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Wayne Rooney has shown that you never lose it, with the Manchester United and England legend rolling back the years in an exhibition game. The Red Devils’ all-time leading goal-scorer lined up alongside and against a collection of international superstars in the Nexon Icons Match, with the target found with a spectacular strike.

• Rooney famed for spectacular goals

  Rooney was famed for those in his heyday, with a personal highlight reel including some stunning efforts that will be replayed for years to come – including a memorable overhead kick for United on derby day against City.

  He was on the other side of the world when that rivalry was rekindled at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, with the Blues getting the better of the Red Devils on this occasion – as Erling Haaland bagged a brace in a 3-0 win.

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• Watch Rooney's 25-yard strike for Icons team

• Which team won the Nexon Icons Match?

  Rooney, who retired in 2021, was in Seoul, South Korea for a contest that pitched attacking firepower against defensive steel. The team of forwards, named FC Spear, took on a group of defenders in the form of Shield United. Surprisingly, it was the latter that prevailed 2-1.

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  Which legends took part in the Icons Match?

  It was, however, Rooney that broke the deadlock in style. As Shield United struggled to clear their lines, the ball fell invitingly to Rooney 25 yards out. His first time strike was whipped beyond ex-Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas and into the bottom corner.

  The likes of Gareth Bale, Steven Gerrard and Didier Drogba joined in the celebrations, but it was the team of Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Carles Puyol and Alessandro Nesta that emerged victorious – with Maicon and Jooho Park on target for Shield United.

Adelaide will host the third Test from December 17 as the traditional Ashes rota is shaken up

Alex Malcolm16-Oct-2024Cricket Australia has unveiled the dates for the 2025-26 Ashes series in Australia with the Gabba set to host the day-night second Test while Adelaide will host the third Test as a day game under a new agreement to have the pre-Christmas Test for the next seven years.CA confirmed that Perth will host the first Ashes Test next summer from November 21-25 before the second Test is played with a pink-ball under lights in Brisbane from December 4-8. The third Test will a day game in Adelaide from December 17-21 before the traditional Boxing Day Test begins on December 26 at the MCG. Sydney will host the fifth Test from January 4-8.A shake-up to the traditional Ashes rota had long been forecast after CA announced its fixturing contracts with the various state governments in August.Related

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Adelaide has been the main home of the day-night Test since the first one in 2015 and has hosted the two previous Ashes day-night Tests in 2017-18 and 2021-22 as the second Test in the rotation in those Ashes series following the traditional Gabba opener.But South Australia’s government, along with CA, were keen to give Adelaide a marquee holiday slot given the Test’s popularity from a tourism standpoint and it is now third in the rotation.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe Gabba has hosted three day-night Tests previously including West Indies’ famous win earlier this year in January. But it will be the first time Brisbane has not hosted the Ashes opener since 1982-83 when Perth hosted the first Test and Brisbane had the second.The future of the Gabba has been left clouded amid uncertainty over the redevelopment plans for the stadium ahead of the 2032 Olympics. There is a chance the Ashes Test next year could be the last Gabba Test ever as there is no Test scheduled there for 2026-27 – and beyond – and the stadium in its current state will not be usable by 2030.There has been criticism of CA for not maintaining the Gabba as the opening Test of the summer for at least the next two seasons, with former Australia allrounder Shane Watson among a host of voices who would prefer the Gabba to be the opening Test. But it understood the Australian team is quite happy to play the opening Test of the summer at Optus Stadium in Perth, as has been the case in the last two summers, given Australia’s perfect record there.There may be less enthusiasm about using the pink ball at the Gabba as Australia’s bowlers have previously been vocal about the pink ball being better suited to the Adelaide Oval pitch than the Gabba. There have been periods in the Gabba pink-ball Tests where the ball has become very soft and the game has stagnated as a result.

With Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez already potentially heading for the exit door, Liverpool now reportedly face the threat of losing another one of their key men to Barcelona.

Bayern make fresh move to sign Diaz

As Liverpool look to make their biggest statement yet by signing want-away Newcastle United star Alexander Isak, they could show the door to Diaz along the way. The Colombian has been linked with a move away from Anfield all summer long and it’s Bayern Munich who have been battling for his signature.

As ever, though, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes are proving to be tough negotiators. The Bundesliga giants have consistently been told that Diaz is not for sale, but the chance for Liverpool to sign Isak may have left the door ajar for the two clubs to finally reach an agreement.

In the latest update, Sky Sports are reporting that Bayern have now re-opened talks to sign the 28-year-old winger for the first time since seeing their £58.5m offer rejected earlier this summer.

