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Plays of the day from the World T20 game between South Africa and Afghanistan in Mumbai

Firdose Moonda20-Mar-2016The one-handed maximumSouth Africa dazzled with an array of boundaries in the first six overs but the most eye-catching one came when Faf du Plessis took on Mohammad Nabi. The offspinner dropped one short, du Plessis gave himself room by stepping outside leg stump, went deep into his crease, took his top hand off the handle of his bat and carved the ball over cover using just one hand.The mix-up Quinton de Kock knew Faf du Plessis had his dancing shoes on, so when du Plessis jabbed Amir Hamza into the covers, de Kock thought a quick run was on. Then de Kock saw Mohammad Nabi swooping in and realised it was too risky so he turned back. At the other end, du Plessis had already responded but soon saw it was wiser to turn back. He was late to undo his steps and Nabi’s throw came in quickly for Mohammad Shahzad to catch the South African captain short of his ground.The drop AB de Villiers had just started to threaten when he offered Afghanistan a chance. He sent a Samiullah Shenwari delivery straight back to him. Shenwari had to react quickly in his follow through and got his hands up in time but then it all became too much. He could not hold on as the ball burst through his hands and de Villiers got his 27th run. He would go on to score 37 more.The placementHis ability to hit the ball anywhere he wants had already been on display but to further emphasise the point, AB de Villiers bisected the gap between the stands in the middle of his assault on Rashid Khan. After hitting him through midwicket twice and straight down the ground, de Villiers smeared a short ball straight into the daylight that peeped through a gap in the stand at midwicket. That also brought up fifty for him, off 24 balls.The poser Mohammad Shahzad probably knows he is not model material but that did not stop him from striking a pose after a perfect lofted drive. As the Kyle Abbott delivery was sent cleanly over long-on, Shahzad held his stance: head down, bat straight, elbows high. And there he stood.The misfield Faf du Plessis had specifically asked for discipline from his attack but he may need to extend that to include his fielders. Mohammad Nabi sliced David Wiese to short third man, where Imran Tahir was stationed. Tahir failed to move quickly enough to his left and by the time he got there, the bounce had the better of him. Tahir could not even get a hand to the ball as it disappeared past his legs and onto the boundary. Wiese’s figures were already mangled, but that didn’t help.

Given the mutual dependence between Bangladesh and Shakib Al Hasan, perhaps it was only fitting that the allrounder chose to underline his return to the side with a match-winning performance in Khulna

