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New Zealand 107 for 5 (Bates 44, Kerr 34, Priyadharshani 3-17) beat Sri Lanka 106 for 9 (Gunaratne 26, Kerr 2-18, Carson 2-20, Kasperek 2-21) by five wicketsNew Zealand’s spinners Eden Carson, Amelia Kerr and Leigh Kasperek combined to take six wickets and restrict Sri Lanka to 106 for 9 to set up a five-wicket win in the opening T20I of the three-match series in Colombo.Opener Suzie Bates and No. 3 Kerr then knocked off 78 runs between them from the 107-run target to ensure New Zealand had scored enough before a middle-order stutter to win with seven balls to spare.New Zealand cashed in on their decision to bowl by getting the big fish Chamari Athapaththu first ball, castled by offspinner Carson. The second-wicket stand of 37 between Vishmi Gunaratne and Harshitha Samarawickrama was the only good sign for the hosts before Kerr took a return-catch to send Gunaratne back for 26. Sri Lanka never recovered from that and lost five wickets for just 35 runs to stumble to 72 for 6 in the 15th over. Returning to T20 internationals after nearly two years, offspinner Kasperek had Samarawickrama stumped and trapped Kavisha Dilhari lbw to finish with 2 for 21.Anushka Sanjeewani and Oshadi Ranasinghe revived Sri Lanka’s innings briefly by stitching a stand of 29 for the seventh wicket to take them past 100 but Sanjeewani’s run out broke the partnership before Kerr ran out Udeshika Prabodhani and took Ranasinghe’s return-catch as well, on the last ball of the innings, to finish with 2 for 18. New Zealand had used as many as eight bowling options.The visitors lost Bernadine Bezuidenhout early in the chase before Bates and Kerr put them in command with a 58-run stand, scoring 44 and 34 respectively. New Zealand withstood a wobble when offspinner Inoshi Priyadharshani struck twice in three balls and then in her next over as well to send back Kerr, Sophie Devine for a duck and Maddy Green for 5. With 30 required off 38 balls, New Zealand were still in command and Bates nearly took them all the way home before falling for 44. Georgia Plimmer knocked off the winning runs not long after.

By the time the game begins on Sunday evening, RCB will know exactly what they need to make the playoffs

Srinidhi Ramanujam20-May-20236:00

Moody: Royal Challengers should start afresh in home return

Big Picture: Make or break for RCBIt all boils down to the final four hours. After 69 games across 52 days, the last league match will decide the identity of the players fourth team in the playoffs.The spotlight is on Royal Challengers Bangalore as they return home to the Chinnaswamy to host the Gujarat Titans after nearly a month on the road. They will know exactly what they need to qualify in the top four if net run rate becomes a factor, but the simplest route is to win. If they make it, it will be their fourth successive playoff appearance.So what’s going well for RCB? They are coming into this crucial fixture off two successive wins – against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals. Their strength is their batting, having scored more than 180 in three of their last four games. More specifically, it is their top-order batting, with Faf du Plessis (702), Virat Kohli (538) and Glenn Maxwell (389) doing the bulk of the run-scoring. The dependency on their Big Three could be a crucial factor in a crunch game.Winning at the Chinnaswamy also hasn’t been straightforward for RCB this season. While several teams have struggled to maximise their home advantage, it’s 3-3 for RCB in Bengaluru this year, and 40 wins in 83 games overall.So while RCB have everything to do to qualify for the playoffs, the Titans are already through. Hardik Pandya’s team is only the second side to finish top of the table in two successive seasons, after the Mumbai Indians in 2019 and 2020. Team news: Will Titans rest players?Fast bowler Josh Little had missed a few matches to play an ODI series for Ireland against Bangladesh, but he re-joined the Titans squad on May 16. Vijay Shankar had also missed the previous game after getting hit in the nets. With Titans already through to the playoffs, the big question is whether they will rest any of their players, considering they play Qualifier 1 on May 23.Du Plessis said at the toss of their previous game against Sunrisers that one of Hasaranga and Hazlewood was missing due to a niggle without specifying who it was.The big questionVirat Kohli and Faf du Plessis have been prolific at the top for RCB•BCCIForm guideRCB WWLLW
Gujarat Titans WLWWLImpact Player strategyAnuj Rawat kept wickets for RCB instead of Dinesh Karthik in the last two matches and he is expected to do it again against Titans. Karthik or Mahipal Lomror could sub in and out for for left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed depending on whether they bat or bowl first.Royal Challengers Bangalore (probable XII): 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Glenn Maxwell, 4 Mahipal Lomror, 5 , 6 Michael Bracewell, 7 Anuj Rawat (wk), 8 Wayne Parnell, 9 Karn Sharma, 10 Harshal Patel, 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Titans had swapped Shubman Gill with fast bowler Yash Dayal in their previous game against SRH. If Little returns, Gill and Mohit Sharma could be their Impact Players depending on whether they bat or bowl first.Gujarat Titans (probable XII): 1 , 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Sai Sudharsan, 4 Hardik Pandya (capt), 5 David Miller, 6 Abhinav Manohar/Vijay Shankar, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Josh Little, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Mohammed Shami, 12 Pitch and conditionsBengaluru has been hot and humid this week but i rained on match eve and a couple of spells of rain is likely on Sunday as well. The average first-innings total at the Chinnaswamy Stadium is 194, so expect a run-fest.Stats that matter Kohli is a beast in Bengaluru with 3106 T20s runs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, the most by any batter, at a strike rate of 140.82. Rashid Khan has dismissed du Plessis three times in eight T20s, and conceded only 32 runs in 45 balls. Gill has scored at 148.14 against Mohammed Siraj in the IPL, with no dismissals in six innings.

