Category Uncategorized

There is so much football yet to be played this season but it feels like Liverpool have reached a decisive point in their campaign, with success on the cards across every front.

While it's the 'one game at a time' stage, Jurgen Klopp and his Anfield side will be aware that they are in a very good position to win silverware in any one of the four competitions, first in the Premier League, within touching distance of Wembley in the Carabao Cup and having advanced in both the FA Cup and Europa League.

There have been some pretty major improvements from the 2022/23 campaign, but the plaintive cries of that year are best left in the past now, especially given the degree of the resurgence since sweeping changes were made to the midfield, sapped and soulless last season.

Despite welcoming four fresh faces to the centre of the park, rumours have still darted about over recent months concerning the possibility of a bid for another player this January to complete the pack, though in all likelihood any movements will take place at the end of the campaign.

Liverpool transfer news – Hayden Hackney

According to The Standard, Liverpool are among the contenders to sign Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney, but will find no success in fighting for his signature this month – though this, as stated, suits the Reds.

Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are all eager to sign the 21-year-old, who would work wonders for the requirement to fill a homegrown quota, with his modern skill set as a defensive midfielder deemed suitable for teams competing at the forefront of the Premier League.

No price tag has been revealed but Spurs signed the promising Djed Spence from Middlesbrough for a deal rising to £20m in 2022 and something in this ballpark will probably be required to prise Hackney away.

Hayden Hackney's season in numbers

Hackney has wedged his way into an important standing at the Riverside Stadium after rising through the club's young ranks and enjoyed the most salient showing of his career to date when netting the winner as Middlesbrough won the first-leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie against Chelsea this week.

Boro boss Michael Carrick hailed Hackney for his "immense" performance against the Blues and rightly so, with his goal only telling half the story following a composed and cultured display, belying his young years on the major stage.

The desire to surge forward and poke home to secure a vital home victory for the Championship side typified his display and indeed the talent on show for a player who is clearly destined for a career in England's top flight.

And, while such an effort was impressive, the consistency of his performance in the Championship is even more impressive, having started 16 matches, completed 88% of his passes and averaged 1.3 key passes 1.8 tackles and (remarkably) 7.7 ball recoveries per game.

It's no surprise that he is attracting attention from some of the country's biggest names, and Liverpool would secure a truly special talent if they managed to get this one over the line in several months.

Hayden Hackney's style of play

Hackney's range of passing and ease when situated in the deep pockets of midfield, pulling the strings and elegantly keeping the play ticking, with his distribution and choice of lane so often proving to be the right move for the fluency of the side's progression.

As per FBref, the 5 foot 10 starlet ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across divisions similar to the Championship for pass completion and progressive passes, the top 3% for passes attempted and the top 12% for progressive carries per 90, showcasing an elite technical ability in the making.

Klopp could ruin Endo with Liverpool move for £30m "monster"

Jurgen Klopp may well return for this former target in 2024.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jan 12, 2024

With such noteworthy passing skills to partner a spatial awareness and tenacity in his defensive duties, this is a player of rounded quality to dominate in the engine room for years to come.

It's perhaps worth making a quick side note to note the influence that Carrick, who was once described as "the best central midfielder in English football" by his legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, likely has a pearl of wisdom or two to impart on the rising Boro star.

If Liverpool do succeed in wrapping up a deal, it would certainly disrupt the pecking order regarding the most exciting talents on the red half of Merseyside, with Hackney maybe even having a higher ceiling than the recently-emerged Conor Bradley.

Conor Bradley's season in numbers

Bradley won Bolton Wanderers' Player of the Season award while out on loan last season and returned to his mother club with sights set on a spot in Klopp's plans, though injury ruled him out for the opening months of the term.

Nonetheless, that battle has now been won and he's competed in five fixtures across all competitions, hailed for his "eye-catching cameo" at the Emirates Stadium last weekend by The Athletic's James Pearce before starting against Fulham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday and receiving the Man of the Match award for his labours.

Taking 87 touches, completing 88% of his passes, making two key passes and six tackles, the 20-year-old is swiftly proving himself to be a first-class starlet under Klopp's guidance and the future is very promising indeed.

Quite simply, Hackney's just that bit better, touted by many of England's most prestigious outfits, described as "sensational" by journalist Graeme Bailey and boasting a technical quality that sets him apart from the lion's share of talented hopefuls.

Bradley looks to be an excellent prospect and will likely now receive a run of starting appearances with Trent Alexander-Arnold injured and not expected back for several weeks, but it's unlikely that he will play a prominent role beyond this spell, instead filling in over the coming months.