Those at Anfield are now reportedly braced for an improved offer, but it remains to be seen whether that will satisfy Edwards and Hughes’ demands to sell Diaz.

Meanwhile, Nunez could also be heading for the exit door amid reports that Al-Hilal are now holding internal discussions about securing his signature in a deal worth over £60m.

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If the arrival of Hugo Ekitike has pushed the former Benfica man down the pecking order, then the arrival of Isak would make him surplus to requirements entirely in Merseyside and that is likely to result in a departure.

Liverpool shouldn’t be overly concerned about losing either of their attacking stars, however, given the strength in depth in that department. Instead, their concern should be focused on elsewhere in their squad.

Barcelona enter race to sign Konate

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona have now entered the race to sign Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool alongside La Liga rivals Real Madrid. The French defender is currently on course to leave as a free agent this time next year and could yet follow in the footsteps of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Anfield chiefs, meanwhile, will be desperate to avoid the same fate and have already reportedly tabled a fresh contract offer to their important defender.

Unlike Diaz and Nunez, Konate is not a player who can easily be replaced. The towering central defender is at the peak of his powers at 26 years old and should be seen as the eventual Van Dijk replacement in the leadership role within Arne Slot’s backline. But that won’t be possible unless he signs a new deal.

Games

14

Wins

9

Draws

2

Losses

3

Goals Conceded

19

What stands out the most when Liverpool were without their £70,000-a-week defender last season is the fact they conceded around 1.4 goals a game compared to their record of 1.2 when he is next to Van Dijk in their backline.

Simply put, replacing Konate at this stage of his career with someone who could instantly perform to similar levels would hand Liverpool their toughest task this summer.

Sunderland are in talks over completing the signing of a versatile player in the summer transfer window, according to a promising new update.

Who could Sunderland sign this summer?

The Black Cats are reportedly interested in snapping up Clermont midfielder Habib Keita before next season gets underway, but they will have their work cut out getting a deal over the line.

That’s because a host of English clubs are keen on acquiring his signature, with Queens Park Rangers, Stoke City and Crystal Palace all keeping tabs on him.

Elsewhere, Sunderland are said to be leading the race to sign Vladyslav Vanat this summer, with the Dynamo Kiev striker a potentially exciting addition for Regis Le Bris, as he looks to have enough firepower in his squad to aid their chances of staying in the Premier League and avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

West Brom youngster Isaac Price has also emerged as a reported target for the Black Cats, with the 21-year-old a player who could have a bright future in the game. The midfielder has already scored six goals in 18 caps for Northern Ireland, summing up his potential.

Sunderland in talks over signing £2.5m midfielder

According to a new report from Africa Foot, Sunderland are in talks with the representatives of Yverdon Sport midfielder Moussa Baradja over a potential £2.5m summer move to the Stadium of Light.

The 24-year-old is looking for a new challenge after his team were relegated from the Swiss Super League last season, and the Black Cats are hoping to “reach an agreement” in the near future following contact.

Baradja isn’t necessarily a player who is well-known to the English audience, but he could be an astute signing by Sunderland, in what is such an important transfer window for them.

Perhaps the Frenchman’s greatest asset is his versatility, allowing him to thrive as a defensive midfielder and a more attack-minded one, as well as being able to do a job on the right wing.

This is sure to appeal to Le Bris, who knows the importance of squad depth ahead of Sunderland’s return to the Premier League, and Baradja would likely come in as a relatively cheap addition, assuming they can get him for just £2.5m.

He has made 29 appearances for Yverdon Sport, chipping in with four goals and three assists in that time, and he will be able to offer quality at both ends of the pitch.

Granted, Sunderland also need to sign players who have proven themselves in the Premier League, but Baradji looks like shrewd business that could ultimately be effective over time.

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Sunderland is monitoring this promising midfielder who could be Regis Le Bris’ next Enzo Le Fee.

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Still only 24, he wouldn’t be coming in as a quick fix for the Black Cats, instead arriving as a squad player and hopefully becoming a key man as time passes.

