Marnus Labuschagne says the race for the vacant Test opening spot is an open field, but insists it is fitting Steven Smith is no longer in that frame after his guaranteed switch back to No. 4 for the India series.Smith, speaking this week about the termination of his opening experiment, said Test opener Usman Khawaja and No. 3 Labuschagne made it clear they preferred him to bat behind them.”They hated me up top…so that was a big part of it,” Smith  said. “They call it security behind them – I don’t know, ask them about it. Honestly, I’m not that fussed. They didn’t like it at all…I can understand that.”Labuschagne said Smith’s return to the position he had shone in for most of his career was not rocket science.”One of the best players for Australia batting in the position he has had the most success in is a pretty simple fix,” he said. “Cameron Green is unavailable for the summer. There is no one batting at No. 4 as we currently stand in our team. Why not have the person who has done it best for Australia batting in that position? It just makes sense.”People want to know if there is something more [to it], but that is the reality.”Labuschagne added Smith was naturally suited to the spot.”I think it is his ability to read match scenarios and adapt his game to whatever the game needs,” he said. “At No. 4 you have to be good at playing spin, work on when you need to push, when you need to hold and when you need to get through a tough spell. That has always been his strength.”Labuschagne said he laughed when he read that David Warner had put his hand up to come out of retirement to open, if asked.”I don’t know if he was serious or whether he was joking. It is always hard to tell,” he chuckled. “I don’t know what to make of that.”Warner had also floated the possibility of Labuschagne moving up the order to fill the void, a concept the Test No. 3 answered forthrightly.”I will bat wherever they tell me to bat. Currently I would say that how I have played at No. 3 has been relatively successful,” he said.”Hopefully it should be more successful, but that’s where I have batted. If [selectors] think I should move and that is best for the team that is what will happen, but at this stage I think they have made it clear they are going to look down the opener route. Who that is…is anyone’s guess. It is a very open field.”New South Wales teenager Sam Konstas, Victorian opener Marcus Harris and Western Australia’s suddenly out-of-form Cameron Bancroft are the three specialist openers in contention and all will feature for Australia A against India A next week.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has just overseen two pre-season friendlies in one day, but off the field, technical director Johan Lange is working to back his fellow Dane with more new signings.

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ByEmilio Galantini Jul 23, 2025

Spurs battled against both Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town today, with the senior squad split into multiple sides as Frank looked to hand as many minutes to his players as possible.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

The Lilywhites are now set to travel to Asia for a pre-season tour of the Far East, where they face off against north London rivals Arsenal in Hong Kong before taking on Newcastle in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

Spurs have a final pre-season game against Bayern Munich in Germany before their highly-anticipated UEFA Super Cup clash against European champions PSG – a match that gifts Frank an opportunity to win silverware almost immediately after his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou.

A surprise win against the Ligue 1 heavyweights would be the perfect start to Frank’s tenure in charge, and he’d ideally have a few more summer recruits through the door before they battle Luis Enrique’s men at the Stadio Friuli.

Tottenham are still trying to sign Morgan Gibbs-White despite Nottingham Forest blocking his once-imminent move to N17 earlier this month.

Forest threatened both the north Londoners and Gibbs-White’s agent with legal action for what they deemed to be an ‘illegal approach’ for the playmaker (Sky Sports), but there remains an expectation that Frank could eventually welcome him to Hotspur Way (Fabrizio Romano).

Tottenham were set to welcome Gibbs-White and Mohammed Kudus in quick succession, with a medical scheduled over two weeks ago (BBC). However, Frank is now having to wait a lot longer for the 25-year-old’s arrival with the legalities involved.

According to reports, Spurs are targeting a new centre-back too and have shortlisted a variety of targets for the number six role, including Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha (Alasdair Gold).

This comes after they confirmed the signings of Kudus, Kota Takai, Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich earlier this window.

Mathys Tel shares conversation with Harry Kane about joining Tottenham

Speaking of Tel, the Frenchman has now lifted the lid on a conversation he had with Spurs legend Harry Kane about joining the club.

After initially backing out of a transfer to N17 in January, Tel ultimately U-turned and agreed a move to England on an initial loan deal, which included an option to buy for around £45 million.

