Al-Ahli are preparing a massive transfer offer for Vinicius Jr amid ongoing concerns regarding his contract extension at Real Madrid.

• Vini Jr. demands to be the highest-paid player at Madrid
• Club not willing to entertain Brazilian's demands
• Saudi side prepare massive bid in case of a fallout

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Saudi Pro League chiefs have been interested in signing the Brazilian forward for a long time and are keeping tabs on the growing tensions between Los Blancos and Vinicius. According to , the Saudi officials have lined up a record €300 million (£261m/$351m) bid for the Madrid forward in case of a fallout between Vinicius and the club. Furthermore, the Saudi Arabian side are willing to offer €1bn (£870m/$1.2bn) over a five-year contract to the two-time Champions League winner.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Saudi chiefs were left disappointed earlier when Kylian Mbappe declined their massive €300m (£261m/$351m) bid in 2023. There is an internal feeling that another prominent player needs to be signed for the Saudi League, and with Al-Ahli winning the Asian Champions League last season, the plan is for the Jeddah-based club to get their deserved big signing. However, Vinicius has publicly stated that he wishes to continue with Madrid, but his demand to be the highest-paid at the club raises uncertainty about his future. The Saudis know that a deal will be hard to make but are optimistic that if not now, a deal can be struck later, possibly by the 2027-28 season, when the Brazilian will still be in his prime years.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Madrid's talks to extend Vinicius Jr.'s contract until 2030 have stalled. With two years left on his current deal, the Brazilian forward is demanding a hefty €30m (£26m/$35m), including a renewal bonus, which would make him the club's highest-paid player. Los Blancos, however, are reluctant to meet this demand, particularly given his recent dip in form, notably in the Club World Cup where he struggled.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MADRID?

  Xabi Alonso's side are currently lobbying La Liga to postpone their opening fixture against Osasuna. La Liga's president, Javier Tebas, had declined the club's request but is under new pressure to reschedule the season opener after AFE (Spanish Footballers' Association) appealed to the Sole Competition Judge.

يخوض منتخب المغرب تحت 20 عامًا، نهائي بطولة كأس العالم للشباب 2025، ضد منتخب الأرجنتين، في موقعة من العيار الثقيل.

وتأهل منتخب المغرب إلى النهائي من بطولة كأس العالم للشباب المقامة في تشيلي، بعد الفوز على فرنسا بركلات الترجيح في دور نصف النهائي.

أما منتخب الأرجنتين تأهل إلى النهائي على حساب كولومبيا في مباراة نصف النهائي الثاني، حيث صعد  من دور المجموعات بالعلامة الكاملة، ثم فاز على المنتخب النيجيري برباعية دون رد في الـ16، قبل أن يهزم المكسيك بثنائية دون رد في مباراة ربع النهائي، ثم إقصاء كولومبيا في نصف النهائي.

طالع | تردد القناة المفتوحة الناقلة لمباراة الأرجنتين والمغرب في نهائي كأس العالم للشباب

منتخب المغرب كان قد تأهل إلى دور الستة عشر، بعد تصدر مجموعته برصيد 6 نقاط، متفوقًا على البرازيل وإسبانيا والمكسيك، وفي مباراة ثمن النهائي انتصر على منتخب كوريا الجنوبية بهدفين مقابل هدف، وفي دور الثمانية فاز على أمريكا 3-1.

ويسعى منتخب المغرب إلى تحقيق إنجاز تاريخي بالفوز على الأرجنتين وتحقيق لقب بطولة كأس العالم للشباب تحت 20 عامًا. موعد مباراة المغرب والأرجنتين اليوم في كأس العالم للشباب

تقام مباراة المغرب والأرجنتين فجر الإثنين، 20 أكتوبر الجاري، في تمام الساعة الثانية صباحًا بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، والثانية عشر بتوقيت المغرب. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة المغرب والأرجنتين اليوم في كأس العالم للشباب

تنقل مباراة المغرب والأرجنتين على قناة “بي إن سبورت” المفتوحة على قمر النايل سات، بالإضافة إلى قناة الرياضية المغربية الأرضية “TNT”.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Elation and disappointment: the reactions to New Zealand’s 18-run win over India in the World Cup semi-final at Old Trafford

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-2019.

