He was in England 10 years ago, didn’t look likely to be back, but here he is, as one of Pakistan’s best

Osman Samiuddin04-Aug-2020Of all the players who debuted – or were still very early in their careers – on that tour of England a decade ago, Azhar Ali looked the least likely to still be around. Umar Akmal was just five Tests old and there were 129 + 75 + 46 + 52 +0 + 77 + 51 + 27 + 49 + 49 + 8 + 15 reasons to love him already. Umar Amin was this left-handed stylist and Mohammad Amir, so Imran Khan told us, was better than Wasim Akram at that age.Yet not only is Azhar still around and back at the scene of his debut, ten years on he’s now at the back-end of a pretty illustrious career. Only six batsmen have scored more Test runs than him since then and three of those are all-timers.If he looked least likely then it wasn’t because he didn’t do well – he was Pakistan’s second-highest run-scorer across those two Test series and his two fifties – 51 and 92* – were in low-scoring wins. It wasn’t that he didn’t look the part though, ok, maybe that a little: ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data reckons he was in control for 85% of the balls he faced but thinking back now, you’d argue there’s a stray extra digit in there. The abiding memory is of Azhar squared up, beaten, little foot movement as if by moving his feet, he may set off a mine or two.No, it was more that he was precisely that kind of strait-laced, honest struggler that Pakistan cricket loses so easily. Not aggressive enough, not gifted enough, not a personality enough, not ambitious enough, not willing to make enough noise about perceived injustices, all attributes often mistaken for cricket ability in Pakistan.Azhar Ali will captain Pakistan•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesLucky for him that he was about to enter an era in Pakistan cricket unlike any before it, one that valued him for not being any of that. Slowly, incrementally and under watchful guidance, his batting grew so that he became an integral part of the Misbah-ul-Haq years, at the centre of some of its finest triumphs.And looking back now it makes sense that once he did get through that summer, it was the making of him. Because it was a torrid tour, not least on the field where the ball swung like it has rarely since. Off the field doesn’t need recapping here. The average age of the XI that took the field against Australia in the first Test of that summer – Azhar’s debut – was 25. Azhar was 25. He is the only survivor from it and rarely does ‘survivor’ feel as appropriate a word in a sporting context than it does in the context of that summer. That summer should’ve come with a support group, for players and fans alike.”I learnt to take on a challenge, that’s the biggest thing,” he said, on the eve of the Old Trafford Test against England. “If your first tour is challenging, and I was against two top sides, for me, I was thinking I’ve played the toughest cricket there is first, now I can build on that.”I contributed in the two wins and it gave me belief that if I can do well there, in those conditions, then I can overcome most challenges anywhere. Also, I learnt that there will be ups and downs over a career but you can’t give up. Sometimes, as a young player, you give up on yourself and you develop doubts. But I got support and eventually that tour became a guide through my career.”He’s right. What could’ve been tougher after that? Not playing at home. Pfft, done. Career troughs, everyone has them. Playing a Test again after a long gap, as is the case for so many after in this pandemic? Azhar’s a Test-only player from a non-Big Three member – a five-month gap is standard pretty much every year (though in other years he is likelier to get some competitive cricket in between).Azhar Ali gets ready for a hit•Getty ImagesCaptaincy? However suited he is or isn’t, as an experience, it can’t match those of the two who captained him on that tour. Or the future captain who also debuted in his first Test. And remember this is also still, quite literally, the Misbah era, so there is a degree of on and off-field stability, even if it is a trade-off for (Misbah’s) weird selections and (Azhar’s) tepid captaincy.It actually says something about the success of Azhar’s career subsequently, that he returns now with the slightest whiff of unfulfillment about it. The post-MisYou years, as he has often admitted, have not been good ones. It’s been doubly frustrating not because he was expected to fill that gap, but because he had filled that gap. In the two years leading up to their retirement, he had more runs, more hundreds and a better average than both of them. After the Australia tour of 2016-17, his average was up to 47. It is now in a slightly fraught place, not dissimilar to his debut tour. He needs runs and he’s not looking like he can make too many of them.Let’s revisit that earlier table though, of the leading run-scorers, since his debut. The figure to look at there is not the runs, or the hundreds or the average. The sixes hit is fun, because he’s hit more than Hashim Amla and Kane Williamson.But 14,129 is the one to note, the balls faced, the most by any other than Alastair Cook. He’s faced one more ball than Joe Root, who has played 26 more innings. On average, he faces plays 96.12 balls every time he goes to bat, the third-most after Steve Smith and Cheteshwar Pujara (since Azhar’s debut, and with a minimum of 100 innings played).No numbers capture the essence of Azhar quite like these, still around all this time later, a storm weathered only to live through some more.