Chairman Daniel Levy, following a mixed start for the 20-year-old, then negotiated a cut-price £30 million deal for Tel, who’s now signed for them indefinitely ahead of his first full season at the club.

Speaking to Sky Germany, as transcribed by Sport Witness, Tel says that Kane played a role in convincing him to sign for Spurs – with the club’s all-time top scorer offering a helping hand through emotional support.

“Yes, I spoke to him [Kane] beforehand,” Tel said.

“He told me, if you need anything, send me a text, give me a call. I spoke to him; he’s a top guy. (Now it’s a) new challenge, I’m ready for my team, the clubs and also the fans.”

The versatile attacker was tipped for a 40-goal season one day by ex-Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, with supporters hoping the still-raw Tel can deliver on that glowing prediction.

Bangladesh’s No. 11 Shoriful Islam was hit on his shoulder by Joseph, forcing Shoriful to retire hurt and the game to end

Mohammad Isam26-Nov-2024West Indies won their first Test at home in two-and-a-half years when they beat Bangladesh in the first Test in Antigua by 201 runs. The visitors’ chase of 334 was brought to a close at 132 for 9 on the fifth morning, just an over after Alzarri Joseph struck No. 11 Shoriful Islam on the back of his shoulder. The Bangladesh physio didn’t clear Shoriful to continue his innings, thus bringing the curtains down on the game as Shoriful retired hurt.The hosts took seven overs to wrap things up on Tuesday. Alzarri removed Hasan Mahmud for a duck, as he was caught behind to an away-going delivery, before Jaker Ali fell lbw for 31. Jaker struck four boundaries in his 58-ball stay. Alzarri, however, continued to pepper Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam with bouncers, while the West Indies fielders also took turns in sledging the Bangladesh tailenders.It is possible that like in the first innings, when Bangladesh had declared 181 runs behind West Indies, they decided to not continue in their second dig, fearing about their lower-order batters getting injured due to the short-ball barrage.While the Bangladesh tail predictably folded quickly on the fifth morning, their specialist batters offered very little fight when they had started their chase on the fourth afternoon. Zakir Hasan and Mahmudul Hasan Joy fell in the first four overs, as Kemar Roach got Zakir bowled off the inside edge, similar to how Zakir had got out in the first innings. Mahmudul, too, did a similar thing, getting out like he did in the first innings, as he edged to the slips after chasing a slightly wide delivery.In the first innings, Justin Greaves scored 115*, and added 140 with Kemar Roach•Cricket West IndiesRoach had then removed Shahadat Hossain with a delivery that cut through the batter, kissing his gloves as he tried to get out of the way of the big inswinger. Mominul Haque, who had survived two dropped catches off Shamar Joseph, gave Roach his third wicket via a return catch. Shamar suffered two more dropped catches off his bowling, before he had Litton Das caught at fine leg.Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz kept fighting despite his troubles against the short ball by making 45. Jayden Seales got him caught behind, with Joshua Da Silva taking an excellent catch. Seales then cleaned Taijul Islam up, before bad light stopped play on the fourth evening.But it was West Indies’ batters who set the Test up, as the hosts declared at 450 for 9 in the first innings. Justin Greaves reached his maiden hundred during a patient 140-run eighth-wicket stand with Roach, who made his highest Test score of 47. They rescued the West Indies from 261 for 7 on the second morning. Bangladesh had somewhat recovered after Mikyle Louis and Alick Athanaze, who got out in the nineties on the first day, had also added 140 runs for the fourth wicket.Bangladesh replied with similar watchfulness, though they neither had a big partnership nor a big individual knock. Jaker and Mominul made half-centuries, while Litton scored 40. Jaker and Taijul added 68 for the seventh wicket, and that helped the visitors avoid the follow-on.They surprised West Indies on the fourth morning by declaring on 269 for 9, despite being behind by 181 runs. Taskin then ran through the West Indies line-up, taking career-best figures of 6 for 64, also his first five-for in Tests. Bangladesh’s bowlers provided hope by bowling West Indies out for 152, but their batters continued their year-long struggle with this Test.

