In 2022, pitcher Alek Manoah was the toast of Toronto, having nearly won a Cy Young Award as a sophomore for a 92-win Blue Jays team. With the second-lowest seasonal ERA (2.24) in team history in his back pocket, the future seemed limitless.
Multiple injuries and demotions later, Manoah is simply trying to save his career. Perhaps sensing a potential low-risk flier, the Braves claimed the Homestead, Fla., native off waivers Friday with three games to go in the regular season.
Manoah has not pitched in the big leagues this year after undergoing UCL surgery in 2024. He did pitch for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, starting seven games and going 1–1 with a 2.97 ERA and 30 strikeouts.
In five big-league starts in 2024, he went 1–2 with a 3.70 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings. He struggled to a 5.87 ERA in 19 starts in '23, going 3–9.
Atlanta, which is finishing 2025 strong after months of poor play, hosts the Pirates in a three-game set beginning Friday to close out the franchise's 150th season.
Principais contratações do Corinthians para 2024, Igor Coronado e Rodrigo Garro dificilmente atuam juntos como titulares. António Oliveira só começou com a dupla de meias nas derrotas contra o Juventude e RB Bragantino, pelo Brasilerão.
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➡️ Vai dar Brasil? Aposte no Lance! Betting e fature com a Copa América
Embora o retrospecto de Coronado e Garro atuando desde o início não seja animador, António Oliveira não fechou as portas para utilizar a dupla em mais jogos, mas ainda busca o equilíbrio necessário dentro do sistema de jogo para os dois meias receberem mais minutos juntos.
➡️ Siga o Lance! Corinthians no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Timão
– É evidente que o talento sempre terá espaço, mas existe uma coisa que se chama equipe e nunca irá se priorizar da equipe, quando eu achar que a equipe estará equilibrada com os dois juntos é ok. Quando eu não achar que isso não é possível, vamos ter paciência, mas é assim, são jogadores muito talentosos, que vão nos ajudar, vão ter oportunidade, que trabalham muito, que estão querendo muito ajudar e estamos muito satisfeitos e orgulhosos do trabalho deles – salientou António Oliveira após a vitória na Sul-Americana.
continua após a publicidade
Enquanto Garro se estabeleceu como titular absoluto no Corinthians, Coronado sofreu com problemas físicos e ainda não se adaptou a intensidade do futebol brasileiro. Além de lidar com a dengue, o camisa 77 ficou afastado por cerca de três semanas por um problema no quadril.
➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos do Brasileirão
Existe a expectativa de que Garro e Coronado atuem juntos na próxima quarta-feira (22), quando o Corinthians recebe o América-RN, pela partida de volta da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil.
Sam Allardyce has named a Crystal Palace star in his Premier League Team of the Season so far, with an Arsenal counterpart snubbed.
Palace pushing for Europe once again
Off the back of winning the first major trophy in their history last season, Palace have started the current season in style, having taken 20 points from their opening 12 Premier League games, which leaves them just three points adrift of second-placed Chelsea.
Oliver Glasner has made his side very difficult to beat, with only Everton and Arsenal chalking up wins against the Eagles so far this season, and a solid defensive record has been the key to their success, keeping clean sheets in four out of the last five matches in all competitions.
Having managed to retain the services of Marc Guehi in the summer, despite deadline-day drama, Glasner’s side have shipped just nine goals in the Premier League this term, the second-fewest of any side, behind only league-leaders Arsenal.
However, Guehi hasn’t been the only player to catch the eye, with Allardyce recently naming another Crystal Palace star in his Premier League Team of the Season so far.
Speaking on the ‘No Tippy Tappy Football’ podcast, the former manager chose Dean Henderson ahead of David Raya between the sticks, while also adding: “He’s so confident in himself, he believes when someone’s got a penalty he’s gonna save it – you can see, it’s bordering on a bit arrogant.”
The 71-year-old justifies his decision by asserting that Raya doesn’t face enough shots to make it into the team, given the Gunners’ fantastic defensive record, most recently limiting Tottenham Hotspur to an xG of just 0.06 in the 4-1 North London derby thrashing.
