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India decided on who would bat where depending on the stage of the innings, but things didn’t quite go to plan

Deivarayan Muthu in Bengaluru23-Sep-20190:48

Both Pant and Iyer wanted to walk in at No. 4 – Kohli

Virat Kohli has revealed that Rishabh Pant was not supposed to bat at No. 4 – it was to be Shreyas Iyer – in the third T20I against South Africa in Bengaluru.The India captain admitted to a “miscommunication” between Pant and Iyer, explaining that the latter was slated to walk in if India were two down within the tenth over. As it turned out, India were 63 for 2 in the eighth over. However, Pant walked in ahead of Iyer, and Kohli put it down to a communication breakdown in the dugout.”I think there was a miscommunication there,” Kohli said. “That’s what I understood afterwards. The batting coach [Vikram Rathour] had a word with both of them and there was a misunderstanding of who has to go at what stage of the game. So, it was a bit funny afterwards because they both wanted to walk in. It would have been very funny if both had reached the pitch… three batsmen in the field. Yeah, I think it was a miscommunication in the middle.”We had it planned according to phases. So, after ten overs, we decided Rishabh would walk in. Before that Shreyas had to walk in. So, I think both of them got confused and didn’t realise who had to walk in at what stage of the game.”Watch cricket on ESPN+

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There has been some debate over Pant’s batting position and shot selection in recent times. Coach Ravi Shastri was critical of Pant’s shot selection in the Caribbean, and India’s new batting coach Vikram Rathour commented on the matter as well. It all came into the spotlight once again when Pant heaved a half-tracker straight into the lap of short fine-leg against South Africa in Mohali.Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar suggested that slotting Pant in at No. 5 would ease the pressure on him, helping him play his attacking, natural game.”Giving him a bit of breathing space by slotting him at No. 5 could also help, for at that number he will invariably come in to bat where his aggressive batting is needed from the start rather than when he has to build his and the team’s innings,” Gavaskar wrote in .VVS Laxman, the former India batsman, has also weighed in on the issue, largely echoing Gavaskar’s thoughts.* “The nature of Rishabh Pant’s batting is that he plays aggressive shots, and unfortunately at the international level he is not able to succeed at the No. 4 position,” Laxman told host broadcaster Star Sports. “Pant should bat at No. 5 or 6, where you have the license to go out and express yourself. At the moment, he doesn’t know the right method of scoring runs at No. 4.”After coming in at No. 4 on Sunday, Pant tiptoed to 12 off 17 balls before fiercely slog-sweeping seamer Dwaine Pretorius over the fine-leg boundary. He added just one more to his tally before holing out to long-off against left-arm fingerspinner Bjorn Fortuin for 19 off 20 balls. Two balls later, Iyer was stumped off a leg-side wide for 5 off 8 balls. From 63 for 1 India lost five wickets for 35 runs and eventually the game.

Sunderland have gained a reputation this season for being a club unafraid to give young talents the platform to grow and develop, seen in the likes of Jobe Bellingham establishing himself as a key first team presence at just 18 years of age.

With Dan Neil and Anthony Patterson also representing the Black Cats' eagerness to bed in academy talents into the first-team fold and keep them there, the Wearside outfit did unfortunately drop a clanger when it comes to one former youth prospect, however.

Going on to star in his new surroundings after departing Sunderland at U15 level, the fading Championship promotion hopefuls will view this transfer mishap with the same disdain that saw them offload Jordan Henderson far too cheaply all the way back in 2011.

James McConnell's move to Liverpool

Sunderland are now left with a tale of what could have been regarding their ex-homegrown talent James McConnell, the teenager poached by the might of Liverpool whilst the midfield sensation was just getting to grips with his development at the Stadium of Light.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Leaving the Black Cats for free, it's a move that Sunderland will no doubt rue accepting now when acknowledging how McConnell has gone on leaps and bounds since pulling on a Reds strip for the first time.

At youth level for Jurgen Klopp's side, the wide-eyed 19-year-old has accumulated an impressive 11 goals from 56 appearances which has even seen the outgoing German manager bump the ex-Sunderland youngster up to the first-team ranks this season.

