The team also decided to donate all their match fees for this ODI to the National Defence Fund.

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2019

The Indian cricket team decided to play the Ranchi ODI in army camouflage caps to honour those killed in the terror attack in Pulwama last month. They also donated their match fees for the ODI to the National Defence Fund.At the toss, India captain Virat Kohli explained the decision. “It is a special cap,” he said. “This is to pay respect to the martyrs of the Pulwama attack and their families. All the players have decided to donate their match fees from this particular game to the National Defence Fund. I, as the captain of the team, would urge everyone in the country to do the same, donate how much ever they can to the National Defence Fund and help in the education and well-being of the families and the children of those who lost their lives in the attack. So this is a very special cap and a very special game indeed.”ESPNcricinfo understands that the BCCI had approached the ICC before going ahead with the plan, and that the ICC confirmed there was no breach of match regulations. “We discussed with the BCCI as they requested permission, it is as part of a charity fundraising effort,” an ICC spokesperson explained.Commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted that the gesture was initiated by MS Dhoni, who is an honorary lieutenant colonel in the Indian territorial army. Dhoni presented the cap to Kohli and the others before the toss. This could be Dhoni’s last international in his hometown, Ranchi.BCCI tweeted: “#TeamIndia will be sporting camouflage caps today as mark of tribute to the loss of lives in Pulwama terror attack and the armed forces. And to encourage countrymen to donate to the National Defence Fund for taking care of the education of the dependents of the martyrs.”Recently, the BCCI had also announced that a part of the budget for the usually extravagant opening ceremony for the IPL, estimated to cost around INR 20 crore, would be donated to families of Pulwama martyrs.

Wrexham-linked Jamie Vardy is all set to sign a new deal with Leicester City after their return to the Premier League.

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• Vardy unlikely to join Wrexham
• Striker likely to sign new Leicester contract
• Foxes' transfer embargo to be lifted in June

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Foxes legend was linked with a move to newly promoted League One side Wrexham, however, reports that Vardy is now close to signing a new one-year deal with his club. After agreeing to stay at Leicester City amid interest from other European clubs, manager Enzo Maresca reportedly wants the team to offer new deals to the English striker and Denmark international Jannik Vestergaard.

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  The Championship 2023/24 winners were charged with breaching Premier League's PSR rules in March but the club will not face a points deduction at the beginning of the new season. They currently have a transfer embargo imposed on them by the Football League which prevents them from negotiating new contracts but the ban will be lifted next month.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Earlier this month, the Red Dragons director Humphrey Ker had hinted that the club could consider signing the veteran striker as a free agent as they look to rebuild their squad after gaining promotion to the third tier.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LEICESTER CITY?

  While 37-year-old Vardy is all set to put pen to paper and commit his future to the club, the Foxes could lose players like Marc Albrighton, Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Dennis Praet in the summer.

Nabi tweeted in support of Asghar Afghan, saying the team had ‘gelled really well’ under him

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-2019The biggest names in Afghanistan cricket globally, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan, have taken to Twitter to oppose the captaincy changes of their side, saying the timing was not correct, with the World Cup just around the corner.This was in response to the Afghanistan Cricket Board removing Asghar Afghan as the captain from all three formats, naming Rahmat Shah (Test), Gulbadin Naib (ODI) and Rashid (T20I) as the new leaders.Nabi tweeted in support of Afghan, saying the team had “gelled really well” under the veteran, who had taken over the reins from Nabi, and Rashid called the decision was “irresponsible and biased”.

