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Sheffield United are now stepping up their pursuit of a “superb” midfielder, with an official offer set to be made soon, according to a report.

Blades looking to strengthen in attacking areas

Chris Wilder clearly feels some new attacking reinforcements are needed if his side are to go all the way and seal promotion from the Championship this season, and the Blades are now well-placed to win the race for two strikers.

A £13m fee has now been agreed with Leicester City for the signing of Tom Cannon, meaning only personal terms need to be agreed to get a deal over the line.

Should Wilder want to bring in more than one new striker this month, he is also in a good position to win the race for Southampton’s Ben Brereton Diaz, as the Chile international would only consider a return to United, despite interest from elsehwere.

Sheffield United now eyeing move to sign £300,000-a-year international

They would get one over on their city rivals in the process.

ByBen Browning Jan 16, 2025

Not only do Sheffield United want to bring in a new striker, but they are also keen in bringing a new attacking midfielder this month, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of Besiktas’ Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

According to reports from the Turkish media (via Sport Witness), the Blades have now stepped up their interest in Oxlade-Chamberlain, with Besiktas trying to offload him this month, having deemed him surplus to requirements.

The Championship promotion hopefuls are set to make an official offer for the attacking midfielder soon, aiming to take him on loan until the end of the season, although it is unclear whether they plan to make it a permanent deal in the summer.

There may be competition for the 31-year-old’s signature, however, with French side Nantes also said to be interested.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is proven at the top level

Although his Liverpool career was marred by injuries, the midfielder scored a memorable goal for the Reds against Manchester City in the Champions League back in 2018, one of nine in Europe’s top competition.

The Portsmouth-born maestro is a well-rounded midfielder, having also received praise from football writer Leanne Prescott for his defensive aptitude during his time on Merseyside.

The only concern over signing Oxlade-Chamberlain is the fact his best days are likely to be behind him, having failed to make an impact at Besiktas this season, appearing for a total of just 113 minutes in the Turkish Super Lig.

That said, the former Champions League winner with Liverpool may still be able to do a job at Championship level, and signing him on loan, rather than permanently, would make it a relatively low-risk move for the Blades.

Long-serving batter regarded as among the best of his generation not to win an England cap

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Aug-2022James Hildreth, the long-serving Somerset batter, has announced that he will retire from professional cricket at the end of the season, almost 20 years after making his debut for the club.Regarded by some as the best batter of his generation not to have represented England, Hildreth amassed more than 17,000 first-class runs for Somerset, putting him third on the county’s all-time list behind Harold Gimblett and Marcus Trescothick. He currently averages 40.98, with 47 first-class hundreds, but the closest he came to being capped was a handful of Lions appearances more than a decade ago.He is Somerset’s leading run-scorer in T20 cricket, with 3906, and also tallied more than 6000 runs in List A games. Hildreth hit the winning runs when Somerset won the 2005 Twenty20 Cup, aged 20, and then did the same at Lord’s 14 years on to secure the Royal London Cup.Related

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Hildreth will turn 38 next month, and has only managed 256 runs at 25.60 in this year’s County Championship. He was not involved at all in Somerset’s Blast campaign.”It feels like the right time to start a new chapter in my life and I’m excited about what the future holds,” Hildreth said. “I left school at 18 and have spent the last 20 years with the club. It’s been my life and I’ve loved every minute of it.”The club and cricket as a whole has given myself and my family so much over the last 20 years, and I’ve got nothing but fondness and love for the club and that will continue for the rest of my life. I’m looking forward to being a Somerset supporter and to coming down to watch the guys with my family and my children.”The thing I’ll miss most is the pride that you feel when you pull on that shirt to represent the club and the whole of the south west. The Somerset members and supporters have been incredible to me. They’ve always been so supportive, and I’ve always felt that, whether that’s walking through town or being out on the pitch. I’d like to thank them for their support over the years, and hopefully I’ve managed to bring a little bit of enjoyment into their lives with what I’ve done on the pitch.”Hildreth, who was awarded his county cap in 2007 and a testimonial year in 2017, has made 715 appearances for Somerset – more than any other player – and was a central figure as the club regularly pushed for their first Championship pennant during the 2010s, five times finishing as runners-up.Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said: “James Hildreth will go down in history as one of the best players ever to represent this club. His stats speak for themselves, but his contribution to Somerset cricket has been so much more than that.”During his time at the club he has proved himself to be the model professional and he is the perfect role model for any aspiring player. The way that he has conducted himself both on and off the field has been exemplary, and as such he has become one of the most respected players within the domestic game over the last 20 years.”His name will forever be synonymous with Somerset County Cricket Club, and everyone associated with SCCC wishes James and his family well in their future endeavours. On behalf of everyone at the cub both now and in the past, thank you for so many incredible memories.”Somerset’s head coach, Jason Kerr, recalled two of Hildreth’s “outstanding” innings for the club – a 53-ball T20 hundred against Glamorgan in 2012, and his century on one leg during the final game of the 2016 Championship – while Gordon Hollins, the chief executive, described him as one of the finest batters of his era and a “mainstay of the success that this club has achieved over the last 20 years”.Kerr added: “I guess all good things have to come to an end, but James has had an outstanding career and I’m sure that we’ll see a deserving outpouring of best wishes and superlatives for him over the next few weeks. There’s no doubt he’ll be missed, first and foremost as a person, but obviously also as a cricketer. Players of Hildy’s calibre are few and far between.”

