Chelsea have built a squad full of brilliant players over the last few years, with the likes of Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella all being genuinely world-class.

However, it would also be fair to say that, so far, their summer signings have not exactly hit the ground running.

In particular, Jamie Gittens has failed to live up to the expectations people had of him after his impressive campaign with Borussia Dortmund last year, during which he recorded 17 goal involvements.

So, it’s not a surprise to see reports linking Chelsea with an exceptionally exciting winger who could end up being a significant upgrade on the Englishman.

Chelsea target Gittens upgrade

With the transfer window less than a month away from reopening, Chelsea have once again been linked with a plethora of brilliant players.

Transfer Focus

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

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For example, while there has been plenty of talk about Emmanuel Emegha, the Blues have also been linked with his free-scoring teammate, Joaquín Panichelli.

On top of that, the West Londoners have also been one of several sides linked with Nottingham Forest’s imposing Murillo.

However, while both players would improve Maresca’s squad, because of where they play, neither could be described as an upgrade on Gittens, unlike Yan Diamonde.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are one of a handful of top teams interested in signing the Ivorian winger.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Blues’ board are convinced about the 19-year-old wonderkid and see him fitting into the team perfectly.

However, on top of having to get ahead of the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, the Pensionsers would also have to stump up a lot of money to secure the player.

According to the report, RB Leipzig would want up to €100m to sell their star asset, which is about £87m, but even so, Diomande looks like a player Chelsea should go all out for, especially as he’d be a significant Gittens upgrade.

How Diomande compares Gittens

Now, while Diomande is someone who can play on both flanks and has actually spent a little more time on the right recently, he is seen as a left-sided player.

Therefore, were he to join Chelsea next month, one of his main rivals for game time would be Gittens, but who is the better player?

Well, when it comes to raw output, which is fundamentally the most crucial metric of all, it’s not even close.

For example, in 15 first-team appearances this season, totalling just 951 minutes, the Ivorian star has scored seven goals and provided four assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.36 games, or every 86.45 minutes, which is a rate of return that lends credence to journalist Bence Bocsák’s claim that he is a “generational talent.”

Diomande vs Gittens

Player

Diomande

Gittens

Appearances

15

18

Minutes

951′

830′

Goals

7

1

Assists

4

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.73

0.27

Minutes per Goal Involvement

86.45

138.33′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In stark contrast, the Englishman has scored a single goal and provided five assists in 18 appearances this season, totalling 830 minutes.

That comes out to a pretty underwhelming average of a goal involvement every three games, or every 138.33 minutes.

Moreover, a caveat about the Reading-born ace’s age cannot be made, as the Leipzig star is just 19 and already running games in attack.

On top of having the better output, the Abidjan-born superstar in the making also has some brilliant underlying numbers to his name.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons, the top 2% for progressive carries, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Finally, while the competition is less fierce, it is impressive that the Ivorian monster has already won four senior caps for his country, compared to none for the Englishman.

Ultimately, Gittens may well come good, but at the same time, Diomande is massively outperforming him and looks like someone Chelsea should break the bank on.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes 5 days ago

أعرب الشيخ أحمد اليوسف الصباح، رئيس الاتحاد الكويتي لكرة القدم، عن رضاه التام عن تعادل منتخب بلده 1-1 أمام مصر في الجولة الأولى من المجموعة الثالثة لكأس العرب 2025، المقامة في قطر.

وقال اليوسف، في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “الجريدة” الكويتية عقب اللقاء الذي أقيم على ملعب “لوسيل”: “كنا نتمنى الفوز بالطبع، لكن التعادل يُعد نتيجة إيجابية أمام منتخب مصر، الذي يظل فريقًا كبيرًا وعريقًا، حتى وإن لم يشارك بقوامه الأساسي”.

وأضاف: “اجتمعت مع اللاعبين بعد المباراة، واتفقنا على طي صفحة لقاء مصر، والتركيز الكامل على مواجهة الأردن في الجولة الثانية، سعياً لتحقيق نتيجة جيدة تعزز فرصنا في التأهل إلى دور الثمانية”.

