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Tamim, Mayers help Fortune Barishal chase 195 to defend their BPL crown

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Rishad Hossain provided the final flourish in what was the second-highest chase in a men’s T20 final

Mohammad Isam07-Feb-2025
Fortune Barishal crafted the second-highest chase to win a final in men’s T20 cricket, knocking off 195 against Chittagong Kings with three wickets and three balls to spare. And with that they had successfully defended their BPL crown, having come into this season as defending champions. The packed house at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka was treated to Barishal captain Tamim Iqbal striking a rapid fifty, before Kyle Mayers did the running in the middle overs and Rishad Hossain’s two sixes sealed things.Rishad slammed Binura Fernando and Hussain Talat for a six each in the last two overs before a wide finished the game. The Chittagong players were left heart-broken but Barishal had been the most consistent team through the competition, winning 11 of their 14 games overall. This was a franchise that had spent big over the past two seasons, and it showed in their depth here, holding their nerve as the game swung both ways.Chittagong had reached 194 for 3 thanks in large part to an opening stand of 121 from Parvez Hossain Emon, who carried his bat with 78*, and Khawaja Nafay. It would eventually prove to be insufficient.

Chittagong record start

Given the make-up of their batting line-up, Chittagong were always banking on a good start. That’s what Nafay and Parvez delivered. Chittagong were put in, and Parvez kicked things off with two sixes off Tanvir Islam, before they got a pair of fours off Ebadot Hossain. Nafay got on top of Rishad from his first ball, lofting him over midwicket. Nafay struck Rishad for three sixes in his first two overs in all, and the pair became the first to register a century opening stand in a BPL final. Parvez reached his fifty in the 11th over, before Nafay struck Rishad over extra cover to reach his third half-century in the competition.Tamim Iqbal launched Fortune Barishal’s chase with 54 off 29 balls•Fortune Barishal

Barishal keep Chittagong below 200

Ebadot broke the opening stand in the 13th over, even giving Nafay a send-off and then the salute. Graham Clark at No. 3 struck two fours and three sixes on his way to 44 off 23 balls, a solid follow-up to such a strong start. He was run-out in the last over, and Chittagong’s top three all struck at a rate of 150 or higher. Still, Barishal kept them from batting the opposition out of the game with help from Mohammad Ali. Fresh off his five-for in the first qualifier, he kept the scoring rate down in his four overs to finish with 1 for 21. Ebadot, Mohammad Nabi and Mayers also bowled well in patches, although wickets were hard to come by.

Tamim goes big

In the first over of Barishal’s chase, Tamim caressed Binura for three fours through the off side. He repeated the exact dose for Shoriful Islam in the next over, though this time he had one boundary down the ground. Tamim reached his second fifty in a BPL final in the seventh over, having faced just 24 balls. He slammed Arafat Sunny for a four and a six, as Chittagong raced to 70 runs in the first seven overs.

Shoriful triggers mini slide

Shoriful turned things around with two wickets in the ninth over. He first removed Tamim, whose slam down the ground only found Khaled Ahmed at the long-off boundary. Then Shoriful rapped Dawid Malan’s pads; it looked at first that it might be sliding down the leg and the umpire agreed, but Shoriful was confident Chittagong should review. His captain Mohammad Mithun seemingly reluctantly agreed, but the bowler was proven right. Malan fell for 1, giving Chittagong a lifeline. Shortly afterwards, Towhid Hridoy struck Naeem Islam down midwicket’s throat to make it 96 for 3 in the 11th over.Khawaja Nafay and Parvez Hossain Emon put on 121 for the first wicket for Chittagong Kings•Chittagong Kings

Mayers boosts Barishal

All this didn’t bother Mayers much. He struck Talat for two sixes in the 12th over, before Mushfiqur Rahim fell for 16 in the following over. It was Naeem’s second wicket in as many overs, but Mayers was relentless. He struck a four and a six off Shoriful in the 15th, before pasting Binura for two fours in the following over. Mayers, who had conceded 30 runs in an over against Rangpur Riders earlier in the tournament, was using the biggest stage to make amends for Barishal.