Kent 198 for 6 (Billings 106*) beat Somerset 197 for 6 (Smeed 68, Kohler-Cadmore 42) by four wicketsA superb century by Sam Billings helped the Kent Spitfires to a four-wicket win over Somerset with four balls to spare, in a Vitality Blast thriller at Canterbury.Kent were reeling on 37 for four in the fifth over but they were rescued a sensational innings by Billings, who hit a career best 106 from 66 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes.The Spitfires’ skipper fell in the 19th, but with Kent needing just six from the last six balls, Joey Evison hit the winning runs to complete a brilliant comeback for the hosts, who closed on 198 for six.Earlier Will Smeed blasted 68 from 30 balls as Somerset posted 197 for six, while Tom Kohler-Cadmore was the next highest scorer with 42. Having shipped 95 in eight overs for the opening wicket, Kent reined the visitors in slightly as Matt Parkinson took two for 36 and Zak Crawley took four catches, equalling Kent’s Blast record.Somerset were asked to bat and Smeed rode his luck at times, but he creamed Evison for 18 in the eighth over, only to hit the final delivery to Tawanda Muyeye on the boundary.Tom Banton went three balls later for 26, when Marcus O’Riordan saw him charge down the wicket and had him stumped off a wide. Parkinson then got Tom Abell for 12 when Crawley covered 40 yards to reel him in at deep midwicket.Sean Dickson made 26 from 18 before he skyed Parkinson to Crawley, who then took his third catch when Kohler-Cadmore miscued a full toss from Beyers Swanepoel.Lewis Gregory went for 12 when he hit Bartlett’s penultimate ball of the innings to Crawley on the cow corner boundary, but Crawley then hit the first ball of the Kent reply, from Overton, straight to Roelof van der Merwe.Overton then bowled Daniel Bell-Drummond for three and took a brilliant diving catch off Sonny Baker to remove Muyeye for 15 before O’Riordan went for 14, when he hit Jake Ball straight to Smeed at fly slip.Billings and Denly dragged Kent back into it with an exhilarating stand of 109, before the latter went for 32 when he tried to ramp Ball and was caught by Baker.The 18th over proved pivotal. Billings smeared Gregory through cover to reach his century and he celebrated by leaping in the air before doing a baby-rocking motion. Evison then hit successive fours to leave Kent needing just 10 from the last two.When Billings was caught by Dickson on the boundary Kent still needed six off the last over, but Evison cut van der Merwe’s first ball for four and scrambled two off the next ball to complete a stunning win.

Preparing for a summer without Paul Mitchell following the sporting director’s recent departure, Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing the chance to sign an attacking star who’s worth as much as £59m.

Paul Mitchell to leave Newcastle

After less than 12 months at the club, Mitchell’s time at Newcastle has come to an end by mutual consent. The sporting director endured a difficult summer transfer window last year as the Magpies attempted to comply with PSR rules and limit their spending and will now step away at the end of June having never truly received the chance to make his mark on the incomings front.

Releasing a statement on his departure, Mitchell said: “I’d like to thank everyone at Newcastle United for their support over the last year.

“I’m leaving at a time that is right for me and the club, particularly with Darren Eales – someone who I have worked so closely with in my career – moving on soon. The club is in great hands on and off the pitch, and is in a fantastic position to continue building.”

Paul Mitchell’s Newcastle incomings

Paul Mitchell’s major Newcastle sales (via Transfermarkt)

Odysseas Vlachodimos (£20m)

Elliott Anderson (£35m)

William Osula (£10m)

Yankuba Minteh (£30m)

Lloyd Kelly (Free)

Miguel Almiron (£8m)

John Ruddy (Free)

Lloyd Kelly (Loan fee £3m)

Total Spend = £30m

Total made = £76m

Whilst Newcastle never really set the world alight in the transfer window under Mitchell, he did well to navigate his way through any PSR problems last summer even if it meant overpaying for Odysseas Vlachodimos.

Now in search of a new sporting director and ready to spend again, Newcastle must get the forthcoming transfer window right. On that front, they’re reportedly in pole position to sign Matteo Guendouzi and another impressive Frenchman has also since emerged as a potential summer target.

Newcastle eyeing £59m Akliouche chance

According to Caught Offside, Newcastle are now keeping a close eye on the chance to sign Maghnes Akliouche from AS Monaco this summer in a deal worth around €70m (£59m). The Magpies face competition from Premier League champions Liverpool, but could yet flex PIF’s financial power to land the impressive 23-year-old right-winger.

A player with a “magnificent skillset” according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig in 2024, Akliouche has since enjoyed an excellent season for Monaco – scoring seven goals and assisting another 12 in all competitions.

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As Newcastle look to add further star power to the right-hand side of their front three, Akliouche could emerge as an ideal option. Still just 23 years old and yet to reach his best, the Frenchman ticks the box for Champions League experience and the potential to become a world-beater at St James’ Park.

As Manchester United romped to a brutal first-leg victory over Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League on Thursday evening, the performance of a certain Rasmus Hojlund quietly went under the radar in that semi-final clash.

With all the talk centred around the experienced trio of Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Harry Maguire, the lively display of United’s number nine was easy to overlook, with the towering Dane notably winning the penalty that proved a key turning point in the tie.

