham General train station, which sits adjacent the Racecourse Ground. What hadn’t been made public until now is that the club itself would receive the majority of that funding directly.

The club, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has also enjoyed a surge in commercial success. Their involvement has helped secure major sponsorships from global giants such as Meta, United Airlines, and TikTok. The public grant will only strengthen their already healthy financial situation.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA positive step towards Wrexham's bid to meet £350m valuation

Back in June, reported that owners Reynolds and McElhenney were considering selling a minority stake in a valuation of the club at £350m (€400m/$475m), having bought for just£2m in 2021. Earlier this year, Wrexham hit the £100m valuation mark following a 15 per cent stake acquisition by New York's Allyn family. More investors are being sought according to the report, with internal talks having taken place already. The Welsh government grant will further strengthen the owners' bid to transform Wrexham into the most expensive club in the Championship and solidify their push to achieve a record-breaking fourth-successive promotion, which will take them to the Premier League. 

"This looks like an £18m nonrepayable subsidy to a privately owned business now flirting with a £350m valuation. Its existing owners are US-based and very wealthy and liquid private individuals," said Stefan Borson, a football finance expert who works as the head of sport at the McCarthy Denning law firm.

"The club, and its owners, will benefit from the stand for the next 50 years, yet at no point would the taxpayer be repaid or directly profit from the club’s rise. The current ownership have put Wrexham on the global map but it is hard to understand why funding this stand in this way would be a priority for the government.

"So many. I don't want to say to the world that I'm the best because there’s no truth to that. In my mind, I'm the best version of myself, if you know what I mean? It's different when you say you are the best in the world to the world. 'There are so many good players in my position. I'm doing my best. But I need to show more because I feel like I can do more. With goals, with assists, I can feel it.'"

Wrexham's StoK Cae Ras ambitions

Reynolds and McElhenney have reiterated their desire and ambition to convert StoK Cae Ras – the oldest international football stadium on the planet – into a world class venue. "We have a plan in place right now that would eventually work from stand to stand, so eventually you get all four sides. It's hard to say for sure, butwe think we could get between 45,000 and 55,000 people in there," McElhenney told last year.

With the renovation of the Kop Stand, the capacity will exceed 12,000. When that happens, it will comply with UEFA stadium requirements, having already been selected as one of the venues when Wales hosts next year's European Under-19 Championship. What's more, the Racecourse Ground has also been included in UK's official bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup.

A council spokesperson said: "The Racecourse is an important cultural and heritage asset for the city of Wrexham and we are obviously keen to protect it for the future.

"Utilising grant funding from Welsh government, the council have provided funding to the football club to enable the redevelopment plans to be enhanced to a standard to enable international matches to be hosted in Wrexham once again."

A Wrexham spokesperson added: "The impact of these improvements, and the ability to host international sporting events in north Wales, will create both a catalyst for local job creation and provide an overall economic uplift to the region due to the increased number of visitors attracted to the events and their economic activity while they are in the area."

Meanwhile, the Welsh government is certain that the funding "will make the crucial difference between the club satisfying league requirements and meeting the more demanding international fixture standards," adding that, consequently, StoK Cae Ras "can host competitive international football at the world's oldest international stadium, boosting the local economy and delivering a fitting landmark for Wrexham."

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Getty Images SportWrexham pushing for Championship playoff spot

Phil Parkinson's men enjoyed an excellent November, going unbeaten in England's second tier after a difficult start to the season at the club's highest level in over 40 years. Their last defeat came over a month ago against Stoke City, and since then they’ve put together a strong run of form, remaining undefeated and collecting 15 from a possible 21 points. 

They find themselves in 10th position on the league table, just two points behind sixth-placed Ipswich Town. If they can now find a bit of long-term consistency, Wrexham will fancy their chances of securing a promotion playoff spot, which would put them on the brink of the Premier League.

Enzo Maresca has revealed that star midfielder Moises Caicedo was forced to start from the bench for Saturday's Premier League tie against Burnley due to the player's late arrival in London after the international break. The Ecuadorian played every minute of his country's two friendlies against New Zealand and Canada, reporting back to the west London club on Thursday evening.

Maresca protects Caicedo from punishing workload

The Blues boss would always prefer to have his destructive midfield enforcer on the field, but it appears the Ecuadorian's punishing workload has forced the decision. The Italian revealed that Caicedo only arrived back in London late on Thursday evening, leaving him with just a light session on Friday to prepare for the lunchtime kickoff in Lancashire. 

Speaking ahead of the game, Maresca rebuffed suggestions he was looking ahead to a tricky week of fixtures for the Blues. Chelsea square off with Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, before hosting London rivals and Premier League leaders Arsenal next Sunday. While the Blues would be excused in prioritising those marquee fixtures, it appears the strenuous travel schedule for the 24-year-old was the only factor in his starting today's game from the bench. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'The reason he is not playing is that it's impossible'

When asked if he was resting Caicedo, with an eye on those upcoming fixtures, Maresca told TNT Sports "Nothing [to do with Barcelona and Arsenal]. The reason he is not in the first eleven is that came back Thursday night from Ecuador, from the national team, then just a light session with us yesterday, and the reason he is not playing is that it is impossible. To protect him a little bit."

Caicedo a vital player for club and country

Caicedo's brilliance in the Chelsea engine room has won him even more admirers of late, prompting pundits to suggest he could be a target for Real Madrid in the summer. His importance to the team has been noted by teammates too; Robert Sanchez said the 24-year-old is the best "midfielder in the world" after his influential display in Chelsea's 1-0 win over Tottenham earlier this month. 

Obviously, the former Brighton man is just as important to his international side. Caicedo has been the main man for a side that has punched above its weight in the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers. Ecuador finished second in the league table behind a ferocious defensive effort. La Tricolor conceded just five goals in their 18 qualification games. 