Chittagong take it to the final over

Then, there was a slowdown. Mahmudullah and Mayers couldn’t find boundaries in the 17th and 18th overs, as Khaled and Shoriful bowled excellently. Shorfiul took the wickets of Mayers and Mahmudullah in his last over. Mayers swung one down deep square leg’s throat for 46 off 28 balls, before Shoriful had Mahmudullah caught behind for 7 off 11 deliveries. Nabi fell an over later, and at that point it seemed that Chittagong might have done enough. But Rishad didn’t think so.

Smith's 80-ball hundred has India on the back foot

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The wicketkeeper batter came in to face a hat-trick ball and turned everything on its head

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2025

Jamie Smith brought up a century inside a session•Getty Images

Lunch Jamie Smith produced the joint-third fastest century by an Englishman with a stunning 80-ball effort that leaves England 249 for 5 at lunch on day three of this second Test.They still trail India by 338, and the scale of Smith’s feat was underlined by the fact he came to the crease to face a hat-trick ball. Mohammed Siraj had prised out Joe Root and Ben Stokes in successive deliveries in the second over of the session. Smith walked out, drove the hat-trick delivery for four down the ground and walked off for the interval unbeaten on 102, his second Test hundred, with 17 boundaries that not only sent India into a spin, but kept Harry Brook in the shade, on 91*. The 172 in these first 27 overs at Edgbaston is the third-most India have conceded in a session.Brook began the day on 30, angling for consolidation at first before roused by Smith into providing 60 off 72 in a sixth-wicket stand currently reading 165 off 154. Initially, England had hoped he and Root, with two 300-plus partnerships between them, would see out the session only for them to part 10 deliveries into the morning.Root over-balanced to tickle an edge down the leg side through to Rishabh Pant. If that was a little bit of good fortune for Siraj, it was all him for the next delivery, as a snorter – leaping off a short length, scorching the gloves as Stokes attempted to protect his neck – gave England’s Test captain his first golden duck in the format. It was only the second time England’s top six had provided three noughts.Mohammed Siraj struck twice in an over•Getty Images

It was immediately from that point of disarray, with England 84 for 5 in the 22nd over, trailing by 503, that Smith unleashed his astonishing counterattack.The keeper-batter was more or less a-run-a-ball up until he locked horns with Prasidh Krishna in the over before the drinks break. With Shubman Gill chasing the match earlier than he needed to, Krishna was ordered to bounce Smith, who cashed in handsomely with four fours and a six smashed high over fine leg, taking the over for 23.Remarkably, Gill persisted with Krishna and the short-ball tactic and, as expected, Smith tonked the first ball of this new over for another six over backward square leg. The previous over had seen Smith move to his sixth fifty-plus score from 43 deliveries.Further shifts came with consecutive boundaries off spinners Washington Sundar (two fours through cover) and Ravindra Jadeja (a cut through point, then a launch back over the left-armer’s head), bringing Smith in with a shout of taking the record for England’s fastest Test century.He was 84 from 62 deliveries, needing 16 from nine to take the record outright with the uncertainty of whether Gilbert Jessop achieved the feat from 72 or 76 deliveries. Alas a slowdown as lunch approached, while sensible, meant that opportunity passed him by.Nevertheless, the century within the session came with three deliveries to go, as Smith lifted Jadeja down the ground and then smeared him through midwicket. Edgbaston roared and then once more as Smith and Brook strolled off, alongside a shellshocked India who, despite losing control, should regroup and remember they still hold a considerable lead.

Sciver-Brunt displaces Mandhana to become No. 1 ODI batter

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Harmanpreet Kaur also rose ten spots to move to 11th on the list for batters

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2025England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has displaced India opener Smriti Mandhana to become the No. 1-ranked ODI batter in the world.She was the highest run-scorer with 160 runs at 53.33 average in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against India.While Mandhana slips one position to second in the latest ODI rankings, there is a notable jump for India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who is up ten spots to 11th on the batting charts after making a total of 126 runs in the series. Jemimah Rodrigues also rose two spots to 13th on the list.Harmanpreet didn’t start the ODI series well, but finished with 102 in the last match, which helped India seal the series 2-1. She also became the third India women’s batter to breach the 4000-run mark during the course of her seventh century.Rodrigues managed 101 runs in three games, with a highest score of 50 in the final game and 48 in the first.