Devashish Fuloria in 07-Nov-2014First ball after tea, as Shakib Al Hasan went down on his haunches to appeal for an lbw against Hamilton Masakadza, the crowd rose. It was further proof of the magnetism he holds over the crowd: no matter what people are up to, the moment he is in the middle, all heads turn towards him. It’s a connection only Shakib can perhaps claim to have with the Bangladeshi fans. So, in the second session, when Shakib took a break after bowling 12 consecutive overs, it was the time in the stands to sort out lunch.Khulna had turned out in large numbers in the expectation of a win. It wasn’t quite house-full attendance but being a Friday, many families were also present, along with the usual groups of boys. They were busy chatting with each other knowing that only the wickets mattered. Mothers were helping their kids lap up the boxed biryanis, some men were jostling through the crowd to avoid toppling the two or three glasses of soft drinks they were holding. Most had their faces painted or had come with headbands, but through the second session, the stands resembled the waiting room of a railway station.Jubair Hossain had struck twice before tea to remove Regis Chakabva and Craig Ervine but it merely served as a public announcement signalling the train’s approach. There was reserved jubilation, no major movement. It wasn’t quite a wicket for Shakib, it wasn’t quite the win.Hence the instant buzz when Shakib came on to bowl after tea. By that time, the water bottles had been emptied, throats had been cleared, hunger taken care of, batteries recharged. And when Shakib appealed, it was as if he was doing a pre-flight check: banging of bottles, check; roars, check; everyone on their feet, check; ready for take-off. That appeal against Masakadza was turned down, but the volume in the stands went up a few notches. Bangladesh, five wickets away from a win, were making the final push and the team was not alone.It has been a tough year for Bangladesh. Shakib might say it has been tougher on him with fewer ups and more downs. It is not hard to see the mutual dependency, with Shakib one of the most important assets in the team. Bangladesh lost ODIs, they lost Twenty20s, they lost Test matches, they lost Shakib to a suspension. There did not seem to be way out of the mire, until somehow they managed to cross the line in Mirpur.Khulna has been good to the home side and to Shakib, who could do little wrong here. A century after three years, five wickets in the first innings, two already in the second – surely he was going to get the remaining three. Masakadza was the biggest challenge but the wickets would come at the other end, it was known. If there was a way around Masakadza, Shakib had to find it. Soon enough, he found one to surprise Masakadza and pumped his fists knowing he had won it for Bangladesh. It was time to board the party train.The pitch joined in, too, it seemed, playing an amusing trick by getting a ball to sneak below Malcolm Waller’s bat in the next over from Taijul Islam. Then the Zimbabweans started making a quiet exit, Chigumbura walking after nicking one off Shakib. Taijul did not pick up a wicket in his next over and Shakib then regaled his fans by getting Natsai M’Shangwe out. It was Shakib’s tenth wicket and he was driving the train.As the crowd bounced around, the view to the pitch and the giant screen was blocked. Some officials at the boundary were visible. One of them raised his arms in celebration only to pull them down immediately. Maybe it was a missed run-out, maybe it was a dropped chance.Then, soon enough, the roar again. All that could be heard was the din when the last wicket went down. All that could be felt were the goosebumps. Shakib, man on a comeback, a century and ten wickets in the match, had turned it around for Bangladesh. Two matches, two wins, their first home series win since 2005. It could all be felt as they screamed “Bangladesh, Bangladesh” in the stands. The pitch was still hidden from view by boisterous crowds and a stuffed toy, a tiger wearing a Bangladesh flag as a cape, was being thrown up repeatedly. Remember the cat from Mirpur? It had transformed to a Super-Tiger in Khulna.