تحدث صلاح سليمان، عن مشاركة فريق النادي الأهلي، في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025، في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

وودع الأهلي كأس العالم للأندية، بعدما احتل المركز الرابع والأخير في ترتيب المجموعة الأولى بنقطتين، والتي ضمت إنتر ميامي، بالميراس، بورتو.

وتعادل الأهلي مع بورتو البرتغالي، 4-4 في مباراة الجولة الثالثة والأخيرة، وقبلها تعادل مع إنتر ميامي 0-0 وخسر من بالميراس 0-2.

طالع| نيويورك ريد بولز يوضح لـ”بطولات” حقيقة اهتمامه بضم وسام أبو علي من الأهلي

وقال صلاح سليمان، في تصريحات لبرنامج “لعبة والتانية”، مع كريم رمزي، على إذاعة “ميجا إف إم”: “الأهلي شرف مصر واستعجلت في الحكم على ريبيرو، هاجمته لكن في لقاء بورتو أكد لي أنه ذكي جدًا، وجعل شكل زيزو جيدًا في الملعب، إضافة إلى أن تحركات بن رمضان وبن شرقي مميزة”.

وتابع: “بن رمضان أفضل لاعب أعجبني في الأهلي، وكذلك وسام وتريزيجيه ومروان عطية وحمدي فتحي، لكني لم أر أمورًا فنية مختلفة لزيزو حتى الآن مع الأهلي”.

وعن الزمالك، أضاف: “الزمالك يحتاج صفقات مميزة 5 أو 6 وتكون في مراكز يحتاجها الفريق، ومحمد شريف صفقة مميزة للزمالك حال انضمامه ومختلف عن ناصر منسي والجزيري، (الفينيش) أفضل وممكن أن تبني خطة عليه في الهجمة المرتدة وتحركاته رائعة وأتوقع ينضم للمنتخب”.

وكشف: “هناك أمر جيد في الزمالك، وهو أن لا أحد يعرف شيئًا عن الصفقات، ولا توجد تسريبات، وأتمنى رؤية الزمالك في كأس العالم للاندية 2029، والأمر يحتاج إلى تعب وجهد”.

Manchester City are still said to be eyeing a move for a highly rated player in the summer transfer window, having held talks over a move back in January.