Henderson must be in Tuchel's thoughts ahead of World Cup
Jordan Pickford has been England’s first-choice goalkeeper for quite some time, having now amassed 81 caps, and it is difficult to envisage Thomas Tuchel dropping him for the World Cup next summer, but the Palace shot-stopper is certainly pushing the Everton star all the way.
Player
Club
Premier League clean sheets
David Raya
Arsenal
7
Robert Sanchez
Chelsea
7
Dean Henderson
Crystal Palace
6
Nick Pope
Newcastle United
5
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Manchester City
4
Robin Roefs
Sunderland
4
Jordan Pickford
Everton
4
Guglielmo Vicario
Tottenham Hotspur
4
Djordje Petrovic
AFC Bournemouth
4
The 28-year-old has already picked up six clean sheets in the Premier League this season, two more than Pickford, while also saving two penalties in the shoot-out against Liverpool to help the Eagles clinch the Community Shield for the first time in their history.
Raya may have kept more clean sheets than the Englishman, but the Spaniard won’t be happy by Richarlison recently lobbing him from distance in the North London derby…
As such, Henderson’s selection is fully justified, and the goalkeeper has a huge part to play as Palace look to qualify for Europe for the second year running.
Crystal Palace star who "they don't want to lose" now has his agent testing an exit
The Eagles must look to keep hold of their star striker.
Newcastle United are now reportedly preparing a big-money offer to sign a Champions League star, who finished in the top 10 of the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Eddie Howe drops Yoane Wissa update
It was such a frantic summer at St James’ Park that it’s sometimes easy to forget that Newcastle still have Yoane Wissa waiting in the wings. The striker is yet to kick a ball for the Magpies after suffering an injury on international duty not long after his £55m move from Brentford.
That could soon change, however. Eddie Howe recently took the chance to provide an update on his summer signing, who would certainly provide his side with a much-needed attacking boost.
The Magpies won’t want to rush Wissa back, but the fact that he is back training with the team is certainly a positive sign. With fixtures set to come thick and fast across the festive period too, they could do with every option possible available.
Whether Wissa’s return changes Newcastle’s January transfer plans is another question. It will potentially allow them to maintain their focus on signing an added midfield star and another winger.
The likes of Manu Kone have already been linked with a move to Tyneside this week and it’s becoming clear that Newcastle are keen to reinforce their midfield in 2026.
They could also land an instant upgrade on the struggling Anthony Elanga. The winger is yet to make his mark at the club, despite becoming one of the most expensive signings in Newcastle history in the summer and could now be replaced by a sensational move for Raphinha.
Newcastle readying big-money Raphinha offer
According to reports in Spain, Newcastle are now readying a big-money offer to sign Raphinha as PIF look to intensify their pursuit. The Barcelona star finished as high as fifth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or and could now be on his way back to the Premier League in sensational fashion.
“Special" Newcastle signing is now becoming the biggest disaster since Wood
Newcastle may have got this one wrong in the summer transfer market.
ByAngus Sinclair Nov 29, 2025
The former Leeds United man would transform Newcastle into a consistent Champions League side and the prospect of a partnership between himself and Nick Woltemade is certainly something to get excited about. In Raphina, the Magpies would be signing “one of the best players in the world”, according to Barcelona legend Romario.
Just how willing Barcelona are to sell one of their main men is the question. As usual, it’s worth noting that they could certainly do with the financial boost that a sale would hand them and this may be their final chance to cash in on 28-year-old Raphinha.
