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Upon returning home, South Africa’s coach and captain looked back on a tournament of many disappointments and few positives

Firdose Moonda04-Oct-2012It was not exactly visible in the bright sunshine but Gary Kirsten said a “dark mist” had descended on the South African squad as it arrived home from the World T20. Another tournament, another failure. Of a completely different kind this time.Not the choke of 1999, 2003, 2007 (twice), 2009, 2010, or 2011. Not a choke at all, in fact. Just poor cricket caused by a combination of poor judgement, selection blunders, and an inability to adjust to conditions and tiredness.The last time AB de Villiers was in his home country was in early July, when South Africa left for England. Their assent to the top of the Test rankings was foremost in their minds then. In the aftermath of their World T20 exit, it was barely mentioned on their return. They were prepared to acknowledge what went wrong and broke down the reasons for South Africa returning empty handed from Sri Lanka, while also pointing out some positives.Bad calls
“We said from the outset it’s going to be about the quality of our decision-making in key moments and the quality of our execution. We weren’t up to the mark when it came to both those things.”

“The most important thing for me is managing the guys, knowing who can perform under pressure and who to go to in the right situations. I’ve got better at that but I’m still not where I want to be with that.

An opening batsman with a clear problem against spin, an unsettled batting line-up, and a reliance on seam were some of the tactical errors South Africa made. It resulted in innings that always started badly because Richard Levi went from unsure to inept and the rest of the order could not stabilise quickly enough. It was also constantly changing and De Villiers often batted too low which meant that South Africa could not post good-enough scores.Short format, less time
“We should have closed the game out against Pakistan. It is now for us to understand those moments better and knowing that in the T20 version you’ve got to close those deals very quickly.”
Unlike an ODI series, T20 cricket, especially in tournament format, happens fast. Oppositions change every few days, there is little preparation time between matches and there are more on-the-spot decisions to be made in the field. As an inexperienced captain, De Villiers – who has never even led a schools’ side – got some of those wrong. Bowling Albie Morkel against Pakistan when Johan Botha was available was one such mistake; not having Jacques Kallis open the batting when convener of selectors Andrew Hudson said he would, was another. Time may help De Villiers improve on those fronts, which he will have to do, because the game isn’t getting any longer.Fatigue
“It’s never easy because you are on the road for a long time. But we can’t use that as an excuse, all teams are faced with different situations. South Africa have had a fair amount of time off as a cricket nation over the last year.”

“The most important thing for me is managing the guys, knowing who can perform under pressure and who to go to in the right situations. I’ve got better at that but I’m still not where I want to be with that.”AB de Villiers

Professional sportsmen are paid to play sport and if that involved not seeing their own bed, dogs and back gardens (not to mention families) for a while, then so be it. But professional sportsmen are people too. Any person who has to constantly pack and unpack a suitcase, eat a hotel breakfast and watch hours of flat-screen television late at night eventually gets tired of it.There are those who manage to handle a nomadic existence without tiring. Pakistan, for example, have thrived since international hosting rights were taken away from them. But South Africa, as was evident from the Super Eights match, are not Pakistan. They are not a team that can conjure up class from chaos and make sense out of instability. Previously, they were accused of being run by a schoolmaster-like ship. While that may be harsh, it would not be too much of a leap to say South Africa do sometimes find safety in structure, something they will not get with long periods away from home.Positives
“Look at someone like Farhaan Berhardien, who I think came through outstandingly. He was one of the highlights and showed that, mentally, he can step up to the plate.”

Behardien had only played one T20 international before the tournament, but his domestic form has kept him bubbling under for the national team. After the unofficial tri-series in Zimbabwe, he did not look like he could make the step up so soon. But, he showed maturity in holding an innings together against Australia and allowing JP Duminy to play the aggressor’s role.”Robin Peterson is playing better cricket than ever. He is a game-breaker. I can always rely on him to pick up a wicket or two so I bring him on whenever I feel that is the best time for us to pick up a wicket.”

