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The big-hitting 24 year old says he was confident of a good show in the shorter format but regretted losing such a close encounter

Mohammad Isam13-Nov-2016

Sabbir Rahman started to punch the air every time he struck a six from the time he hit his fourth, during his record-breaking 122 against Barisal Bulls on Sunday. He described the celebration as a ritual that helps him “stay focused”.While it might seem unusual, it probably helps Sabbir. But closer to the truth is probably the fact that Sabbir was playing his favourite format. He said that he knows that a big innings is always around the corner when he is playing in T20s.”T20 is my game,” Sabbir said. “I got into the senior side in 2014 through T20s, and then also into the Test team. I believe it is my format, and I will make a big score, either today or tomorrow. But I am sure someone will break my 61-ball 122.”Shahriar Nafees, who made 63 for Barisal earlier in the game, said that Sabbir’s spectacular innings made him mull whether they could have made more than 192. He said that Sabbir’s wicket made the difference with Rajshahi unable to score the remaining 34 runs in the last four overs.”He is an outstanding talent, an asset for Bangladesh and has been doing well for the country. He is very fit, powerful and a big-hitter. When he was batting, I thought we would have needed 220-230 runs on the board. Sabbir was clearing the boundary quite easily. It is one of the best innings I have seen in this country. But we believed that it is important to win the game regardless of the margin. It wasn’t that easy to bat on that wicket unless you are set.”Despite his innings that beat Chris Gayle’s 116 – the previous highest individual score in the BPL – Sabbir said that winning the game would have made him happier. He said that the batsmen who couldn’t score the nine runs in the last six balls should have taken a different approach rather than trying to go for big hits.”We should have won both close games. I don’t know what our batsmen are thinking in the last over,” he said. “I think we have to be stronger mentally. We could have won the previous game by taking singles rather than going for sixes. I think nine runs off the last six balls was an easy equation.”

Tymal Mills, the left-arm fast bowler, is hoping to secure deals to play in T20 tournaments around the world following the season where he made his England debut

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Sep-2016Tymal Mills, the left-arm fast bowler, is hoping to secure deals to play in T20 tournaments around the world following the season where he made his England debut.A congenital back condition means that Mills, 24, is restricted to T20 cricket and is set on forging a successful career in the format. He has signed a new one-year deal with Sussex after claiming 15 wickets at 19.73 in the 2016 NatWest T20 Blast campaign including a televised spell where he troubled Chris Gayle and Mahela Jayawardene.His county form earned him a maiden international call-up for the T20 against Sri Lanka at the Ageas Bowl where he impressed with his pace, regularly passing 90mph during his four overs. He was retained in the squad for match against Pakistan at Old Trafford this month but did not make the final XI.England’s only T20 in the next nine months is a three-match series against India in January but Mills is hopeful of finding a place in the various overseas leagues before the next English season rather than risking an attempt to play 50-over cricket again.”I’ve just turned 24 so hopefully have quite a few years left in me,” he told the Sussex website. “For the next couple of years I’ll try to just do T20, if I can get the gigs around the world in the winter playing T20, I have a few things lined up, if I can do that well then I want to do that. The risk-reward of 50-over cricket may not be great because if I get injured again I could be struggling to come back.”One of the challenges for Mills with just playing a single format is keeping himself match-ready between T20 outings. Next season’s T20 Blast is moving to a block in July and August which could aid him, but he is also eager to experience the atmosphere of the global tournaments.”If I’m only going to be playing T20 I want to do it right,” he said. “I want to play for England, I want to challenge myself in the big games, against the best players with big crowds. That’s where I want to be moving forward and hopefully I get the chance to do so.”

Norwich City sporting director Stuart Webber has been linked with a move to Leeds United, however, those at Elland Road are yet to make a concrete approach, Phil Hay reports.

What’s the latest Leeds news?

The Whites are set for a busy summer off the pitch, with a takeover, new sporting director, manager and player incomings and outgoings to finalise.

The 49ers Enterprises look likely to take full control from Andrea Radrizzani over the coming months, with discussions over a majority share gathering pace in recent weeks, even if Leeds are relegated this weekend.

One of their first tasks will be to fill the void left by Victor Orta with a new director of football, and a lifelong Leeds supporter has been linked with the vacancy. Within Hay’s in-depth Elland Road story for The Athletic, he named Webber and Middlesbrough’s Kieran Scott as options, saying:

“Norwich City’s Stuart Webber, a lifelong Leeds fan, and Kieran Scott of Middlesbrough are two names from the Championship touted as possible options, but at this stage the club have not taken any firm steps towards filling the void. In many ways, recruitment on that front will be as crucial as any player-transfer business — because the director of football’s input is what tends to create ethos and philosophy, for better or worse.”