Season

Games played

Goals

Assists

2023/24

8

0

1

2022/23

18

6

3

2021/22

20

3

3

2020/21

10

2

0

It's a transfer that Sunderland must toss and turn about when reliving sanctioning the deal in 2019, with McConnell's worth now coming in at hefty €5m (£4m) – according to Football Observatory – compared to the £0 the Black Cats allowed him to leave for.

McConnell shining on the biggest stage at Wembley this weekend could well see the 19-year-old now stick it out in Klopp's first team for the rest of the season, with the breakout star aiming to mirror Henderson's rise to fame with the Reds when looking from a Sunderland perspective.

James McConnell's performance vs Chelsea

Onto seven first-team appearances now under the popular German boss this campaign, with one of those run-outs resulting in an assist being tallied up against Norwich City, McConnell showed signs of immense coolness for his age coming on during the League Cup final this weekend.

The teenager helped the Reds to grind out a 1-0 win at Wembley to pick up the first trophy of Klopp's farewell tour, with the youthful Liverpool number 53 notching up three key passes and two ground duels won against Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea.

Amassing 47 touches in total too from just 33 minutes, bettering Nicolas Jackson's 31-touch total with the Senegalese striker on the pitch for 90 minutes, McConnell could well have a bright future in the senior fold at Liverpool.

It's no shock to see Klopp describe the 19-year-old star as "special" in the past when looking at this stellar individual display, waxing lyrical about McConnell just this pre-season.

This calm cameo against Chelsea could see McConnell get the nod to start against Southampton this mid-week in the FA Cup, with the central midfielder wanting to emulate Henderson's career arc when further making waves for Liverpool.

Henderson would go on to make a staggering 492 appearances for the Reds, the now 33-year-old a bargain buy for just £20m with McConnell potentially proving to be a similarly savvy purchase for the Premier League giants in time.

Whereas, Sunderland will just aim to get their Championship season back on track sooner rather than later with their current crop of young stars.

Every time Tottenham Hotspur look to have turned a corner of late, it comes crashing back down and prevents Ange Postecoglou's squad from cementing a spot in the top four.

The club's ebb and flow in the Premier League has been a repetitive theme since the start of the season and defeat on home turf against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier today could prove to be a detrimental blow after Aston Villa won at Fulham.

There has been much to cheer about down at N17 since Postecoglou's appointment last summer and there has clearly been progress, Tottenham have relied on late magic too often this term but it wasn't to be against a resilient Wolves side that have now completed the double over their opponents.

Heung-min Son's ineffectual display

Last weekend, Heung-min Son returned off the bench after missing most of January while at the Asia Cup, with the South Korean deftly placing a late assist into Brennan Johnson's path to hand Tottenham three points against Brighton & Hove Albion.

The skipper failed to relive those lofty heights and produced one of his most ineffectual showings of the campaign, branded with a 5/10 match rating by football.london's Rob Guest after starting at left wing against Wolves.

The correspondent wrote: 'Back in the starting XI after coming off the bench against Brighton & Hove Albion in the previous game. Swung a couple of decent balls in but just couldn't influence things for Tottenham in attack.'

Apps

Goals

Assists

12

0

2

Source: Transfermarkt

It was indeed more misery against the Old Gold, a team that the 31-year-old is still yet to score against, having failed to take a single shot, winning just one of his four contested ground duels and losing possession on 16 occasions, as per Sofascore.

He certainly wasn't the only culprit on a measly afternoon for Spurs, however, with James Maddison's unwonted lack of creativity in the centre hindering the squad's fluency.

James Maddison's game in numbers

Spurs have a favourable run of fixtures ahead in the Premier League but will be dispirited by the failure to defeat Wolves at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Maddison lacking his usual spark as the playmaking gem.

The 27-year-old certainly wasn't awful, creating two key passes, completing 85% of his passes and starring in the thick of the action with 83 touches, but there's no shirking away from the fact that he was unable to control the flow, losing possession 22 times and completing just two of his 11 crosses.

The aforementioned Guest also marked Maddison with a 5/10 match score and wrote that he 'created an opportunity for Kulusevski after a quick pass in the first half but struggled to really make things work in the final third with Wolves frustrating Tottenham.'