طالع أيضًا | حسام حسن يقدم وعدًا للجماهير بعد تعادل منتخب مصر مع الكويت في كأس العرب

وأكد اليوسف أن النقطة التي حققها المنتخب الكويتي أمام مصر مهمة للغاية، مشددًا على أن التركيز الآن ينصب على تحقيق الفوز في مباراة الأردن القادمة.

واختتم رئيس الاتحاد تصريحاته بالإشارة إلى تنسيقه مع وزارتي الدفاع والطيران في الكويت لتوفير رحلات إضافية لنقل الجماهير إلى الدوحة، من أجل دعم المنتخب الكويتي خلال المباريات المتبقية من البطولة التي تستمر حتى 18 ديسمبر.

ويتواجد منتخبا مصر والكويت في المجموعة الثالثة من بطولة كأس العرب، مع منتخبات الأردن والإمارات.

ومن المقرر أن تستكمل مباريات المجموعة الثالثة لنفس الجولة، بمواجهة الأردن والإمارات اليوم الأربعاء.

Glasgow Rangers decided to sack sporting director Kevin Thelwell and CEO Patrick Stewart at the end of last month after a dismal start to the season and a managerial change.

Russell Martin was brought in by Thelwell and subsequently replaced by Danny Rohl after just 17 matches, whilst the former Everton chief’s work in the transfer market was also called into question.

The £8m signing of Youssef Chermiti from Everton, for example, has been in the spotlight because the Portuguese striker has only scored one goal so far this season, per Sofascore.

English club pushing to sign Rangers flop

Whilst there are question marks over the Portugal U21 international, the Gers look set to cash in on a player who has been an even worse signing than the centre-forward.

Transfer Focus

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

According to the Daily Record, English Championship side Sheffield United are ‘pushing’ to secure a deal to sign Glasgow Rangers central midfielder Joe Rothwell in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Blades are in pole position to snap up the experienced Englishman ahead of the second half of the season, and that they are confident that they can get a deal over the line.

It adds that moving Rothwell on from Ibrox would free up ‘substantial’ funds, possibly in wages, to allow Rohl to dip into the market for a replacement.

Why Rothwell has been a worse signing than Chermiti

The criticism of the deal to bring Chermiti to Ibrox for £8m is completely understandable. He is a striker who has scored one goal in 17 matches after being their most expensive signing in 25 years, since Tore Andre Flo signed for £12m in 2000.

However, as much as some supporters may not want to hear it when they want instant results, he is also a 21-year-old prospect who needs time to find his feet and find his confidence.

This means that the Portugal U21 international still has time on his side to make a success of his Rangers career and prove that Thelwell was right to splash £8m on his services in the summer.

Rothwell, meanwhile, is a 30-year-old midfielder who is at the other end of his career and is unlikely to improve much past this point, which is why selling him to Sheffield United after half a season makes sense, given his struggles in a Rangers shirt.

Since signing from Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee, the Englishman has provided no goals and two assists in 19 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Kilmarnock

Not in squad

Dundee United

Not in squad

Falkirk

Not in squad

Livingston

Unused sub

Dundee

Not in squad

Hibernian

Unused sub

Kilmarnock

Unused sub

Dundee United

83 minutes

Falkirk

70 minutes

Livingston

17 minutes

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has either been an unused substitute or has failed to make the matchday squad for the last seven games in the Scottish Premiership.

Chermiti, meanwhile, has had minutes in all nine of the matches that he has been available for in the Premiership this season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he is still trusted by Rohl.

Rothwell, it seems, is not trusted by the German head coach, as evidenced by his lack of minutes on the pitch and this potential transfer to Sheffield United in January. Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar even went as far as to describe him as a “rotten” signing.

The former Leeds United star was signed, as an experienced 30-year-old midfielder, to make an immediate impact for Martin in the middle of the park, but it clearly has not worked out for him at Ibrox, which is why a move to Bramall Lane in January appears to suit all parties involved.