WOW!!!!!! Amazing theatre at Old Trafford!! Congrats @BLACKCAPS super effort gents @cricketworldcup

— Danny Morrison (@SteelyDan66) July 10, 2019

What a game! #backtheblackcaps
Finals time! Let’s go one better than 2015.

— Grant Elliott (@grantelliottnz) July 10, 2019

Congratulations absolutely brilliant win. Kane Williamson take a bow, outstanding captaincy. Bad luck to team

— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) July 10, 2019

Stunning result in Manchester!! I had predicted an England-India final but NZ have been brilliant, unbelievable effort to restrict this India batting for such low total. Great game for Jadeja, hard luck India

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 10, 2019

What a thrilling game. This is what you call a #CWC semi final congratulations @BLACKCAPS, well played!

— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) July 10, 2019

How good
#BackTheBLACKCAPS https://t.co/VN8E7IHMbS

— Suzie Bates (@SuzieWBates) July 10, 2019

Well done @BLACKCAPS .. 2 Finals on the trot .. The understated skipper & team keep delivering .. #CWC19

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) July 10, 2019

An absolutely brilliant #CWC19 semi final!! Congrats to New Zealand! Old Trafford has looked a picture throughout this WC and hosted some exciting games!! Well done to all involved!

— James Anderson (@jimmy9) July 10, 2019

Congrats to #kanewilliamson and the @BLACKCAPS on making another final. All the best in the big one. May not have all the talent like some other teams but Best at being "streetsmart" and superb captaincy skills

— Vernon Philander (@VDP_24) July 10, 2019

What a game, Williamson’s calmness and tactical deployment a cut above. #CWC19 #INDvNZ

— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) July 10, 2019

Never underestimate the underdog. @BLACKCAPS congratulations, the world thought you were the easybeats!
Today is a life lesson that you can climb mountains when the odds are against you. India be proud, your team are superstars, but today NZ had a day out. #cwc19 #INDvNZ

— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) July 10, 2019

Once again cricket shows us how unpredictable it can be…. NO ONE gave Newzealand a chance in the build up to the semi final and look what we have now

Unlucky team India and a huge congratulations to Black Caps#ICCWorldCup2019

— Tabraiz Shamsi (@shamsi90) July 10, 2019

Best bowling team and also the best fielding unit makes the final !!!! #cwc2019 WoW…what a game .These Kiwis are awesome ..they fight for everything .Congratulations @BLACKCAPS

— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) July 10, 2019

Congrats the Kiwis! Aroha nui (learnt that from @iainobrien

— mark butcher (@markbutcher72) July 10, 2019

Mad game. Well fought India, congrats kiwis, held nerve. #CWC19 #INDvsNZ

— Shaun Tait (@shaun_tait32) July 10, 2019

Congratulations to Kane Williamson and the @BLACKCAPS for making it to a second successive World Cup Finals. Ravindra Jadeja along with Dhoni fought brilliantly and got India so close but NZ were brilliant with the new ball and that was decisive. #IndvNZ

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) July 10, 2019

It was a second straight World Cup semi-final exit for India, who had topped the league stage.

just like every supporter.
A good fight put up by @imjadeja & @msdhoni but @BLACKCAPS were exceptional today.
Congrats to on making it to the Finals & all the best for the same.
I felt #KaneWilliamson’s captaincy & composure played a crucial role in this result.#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/3sUlW21cgN

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 10, 2019

Tough luck, boys. Well played. You've won hearts with your efforts throughout the tournament.

Congratulations @BLACKCAPS

— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) July 10, 2019

Disappointing and frustrated …. The mildest words i can find. Credit to the #BlackCaps they were brilliant #indiavsNewzealand #CWC19

— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) July 10, 2019

India were reduced to 24 for 4 in chase of 240, but Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni put up a fight in a thrilling finish.