Such is Caicedo's influence, that manager Sebastian Beccacece saw fit to play the Chelsea man for all 180 minutes in Ecuador's 0-0 draw against Canada and 2-0 victory over New Zealand earlier this week. 

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Getty Images SportKeeping Caicedo fresh over busy festive period crucial to Chelsea's season

While Maresca may not have considered the immediate future in his decision to bench the energetic midfielder, keeping Caicedo fresh over the next month will be crucial. December is English football's busiest period. The Blues have eight games on the slate next month, including a Carabao Cup quarter final against Cardiff City and a Champions League clash away at Atalanta. To be without Caicedo for that intense period would present Maresca with a real selection headache. 

In the series of mis-steps in Australia, Rohit dropping himself, if you strip it of emotion, is among the most clear-headed decisions India have made

Sambit Bal03-Jan-20252:03

Manjrekar: Secrecy diminished Rohit’s selfless act

We could have done without the intrigue, and after it has happened, we can do without the absurd soft-pedalling around the words. Rohit Sharma hasn’t rested himself, just as Shubman Gill wasn’t rested for the previous Test. He has stood himself down, and call it courageous, selfless or plain pragmatic, it certainly counts as extraordinary.In the series of mis-steps for India in Australia – confounding selections, batting-order shuffles, ill-chosen strokes at vital moments – Rohit dropping himself, if you strip it of emotion, is among the most clear-headed decisions during this tour. Cricket accords massive allowances to the captain, but it was clear that Rohit didn’t make it to India’s best possible XI, and a struggling batting line-up couldn’t afford carry a non-performing captain in a must-win game. Irrespective of what happens in this Test, and whether Gill goes on to make a contribution of significance or not, this will remain the right decision for India.What makes it extraordinary, though, is that such things just don’t happen in cricket. MS Dhoni gave up captaincy and Test cricket altogether during the course of a series on these very shores, and Kim Hughes and Nasser Hussain both resigned mid-series. But for an instance of a captain dropping himself for a Test – there is every indication Rohit did this of his own volition – we need go back to England’s tour of Australia in 1974-75, when Mike Denness left himself out after a wretched run with the bat (65 runs in six innings) and with England 2-0 down.Elite athletes are hard-wired to believe in themselves. They become successful because they don’t give up, because they believe they can overcome failure and can battle through tough times. Hard-nosed obstinacy, mongrel spirit, and the ability to shut out noise are among the things that separates them from all those who can play a pretty stroke or bowl a ripping outswinger or legbreak.The last couple of months in Rohit Sharma’s career underlines the fickleness of sport.•Getty ImagesIn a fickle art like batting in which one moment, or every moment, can be a turning point, how can you blame batters, particularly those who have travelled the course, from believing that a run of scores is just an innings away? How can they, left to their own devices, give up without another tilt?In the normal course of events, the decision is out of their hands. It’s those who pick the team – selectors before and after a series, and captain and the coach during series – that make the call. It might vary from team to team and people to people, but the accepted protocol is that the captain has the last word on the ten that walk alongside him to battle.We don’t know what Rohit’s been thinking. There have been leaks suggesting disquiet in the dressing room. It would have been unusual if words hadn’t been spoken after the last-day implosion that cost India the Test in Melbourne. It was his absence due to paternity leave at the beginning of the series that necessitated the batting-order reshuffle in the first place, and forcing Gill out to accommodate a batting allrounder – the runs from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar shouldn’t obscure the fact that together they bowled fewer overs than Jasprit Bumrah’s 28.4 in the first innings alone – might have weighed heavy on him too.

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If anything, the last couple of months in Rohit’s career underlines the fickleness of sport. It’s now almost forgotten that 2024 was among Rohit’s greatest in India colours. Coming on the back of him leading India to the 2023 ODI World Cup final, where his scorching starts not only gave India the momentum for big scores but set out a marker for the brand of cricket for his team, he started the year with a come-from-behind series win against England, to which he contributed two match-defining hundreds, and went on the win India’s first ICC world title since 2011 at the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies, where his runs in difficult conditions were vital.He began the home season in September with Test wins against Bangladesh, one of which was manufactured with breathtaking audacity, led by Rohit himself.Just the other day, Rohit Sharma’s leadership was seen as transformational•Associated PressSo it was not long ago that Rohit’s leadership was seen as transformational. He was hailed as a calming and uniting presence off the field, engaging with players, involving himself alongside Rahul Dravid in the players’ wellbeing, and communicating with selectors in planning for the future. And on the field, he rallied them to the cause of team over personal milestones.It’s remarkable how the wheels have come off for Rohit. It began with choosing to bat on a greenish pitch under murky skies in the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand, and since then India have spiralled downhill, the only thing further south being Rohit’s own returns with the bat.So, did Rohit come to that point where the abyss felt too deep to climb out of, where an upturn seemed impossible, and as a leader, his own baggage seemed too much a burden for the team? Denness had later described his decision to opt out as the lowest point of his life. It’s hard to imagine it being any different for Rohit. It is understood he had contemplated sitting out at Melbourne too, and this incredibly tough decision must be seen in the light it merits: a decent man doing the decent thing.But it must be said that he has done himself a dis-service by cloaking the decision in such secrecy that it led to fervent speculation. Denness had the chance to come back and sign off from the series with a 188. Rohit would have been painfully aware that this might be his last act as a Test player, so why sign off this way?Why is the word “dropped” such a stigma in Indian cricket when it’s a such a fundamental part of a team game? Why the charade at the pre-match press conference? It is inconceivable that the team didn’t know, so what was there to protect? And what’s dishonourable in fronting up when the truth is honourable?