Man City transfer news

Pep Guardiola’s side is reportedly one of a number of clubs interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson at the end of the season. The 20-year-old is a highly rated prospect who is also thought to be wanted by the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United, so a Premier League move could be on the cards.

Milan left-back Theo Hernandez has also been mentioned as a transfer target for City as they look to pip reigning Champions League holders Real Madrid to his signature. They could hijack a move in what would have the potential to be an exciting piece of business.

Juventus ace Andrea Cambiaso is another player who has been linked with a summer switch to the Etihad, having caught the eye for the Turin giants this season, scoring twice in Serie A and recording a 90.9% pass completion rate.

Sporting CP star Geovany Quenda has also been backed to move to City in the near future, but they will have to wait until at least the summer after failing to snap him up in January.

Man City still eyeing Maldini-esque ace

According to a fresh claim from Football Insider, Manchester City are still eyeing a move for Cambiaso this summer, following talks over a transfer in the January window.

The 24-year-old is believed to be one of two targets alongside Milan favourite Hernandez as Guardiola looks to strengthen in the full-back areas.

It is easy to see why Cambiaso is seemingly a primary target for City moving forward, with the Italian a player with a bright future in the game and his best years still ahead of him.

He has been given about the highest praise imaginable by Mauro Tasotti, with the former Milan defender comparing him to all-time great Paolo Maldini, saying:

“I haven’t yet understood whether he is right or left-footed. In this sense, he is similar to Paolo Maldini, who however was much more powerful from a physical standpoint, had incredible charisma and was also very strong defensively, so much so that he ended his career as a centre-back.”

That says a huge amount about Cambiaso’s qualities as a footballer, so the idea of City signing him this summer is undoubtedly exciting.

The Italy international would be considered a younger alternative to Hernandez, who is three years his senior, making the left-back spot his own for the foreseeable future.

The Nerazzurri produced a truly heroic display at San Siro to dump Lamine Yamal & Co. out of the competition

Inter reached their second Champions League final in three years by beating Barcelona in the most extraordinary of circumstances, with Simone Inzaghi's side beating the Blaugrana 4-3 in Tuesday's second leg at San Siro to progress 7-6 on aggregate.

As in the two teams' first meeting at Montjuic, Inter went 2-0 up, with Lautaro Martinez breaking the deadlock before Hakan Calhanoglou doubled the hosts' advantage with a penalty just before the break. It was Barca, though, who looked certain to go through after second-half goals from Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo and Raphinha.

However, Inter threw Francesco Acerbi up front for the final few minutes and their 37-year-old centre-back netted a stunning injury-time equaliser. Davide Frattesi then put the Nerazzurri with his fine finish in the first half of extra-time and Inzaghi's men somehow hung on to claim victory in arguably the greatest Champions League semi-final tie every played.

Below, GOAL rates all of the Inter players on show at San Siro…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Yann Sommer (7.5/10):

Sommer's insistence on punching away crosses is rather unsettling and he has to take his share of the blame for Raphinha's goal by giving the Brazilian two bites at the cherry. However, his point-blank save from Eric Garcia was extraordinary and how he managed to tip Lamine Yamal's goal-bound effort around the post with his fingertips only Sommer will know.

Yann Bisseck (5/10):

The German began brightly enough, using his physical attributes to good effect, but he always looked a liability in possession and Inzaghi was right to haul him off early.

Francesco Acerbi (9/10):

An absolutely Herculean performance from the veteran, who held Inter's creaking defence together before going up front to level the game in injury time with a finish that Lautaro would have been proud of. Truly inspirational stuff.

Alessandro Bastoni (8/10):

After some initial sloppiness, Bastoni grew into the game and made one sensational sliding tackle on Lamine Yamal during the first half, while also stepping out of defence whenever he could to help break the Barca press. Inter wouldn't have got over the line without him.

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Denzel Dumfries (8/10):

Once again caused Barca all sorts of problems with his surges down the right flank and, given the damage he did in Barcelona, it came as no surprise to see the Dutchman, who was also solid defensively, set up the opener for Lautaro and the equaliser for Acerbi.