Unbelievable effort to stage a fight back from 90 for 6!! Well done @msdhoni and @imjadeja.. #ICCWorldCup2019

— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) July 10, 2019

A run out by a direct hit. One superb catch. Economical ten overs. And the best knock of his ODI career. It’s not fair to end up on the losing side…well played, Jadeja. #CWC19 #IndvNZ

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) July 10, 2019

Congratulations to @BLACKCAPS on making it to the finals. Jadeja played an outstanding innings and got India in the game along with MS Dhoni, yet it was a case of so near yet so far #IndvNZ

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 10, 2019

Jadeja played the innings of his life , and what a day to do so. Dhoni and him got us in it from nowhere but alas wasn’t enough . Well fought India and congratulations to NZ on reaching the finals. #IndvNZ

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) July 10, 2019

da pinup bet： Arsenal have many different transfer plates spinning behind-the-scenes right now, according to reports, with sporting director Andrea Berta attempting to make progress on key summer deals.

Arsenal poised to sign Kepa and Zubimendi amid new striker talks

da brwin： While there were some concerns that Real Madrid would hijack Arsenal’s move for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, The Athletic’s David Ornstein moved to reassure supporters this week that the Spain international is firmly on track to join Mikel Arteta’s side.

Related £67m player prioritising Arsenal move as agent holds meeting, it's not Sesko

He’s pretty keen on a move to north London.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jun 13, 2025

The delay in announcing Zubimendi’s capture is apparently down to financial reasons, with Sociedad keen to register the 26-year-old’s sale as part of the next financial year, which commences in July (AS).

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Arsenal are poised to sign Zubimendi after months of talks, and barring a late unmitigated disaster, Gunners chiefs consider the deal for him as “done” (David Ornstein).

Berta is also closing in on the signing of Chelsea outcast Kepa Arrizabalaga as their second-choice keeper after missing out on widely reported top target Joan Garcia to Barcelona.

The Spaniard, who was deemed surplus to requirements by Enzo Maresca, is set to finalise a £5 million move from Stamford Bridge, following a productive loan spell at Bournemouth last season.

Kepa’s imminent arrival has been praised by critics too, who call him an “absolute steal”.

“Arsenal have acted really quickly after it became clear that Joan Garcia would not be arriving from Espanyol this summer and have all but wrapped up a really smart piece of business,” said journalist Charles Watts to CaughtOffside.

“Landing a keeper like Kepa for just £5 million is an absolute steal. I’m honestly baffled at how there seems to be some who are questioning it.

“You are talking about a keeper approaching his best years who has plenty of experience and is a senior international. He had a very good season on loan at Bournemouth last season and the season before he helped Real Madrid win the Champions League while he was there.”

Amid these two moves, Arsenal continue working on signing a new striker.

Two names have dominated the headlines – RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.

Arsenal have been in negotiations with Leipzig over Sesko, but are yet to find an agreement on price, which has perhaps led them to try their hand at an offer for Gyokeres instead.

Arsenal submit "concrete offer" for Viktor Gyokeres

According to Portuguese newspaper Record, Sporting and the Sweden international have received Berta’s opening bid.

The Italian held a summit with Sporting’s general director of football, Bernardo Palmeiro, in Spain earlier this week. During these talks, Arsenal submitted their “first concrete offer” for Gyokeres, which came in at around £55 million including add-ons.

Unfortunately, this is very unlikely to be anywhere near enough, as Sporting president Frederico Varandas confirmed to the media this week that the 27-year-old star striker would not be leaving for nearly £60m.

Gyokeres’ situation in the Primeira Liga is becoming very toxic, with the player uploading a cryptic Instagram post after Varandas’ comments that he would not be blackmailed into selling him.

In his post, Gyokeres addressed the “false” talk regarding his future, potentially aimed at Varandas’ statements to the media.

Having scored 54 goals in all competitions last term, guiding Sporting to their first domestic double in decades, the centre-forward’s future has now turned into a soap opera, and Arsenal could look to take full advantage.

If the north Londoners do make progress in negotiation, it is believed by some media sources that Gyokeres is demanding around £250,000-per-week to join any suitor (The Mirror).