Who is Stuart Webber?

Webber is 39 years of age and has been with Norwich as sporting director since 2017. The Welshman has had various roles with Wrexham, Liverpool, QPR, Wolves and Huddersfield prior to moving to Carrow Road, where he has been a part of two Championship title-winning sides in 2018/19 and 2020/21 respectively.

Former Norwich manager Daniel Farke openly praised Webber back in 2021, saying:

“You can’t ask for a better job than what Stuart Webber has done. It’s always like when the wind is in your face and it’s difficult times, then he is there like a shield for the club and he helps in each and every moment.

“Then when there is success, he always hides and doesn’t need to be there, he always hides from the spotlight.”

Leeds could benefit by hiring someone like Webber, who seems to go quietly about his business and “hides from the spotlight”, something Orta didn’t do after a number of Elland Road incidents prior to his dismissal. It’ll be interesting to see who Leeds target, and you’d expect that whoever arrives will more than likely play a role in deciding the club’s next long-term manager.

شدد حسن شحاتة، المدير الفني التاريخي لمنتخب مصر، على ضرورة رحيل البرتغالي روي فيتوريا عن تدريب الفراعنة، مُشيرًا إلى أنه لم يُقدم أي إضافة فنية للاعبين.

وقال شحاتة في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب”، على قناة “mbc masr”: “فيتوريا لا يجب استمراره مع منتخب مصر، لأنه لم يفعل أي شيء، من الناحية التدريبية، لم يُطور المدافعين، يجب رحيله، أنا لا أقول ذلك لأنني مدير فني أو أطمع في شيء، مصر من أكبر الدول التي تلعب كرة، لكن معه لم نر شيء”.

وتابع: “ليس عندي استعداد أن أقبل وجود فيتوريا مدربًا للمنتخب، والبديل لا بد أن يكون مدربًا وطنياً، ليس لأنني أريد أن أتولى المسؤولية، لا بد أن تتعاقد مع مدرب يعرف لاعبي بلده ويعرف كيف يتعامل معهم”.

طالع أيضًا | إبراهيم حسن يفتح النار على حازم إمام: يجب مُحاسبته بعد فشل فيتوريا

وأضاف: “أي مدرب مصري ممكن أن يتولى تدريب المنتخب، حسام حسن اسم كبير جدًا، تم التعاقد من قبل مع إيهاب جلال ورحل بعد فترة ولم تمنحه حتى مستحقاته، لكن المدرب الأجنبي تعمل حساب للشرط الجزائي ولا تفعل ذلك مع المدرب المصري، الذي لا يوجد أي شيء يضمن له حقه”.

وأضاف: “أنا عقدي بعد 2010 كنت وقعت على عقد حتى 2014، لو وصلت لكأس العالم أستمر، وإذا لم أصل أرحل، سمير زاهر طلبني وذهبت له، وقال لي نريد حل التعاقد بشكل ودي”.

واختتم: “قلت له أنا ليس عندي إستعداد أن أتقدم بشكوى ضد اتحاد الكرة، رغم أنني لو كنت اشتكيت كنت سأحصل على عقدي لمدة 4 سنوات بالكامل، وراتبي وقتها كان 250 ألف في الشهر”.

Arsenal will surely be a busy outfit during the summer transfer window as they will likely have to respond to missing out on a surprise Premier League title, having led the division for much of the 2022/23 campaign.

Declan Rice is among the primary targets to bolster their threadbare engine room and he won’t come cheap, with West Ham United commanding in excess of £70m.

The Gunners have plenty of needs, though, and perhaps they ought to put more eggs in the defensive basket as arguably, their failure to have strength in depth at centre-back has cost them dearly.

Injuries to Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba meant the burden was stowed upon Rob Holding, who to his credit has done an admirable job but he isn’t the title-leading presence you want in the big games, such as against Liverpool at Anfield and Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Who is Evan Ndicka?

Whether he remains contract to the club past the summer is irrelevant, he must be replaced in and around the periphery of the lineup and Evan Ndicka, who is set to leave Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt on a free transfer, could prove to be a bargain solution, especially if Edu Gaspar and co pull the trigger on Rice.

Back in December, reports in Italy suggested that the Gunners had already agreed a deal to sign the Frenchman in June, whilst as recently as last month, the Mirror claimed that they were monitoring him ahead of the summer.

Once lauded as a “great talent” by scout Antonio Mango, it’s rare that a 23-year-old gem comes so freely available on the market but one team’s mistake is another team’s gain and Arsenal must ensure they win the race for his signature over the likes of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

The 6 foot 4 Frenchman has been a regular fixture for the German outfit over the past few seasons, starting 32 times in the league last term and 26 so far this season, as well as all eight of their Champions League encounters too, via WhoScored. These are impressive considering he’s far from reaching his peak as a central defender.