His age and experience are why he has been such a disappointing signing for the Light Blues, because he should have been the anchor of the midfield to provide a platform for the rest of the team to build from in possession, as a reliable and experienced performer.

It has not worked out like that, though, and now he looks set to move on from Glasgow after less than a year at the club, which speaks to how much of a flop he has been.

Rohl must drop Fernandez & "rotten" Rangers flop who belong in Caixinha era

Danny Rohl should drop this Glasgow Rangers duo who belong in the Pedro Caixinha era after their performances against Ferencvaros.

ByDan Emery 1 day ago

That also shows that he has been an even worse signing than Chermiti, despite the money involved in that deal, because the Portuguese talent, at least, appears to have a future at Ibrox under Rohl in the short term and has plenty of time left ahead of him to improve and develop

They may have dropped points on the weekend, but Arsenal are flying this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side are top of both the Champions League and Premier League tables at the moment, and show no signs of slowing down.

Even with the absurd number of injuries the Gunners have had to deal with, they have been rock-solid at the back and clinical in attack.

One of Arsenal’s surprising stars of the season so far has been Leandro Trossard, but if reports are to be believed, the club could be looking to sign an upgrade.

Arsenal target Trossard upgrade

The winter transfer window is now less than a month from opening, and Arsenal have already been linked with a huge number of exciting and potentially game-changing additions.

Transfer Focus

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

Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga, for example, has been touted for a £70m switch to the Emirates, as has Nottingham Forest’s monstrous centre-back Murillo.

However, while both players would certainly add something to Arteta’s squad and likely improve it, they cannot be described as Trossard upgrades, unlike Kenan Yıldız.

Yes, according to a recent report from Italy, Arsenal are once again interested in the hugely exciting Turkish wonderkid.

More than that, though, the report has revealed that the Gunners have once again been in contact with the player’s representatives to find out what it would take to make the deal work.

However, Juventus are understandably keen to keep hold of the incredible talent, and according to other reports from Italy, would demand at least £88m to sell him.

It could therefore be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Yıldız’s ability and potential, it is one Arsenal should pursue, especially as he’d be a perfect Trossard upgrade.

How Yıldız compares to Trossard

Now, it might sound simplistic, and that’s because it is: the first place to start when comparing two attackers is their raw output from the last two seasons.

For his efforts last season, Yıldız racked up an impressive tally of 12 goals and nine assists in 52 appearances, which comes out to a goal involvement every 2.47 games.

Trossard, on the other hand, scored ten goals and provided ten assists in 56 appearances, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.8 games.

In other words, the Turkish gem was comfortably more productive last season, but this year, it’s the Belgian who has been marginally better.

In 16 appearances, he has produced ten goal involvements, which is an average of one every 1.6 games.

In contrast, the Juve star has produced as many goal involvements in 18 appearances, averaging one every 1.8 games.

With that said, when you look at both campaigns holistically, it is still the youngster who comes out ahead, as he does when comparing their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.41

0.38

Progressive Carries

4.36

2.63

Progressive Passes

3.55

3.63

Shots on Target

1.09

0.62

Passing Accuracy

78.9%

69.3%

Key Passes

2.45

1.38

Shot-Creating Actions

4.80

3.25

Goal-Creating Actions

0.45

0.37

Successful Take-Ons

1.64

0.88

For example, the Regensburg-born dynamo lives up to his billing as a player with “Mbappe-like ability”, in the words of European football writer Danny Corcoran, by coming out on top in most relevant metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, key passes, goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Finally, add the statistical advantages to the fact that he is still just 20 years old, and therefore has over a decade left to play at the top level, and it’s clear he would be an upgrade on the Belgian.

Ultimately, Trossard has been a great player for Arsenal and has been unreal this season, but if the Gunners have the chance, they should go all out to sign Yıldız, as he would be an upgrade.

The new Rice: Berta enters race to sign £70m midfield "machine" for Arsenal

The international superstar could become Mikel Arteta’s next Declan Rice at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 3, 2025

Nottingham Forest are seemingly testing the waters for long-term heirs to star midfielder Elliot Anderson, with the Englishman now a man in serious demand.