Opener suffered injury while taking catch off final ball of Pakistsn’s first innings in Multan

Matt Roller08-Oct-2024England are sweating on Ben Duckett’s availability to bat in their first Test against Pakistan in Multan, after he was unable to open their innings due to a suspected dislocation of his left thumb.Duckett was fielding at slip when Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan’s No. 11, steered a short ball from Joe Root straight into the tip of his thumb. He held onto the catch at the second attempt but immediately winced in pain, and received treatment from England’s doctor Glen Rae as he walked off the field.Ollie Pope opened alongside Zak Crawley in Duckett’s place, and fell second-ball to a flying catch at midwicket from Aamer Jamal, but England did not lose another wicket in the remainder of the 20-over batting stint, reaching 96 for 1 at the close.An England spokesperson said that the team are hoping Duckett’s injury will settle down overnight and that he is not due to go for a scan, but it was not clear on Tuesday evening whether he will be available to bat on the third day.Related

• Root and Brook hit big centuries to make Pakistan's 556 look inadequate

• Shan Masood's statement of intent sets out Pakistan's stall for the series

• Jeetan Patel: England's 'high-end toil' keeps them in contention in first Test

• Crawley leads England reply after Salman hundred sets up Pakistan

• Olly Stone to leave Pakistan tour to get married this weekend

It would be a significant blow for England to lose Duckett, not least after opting to continue with their six-batter, five-bowler formation in the absence of Ben Stokes. He was England’s second-highest run-scorer in their 3-0 series whitewash in Pakistan two years ago and, with an average of 44.05 in 23 Tests since his recall for that tour, has emerged as one of their most important players.Stokes is targeting the second Test for his comeback from a torn hamstring and stepped up his recovery on Tuesday. He took slip catches and did some high-intensity running before play started, batted in the nets behind the Waqar Younis Stand for around 45 minutes at lunch, and bowled three overs at tea with James Anderson – back with the squad after competing in a pro-am golf tournament last week – watching on.England’s resources for the second Test are already depleted, with Olly Stone unlikely to feature after flying home for his wedding in the UK on Saturday. If Duckett is unavailable, he could either be replaced in England’s XI by the spare batter Jordan Cox – who has opened for Kent early in his first-class career – or by Stokes, with a reshuffled batting line-up.

Liverpool are considering a move for a “sensational” attacking midfielder this summer, and he is now keen to hold talks about a move to Anfield, according to a report.

Reds eyeing Wirtz alternatives as race heats up

Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz could well be on the move this summer, and it is looking like the transfer saga could be one of the most talked-about of the summer, with a number of Europe’s top clubs lining up for the German.

Bayern Munich and Manchester City have also expressed an interest in Wirtz, although there have been suggestions that Pep Guardiola’s side have now cooled their interest, amid concerns a deal could be too expensive.

The Reds are pushing hard to sign the 22-year-old, but there are also some alternative options in mind, with River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons among the potential options, and Arne Slot is believed to be driving the deal for his compatriot.

Sky Sports: Liverpool may sell "amazing" £50m player after transfer twist

He played in the 3-2 defeat away to Brighton on Monday night.

ByHenry Jackson May 20, 2025

A report from TEAMtalk has now provided a new update on Liverpool’s interest in Simons, stating they are considering a move for the attacking midfielder as a potential alternative to Wirtz, and there is a feeling he could be open to heading to Anfield.

The Leipzig star is keen to hold talks over joining the Reds, and he could be a more affordable option than the Leverkusen man, as the asking price is expected to be around £60m.

Leipzig are open to selling the Dutchman this summer, should they receive a suitable fee, which will come as welcome news to Slot, who is known to be an admirer of the 22-year-old’s technical quality and maturity.

Van Dijk lauds "very talented" Simons

Slot is not the only key Liverpool figure who is a big fan of the “sensational” Netherlands international, with Virgil van Dijk also taking the time to praise him last year, saying: “He is a very talented player who has so much to give,”

“He can still be so much better than he is already but he has a good mentality, so I am not worried that won’t happen. I am confident in him.”