The England international has been one of the Premier League's standout stars this season and has been the attacking centrepiece on multiple occasions so far, but he was nullified by a tenacious Wolves performance and will hope for brighter displays going forward.

While this loss comes as a big blow and a setback for a side that had returned to the top four recently, there is ample time over the coming months to ensure that a purple patch is created.

Now Postecoglou must engineer such fortunes and put this one in the past.

Rusty Theron, who played for Kings XI Punjab, Deccan Chargers and Rajasthan Royals between 2010 and 2015 in the IPL, has been named in a 30-man USA squad traveling to Los Angeles this weekend for a selection camp

Peter Della Penna19-Jun-2019

Rusty Theron was a key part of the Somerset (NJ) Cavaliers run to the 2018 US Open T20 Final•Peter Della Penna

Rusty Theron, who played for Kings XI Punjab, Deccan Chargers and Rajasthan Royals between 2010 and 2015 in the IPL, has been named in a 30-man USA squad traveling to Los Angeles this weekend for a selection camp. Theron, who also represented South Africa in four ODIs and nine T20Is between 2010 and 2012, will be looking to make the USA squad for the next round of 2020 World T20 Qualifiers, in Bermuda this August.Theron had retired from South African first-class cricket in 2015 before moving to Florida where he was pursuing a teaching degree at a local college. He has now qualified to represent USA under the ICC’s three-year residency rule. According to multiple sources, USA Cricket had been aggressively pursuing Theron to join their squad for WCL Division Three in Oman last November but he made himself unavailable due to the tournament clashing with his own wedding.Theron has been a regular fixture at T20 club tournaments around the USA in the last several years, most prominently at the annual US Open T20 Cricket tournament in Florida. It’s the same tournament used by USA’s Ali Khan to gain attention on the T20 franchise radar. Theron appeared there most recently in December for Somerset (New Jersey) Cavaliers where he was team-mates with Andre Russell and helped bowl Cavaliers into the final, where they eventually lost to California Bears.Also in the USA squad are a pair of English County players with USA passports aiming to force their way into the national team for the first time. Durham’s Cameron Steel and Hampshire’s Ian Holland have both been included in the weekend camp.The 23-year-old Steel, born in California, made a career-best 224 against Leicestershire at age 21 two seasons ago but has struggled to keep his place in the Durham first XI this season. The 28-year-old Wisconsin-born, Australian-raised Holland similarly has struggled to keep a place in the Hampshire first XI – he was loaned to Northants for the Royal London One-Day Cup – since relocating to England after a solitary first-class appearance for Victoria in 2016.Another big name to emerge from the list for different reasons is allrounder Timroy Allen, one of USA’s biggest match-winners of the last decade. Allen was a key role player for Jamaica Tallawahs in 2016, playing six matches during their run to the CPL title, but has not played for USA since May 2017 due to work commitments.Vikash Mohan, former captain of Combined Campuses & Colleges, has also been included in the 30-man list. The US passport holder from Trinidad & Tobago took part in a USA fitness camp at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and was also part of a USA selection camp held in Antigua in February ahead of WCL Division Two in Namibia but was not selected for that tour.Five other uncapped players are in the 30-man list besides Theron, Holland, Steel and Mohan. The most prominent of the bunch is Akshay Homraj, a former Guyana Under-19 wicketkeeper-batsman who has since migrated to New York and been part of multiple USA squad camps. The others are Dallas batsman Ali Samad, Chicago area wicketkeeper Shaheer Hassan, Los Angeles fast bowler Sahaj Patel and Los Angeles left-arm spinning allrounder Srinivas Raghavan.Players will participate in six T20 intra-squad trial matches during the camp before a squad is expected to be announced next month ahead of the ICC Americas Regional T20 Qualifier Final in Bermuda to be held from August 18-25. USA will take on Bermuda, Canada and Cayman Islands in a double-round robin event with the top two teams advancing to the Global T20 World Cup Qualifier in the UAE in October.USA squad: Timroy Allen, Usman Ashraf, Karima Gore, Shaheer Hassan, Ian Holland, Akshay Homraj, Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jaskaran Malhotra, Xavier Marshall, Vikash Mohan, Saurabh Netravalkar, Monank Patel, Nisarg Patel, Sagar Patel, Sahaj Patel, Timil Patel, Kyle Phillip, Srinivas Raghavan, Srini Salver, Ali Samad, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Cameron Steel, Abdullah Syed, Steven Taylor, Rusty Theron, Hayden Walsh Jr.