And that's not a negative; he will continue to grow and hone his craft and Liverpool will benefit from a new member who may well nullify the rumours for a new right-back – with Alexander-Arnold touted for a future role in midfield.

Of course, if Hackney does bloom the brightest then that is no detriment to Bradley's future at Anfield, and is merely an illustration of just why Liverpool need to augment their ranks with this worthy midfielder, who would only strengthen a youth crop sporting some rather prodigious members.

Visitors have the better of the exchanges on the final day of their only tour game in the lead up to the Test series

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Sep-20191:12

Bavuma a massive Test batsman for us – Markram

Stumps Keshav Maharaj and Vernon Philander provided early warning signs for the Indian Test batsmen after Temba Bavuma and Philander added good runs on the third and final morning of the South Africans’ tour game against an Indian Board President’s XI in Vizianagaram, which petered out into a draw on Saturday.A major point of interest from the Indian perspective was to see how Rohit Sharma fared as an opening batsman. Unfortunately for Rohit, his stay in the middle lasted just two balls as Philander had him out caught for a duck.ALSO READ: Brickhill – Meet South Africa’s next gen Test cricketersIt was 23 for 2 rather quickly as Kagiso Rabada sent back Abhimanyu Easwaran, the No. 3 batsman, for 13, But Mayank Agarwal and Priyank Panchal steadied the ship with a 62-run stand for the third wicket. Agarwal, expected to open in the Tests, scored 39 before becoming Maharaj’s first victim, and after Panchal had fallen to Philander for 60, Maharaj got his second, the in-form Karun Nair gone for 19.At that stage, with the scoreboard reading 136 for 5, the Indians looked in danger of folding for a below-par total, but Siddhesh Lad and KS Bharat repaired the damage with a 100-run stand in just 20 overs.Even as Lad bedded in, though not while missing out on scoring opportunities, Bharat took the aggressive route to hit seven fours and five sixes in a 57-ball 71 before Maharaj sent him back.Jalaj Saxena and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja were also dismissed towards the fag end of the day, falling to the spin of Senuran Muthusamy and Dane Piedt respectively. The Indians were still 14 runs behind with two wickets left – Lad was still there on 52 not out – when the two teams decided to call off the contest.The third day began with the visitors on 199 for 5 in their first innings – the first day was entirely lost to the weather and only 50 overs of play was possible on the second, within which Aiden Markram scored a century – with Bavuma on 55.Bavuma, expected to be the pivot around which the South African stroke-players revolve in the Tests, picked up his scoring rate somewhat, getting to 87 in 127 balls as he and Philander added 80 runs in 14 overs. Philander was even more enterprising, hitting six fours and a six in his 49-ball 48 before becoming left-arm spinner Jadeja’s third scalp.The first Test begins in Visakhapatnam on October 2.

Aston Villa managed to make four signings during the transfer window, securing the services of young talent such as Morgan Rogers, Lino Sousa, Kosta Nedeljkovic, and Joe Gauci as Unai Emery aims to build ahead for the future.

The Spaniard has something special going on at Villa Park right now and even though they were defeated by Newcastle United in midweek, this result should not dampen the spirits of the players, especially with a clash against Sheffield United to come in the Premier League this evening.

The Midlands side currently occupy fifth spot in the league, just eight points off the summit, and while a title challenge may be hard to sustain long-term, Emery certainly has a squad capable of securing a top-four finish.

We at Football FanCast predict the Villa starting XI, with multiple changes from the 3-1 defeat to Newcastle United, that will take to the pitch in the evening clash.

1 GK – Emiliano Martínez

The Argentinean will make his 22nd Premier League appearance of the season by starting against Sheffield Utd and, during his first 21 matches, he has kept only five clean sheets, conceding 29 goals in the process.

The World Cup winner will be hoping to avoid conceding tonight as a Villa win could allow them to quickly restore some confidence after their recent defeat to the Magpies.

2 RB – Ezri Konsa

Matty Cash started against the North East side but did not have the best performance. During the match, the Poland international lost possession on 21 occasions while failing to provide any sort of attacking threat as he failed to deliver a single accurate cross or succeed with any of his dribble attempts.

Ezri Konsa will move over from the centre of the defence to the right-back slot in order to replace Cash, and it could be a wise decision from Emery to solidify the side.

3 CB – Diego Carlos

The Brazilian remained on the bench against Newcastle, but he has made 15 appearances in the top flight this term and Villa have only conceded 11 goals during the games he has started.