With Liverpool approaching their return to competitive action under unprecedented circumstances, Arne Slot will take pride in what his side has managed to do in the transfer window up until this point.

Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez, among others, will add considerable strength on top of a squad that managed to claim Premier League glory in his debut campaign.

Nevertheless, there is more to come at Anfield, and Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is the dream target for Liverpool, even if they are more likely to turn their attention towards Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike due to financial demands relating to the former.

Speaking of Ekitike, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the France Under-21 international wants to come to England in light of interest from the Reds, albeit there are also clubs around Europe and in Saudi Arabia circling.

He stated: “There is movement on Hugo Ekitike, with interest from Saudi, but the priority of the player remains England. And with Newcastle interested in Hugo Ekitike, there is still interest also from more clubs. Because clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea have been calling for the player for weeks, since June, for example, being informed on the situation of Hugo Ekitike.”

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Moving away from the search for attacking prowess, Liverpool could also move for Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, solidifying the thought that they could look to strengthen the engine room.

Recent developments could point them in that direction, but not in the way supporters would expect, given previous events this window.

Liverpool could be offered Arda Guler in exchange for Alexis Mac Allister

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool could be offered Real Madrid star Arda Guler as the La Liga giants look to sign Alexis Mac Allister, and it is claimed the Argentina international may be tempted by the prospect of working with former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso.

However, the 26-year-old hasn’t shown any major signs of wanting to change clubs and is said to be ‘happy’ in England, though Los Blancos may throw Turkish sensation Guler into the mix to try and bring down the cost of any potential deal with the Reds valuing their star at £86m.

Alexis Mac Allister in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

49

Goals

7

Assists

6

Arda Guler in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

49

Goals

6

Assists

11

Intriguingly, Guler, who has previously been labelled “tremendous” by Carlo Ancelotti, has outperformed £150,000 per week earner Mac Allister in the field of goal contributions, certifying that he would be able to replicate his creative influence at Anfield.

However, the latter is someone who Arne Slot believes holds a unique standing in the football world, so it is hard to envisage the Dutchman entertaining any notion of a sale under any circumstances.

Nottingham Forest have the ‘strongest’ interest in a midfielder who’s been compared to Aston Villa star John McGinn, with Evangelos Marinakis expecting offers for Elliot Anderson.

Elliot Anderson shining for Forest with £100m price mooted

Anderson has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most impressive midfielders this season, with Forest reportedly setting a £100 million asking price to deter potential suitors during January.

The 23-year-old has transformed into one of England’s most complete central midfielders since his £35 million arrival from Newcastle in July 2024.

His exceptional form also convinced Thomas Tuchel to hand him a senior international debut in August, with the Three Lions manager subsequently praising him as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.”

Anderson featured heavily during Forest’s fairytale seventh-placed finish last campaign, making 37 Premier League appearances whilst scoring two goals and registering six assists.

However, his development has accelerated dramatically throughout 25/26, establishing himself as Sean Dyche’s most influential player whilst earning recognition among Europe’s elite midfield talents.

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Man City have emerged as Anderson’s preferred destination should he depart the City Ground, though Man United and Liverpool are apparently monitoring developments closely as well.

Pep Guardiola views him as an ideal long-term successor to Rodri, who is currently suffering from another injury setback which threatens to derail his mission to return to Ballon d’Or winning form.

Reports suggest that Forest are already making enquiries for potential Anderson replacements as interest grows in his signature grows, and this is backed up by The Mail’s Simon Jones.

Nottingham Forest make approach for Hibernian star Josh Mulligan

According to their information, Forest have emerged as frontrunners in the race for Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, with Dyche’s side making initial enquiries ahead of a potential January move.