Elliot Anderson attracts serious interest ahead of 2026

Anderson has emerged as one of English football’s most coveted midfielders following his sensational performances for Forest this season, with Man City reportedly establishing themselves as frontrunners for his signature despite the club’s eye-watering £100 million asking price.

The 23-year-old has exploded onto the scene at Forest since departing Newcastle in 2024, a move that originally stemmed from the Magpies’ PSR pressures.

Anderson has transformed into one of England’s brightest prospects, establishing himself as a near-certainty for Thomas Tuchel’s squad at the 2026 World Cup.

City have especially been ‘captivated’ by Anderson’s abilities, with Etihad scouts apparently watching the midfielder over ten times this season (Sky Switzerland).

Reports suggest Pep Guardiola views Anderson as the perfect successor to Rodri and an ideal fit for his system, appreciating the youngster’s versatility to operate as either a holding midfielder or box-to-box number eight.

Most significantly, Anderson is said to have privately informed his representatives that City are his preferred destination should he leave the City Ground.

This revelation provides the Premier League title contenders with a crucial advantage over fierce rivals Man United, who had identified Anderson as their priority midfield target for 2026.

Arsenal identify marquee Nottingham Forest star who Arteta loves as 'top target'

The Spaniard is a big fan.

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Emilio Galantini

Nov 26, 2025

However, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis remains steadfast in his valuation, demanding fees potentially exceeding £100m for a player contracted until 2029.

Anderson has been exceptional for Forest throughout the campaign, winning more duels than any other player in the Premier League this season.

His combative presence, defensive tenacity and progressive passing have caught attention across Europe, with Liverpool also rumoured to be monitoring his situation closely.

Any departure remains unlikely until the summer, with Forest determined to retain their prized asset in January.

A standout tournament performance next summer could push Anderson’s valuation even higher, though his believed preference for Eastlands suggests City hold an advantage when negotiations eventually intensify.

As Sean Dyche faces the looming threat of his star midfielder next year, the Tricky Trees have begun succession planning.

Nottingham Forest make approach for Atalanta sensation Sergej Levak

According to TUTTOmercatoWEB reporter Andrea Losapio, Forest have made an enquiry to sign Atalanta Under-23 midfielder Sergej Levak.

The 19-year-old has impressed significantly since arriving from Roma last summer, making 13 appearances and scoring three goals in Serie C’s Group C during his debut professional campaign for Atalanta’s ‘B team’.

His performances have grabbed attention across multiple divisions, with Forest making a preliminary approach to gauge Levak’s availability.

Levak stands at a towering 6 foot 4 and combines technical ability with physical presence, earning comparisons to former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic.

Atalanta moved quickly to secure his signature ahead of strong competition from Genoa, Parma, Juventus and Inter Milan, who all explored routes to sign him through their respective Under-23 setups before promoting him to senior level.

Beyond Forest’s attention, several Serie C clubs alongside various European teams have shown interest in securing Levak’s services.

However, sources indicate Roma harbored doubts about his capabilities before his departure, making Atalanta’s swift intervention particularly shrewd business.

The Bergamo side are now faced with an important decision regarding Levak’s pathway. Options include allowing him to complete his debut season with the Under-23 side or entertaining January offers from clubs across different leagues.

The Croatian sensation is a fairly unknown quantity, but Forest’s interest perhaps indicates they have scouts working in Italy to identify top talent.

Arsenal are believed to be after one club’s standout attacker, with his representative now confirming the Gunners’ interest in signing him.

Arsenal linked with new attackers heading into 2026

Despite having just signed Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and star striker Viktor Gyokeres in the summer — as part of their near-£270 million summer spending spree — links with new attacking options haven’t gone away.

Certain Arsenal forwards currently face an uncertain long-term future, with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard both out of contract in 2027 as things stand, so that could be a key reason why sporting director Andrea Berta is thinking about adding another forward to Mikel Arteta’s ranks next year.

According to some reports, Arsenal have held talks with representatives of RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande as the race intensifies for one of Europe’s most exciting teenage talents.