It is the first day of February today but the January transfer window does not officially slam shut until Monday, which means that Everton still have time to bolster their squad.

David Moyes could look to bring in reinforcements before the deadline passes, despite a strong start to life at Goodison Park after his return to the club last month.

The former West Ham United head coach has won two of his three Premier League matches in charge of the Toffees so far, beating Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Moyes, however, suffered two big injury blows in the most recent match, against Brighton, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin is set for weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury and Orel Mangala has returned to Lyon after a season-ending ACL blow.

Those issues may force Everton to reconsider what they want to do before the window slams shut next week, as they are now short up front and in the middle of the park.

However, the Toffees could, still, look at other positions to strengthen the team ahead of the second half of the season and could be opportunistic with any deals that may become available.

Everton offered Serie A forward

As such, an opportunity for the Premier League side to bring in a new winger to compete for a place in Moyes’ team has reportedly emerged.

According to Calcio Mercato, as relayed by Sport Witness, AC Milan have offered Everton the chance to sign Nigeria international Samuel Chukwueze before the end of the window.

The report claims that the Toffees, Tottenham Hotspur, and Crystal Palace have all been made aware of the winger’s availability and that they are free to make a move for him, although it is not made clear if any of those three teams have a firm interest in signing him at this point.

It adds that Real Sociedad and Newcastle United also have a ‘concrete’ interest in the forward, which means that there could be plenty of competition for his services in the coming days.

The outlet reveals that AC Milan are keen to move the 25-year-old whiz on before the deadline, and want to cash in on him, but it does not state how much the Italian side want for his signature, only that Chukwueze is available on ‘favourable terms’ – suggesting that they are not going to charge an extortionate fee.

Transfer Focus

It still remains to be seen whether or not, though, Everton are willing to take up this opportunity to sign Chukwueze, but it could be an interesting one for them to consider before the deadline, because he could come in as an upgrade on what Moyes currently has.

The Milan winger predominantly plays on the right side of the attack and that is where Leeds United loanee Jack Harrison, who has struggled this season, usually operates.

Jack Harrison's form this season

The 28-year-old attacker spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan from Leeds and contributed with three goals and three assists in 29 appearances in the Premier League.

Harrison then rejoined the club on loan again in the summer but has yet to register a single goal or assist in the top-flight in the current season for the Toffees.

The left-footed winger has started 12 of his 18 appearances in the Premier League so far this term and has done little to justify his continued inclusion in the starting XIs moving forward, which has been spotted by Moyes – who has left him as an unused substitute in the last two games.

Appearances (starts)

18 (12)

xG

2.21

Goals

0

Key passes per game

0.8

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, Harrison has significantly underperformed against his xG, failing to score from more than two Expected Goals, and has not recorded a single assist.

These statistics illustrate how poorly the English wide man has performed and why Everton could secure a big upgrade on him by bringing in a new winger to take his spot in the squad.

Why Chukwueze could be a big upgrade on Harrison

This is why the Toffees should consider taking up the chance to sign Chukwueze from Milan before the end of the window, because he could improve Moyes’ options in the wide areas.

Unlike Harrison, the Nigerian forward has found the back of the net at league level this season. He has scored two goals and created three ‘big chances’ in 18 appearances, and nine starts, in the Serie A.