With Konsa covering Cash at right-back, expect the 30-year-old to come back into the starting XI, and he will hope to put in another solid performance against the Blades.

4 CB – Clement Lenglet

With Tyrone Mings ruled out for the season following an opening day injury and now Pau Torres injured, Lenglet finally made his Premier League debut for the club against today's opposition before Christmas.

The Villa Park side have only won once in the league when he has started, however, and this may be a cause for concern for Emery, yet he does not have much of a choice due to injury issues.

5 LB – Alex Moreno

The Spaniard will retain his place on the left side of the defence due to Lucas Digne’s injury and the defender has already scored twice since November which could give Emery another attacking threat.

The 30-year-old has started the last three league matches, and he will be looking to help his team secure another win.

6 RM – Leon Bailey

Bailey was on the bench against Newcastle but replaced Moussa Diaby in the second half and went on to grab an assist and make five key passes during his 30-minute cameo.

The £25m signing from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2021 was dubbed as a “standout” performer by journalist Ashley Preece last season, and he should be given a start on the right side of the midfield against the Blades.

7 CM – Boubacar Kamara

The Frenchman has emerged as one of the key players in the Emery regime, bossing things from the heart of the midfield.

The only Premier League games Kamara has missed this season have been down to suspension, starting in all 18 of his matches in the top flight, and he will retain his place in the middle of the pitch.

8 CM – Douglas Luiz

The Brazilian was subject to plenty of transfer interest during the January window, with Arsenal one of the teams rumoured to be looking to sign the midfielder.

He remains with Villa, until the end of the season at least, and his performances have been crucial to the club motoring well this term.

The former Manchester City starlet has scored seven times and registered six assists across all competitions this season as he has emerged as a solid goal threat for Emery.

A tie against the Blades, who are bottom of the table, could see the 25-year-old add to these tallies this evening.

9 LM – John McGinn

The Scot was pushed out to the right flank in midweek, but with Bailey taking up that slot tonight, McGinn will move back to his role on the left side of the midfield, and he will be hoping to have more of an influence on proceedings.

McGinn has yet to miss a league match this season, starting every single one of their previous 22 games and this won’t change heading into the clash against Sheffield Utd this evening.

10 ST – Moussa Diaby

The club record signing from Bayer Leverkusen will keep his place alongside Ollie Watkins as Emery deploys a 4-4-2 formation against the Blades.

The French winger may not have hit the heights of his sensational season for the German club last term (14 goals and 11 assists), but his return so far of five goals and six assists is solid enough and, with more experience in the Premier League, the 24-year-old will hope to continue to keep getting better.

MatériaMais Notícias

da aviator aposta： Com listras grossas e menção a 1981, a nova camisa do Flamengo teve outras imagens vazadas na internet, nesta quinta-feira – Gabigol já havia aparecido com ela, no Ninho do Urubu. O uniforme será utilizado pelo clube durante a temporada 2021, que começa a partir de março.

O site “ge” e o jornalista Venê Casagrande também externaram imagens inéditas do uniforme, que alude ao ano histórico de 81, quando o Fla conquistou os títulos da Libertadores e do Mundial de Clubes, que completarão 40 anos na temporada que está para se iniciar. Veja fotos abaixo:

RelacionadasFlamengoFinalizações e clima leve: assista a imagens do último treino do Flamengo antes da ‘final’Flamengo24/02/2021FlamengoFlamengo desembarca em São Paulo para a ‘final’ do Brasileiro; veja quem estará à disposição de CeniFlamengo24/02/2021BrasileirãoSão Paulo x Flamengo: prováveis escalações, desfalques e onde assistirBrasileirão24/02/2021

da realbet： O Flamengo ainda tem o último compromisso da temporada 2020 para realizar. E valerá pelo octacampeonato brasileiro. Pela última rodada do Brasileirão, o Rubro-Negro visitará o São Paulo, nesta quinta-feira, às 21h30, no Morumbi.

+ Resta um! Confira e simule a última rodada do Brasileirão

Com dois pontos de vantagem na liderança, o Fla precisa vencer para levar o título do Brasileiro sem depender do resultado da partida do Internacional, que também joga às 21h30 desta quinta, em casa, contra o Corinthians.

Well, that was about as perfect a night of Champions League action as Arsenal could have hoped for.

Mikel Arteta’s side travelled to Czechia to take on Slavia Prague on Tuesday night, and while they were without the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi, they came away with all three points.