It's no secret at Elland Road that Wifried Gnonto has longed for a move away from Leeds United in the past, the Italian attacker even taking matters into his own hands last year by refusing to don a Whites strip in a bid to get a deal out of the club over the line.

Yet, in the present, Gnonto could be close to securing a new contract extension regardless of the rumour mill this transfer window suggesting that he could have been on the move away from the club and finally back up to the Premier League.

Daniel Farke's Championship promotion hopefuls will wait with bated breath to see if their previously wantaway winger does commit himself to the Leeds cause, knowing that many twists and turns could still possibly occur.

With that in mind, Farke could well still want reinforcements to bolster the right wing spot at the club regardless of whether or not Gnonto stays or departs owing to assembling the strongest possible squad capable of promotion.

Here are three Gnonto upgrades he could well attempt to sign with the clock precariously ticking ever closer to the window slamming shut…

1 Option 1: David Brooks

David Brooks would certainly be viewed as an improvement on Gnonto, the silky Welshman boasting a Championship promotion on his CV which could make him very useful to Farke's plans.

His numbers at second tier level also help, the current AFC Bournemouth attacker helping himself to nine goals and 11 assists from 69 appearances in the division over his career to date.

In contrast, when Gnonto has been selected this season by his German manager, the Leeds winger has only mustered up a single goal and assist for his troubles.

Brooks could also give Daniel James healthy competition if signed, pushing his fellow compatriot all the way for a spot in the starting eleven.

Once referred to as a "wizard" by Bournemouth Echo journalist Jack Tanner for his skilful nature on the pitch, Leeds will be hoping Brooks has more magic up his sleeve when pulling on a Whites strip potentially with the slick 26-year-old arguably an upgrade on Gnonto.

2 Option 2: Manuel Benson

Leeds could well fancy signing Manuel Benson to enhance their squad away from Gnonto this month also, the Burnley winger an absolute revelation at second tier level last campaign under Vincent Kompany.

Scoring 12 times and assisting a further three goals, the Belgian machine was instrumental in his Clarets side lifting the Championship title with an unbelievable 101-points total accumulated come the end of the 46-game season.

Benson could well fancy returning to the second tier to play for Leeds to gain another promotion on his sparkling resume in a similar fashion to Brooks, meaning Gnonto would tumble down the Whites pecking order as a result.

Showboating for fun with the Clarets on the way to that title, the 26-year-old also showed his goalscoring expertise in curling many a wonder strike past a hapless Championship goalkeeper that campaign.

Yet, despite all these heroics, Benson finds himself cut adrift at Turf Moor currently and rumours suggest Leeds are in the driver's seat to land his signature this month subsequently.

Benson could well be a very effective weapon to deploy by Farke when games are tight, with Leeds still very much in the automatic promotion hunt if everything goes to plan and this signing could give them an edge.

3 Option 3: Mateusz Musialowski

Leeds could well go down the route of securing a raw and young talent as opposed to wingers who have been there and done that in the division with this potential buy, the Whites reportedly in for Liverpool starlet Mateusz Musialowski on loan this window.

Joined by Birmingham City now in pursuing the Polish attacker, Leeds will hope they have the advantage of being a positive, attack-oriented club near the top of the league on their side to land the 20-year-old talent over the Blues.

This season for the Reds at U21 level, Musialowski has bagged six goals in all competitions with the youngster even playing as a centre-forward on occasion.

Musialowski's flexibility to play in multiple positions could well be what Farke admires in the Reds youngster considering he hasn't cut his teeth playing senior football yet, giving Leeds another striker option potentially if a leggy Patrick Bamford drops off in form after bursting into life again this year.

Gnonto's minutes in the Whites first team could be even fewer and far between with this loan addition, the 20-year-old a smart buy if a deal can be reached.