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South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt is third in the rankings, while Australia allrounder Ellyse Perry and Australia captain Alysa Healy round out the top five of the list in ODIs.There was also some movement for the Ireland players following their 2-0 ODI series win over Zimbabwe. Allrounder Orla Prendergast rose 12 spots to move to joint-22nd on the ODI batters list after an unbeaten 67 in the second ODI. She also rose ten places on the bowlers’ list and moved to tenth position on the allrounders list.England spinner Sophie Ecclestone continues to lead the ODI bowling list after finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker in the ODI series against India with five wickets. Ashleigh Gardner, Meghan Schutt, Deepti Sharma and Kim Garth round out the top five of the bowlers list.

Kishan ruled out of Duleep Trophy opener, Akash Deep advised rest

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ESPNcricinfo understands Kishan’s injury was the reason he wasn’t selected as back-up wicketkeeper for the fifth Test in England

Shashank Kishore18-Aug-2025Ishan Kishan will miss East Zone’s season-opening Duleep Trophy fixture as he is yet to fully recover from a minor injury he suffered in the UK during his stint at Nottinghamshire. He has been replaced by Odisha’s Aashirwad Swain in East Zone’s squad.ESPNcricinfo understands Kishan required multiple stitches after falling off an e-bike, and it’s due to this that he wasn’t considered as a replacement for the injured Rishabh Pant ahead of the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval. Subsequently, Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan was flown in as the back-up to Dhruv Jurel.Related

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  • Iyer, Sarfaraz in West Zone squad

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  • Kuldeep, Khaleel in Jurel-led Central Zone squad for Duleep Trophy

  • BCCI introduces 'serious injury replacement substitute' rule in multi-day competitions

Kishan’s injury doesn’t appear to be a serious one. The decision to keep him out is a precautionary measure since he’s likely to be in the running for the India A squad that will play two four-day fixtures at home against Australia next month.For now, Kishan will continue to recuperate and undergo a fitness assessment at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. In Kishan’s absence, it’s likely Jharkhand’s Kumar Kushagra will be the first-choice wicketkeeper.

Akash Deep advised rest

Meanwhile, East Zone will also be without India fast bowler Akash Deep, who has been advised rest. Akash’s nature of niggle or injury – if any – is unknown, and his fitness assessment has been set for a later date.Akash was on the recent Test tour to England, where he missed the fourth Test in Manchester due to a back niggle. He subsequently returned for the decider, where he struck a maiden half-century after coming in as a nightwatcher in the second innings.Overall, Akash enjoyed a decent series – picking up 13 wickets in three Tests, including a match-winning ten-wicket haul in India’s series-levelling win in Birmingham. Akash has been replaced by Assam’s Mukhtar Hussain in the Abhimanyu Easwaran-led squad.East Zone open their campaign against the Shubman Gill-led North Zone in the quarterfinal starting August 28. All matches will be played at the CoE, in the outskirts of Bengaluru.Riyan Parag, the India and Assam allrounder, has been named as Easwaran’s deputy. The squad also comprises two other India internationals in Mohammed Shami, who has played just one first-class game in the last two years, and Mukesh Kumar.East Zone squad for Duleep Trophy opener: Abhimanyu Easwaran (capt), Aasirwad Swain (wk), Sandeep Patnaik, Virat Singh, Denish Das, Sridam Paul, Sharandeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Riyan Parag (vice-captain), Utkarsh Singh, Manishi, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Mukhtar Hussain and Mohammed Shami

Nawaz hands Pakistan tri-series title as Afghanistan fold for 66

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Nawaz took 5 for 19 – including a hat-trick – as Afghanistan chose the most important day of the series to put in their worst performance