The Amsterdam-born attacker’s quality is underlined by his output in Germany during the 2024-25 campaign, regularly chipping in with goals and assists despite a disappointing season for Leipzig, who finished seventh in the Bundesliga.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Bundesliga

25

10

7

DFB-Pokal

3

1

1

Wirtz outperformed his Bundesliga rival numbers-wise, collecting six more assists, but it was recently suggested that a deal for the Germany international could amount to €300m (£253m) all-in, potentially making him unattainable for the Reds.

At just £60m, Simons has proven he could be a fantastic alternative to Wirtz, so it is promising news that he is keen on talks about a move to Anfield.

Will Chelsea make any more signings ahead of the Club World Cup?

Last week, the Blues unveiled Liam Delap as their new signing, paying Ipswich his £30m release clause.

Now, Chelsea have until 7pm (BST) on Tuesday 10th June to register any more signings ahead of the Club World Cup, with their opening fixture against Los Angeles FC taking place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta the following Monday.

So, before then, will Enzo Maresca have another new centre-forward at his disposal?

Chelsea chasing another striker

The Blues are looking to significantly improve their forward line this summer with mooted interest in Frankurt forward Hugo Ekitike.

Transfer Focus

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

Further reports have suggested that a deal could be on the cards for Jamie Gittens too, with the club having held talks with his club side, Borussia Dortmund, ahead of a possible move. However, there are more targets on the horizon for BlueCo.

Indeed, according to TEAMtalk, Chelsea are targeting a move for Brighton & Hove Albion forward João Pedro, with Newcastle United also interested.

Fabrizio Romano claims that the Brazilian is ‘expected to leave Brighton’ this summer, after not featuring in any of the Seagulls’ final five Premier League fixtures this season, the first three due to suspension, before being left out of two matchday squads by manager Fabian Hürzeler following a training ground ‘altercation’ with teammate Jan Paul van Hecke.

Reports in Spain claim that the Albion value their star striker at around £70m, with Football.London noting that Chelsea are willing to pay around £50m, so some sort of compromise will have to be made if Pedro is going to feature stateside this summer.

How Pedro and Delap could function together at Chelsea

Having only just signed Delap, pointedly presenting him with the number nine shirt too, it may seem peculiar that Chelsea are targeting another attacker.

Nevertheless, with Christopher Nkunku on his way out this summer, Matt Law of the Telegraph believes they are in the market for a versatile forward, but is Pedro actually a bigger talent than his potential future teammate?

Let’s try and answer that question.

Goals

0.46

0.42

Assists

0.28

0.07

Shots

1.94

2.29

Shots on target %

35.7%

43.9%

Shot-creating actions

3.32

2.15

Open-play passes completed

20.8

7.4

Chances created

1.3

0.7

Lay-offs completed

1.6

0.9

Touches

44

24

As the table outlines, Delap is much of a penalty box presence, emphasised by the fact he registered more shots, a higher proportion of which hit the target, while also taking almost half the number of touches on a per 90 basis.

Pedro meantime, is a significantly more well-rounded forward, underlined by his higher number of chances created, passes completed and touches per 90 statistics.

Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard has hailed his “really magical” quality on the ball, while Adrian Clarke of the Premier League labelled him ‘hardworking, creative, and calm in front’, praising his ‘deft pieces of link play’ and believing he has started to show ‘a poacher’s instinct’ this season too.

Meantime, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout notes that Pedro ‘is capable of playing anywhere across the attack’, while Liam Tharme of the Athletic outlines how he is adept at ‘dropping deep to link play’.

Thus, this all suggests that Delap and Pedro could function in a team together, with the former holding his position in the penalty area, while the latter drops deep to link play alongside Chelsea’s abundance of other high-quality attackers.

Thus, he would surely be an excellent addition for the Blues, even if getting this deal over the line by Tuesday appears unlikely at this stage.