Nicolo Barella (7/10):

The multi-talented midfielder was by no means at his best. Indeed, he was caught in possession more than once. However, you just cannot fault Barella for effort. Never stopped running and carried a real attacking threat, testing Wojciech Szczesny with a couple of good strikes.

Hakan Calhanoglou (6/10):

Repeatedly recovered possession for Inter during the first half, while also showing nerves of steel to stick away his penalty. However, his passing, his supposed forte, was once again poor and he was subbed with just over 10 minutes of normal time to go.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (6.5/10):

The Armenian's work-rate was fantastic and he also went close to scoring with one well-struck volley. He faded the longer the game went on, though, and was so fortunate to narrowly avoid giving away a penalty for a stupid tackle on Yamal.

Federico Dimarco (7/10):

After his horror-show at Montjuic, Dimarco was his usual dynamic self at San Siro before running out of steam. His tenacious tackling really upset Yamal, while he deserved the 'assist' for the game's opening goal, as he won the ball off Dani Olmo in midfield before splitting open the Barca backline with his clever pass to Dumfries.

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Lautaro Martinez (7/10):

A major injury doubt for the game but the captain not only started, he scored too, making no mistake after being presented with a gift-wrapped chance by Dumfries. Such a shame for Inter that he didn't have more than 70 minutes in him.

Marcus Thuram (8/10):

The Frenchman led the line superbly, holding the ball up brilliantly and bringing others into play, while also causing problems with his runs in behind. He was starved of service for nearly the entirety of the second half but he kept going and played a pivotal part in Frattesi's goal with a brilliant bit of play on the right flank.

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Carlos Augusto (5/10):

Came on 10 minutes into the second half and was immediately burned by Yamal. Was also caught in no man's land on Olmo's equaliser.

Mehdi Taremi (7/10):

Took over up top from Lautaro and created Frattesi's goal with a lovely lay-off in the area.

Matteo Darmian (7/10):

Part of a double-substitution with Taremi with 20 minutes of normal time to go and did well on the right-hand side of the back three, making some timely interceptions.

Piotr Zielinski (6):

Introduced in the closing stages of normal time and injected some much-needed energy into the Inter midfield.

Davide Frattesi (8):

Inter's super-sub once again made a massive impact off the bench with a wonderfully well-taken goal.

Stefan de Vrij (7):

Brought on for an exhausted Dumfries in the second half of extra-time and made a stunning clearance in the final seconds that drew a priceless foul.

Simone Inzaghi (8/10):

With Inter's ageing squad stretched to breaking point, the coach was forced to take a few gambles. Not all of them paid off but starting Lautaro and sticking Acerbi up front certainly did! An extraordinary achievement to knock out this Barca side over two legs.

With Jhon Duran on his way to Al-Nassr, Aston Villa are now reportedly eyeing a late hijack to sign an England international in what would be a bargain deal for Unai Emery.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans have been among those at the centre of the transfer window since it swung open at the start of the month, welcoming both Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia whilst continuing their chase to sign a central defender.

Rather than an incoming, however, it’s exit news which has instantly dominated the headlines, with Duran reportedly on the verge of completing a shock €77m (£64m) move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

It’s the type of big-money sale that should instantly hand Aston Villa the spending power they need to get deals of their own over the line, which could yet see one England international arrive.

Aston Villa make contact to sign "smart" star who Emery personally wants

He desperately needs a move…

ByTom Cunningham Jan 29, 2025

According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are now keen to hijack West Ham United’s move to sign Angel Gomes who could be available for a bargain price late on in the window with his current contract coming to an end at LOSC Lille this summer.

The former Manchester United man has thrived since finding his feet in France and even earned his first England call-up turning Lee Carsley’s temporary spell in charge of the Three Lions. It was then that the midfielder seemingly re-emerged onto the radar of the Premier League.

Now, those in the Midlands could swoop in and hand Gomes the chance to earn Premier League redemption this month.

"Smart" Gomes would increase Aston Villa control

If Aston Villa want to become an established Champions League side then adding more control to their game will be key. The Villans must break out of the habit of conceding leads as they did against West Ham last time out in a game that they ought to be winning in pursuit of a top four place, and Gomes would undoubtedly help them do exactly that.