Being a senior member of the side & having seen the rise of Afghanistan cricket @ashrafghani I don’t think it’s the right time to change the captain before the WC @afgexecutive The team has gelled really well under #Asghar & personally feel he is the right man to lead us @hmohib

— Mohammad Nabi (@MohammadNabi007) April 5, 2019

Rashid, named captain of the T20I side and vice-captain to Naib for ODIs, was even more scathing in its criticism.”With all the respect to the Selection Committee, I strongly disagree with the decision as it is irresponsible & bias,” he tweeted. “As we have @cricketworldcup in front of us, Captain #MAsgharAfghan should remain as our team Captain. His captaincy is highly instrumental for team success. With just months to go for such a mega event like World Cup, changing the captain will cause uncertainty and also team morale will be affected. @ashrafghani @afgexecutive @hmohib.”The reason given by ACB chairman Azizullah Fazli for the change in captaincy ahead of the World Cup was to “introduce change in leadership” in order to compete better against nine Full Members in the global tournament.The change in captaincy is the latest in a series of moves involving the highest levels of the ACB, which – given the senior positions involved – have raised suspicions of interference from outside cricket. A few months ago, the entire top brass of ACB, including the chairman Atif Mashal and CEO Shafiqullah Stanikzai were removed from their posts suddenly, and Azizullah Fazli was given total powers as the board chairman. The removal of Stanikzai was especially surprising as he had led the management since 2014, and oversaw a period of great success for the national team, including Afghanistan earning Full Member status in 2017.

Emi Martinez has made unwanted history at Aston Villa, with the World Cup winner adding an embarrassing entry to the Premier League record books.

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South American is a World Cup winnerHas become one of the best in the businessDoes have three PL own goals on his CVGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentina international, who helped his country to global glory in 2022, has forged a reputation as one of the best goalkeepers in the business. The 31-year-old is a larger-than-life character and can usually be relied upon to provide a resolute last line of defence.

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Martinez has become famed for his penalty-saving antics, with the South American mastering the art of mind games when opponents step up to the spot, and his reflexes have allowed notable success to be enjoyed with club and country.

DID YOU KNOW?

An uncharacteristic error was, however, made early on in his latest appearance for Villa. Martinez spilled a deflected Harvey Elliott cross over the line against Liverpool and now boasts the unfortunate honour of being the goalkeeper with the most own goals to his name (three) in Premier League history.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MARTINEZ?

Martinez’s mistake against Liverpool did end up costing Villa, despite Unai Emery’s side battling back from 3-1 down to claim a share of the points courtesy of Jhon Duran’s late brace. The Villans are, however, in a position where a top-four finish and Champions League qualification can still be secured with one game left on their schedule for 2023-24.

Sheffield Wednesday are "hopeful" of completing the signing of a new player imminently, according to an update from two journalists in the last 48 hours.

Sheffield Wednesday – recent form & transfer news

The Owls are relatively flying at the moment, overcoming a dire start to the season and improving all the time under impressive young coach Danny Rohl. In the Championship, Wednesday have won three of their last five matches, allowing them to jump off the bottom of the table and to within a couple of good results from safety, and they also picked up a resounding 4-0 win at home to Cardiff City in the FA Cup third round on Saturday evening.

While there is genuine positivity in the air among the Owls fanbase currently, there is still a huge amount of work to be done in the relegation fight, and some new signings in the January transfer window could be needed.

Brighton goalkeeper James Beadle is one player who has emerged as a potential target, with the 19-year-old on loan at Oxford United but possibly heading to Hillsborough instead. A move for West Ham midfielder Conor Coventry also looks like it could happen, which would provide Rohl with further options in the middle of the park.

Transfer update on James Beadle

Taking to X, Miller claimed that Sheffield Wednesday are "hopeful" of agreeing a deal to sign James Beadle on loan from Brighton.

"Understand Wednesday are hopeful of beating other Champ clubs to loan signing of 19 y/o Brighton GK James Beadle. Highly-rated Eng youth int who has worked with Sal Bibbo before."

Meanwhile, BBC Sheffield's Rob Staton provided an even further update on the situation, saying: "Understand goalkeeper James Beadle was in Sheffield today and his arrival at Sheffield Wednesday is imminent. Has been on loan at Oxford from Brighton."

Beadle could be a brilliant addition for Wednesday, providing competition for Cameron Dawson between the sticks, at a time when the current Owls No.1 is enjoying some great form, saving two penalties in the win over Cardiff.