The Scotland international has impressed since arriving at Easter Road during the summer on a free transfer from Dundee, featuring in all 24 of their competitive matches whilst chipping in with three goals and three assists.

Mulligan, who The Mail report has been compared to McGinn for his tenacious style of play, was lavished with praise by Hibs boss David Gray following the Edinburgh side’s 3-0 win over Falkirk last weekend.

Steve Clarke recently called Mulligan into Scotland’s World Cup qualifying squad, challenging him to become a leader at club level.

With the 2026 tournament approaching and the Tartan Army qualified, regular Premier League football would significantly enhance his international prospects.

Hibernian secured Mulligan on a four-year contract and will demand substantial compensation before considering any mid-season departure.

Forest’s Europa League participation provides additional motivation for strengthening squad depth during the January window, with the Tricky Trees also expecting offers for Anderson next year.

Chelsea are reportedly prepared to loan out Raheem Sterling after struggling to sell him permanently.

Chelsea keen to offload SterlingOpen to loaning out wingerBlues trying to sell 8 othersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Telegraph states that Chelsea are prepared to loan out the 30-year-old again, following an underwhelming stint at Arsenal last season. The Blues are reportedly trying to sell eight more players before the transfer window shuts on September 1.

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Sterling's career appears to be heading in the wrong direction after falling out of favour at Chelsea and failing to impress on loan at Arsenal last season. The England international, who scored one goal and added five assists in 28 appearances for the Gunners in 2024-25, has been linked with Fulham but is also open to the right opportunities outside of London.

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The report adds that Chelsea are trying to arrange permanent exits or loans for Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, and potentially Tyrique George and Aaron Anselmino.

Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT?

Former Manchester City man Sterling, who has scored 19 goals and added 15 assists in 81 games for Chelsea, is said to be on wages in excess of £300,000 a week at Stamford Bridge, and that is proving a difficult hurdle when it comes to moving him on. Incidentally, his contract runs until 2027.

Even though he missed almost four months of action, it would be fair to say that Bukayo Saka was one of Arsenal’s best players this season.

It shouldn’t have been much of a surprise, though, as the Hale End superstar has been getting better seemingly year after year for some time now.

However, even so, his tally of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances this year was nothing short of remarkable, and had he been fit for more of it, the Gunners might have run Liverpool a lot closer in the Premier League.

So, fans should be incredibly excited about recent reports linking Arsenal with a young wonderkid who’s been compared to the talismanic number seven.

Arsenal transfer news

Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at a couple of the other brilliant players linked with Arsenal in recent weeks and months, like Ademola Lookman and Karou Mitoma.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could be available for around £55m this summer and would be a great addition to the Gunners’ squad, as in 40 appearances for Atalanta this season, he has scored 20 goals and provided seven assists.

Mitoma, on the other hand, could end up costing as much as £80m, and with a tally of 11 goals and four assists in 41 games, he might be less appealing of a target, even though he’s tried and tested in the Premier League.

However, neither of these wingers can be classed as a young up-and-coming wonderkid like Kenan Yıldız.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now interested in the tremendously exciting Juventus gem.

Interestingly, the report reveals that much of this interest stems from the soon-to-be-hired Matteo Tognozzi, who was a scout at the Old Lady and was the man who discovered the talented Turkish ace.

However, if the Gunners are to get their man, they’ll likely have to match the Italian giant’s asking price of up to €80m, which converts to about £68m.

It would be a lot to spend on someone so young, but given Yıldız’s immense ability and potential, this is a transfer worth fighting for, especially as he’s been compared to Saka before.

How Yıldız compares to Saka

So, before we get into some of the other reasons Arsenal should be signing Yıldız this summer, it’s important to examine this comparison to Saka and where it has come from.

Well, in this instance, it stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in last summer’s European Championships, before creating a list of the ten most comparable players.

By doing this, it concluded that the Englishman was the third most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Turkish wonderkid in the entire competition.

Yıldız & Saka
Statistics per 90	Yıldız	Saka
Expected Assists	0.11	0.11
Non-Penalty Expected G+As	0.20	0.20
Passing Accuracy	83.65%	83.8%
Shot-Creating Actions	3.65	3.30
Goal-Creating actions	0.26	0.47
Tackles Won	0.53	0.57
Blocks	1.05	1.00
All Stats via FBref for EURO 2024

The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, expected assists, tackles won, blocks, passing accuracy and more, all per 90.