His potential and quality has been highly praised by those around him in the past too, as ex-Frankfurt man Alexander Schur once claimed that his former teammate “shows no nerves” and “plays with great authority,” via Bundesliga.com. And that may also help in his adaptation to the Premier League.

To further bolster that, the young colossus is also comparable – per FBref's statistical model – to Manchester United star and multi-UCL winner Raphael Varane, who – when fit – has more than looked the part following his switch from Real Madrid.

By bringing in some much-needed quality to Mikel Arteta’s defence, the Gunners could well be City’s nearest challengers for the title once more and perhaps this time, they can get it over the line with Ndicka proving to be a far more valuable backup or starter than Holding.

Aston Villa have spent vast sums of money in the previous few years in order to maintain their Premier League status.

Under Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard, the likes of Diego Carlos, Emiliano Buendia and Leon Bailey have all arrived at Villa Park for big transfer fees, and although all three were brought in to strengthen the team, it’s clear that in order to improve, vast amounts now need to be spent in the transfer window.

This isn’t always the case, however – and Villa should know, having signed John McGinn for just £2m back in 2018 from Scottish club Hibernian during their time in the Championship. The Scot has gone on to become one of the club’s finest players during his association with the Midlands outfit, having recently shone in their superb win at Stamford Bridge last week.

How much is John McGinn worth now?

Having spent the previous two seasons stuck in the Championship, Steve Bruce needed someone who could give Villa that added bite in their midfield which could push them towards promotion – and McGinn was the ideal player.

He won the Scottish Cup and League Cup with Hibs and St Mirren respectively, and it was clear he had a winning mentality as he looked to help bring Villa back to where they belonged.

He scored seven goals and grabbed ten assists as the club reached the top flight via the Championship play-offs (with Smith now at the helm), and McGinn would go from strength to strength as he chipped in with the odd goal or two while the team kept their status in the Premier League.

At the start of this season, Gerrard awarded him the Villa captaincy, and although he struggled during the early stages as the side's form dipped dramatically, it looks as though he is getting back to his best under Unai Emery.

His dogged determination and desire to fight for every ball are qualities not every player has, but McGinn exudes them in abundance – with journalist Mat Kendrick lauding him as a “relentless creature”, referencing his footballing nature.

Indeed, the £55k-per-week gem is now valued at a staggering €40m (£35m) according to Football Transfers, and this represents a monumental leap from the £2m that Bruce paid for him five years ago.

He has reached new heights with both Villa and the Scottish national team, winning 54 caps and scoring 16 goals, and with the midfielder coming into the prime of his career, his next step will be trying to lead Villa to some sort of trophy or European football – and this may see his value rise further.

Villa certainly struck gold with McGinn, that’s for sure.

Chelsea are eyeing up Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo as the potential solution to their current midfield issues, according to a fresh transfer report.

The Lowdown: Caicedo a wanted man

The Ecuadorian has stood out as one of the Seagulls’ most important players in recent times, providing energy and quality in the middle of the park.

Caicedo has started 16 of Brighton’s 17 Premier League matches so far this season, averaging 2.9 tackles per game, which is only matched by Alexis Mac Allister on the south coast.

Liverpool have been constantly linked with a move for the 21-year-old but now it looks as though they could face competition.

The Latest: Chelsea keen on signing

According to The Guardian‘s Jacob Steinberg, Chelsea are ‘lining up a move’ for Caicedo, having become ‘frustrated’ in their attempts to sign Argentina World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez.

The Brighton man’s signature is seen as ‘more achievable’ than teammate Mac Allister, who is also considered a target.

The Verdict: Exactly what the Blues need

Chelsea’s midfield has looked ageing and one-dimensional at times this season, with N’Golo Kante and Jorginho now in their 30s and Mateo Kovacic turning 29 this year.

Caicedo could be the perfect player to come in and provide some bite and fresh legs in the middle of the park, considering he has averaged 1.4 interceptions per match in the league this season, not to mention showcasing his technical quality with an 87.7% pass completion rate

Graham Potter knows the youngster inside out after their time together at Brighton, which can only bode well – he hailed him as ‘fantastic’ last summer – and he could help turn Chelsea’s stuttering season around.

Leeds United were fairly clinical in their pursuit of Max Wober and Georginio Rutter as they tied up deals for both with minimal fuss.

In quick succession, director of football Victor Orta had bolstered both the attack and the defence, leaving only the midfield untouched thus far.

With a solid foundation already in place with Tyler Adams and Marc Roca, it seemed somewhat foolish to break up a partnership that was blossoming with each passing game week.

As such, it seems like the only position worth strengthening remains in attacking midfield, especially given how Brenden Aaronson has struggled to acclimatise to the English game.