These statistics suggest that Chukwueze could come in as an immediate upgrade on the current Everton man in the final third, despite his form for Milan not reflecting his true potential.

The 25-year-old star, who was described as a “permanent threat” by ex-boss Quique Setien, produced one goal and three assists in 24 league games last term for Milan, in what has been a difficult period for him in Italy.

However, his performances for Villarreal in the previous season in Spain, prior to his move to Milan in the summer of 2023, illustrate just how good he could be for Everton.

Starts

27

7

Goals

6

2

Big chances created

6

1

Key passes per game

1.2

1.1

Assists

5

3

As you can see in the table above, the Nigerian playmaker caught the eye for the Spanish side in LaLiga and the Conference League, with his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the right wing.

Chukwueze, who racked up 13 goals and 11 assists in all competitions in the 2022/23 campaign, showcased his quality at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis, which shows that the potential is there for him to be an exciting addition for the Toffees.

It would not take much for a player to be a big upgrade on Harrison’s performances this season, given his dreadful return of zero goal contributions, but the Milan outcast appears to have the attributes to be a worthwhile gamble as an improvement for Moyes on the right wing.

Romelu Lukaku 2.0: Everton lining up late swoop for "phenomenal" PL star

Everton are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League striker.

ByDan Emery Jan 28, 2025

Western Storm overwhelmed after conceding competition-record 334 for 6

ECB Reporters Network11-Sep-2022Northern Diamonds 334 for 6 (Armitage 131, Winfield-Hill 74, Heath 70) beat Western Storm 230 (Gibson 76, Smale 59, Levick 4-41) by 104 runsHollie Armitage registered her first professional hundred as Northern Diamonds beat Western Storm by 104 runs to secure their place in the knockout stages of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy on a record-breaking day at the Cooper Associates Ground in Taunton.Diamonds won the toss, elected to bat first and ran up a mammoth competition-best total of 334 for 6, eclipsing the previous record score of 224 for 7 achieved by South East Stars against Sunrisers at Chelmsford in May 2021.Armitage top-scored with a superb run-a-ball 131 not out, accruing 10 fours and a six and sharing in stands of 125 and 132 with Lauren Winfield-Hill and Bess Heath for the second and fifth wickets respectively as the visitors took full advantage of a flat deck to claim a bonus point win.England international Winfield-Hill contributed a fluent 74 from 77 balls, while Heath struck an eye-catching 70 from just 46 balls as Diamonds surpassed their previous highest 50-over score of 294, made against Thunder at Chester-le-Street in September last year.It was a chastening experience for Storm’s bowlers, only offspinner Chloe Skelton, who claimed 2 for 39 from 10 overs, emerging with any real credit on a day when bat dominated ball.Danni Gibson restored a modicum of lost pride in a defiant innings of 76 and Sophia Smale posted a gritty 59, but Katie Levick claimed 4 for 41 and Linsey Smith and the ubiquitous Armitage took two wickets apiece as Storm were dismissed for 230 in 45.4 overs.There was no sign of the onslaught to come when Smith clipped Claire Nicholas meekly to short third man and departed for a duck in the second over. But Winfield-Hill and Armitage quickly set about putting the record straight, their partnership yielding 50 from 48 balls as Diamonds posted 56 during the opening 10-over powerplay. Scoring freely either side of the wicket, Winfield-Hill raised 50 from 56 balls, pulled Lauren Filer for four to bring up the hundred partnership and looked set to realise three figures when she inadvertently holed out to long-on off the bowling of Skelton in the 23rd over, having helped herself to nine fours.Hitherto cast in the role of chief support, Armitage went to 50 via 69 balls, while Sterre Kalis and Leah Dobson came and went in quick succession at the other end as Storm worked hard to restrict the scoring and maintain a foothold in the game.But that all changed with the advent of Heath with the score at 169 for 4 in the 33rd over. Going on the attack from the outset, the 21-year-old from Chesterfield combined finesse with raw power to help almost double the score during a blistering 14-over sojourn which left Storm on their knees. Heath and Armitage added 50 from 31 balls as the home side came under sustained pressure, Skelton the only bowler to avoid a mauling.Once again playing second fiddle to a faster-scoring partner, Armitage went to a maiden hundred for Diamonds from 110 balls, while the century partnership occupied 66 deliveries, Heath finding the boundary with impressive regularity as Diamonds surpassed their previous highest score in the 50-over competition.Driving and pulling with intent, Heath had a century firmly in her sights when she drilled the ball straight to Nicholas at short fine leg in pursuit of a ninth boundary, permitting Lauren Filer a much-needed success. Thereafter, Armitage and Lizzie Scott combined forces at the death to usher Diamonds to a record-breaking total.Required to hit the ground running if they were to have any chance of discomfiting their opponents, Storm instead lost Alice Griffiths and talismanic captain Sophie Luff inside nine overs as the powerplay failed to ignite. When Fran Wilson drove Smith to cover in the twelfth over, the home side were 37 for 3 and in danger of running up the white flag.Levick then struck twice in as many overs with her leg-breaks to remove Nat Wraith for 19 and Emma Corney for 29, the latter at least making a decent fist of opening the batting for the first time at Taunton. But there was no way back from 80 for 5 and, an entertaining interlude in which Gibson and Smale added 106 for the sixth wicket apart, Yorkshire grit continued to hold sway.Gibson matched fire with fire and provided the home crowd with something to cheer in a knock that was illuminated by 9 fours and a six until, having garnered 76 from 59 balls, she hit Armitage to cover. Smale’s brave rearguard action yielded a 59-ball 50, but it proved no more than a silver lining.