Joelinton upgrade: PIF pursuing £44m Newcastle move for "one-man army"
Second round of the Ranji Trophy starts on October 25
ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2025Ravindra Jadeja is set to play for Saurashtra in the second round of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy starting October 25.Jadeja’s inclusion will strengthen their attack against Madhya Pradesh at home in Rajkot, on the same pitch where spinners took for 31 of the 35 wickets to fall in last week’s fixture between Saurashtra and Karnataka.Jadeja, the top-ranked Test allrounder, is currently on a break, having most recently played in the two home Tests against West Indies earlier this month. He scored his sixth Test hundred – an unbeaten 104 – in the first Test in Ahmedabad and took eight wickets in the series as India won 2-0.He wasn’t selected in India’s ODI squad that is currently in Australia, which Jadeja said was “not a surprise” after the team management spoke to him about their decision.”It is a good thing that they communicated the reason behind my omission,” Jadeja had said during the Delhi Test against West Indies. “I am happy about that. But whenever I get a chance next, I will try and do what I have done all these years.”If I get a chance in the World Cup and there are many ODIs before and if I do well there, it will be a good thing for Indian cricket. Winning a World Cup is everyone’s dream. We narrowly missed out last time, so next time we will try and make up for it.”When he plays against Madhya Pradesh, Jadeja will reunite with his Saurashtra spin twin Dharmendrasinh Jadeja. Dharmendrasinh picked up a match haul of 10 for 203 as Saurashtra earned points for taking the first-innings lead against Karnataka.Jadeja had most recently featured for Saurashtra in the previous Ranji season. He took 12 wickets in two matches – both all against Delhi – including a best of 7 for 38.
Real Madrid’s turbulent dressing-room divide has been laid bare as reports in Spain reveal which players have aligned themselves with Vinicius Jr amid his escalating conflict with manager Xabi Alonso — and which stars, including Kylian Mbappe, have publicly and privately backed the under-pressure coach. With results slipping and tensions rising, Los Blancos now find themselves battling a crisis.
Real Madrid split in two camps over Alonso
Reports emerging from Spain over the last several days have alleged an internal split at Real Madrid, with multiple first-team players said to be unhappy with Alonso’s management. The situation intensified following the team’s 2-2 draw against Elche — their third straight game without a win after a disappointing stalemate against Rayo Vallecano and a Champions League defeat to Liverpool. According to COPE’s ‘El Partidazo’, as results slipped, frustrations that had been simmering beneath the surface erupted into clear divisions within the squad.
The outlet claims that six players — Fede Valverde, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz, Endrick and Ferland Mendy — have grown discontent with the coach’s decisions and tactical management. Vinicius is believed to be at the centre of the unrest, having been left out of the starting line-up multiple times this season and completing the full 90 minutes on only four occasions. With the Brazilian star reportedly unhappy about his role and handling, Spanish media have framed his deteriorating relationship with Alonso as the catalyst for a broader dressing-room split.
Meanwhile, a second group of players has reportedly come out strongly in support of Alonso’s leadership during this turbulent period. That camp consists of Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois, Arda Guler, defender Dean Huijsen and full-back Alvaro Carreras. Their backing arrives at a crucial time for the former Bayer Leverkusen coach, who is facing growing scrutiny following the dip in form, despite the team still sitting top of La Liga after winning 10 of their opening 11 matches.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportRift stems from Alonso and Vinicius' disagreements
The rift between Vinicius and Alonso is understood to be long-running and rooted in both tactical disagreements and a perceived change in treatment compared to the Carlo Ancelotti era. The conflict escalated in the summer during the Club World Cup semi-final, where Alonso initially planned to bench Vinicius and later deployed him on the right wing, a position the Brazilian strongly dislikes. Since then, the player has viewed the reduced minutes and repeated rotations as a loss of trust, fueling frustration and shaping his stance toward the coach.
This tension reached a boiling point after Vinicius reacted angrily to being substituted in El Clasico, a moment that demanded a public apology from the player. While he apologised to his teammates and the club as a whole, he notably did not mention Alonso, which many interpreted as a deliberate omission. The fallout has directly affected one of the club’s most important off-field issues: his contract renewal. Reports suggest the Brazilian has stalled talks and informed president Florentino Perez that he will not commit long-term while the current coaching situation remains unresolved.
The internal divide extends beyond personal clashes and now threatens squad harmony at a critical stage of the season. Alonso has already faced claims that he has “lost the dressing room” — a narrative historically difficult to reverse at Real Madrid. While the club hierarchy continues to publicly declare support for the coach, Real Madrid's history shows that results, dressing-room unity, and player power ultimately determine managerial longevity. With Vinicius positioned as a cornerstone of the club’s future project, the tension places extraordinary pressure on Alonso to regain control before long-term fractures set in.