The 19-year-old Ivorian has enjoyed a sensational start to life in Germany, registering 11 goal contributions in his last 15 appearances across all competitions.

His explosive form has attracted elite suitors from across the continent, with Bayern Munich particularly aggressive in their pursuit of his signature, but Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, PSG, Liverpool and Chelsea are also taking an interest.

Arteta says "really special" Arsenal star has been so good in training lately

The Spaniard is thrilled with him.

ByEmilio Galantini 3 days ago

However, given his seismic £88 million price tag, Berta may want to consider alternatives.

The north Londoners are believed to be keen on Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo too, with the Arsenal supporter (by his own admission) available for £65m through a release clause active in early January.

The Ghanaian has been one of the Premier League’s standout performers this season, making him an enticing prospect for the Gunners.

Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz, meanwhile, has also attracted admiration from Arsenal amid his fantastic performances in Turin and ongoing contract uncertainty with the Italian giants.

The versatile Turkish forward represents another potential option as Berta continues exploring targets across multiple markets.

That being said, one player may arrive before any of the aforementioned crop.

According to Croatian media sources, Arsenal are ‘expected’ to strike a deal for HNK Rijeka star Toni Fruk, who will ‘soon sign’ for Arteta’s side with talks in ‘full swing’.

Agent confirms Arsenal interest in Toni Fruk

Now, as per his own agent, Andy Bara, that interest in the 24-year-old has now been confirmed.

Bara is quoted telling news outlet 24 Sata that Arsenal do indeed want to sign Fruk, but he also denies any concrete talks or negotiations happening behind-the-scenes right now.

The versatile forward, who can operate both as a number 10 and centre-forward, has been a revelation for Rijeka this season, bagging 10 goals in all competitions already.

Fruk’s performances have also impressed talent-spotters from the likes of AC Milan and Liverpool, with the ex-Fiorentina talent also out of contract in 2027 and potentially available for a bargain fee.

Fruk has also been described as the Croatian National League’s ‘best’ footballer and ‘most valuable’ player (Sport Klub), while others dubbed him a ‘new’ version of Luka Modrić.

Comparisons to the Real Madrid legend are a clear indicator of just how highly-rated he is in that part of Europe, with Rijeka’s talisman now turning heads in the Premier League.

Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 Establishment Committee, believes the game needs to look beyond the Super Smash

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Nov-2025

New Zealand is finally set to enter the world of privately owned T20 leagues, with plans afoot to start NZ20, a tournament comprising six privately owned franchises in January 2027. The league’s operating model would be similar to that of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with the tournament receiving the license from New Zealand Cricket (NZC), but managed independently.Plans don’t currently have NZC approval, but if they do secure that, NZ20 will replace the Super Smash, the current six-team competition. That tournament is now two decades old and is played by the local cricket associations in New Zealand: Auckland, Northern Districts, Wellington, Central Districts, Canterbury and Otago. It is managed by NZC, whereas NZ20 will have teams with private owners.According to Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 Establishment Committee, the concept for the league originated from former New Zeeland greats including Stephen Fleming who then engaged with the New Zealand Players Association (NZPA} to gauge whether the time had come for a franchise-based league. MacKinnon, a professional lawyer who heads the country’s Sports Integrity Commission, and has served as a director on the NZC Board, was approached about three months ago to see if the concept was feasible.In a conversation with ESPNcricinfo, MacKinnon said NZ20 was an “extremely viable” project and it was the “ideal” time to launch.”The concept is a pretty simple one really. It’s to see if New Zealand cricket could provide us with a clean window, which in our mind is absolutely essential for a very short privately owned competition, ideally in the peak of summer in New Zealand,” MacKinnon said. “So ideally for a men’s competition in the month of January at potentially a lot of our holiday venues, some of our beautiful grassbanks ground and a short fan-centric, fun type competition, but one played by the very best players in New Zealand and hopefully some internationals.”‘Super Smash not working’The absence of a New Zealand T20 league until now has been notable, especially as its players and coaches have been popular in leagues across the globe. But MacKinnon said collective belief among former players was that the time was ripe for New Zealand to create its own domestic brand.Back in 2014 the NZC Board had turned down the idea of such a league because it did not believe it could create a successful product and would “struggle” to compete with the likes of the IPL and BBL. MacKinnon agreed with that decision but pointed out the time now was right to “develop our own unique competition.” He said that NZ20 would not be aping the IPL or BBL.”We are looking at something very boutique, very New Zealand centric, a unique experience for players who come here, as I said, small grounds, a great lifestyle, something that we think players would love to be involved in.”Finn Allen is among the New Zealand players who play overseas in the January league period•Sarah Reed – CA / Getty Images