At the 2011 World Cup, Peterson was South Africa’s highest wicket-taker and earned himself a permanent place in the one-day squad. The more responsibility he’s been given, the better he has played. Peterson has a full decade of experience in international cricket to call on and what he learnt in the dressing room is now showing itself on the field. A fond farewell
“We had a chat to Johan Botha afterwards because we knew it could be his last game. It was quite emotional. He has been a consistent performer for us; he has always worn the shirt with a lot of passion and pride and he was always a team-man. We’ll have to move forward and try and replace him with someone else. But, he will be missed.”

Seven years of service to South Africa, which included a stint as captain, has come to an end for one of its stalwarts. Botha has been released from his CSA contract and will captain South Australia for the next two seasons. He has accepted that means he is unlikely to play for the national team again. Botha was named Graeme Smith’s successor as T20 captain in August 2010 but was replaced by De Villiers.He remained an important part of the set-up but was pushed to the fringes and, with a Test future unlikely, decided to lengthen his first-class career elsewhere. He will leave behind a legacy of what-could-have-beens, just like many of South Africa’s participation in major tournaments.

England has been a happy hunting ground for the man who replaces Symonds in Australia’s order

Brydon Coverdale12-Jun-2009Early next week a planeload of Australian Test specialists will reach London to prepare for the Ashes, and try to put the team’s Twenty20 humiliation firmly in the past. Most of the five-day men have created Fleet Street headlines already. Not Marcus North. Despite his shaping as a pivotal player the tabloids have found him as interesting as a bowl of porridge.There have been howls of protest at Phillip Hughes’ acclimatising with centuries for Middlesex, Stuart Clark has caused indignation by trying for a county stint before visa problems arose, and Andrew McDonald has been photoshopped into a fast-food clown. Although North, who will turn 30 during the Ashes, has avoided the spotlight, he knows what it’s like to be an Australian in England in an Ashes year.”I had a very short stint at Lancashire for about seven or eight weeks in 2005,” North told Cricinfo. “I was watching it on TV, so it wasn’t a great time for me. The English supporters and public were waiting for that day to beat us. I got plenty of stick over there, that’s for sure.”Back then there was nothing North could do to help Australia’s cause. This time, despite his career being just two Tests old, he looms as a key man for the team’s balance. A century on debut in Johannesburg sealed his spot as a calming influence at No. 6, and his part-time offbreaks will be important if spin-thin Australia choose an all-pace attack.But it’s his batting that ought to earn him England’s respect. Of Australia’s 16-man touring party only Simon Katich and Michael Hussey have played more first-class cricket in England than North, whose tally includes stints for five counties and an average of 50 or more in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Australia’s selectors admire his ability to score his runs in tough circumstances, and a reverse-swinging Duke is nothing new to North.”That’s probably going to be the key to the batting, to adjust and combat that swing quickly,” he said. “We’ve seen that Jimmy Anderson is swinging the ball consistently both ways, and that’s something I think proved a big weapon in the 2005 Ashes campaign.”They’re both very strong attacks. The English will be suited to their English conditions. Jimmy Anderson has really come of age, Stuart Broad is maturing each Test that he plays, and Ryan Sidebottom has got an extremely good record in England, as well as [Andrew] Flintoff if he’s fit. They’re going to be a tough opposition. They’ve got a pretty well-balanced bowling attack.”Not that many bowling outfits are scarier than Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel, who North saw off to become the 18th Australian to score a century on Test debut. It was the first time in a decade-long career that North, who eschews the on-field flashiness favoured by his Test predecessor Andrew Symonds, had truly grabbed the attention of the Australian cricket public.”Three months have gone past and it feels like yesterday,” North said. “I’ll be honest, I still pinch myself a little bit. It’s an achievement I’ll remember for the rest of my days, but that’s gone now, that’s the last series, and my focus is on doing well and trying to establish myself as a player in England.”Marcus North has represented five counties, so the reversing Duke should not be news to him•Hampshire County Cricket ClubHis preparation has involved a couple of trips to the Centre of Excellence, although Australia resisted the temptation of sending him for specialist spin training in the lead-up to the Ashes. He collected his maiden first-class five-wicket haul during a tour match in South Africa, and his presence will tempt the selectors to squeeze out Nathan Hauritz and choose four fast men.”In the past I’ve looked at myself as a part-time bowler, but it’s something that I’ve identified in the last 18 months to really work hard on,” he said. “I feel that I can hold my own with the ball, and I can offer Ricky a good option, not just as a holding role, but an attacking role as the wickets get a bit more worn on the fourth and fifth day.”Unlike most Test rookies North knows plenty about what a leader requires from his troops. Two seasons ago he was named captain of Western Australia, and it sharpened his focus on his own role in the team. Runs began to come on difficult surfaces when his side needed him the most, and it pushed him to the top of the queue when Symonds became unavailable.”One of the best things that happened in my career was getting the captaincy of Western Australia,” he said. “That was a huge honour and gave me a real focus to try and improve Western Australian cricket. It gave me that responsibility, which carried into my game as well.”I felt that it was in tough conditions or when the team needed it the most that I performed. I felt that’s probably given me a hardened edge as a first-class player, which hopefully will hold me in good stead at Test level.”It started well in South Africa. The next phase begins a couple of days earlier than expected, after his flight was brought forward because of Australia’s premature exit from the ICC World Twenty20. But until the Tests begin, expect North to keep flying under the radar.