Real Madrid's dressing room reportedly falling apart…
The reported factions within the dressing room have emerged during a worrying downturn in performances. After a blistering start, Alonso’s side have stumbled badly, dropping points in three consecutive matches. The 2-2 draw at Elche, where Madrid again struggled to impose themselves, intensified scrutiny and opened the door for speculation about personal tensions shaping performances. Although the team remains top of La Liga, a single point ahead of Barcelona, the momentum that carried them through the autumn has clearly faded.
Vinicius' case is particularly sensitive because of his influence within the squad and the club’s reliance on him as a long-term star. His displeasure has spread concern within Madrid’s management structure, especially with suggestions he may delay or refuse a contract renewal until the situation with Alonso is resolved. Spanish media have gone as far as to report that the pair have “fallen out badly”, raising alarms at Valdebebas over whether the rift can be repaired.
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Real Madrid now face a defining stretch of the season, with Alonso needing both results and unity to quell what is rapidly becoming a crisis. The upcoming Champions League clash against Olympiacos has been labelled a “crucial test”, with Spanish media suggesting a defeat could push the coach closer to the brink just months into his tenure. With January approaching, the club may be forced into decisive action if the dressing-room fracture worsens and contract negotiations with Vinicius stall further.
Celtic are finally closing in on the appointment of their long-term successor to Brendan Rodgers, after four matches with Martin O’Neill in interim charge of the team.
The Northern Irish boss resigned from his role at the club last month after a 3-1 defeat to Hearts, departing Parkhead for the second time after a stint that lasted just over two years.
Celtic’s next head coach will have to build on the success that the former Leicester boss achieved in his second spell in the dugout, with two Scottish Premiership titles and two domestic cup victories in his two full seasons.
The Daily Record reports that Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy is poised to come through the door as Rodgers’ replacement, and that they want to get a deal over the line before Friday.
He has been in discussions with the Scottish giants since last Friday and the Hoops will have to thrash out a compensation package with the MLS side once they have an agreement with the Frenchman.
Whilst there will be a focus on instant results and implementing his style of play as quickly as possible, there will also be one eye on the January transfer window and what the board can do to bolster his squad in the January transfer window.
The positions Celtic need to target in January
The most obvious position that Celtic need to target when the transfer window opens for business is a centre-forward, as they had to resort to signing Kelechi Iheanacho on a free transfer in the summer after they failed to land any other options before the deadline.
The Nigeria international is currently out of action with a hamstring injury, leaving Johnny Kenny leading the line, and the Hoops may look to bring in an experienced number nine ahead of the second half of the campaign.
A right-winger should also be one of the club’s priorities in January after right-sided attacker Nicolas Kuhn left in the summer and two left wingers, Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha, were brought in off the back of that.
25/26 Premiership
Hyun-jun Yang
James Forrest
Appearances
5
10
Goals
0
0
Big chances missed
2
1
Big chances created
1
1
Key passes per game
0.4
0.6
Assists
0
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Celtic’s two natural right wingers, Hyun-jun Yang and James Forrest, have both failed to deliver much in the way of quality in the Premiership this season.
On top of a striker and a right winger, a right-sided centre-back could be on the cards after Cameron Carter-Vickers suffered a long-term injury at the end of October.
Whilst a striker, a right winger, and a centre-back should all be priorities for January, the Hoops are also reportedly looking at a central midfielder with a view to a longer-term move.
Celtic have SPFL midfield star on their radar
According to 67HailHail, Celtic have Kilmarnock central midfielder David Watson on their radar ahead of a potential swoop to bolster their options in the middle of the park.
The 20-year-old star’s contract with the Premiership side is due to expire at the end of the season, which has thrown doubt around his future heading into the January window, as it may be Kilmarnock’s last chance to cash in on him.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
67HailHail reports, though, that the Hoops are not certain to make a move for him in the January transfer window, amid competition from league leaders Hearts.