MacKinnon said the Super Smash was “not really working with the fans” and has become more of a “development” competition for players. NZ20, MacKinnon believes, has the potential to “reenergise domestic cricket” in New Zealand. “What’s different about it? Well, it’s partly driven out of private investment and so you get the ability to be very innovative. You have the ability to have greater capital, to invest in better fan experience both at the ground but also whether you are watching on television or online. We also think that if we get this right, we will attract the very best New Zealand players back into our domestic competitions.”MacKinnon did not disclose whether IPL franchise owners were looking to invest, but said there was strong interest both from India as well as other investors globally. “We’ve also looked really closely at some of the models around the world and particularly the CPL where the league owners and the team seem to have done a great job in moving that competition not only into a point of profitability but also has really engaged fan interest. So that’s one of the models we’re looking at very closely. But by no means the only one.”NZ players ‘would desperately love’ to play NZ20The current plan involves starting the men’s tournament in January 2027 followed by the launch of the women’s league in December 2027. The biggest challenge remains finding a clear window with the BBL, SA20 and ILT20 running simultaneously in January. Those tournaments generally involve the participation of several New Zealand international.MacKinnon acknowledged that hurdle, but believed current New Zealand players were keen to participate. “We appreciate we won’t be able to attract everybody that we’d like to have, but the feedback from current New Zealand players is they would desperately love for this tournament to go ahead and would do everything to participate in it.There would be plans to launch a women’s edition later in 2027•Getty Images

“So that’s the first goal. We are designing this competition very much along the lines that we want the Lockie Fergusons and the Finn Allens of this world and the Kane Williamsons playing in it. So that’s the most important goal because at the moment a lot of those players aren’t playing in our Super Smash.”MacKinnon is confident NZ20 can attract “marquee players” if they get the right owners. MacKinnon also highlighted one of its USPs would be to allow players to own a stake in the league. “We also are looking at a model where the players may well have an ownership share of the league,” he said. “And we are doing that because we want an extremely high level of access to player intellectual property. We want to be able to open our players up to the wealth. And to do that, that intellectual property needs to be very readily available.”NZC approval</h2.NZC approval will have to come swiftly if NZ20 is to take off by January 2027. MacKinnon emphasised that his committee wanted to work with NZC. In fact, the NZ20 committee comprises two members from NZC's board along with representatives from NZPA and members associations.MacKinnon said that NZC had told the NZ20 Committee they were looking at various options. "We have been in constant discussions with the New Zealand Cricket Board over the last two to three months. They have been excellent to deal with. They have been very clear to us that while they're excited by this project, they have other options they're looking at including quite clearly whether they wish to consider trying to get a team into the Big Bash."MacKinnon said he would obviously like NZC to pick NZ20 as the "preferred option" but admitted ideally he would want the final decision to be made as soon as possible. "At the same time we are proceeding on the basis that we believe we will get a license and we are continuing to talk to investors and making progress in that regard. We would love to be in a position by the end of January [2026] to have some real certainty about whether we can make the competition start in January 2027 and that's our timeframe."