The Lille midfielder, alongside Youri Tielemans, would turn Emery’s midfield into the epitome of control just when they need it most. Whether they strike a deal as early as this month or during the summer, Gomes should be high up on Villa’s wishlist.

Described as a “smart passer” by analyst Ben Mattinson, there’s no doubt that Gomes will be one to watch as his contract continues to tick down.

It has been a busy transfer window so far for Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side have made three new first-team signings, and have not been afraid to spend big money. The most notable addition has been Omar Marmoush, who joined the club for £59m from Eintracht Frankfurt.

They have also made two new additions at centre-back. One of those was Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov, who cost £33.6m up front with add-ons on top of that. City also bright in young Brazilian centre-back Vitor Reis from Palmeiras, who cost the Premier League champions £29.6m.

The Citizens might not be done with transfer business yet, however, because they have recently been linked with a new addition in midfield.

City target new midfielder

The player in question here is Porto and Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez. The 23-year-old has impressed with the Portuguese side this season and now could be in line for a departure before the January transfer window slams shut on Monday.

According to a report from journalist Fabrizio Romano, the reigning Premier League champions have made a ‘formal approach’ to Porto to enquire about signing the Spaniard this month.

However, this may be a tough deal for the Citizens to get over the line. Porto are hoping to keep their midfielder beyond the 3rd of February and will demand an ‘important transfer fee’ or he will stay at the club.

Gonzalez – who reportedly earns £18k-per-week, as per Capology – has a £50m release clause in his contract, and it seems like City will need to meet this to sign him.

Why Gonzalez would be a good signing

It has been an impressive season for Gonzalez so far for Porto. In 29 games for the Dragons this season, he has seven goals and six assists, good numbers from midfield.

Perhaps his most important goal contribution came against Sporting in the Supertaca Candido de Oliveira, the Portuguese Super Cup. He scored a crucial goal in a 4-3 win, helping his side to the trophy.

Gonzalez, an “elegant” midfielder according to football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, came through Barcelona’s esteemed La Masia academy. He played 37 times for the La Liga giants, scoring two goals and two assists before departing the club, first on loan to Valencia and then making the permanent move to Porto.

If the Citizens got this deal over the line, he could be the second coming of Rodri. The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has been injured for much of the season, although he is “the best midfield player, currently, in the world by far” according to Guardiola.

It has been an extraordinary few years at City for Rodri. He has played 260 times for the club, chipping in with 56 crucial goals and assists.

Undoubtedly his most important strike came in the 2022/23 Champions League final against Inter, where the midfielder scored the only goal to seal the treble for City.

There are certainly similarities between the two midfielders, even if Gonzalez is a more offensive player than Rodri. Both are Spaniards who have had experience playing at a big club in La Liga before making a move to further their career. Of course, the similarities could extend even more if Gonzalez joins City.

Even though they are different types of players, with Gonzalez a more advanced midfielder, you can still see some statistical comparison between the pair, from the 2023/24 Champions League, courtesy of Squawka.

For example, the Porto man had an average pass accuracy of 87.01% and won five ground duels per game. In comparison, Rodri managed a 91.88% pass accuracy and won 4.2 ground duels per game.

Stat (per 90)

Gonzalez

Rodri

Pass accuracy

87.01%

91.88%

Ground duels won

5

4.2

Lay-offs completed

1.5

1.2

Tackles made

2.4

1.9

Ball recoveries

3.4

6.8

There are lots of similarities between Gonzalez and Rodri, even if the pair are not stylistically the same. They both look after the ball well and work hard without possession, and, of course, both hail from Spain.

Although £50m is a big investment for City, this could be a brilliant signing to add to the quality in midfield.