The allrounder had an impressive tour of Bangladesh having returned from lengthy injury layoffs earlier in the year

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Apr-2024Sophie Molineux has returned to Cricket Australia’s central contract list following her successful comeback across formats.Molineux, who was dropped from the list two years ago, has played Tests, ODIs and T20Is over the last two months after an extended period on the sidelines due to a variety of injuries, most recently an ACL. Those appearances had been enough for her to earn an upgrade to a contract before confirmation of the 17 names in 2024-25 group.Related

Molineux stars on her ODI comeback as Australia take 2-0 ODI series lead

How injury forced Sophie Molineux to 'start from the start again'

Healy thrilled with Bangladesh gains ahead of T20 World Cup

Molineux made her comeback in the Test against South Africa in Perth. She was named Player of the Series in the T20Is against Bangladesh which concluded last week having taken six wickets at 8.33. Earlier in the tour she took 3 for 10 on her return to the ODI side.She has recently forced the experienced Jess Jonassen out of the squad but Jonassen, who has not featured since the tour of India last December, has retained her contract.The retired Meg Lanning is the only player to drop off the list from last year. The MoU between CA and the Australia Cricketers’ Association allows for between 15 and 18 contracts.”We’re really pleased to be able to offer Soph a contract after her successful return to the side this summer,” national selector Shawn Flegler said. “She’s shown a great deal of resilience to get back to full fitness and she’ll play an important role next summer.”Players not awarded contracts as part of the initial squad can earn upgrades throughout the year by accruing 12 upgrade points. Players receive five points for a Test match, two for an ODI and two for a T20I.Australia face another busy season of action in 2024-25 including the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and the multiformat Ashes next January. They will host New Zealand for T20Is before the World Cup followed by a return series in December while they also host India for three ODIs.Australia women’s contract list 2024-25Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

Fazalhaq Farooqi moves up to No. 3, to have two Afghanistan bowlers on the podium

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Mar-2023

Rashid Khan is the new No. 1 T20I bowler in the world. He has displaced Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga at the top following his three wickets at less than a run a ball in Afghanistan’s historic 2-1 series win over Pakistan in Sharjah.Rashid has team-mate Fazalhaq Farooqi for company on the podium, with the young pacer slotting at No. 3 on the T20I bowlers’ rankings after finishing as top wicket-taker for Afghanistan in the Pakistan series. Farooqi claimed five wickets and conceded just 4.75 runs to the over across the three matches to climb 12 places in the rankings.Rashid was No. 1 as recently as November last year, having consistently been one of the format’s best since first rising to the summit in February 2018.Full rankings