The Premiership champions could, instead, wait until the end of the season to snap him up on a free transfer, rather than looking to pay a fee to land the midfield star six months early.
Whether a deal happens in January or next summer, Watson could be an excellent addition to the side as Nancy’s own version of Scott Brown in midfield.
Why Watson would be Nancy's own Brown for Celtic
Back in the summer of 2007, Celtic paid £4.4m to sign Scott Brown from Premiership rivals Hibernian, which was a record fee between two Scottish clubs at that time.
Watson, as his contract is due to expire next summer, would not arrive at Parkhead with any kind of record transfer fee, but he would be another talented and young Scottish central midfielder who could have an incredibly bright future in Glasgow.
Brown had 134 appearances for Hibernian at first-team level under his belt, per Transfermarkt, as a 21-year-old, whilst the Kilmarnock star has played 118 matches and does not turn 21 until February of this season.
The former Hibs ace, of course, went on to captain Celtic and make 618 appearances in all competitions, winning ten Premiership titles, as a combative midfield star, who also chipped in with 46 goals and 63 assists, per Transfermarkt.
Watson’s performances for Kilmarnock in the top-flight so far this season suggest that he can offer the same sort of box-to-box presence that Brown did during his time at Parkhead.
25/26 Premiership
Watson
Rank vs CMs
Goals
3
Top 8%
Assists
1
Top 41%
Successful dribbles
11
Top 6%
Fouls won
27
Top 3%
Tackles won
24
Top 12%
Duels won
72
Top 5%
Interceptions
13
Top 11%
Blocks
6
Top 1%
Stats via Sofascore
Described by Scottish scout and analyst Kai Watson as a “box-crashing, goalscoring midfielder that works hard on both ends”, it’s clear the 20-year-old excels offensively and defensively among his positional peers in the Premiership, which illustrates the kind of quality that he would bring to Celtic as a box-to-box midfielder.
Watson, who Kilmarnock commentator Andrew Milligan claimed has “no ceiling”, has shown the Hoops what he can do offensively, scoring against them in the clash between the two sides in September.
On top of his evident quality on the pitch as a Premiership midfielder, the Celtic target is also the current captain of Scotland’s U21s at international level, per Transfermarkt, which suggests that he has the potential to be a future Hoops captain, as he is viewed as a leader for that team.
Therefore, Watson could be Nancy’s own version of the Scott Brown signing from 2007, as he could come in next summer as another 21-year-old proven Premiership midfielder who could captain the club moving forward.
Nancy could turn "world-class" Celtic star into the new Matt O'Riley
Celtic have a “world-class” star who could explode under Wilfried Nancy at Parkhead.
West Ham United sent one of their top scouts to watch Josh Sargent in action for Norwich City against Birmingham City in the Championship this weekend.
The Hammers have commenced their search for a striker amid rumours that Niclas Fullkrug is likely to leave the club in the January transfer window. The towering German arrived fresh from an impressive Euro 2024 not so long ago, but has since scored just three goals for West Ham in what has been an incredibly disappointing move.
The forward’s agent recently added fuel to the fire by saying when asked about a potential exit for his client: “This always has to happen in cooperation with the club, but I believe it can make sense to change something there.”
As much as he’s struggled, however, West Ham will still need to replace Fullkrug if he departs in January. His exit would leave them with just one out-and-out striker in Callum Wilson and it’s no secret that he’s had his injury struggles throughout his career.
If Nuno Espirito Santo is to stand any chance of keeping the Hammers afloat in the Premier League, then the club must simply back him in the January transfer window. To that end, the likes of Adama Traore have already been mentioned as early winter targets and his arrival would certainly be a good start this winter.
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The England international is their most crucial man by some distance.
By
Emilio Galantini
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Meanwhile, alongside Traore, West Ham have also set their sights on a key upgrade on Fullkrug, with their scouts sent to watch Norwich star Sargent this weekend.
West Ham send scouts to watch Josh Sargent
As reported by Football Insider, West Ham sent officials to watch Sargent against Birmingham City this weekend. The American has been the only bright spark in a disastrous few months for Norwich, scoring six goals in all competitions ahead of this weekend’s fixtures, and has more than done enough to earn a Premier League move.