As they close in on Jacob Ramsey, Newcastle United are now reportedly ready to match the price tag of another Premier League rival who Eddie Howe has become convinced by.

Newcastle closing in on Ramsey deal

It’s been a disastrous summer for Newcastle and one that looked unlikely to turn around up until the last few days. They’ve missed out on several top targets, faced the ultimate fight to keep Alexander Isak, who is doing everything to leave the club, and have a matter of days before their Premier League campaign kicks off. But, at long last, things are finally looking up.

The arrival of Malick Thiaw from AC Milan finally put an end to their transfer drought and should solve Howe’s centre-back problem just in time for the new campaign. In a week of good news, however, he’s unlikely to be the final name through the door.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle have now reached a verbal agreement to sign Ramsey from Aston Villa in an imminent £40m deal. The midfielder looks set to arrive to replace Sean Longstaff in the Magpies’ midfield following his move to Leeds United earlier this summer.

Whether Ramsey officially arrives in time to face his former club in a dramatic debut remains to be seen, but Howe will certainly welcome the midfield star with open arms at St James’ Park.

That said, although they’ve now solved their midfield and centre-back problem, Newcastle remain without a striker. It’s been a summer-long search, but ultimately one that PIF have been unable to conclude. Now, with just two weeks until the transfer window slams shut, they may be forced to turn towards a Premier League rival.

Newcastle ready to spend big on Nicolas Jackson

According to TeamTalk, Newcastle are now ready to match Nicolas Jackson’s £60m price tag to end their search for a striker. The forward has been shown the door by Chelsea, who have reportedly lowered their valuation from £80m by around 25 per cent to a far more affordable £60m fee, which the Magpies are now reportedly willing to reach.

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What’s more, Howe is also reportedly becoming increasingly convinced that Jackson has the qualities to replace Isak should the Swede get his desired move to Liverpool this month. The immediate numbers suggest that the Chelsea man would need to step things up if he was tasked with doing exactly that, however.

PL stats 24/25

Jackson

Isak

Minutes

2,200

2,756

Goals

10

23

Assists

5

6

Expected Goals

12.3

20.3

What should instantly concern Newcastle is how Jackson failed to match or outperform his expected goals last season – instead underperforming by just over two goals.

Whilst their options are now few and far between, Newcastle can’t afford to get things wrong when replacing Isak this month. Jackson has plenty of Premier League experience to his name, but the stats highlight how he is a step below the Swede’s world-class level.

Big picture: A banger for the holiday season

We’re back where we started with the series level and two teams with both promise and flaws squaring off again on fabled turf. The cricket has been compelling, at times unpredictable. There’s even been a little heat between the players. The 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy is veering dangerously close to classic territory. Imagine if it’s 2-2 going into Sydney.Some of the bowling that’s been on show – Harshit Rana taking out Travis Head’s off stump in Perth, Pat Cummins returning the favour against Rohit Sharma in Adelaide, Jasprit Bumrah every single time he runs in – has been dreamy. So the Gabba can’t be blamed for making eyes at them. One day out, the pitch still retains a tinge of green.A first-innings average of 18.65 runs per wicket – a figure so rare it’s only been bettered once in the last 10 years, and that was in a one-off Test between England and Ireland – reflects not just the class of both teams’ bowling attacks, but a little bit about the conditions and the frailty of the batting as well.Australia are blooding in a new opener and their two most reliable run-scorers aren’t operating at the levels they’re used to. India will be able to sympathise because like Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (who could be returning as opener) have been more down than up. The last three are in their mid to late 30s, so their form comes with added scrutiny, on top of the surprise that these high-profile players are yet to really influence this high-profile series. (Kohli has a century but the match-winning innings there came from Yashasvi Jaiswal)Related

• Gill toasts old Gabba memories as he prepares to make new ones

• Can Smith break out of his slump?

• McSweeney hopes to 'throw a few more punches' at Bumrah

• Rohit is used to leaving a mark, but not like this

• Past and present weigh on India, and Australia

Of course it isn’t a surprise that there are surprises when these two teams go at each other. In 2017, Australia took the lead and India hit back. Ditto in 2021. In 2018 and 2023, India took the lead and Australia hit back. This tells you there isn’t a lot separating these sides. Australia’s win in Indore last year and India’s in Perth two weeks ago bucked expectation and there are bound to be more thrills and spills as these two ring in the holiday season.