MatériaMais Notícias

Após muita polêmica, a dupla formada por Flamengo e Fluminense venceu, de forma oficial, a concorrência pública pelo Maracanã. Agora, o consórcio formado pelas duas equipes administrará o estádio pelos próximos 20 anos. A informação, publicada no Diário Oficial, foi divulgada pelo Fluminense no Instagram do clube.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Flamengo

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Fluminense

Licitação cercada por polêmicas

Flamengo e Fluminense administram o Maracanã desde abril de 2019, com Termo de Permissão de Uso que foi renovado seguidamente. Apenas na última renovação e mediante cobrança do Tribunal de Contas do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (TCE_RJ), o Governo abriu para concorrentes. Nesta época, o Vasco, que reclamava participação na gestão, abriu mão do processo alegando favorecimento aos rivais cariocas no TPU, a sigla do termo de uso provisório do equipamento público.

Mesmo sem entrar com recurso até o momento, o Vasco deve protestar na justiça comum pela gestão do Complexo Maracanã.

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoFlamengoFluminenseMaracanã

Dasun Shanaka will be leading Sri Lanka in the tri-series after Charith Asalanka had to be withdrawn due to illness

Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Nov-2025Big picture: Teams tuning up ahead of World CupTwo-and-a-half months out from the Men’s T20 World Cup, it’s time to get serious. There are squads that need finalising, strategies that need trialing, and players that need tuning into the rhythm and tempo of T20 cricket.For Pakistan, this tri-series series is a chance to build on some T20 advances this year. They have won 17 T20Is to the 12 they’ve lost in 2025. That run includes making it to the final of the Asia Cup, and beating South Africa 2-1 in their most-recent T20I series. Under the leadership of Salman Agha, the batting has had a little more purpose, even if it is the bowling that has tended to win Pakistan games.In that series against South Africa, for example, the bowlers had restricted the visitors to feeble scores twice. Still, the chases were largely smooth, and Pakistan’s two victories were comfortable. The generally-preferred strategy seems to be to put the opposition in, and try to blow them away cheaply.Related