Instead of McAtee: Pep must finally cash in on “ ineffective” Man City star

Amid uncertainty over James McAtee’s future, Manchester City should look to cash in on another forward instead

ByBen Gray Feb 1, 2025

تحدث أحمد شوبير حارس مرمى الأهلي الأسبق، عن أداء الزمالك في مباراة بيراميدز في الدوري المصري، وتأثيرها على المنافسة على اللقب المحلي.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “الأهلي”: “الزمالك خرج من المنافسة بإرادته أمام بيراميدز، وسأكررها مرة أخرى لتفهم ما بين السطور، الزمالك خرج بإرادته أمام بيراميدز أمس، لم يُسدد الزمالك تسديدة واحدة طوال الـ90 دقيقة والوقت بدل الضائع، ولا تسديدة واحدة!”.

وأردف: “الكرة الوحيدة التي وصل بها بيراميدز إلى مرمى الزمالك تحولت إلى هدف، ولا أتهم أحدًا بشيء، لكن قلة التركيز، عدم الاهتمام، وغياب الروح تجاه القميص كان واضحًا”.

وأكمل: “كان هناك شعور عام بين جماهير الزمالك، حيث كانت المدرجات خالية، والسوشيال ميديا تعكس عدم الاهتمام بالمباراة، وكل هذه العوامل أدت لذلك”.

طالع | “نقاط الخلاف تم حلها بالكامل”.. شوبير يُعلن اسم مدرب الأهلي الجديد

واستطرد: “بدلاً من أن تحسب حساباتك وتدرك أن الفوز بهذه المباراة كان سيمنحك فرصة ذهبية، كما يفعل الأهلي الذي يفكر دائمًا في الفوز بمبارياته والتساهيل على لله، كان يجب أن تدرك أهمية الفوز، وكان الفوز سيضع المنافس تحت الضغط ويعيدك إلى دوري أبطال إفريقيا”.

وأضاف: “حتى عندما فاز الزمالك بالكونفدرالية، كان جمهوره سعيدًا، لكنه يعلم أن دوري الأبطال مختلف، لا يمكنك أن تعود بعد سنوات لتتحدث عن (نادي القرن) إذا لم تشارك أصلًا في البطولة التي تمنحك هذا التصنيف”.

وأوضح: “حتى المركز الثاني الذي كان يؤهل الزمالك لدوري الأبطال، والذي كان يحصل عليه في ظل هيمنة الأهلي بـ44 بطولة دوري، تم التفريط فيه بسهولة، ولكنني لا أهتم بالزمالك ولا بيراميدز، أنا أهتم بنفسي”.

وواصل: “الدوري يُحسم في الملعب، وكل نقطة تتطلب عرقًا ودمًا لتحقيق الفوز، حتى في مباراة مثل مواجهة البنك الأهلي، ونحن لا ننتظر هدايا من الآخرين، نحن على مقعد القيادة، وبالنسبة لجماهير الأهلي، أصبحت هذه البطولة مهمة جدًا”.

واختتم: “لا يمكن للأهلي أن ينهي الموسم صفر بطولات، ولم يتبقَ أمامنا سوى هذه البطولة، وحتى لو فزنا بالسوبر المصري، فهو لا يُضاهي أهمية الدوري أو دوري أبطال إفريقيا، ولذلك، مطلوب من لاعبي الأهلي بذل كل قطرة عرق ودم في مواجهة منافس شرس وقوي مثل البنك الأهلي”.

Nottingham Forest are in dreamland. The East Midlands club are halfway to Champions League qualification, and it certainly seems like they are in with a great chance of reaching the competition and playing among Europe’s elite once again for the first time in decades.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are currently third in the Premier League, with only Arsenal and Liverpool ahead of them. They are four points inside the top four, which also includes Newcastle United, and are certainly in a strong position for Champions League qualification this term.

Defensively, they have been fantastic, letting just 20 goals in, with Arsenal the only side to concede fewer goals with 19. Their attack has also been deadly this term, with Callum Hudson-Odoi part of that attacking force.

Hudson-Odoi’s 2024/25 season so far

It has been an incredibly profitable season so far for the attackers donning that famous Garibaldi Red shirt. Chris Wood has been on fire with 13 goals, and winger Anthony Elanga has scored and assisted eight times.