One bowler defines everything that’s wrong with Indian cricket

Andy Zaltzman25-Feb-2013India begin the Nagpur Test facing the possibility of a third consecutive home defeat ‒ an indignity they have not encountered since England won in Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai at the start of the 1976-77 series, and a prospect as ugly as a mistimed Graeme Smith cover drive.They have already lost back-to-back home Tests for the first time since South Africa swept a two-Test series in 1999-2000. The Indian selectors, who had reacted to the recent 4-0 drubbings in England and Australia by springing into action like a coiled doughnut, finally wielded something at least slightly resembling an axe, and cut Zaheer and Yuvraj from the team, plus Harbhajan from the squad.They could have justifiably chopped at least a couple more batsmen, one wicketkeeper and/or one captain, two additional bowlers, and eight or nine fielders from the line-up that failed so dismally in all departments at Eden Gardens, although this would probably have constituted surgery too radical even for the ailing patient which showed so few signs of life in last week’s Test. In the immortal words of the legendary former world-No. 1-ranked playwright and allrounder W Shakespeare (Warwickshire & England), “Breaking up is never easy, I know, but I have to go” (authorship disputed; possible missing scene from the smash-hit 1590s rom-trag ; manuscript unearthed in a recording studio in Stockholm, 1976). And breaking up a team that reached the pinnacle in both long- and short-form cricket, and which still contains some of the greatest and most influential players in Indian cricket history, is even less easy.The Indian media and public have not exactly been salivating at the legion of replacements tearing it up in the Ranji Trophy. There seems to be a particularly gloomy outlook on the bowling front. During my now-concluded two-Test trip to India, my queries about which new or recycled bowlers might successfully, or even adequately, replace the incumbents mostly met with a blank 1000-yard stare, a look of regret, wistfulness and occasional horrific flashbacks to RP Singh wobbling in to bowl at The Oval last year, seemingly selected as a one-man metaphor for the malaise in Indian cricket.India have now lost ten of their last 11 Tests against teams in the top six of the ICC rankings. England themselves had lost seven of their nine games this year against top-six sides before their Mumbai victory, so a turn in fortunes is not impossible. It would, however, be unexpected, particularly given how India’s bowlers sliced through England’s top order at Eden Gardens like a plastic picnic knife through granite-encased deep-frozen butter, and the excellence of all four prongs of the England attack which bowled with markedly superior pace, swing, hostility, spin, skill and consistency than their opponents. Advantages which fielding captains generally appreciate.Perhaps Dhoni and his team have one last hurrah left in them. Perhaps they have the first hurrah of a new era in them. The two could be one and the same. I suspect England will have too many weapons with bat and, especially, ball, and will wrap up an impressive series win that will compensate a little for having flunked their two sternest examinations of the year, and will promise much for 2013.I was struck during my visit to India by its continuing love for Test cricket, the youth of the crowd, and their generosity and enthusiasm even as their team were giving them little to cheer. Crowds have declined as television has increased, but that is not a specifically Indian problem. Whether that affection and interest for cricket’s greatest and most fascinating form endures remains uncertain.Indian cricket is a battleground, the epicentre of the fight over cricket’s future between competing and often conflicting interests that is already and inevitably affecting players’ priorities and techniques. It does not necessarily affect their desire to succeed in the five-day game. Virat Kohli, the cricketer who leads and exemplifies the new generation of Indian cricketers, appears both passionately committed to it, and aware that his status as a cricketer will in large part be defined by his performances in Tests. Five times in this series, he has left the field in an obvious fug of self-recrimination, serially let down by flawed, impatient decision-making and execution. And, in the second innings in Mumbai, by planking a full-toss to mid-off with all the finesse and competence of a DIY enthusiast nailing a smart new shelf to his forehead, instead of the wall.But his desire to succeed does not alter the facts that the varying imperatives of his annual schedule may hinder his efforts to do so, and that, financially, he does not to conquer the five-day game in the way that Dravid’s generation did. The path of his career will be fascinating to follow.Strong leaders and characters are needed in Nagpur and beyond, on and off the pitch. Dhoni has been both for India for most of his tenure as captain. He has led India in 42 Tests – more than twice the next highest total of games skippered by a wicketkeeper ‒ and in a total of 206 international matches altogether over five years, more than three times as many as second-placed Sangakkara (67), in which he has averaged 47 with the bat. It is easy to understand why he sometimes appears jaded. Is there anything left in the well?

ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the day from Bangladesh’s must-win match against South Africa

Firdose Moonda in Mirpur19-Mar-2011The perfect placement
Jacques Kallis had played his way cautiously to 30, rotating the strike with Hashim Amla and managing two boundaries. Then, he rolled out a vintage stroke. Shafiul Islam bowled a regular, on-a-good-length ball and Kallis just presented his bat. He made contact that had better timing than all the clocks in the world. The ball snuck in between Faf du Plessis’ legs, evaded a diving Tamim Iqbal, escaped the exasperated Mahmadullah at mid-on too and eased it way to the boundary. Effortless.The mind-the-gap moment
Bangladesh cost themselves in the field with some sloppy work but this was the most careless. Abdur Razzak was at point when Kallis cut the ball to him, off the bowling of Shakib Al Hasan. Razzak kneeled down and should have picked it up immediately, giving away no runs in the process, but he somehow allowed the ball into the gap between his left knee and right leg. As it was teasing him, his hands couldn’t get around the ball in time and it rolled away for four.The un-noticed 50
Jacques Kallis was playing a low-key innings but he must have expected someone to clap when he reached his half-century. It wasn’t brought up in a flashy fashion – a small flick to fine leg, an ambled single. But nobody seemed to notice. As Kallis stood, bat in the air, acknowledging the crowd, there was minimal sounds beyond the constant burble. A section of the crowd must have realised what was going on and offered small applause but most didn’t seem too aware that South Africa’s greatest all-rounder had reached another milestone.The catch that stuck