More than that, though, the Gunners scored three goals, fielded the youngest player in the competition in Max Dowman, and most crucially of all, kept another clean sheet.

There were standout performances across the pitch, including one player who’s starting to look like Arsenal’s new Gabriel Magalhães.

Arsenal's standout stars vs Slavia Prague

Starting up top, and while he had a quiet first half, Mikel Merino once again found himself on the scoresheet in the second half. In fact, he ended up there twice.

The Spaniard’s first came just 35 seconds into the second 45 when he got on the end of a wonderful Leandro Trossard cross.

Then, 22 minutes later, he put the game well and truly to bed by heading home another cross from Declan Rice.

However, it wasn’t just the Merino show, as other starters like Jurrien Timber and Gabriel looked exceptional once again.

The former was as sturdy at the back as ever, but also, as he has all season, was a massive threat going forward.

One moment, he was overlapping on the right, and then the next, he was surging through the middle of the park.

Likewise, while he failed to get his customary goal from a corner, Gabriel was as imperious as ever.

In his 95 minutes of action, he made four clearances, blocked two shots, recovered the ball three times and won four of six aerial duels, which is impressive considering the absurd size of Slavia’s centre-forward.

There can be no doubt that the former LOSC Lille monster is now one of Arsenal’s most important players, and so it’s a good thing that another starter on Tuesday is starting to look just like him.

Arsenal's new Gabriel

If he could, Arteta would undoubtedly have a team of 11 Gabriels.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Alas, unfortunately for him, or fortunately for opposition set-piece coaches, cloning is yet to be invented.

However, there is one summer signing who is starting to look more and more like the Brazilian: Piero Hincapie.

Yes, the tough-tackling Ecuadorian “warrior,” as dubbed by one analyst, might still be finding his way in English football, but he’s already looking like another masterful addition to the Gunners’ defensive unit.

The same analyst points out that the 23-year-old shares several similarities with the Gunners’ number six, including his mobility, aggressiveness, aerial threat, and the fact that he’s a left-footer.

With all that in mind, it was hardly a surprise to see him put in such an impressive performance on Tuesday night.

For example, in his 73 minutes of blood-pumping action, he won 100% of his tackles, made one interception, won 100% of his aerial and ground duels, made one clearance, recovered the ball once, took 42 touches and completed 100% of his dribbles.

Minutes

73′

Tackles (Won)

2 (2)

Interceptions

1

Clearances

1

Recoveries

1

Ground Duels (Won)

6 (6)

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (2)

Long Balls

1

Touches

42

Dribbles Completed

1/1

Ultimately, it truly was as complete a defensive performance from Hincapie as could’ve been asked for, and one that should see him get more minutes.

Moreover, his fiery Gabriel-esque attitude and desire are going to make him a fan favourite very quickly indeed.

Arsenal star is starting to play like Cazorla & he's not even a midfielder

The incredible international is starting to show shades of Cazorla for Arteta and Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 4, 2025

Manchester City are expected to announce the signing of Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland by Friday, according to The Athletic’s ever-reliable transfer guru David Ornstein.

The Lowdown: City win the race

The 21-year-old first joined the Bundesliga outfit in a £17m move from Red Bull Salzburg back in 2020, where he has since gone on to make 88 appearances for the club during that time.

The forward still has two years remaining on his current contract with the German side, but in recent months, has been attracting plenty of interest from several clubs across Europe, with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United being linked with a potential move for Haaland in the summer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-newest-updates/” title=”Man City newest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Despite this though, it appears that the Sky Blues are the team to have won the race for the Norwegian’s signature, after reports have claimed that City are prepared to active his £63m release clause, with the striker agreeing a deal to make the switch to the Etihad ahead of the start of next season.

The Latest: Haaland move ‘a done deal’

The reliable Ornstein has basically confirmed this development by taking to Twitter on Monday to share the huge news:

“Erling Haaland to Man City a done deal + confirmation expected this week, according to sources in Germany. Personal terms complete & Dortmund anticipate City informing them in coming days of intention to activate release clause.”

The Verdict: Perfect Aguero replacement

If the Premier League giants do manage to pull off the Haaland signing, it would be absolutely huge for Pep Guardiola, especially considering that the highly sought-after attacker already has previous connections to the club, with his dad Alf-Inge having a two-year spell with City many moons ago.

The £135m-rated talisman has been in prolific form in the final third this term, having scored 28 goals and registered eight assists in just 29 outings across all competitions for Dortmund, as per Transfermarkt.