Ex-Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood is closing in on a piece of goal history during his debut campaign at Marseille.

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Permanent transfer completed in summer of 2024Goals have flowed in France amid attitude questionsChasing down two former Premier League strikersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 23-year-old has not enjoyed the easiest of seasons at Stade Velodrome. He burst out of the blocks after completing a transfer from Old Trafford in the summer of 2024. Greenwood quickly fired himself into Golden Boot contention with his efforts in Ligue 1.

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Consistency has, however, proved to be an issue at times. Demanding head coach Roberto Di Zerbi has also asked the odd question of Greenwood’s attitude and commitment, leading to spells on the bench being taken in.

DID YOU KNOW?

Greenwood is, however, very much back in favour at present. He bagged a brace during his latest appearance in the French top-flight, as Marseille swept their way to a crushing 5-1 victory over Montpellier.

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Greenwood now has 18 Ligue 1 goals to his name. Only two players have bettered that return during their first season with Marseille. Chelsea legend Didier Drogba found the target on 19 occasions in 2003-04, while ex-Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis hit 20 during a productive loan spell in 2016-17.

Andre Onana's calamitous time at Manchester United may be coming to an end with a Saudi club weighing up a move for the goalkeeper.

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Onana exit possibleCameroon goalkeeper has had mixed spell at UnitedUnited face Bournemouth on SundayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Cameroon goalkeeper's season has been littered with a string of errors as United look set to record their worst ever Premier League finish. Onana has struggled since his switch to Old Trafford from Inter Milan and may seek a move away to regain his confidence and form. are reporting that Neom SC, set to be promoted to the Saudi Pro League next season, have opened "major discussions" with the player and will attempt to persuade him to move to the Middle East.

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Before his switch to Old Trafford, Onana was widely considered one of the leading goalkeepers in the world. His performances in the Champions League for Inter Milan were crucial in their route to the 2023 final and few would have expected his form to fall off a cliff so drastically. A clean break away from Old Trafford could be the best move for all parties.

DID YOU KNOW?

Manchester United are already considering alternatives to Onana as they look to strengthen their options between the sticks. They have been linked with Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, but the club will no doubt be considering a whole host of new number ones.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ONANA?

Onana still has time to turn his fortunes around at Old Trafford and become a cult hero. The Red Devils travel to Bournemouth on Sunday as they look to finish their Premier League season with a sliver of respect. More importantly, they face Athletic Club in the Europa League semi-final in midweek as they look to sneak into next season's Champions League.