Shades of Hazard: Chelsea to make £59m bid for "generational" star

Chelsea could be about to land themselves a star who can follow in the footsteps of Eden Hazard at Stamford Bridge.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 7, 2025

Fresh off their Asia Cup triumph, the Sri Lankan women’s side will be heading to Ireland for two T20Is and three ODIs from August 11-20, Sri Lanka Cricket has announced. The team will depart for Ireland on August 6.This will be Sri Lanka’s first bilateral tour of Ireland, while it will be Ireland’s third bilateral assignment this year – their first at home, having played both Zimbabwe and Thailand in Zimbabwe and the UAE respectively.Ireland are yet to lose a bilateral game this year, but this will be a far sterner test with Sri Lanka having won 18 of the 23 white-ball matches they’ve played in 2024. Sri Lanka also hold an unblemished record against Ireland, having won each of the three ODIs and three T20Is they’ve faced each other in.This however will be the first time these two sides will be meeting since the 2017 Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifier, where Sri Lanka registered a comprehensive victory. They were also due to face each other during the 2021 ODI World Cup Qualifier, but that game was cancelled after the entire tournament was called off as a result of significant travel restrictions imposed on the region due to the Covid-19 pandemic.The tour will begin with the first of two T20Is on August 11 in Dublin. Following the conclusion of the second T20I on August 13, also in Dublin, the action will move to Belfast for the ODIs. The three-match ODI series, which will be part of 2022-2025 ICC Women’s Championship cycle, will begin on August 16..

Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada ran through the top order as Afghanistan folded for 56, their lowest total in T20Is

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Jun-2024South Africa’s quicks ravaged Afghanistan’s top order, taking five wickets inside the first five overs, to send the opposition spiralling towards their eventual 56 all out in the first semi-final of T20 World Cup 2024.Then, although they lost Quinton de Kock early, Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks calmly navigated the small chase on an exceedingly tricky Tarouba pitch.For a team infamous for playing jittery cricket in the knockouts, this win was dominant and clinical. South Africa left next to nothing to chance. They bowled beautifully, fielded well, and weathered some difficult early overs while pouncing on the loose balls.Related

'That's not the pitch you want to have a World Cup semi-final on'

Ice-cool South Africa finally put together the complete game

Markram: 'Bowlers have been incredible through the World Cup for us'

Stats – South Africa men's maiden World Cup final, Afghanistan's lowest T20I total

As their reward, they have their first ever berth in a men’s World Cup final, and continued their unbeaten run in the tournament, which now is up to eight matches. The margin of victory, by nine wickets and with 67 balls remaining, underscored the control they exerted on this match, from start to finish.Jansen and Rabada rip out the top orderThe Tarouba surface not only offered lateral movement but also a lot of bounce early on. With the heights that Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada bring to the table, South Africa had a great attack to exploit conditions.Kagiso Rabada flattened Mohammad Nabi’s off stump•AFP/Getty ImagesJansen struck at the end of the first over to remove Afghanistan’s batter of the tournament – Rahmanullah Gurbaz – who edged a ball angled across him to Hendricks at slip. In his next over, Jansen bowled Gulbadin Naib through the gate with a delivery that darted back into him.Rabada’s first over sent Afghanistan really into a nosedive. He jagged two balls back and hit timber on both occasions. The ball that clipped the top of Ibrahim Zadran’s middle stump was the killer – Ibrahim at that point was Afghanistan’s best hope of getting to a good score. Fourth ball, he took out Mohammad Nabi’s off stump with an even more stunning delivery. That over was a double-wicket maiden.Nortje and Shamsi do the restWith the top five gone, and their middle order having failed to produce much right through the tournament, Afghanistan were seriously struggling. Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi closed down the innings from there. Nortje had Azmatullah Omarzai (the only Afghan batter to get to double figures) caught at deep point, then later knocked out Rashid Khan’s off stump.Shamsi bowled a leg-stump line to the right-handers and kept getting them lbw as the balls rushed onto them. They reviewed all three decisions, but the on-field umpires had given them out, and umpires’ calls on impact were good enough.Jonathan Trott and Rashid Khan during the innings break•ICC/Getty ImagesFarooqi and Naveen can’t wreck South Africa’s top orderComing into this match, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq had 29 wickets between them. Their only chance of defending such a paltry score was running through the top order together.Farooqi added to his tournament-high wicket tally in his first over, setting de Kock up with some big outswingers before jagging one back in and making a mess of his stumps.And Naveen should have had Markram the next over, but most of Afghanistan’s players didn’t hear the thin edge to the wicketkeeper, and Rashid wasn’t sure enough of it to review the decision.Markram and Hendricks take the chase homeThere were still testing moments, as the pitch continued to play up, still often keeping low. But whenever Afghanistan bowled poor deliveries, South Africa’s batters pounced. The fifth over itself yielded 13 runs – more than a fifth of the target. South Africa got home in the ninth over, sparking restrained celebrations, even though this was a historic victory for them.