Hudson-Odoi has perhaps underwhelmed in terms of his goals and assists compared to his attacking teammates. The former Chelsea star has scored twice and provided two goals for his teammates in 19 Premier League games.

However, he has shown just how good he can be in a Forest shirt over the 55 games he has played for them so far. The England international has ten goals and four assists so far for the East Midlands club, including a famous goal away to Premier League leaders Liverpool earlier in the season in a 1-0 win.

There have certainly been some impressive moments from Hudson-Odoi this term, although he has arguably left a little to be desired, and Nuno’s side could perhaps benefit from more attacking output, despite his incredibly hard work.

Thus, it might not be a surprise that the East Midlands outfit have been linked to another winger this January.

Forest could land dream Hudson-Odoi upgrade

The player in question here is Galatasaray winger Baris Alper Yilmaz. According to a report from Turkish news outlet Fanatik, via Sport Witness, earlier this week, the East Midlands side ‘have been watching the Turkey international’, and could make a move for him in the January transfer window.

Further reports indicated interest from a raft of the Premier League clubs, with a fee of around €30m (£26m) having been suggested.

The 24-year-old has been in sensational form for the Turkish giants this term, which could well mean he moves away from the club this January.

Across all competitions, he has 11 goals in 27 games, including 10 goals in 18 Turkish top-flight games. He scored both goals in Galatasaray’s 2-1 win over Istanbul Basaksehir last weekend.

One thing that the 24-year-old Galatasaray man will add to the Forest attack is versatility. This term, he has played nine games as a right-winger and eight games as a left-winger and has even played as a full-back at times. That will be excellent flexibility for Nuno to rely on.

When looking at the statistical comparisons between Hudson-Odoi and Yilmaz, there are clear differences that stretch further than goal and assist numbers, which is perhaps further evidence that a move from Forest might be smart.

The clinical and creative nature of the Turkey star really shines through when looking at his stats on Sofascore. He has an impressive conversion rate of 23% and has created 4 big chances this term.

In comparison, Hudson-Odoi’s Sofascore stats show an 8% conversion rate and the fact he has created three big chances.

Stat

Yilmaz

Hudson-Odoi

Goals and assists

11

4

Conversion rate

23%

8%

Big chances created

4

3

Dribbles completed per game

1.6

1.4

Duels won per game

6.4

2.8

Liverpool stalwart Virgil van Dijk is one player who has vouched publicly for Yilmaz’s ability. After facing him for the Netherlands at Euro 2024, Van Dijk explained he made it “difficult for every defender” in the Dutch side, showing just how talented the Turkish winger is.

At just £26m, Yilmaz might be the perfect upgrade for Hudson-Odoi. Whilst their creative numbers are similar and the Englishman is a hard worker off the ball, Yilmaz’s goalscoring threat would add an extra dynamic and could be a big difference-maker as they hope to get Champions League football.

Imagine him & Anderson: Nottingham Forest targeting "ball-carrying machine"

Nottingham Forest are targeting another addition to bolster their Premier League title ambitions.

ByEthan Lamb Jan 16, 2025

USWNT legend Alex Morgan is “soaking it all up” after becoming a mother of two, as she welcomed a baby boy

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Hung up her boots in September 2024Enjoying more family timeDaughter Charlie now has a brotherFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Two-time World Cup winner Morgan announced her retirement in September 2024. She hung up her boots having enjoyed a remarkable playing career that included 224 appearances and 123 goals for the United States.

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At 35 years of age, Morgan is now enjoying spending quality time with her former-MLS star husband Servando Carrasco and their growing family. They became parents for the first time in May 2020, when daughter Charlie Elena was born.

WHAT ALEX MORGAN SAID

Morgan announced the arrival of her newborn son. She has said in a post shared with her 9.8 million followers on Instagram: “Soaking it all up right now. Welcome to the world baby Enzo.”

WHAT NEXT?

Morgan continues to keep a close eye on how her former teams are faring. She will be among the interested observers as the USWNT, with Emma Hayes at the helm, take in friendly dates with Brazil, China and the Republic of Ireland over the coming months.