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The 2-1 result was Afghanistan’s first T20I series win over Pakistan, and another bowler to make strides as a result was Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who moved from No. 10 to No. 8 after taking two-fors in the first and third games.For Pakistan, stand-in captain Shadab Khan (who led in place of the rested Babar Azam) moved up eight spots to No. 4 on the T20I allrounder rankings, having finished as the series’ third-highest run-scorer and joint-fourth-highest wicket-taker.In the T20I batting rankings, South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw moved up two places to No. 6 courtesy his 42 off 21, albeit in a losing cause against West Indies in the series-deciding third T20I in Johannesburg.Rohit Sharma, Adam Zampa move up in ODI rankingsFollowing Australia’s ODI series winning victory against India in Chennai, legspinner Adam Zampa has moved to a career-best sixth in the one-day bowling rankings, while India captain Rohit Sharma is up one spot to eighth in the batting rankings. Zampa had produced figures of 10-0-45-4 in that game which Australia won by 21 runs to clinch the series 2-1, while Rohit had slammed 30 off 17, sparking his gains.Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza inched his way up the allrounder rankings too this week, going up one spot to fifth after Zimbabwe’s hard-fought series win against Netherlands where he scored 40 and topped the bowling charts for his side with five scalps.

Oleksandr Zinchenko has interest from Portuguese giants Porto as he looks to secure an exit from Arsenal after dropping out of Mikel Arteta's plans.

Porto eyeing ZinchenkoReal Betis and Fenerbahce also interestedUkrainian into final year of Arsenal dealFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Porto are among the protagonists in the transfer hunt for Arsenal defender Zinchenko, who has fallen out of favour under Arteta at the Emirates Stadium. Fenerbahce and Real Betis are also thought to be keeping an eye on developments, but the Ukraine international is into the final year of his contract and could be content to sit the season out before moving on a free transfer if a suitable offer doesn't arrive in the final few weeks of the summer window.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Having arrived in north London from Manchester City in 2022 as a versatile player with title-winning experience, Zinchenko has dropped down the pecking order at left-back. Teenage star Myles Lewis-Skelly has made the position his own after a fabulous breakout season in 2024-25, while Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber are also more than capable of filling in when required. 

DID YOU KNOW?

The 28-year-old is also unlikely to get back into Arteta's first-choice midfield, with Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino already options alongside new arrivals Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ZINCHENKO?

Zinchenko recently named his inactivity during 2024-25 as the main reason for what he called the "worst season I ever experienced as a professional". He will surely be keen to move elsewhere soon to ensure he doesn't spend another campaign on the sidelines, but whether that transfer materialises this summer remains to be seen.

The Spanish defender addressed Rayados fans after a rough start to the tournament as Liga MX sides continue to stumble in tournament

• Monterrey have slim chances of advancing
• Only four out of 18 Liga MX teams are moving on
• Rayados face NY Red Bulls on Sunday

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following Monterrey’s defeat in their opening game of Leagues Cup – a 3-2 loss on the road against FC Cincinnati – captain Sergio Ramos delivered a blunt message to fans on social media, suggesting the defeat leaves the Mexican side with slim chances of advancing to the next round of the Leagues Cup.

  “Disappointed to start the Leagues Cup this way. We need to analyze, improve and bounce back with a strong performance on Sunday. Football always gives you new chances. Let’s go all in!” Ramos posted on social media.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The start of the Leagues Cup hasn’t been ideal for Liga MX clubs – especially for heavyweights such as América, Cruz Azul, Chivas, and Monterrey. Despite boasting one of the tournament’s strongest squads, Monterrey fell to Cincinnati, severely denting their hopes of advancing to the next round.

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  WHAT DOMÈNEC TORRENT SAID

  Spanish coach Domènec Torrent strongly criticized the Leagues Cup format following Monterrey’s defeat.

  "Maybe we’re already out – they’ve put together such a strange competition, where you lose one game and you’re practically eliminated," he said. "It’s a tournament where you’re hoping all the other Mexican clubs lose too, because you’re competing against them. I’m not going to complain, but out of 18 teams, only four qualify – 14 get eliminated. One loss punishes you too much."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MONTERREY?

  Monterrey will now have to assert themselves against a New York Red Bulls side that already dealt Chivas a defeat in their Leagues Cup opener. The two teams play Sunday.

يعقد مجلس إدارة الاتحاد المصري لكرة اليد، برئاسة الكابتن خالد فتحي، اجتماعًا عاجلًا اليوم الأحد، من أجل مناقشة المستجدات التي طرأت على معسكر منتخب الناشئين مواليد 2006، بعد تعرض المدير الفني طارق محروس لأزمة صحية مفاجئة.