A pivotal summer awaits for Rangers. 49ers Enterprises, led by Paraag Marathe, are set to complete their 51% majority takeover of the Ibrox club in the coming weeks, but they’ll have plenty of work to do, needing to hire a new manager to replace Barry Ferguson, while a major squad overhaul is also required.

The incoming owners will also need to work fast because, as Scottish Premiership runners-up, Rangers will enter the Champions League at the second qualifying round stage, the first leg of which takes place on 22/23 July, in just ten weeks’ time.

Their potential opponents in that tie are currently forecast to be Brann, Wolfsberger or familiar foes Servette, before potentially encountering Fenerbahçe, Panathinaikos​​​​​​, Viktoria Plzeň, Nice, Club Brugge or Benfica later down the line, meaning it will require some effort if they’re to make it into the league phase.

So, with numerous new signings required, and the Gers a little bit cash-strapped to put it mildly, could they secure a new wide-attacker for free, reminiscent of Ryan Kent?

Ryan Kent's Rangers career in numbers

Kent remains Rangers’ most-expensive signing of the club’s modern history, signing permanently from Liverpool for a reported fee of £7.5m in 2019, having shone on loan the season before, a fee only surpassed by the £12m paid to Chelsea to secure Tore André Flo’s services all the way back in November 2000.

In total, the Englishman scored 33 goals and racked up 56 assists in 218 appearances for the club, a key figure in the 2020/21 Premiership title-winning campaign, as well as the team that reached the Europa League Final a year later.

Scott Bradley of Breaking the Lines notes that, at his best, Kent was a ‘flamboyant’ and ‘dazzling’ winger, while also praising his ‘exceptional’ off-ball work rate, before documenting how he endured a ‘disappointing’ final season in Glasgow, ultimately moving to Fenerbahçe on a free transfer in the summer of 2023.

After making very little impact in İstanbul, Kent recently joined Major League Soccer outfit Seattle Sounders, for whom he has registered three assists across his first four appearances, including this astonishing run that teed up Albert Rusnák as the Rave Green beat Houston Dynamo 3-1 in Texas last Saturday night.

Now, can Rangers secure a winger who shares many of the qualities that Kent showcased during his five-year stay in Govan?

Rangers seeking their new Ryan Kent

As reported by Stephen McGowan of the Herald, Rangers are ‘monitoring’ winger Tyrhys Dolan, with fierce rivals Celtic also interested.

Dolan is set to become a free agent on 1 July, given that his contract with Blackburn Rovers will expire this summer, and it is widely-expected he will not sign a new one.

This is despite the fact Rovers manager Valérien Ismaël would reportedly love to keep the 23-year-old at Ewood Park, stating “he knows the environment he’s got, the love we give him”, adding “he is an important player”.

Former Blackburn boss John Eustace labelled Dolan “outstanding” and a “fantastic young player”, while Elliott Jackson​​​​​​​ of the Lancashire Telegraph described him as “absolutely terrific”, so let’s assess his statistics this season.

The table underlines that Dolan is a high-quality dribbler, ranked seventh for attempted take-ons in the EFL Championship, hence why writer Kai Watson labels him “quick” and a “direct… goal threat”.

But, how does the 23-year-old compare to Kent at the peak of his particular powers?

As the table outlines, when Kent was at his best in 2020/21, his statistics are almost universally more impressive than Dolan’s from this campaign, albeit he did play around 1,000 more minutes across all competitions.

Nevertheless, Dolan’s numbers do compare favourably to Kent’s, with more of his shots finding the target for one, and they both dribble more than most, hence why the duo can be compared stylistically.

What is clear is that Dolan is a high-quality, high-potential player so, if Rangers are able to sign him, merely paying a nominal compensation fee, that would be a fantastic addition, with many more arrivals needed.

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