The Brighton youngster is known for being strong with the ball at his feet, playing it out from the back in a manner similar to the world-class likes of Ederson and Alisson, and that is something that Rohl clearly wants in his goalkeepers.

It would bring a healthy competition between the sticks, but for all Dawson's excellence recently, if the Wednesday manager believes Beadle is the best option in terms of suiting his playing style the most, he is unlikely to hesitate in throwing him straight in.

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If the Owls could snap him up and also acquire the signature of Coventry, whether that be on loan or permanently, it would just give them that extra bit of quality needed to further increase their chances of avoiding relegation this season.

Barcelona boss Xavi has personally told his club to sign one Tottenham star who's been given a "new lease of life" by Ange Postecoglou this season.

Spurs players leaving in 2024

It's a very intriguing time at Spurs when it comes to potential exits, as limited numbers in the squad may prompt chairman Daniel Levy and the board to think twice over their decisions. Postecoglou, in the absence of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero's recent suspension, was at one point forced to play a makeshift centre-back pairing of Emerson Royal and Ben Davies.

Spurs "set their sights" on "dominant" centre-back after "weekly" talks

The north Londoners are determined to bring in a centre-back.

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Dec 12, 2023

The Lilywhites will also be without Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur in January, with the former both travelling to represent their countries at AFCON early next year. Bentancur isn't expected back for Spurs till February as he recovers from ankle ligament damage (PA), which will leave Spurs desperately short in midfield.

Despite this, there are still rumours that Levy could move to offload certain Tottenham players. His sporting director Johan Lange may be open to selling Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, according to reports, while the out-of-favour Eric Dier could leave Spurs in January as well.

Saudi Arabian sides are taking an interest in Richarlison also, with some media sources believing they could be willing to sanction his exit (Football Insider).

Long-serving goalkeeper Hugo Lloris will be free to leave Tottenham in January to, as his contract expires in the summer, according to Sky Sports. Perhaps the most intriguing case of them all is Giovani Lo Celso, who has been repeatedly linked with a departure from Tottenham but has recently come back into the fold.

The Argentine, amid their recent injury crisis, is now playing his way into Postecoglou's favour and even scored away to Premier League champions Man City in their recent 3-3 draw at Eastlands.

Xavi "determined" to sign Lo Celso from Spurs

However, the midfielder's contract also expires in 2025, which means Levy and Lange have limited time to cash in on Lo Celso while they can demand a noteworthy fee for him.

This may give Postecoglou's side a dilemma, but it's one which Barca boss Xavi is eager to solve by bringing him to the Nou Camp.

According to Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas, Xavi has told Barcelona to sign Lo Celso in January and is personally "determined" to seal an agreement for him.

It will be interesting to see if Spurs do opt to sell next month. While his time at the club hasn't been great overall, missing many games due to injury, journalist Paul Brown reiterates to GiveMeSport that Lo Celso has been given a "new lease of life" under Postecoglou recently.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo se despediu de um dos funcionários que ajudavam a resgatar a memória do clube. Coordenador de Patrimônio Histórico do Rubro-Negro, Bruno Lucena morreu na madrugada deste sábado no Rio de Janeiro, após ter sofrido um infarto.

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Lucena tinha 39 anos e trabalhava no clube desde o início de mandato de Rodolfo Landim, no início de 2019. O Flamengo não escondeu a saudade que ficará pela “enciclopédia viva do Mais Querido” e destacou o imensurável legado do historiador.

Seu imensurável legado fica entre nós, assim como uma imensa saudade. Que Deus conforte os corações dos amigos e familiares neste momento tão triste. 🙏#CRF

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) February 27, 2021

“Com muita dor, comunicamos a morte de Bruno Lucena, que era não só nosso coordenador de Patrimônio Histórico, mas também uma enciclopédia viva do Mais Querido e um grande rubro-negro. O Clube de Regatas do Flamengo está de luto.