ويأتي ذلك قبل أيام قليلة من انطلاق بطولة العالم للناشئين المقرر إقامتها في مصر خلال الفترة من 6 إلى 17 أغسطس الجاري.

وكان محروس قد نُقل إلى أحد المستشفيات، بعد تعرضه لأزمة في القلب، وخضع لفحوصات طبية دقيقة أظهرت حاجته لتركيب دعامات قلبية، الأمر الذي يستبعده من قيادة المنتخب في البطولة المنتظرة.

طالع أيضًا | القناة الناقلة لمباريات منتخب مصر في بطولة كأس العالم لكرة اليد تحت 19 عامًا

وأعرب مجلس إدارة الاتحاد عن خالص تمنياته بالشفاء العاجل للكابتن طارق محروس، مؤكدًا تضامنه الكامل معه وتقديم كل أوجه الدعم اللازم لتجاوز أزمته الصحية والعودة سريعًا لممارسة مهامه الفنية.

ومن المنتظر أن يبحث الاجتماع الطارئ، اليوم، الخيارات البديلة لاختيار مدير فني جديد يتولى قيادة منتخب الناشئين في بطولة العالم، في ظل ضيق الوقت، وحاجة الفريق للاستقرار الفني قبل انطلاق المنافسات.

Bayern Munich have reportedly stepped up their interest in Liverpool winger Luis Diaz.

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• Diaz linked with Liverpool exit
• Barcelona interested in winger
• Bayern Munich make move for him

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to BILD, via Tribuna, discussions between Bayern and Liverpool have progressed to a stage where 'concrete' figures have been exchanged as the German giants prepare a 'formal offer' for the 28-year-old.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Although Diaz still has two years left on his Liverpool contract and recently said he is "very happy" at the Premier League champions, links with Barcelona have not gone away. Bayern are eyeing a replacement for Leroy Sane and now they appear to be keen on the ex-FC Porto ace.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Last season, the Colombian international, who joined the Reds in January 2022, played a big role in Liverpool's league title triumph as he scored 17 goals and added five assists in 50 games in all competitions.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  It remains to be seen if Diaz, who has scored 41 goals in 148 appearances for Liverpool over the past three and a half seasons, will still be at Anfield next term – with Arne Slot's side keen to make a big sale to fund their transfer warchest this summer.

There are only two current Tottenham Hotspur players who started Mauricio Pochettino’s final game: Ben Davies and Son Heung-min.

The former has been a reliable if unspectacular servant to the club and will be remembered fondly by the fans, but the latter has been a bonafide star, an icon of the club and the Premier League.

However, the South Korean joined the club a decade ago and will turn 33 in the summer, and while his numbers are still decent, he clearly cannot impact games in the same way anymore.

He is simply a victim of time, with research from The Athletic revealing that wingers see a dramatic decline in their ability to beat defenders when they reach 30 years old.

So, if Ange Postecoglou wants to take the club forward next season, he should be looking at a long-term replacement for the club legend, and based on recent reports, Daniel Levy and Co may have identified just the player.

Tottenham's winger search

According to a recent report out of Spain, Spurs are incredibly keen on Feyenoord’s Brazilian dynamo Igor Paixão.

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In fact, alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that North London rivals Arsenal, as well as Newcastle United, Liverpool and Bournemouth, have made contact and expressed their interest in signing the goalscoring wideman.

Fortunately, while the number of interested parties is far from ideal, the Dutch giants reportedly value the 24-year-old maestro at just €30m, which comes out to about £25m.

It could still be a difficult transfer to get over the line, but with how well Paixão has played this season, it’s one Spurs should fight for, especially as he could be the perfect upgrade on Son.

How Paixão compares to Son

Now, when we get down to it, there are two key areas in which Paixão has an advantage over Son, and the first is longevity.

By this, we mean the simple fact that, at 24 years old, the Brazilian is going to be able to play at the very highest level for far longer than the South Korean will be, especially in the high-intensity system Postecoglou wants to implement.

The second area where the Feyenoord star, whom U23 scout Antonio Mango has described as having a real “eye for goal”, has the edge is raw output.

For example, in 38 appearances this season, totalling 3176 minutes, the “quality” Macapá-born winger, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 11 goals and provided 15 assists.