Form guide

Australia: WLWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India: LWLLL

In the spotlight

Steven Smith has 19 runs in two Tests. His last hundred was 24 innings ago. But there was a 91 not out in there, at the Gabba, which he put forward as proof that his opening the batting for Australia was not really the worst idea. Back at No. 4, due to popular demand, he has had a little trouble starting his innings, trouble that he used to avoid, like getting lbw.Rishabh Pant continues to do Rishabh Pant things. In Adelaide, with India three down in the 15th over, he charged out of the crease and flayed Scott Boland over cover. He was also seen at Rundle mall, putting his shopping on hold to play peek-a-boo with a little kid. Now he’s at the scene of his greatest triumph as a cricketer after his greatest triumph as a person.6:02

Cummins on Gabba: Not a ‘fortress’, just another venue for us

Team news: Will Rohit move back up the order?

India might be pondering changes, particularly around the make-up of their top order. Does Rohit come back up to open again? Is he feeling like his old self again? There were positive signs in the nets on Thursday, where almost all the batters, Kohli and Shubman Gill especially, were upping their back-foot game.Akash Deep was India’s third fast bowler during the home season and he made way in Perth for a better batter. The team does not consider their depth to be a big concern anymore so Harshit Rana might find his way back on the bench. Washington Sundar might be pushing R Ashwin for a place in the XI as well.India (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Rohit Sharma (capt)/ KL Rahul, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 KL Rahul/Rohit Sharma (capt), 7 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 8 Washington Sundar/R Ashwin, 9 Akash Deep, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Jasprit BumrahAustralia’s first-choice pace attack will reassemble at the Gabba with Josh Hazelwood rejoining Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.Australia: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Nathan McSweeney, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood

Pitch and conditions: Some wet weather around

Australia have lost two of their last four Tests here, after losing nothing in 32 years. There was a pattern to those two defeats though. Both took place at the end of the season, in January. In between, there was a Test against South Africa in December 2022, which ended in two days and was a party for the fast bowlers. And also one against England in December 2021 that ended in a nine-wicket win for Australia. Early-season cricket here is fast-bowler friendly, a likelihood further increased by rain forecast through the course of the Test.”[Yesterday it] looked like a good wicket, like it has the last few years,” Cummins said. “Bit of sun baking on it the last couple of days, don’t think it’s as green and leafy as it was against South Africa.”

Stats and trivia

• Jasprit Bumrah is averaging 11.25 runs per wicket this series. The next best for India is Mohammed Siraj with 19.77 but then the gulf widens.
• Travis Head is averaging 80 and striking at 94 in this series. The next best for Australia is Alex Carey with 24 and 59.5. There’s a bit of catching up to do there for the hosts.
• Pat Cummins has an outstanding record at the Gabba: in seven Tests he has taken 40 wickets at 18.22
• India could have just four players from the famous 2020-21 victory at the Gabba: Rohit, Gill, Pant and Siraj. It could be five if Washington plays.

Quotes

“Worked out in the Adelaide Test. It’s always in the back of your mind as a Plan B, or if it’s looking really uncomfortable or likely to take wickets maybe it becomes a Plan A to some of the batters. I’m sure we’ll give it a shot at some point this Test.”
“The mood of the team is very good. We had a team dinner yesterday, we had a lot of fun in the team dinner. I think it is very important to know that we didn’t play well in the Test match in Adelaide, but still the series is one-all. We have a series of three matches, and if we win this match, then in Melbourne and Sydney, I think we will have an upper hand there.”

Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has shared his thoughts on the modern game and revealed he has been left "disgusted" by the world of football.

• Mbappe opens up on superstar status
• Says football world disgusts him
• Laments broken bonds with family

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mbappe is one of the biggest stars in the game after a career that has seen him star for Paris-Saint Germain and Real Madrid as well as win the World Cup with France. However, he has also hit some difficult patches along the way, including a lengthy legal dispute with former employers PSG that has ended up in court.