Seu imensurável legado fica entre nós, assim como uma imensa saudade. Que Deus conforte os corações dos amigos e familiares neste momento tão triste”.

Além de ter sido coordenador de Patrimônio Histórico do Flamengo, Bruno Lucena mostrou seu conhecimento sobre o legado do clube ao vencer o programa “Fanáticos”, no canal Esporte Interativo.

Last season, Manchester City sold Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to Premier League competitors Arsenal and very nearly lived to regret it. Jesus scored 11 top-flight goals and provided seven assists for the Gunners, while Oleksandr Zinchenko was also a key contributor to Mikel Arteta's side, starting 26 league games (Transfermarkt).

Arsenal proved to be City's closest challengers for the title, ultimately finishing five points adrift as Pep Guardiola just about denied his former players glory. Now, another former City man is shining at a Premier League rival, and Guardiola seems intent on getting him back.

City plot Pedro Porro reunion

Unlike Jesus and Zinchenko, Pedro Porro didn't leave City directly for another English club, instead stopping at Sporting after an £7.6m transfer in 2022. It was from there he moved on to Spurs, initially on loan in January before a permanent £34.4m transfer in the summer (Transfermarkt).

Now, according to Tottenham Hotspur News, City are interested in signing Porro during the summer transfer window as a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker. Walker, of course, was also signed from Spurs back in 2017, but now Guardiola is planning for life without the Englishman.

There's a feeling that Porro would find it "terribly hard" to turn down a move to the Etihad owing to the strong Spanish link between himself and Guardiola. It should be stressed, though, that the same outlet previously reported that Real Madrid and Barcelona are also keen, so City may face some mighty competition.

Porro return would be sensational

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has raved about the "super" performances of his defender (Spurs Play), while Lilywhites columnist John Wenham says he's been "really impressed" with the 22-year-old in his first full season at the club, arguing that "he's been right up there in terms of right-backs" in the Premier League (Tottenham Hotspur News).

Sure enough, Porro ranks fifth in the division for assists (six) and sixth for expected assisted goals (5.3), so he deserves to be up there. He's creating high quality chances, and his teammates are finishing them (FBRef).

But it's not just about what he offers going forward – Porro also boasts strong defensive fundamentals. He sits second in the league for dribblers tackled (38), showing that he can hold his own in one-vs-one duels, and he leads the division outright in blocks (43), which speaks to smart positioning and a desire to lay his body on the line.

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By the sounds of it, he'd relish another shot at playing for City, and the contract negotiations could be especially smooth because the club already have a prior relationship with his agent CAA Base Ltd, who also represent young English defender Rico Lewis (Transfermarkt).

This would be a pretty sensational transfer, with City potentially capturing a player who's started 19 out of 20 games for their direct Premier League rivals (Transfermarkt). Just a point separates the two sides in the table right now, although the reigning champions have played a game fewer, and so this would feel like a devastating blow for Spurs. Ironically, they haven't lost a major player to a fellow 'big six' club since Walker made the move to Manchester six and a half years ago, but that could change this summer.

Chelsea, after a summer overhaul which saw the likes of Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, Kai Havertz and many more all head for the exit door, making way for a number of arrivals, started the Premier League season with plenty of hope under Mauricio Pochettino. Into the new year, plenty of that hope has diminished, with the Blues sitting as low as 10th in England's top flight and a place in the top four more of a pipe dream than anything else as things stand.

As they look to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations too, Chelsea could show the door to even more players this month, which could see one out-of-favour player finally get his move.

Chelsea transfer news

The last thing Chelsea need is to be found guilty of breaching FFP regulations, given that Everton were handed a 10-point deduction earlier in the season. If the London giants suffered the same fate, they would sit 16th and worryingly just three points above the relegation zone. So avoiding that consequence could take priority this month, potentially providing certain fringe players with a much-needed departure from Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis.