Danyal Rasool07-Sep-2025A remarkable five-wicket haul from Mohammad Nawaz – including a hat-trick – on a surface that gripped on a dewy Sharjah night helped Pakistan steamroll to the tri-series title, scything though Afghanistan for 66 and securing a 75-run win. The 141 Pakistan put up in a spasmodic display after electing to bat first appeared inadequate halfway through, but an astonishing spell either side of the powerplay saw Afghanistan lose five wickets for four runs. It asphyxiated the chase before it began, giving Pakistan a handy boost ahead of the start of the Asia Cup next week.No side has lost a match after batting first throughout this tournament, and Salman Agha made no secret that was the reason he opted to set a target at the toss. Pakistan ran into early trouble when Sahibzada Farhan’s quiet series whimpered out as he fell for a first-over duck. Pakistan rebuilt cautiously but with Afghanistan’s spinners assisted by the deck, never truly breaking free. Several batters fell after starts, and by the end of the stuttering innings, none had crossed 30.But it didn’t matter once the chase rolled around. Shaheen Shah Afridi dispensed with Rahmanullah Gurbaz early to trigger a phase where the runs were strangled. It created the perfect conditions for Nawaz to come in and wrench the game from Afghanistan’s hands. It included four wickets in six balls before rounding the spell off with Rashid Khan’s scalp in front of a now-silenced Afghan-majority crowd that saw their team choose the most important day of the series to turn in their worst performance.Nawaz the matchwinnerOnly one place to start. Three years ago, Babar Azam famously referred to Mohammad Nawaz as a matchwinner, and over the past couple of months, the left-arm spinner has begun to fit that characterisation. Thrown the ball in the fifth over, he was slightly fortunate with an lbw shout he positively squeezed out of the umpire under duress with the strength of his appeal, before following up Darwesh Rasooli’s dismissal with an edge that got rid of Azmatullah first ball.Mohammad Nawaz hit a couple of sixes in his 21-ball 25•ACC

On a hat-trick, a lovely bit of flight drew Ibrahim Zadran out of his crease and Mohammad Haris whipped off the bails to catch him out stranded. Three balls later, an already incredible spell veered into the surreal with a fourth wicket to reduce Afghanistan to 32 for 6, trapping Karin Janat in front when he miscued a sweep. That kind of day would almost inevitably conclude with a five-wicket haul on a day Nawaz credibly looked like he might take a wicket off any delivery he wanted.Rashid Khan’s takedownPakistan’s display with the bat was little more than ordinary, but perhaps a now-forgotten over late in the first innings stood out as an exception to the trend. With the innings petering out, their run rate was just a smidge over six after 16 overs and five wickets down, Rashid Khan entered the attack for his final over to try and burrow into the tail.Salman Ali Agha was enduring a torrid time, having scratched his way to 12 off his first 23 balls. But when Rashid darted one in, he launched it towards square leg, clearing the fence before doubling up two deliveries later. Rashid did come back off the penultimate to get rid of the Pakistan captain, but Faheem smashed his first ball for four to bleed him for 17 in the over. In a game where spin found so much assistance, Pakistan’s ability to take 38 off one of the world’s best spinners was particularly impressive.

Potential consequences: Marcus Rashford penning new deal at Manchester United

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The arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United has revitalised a club which was beginning to lose its traditional identity under Jose Mourinho.

Football is a results business and Mourinho has been regarded as a perennial result-getter in his career so far, but a tempestuous time at Old Trafford changed perceptions regarding his credentials in top level management.

Accusative fingers were regularly thrown in the Portuguese manager’s direction concerning a style of play which was antithetical to United’s deep-rooted ethos of attacking with intent, purpose and devastating precision.

That regressive style stifled the likes of Anthony Martial, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford, but the arrival of Solskjaer has breathed new life into the previously stifled trio.

The latter, in particular, has been in sizzling form and is set to reap the rewards: a new contract worth in excess of £150,000 per week including bonuses, as per Daily Telegraph.

The report claims that negotiations over a new deal are underway and Rashford views his long-term future at Old Trafford, despite interest from Real Madrid.