After a solid display of butter fingers, Shakib Al Hasan finally gave Bangladesh their moment in the field. Jacques Kallis wanted to use the batting Powerplay to capitalise and decided to start from the get-go. He rocked on the back foot and smacked the third ball of the over back to Shakib. It wasn’t a clean catch at first, as the captain juggled it on the first attempt but held on it on the second.The tragedy
It was only the 8th over of the Bangladesh chase but at 21 for 4, the dream was crashing fast. Lonwabo Tsotsobe had exposed too many weaknesses and what lay before the fans, a raw batting line-up, was too painful for them to see. Rows of seats became empty and dozens of people were making their way to the exit. The dream was dying and they weren’t hanging around to see it splutter and struggle its way to the inevitable end.The giant catch
Graeme Smith and agile are not two concepts that marry easily, but he showed his nimble side while fielding at slip. Robin Peterson had tempted Mushfiqur Rahim to go onto his front foot and drive and the push from the Bangladeshi batsman resulted in nothing more than an edge. It flew to the right of Smith at first slip and was dipping fast but Smith lunged with his full reach and took the catch.The lowest is over
When Shakib Al Hasan gently took a single off Johan Botha on the leg side, in the 21st over, the crowd began to cheer louder than had for the entire Bangladesh innings. Not because they were applauding their captain supreme who had to be a one-man team for much of the match, with the bat and ball, but because the worst they’d seen of this World Cup would not come back to haunt them. That single was the 58th, the same amount that Bangladesh had been bowled out for against the West Indies and they still had five wickets in hand. Even though Mahmadullah was run out on that score, the same ignominy was avoided, but not by much.

Gautam Gambhir made the case for a permanent place in the Indian ODI team with a century that was intelligent and cool-headed

Nagraj Gollapudi at the Gabba05-Feb-2008
Playing under pressure is something Gautam Gambhir has become adept at © Getty Images
Gautam Gambhir has been in and out of India’s dressing room for some time now and should know what it takes to seal a permanent place. It hasn’t always revealed itself – he has not always made the most of his comeback opportunities – but on Tuesday he set aside the disappointment of missing out on a place in the Test squad with his third one-day century, against Sri Lanka at the Gabba.Gambhir had been in rich form in domestic cricket, leading Delhi to the Ranji Trophy title, with centuries in the semi-final and final. That form was in evidence today in an innings where more impressive than the runs was the manner in which they were scored.He was dropped when on 11, the disciplined Ishara Amerasinghe coaxing an edge that Kumar Sangakarra failed to hold on to, and made the most of the life. It was hard work; while Amerasinghe tested him with bounce and movement, he had to deal with the guile of Muttiah Muralitharan at the other end. Yet slowly, and surely, Gambhir found his way past both spin and pace.He negated Murali by using his feet and hitting against the spin, and rotated the strike against Amerasinghe. “I wasn’t picking him [Murali] early on but my plan was to hang in there and make sure we had a good partnership,” Gambhir said about his initial jitters. By the end of his unbroken184-run stand with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he was reading Murali perfectly, and their personal tussle eventually read 32 runs off 30 balls – including 11 off one over.It was a vital phase for India, whose early advantage gained from a solid opening stand by Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag was swiftly negated when Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma fell in Murali’s first over. For a while it seemed India might lose their way as they did against Australia on Sunday. Gambhir, who had played around an angled one from Mitchell Johnson when on 39, decided to make amends and was helped by the presence of his captain, whose calm and sense of responsibility was the perfect foil.They also showed they knew the importance of rotating the strike, taking a total of 71 singles off one of the sharpest fielding units in world cricket. By the end of the innings Sri Lanka’s fielding was a ragged, patchy shadow of the early brilliance and much of this was down to the intelligent batting. Gambhir later noted the team had done its homework on Australian grounds, which usually present an opportunity to convert the “singles into twos”.Stealing runs and rotating the strike are old Gambhir traits, as witnessed at the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa last year where he was the tournament’s second highest run-getter. His form, capped by 75 in the final against Pakistan, displayed a suitability for the shorter versions of the game.Today, though, it didn’t matter if India were going at less than six an over. At the 30-over mark they were 115; ten overs later 162 and the last ten yielded 105 runs. It was like a perfectly worked out script, the urgency coming when most required. “At 80 for 4 we were never in a position to attack. We wanted to play safe without losing any wickets,” Gambhir said.That’s the sort of tricky position Gambhir is used to for a personal reason: he’s usually been on trial of sorts when he’s walked in to bat. “The pressure that comes from playing for India is always like facing a trial,” he said. His biggest challenge has been to deal with the conventional wisdom that he is a stand-in before the departure of Tendulkar and Ganguly.Gambhir says he is less comfortable opening than at No. 3, a point from where he can build a strong platform for a late flourish. “I have always been comfortable in this position as I have played long innings here in first-class cricket. It allows me to anchor an innings as well as attack when need be.”In 13 ODIs at No. 3 Gambhir has an average of 42.54, which is much better than the 25.87 he averages while opening. He concedes he now has the responsibility of being India’s No. 3 in ODIs but is up for it. “It’s time to take on the responsibility, stand up and deliver.”On Monday Gambhir and other youngsters had a chat with Tendulkar about the role of every player in the side. “For me as No. 3 I need to hang in there, take my time, pace the innings and stay till around the 45th over.” Tendulkar has carried that responsibility throughout his career and is still learning. For Gambhir, still in the first flush of his career, it’s not a bad lesson to learn.