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  The 26-year-old has now reflected on his superstar status and revealed it has come at a cost. Mbappe has lamented the problems that come from being one of the best footballers on the planet and even admitted he hopes any future child of his "hate" football and do not aspire to follow in his footsteps.

• WHAT MBAPPE SAID

  He told : "I'm fatalistic about what the world of football is, but not about what life is. Life is magnificent. Football is what it is. I like to say that people who go to the stadium are lucky enough to 'just' come to see a show and not know what goes on behind the scenes. Honestly, if I didn't have this passion, the world of football would have disgusted me a long time ago.

  "The more money you have, the more problems you have. Some people don't see that your life is changing, they want to keep the image of you when you were a child, when you were with them… But you're not the same anymore. You have responsibilities, commitments, a job, accounts to render. 

  "If some people walk the path with you, it's a beautiful story. It's good to grow up, to reach the top, with the same family and intimate foundation. But, sometimes, it doesn't work, and you have to know how to say it. That's not why the bond is broken, but this relationship doesn't work. It's harder said than done and it's a problem that a lot of athletes and personalities face." 

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

  Mbappe will be back in action with Real Madrid in La Liga on Saturday when Los Blancos take on Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena.

Manchester United players are reportedly relieved that Andre Onana has left on loan, with a potential "problem" at Old Trafford being avoided.

Cameroonian keeper has headed to TurkeySlipped down the pecking order at Old TraffordBelgian shot-stopper Lammens pushing for debutFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Cameroon international goalkeeper Onana will spend the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign in Turkey with Trabzonspor. That deal includes no loan fee or purchase option, but 100 per cent of Onana’s wages will be covered by his new club.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

United have moved their first-choice keeper from the last two seasons out after seeing him make a number of costly errors. They spent much of the summer searching for another No.1 – amid links to Emi Martinez and Gianluigi Donnarumma – and eventually acquired Belgian shot-stopper Senne Lammens.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to the , United players were eager to see Onana leave once that deal was done as having four senior goalkeepers on the club’s books would have presented a "problem".

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Confidence is also said to have "dwindled" in the Old Trafford camp when it comes to Altay Bayindir, who started the current campaign between the sticks. Tom Heaton is not considered to be a contender for Premier League game time at 39 years of age.

Arne Slot would have been delighted when he led Liverpool to the Premier League title last season in spite of FSG’s reluctance to wield their purse after Jurgen Klopp packed up and left.

Who can say the Dutch coach needs a wide range of signings? He bagged gold without any real investment last year. Now, though, the tactical mastermind is being handsomely rewarded.

A range of impactful signings have already been made, with Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz strengthening the frontline. Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have refreshed the full-back ranks. Giorgi Mamardashvili joins Alisson Becker between the sticks.

Liverpool's next transfer target

Attacking additions usually draw the biggest acclaim. But Liverpool also need a centre-back, and this became clear after the vested interest in Dean Huijsen was made known.

But Huijsen has signed for Real Madrid in a £50m deal, joining Trent Alexander-Arnold. Thus, Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has turned his attention to Marc Guehi, though the Crystal Palace defender is also on Tottenham Hotspur’s radar, with the Londoners currently weighing up an official bid.

If Liverpool don’t sign the Three Lions star, it seems they have identified Ajax sensation Jorrel Hato as the man to complete Slot’s backline, with transfer insider Ben Jacobs confirming the teenager is on the shortlist.

Hato is also in Chelsea’s sights, and it is the Blues who lead the race at this stage. However, Liverpool could steal ahead should they mount a concerted effort, with a shrewd £40m price tag floating about.

Why Liverpool should sign Jorrel Hato

With Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain, Real Madrid lurking and the Frenchman just one year away from free agency, it feels like bringing in a centre-back is a matter of urgency this summer.

Especially as Jarell Quansah left for Bayer Leverkusen in a £35m package last month.

Hato might only be 19, but he’s already emerged as one of Ajax’s leading players, playing 111 senior matches for the Dutch giants and earning six caps for the Netherlands national team.

His fast-track rise to stardom – Hato has been hailed as “one of the best young talents in football” by U23 scout Antonio Mango – and versatility suggest he could be Liverpool’s next version of Cody Gakpo, who also joined the Anfield side directly from the Dutch Eredivisie.