Marcus Rashford will reportedly not be included in England's Euro 2024 provisional squad after his nightmare season at Manchester United.

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Rashford won't be on 30-man provisional listFaced criticism for poor form at Man UtdQuestions being asked over his future(C)Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Gareth Southgate has left Rashford out of his 30-man provisional squad for the European Championship in Germany, which kicks off next month. The 26-year-old has endured a nightmare club campaign at United, scoring just eight goals across all competitions, and now looks set to miss out on another major tournament appearance with his country.

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Southgate will whittle his squad down to 26 players before the final UEFA deadline on June 7. Rashford won't be making the cut, but it has been reported that his United team-mate Kobbie Mainoo will be named on the provisional list alongside Manchester City's Jack Grealish, with England boasting great depth in midfield and wide areas.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Rashford has scored 17 goals in 60 appearances for England to date, having initially made his international debut back in 2016. Three of those efforts came during the Three Lions' run to the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup as he featured in all five games, but he has fallen down the pecking order as a result of his poor form at club level.

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WHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

Rashford is still under contract at Old Trafford until 2028, but it has been suggested that United will consider a summer sale if the right offer comes in amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain. For now he will be focused on finishing the season on a high, with the Red Devils set to face off against arch-rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

West Ham United extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to four games after an impressive victory over Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur last time out, a late James Ward-Prowse rebound effort winning the game for the Hammers 2-1.

The Hammers getting the better of a charitable Spurs side slipping up once more in the league means David Moyes' men are now only four points shy of a top-four place, with Fulham now up next at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

Despite confidence coursing through the east London side's veins at this moment in time, Moyes could be tempted to tweak his line-up slightly for West Ham's short trip over to West London tomorrow.

Here is the West Ham predicted XI, with Lucas Paqueta potentially dropping out…

1

GK – Łukasz Fabiański

Fabiański filled in last time out in the absence of usual first-team goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, the Frenchman sidelined with an injury.

It looks as if the former Paris St.Germain man won't be back for the clash at Craven Cottage either, meaning the 38-year-old reserve goalkeeper will more than likely start again at Fulham.

Fabiański was crucial at points away at Spurs to ensure his team didn't concede more than one goal, making five saves in total, as per Sofascore.

2

RB – Vladimir Coufal

West Ham's Czech right-back continues to be a pivotal player for his team, notching up five assists this season already from defence.

Coufal did have an off-day by his standards against Spurs – only winning two of his seven duels in the away win – but it shouldn't be enough for Moyes to axe the 31-year-old from his starting eleven.

3

CB – Kurt Zouma

Hammers captain Kurt Zouma performed competently against Tottenham to ensure his team got over the line, clearing the ball away twice from danger in the game when the home side looked like breaching the West Ham defence.

The towering defender did win zero of his duels in the game in what will be a disappointing statistic for the ex-Chelsea man to look at, but Moyes should keep the French defender in his line-up for Fulham tomorrow.

4

CB – Nayef Aguerd

Zouma's centre-back partner Nayef Aguerd was the brighter of the two central defenders in the game at Spurs, the Moroccan battler winning all of his ground duels on the night.

Moreover, West Ham's £30m man did the dirty work required of him with seven clearances and four tackles registered in a game that saw the Hammers number 27 successfully nullify the likes of Heung-Min Son foraying forward.

5

LB – Emerson Palmieri

The main stand-out defender from a resilient Hammers back four was however Emerson Palmieri, the Italian left-back missing only one match under Moyes this season in the league and for good reason.

West Ham's number 33 won eight of his 12 attempted ground duels at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last time out, a key figure when Tottenham ramped up the pressure in attack.

This is just a snippet of how important Palmieri has become for the Hammers this season, completing 4.6 ball recoveries per game on average as a vital tireless body down the flanks.

6

CM – Tomas Soucek

Tomas Soucek has been a fan favourite for some time now in east London, joining from Slavia Prague in 2020 and never looking back.

This season, Soucek continues to be a reliable figure in the middle of the park for Moyes' men as was displayed by his performance versus Postecoglou's side – intercepting the ball four times in total while playing the role of a brute enforcer.