Earlier, Brett Lee picked up 3 for 18 to restrict Maharajas to a sub-par total

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2023Chris Gayle’s 46-ball 57 made light work of World Giants’ chase of 137 after Brett Lee (3 for 18) bowled a game-changing penultimate over against India Maharajas on Wednesday. World Giants completed the chase with eight balls to spare to complete a routine win in Doha.Gayle was clear about his intent from the start of the innings. He smashed six boundaries in the first three overs to pile misery on Maharajas’ bowlers, and was particularly harsh on Ashok Dinda. In the sixth over, he hit him for 4, 6, 4 and 4 off consecutive deliveries.Shane Watson added to the momentum with some vintage shots in his quickfire cameo. After taking two fours off Pravin Tambe in the seventh over, he smashed stand-in India Maharajas captain Harbhajan Singh for two consecutive boundaries in the next.Tambe temporarily stalled Giants’ cruise, bowling a dream delivery to dismiss Watson as the ball beat him on the outside edge and dislodged the off bail.That dismissal, along with a few wickets as the innings progressed, forced Gayle to take a cautious approach in the chase. Having reached his half-century in 26 balls, he managed only seven in the next 20. His innings was cut short by Suresh Raina, who surprised him with a length ball that didn’t bounce much and trapped him right in front.Even though World Giants continued to lose wickets after that dismissal, cameos from Samit Patel and Morne van Wyk carried them over the line.Earlier, in the absence of their regular captain and in-form opener Gautam Gambhir, India Maharajas were desperate for a strong start. Robin Uthappa, coming off a spectacular fifty on Tuesday, did not look in control against Samit even though he had found a boundary off his second delivery. Two balls later, Samit dismissed him with an arm ball, with the batter mis-hitting it to Aaron Finch at midwicket.Raina tried to increase the scoring rate, hitting Monty Panesar for two back-to-back sixes in the eighth over. First, he picked up a back-of-a-length delivery and pulled it over deep midwicket and then stepped out to smash the next over the bowler’s head.However, Maharajas’ innings followed the pattern of solid partnerships followed by quick wickets throughout. After a 60-run stand between Raina and Manvinder Bisla, they lost Yusuf Pathan and Stuart Binny off consecutive deliveries.Irfan Pathan’s cameo of 25 off 20 balls carried them for a while but Lee’s two wickets in the 19th over restricted them to a sub-par total.

Como's president says his club have not rejected an approach from Tottenham for midfielder Nico Paz, who has been linked with a return to Real Madrid.