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Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have not been having an especially good time in this format either. Longstanding firepower issues in the batting order persist, although this is less apparent when Pathum Nissanka fires at the top of the order. They are also trying to figure out their combinations – frequently seeming either a bowler or batter short against top opposition.Ahead of a home World Cup, Sri Lanka are desperate to find a working formula. Dasun Shanaka being named acting captain of the side after Charith Asalanka was withdrawn due to illness suggests the selectors want him locked in, in the lower order, at least until the end of the World Cup. And Wanindu Hasaranga’s decent batting form will also help add some depth, provided Hasaranga recovers for the tri-series. Sri Lanka have drafted in legspinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth as cover on the eve of the tournament, but hope Hasaranga recovers to feature in the competition.Zimbabwe haven’t had quite so hot a year. But at least, unlike for the 2024 World Cup, they have bossed the Africa qualifier, and earned themselves a spot in the big show. And it was in that qualifier – played entirely in Harare – that they made their most impressive run of 2025, picking up five successive victories, including in the final against Namibia, who have also qualified for the World Cup.Zimbabwe recently beat Sri Lanka in a T20I•Zimbabwe CricketPakistan and Sri Lanka will likely pose a much sterner challenge than the lower-ranked teams Zimbabwe played in Harare, though, and they are just coming off a 3-0 loss to Afghanistan. They have, however, also beaten Sri Lanka in a T20I recently; Sri Lanka lost the second T20I in a three-match series in Zimbabwe in September.Although the tri-series between Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka was originally scheduled to move to Lahore after two matches in Rawalpindi, security concerns following last week’s bombing in Islamabad has prompted a change. The tournament will be played entirely in Rawalpindi now.Form guidePakistan: WWLLW
Sri Lanka: LLLWW
Zimbabwe: LLLWWIn the spotlight: Babar, Nissanka, and BennettIs Babar Azam back? There have been recent signs he is returning to a fuller version of himself, particularly when, on Friday, he struck his first international ton since 2023 even if that was in ODIs. Having been dropped from the T20I side for most of this year, Babar also struck a match-winning 68 off 47 balls against South Africa in Lahore less than three weeks ago. If he can have a successful tri-series, Pakistan will feel a much more menacing unit.Pathum Nissanka got a T20I hundred against India in September•AFP/Getty ImagesSri Lanka may already be over-reliant on Pathum Nissanka, their most improved white-ball batter of the past three years, and owner of a T20I hundred (against India no less), in September. His first week in Pakistan could have gone better. Nissanka got three starts in the ODIs, but could not even breach 30. On what are expected to be flatter tracks in Rawalpindi, he will likely come good at some point. Sri Lanka’s batting feels like a transformed unit on the days in which Nissanka scores heavily.Zimabwe’s run through the T20 World Cup qualifier had partly been fuelled by the form of their opening batters, and Brian Bennett in particular. Bennett crashed 314 runs at a strike rate of 181.50, making three fifties and a hundred in the space of five innings. At age 22, he has never played in Pakistan, but perhaps the greater challenge will be to counter attacks which will now, given his recent success, have spent much more time analysing his game, and devising plans against him.Pitch and conditionsAs we’re heading into winter, expect cold nights in Rawalpindi, where evening temperatures are forecast to drop into the low teens at times. This generally means fielding errors. The surface is expected to be batting friendly, though there is frequently something for the seamers there.SquadsPakistan made a late change to their squad, releasing Hasan Nawaz and bringing Fakhar Zaman, who was in excellent ODI form, in.Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman TariqFakhar Zaman replaced Hasan Nawaz in Pakistan’s squad•AFP/Getty ImagesWith Hasaranga’s hamstring tightness a concern, after he sustained a minor hamstring strain in the second ODI against Pakistan, Viyaskanth could get a look-in. Captain Charith Asalanka and Asitha Fernando are returning home due to illness. Top-order batter Pavan Rathnayake has now been brought into the T20I squad. Rathnayake made his international debut in the third ODI of the Pakistan tour.Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka (vice-capt), Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranaga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan MalingaZimbabwe’s one change to the squad that played Afghanistan at home is to add a seamer. The is helpfully named Newman Nyamhuri, who’s a 19-year-old left-arm quick. He’s yet to play an international, and is in the squad because one of their senior bowlers, Blessing Muzarabani, is ruled out with a back injury.Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (capt), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Bradley Evans, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Brendan TaylorSince October 2022, Zimbabwe and Pakistan have won two games apiece against each other•ICC via Getty ImagesStats and trivia Zimbabwe have played five T20Is in Pakistan – most recently in 2020 – and have lost all five. Zimbabwe have a decent recent record against Pakistan, however. Since October 2022, these teams have faced each other four times and won two apiece. Although he has been playing T20Is only since 2021, Nissanka is Sri Lanka’s second-highest run-scorer in the format, with 2211 runs from 73 innings. Kusal Perera, who sits at the top, and is part of Sri Lanka’s squad for this tri-series, is only 65 runs ahead of Nissanka.

Pakistan have been fined 20 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, the ICC said in a statement on Wednesday.Match referee Ali Naqvi imposed the sanction after Shaheen Afridi’s side was found to be four overs short of its target in an innings that ultimately took over four hours to complete. Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct states that players are fined five per cent of their match fee for each over their side fails to bowl within the allotted time.Pakistan had one extra fielder brought into the ring after the 46th over of Sri Lanka’s innings as the first ODI went the distance. Wanindu Hasaranga’s half-century kept the visitors in the hunt until the final over of the contest despite looking like Pakistan would coast to victory after Sri Lanka lost their seventh wicket still 88 runs adrift.Related

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The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Alex Wharf and Asif Yaqoob, with Sharfuddoula acting as third umpire and Rashid Riaz as fourth. Afridi accepted the sanction without contest, meaning no formal hearing was required.The second ODI was supposed to take place on Thursday. However, some Sri Lanka players expressed a desire to leave on Wednesday night following a terror incident in Islamabad, the city they are staying in. It led to a late-night meeting between the PCB chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Sri Lanka’s players, who were ultimately persuaded them to stay when the SLC threatened any players who left with disciplinary action. As such the second and third ODI’s were pushed back a day, and the following T20I tri-series, which also includes Zimbabwe, will begin a day later.