That means he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.46 games, or every 122.15 minutes, which is an undeniably impressive level of output.

In contrast, the former Bayer Leverkusen ace has scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists in 40 appearances, totalling 2835 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.81 games, or every 128.86 minutes.

While that’s still an impressive level of productivity from the Chuncheon-born icon, it’s still less than his potential competition and, given where he is in his career, we’d be stunned if he was able to match it again next year.

Ultimately, Son is undeniably a modern-day great for both Spurs and the Premier League as a whole, but he is much nearer the end of his career than the start, and while he’s plying his trade in a non-top five league at the moment, Paixão looks to have the raw ingredients to be an effective upgrade on the 32-year-old.

Therefore, Levy and Co should do what they can to bring him to N17 before one of their rivals beat them to his signature.

Spurs are brewing a homegrown Kulusevski in 16-year-old "cheat-code"

The unreal prospect could be a superstar for Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 20, 2025

Manchester City are not short of exciting young talent in their squad. Although Pep Guardiola’s side have struggled this season, they still have plenty of exciting youngsters who could all have a part to play in the first team in the years to come.

Two of those players were signed in January. Brazilian defender Vitor Reis and former Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov are just 19 and 21 respectively. Tricky winger Savinho is just 20 years of age, as is academy graduate Rico Lewis. It has been a breakthrough year for teenager Nico O’Reilly, too.

Another young talent City can get excited about is Claudio Echeverri. He’s only just penned terms with the club but looks like a massive talent for the future.

Claudio Echeverri's move to City

City actually signed Argentine attacking midfielder Echeverri in January 2024, but he has only just made the move to the Etihad Stadium, after an agreement with his former club, River Plate. The youngster cost the Citizens a reported £12.5m.

City’s new number 30, who is capped at U20 level by Argentina, has impressed for River over the last year or so.

He has played 48 times, scoring four goals and grabbing eight assists. However, the 2,499 minutes he has played equate to just 27 full 90-minute games, leaving him with an impressive average of 0.44 goals and assists per game.

The youngster shone at the U17 World Cup back in 2023 for Argentina. He played seven games and managed five goals and one assist in that time, as his side finished fourth. Echeverri notably scored a brilliant hat-trick against Brazil in a 3-0 quarter-final win.

Currently valued at £15m by Transfermarkt, it seems like the teenager will be a brilliant investment for City. He is a player who clearly possesses plenty of talent, notably named among the top ten players in GOAL.com’s NXGN 2025 list this week.

However, City have another talented young star who is valued even higher than the young Argentine…

The Man City wonderkid worth more than Echeverri

Few players in and around the first team at City are as exciting as a certain Oscar Bobb. The 21-year-old Norweigan has sadly had his season tarnished by injury but is getting back to full fitness, which will be a massive boost for Guardiola’s side.

Described as a “pure joy to watch” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the City attacking midfielder has already made a great impression during his short time in the first team at the Etihad Stadium.

In 27 appearances for the Citizens so far, Bobb has two goals and two assists. However, he has only played 909 minutes, the equivalent of just 10.1 full 90-minute games. The youngster has yet to have a proper opportunity for a run of games, and he has already made a big impression.

One of Bobb’s most important goal contributions came last season away against Newcastle United. After being 2-1 down, City managed to pull it back to 2-2. Enter Bobb, who scored a 91st-minute winner after coming on in the 82nd minute.

It is moments like that which suggest the forward could become a star for City. His stats via Sofascore from last season show his quality, too. For example, in the 2023/24 campaign, Bobb averaged 2.3 key passes and two dribbles completed per 90 minutes.

With all that in mind, it might not be a surprise to learn that the Norway international is highly valued. Incredibly, he is worth more than Echeverri according to Transfermarkt, a whooping £21m, which shows his quality given he has not played for several months.

Bobb is without doubt, an exciting talent. He has already shown glimpses of what he can dop at senior level for City, and will be hoping he can continue that form when he returns from injury in the coming weeks.

After Echeverri signing: Man City must cash in on Pep's "special player"

Man City only recently welcome Claudio Echeverri into the fold at the Etihad…

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By
Robbie Walls

Mar 5, 2025