• Tottenham want new attacking midfielder
• James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski both injured
• Paz reportedly of interest to Spurs

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tottenham are on the lookout for a new attacking midfielder in the final week of the transfer window, with both Maddison and Kulusevski currently out with long-term injuries. They have fallen short in pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze so far this summer and Spurs are thought to have responded by making former Real Madrid youngster Paz a target.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Paz came through the youth ranks at Madrid before leaving for Cesc Fabregas' Como, where he impressed last season with six goals and eight assists in 35 Serie A games. That haul is thought to have attracted the interest of Tottenham, but club president Mirwan Suwarso has revealed some of the speculation around the saga isn't true.

• WHAT SUWARSO SAID

  “It’s not true that we rejected a proposal,” Suwarso told Corriere della Sera.

  “Nobody makes an offer knowing that we must forward it to Real Madrid, who can match it. At some point, we feared Nico Paz could return to Real Madrid. He was raised in the Real Madrid academy and dreams of playing at the Bernabeu one day.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Paz is known to be keen on a return to Madrid one day and Los Blancos will reportedly match any bid that comes in for the 20-year-old to ensure his future is at the Bernabeu. Their move for the Argentina international could come next year, with it believed Madrid have a buy-back clause worth €10 million (£8.6m/$11.6m).

Reece James has been told that he is "worth £150m" and "better than Trent Alexander-Arnold" as the Chelsea captain bids to overcome his persistent injury woes. James has endured a tumultuous three-year spell plagued by recurring muscle and knee problems, resulting in sporadic availability. His 19 Premier League appearances for Chelsea last season marked his highest total since the 2021–22 campaign.

• James described as worth £150m
• Ranked above Real Madrid star Alexander-Arnold
• Recurring fitness issues threaten potential

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since December 2020, James has suffered nine separate hamstring injuries and missed well over 400 days of football, while he also underwent major surgery in late 2023. A talismanic presence for Chelsea when fit, his limited minutes, including just 12 Premier League starts last season, have repeatedly raised concerns over his long-term viability.

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  WHAT PAT NEVIN SAID

  Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin didn’t hold back with his assessment, describing James as "stupidly good" and unmatched when at peak condition. Nevin told football betting sitehe said: "If Reece James was fit, he'd be worth £150 million. He's just stupidly good. He is that brilliant. There's nobody like him. And honestly, I put him above Trent Alexander-Arnold. At his best, fully fit, he was unbeatable. His quality going forward was staggering. He looked like a man playing with boys most of the time. But it's back to the injury thing. Had he been fully fit for the last couple of years he would be England’s definite fullback, 100%. I'm not even concerned. England are quite strong in that position, but 100 % it’s him. On top of that, he would be worth fortunes."

  However, Nevin stressed that talent alone won’t put James in the frame for a big-money move in the future because fitness must accompany ability. 

  "Every club in the world would want him, but Chelsea wouldn't sell him. Why would they? Because they'd be the best of the best," he said. "The problem you've got now is the injuries. Nobody's going to pay that money for him. However good he is, if he's only going to play 10, 15 games and don't just look at last season, you've got to look at the last three or four. You've to look at them all. And it's nothing against him."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Nevin drew a comparison to former Arsenal full-back Kieran Tierney, another player renowned for flashes of brilliance interrupted by injury. He recounted a recent appearance where Tierney starred before being forced off due to a cramp; a reminder that fleeting glimpses of form mean little without continuity.

  "I was at Celtic Park the other day there, and Kieran Tierney at his first game back for Celtic. He was brilliant, absolutely light years ahead of everybody else on the pitch. And then he went off injured after 63 minutes," he said.

  "And that's it. That's all it is. And with Tierney, I think it's just a bit of a cramp or something and you should be okay. But Tierney, like Reece, fully fit, absolutely everybody wants him. So that's what you've got, Reece, now. Keep him around, well, it's a lot of money to pay to keep somebody around just to get up the team. I'm afraid that doesn't work. You need to be able to produce a product."

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  With the right-back role physically demanding, Nevin suggested Chelsea consider redeploying James into midfield to lessen the toll, a strategy already applied by Enzo Maresca during the recent Club World Cup. A deeper position, sitting at No. 6 rather than marauding wing-back, could play to his strengths while preserving his body.