Former Norwich boss Liam Manning was full of praise for the forward even as his short spell turned into a nightmare. He told reporters: “He’s a constant handful. I think he’s so intelligent with the positions he takes up, and he’s so sharp over the first metres. He’s the best nine at the level for me. We’re delighted to have him here, long may that continue.”
It’s hard to argue with Manning’s verdict, either. When fit, there’s not many better than sargent in England’s second tier and questions are gradually beginning to be asked about his potential ability to take that form into the Premier League.
West Ham need a consistent striker, Sargent has earned a big move in the face of Norwich’s struggles, and the January transfer window could now present an interesting saga as a result.
Ex-club chief shares why West Ham must avoid Adama Traore after working with him
While Australia have been sweating on Pat Cummins’ scan results, another of the country’s fast bowlers, Spencer Johnson, faces an equally nervous wait this week to see if a stress fracture he suffered in the IPL has heeled enough for him to play in the upcoming BBL and push for a T20 World Cup berth.There had been a little bit of mystery around Johnson’s absence from Australia’s T20I side across the last three series, especially following the retirement of Mitchell Starc from the format.He was ruled out of the Caribbean T20I tour with a back injury and also wasn’t selected for the T20I and ODI series against South Africa in August but the extent of injury was not specified until September when Australia’s chair of selectors George Bailey revealed Johnson was unlikely to play until the new year.Related
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Johnson, who has played five ODIs and eight T20Is, is hopeful he might be able to return sooner but he cut a frustrated figure at a BBL kit launch event in Melbourne on Thursday.”The back, to be honest, feels fine,” Johnson said. “Stressies are one of those things where they feel good, but it’s just just a waiting game. I’ve got a scan in over the next couple of days, and pending that result, we’ll be able to find out hopefully a return to play there. I think it should be around the Big Bash in some capacity, whether it’s at the start or manage through that. It’s frustrating, but it is what it is.”Part of Johnson’s frustration had come from not identifying the injury earlier, mainly because he had never had a stress fracture in his back previously. Johnson has been a late bloomer into professional cricket after a lot of injury other injury concerns.He initially wrote off his back pain in the IPL as a disc issue, something he had dealt with previously, and did not get in scanned because it settled quickly.”I started to get a bit of back discomfort, and sort of wasn’t too bad, because I was only really training at that stage,” Johnson said. “And when I got back to Australia, I was trying to build-up for the T20 series in the West Indies. I think just the increased load stirred it up a little bit a little bit more. And we got a scan, and unfortunately, there was a stress [fracture] there. A little bit uncommon for a 29-year-old.”It’s a bit of a strange one, because initially they thought it was an old fracture that had just sort of scarred and then I think more recently the more scans we’ve done, they’ve thought it’s probably a fresher one.”Spencer Johnson suffered a stress fracture during the IPL•PTI
The injury could not have come at a worse time for the left-arm quick. Having missed the 2024 limited-overs tour of England due to injury, he bounced back with a superb T20I series at home against Pakistan including a maiden international five-wicket haul in Sydney. Injuries to Australia’s big three opened the door for Johnson to play in the Champions Trophy and he took 2 for 49 from 10 in the rained out clash with Afghanistan.But missing the last four white-ball series, including the ODIs against South Africa, and the upcoming one-dayers and T20Is against India leave him with a tough climb back to be part of the T20 World Cup, particularly with fellow left-armer Ben Dwarshuis performing so well for Australia in recent times.”It’s never a great time being injured,” Johnson said. “Unfortunately, especially this calendar year, there’s plenty of white-ball cricket. Regardless of the back I was planning on staying here in the winter and making sure this summer was a big one, hopefully for Australia. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. But there’s still plenty of cricket to play post Christmas and a T20 World Cup and something I’d love to be a part of.”For now he will continue rehabbing his back in Adelaide, diligently doing pilates and swimming to keep up his shoulder mobility and strengthen his core. He has been leaning on Australia and Brisbane Heat team-mate Xavier Bartlett for recovery advice, as Bartlett has come back from multiple stress fractures.He will also need to do a bit of remedial work on his action when he returns to bowling and will liaise with national pace bowling coach Adam Griffith, Heat bowling coach Andy Bichel and South Australia coach Ryan Harris on what is required.”The beauty of being a part of the Brisbane Heat set up, the SACA, and then even Cricket Australia that I’ll be sort of leaning on all three Rhino, Andy Bichel and Griff and everyone’s sort of on the same page,” Johnson said. “I’ve got plenty of ideas of what I want to do and keeping everyone on the same page and doing a lot of the work at the SACA is what I’ll do. It’s been nice to be at home at the minute.”