The Czech midfielder will hope he can add another goal to his ever-increasing Premier League tally of four this season away at Craven Cottage, Soucek one strike away from 30 all-time Hammers goals.

7

CM – James Ward-Prowse

Another player in midfield who has gone on leaps and bounds since leaving their old club behind is Ward-Prowse, the ex-Southampton hero now a decisive match-winner for the Irons in the top-flight as was seen in the narrow Spurs away victory.

This isn't the only goal Ward-Prowse has scored this season, the creative 29-year-old has three goals this season for Moyes' men on top of his astounding ten assists helping the Hammers pull off some impressive victories.

Whilst Soucek operates as an anchor-style figure in the midfield three, the ex-Saints man is allowed to roam more freely and helps the Hammers unlock stern opposition defences with his flair and trickery.

8

CM – Edson Álvarez

Signed this summer from Ajax for a substantial £35.4m fee, Edson Álvarez hasn't let the hefty price tag get the better of him since relocating to the London Stadium.

Álvarez had a quiet game against Tottenham last match, but his understated approach in the game was still useful. Only amassing 30 touches in the contest, his composure on the ball was almost faultless when he did find himself in possession – rarely hitting a pass wayward, misplacing two passes all night.

Moyes will retain the former Eredivisie player in his lineup for the short trip to the Craven Cottage, the Mexican midfielder going under the radar at his new club.

9

RW – Jarrod Bowen

Jarrod Bowen has been a prolific hero in front of goal for his employers this campaign, already finding the back of the net nine times from 14 appearances in the top flight.

Bowen originally joined the Hammers as an unknown entity from Hull City after an impactful spell with the Tigers, but now he is a crucial figure in his manager's plans week in, week out.

His instinctive finish against Spurs helped his team level the scores at 1-1, a crucial strike that paved the way for Ward-Prowse to score a golden chance late on to win the game.

10

ST – Mohammed Kudus

With Michail Antonio still ruled out of contention for the away game at Fulham, Moyes will more than likely persist with Mohammed Kudus as a lone unorthodox striker.

Kudus didn't really ever spark into life mid-week, only registering two shots on goal as a makeshift forward presence.

Yet, with a lack of options for Moyes to call upon from the bench to play as an out-and-out centre forward minus an ageing Danny Ings, the Scottish manager will hope the former Ajax man can be more of a lively nuisance against Marco Silva's men up top.

For his former employers in Amsterdam, Kudus did infrequently play as a centre-forward and scored nine times playing there. Could he break his striker duck for the Hammers tomorrow?

Real Madrid's Sofie Svava has reportedly signed a contract at another top European club amid interest from Manchester City and the Portland Thorns.

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Svava to leave Real MadridWants a fresh challenge away from SpainHas already committed herself to a new clubWHAT HAPPENED?

According to transfer journalist , Svava, the talented 23-year-old left-back, is poised to depart the Spanish giants for a new challenge once her contract expires in the summer. Svava has declined to extend her contract with Los Blancos and has already inked a deal with another prominent outfit.

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Several top clubs across the globe have expressed interest in securing Svava's services, with City, Lyon, Roma, the Portland Thorns and Utah Royals among the suitors – reflecting her stature as one of Europe's most sought-after defensive talents. However, and official announcement on her next destination is not expected until the end of the current campaign.

WHAT SVAVA SAID

In a recent interview with, Svava expressed her frustrations about limited playing time and hinted at the possibility of departing Real Madrid in search of more regular opportunities elsewhere.

"It probably also has something to do with the fact that I lack a bit of playing time at Real Madrid, but I don't want to go into that too much," she said.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR SVAVA?

Svava has made 14 appearances in Liga F this season, including eight starts. She will be in action again against Madrid CFF on Sunday in a Liga F encounter.

Monday was an unforgettable night for Wolverhampton Wanderers but for all the wrong reasons as Gary O'Neil's side succumbed to a late penalty to lose 3-2 away at Craven Cottage.

The Midlands club conceded two questionable spot-kicks in the second half which head coach O'Neil labelled as "mind-boggling" in his post-match press conference, admitting he has "turned against VAR".