“Untimely shot selections seem to be deeply embedded in the T20 batting culture of our senior team,” the CWI president says

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-20221:41

Simmons: Batters need to take a look at themselves

Ricky Skerritt, the Cricket West Indies president, has promised a “thorough postmortem” in a scathing assessment of the team’s early exit from the 2022 T20 World Cup.In a statement posted on CWI’s website and on Twitter, Skerritt laid the blame firmly at the feet of West Indies’ batters, saying their poor shot selection and failure against spin was key to the two-time champions bowing out in the first round of the tournament in Australia.Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Zimbabwe and Ireland – who defeated West Indies by nine wickets on Friday – advanced to the Super 12s with two wins from three matches apiece in the first round.”I am deeply disappointed with the performance results of our team in Australia and I appreciate the sense of utter frustration that is being experienced by many,” Skerritt’s statement said. “The ongoing inability of our batsmen to prevail over opposing slow bowling continued to be an obvious weakness in Australia, and untimely shot selections seem to be deeply embedded in the T20 batting culture of our senior team.”West Indies have lost six of the eight matches they have played in T20 World Cups since their 2016 final triumph in India.Related

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Ireland knock out West Indies with commanding victory

In their opening match of this edition, they were bowled out for just 118 chasing 161 against Scotland before managing to defend a modest 153 for 7 against Zimbabwe, thanks to Alzarri Joseph’s 4 for 16 and Jason Holder’s 3 for 12. But Ireland easily overhauled their 146 for 5 on Friday to cruise into the next round. West Indies noticeably struggled against spin through the middle overs in all three of their games.Brandon King’s unbeaten 62 off 48 balls was the sole bright spot of West Indies’ innings against Ireland after they inched their way to 41 for 2 in the powerplay, scoring just five fours and one six in that time. In contrast, Ireland struck six fours and four sixes in the first six overs of their chase.Against Zimbabwe, Johnson Charles – replacing King, who was ill at the time – was West Indies’ top-scorer with 45 off 36 balls, and only four West Indies batters reached double figures against Scotland in a display coach Phil Simmons described as “unprofessional”.Skerritt went on to say that he was determined to find a solution to West Indies’ slide.”I want to assure stakeholders that a thorough postmortem will be carried out on all aspects of our World Cup preparation and performance and that solutions will be found in keeping with CWI’s strategy to improve the quality and sustainability of cricket on all fronts, and in all formats.”West Indies cricket is bigger than any one individual or event and continues to need the input and support of all stakeholders.”

It was a busy transfer deadline day for Wolverhampton Wanderers, and they certainly needed reinforcements.

The Old Gold have struggled this season in the Premier League, and are currently 17th in the top flight. Their 2-0 win over Aston Villa last weekend saw them climb out of the relegation zone.

However, signing were needed, and the West Midlands outfit made two deadline day additions to strengthen Vitor Pereira’s squad. One of those signings was Red Star Belgrade defender Nasser Djiga, who is the second defensive signing of the window after Emmanuel Agbadou.

The Old Gold also recruited a new midfielder to replace outgoing Mario Lemina, with Marshall Munetsi signing for the club.

Why Wolves signed Munetsi

Zimbabwean international midfielder Munetsi joined from French outfit Reims in the final few hours of the window. He is, essentially, a direct replacement for Lemina, who rejoined Galatasaray for £2.5m.

Munetsi is an experienced operator in the midfield and has played 159 times for the Ligue 1 side over the course of five seasons. The 28-year-old has managed 35 goals and assists in that time, and can play as a number six, a number eight or a number 10. It’s certainly excellent versatility for Pereira to call upon.

This season, the midfielder, who hails from Harare in Zimbabwe, has played 21 times in all competitions, scoring four goals and grabbing two assists. That included a smart lay-off against Paris Saint Germain to create Reims equaliser in their recent 1-1 draw.

There is no doubt that Munetsi, who has skippered the French side at times this season, adds experience and leadership to the Old Gold squad. He cost them a reported £17m, which seems a good price when considering the current market.

As it happens, the West Midlands side have a player who might be even more important in their fight against relegation, and he could be set to star alongside Munetsi.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

The Wolves player worth more than Munetsi

The player in question here is Wolves’ Brazilian midfielder Joao Gomes. Despite the fact it has been such a tough season for the Old Gold, Gomes has been excellent again, and a key player in the midfield.

The 23-year-old has played 24 times in all competitions this season, scoring two goals and grabbing two assists. Impressively, he scored and assisted in the Old Gold’s 4-1 thrashing of Fulham at Craven Cottage earlier in the season.

The former Flamengo midfielder, described as a “high-energy” player by football analyst Ben Mattinson, is crucial for Wolves. His ability to break out play in the middle of the pitch, and spring counterattacks for the Molineux side, has been vital this season.