However, while a comparison to someone as brilliantly talented as the Englishman is certainly encouraging, it’s not the only reason the Gunners should be looking to sign the young Juve ace.

For example, the “special talent,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, can play almost anywhere in attack, from both wings to attacking midfield and even up top.

Moreover, despite being 19 for most of this season, the Regensburg-born prospect scored seven goals and provided five assists in 35 appearances, which comes out to a pretty decent average of a goal involvement every 2.91 games for someone so young.

Ultimately, while it would be a lot of money, Yıldız looks like he could be one of football’s next great stars, and for that reason, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him – the comparison to Saka is a nice bonus.

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MatériaMais Notícias

da blaze casino： Na quarta-feira (11), Leila Pereira concedeu uma entrevista coletiva recheada de polêmicas no Palmeiras. Entre os assuntos debatidos, um deles acabou ficando em segundo plano, que foi o do planejamento para abrir concorrência para novos patrocinadores interessados em ocupar as posições que hoje são da Crefisa, sua empresa, na camisa do clube. O processo se assemelha a uma licitação e é chamado de BID.

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da bet nacional： + Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

– Temos contrato e vamos honrar até o final. Vou ser candidata a reeleição no Palmeiras e se o associado tiver confiança no meu trabalho e eu for reeleita, terei o maior prazer de continuar patrocinando. Mas nós faremos uma BID, uma concorrência, caso vier alguém pagamento acima do valor que vou me propor a pagar, desde que seja uma empresa idônea – declarou a mandatária palmeirense.

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O termo BID vem de “Bidding Process”, que em tradução para o português significa “Processo de Licitação”. Ou seja, Leila quer abrir para o mercado a possibilidade de outras empresas oferecerem suas propostas para patrocinar o Palmeiras. No mundo empresarial, nem sempre os valores mais altos são os mais vantajosos, mas sim o pacote que acompanha o projeto apresentado, dependendo dos desejos da instituição que abriu para os “lances”.

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+ Leila Pereira lança desafio que pode aumentar valor do patrocínio do Palmeiras

No caso do Palmeiras, o valor definido para o mercado será aquele que a Crefisa se propuser a pagar, se alguém chegar com cifras maiores e/ou uma proposta mais vantajosa, terá prioridade. Atualmente, a empresa de Leila desembolsa R$ 81 milhões fixos por ano por todos os espaços da camisa. Parte da torcida alviverde questiona que essa quantia já está defasada, até pela marca ser exclusiva no uniforme.

– Até hoje não chegou nada. Estou sempre aberta a propostas, mas o que desejo é que finalize o nosso contrato de patrocínio em dezembro de 2024 e só então que vamos abrir para novas empresas que queiram patrocinar o Palmeiras.

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Como disse Leila, esse processo somente será aberto a partir de dezembro de 2024, quando termina o mandato da presidente e o contrato de patrocínio, que foi renovado em 2021, na época em que o presidente era Maurício Galiotte. Segundo a apuração da reportagem, de fato nenhuma outra empresa abordou o Verdão de forma oficial para um contrato de patrocínio para a equipe masculina.

No Feminino, que fazia parte do pacote do patrocínio da Crefisa, Leila abriu mão da exclusividade para que o mercado bancasse a modalidade. O processo deu certo e quatro marcas estampam atualmente o uniforme das jogadoras.

+ Do amor ao ódio: o passo a passo da implosão da relação de Leila Pereira com organizada do Palmeiras

A verdade é que ansiedade da torcida terá que esperar, pois estamos a mais de um ano de esse processo ser aberto. Enquanto isso, o clube permanece com o patrocínio das empresas de Leila Pereira, que também dá direito a bônus por títulos e metas.

Tudo sobre

Palmeiras

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is only a few weeks away from having the chance to make changes to his playing squad for the first time since he joined the club.

The German boss arrived after the summer transfer window, which was spearheaded by Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell, which means that he does not have any of his own signings.