If United are able to strike an agreement with Rashford it’s one which is sure to be met with pure delight from everybody associated with United, but what could the deal mean for the rest of the club?

Well, we’re here to explore some of the potential consequences of Rashford’s mooted contract agreement…

New role for Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku, perhaps in part due to the enormity of his price-tag, was an almost constant mainstay at the spearhead of Mourinho’s attack for the majority of his reign. Solskjaer, however, has made a resoundingly popular decision to give Rashford a chance at centre-forward, albeit within a free-flowing front-three whose positions are interchangeable.

That decision has seen Lukaku’s importance diminish, with his only league start under the new regime arriving on the wing in a 2-2 draw against Burnley.

Solskjaer’s clear preference to deploy Rashford over Lukaku could now force the Belgium international to reinvent himself as a right-sided forward player, and his glowing performance against Arsenal in which he provided two assists hints that he can be potent when cutting in from that flank.

Title challenge in 2019/20 season

Solsjkaer’s fresh tactical approach has already bore fruit this season. United have won all but one of the fixtures in which Rashford has started since Mourinho left, including a 1-0 win away at Tottenham Hotspur.

There are plenty of factors which contribute to a title challenge but the presence of a clinical goal scorer is certainly a vital ingredient of the desired recipe, and if Rashford is able to continue his recent run of form into the new season United will be in great shape to compete for top spot.

With his long-term future tied down the 21-year-old will be in the right frame of mind to excel in United’s attack, handing Solskjaer or his replacement a precocious talent with all the attributes needed to lead a title-winning attack.

Another Man United legend emerges

Soccer Football – Premier League – Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – January 13, 2019 Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Eddie Keogh EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account

There was a period of time under Mourinho’s watch when it would not have been out of place to suggest Rashford could be tempted away from Old Trafford, but the signing of a new deal would solidify a growing feeling that he fits the description of a legend in the making: Rashford is a local-born product of United’s academy and a scintillating front man who gets supporters off their seats.

It’s perhaps too soon to compare Rashford to Cristiano Ronaldo but there are certainly shades of Ronaldo in the brazen and fearless style of attacking play he regularly showcases, and a lengthy stay in Manchester could catapult him into a bracket alongside the now Juventus talisman.

Liverpool fans react as three key players return to full training

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Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to react after Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum and Trent Alexander-Arnold returned to first-team training after a mini injury crisis rocked the squad, as revealed on the club’s official site.

Jurgen Klopp’s side suffered against West Ham without the injured trio, limping to a drab 1-1 draw in a game where their goal was lucky to have stood.

More specifically, whilst Alexander-Arnold has been out, Jurgen Klopp has been forced to deploy both James Milner and Henderson in the role, with the duo being given a torrid time by tricky wingers such as Marc Albrighton, Wilfried Zaha and Felipe Anderson.

Check out the below above to see football played as you’ve never seen it before… in a maze!

The injury crisis has seen the Reds pick up just five points from their last nine, and in doing so hand the initiative back to Manchester City in the title race.

However, the return of the key trio should see the Merseysiders back to their best, and the news has certainly got Liverpool fans on Twitter talking…

Jadon Sancho the latest to get the typical Arsene Wenger treatment

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It’s not been an easy few years for Arsenal in the transfer market whose fans have, on more than one occasion, had to endure their team whimpering out of big money deals, and Wenger’s most recent admission certainly won’t do much to improve their mood.

The Frenchman, who is now enjoying a relatively stress-free life away from the ‘Wenger Out’ banners, was recently recorded discussing his desire to sign Borussia Dortmund sensation Jadon Sancho (source: beIN Sports Twitter).

“I wanted to take him from Manchester City when he didn’t get the games, I tried as well to lure him,” he told beIN Sports on Wednesday night.

But it seems money was a major sticking point in the deal (again).

The former boss went on to discuss the huge wage bills young players demand before proving themselves in the first-team, and although he didn’t explicitly mention it in the interview – not list this segment of it – it’s obvious that he, or the club, was unwilling to satisfy the player’s demands.

Probably a bad decision in retrospect.