Speaking after that bright performance, manager Ruben Amorim suggested that it was the 22-year-old’s “best game” since he took charge at Old Trafford, with the struggling number nine perhaps beginning to find his groove after netting at the death against Bournemouth last week.

That recent revival could prove vital if United are to claim European glory come the end of May, although in the long term, the fact remains that the former Atalanta man has scored just four Premier League goals all season – a simply dismal return for a striker.

Whether the £64m signing stays or goes this summer, a real upgrade is needed at the top end of the pitch ahead of next term – the Red Devils simply can’t afford a Hojlund repeat.

Man Utd's search for a striker

Amorim has gone from witnessing the heroics of Viktor Gyokeres – who scored 66 goals under his watch in just 68 games – back at Sporting CP, to now having to witness his goal-shy group toil in Manchester.

It is then no surprise that United have been heavily linked with a move to reunite the 40-year-old coach with his former talisman, while recent reports have also suggested that Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick could represent a wildcard option this summer.

With Victor Osimhen also reportedly in the frame, as the Nigerian gets set to enter the final year of his Napoli contract, there are proven targets out there for United to consider, as they seek a new centre-forward for the third summer in succession.

Transfer Focus

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

Frustratingly, however, it would seem that the man that INEOS have actually identified as the leading candidate is Ipswich Town starlet, Liam Delap, with TEAMtalk reporting that the Old Trafford outfit are making a ‘huge effort’ to bring the 22-year-old to the club.

As per the report, Everton have now joined the race to sign the £30m-rated ace, alongside Chelsea, albeit with there said to be ‘hope’ at United that they will emerge victorious in their pursuit.

A player known well to technical director Jason Wilcox, amid his previous stint at rivals Manchester City, the England U21 international would be an exciting addition – but is he really what Amorim needs?

Why Man Utd could be set to sign another Hojlund

There appears to have become a growing obsession in the modern game with adopting a youth-centric approach in the transfer market. Take Chelsea, for example, whose oldest outfield player this season has been Tosin Adarabioyo, who is still only 27.

Even at United under the INEOS regime, every signing made since last summer has been aged 25 or under, excluding Noussair Mazraoui. Ironically, it would not be difficult to argue that the now 27-year-old has proven to be the best of the bunch.

Equally, Thursday’s triumph away in the Basque Country indicated the benefits of the older heads, with Fernandes and Casemiro proving to be “the difference again”, in the words of journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

United have no doubt been stung in the past by short-term, high profile signings – with transfer fees for those players also likely to prove more costly – although in the case of centre-forward, in particular, the club can’t afford to skimp this summer.

Cast your mind back to 2023, for instance, when Erik ten Hag set his sights on Tottenham Hotspur’s 280-goal hero, Harry Kane, only for the club to instead fork out for a 20-year-old Hojlund, who had scored just ten goals in all competitions for his former employers.

Last summer, meanwhile, another ‘cheap’ option was pursued in the form of Joshua Zirkzee, with the Dutchman available due to a £36.5m release clause in his Bologna contract. After netting just 12 goals last term in Italy, only a further seven have followed in Manchester.

To then consider moving for another young, inexperienced, but affordable forward in Delap could represent a real mistake, with the Englishman not exactly setting the world alight this season. 12 top-flight goals for a now-relegated side is nothing to turn your nose up at, although it’s hardly spectacular.

The Man City academy graduate, as he has shown in 2024/25, is an undoubted talent, with his bulldozing displays for the Tractor Boys seeing him lauded as a “wrecking ball” by Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones.

And yet, it was only last season that the in-demand marksman had scored just eight league goals while on loan at Hull City in the Championship, with the question there to be asked over whether he is indeed ready to make such a seismic, pressurised step up.

Non-penalty goals

0.37

0.21

Assists

0.07

0.00

Total shots

2.30

1.55

Shot-creating actions

2.23

2.17

Pass completion

61%

76.7%

Progressive passes

1.11

0.83

Progressive carries

2.19

1.34

Touches in opposition box

1.41

2.99

Aerial duels won

1.93

1.19

What will also be of concern is that Delap is actually noted as a statistically similar player to Hojlund among those in their position in the Premier League, as per FBref, with it looking as if Amorim could be handed almost a carbon copy of what he already has at his disposal.

Yes, Delap is of far greater status right now, but it wasn’t too long ago that the speedy Hojlund was also earning rave reviews of his own. Who can forget his debut cameo against Arsenal, when the Denmark international ran William Saliba and Gabriel ragged.