Whilst the former Sheffield Wednesday boss will want to make some signings of his own to bolster the squad, Rohl may also want to move some of the current players on in the January transfer window.

The Rangers players who should be let go in January

There are several current first-team duds who should be moved on ahead of the second half of the season because they do not look like key players for the new manager.

Chalkboard

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

Clinton Nsiala, for example, is yet to play a single minute of football in the 2025/26 campaign, per Transfermarkt, and has only made the matchday squad on four occasions.

With John Souttar, Derek Cornelius, Nasser Djiga, and Emmanuel Fernandez ahead of him in the pecking order when fit, an exit in January could be the best move for his career.

Rabbi Matondo, per Transfermarkt, is another player who has not played a single minute of action this season and has not made any matchday squads, which suggests that he may be free to find a new club in January if he is not part of the manager’s plans.

Finally, Kieran Dowell should also be moved on in the winter amid reported interest from English Championship side Hull City, who are looking to sign him on loan.

Why Kieran Dowell should never play a minute under Danny Rohl

The English attacking midfielder, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Birmingham, played 384 minutes across six appearances in July and August under Martin and failed to score any goals before picking up an injury.

He was even described as “non-existent” by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar in the 2-0 win over Panathinaikos in July, as he failed to create a single chance in 75 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore.

Now back fit, having played for the U19s with Dujon Sterling last month, Dowell has not been involved in a single matchday squad for Rohl, per Sofascore, which suggests that he is not in the manager’s thoughts for the first-team.

With Hull said to be interested in signing him, Rangers appear to have the opportunity to move him on from Ibrox on loan for the second half of the season, before his contract expires in the summer, per Transfermarkt.

The Light Blues would, therefore, be allowing him to leave on a free transfer after his loan spell at Hull ends, which would give the Tigers a chance to assess whether or not they want to sign him permanently ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

On top of having that option, Dowell should also not play a single minute for Rohl between now and January because Lyall Cameron would be a better player to bring in if the manager wants to change his attacking midfielder.

Appearances

12

33

Goals

0

9

Conversion rate

0%

17%

Key passes per game

0.7

1.6

Big chances created

3

6

Assists

0

5

The Scottish starlet, as shown in the table above, appears far more likely to make an impact in the Scottish Premiership as an attacking midfielder, after a return of 15 goal contributions last season.

Cameron, however, has been an unused substitute in seven of the last eight games in all competitions, and in all of the last four, per Transfermarkt, which shows how difficult it is to get a place in the team under the German head coach.

Therefore, given how far down the pecking order he is, it is hard to see a situation where Dowell ends up playing any minutes on the pitch for Rangers before he has the chance to join Hull on loan at the start of next month.

This is why the former Norwich City playmaker, who has registered zero goals and one assist in six games this season, should never play for Rohl, and why he should be allowed to leave on loan in January before being released on a free transfer next summer.

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The left-footed flop has only provided two goals and three assists in 38 appearances for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, since his move from the Canaries in 2023, which illustrates how little he has contributed as an attacking force on the pitch in his time at Ibrox.

أدرك لاعبو فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك التعادل أمام البنك الأهلي، في المباراة التي تجمع بين الفريقين، في الدوري المصري الممتاز. 

ويواجه فريق الزمالك نظيره البنك الأهلي، في الجولة الـ12 من عمر مسابقة الدوري الممتاز، على ملعب القاهرة الدولي. 

طالع.. فيديو | أسامة فيصل يسجل هدف البنك الأهلي الأول أمام الزمالك

وأحرز الأنجولي شيكوبانزا، هدف التعادل لصالح فريق الزمالك في الدقيقة 32 من عمر الشوط الأول، بعد جملة رائعة من لاعبي الزمالك داخل منطقىة جزاء البنك الأهلي، ويسددها شيكوبانزا ليتصدى لها حارس مرمى البنك الأهلي وينجح شيكوبانزا في متابعتها وإدراك التعادل. 

وكان فريق البنك الأهلي قد تقدم في الدقيقة 30 من عمر الشوط الأول من ركلة جزاء، ليتصدى لها أسامة فيصل مهاجم البنك الأهلي ويتقدم لصالح فريقه أمام الزمالك.  هدف شيكوبانزا أمام البنك الأهلي