Chelsea make contact to sign U17 World Cup winner who wants new challenge

The Blues could land another one for the future…

ByTom Cunningham Jan 3, 2024

According to Nizaar Kinsella of The Evening Standard, Borussia Dortmund have held talks with Ian Maatsen over a potential Chelsea departure this month. The Blues are reportedly holding out for £30m, given they accepted an offer of that price from Burnley in the summer, with the player failing to convince Pochettino in recent months. Dortmund are unable to match that fee, however, and would prefer to sign Maatsen on loan and spread the cost of the deal, as they look to land the full-back in the coming weeks.

With both parties wanting different things, the deal for Chelsea's sellable asset could find itself at a crossroads. As the window goes on and the Blues become more desperate to raise funds, the left-back will certainly be one to watch, especially if Dortmund step up their pursuit.

"Pacy" Maatsen needs Chelsea exit

Even with Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella injured, Maatsen has struggled for game time at Chelsea. In a frustrating blow, Pochettino has instead opted to play Levi Colwill out of position at left-back over turning to the Dutchman, highlighting just how desperately Maatsen needs to leave Stamford Bridge this month. At 21-years-old, a move to Borussia Dortmund could be the perfect way for Maatsen to turn his season around. We've seen the likes of Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham leave England, before becoming stars in the Bundesliga, and the Chelsea fullback could replicate the duo's success.

The youngster certainly impressed when handed game time whilst on loan at Burnley last season, as they won the Championship to prove Vincent Kompany right about the Chelsea loanee. The Manchester City legend praised Maatsen when he signed for the Clarets, saying:

"We’re pleased to add Ian to our team, he’s a talented, energetic and pacy player, who can defend and get forward well. Ian will be a great addition to our team on and off the pitch."

Manchester City have made contact to enquire about a deal to bring an exciting teenager to the Premier League, according to a reliable reporter.

Man City form this season

The Sky Blues have made a generally solid start to the new campaign having won 10, drawn four and lost three of their opening 17 games, meaning that they currently find themselves fourth in the top-flight table.

While Pep Guardiola will be assessing his options as to who he could sign to strengthen his squad in the here and now, he’ll also no doubt be keeping an eye on any available up-and-coming prospects as he looks to start building a squad for the long-term future of the club.

Man City plotting move for "passing master" to replace Kalvin Phillips

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ByChloe Chadwick Dec 16, 2023

River Plate’s attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri has been highlighted as a potential target, with the 17-year-old having worked his way up through his club’s various youth ranks to eventually get promoted to their senior first-team (Transfermarkt – Echeverri statistics).

Argentina’s youth international has a deal that is set to expire in December 2024 (River Plate contracts), and having seemingly impressed during his performances since the start of his career, he’s caught the eye of those at the Etihad Stadium.

Man City interested in Echeverri

Taking to X, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Man City are keen on Echeverri and have already made contact to River Plate ahead of a possible move.

He wrote: “Understand both Chelsea and Man City have made contact to be informed on Claudio Echeverri situation. Barcelona remain keen but structure of the deal makes it complicated with Financial Fair Play. Release clause: €25m (£21m), up to €30m (£25m) in the final days of the market.”

Echeverri is a "top talent" for the future

While Man City may not throw Echeverri straight into the fold considering that he’s still at such a young age, Guardiola could be aware of the bags of potential that he has to offer, therefore, the teenager could be an excellent recruit for the club in years to come.

The Resistencia native has posted 18 contributions (13 goals and five assists), from 22 appearances across all competitions for Argentina’s U17s following his arrival on the professional scene, showing how prolific he can be in the final third, and he’s already been recognised for his individual efforts on the international stage.

Sponsored by Adidas, Pep’s target was named the U17s South American Championship top goalscorer, and he further knows what it takes to compete and be successful at a high level having been crowned the Argentinian Champion with River Plate, possessing an excellent winning mentality that would be required of him by his admirers.

As described by football scout Jacek Kulig, Echeverri is a “top talent”, and considering that he’s already showcasing what he’s capable of at his childhood club, he’s surely destined to move onto bigger and better things in the near future.