As perhaps to be expected of a young striker, the pressure and expectation of leading the line for Manchester United has weighed heavy on Hojlund, culminating in his current woes.

Amorim is then in need of a Gyokeres, an Osimhen, who will shoulder that burden with ease, having repeatedly proven themselves over a number of seasons. Can the same really be said of Delap?

Approaching yet another pivotal summer window at Old Trafford, the club can’t afford any further mistakes. Of course, the tight budget must be considered, although the desire for affordability should not come at the expense of the need for ready-made quality.

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If it wasn’t clear already, Liverpool’s victory over Everton in the Merseyside has surely silenced the last whispers of doubt. There is no doubt: Arne Slot will lift the Premier League title in a few months.

Leading the charge, of course, is Mohamed Salah, who has posted 27 goals and 17 assists in the top flight alone this term, a haul which has established him as European football’s runaway goal involvement leader this term.

1.

Mohamed Salah

27

17

44

2.

Harry Kane

22

9

31

2=

Omar Marmoush

20

11

31

4.

Robert Lewandowski

25

2

27

5.

Mateo Retegui

22

4

26

5=

Ousmane Dembele

21

5

26

The Egyptian, 32, has grown into a stature as one of the Premier League and indeed Liverpool’s greatest players of all time since signing from AS Roma in a deal worth £34m almost eight years ago.

It was a signing that didn’t exactly send shockwaves through English football when completed, but one which has in hindsight proved to be the most brilliant of blinders from FSG.

Now, Slot’s Liverpool are looking to repeat the trick, dipping back into the Italian market.

Liverpool's summer transfer plans

While The Athletic’s David Ornstein has suggested Liverpool aren’t placing midfielders on their priority list in the transfer market this summer, the right market opportunity will as always tempt FSG into pouncing, and Atalanta’s Ederson may just be that man.

Indeed, the robust midfielder has been an important part of Gian Piero Gasperini’s success over the past several years, and his progress has caught the eye of Europe’s elite.

So then, according to Tutto Atalanta, the Brazil midfielder has been on Liverpool and Manchester United’s radar for a while and interest may come to a head this summer, the Red Devils having failed with a bid one year ago.

Should their interest be genuine, Liverpool will hope that their superiority over their arch-rivals holds sway, for they are set to lift the Premier League title while Ruben Amorim’s side languish in the bottom half of the division.

Atalanta are resigned to losing their midfield general but will want to bank a pretty for his sale, fielding enquiries in the ballpark of €60m (about £51m), with Liverpool among those ready to ‘knock on the door’ and come forward with an offer.

Why Liverpool should sign Ederson

Liverpool have been brilliant this season, on course for the league title. However, there’s been a debate of late pertaining to Slot’s midfield’s lack of combativeness, and a player of Ederson’s ilk could make all the difference in firing across multiple cylinders next season.

Hailed as a “machine” in the middle for Atalanta by reporter Carlo Garganese after his performance against Bayer Leverkusen to win last season’s Europa League title, Ederson is renowned for his physical presence but is also an underrated technician, ranking among the top 17% of midfielders in Serie A this season for passes attempted, the top 18% for progressive passes and the top 19% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

The 25-year-old, moreover, has been excellent in the Italian top division this term, starting 26 matches, winning five duels and recovering 5.1 loose balls per game, as per Sofascore, while also keeping it crisp with an 88% pass success rate.

With such a strong core of skills already, it feels like a transfer to Merseyside could be the perfect step, the launchpad, for the next stage in his career, emulating Salah in leaving Serie A having made his name and taking a seat among the uppermost echelon of midfielders on the continent.

To be sure, Salah has come on leaps and bounds since arriving in Liverpool, but there’s no question he was highly regarded for his exploits with Fiorentina and Roma, with Luciano Spalletti saying upon his transfer to Anfield: “He is the best player I’ve coached in my career.”

Ederson can now repeat the trick, giving Slot his own Salah signing to take an already impressive Liverpool side to the next level.

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England sealed a Test series in New Zealand for the firs time since 2007-08, with Harry Brook’s hundred again pivotal. Alan Gardner was joined by Vithushan Ehantharajah, Andrew Miller and Matt Roller to break down the win in Wellington

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Dec-2024Victory by a resounding margin of 323 runs at Basin Reserve saw England take a Test series in New Zealand for first time since 2007-08. On Switch Hit, Alan Gardner heard from Vithushan Ehantharajah in Wellington, then Andrew Miller and Matt Roller in London. How good are Harry Brook and Brydon Carse? Will Jacob Bethell continue to give Ollie Pope a run for his money at No. 3? And what does it all mean for the Ashes?