After missing out on Tottenham captain Harry Kane last summer, it’s about time that the hierarchy invested in a new centre-forward having not yet signed a replacement since the departure of Sergio Aguero, and it looks like Haaland could be about to follow in his father’s footsteps by making the move to the top-flight.

In other news… Guardiola has delivered a huge injury update on a first-team trio.

Looking ahead to the future rather than the frustrating reality that they currently find themselves in, Manchester City are now reportedly willing to submit an opening offer to sign a Premier League gem in 2025.

Man City transfer news

Of course, injuries have far from helped their case, but there is no escaping the fact that this is an ageing Man City squad. A number of players are creeping past their best form simultaneously, whilst club captain Kyle Walker looks a shadow of the Premier League champion he was just last season.

When the summer transfer window arrives, those at the Etihad must welcome several reinforcements for Pep Guardiola.

Just who those reinforcements are exactly remains to be seen, but recent reports have at least dropped a few hints. Names such as Viktor Gyokeres and even Trent Alexander-Arnold have been mentioned in what would be a move to send shockwaves through the Premier League. But before the Citizens splash out, they could welcome a star for the future.

According to reports in Spain, Manchester City are now willing to make an opening offer to sign youngster Jeremy Monga from Leicester City. Just 15 years old, the teenager is reportedly worth as much as £15m in what is an incredibly hefty fee at such an age.

With Chelsea also interested in his signature, though, Leicester could fuel quite the battle.

Man City entertaining idea of signing "promising" ace as soon as January

The Premier League champions desperately need a defensive rebuild.

1 ByTom Cunningham Dec 7, 2024

If you look around European football, it is littered with Manchester City academy graduates, from Jadon Sancho and Cole Palmer to high-flying Jamie Gittens. So even if the path from their academy isn’t always into Guardiola’s side, there is a trend of success stories after developing at the Etihad – a narrative that Monga could become the latest to write.

Monga should heed McAtee warning

At 15, Monga should be in no rush to make his decision. The pathway is there to take hold of at Leicester, where he has a greater chance of eventually receiving first-team minutes.

Meanwhile, even in Manchester City’s current state, it would be incredibly difficult for any young player to work their way into Guardiola’s side – just ask James McAtee.

The midfielder impressed on loan at Sheffield United last season but has since struggled to break into Guardiola’s plans on a consistent basis.

Given their current crisis – especially in midfield – it seemed as though McAtee would finally get a chance. However, that has not proved to be the case, and the 22-year-old now looks destined to depart.

It’s a warning that Monga should consider. Whilst Phil Foden represents a true success story from the academy, it’s difficult to pick any other young players who have been handed such a chance before being discarded around European football.

Palmer, Gittens and Sancho all enjoyed their success away from Manchester City and Monga may well be best off skipping a move to the Etihad altogether.

Arsenal are all set to offer a new contract to Mikel Arteta that could make him one of the highest paid coaches in England.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Arsenal set to offer new deal to ArtetaSpaniard to become one of the highest-paid coachesGunners boss currently earns £9millionWHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners boss, who enters the final year of his existing contract, is all set to be offered a new long-term deal, according to the . The report further claims that the North London club will substantially increase the manager's wages which will make him one of the highest paid coaches in the Premier League.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola earns a whopping £20m (€23m/$25m) which makes him the highest-paid manager in the English top division. The new deal, however, will see Arteta earning close to the figure which Guardiola currently pockets. The Arsenal coach's present wages stand at £9m a year.

DID YOU KNOW?

The former Spain international has transformed Arsenal into a world-class unit that narrowly missed out on the Premier League title this season, finishing second behind the Cityzens. Arteta was recently named the Best Premier League Coach at the Global Soccer Awards.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MIKEL ARTETA?

The club are yet to hold a formal discussion with the 42-year-old coach but talks are set to begin once he, along with sporting director Edu, return from their holidays.

The company’s move aligns well with the PCB’s in-principle decision to scrap departments from the first-class structure