His stats via FBref show just how well he has played in 2024/25 so far, particularly highlighting his importance off the ball. For example, the midfielder averages 4.33 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes which ranks him in the 77th percentile for midfielders in the Premier League. He is simply vital for Pereira’s men.

Tackles and interceptions

4.33

77th

Ball recoveries

5.78

71st

Dribblers tackled

1.31

70th

Passes blocked

1.26

81st

Gomes’ value has, perhaps unsurprisingly, shot up, which has certainly coincided with his impressive performances for the West Midlands side. According to CIES Football Observatory, the midfielder is worth as much as £44m.

Not only does that highlight his worth to the Wolves side, but it is well over double the amount that they paid Reims to sign Munetsi on deadline day. Given they paid just £15m to sign him from Flamengo two years ago, it is a big rise.

Gomes’ transfer value shows just how important he is for the Old Gold. They have a huge second half of the season ahead, as they battle to stay in the Premier League. The Brazilian, along with Munetsi, will be imperative to their success if they are to stay in the Premier League.

Wolves' most expensive sales of all time

A a look at Wolves’ 20 most expensive departures.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 10, 2025

Celtic bounced back to winning ways on Sunday with a 2-1 win away from Parkhead against Motherwell on the eve of deadline day for the January transfer window.

Brendan Rodgers is looking to bolster his squad before the deadline passes, with Jota the only arrival of the window to date, and another winger is on the agenda.

The Hoops reportedly had an offer of £4.6m rejected for Sarpsborg wide man Sondre Orjasaeter, as his club are looking for a fee closer to £7m for the 21-year-old star.

However, Rodgers should consider spending millions on a different position after another concerning performance from central defender Auston Trusty.

Auston Trusty's performance against Motherwell

Celtic’s left-footed centre-back lined up alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers against Motherwell and made a big error for the equalising goal for the hosts.

The American defender, who had 144 touches in the match, misjudged the flight of the ball and did not adjust his feet in time to make a proper connection with his clearance, which presented Armstrong with a huge chance to score.

Trusty did win three of his three ground duels and five of his seven battles in the air throughout the game, showing great strength against his opponents, but it is hard to ignore another error from the defender.

It is not the first time this season that the former Arsenal and Sheffield United man has let himself down with a mistake at the back, which is why Rodgers must act and dip into the market to improve the competition for places at centre-back.

Why Rodgers should sign another centre-back

Trusty came into the game off the back of the 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa on Wednesday night, a game in which he gave away a penalty for an incredibly clumsy challenge on Ollie Watkins in the second half.

Along with that mistake, and being a part of the 7-0 drubbing by Borussia Dortmund, the American has also made four errors that have directly led to shots or goals for the opposition in just 14 Premiership appearances this season.

For context, Carter-Vickers has only made one such error in 105 Premiership matches for the club to date, which speaks to how much of a liability Trusty has been at times this season and why he could cause more problems in the second half of the campaign if the mistakes continue.

Performance in Numbers

Given that Stephen Welsh has gone out on loan and Rodgers does not appear to trust Maik Nawrocki, who has not made an appearance in the Premiership this season, it could benefit the group to bring in another centre-back who can compete with Carter-Vickers, Trusty, and Liam Scales for a starting spot.

Therefore, with Champions League matches against Bayern Munich to come, Trusty just showed Rodgers that Celtic may need to splash millions on a new central defender on deadline day, which is why the manager must act.

After a camp in Kandy, Shanaka’s team is reaching Australia well in advance to work on skills and plans specific to the conditions on offer

Madushka Balasuriya01-Oct-2022Roughly around this time last year, Dasun Shanaka was gallantly bigging up his side’s chances at the T20 World Cup – though, in reality, it was a sentiment borne more out of hope than any real confidence. “If our guys perform to their strengths I feel they can go a long way in this tournament,” he had said back then. It didn’t end too well for them.Just a month and a bit ago, Sri Lanka had been soundly beaten by Afghanistan in the 2022 men’s Asia Cup curtain raiser, and were on the verge of elimination. That story ended on a fairy-tale high. Fast forward to the present, and Shanaka’s words have scarcely changed, yet the sense of belief in them could hardly be more different.Related

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Chameera and Kumara in Sri Lanka's T20 World Cup squad

Shanaka: 'If you can control your emotions, you can go very far'