However, one of the manager's greater concerns will be the injury to Rayan Ait Nouri, who has been a key player at Molineux season, having limped off early in the first half with a suspected ankle sprain.

The Algerian defender is still being assessed and his return date is unknown, but it has recently been reported that Wolves could lose the 22-year-old outright in January, leaving O'Neil in a bit of a pickle with regard to his wingback situation.

Rayan Ait Nouri transfer links

Ait Nouri moved to Molineux back in 2020, initially on loan, but eventually signed permanently for £10m from French outfit Angers and was a squad player in his first three seasons with The Wanderers.

However, the Algeria international has grown into his own this term under O'Neil and has become one of the first names on the teamsheet, starting 92% of Wolves' games in the Premier League this season.

However, according to Sports Zone, Ait Nouri has become a top target for Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain ahead of the January transfer window, with Nuno Mendes currently sidelined for another two months, having undergone surgery on a hamstring problem he sustained at the end of September.

The wingback is Wolves' most valuable player and his market value has risen to £21.6m as recent as October, as per Transfermarkt, meaning the club could recuperate more than double the money they paid for him two-and-a-half years ago.

If Wolves lose one of their star defenders, O'Neil could be forced to turn to an old flame in the second half of the campaign.

Potential replacements for Ait Nouri at Wolves

Jonny Otto is one of the only players left at Wolves who featured during the club's first season back in the top flight, having joined midway through the 2018/19 campaign for £18m from Atletico Madrid.

The Spaniard has been a key player for the Midlands side for a large bulk of his time at the club, having featured on the left and right of both a back five and a back four.

However, this season, the 29-year-old has made merely three appearances in all competitions, playing just four minutes of football in the Premier League, casting his future in doubt at Molineux. Despite his limited game-time, O'Neil revealed that Jonny is a "hard-working professional", admitting that the Spanish defender trains really hard.

Nonetheless, there has been a steep decline in Jonny's minutes on the field during his six seasons with the club, particularly in the current campaign.

Season

Minutes In All Comps

2018/19

3,304

2019/20

3,656

2020/21

544

2021/22

1,023

2022/23

1,598

2023/24

184

Stats via Transfermarkt

The Spain international didn't feature much during the 2020/21 and 20201/22 seasons, having torn his ACL on two separate occasions, but was still an important player before and after his spell on the sidelines.

Following Ait Nouri's early injury, O'Neil opted to bring Matt Doherty off the bench on Monday night which didn't pan out as well as he'd hoped. Doherty lost possession 13 times during his 71 minutes on the field, completed merely one tackle and failed to put a single cross into the box as Wolves struggled to create chances, eventually conceding a late penalty to drop three points.

At just 29, Jonny has plenty still left in the tank and could offer much more solidity on the flanks instead of Doherty should Ait Nouri leave in January.

MatériaMais Notícias

Não deve ser em breve que o torcedor do Internacional deverá ver o atacante Taison defendendo novamente o clube, ao menos de acordo com informações divulgadas pelo jornalista Luciano Potter, da ‘Rádio Gaúcha’.

Segundo ele, ao participar de um jantar com o próprio atacante atualmente com 32 anos de idade que defende o Shakhtar Donetsk desde 2012, não é verdade que exista algum tipo de acordo salarial entre as partes e tampouco o interesse próximo de seu clube em liberá-lo com facilidade.

Na verdade, a ideia do clube ucraniano seria justamente manter o atleta em suas fileiras por conta da existência de uma proposta formal de outra equipe europeia, fazendo com que a possibilidade de competir, em valores, fique praticamente inviável para o Colorado.

Consolidado como um dos grandes ídolos na história da equipe que se acostumou nas últimas décadas a contar com uma verdadeira legião de brasileiros, o atual vínculo de Taison com o Shakhtar vai até junho de 2021. Com isso, no próximo mês ele poderia assinar um pré-contrato com outra equipe e sair sem custos.

Curiosamente, apesar da informação do jornalista, o jogador está em Porto Alegre e visitou o CT Parque Gigante nessa terça-feira (22) em passagem que rendeu, inclusive, uma postagem do Inter nas redes sociais.

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