Umar Farooq in Lahore03-Apr-2019Habib Bank Limited (HBL), one of the strongest domestic cricket teams in Pakistan, has scrapped its cricket department after 43 years of being an integral part of the circuit.The bank’s sports division was set up in the early 1970s, and a cricket team emerged in 1975. Since then, HBL has been a mainstay, not missing a single season of domestic cricket. But the bank has decided not to renew contracts with cricketers after they expired on March 31, effectively shutting down the sports division, which had already stopped investing in football, hockey, table tennis, volleyball and badminton earlier, by 2016.The shutdown has been on the cards for a while, though it is not linked to recent moves to remove department sides like HBL from the domestic structure. Over the last six months, especially, the bank has pondered ways to cut costs – the cost of running the cricket team (departments finance their teams, while PCB sponsor the regional teams) was around $ 350,000 annually.HBL has, however, confirmed that though the cricket team will stop existing, the bank will continue to invest in the Pakistan Super League, which it has been the title sponsor of from its inception in 2016; the current deal is pegged at over $ 12 million.”HBL’s title sponsorship of the PSL, over the last four years, reflects our passion for the development of youth and the discovery of cricketing talent,” an HBL spokesperson said. “The PSL has given an opportunity to countless young cricketers to display their talent at a national and international level. This has led to an unprecedented talent pipeline for Pakistan cricket and has played an instrumental role in discovering players like Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Hasan Ali and many more.”With PSL, international cricket has returned to Pakistan. We are also delighted to see cricket facilities being uplifted in Pakistan and fans once again packing the stadiums to enjoy cricket. To continue to invest in PSL, and in the larger interest of cricket in Pakistan, HBL will redeploy its valuable resources from other avenues. This reinvestment will be partially achieved by exiting departmental cricket. HBL has had a long history in departmental cricket and recognises its valuable contributions to Pakistan cricket. Consequent to our enhanced focus on HBL PSL, the HBL cricket team will be demobilised.”Javed Miandad was one of the first major Pakistan stalwarts to play for Habib Bank•Getty Images

The entry of banks in Pakistan’s domestic cricket began in the early 1970s, with Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Pakistan’s first Test captain and then board chairman, encouraging them to provide employment opportunities for players. AR Wadiwalla, a senior vice-president at HBL in the mid-1970s, was the pioneer of setting up the HBL sports division with the promise that HBL’s name would be on every newspaper’s “sports pages all the time”.Wadiwalla convinced players to choose the bank to further their careers, and helped them secure their future post retirement from the game. Big names such as Javed Miandad, Abdul Qadir, Mohsin Khan, Sultan Rana and others were recruited in the Wadiwalla years, and players like Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul have since been regulars for the team. The last team included Fakhar, Faheem Ashraf, Ahmed Shehzad, Imam-ul-Haq and Abid Ali.Till the end of the last millennium, players were employed with the company, but after the privatisation of the bank in 2004, players were handed contracts, which were renewed ahead of every season. With the latest development, as many as 26 players and six support staffers have lost their contracts.The Habib Bank team played in the Pakistan domestic circuit for 43 years•Getty Images

“HBL will look after the interests of its cricket team members in line with its policies,” a statement said. “It foresees a great future for cricket in Pakistan where PSL will remain a catalyst for bringing international cricket to Pakistan and enabling more matches to be played in the country.”HBL’s move aligns well with the PCB’s in-principle decision to scrap departments from the first-class structure.The PCB recently put together a model in which department teams such as HBL, Water and Power Development Authority and Pakistan International Airlines would remain stakeholders alongside regional sides – although initially even the PCB had decided to strip departments of their playing rights.But this idea was knocked down by Imran Khan, the Pakistan prime minister, who does not want departments in the system in any capacity. He has instead directed the PCB to rework the structure to include just six provisional teams – two from Punjab, and one each from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan and Gilgit-Baltistan.Imran had been a strong advocate of a domestic structure with only regional sides for much of his playing career, enamoured as he was especially by the Australian structure. There are many now – as there were then – who believe such a model will not work in Pakistan, where the population is nearly nine times that of Australia.

Phil Foden joined an exclusive club as he bagged a hat-trick for Manchester City in the much-needed win over Aston Villa.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Foden joins exclusive club of players in EuropeBecomes fifth player to score 20+ goals and record 10+ assistsNetted second hat-trick of the season against VillaWHAT HAPPENED?

With a scintillating performance against the Villans that saw Foden score his second hat-trick of this season, the England international has now joined an elite group of players who have scored 20+ goals and provided 10+ assists in the current 2023-24 campaign while playing in the top five leagues in Europe, per Opta.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The exclusive group of players is thoroughly dominated by English stars as it features four Three Lions stars – Foden, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Ollie Watkins – while Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is the fifth member.

DID YOU KNOW?

After Wednesday's clash, the 23-year-old now has 14 league goals to his name this season, the most he has scored in a single Premier League campaign with the second-highest tally being 11 during the 2022-23 season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR PHIL FODEN?

The England and City star is likely to feature for his club on Saturday as Pep Guardiola's side take on Crystal Palace in another important Premier League fixture in the title race.