“If we make the right decisions on the day and execute our plans, I’m certain we can come out victorious,” he told a packed media room at the Sri Lanka Cricket headquarters on Friday, in the final press interaction prior to the team’s departure to Australia for the 2022 T20 World Cup. “The confidence level is definitely higher [than at the last World Cup], but my concern has always been the process. Even at the last World Cup, I felt we had the talent to at least make the semi-finals. The important thing is your ability to play and deliver on the day.”The Sri Lanka squad is heading out to Australia two weeks before their opening World Cup first-round game against Namibia on October 16. They were at a skills-intensive training camp in Kandy in the last week of September. Both point to the level of preparation this Sri Lanka side is undertaking.This extra game time – crucial time – in Australian conditions can only help. Head coach Chris Silverwood, who could hardly have dreamt of a better start to his term in the job after taking charge some six months ago, outlined how he hoped to use this period to work on skills that would be of particular use in Australia.”With the bowling we’re still working on yorkers, to make sure we can be successful on Australian wickets, to make sure we have the skills to back our plans up,” he said. “We have a couple of warm-up games before the Namibia game. We’ll play match scenarios amongst ourselves before that to make sure we can control the environment that we’re training in.

“Both Lahiru [Kumara] and Dushmantha [Chameera] were a part of our camp, and they both managed to complete their bowling quotas without an issue. I think they’re well prepared ahead of the World Cup”Dasun Shanaka

“We’re actually very specific about what we’re trying to train. For example, we did a Super Over up in Kandy, which is all in good fun, but it highlights where it can be a bit chaotic in the Super Over. It happens very quickly, and we have to make sure we keep a level head.”Then the dimensions of the grounds in Australia – they have some big grounds – we’ll have to learn to cope with them. We have to make sure we get the distance right off the boundary to cut the angles down and get the guys used to doing that.”The first step to building on the Asia Cup success is identifying the areas that still need improvement. Much of Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup win was built on a platform of winning the toss and chasing, and despite setting a total and defending it in the final, it’s not quite in their comfort zone.”There’s always going to be areas to improve – I think setting totals, something we did really well in the final [of the Asia Cup] but something we haven’t done a great deal of,” Silverwood said. “So it’s something we’re going to have to think of.”While success leads to self-belief, it also brings expectation. And after a long time, a Sri Lankan team heads to a major tournament backed by genuine excitement and, whisper it quietly, optimism.”I tend to look at it differently. There are expectations obviously back here at home in Sri Lanka. But I think the energy that we’re gaining off the fans is superb, and I think the boys are feeling it. I think we can use that as a real positive,” Silverwood said. “The fact that everybody’s behind us, the nation is behind us, and we’re out there trying to bring a smile back to everybody’s faces, for me it’s a positive. Something we can use as energy, and something we have used as energy in the dressing room already.”For Shanaka, it’s a matter of resetting from the high of the Asia Cup win and refocusing on the fundamentals that got them there.Chris Silverwood couldn’t have hoped for a better start with the Sri Lanka side•SLC”Winning the Asia Cup was good, but it’s just one tournament,” he said. “We’re not thinking about that anymore, that’s in the past. Because if we keep focusing on that then we can’t look forward and perform as we need to.”In the camp [in Kandy] every player put in a good effort. I was worried that there would be some guys who’d be a bit relaxed after winning the Asia Cup, but it wasn’t like that. Everyone practiced with even more intensity than usual, and I’m confident that we can put in good performances at the World Cup.”Among those present in the camp were fast bowlers Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara, who along with the young Dilshan Madushanka make up the quickest trio of fast bowlers Sri Lanka have ever had at a major tournament, with each capable of speeds above 140kph. While the fitness of the first two had been of some concern, Shanaka confirmed the pair had come away from the camp in fine fettle.”Both Lahiru and Dushmantha were a part of our camp, and they both managed to complete their bowling quotas without an issue,” he said. “I think they’re well prepared ahead of the World Cup.”On the whole, the mood in the Sri Lankan camp is understandably as high as it’s been in quite some time, with Silverwood particularly pleased by the camaraderie between players, as well as their willingness to “learn, adapt and try new things”. “I hear a lot of people talking about how together the guys are and you can really feel that from the inside as well.”And it’s that feeling that has made this Sri Lanka side heading out to Australia, while far from the finished article, one that seems to be gradually evolving into something more than the one that went to the UAE both last year and last month.