The former Manchester City winger has already contributed 8 goals and 13 assists this season and looks set to lead Borussia Dortmund to their first Bundesliga title since 2012.

Arsenal, on the other hand, are hovering just outside the top four in the Premier League and look seriously in need of another player who could make a difference in the big games. Games they tend to lose. A lot.

However, this isn’t the first player Wenger has claimed he’s tried to sign. Sancho joins a long list of now quality talents who, at any given point in their careers, have been on the radar of Wenger. Indeed, the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (via FourFourTwo) are also said to be on his nearly list, making pretty gutting reading for the Gunners faithful.

It seems even after his departure, Wenger is prepared to trot out this tired old line and it must be gutting for the Arsenal fans who just want to move on into an exciting new era.

Either he’s desperately unlucky, a victim of his boardroom’s unwillingness to spend, or a liar.

What do you think Arsenal fans?

Liverpool fans excited by Naby Keita’s display against Bayern Munich

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Liverpool failed to break the deadlock against Bayern Munich at Anfield on Tuesday night, meaning the Champions League last 16 tie remains goalless heading into the second leg in Germany. 

The Reds were by far the more aggressive team, and squandered a number of chances to put themselves ahead. However, whilst Jurgen Klopp’s attacking contingent failed to deliver, Liverpool’s midfield and defensive units deserve praise.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

The Bundesliga club never posed much of a threat, largely because the home side were dominant in the middle of the park. The performances of club captain Jordan Henderson and 24-year-old Naby Keita particularly stood out.

Keita produced a hard-working, energetic display, and showed plenty of confidence with his dribbling and willingness to drive forward. The 31-cap Guinea international looks to have settled in on Merseyside now following his summer switch, and Liverpool fans are beginning to see the best of him.

After the match against Bayern Munich, plenty of Liverpool supporters took to Twitter to praise Keita…

Paul Glatzel could be next Liverpool star to roll off production line

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Paul Glatzel continues to knock on the door of the Liverpool first-team after a stunning display for the club’s Under-23s at the weekend.

The 18-year-old scored against Bournemouth in the Premier League Cup to continue his brilliant form for both the Under-23s and the Under-18s this season.

A confident striker, he has scored seven goals in the Premier League Cup alone this season, in just four games, spanning both age groups, including a hat-trick against Southampton in a 3-0 win.

That was his third treble of the season, after hitting two for the Under-18s, against Accrington Stanley in the FA Youth Cup and West Brom in the U18 Premier League.

In addition to his Premier League Cup exploits, Glatzel has notched up 16 goals in the U-18 Premier League, UEFA Youth League, FA Youth Cup and Premier League 2 this season.

Such is his precocious talent, Glatzel is currently captain of the U18 team and is making repeated forays into the upper age group.

Born in Liverpool, he holds dual heritage as his parents are German, and he has been capped at youth level by both England and Germany. He has won two caps for England’s Under-16 side, with his debut coming in 2016, but he was called up by Germany’s Under-18s in November of 2018 and played 45 minutes in a 1-0 win over Cyprus.

And his talents have not gone unnoticed on Merseyside, either. Just last week, Glatzel signed his first professional contract with the club and has already shown the resilience that will stand him in good stead in the first-team, having battled back from a broken leg sustained a couple of seasons ago.

Academy director Alex Inglethorpe has hailed his potential and believes that, if his development continues apace, he could one day have to decide between Germany and England’s senior team.

Quoted by the Liverpool Echo, he said: “Paul fell off the radar probably when he was about 14 or 15. It happens with some lads, you go through your growth spurt and he couldn’t have had any more bad luck really.

“It was one thing after another culminating in him breaking his leg. The support staff and the fitness coaches have been great in just monitoring his load a little bit throughout the year so he’s got stronger and stronger as we’ve gone on.

“He’s been on both England and Germany camps at youth level so if he’s lucky enough he’ll have a big choice to make at some point.”

A brilliant goal-getter, resilient, and clearly ready to make the step up, Glatzel could be the next Liverpool academy star to break into the first-team.