Gakpo, 25, signed for Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven for £35m in January 2023, and he has since become one of the staples of a trophy-winning Reds side, with pundit Peter Crouch even claiming he had “gone up a level” in Slot’s system last season.

Last season, he scored 18 goals and supplied seven assists for the Premier League champions, maturing in a fixed role coming off the attacking left flank.

Hato could emulate his countryman, with his dynamic positional qualities sure to see Slot shuffle him about before he grows into his skin in England and establishes himself as one of the Premier League’s leading centre-halves.

The defensive phenom might not have played in his natural central role all that much throughout the 2024/25 season, but he still finished ranked among the top 1% of positional peers for pass completion and the top 12% for aerial duels won per 90, as per FBref, thus illustrating his properties that are well suited for the position.

Though Hato is an unrefined gem, he is a jewel all the same. And Slot has demonstrated across the past 12 months his capacity to lift his countrymen – Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch – up and up into the upper sphere of European stars.

With Hato, he can repeat the trick, coaxing the player into a starring role over the next few years.

Scouts sent: Liverpool eyeing move to sign new 6 foot 3 Guehi alternative

He’s caught the eye of the Reds’ scouts.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 23, 2025

The countdown is very much on until Premier League football finally kicks back into gear at the Stadium of Light.

This coming Saturday’s opening contest for Sunderland against West Ham United is merely four days away now, with a hope on the Black Cats’ end that they don’t choke under the intense pressure of top-flight action from the get-go.

Instead, Regis Le Bris will be hoping for a confident display from his side against the Hammers, with the Frenchman given plenty of options to work with this summer transfer so far, having acquired 11 brand new signings in total.

That number looks set to increase even more before September’s early deadline, as the top-flight newcomers now enquire to bring this Premier League star to Wearside.

Sunderland plot deal for PL ace

Omar Alderete proved to be the latest addition to Le Bris’ ranks on Tuesday afternoon, with the 28-year-old Getafe defender making the switch from Spain for a fee of around £10.4m.

He might well be joined by another centre-back body in the form of Lloyd Kelly, with reports suggesting that the Black Cats have also made a £17m approach for the ex-Newcastle United defender to try and tempt him to Wearside.

Sunderland aren’t done in the midfield department, either, if other rumours are to be believed, even as the Frenchman already has the likes of Habib Diarra and Granit Xhaka at his disposal.

Reports filtering out from Italian outlet Tuttosport suggest that the Black Cats have lodged an enquiry about signing Brighton and Hove Albion ace Matt O’Riley, amid Juventus also being keen on landing the 24-year-old.

The former Celtic man is an in-demand figure this summer, with Nottingham Forest also being named as another party that has inquired about the ex-Hoops number 33, who has a transfer value of around €30m (£26m), as per the report.

Adding another versatile midfielder to the camp could be bad news for Chris Rigg ahead of the step-up in quality, as the teenage sensation fears for his gametime with the numbers in the group increasing.

24/25

47

4

23/24

22

3

22/23

3

0

Why O'Riley signing would be bad news for Rigg

Season by season, Rigg has slowly found himself climbing up the first team pecking order, so much so that the 18-year-old collected four goals last campaign under Le Bris’ wing.

However, even with the ex-Lorient boss lauded by Sunderland academy manager Robin Nicholls for the “outstanding” way he gets the maximum out of youngsters, the Frenchman will still be aware that over-relying on Rigg in such a daunting division could be foolish, especially if O’Riley is now available to buy.

After all, much like Xhaka, whom he could soon potentially line up alongside in the middle of the park for Sunderland, O’Riley has bags of top-flight experience in some testing environments, with the 24-year-old viewed as a modern-day hero to those with Celtic connections.

Indeed, O’Riley would go on to amass a stunning 27 goals and 35 assists across 124 appearances in Glasgow, leading to Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers labelling the £26m-rated midfielder as “phenomenal”.