  "I felt for the last two years, his position is going to be sitting in midfield," he added.

  "That's it, because his body doesn't want to do that flying up, flying up, flying up, down, which you have to do the right fullback position, wingback position, and also what he was brewing at.

  "So that kind of slightly deeper line, sixth position. Chelsea are so well, well covered in that position. It's unbelievable. But James is as good as any of them. So it may well be that he spends a bit more time there."

Galatasaray are expanding their search for a new goalkeeper, with Wolves' Jose Sa on their radar as they await clarity on Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

• Galatasaray scouting Premier League for goalkeeper option
• Eyeing Wolves' Jose Sa as alternative
• Turkish club is still have Ter Stegen preferred signing

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Turkish giants are reportedly keeping close tabs on the Wolves' goalkeeper as a potential reinforcement this summer. The Super Lig champions are still keeping Ter Stegen their top priority, but with the German still standing firm on his contract with Barcelona, they are preparing a Plan B. Sa, who joined Wolves in 2021, made 30 appearances last season and has still two years left on his contract.

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  The situation between Ter Stegen and Barcelona remains tense since he has been informed that he will no longer be the first-choice goalkeeper next season. Upon returning to pre-season training, the German reportedly trained alone in the gym, away from the rest of the squad. Despite Barca's clear stance, Ter Stegen is adamant about staying with the Spanish champions and competing for his place with the new signing Joan Garcia.

  Meanwhile, Galatasaray, who are entering a new era following Fernando Muslera's departure after 14 years, are ready to table a four-year contract offer for Ter Stegen, including a salary hike on the condition that he is released on a free transfer. The club are maintaining open communication with the 33-year-old’s camp in case his stance softens in the coming weeks, but are keeping other options open.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Ter Stegen has won 19 trophies with Barcelona since his arrival at the club in 2014. These include six La Liga titles, five Copas del Rey, three Supercopa de Espana, and one apiece of the Champions League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup. However, he missed long spells in two of the last three campaigns, including a knee injury that kept him sidelined for eight months.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TER STEGEN AND GALATASARAY?

  The Barcelona captain is likely to make a final decision on his future in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Galatasaray, who are also actively working to sign striker Victor Osimhen from Napoli, will be closely watching the situation. If Ter Stegen chooses to stay at Barca, the Turkish giants are likely to open negotiations with Wolves.

أعلن نادي بيراميدز رسميًا عن إتمام صفقة التعاقد مع اللاعب البرازيلي إيفرتون داسيلفا، في إطار خطة الإدارة التنفيذية برئاسة المهندس ممدوح عيد، لتعزيز صفوف الفريق استعدادًا للموسم الجديد، الذي سيشهد مشاركات محلية وقارية ودولية مكثفة.

وجاء التعاقد مع جناح بانيك أوسترافا التشيكي السابق، إيفرتون داسيلفا، البالغ من العمر 28 عامًا (مواليد 28 ديسمبر 1996)، ليعزز الخط الهجومي للفريق الأزرق، حيث يمتاز اللاعب بمهارات فنية عالية، وقدرة كبيرة على التسجيل وصناعة الأهداف، فضلاً عن تنوعه في اللعب في مركز الجناح الأيسر والهجوم.

طالع أيضًا | فيفا يجتمع بمسؤولي بيراميدز قبل مواجهة أوكلاند سيتي في كأس إنتر كونتينينتال

وسبق لـ إيفرتون أن خاض تجربة مع أندية مثل سلافيا براج وبانيك أوسترافا في الدوري التشيكي، حيث قدم مستويات لافتة، إذ شارك في 70 مباراة مع ناديه الأخير، سجل خلالها 30 هدفًا وصنع 13 هدفًا آخر، مساهمًا في 43 هدفًا خلال مختلف المسابقات.

ويقود ملف التعاقدات في بيراميدز الكابتن عمرو بسيوني، الذي نجح في إنهاء الصفقة ضمن استعدادات الفريق لخوض تحديات الموسم المقبل بقوة.