Despite showing flashes of brilliance, his 6.57 average Sofascore rating is admittedly not at the level required for Jesse Marsch to achieve success. It was clearly a transfer of his choosing, given their shared nationality and time worked together at Red Bull Salzburg.

Therefore, it is a move that he will bear the brunt of any backlash he receives.

The American boss may have already admitted defeat on his £24.7m summer signing, as reports are circling that link the Whites with a move for wantaway AS Roma maestro Nicolo Zaniolo.

A number of Premier League clubs have been put on high alert by this news, with the Italian outfit demanding a fee of around €40m (£35m) to sanction his exit.

Should the Yorkshire outfit secure this deal, not only would it mark a huge coup for a club languishing towards the wrong end of the table, but it would finally offer a viable alternative that could see Aaronson benched for his poor performances.

Once described as a “frightening talent” by journalist Ben Jacobs, across his short career to date, the 23-year-old has offered glimpses into the star he might become.

His five goal contributions this season somewhat downplay his talents, as it was only last season that he scored eight and assisted nine across a campaign.

As a consistent offensive threat, the Italian ranks in the top 4% for total shots per 90 when compared to other attacking midfielders across Europe, and last season married this with 1.0 key passes per game too.

Meanwhile, Aaronson’s only real outstanding attribute is his defensive qualities, which make him a useful asset for the high-pressing structure employed by his manager, but somewhat useless elsewhere.

The 22-year-old ranks in the top 4% for blocks when compared to the same group as Zaniolo.

It is clear the two are specialised and very different midfielders, but it is clear that the experiment with the American maestro is failing.

Perhaps an injection of European flair could spark him into form, or see him ditched in favour of a big upgrade.

Liverpool are reportedly showing renewed interest in signing Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes after missing out on him in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Nunes joins Wolves over Liverpool

Last summer, the Reds were strongly linked with a move for the Portuguese maestro, as Jurgen Klopp looked to boost his options in the middle of the park.

Instead, Nunes ended up sealing a move to Wolves and he has largely done well there this season when fit, making 14 appearances in the Premier League to date.

Now, it looks as though there could be a new twist to the saga, following a fresh update.

The Latest: Reds have ‘agreement’

According to The Telegraph‘s reliable Sam Wallace and John Percy, the Reds actually had a secret ‘agreement’ behind the scenes in the summer that they would attempt to sign Nunes further down the line.

Liverpool are now ‘exploring’ the deal to bring in Nunes, and while ‘this month’ is mentioned in the report, it is noted that the Reds likely wouldn’t bring in the 24-year-old until the end of the season.

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The Verdict: Would help midfield woes

Liverpool’s midfield has been all over the place in 2022/23, with the likes of Fabinho and Henderson looking past their best, so this is an encouraging update.

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Nunes is someone who covers ground and would add much-needed legs and tenacity for the Reds, having averaged 1.8 tackles per game in the league this season, and Goncalo Santos has hailed him as ‘unbelievable’ in the past, so he certainly has talent.

That being said, a superior midfielder to Nunes is also required, such as Jude Bellingham, with big surgery needed in midfield and a genuine top-class talent a must.

Celtic reportedly have until the end of the season to make a decision over the future of on-loan defender Moritz Jenz.

The Lowdown: Celtic’s move for Jenz

The Premiership champions signed the German on a season-long loan deal from Lorient and have an option to purchase him on a permanent basis. Since then, the 23-year-old has gone on to make 19 appearances for the Bhoys across all competitions, scoring two goals in the process.

With the January transfer window set to open next week, some behind-the-scenes details have emerged surrounding the player and his status at Celtic.

The Latest: Celtic’s timeframe for Jenz decision

According to a recent report from Football Scotland, the Hoops have until the end of the season to decide whether or not to sign Jenz on a permanent deal.

The report also contradicts recent claims suggesting that a decision would need to be made in January, stating that Celtic actually have until the summer to make a call on the defender’s future at Parkhead.

The Verdict: Good for Celtic

Even though the centre-back has only appeared in one of Celtic’s last five league games, Jenz has shown his defensive capabilities in Glasgow.

For example, he currently has the fourth-highest number of interceptions (11) at the club, along with the joint-third highest number of successful tackles (10). In addition, the German has the fourth-highest average of clearances per game (2.3) in Ange Postecoglou’s squad and the fourth-highest pass success percentage (90.7%), showing how capable he is both in and out of possession.

Taking all of thar into account, we feel that, depending on the financial aspects of signing him outright, Jenz has done enough to warrant a permanent move to Celtic once his current loan deal concludes.

However, given the incoming arrival of Yuki Kobayashi, this extra competition for a place in the starting XI could make it harder for Jenz to regain his spot in the team moving forward.