Mikel Arteta’s thumping 4-1 win in the North London Derby on Sunday has seen them go six points clear of second-place Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table and seven points clear of Manchester City.
It was an incredible team performance from the North Londoners, but even so, Eberechi Eze stood out, scoring the first hat-trick in the competition since Alan Sunderland in 1978.
The former Crystal Palace star has been an excellent signing for Arsenal, and now the club are being linked with someone who’d be a dream teammate for him.
Arsenal target dream teammate for Eze
Arsenal may have spent big in the summer, but perhaps due to them being in a great position domestically and in Europe, they are already being linked with some huge players ahead of the winter window.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Juventus’ sensationally talented Kenan Yıldız, for example, has been touted for an £88m move to the Emirates, as has the £120m Elliot Anderson.
However, the North Londoners are also looking at another goalscoring centre-forward, someone who’d be a dream signing for Eze.
At least, that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which claims Arsenal are one of several teams interested in Samu Aghehowa.
In fact, the report goes a step further, revealing that the Gunners are among the sides leading the race for his signature, even if Tottenham Hotspur are just marginally ahead.
However, on top of the competition, one of the hurdles the Premier League leaders will have to overcome to secure the Spaniard’s signature is the fact that it could take around €90m – £79m – to convince Porto to let him go.
Even so, given Samu’s ability, potential and goal record, this is a deal Arsenal should be fighting for, especially as he could be a dream signing for Eze.
Why Samu would be a dream signing for Eze
Now, while it is most certainly simplistic, it is also true that the primary reason Samu would be a dream signing for Eze, and by extension Arsenal, is the fact that he’s an output machine.
After all, whether he’s playing on the wing or in the ten, the former Crystal Palace star will want whoever is playing down the middle to be someone who can reliably score goals and even provide assists for him at times.
Fortunately, that sounds a lot like the Spaniard.
For example, in 44 appearances across all competitions last season, totalling 3,370 minutes, the 21-year-old racked up an impressive tally of 27 goals and three assists.
That comes out to a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.46 games, or every 112.33 minutes.
Appearances
44
16
Minutes
3,370′
809′
Goals
27
6
Assists
3
1
Goal Involvements per Match
0.68
0.43
Minutes per Goal Involvement
112.33′
115.57′
He’s showing no signs of that being a hot streak either, as so far this season, the monstrous forward has chalked up six goals and one assist in 16 appearances, totalling 809 minutes.
In other words, he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.28 games, or more crucially, every 115.57 minutes.
On top of being a forward who’d be able to reliably finish the chances created for him, the former Atletico Madrid gem is also a battering ram of a player.
Standing at 6 foot 4, the four-capped international, whom journalist Zach Lowy described as “one of the best STs in Europe,” is not someone who’d struggle with the physical nature of the Premier League.
If anything, he’d thrive in it and be able to use his impressive stature to bully opposition defenders and create opportunities for himself and his teammates.
Finally, despite being such an imposing figure, he has demonstrated an impressive level of agility and movement through a few seriously impressive strikes.
Ultimately, while the fee is high, Samu is a goalscoring machine who would not only improve Arteta’s squad but also potentially help Eze’s goal and assist tallies explode.
Therefore, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him in January, before another side, like Spurs, gets to him first.
Forget Eze: Arsenal's "cult hero" is becoming Arteta's new Odegaard instead
The incredible Arsenal ace has been in fine form this season and is starting to become Arteta’s new Odegaard.