CM

172

32 + 42

DM

38

4 + 6

AM

29

6 + 5

SS

1

0

LM

1

0 + 1

RM

1

0

O’Riley’s sublime performances in Scotland would see him seal a deal with the Seagulls, with the four-time Scottish Premiership winner also settling in well on the South Coast – when injuries haven’t troubled his short stay to date – as seen in his two goals and three assists for Fabian Hurzeler’s men.

This vast knowledge of some tough leagues instantly places O’Riley above Rigg in the updated pecking order, on top of the fact that the four-time Denmark international can also slot into multiple different positions in the midfield department, much like his far more raw counterpart.

While Rigg might have to make do with spots on the substitutes bench moving forward, O’Riley joining could also be seen as a blessing for the youngster, with the 18-year-old able to learn and grow even more under the Dane’s tutelage.

Once hailed as “one of the most intelligent footballers” he’s ever worked with by now Rangers boss Russell Martin, this feels like a standout addition if it were to take place, with Le Bris’ options brimming with even more quality if O’Riley joins imminently.

Sunderland are "very hot" in pursuit of "elite" £30m Europa League winner

It’s a potential big boost for Regis Le Bris.

ByHenry Jackson Aug 11, 2025

The board, however, has not confirmed him for any engagements beyond that tour

Danyal Rasool17-Nov-2024

The PCB has said there will be no change of Test match coach for one more series, with Jason Gillespie taking charge of the upcoming two Tests against South Africa. The board has not confirmed him for any engagements beyond that tour, though he does have a contract with the PCB that runs till 2026.Over the past few days, multiple local reports indicated that Gillespie’s time with Pakistan cricket was limited, with Aaqib Javed lined up as replacement. Earlier today, ESPNcricinfo also reported that Aaqib was likely to take over as all-format coach. The white-ball coaching role remains vacant after Gary Kirsten resigned last month, and Aaqib remains the frontrunner to be replace him, with Pakistan’s T20I and ODI tour of Zimbabwe starting next Sunday.The PCB, though, has denied that Gillespie’s job is under immediate threat. “As announced previously, Jason Gillespie will continue to coach the Pakistan side for the two red-ball matches against South Africa,” a statement from the PCB on X said.Related

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Gillespie frustrated by lack of clear communication in role as Pakistan coach

Jason Gillespie 'sits on the fence' as Pakistan go all-in on the short term

The PCB have not confirmed whether Gillespie will be the head coach for any series beyond those two Tests. Pakistan have a two-Test home series against West Indies immediately following the Tests in South Africa.ESPNcricinfo has reached out to the PCB to confirm if their statement locks Gillespie for any engagements beyond the two-Test series of South Africa, and await a response.Earlier this week, the PCB sounded Gillespie out on the prospect of taking over as white-ball coach until the conclusion of the Champions Trophy. However, the increased responsibility did not come with a commensurate increase in his financial compensation, which is understood to be the reason Gillespie turned them down. Consequently, the PCB turned their attention to replacing Kirsten with a local appointment.They initially considered the possibility of either elevating Azhar Mahmood, or appointing Saqlain Mushtaq, who served as coach in 2021-22. Neither, though, appeared to draw enough support from within the PCB’s advisory circle, which led to Aaqib being offered the position. It is understood he will be asked to take on the role until the end of the Champions Trophy, following which the PCB will reevaluate.Gillespie’s next immediate engagement is the third T20I against Australia, a series he took over as interim coach for. Pakistan’s Test series against South Africa, the only other engagement he has yet been formally confirmed by the PCB for, begins on December 26.While Gillespie appears to have kept his job in the immediate term, the relationship between the coach and the board has been anything but smooth. Three Tests into his tenure, Aaqib was hired by the PCB as part of a revamped selection committee, with Gillespie’s powers significantly reduced. He was removed from the selection committee, and no longer had a say in which players were selected for a match or series.He was left thoroughly unimpressed by the changes, admitting in a press conference during the home series against England that he was “just a matchday strategist”. In another interview with broadcaster Sky the following day, he said that it “was not what he signed up for.””For me, when I came on board with Pakistan cricket, I was told there was a long-term plan, and we need to make sure our communication’s spot on,” he said at the time. “I made that a real focus and so you can get frustrated if those things aren’t done how you would like. It wasn’t what I signed up for, I’ll be completely honest.”