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The transfer window is really heating up at Rangers.

On Wednesday, the Light Blues signed not one but two new players, with Joe Rothwell and Emmanuel Fernandez both arriving, the latter for a reported fee of £3.5m.

So, with the start of Champions League qualifying now less than three weeks away, Russell Martin’s mass overhaul of the squad he has inherited continues, with more new signings seemingly set to follow soon.

Rangers looking to bolster their back line

This Rangers squad requires a lot of surgery this summer, and this is no more so the case than in defence.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Leon Balogun has departed, joining Aris Limassol on a free transfer, while Robin Pröpper appears set to return to FC Twente too.

Meanwhile, Max Aarons has arrived on loan from Bournemouth, with Fernandez now signing too, but Martin is certainly still seeking to improve his defensive options.

Well, as reported by Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports News, Rangers are “in talks” with Wolverhampton Wanderers as they aim to sign Nasser Djiga on a season-long loan.

This would be a straight loan, with no option or obligation to buy, for the Burkina Faso international, who only joined Wolves from Crvena zvezda for a reported fee of £10m as recently as February.

The 22 year old made just six appearances in old gold following his arrival, his sole Premier League start coming at Crystal Palace in May, when Vítor Pereira made wholesale changes, with David Irvine of the Glasgow Times noting that Wolves are keen on this loan move to Ibrox so that he can ‘gain experience’ of British football.

Thus, could Djiga be a transformational addition for Rangers?

How Nasser Djiga will improve Rangers

The young defender is certainly highly-rated, described by Serbian Football Scout as a “duel monster” who reads the game well, but is also capable of a “last-ditch tackle” when required.

Nasser Djiga

Meantime, writer Kai Watson believes he is the “ideal” centre-back for Martin’s possession-oriented style, labelling him a “strong passer” who possesses a “good understanding” of defensive play.

Before moving to Wolves, he caught the eye representing Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League, helping them dump out Bodø/Glimt in the play-off round, before also enjoying league phase victories over Stuttgart and Young Boys, so let’s take a look at his statistics.

Minutes

720

1st

Completed passes

322

1st

Progressive passes

33

4th

Pass completion %

89.4%

3rd

Tackles

10

5th

% of dribblers tackled

100%

1st

Interceptions

4

5th

Blocks

7

4th

Clearances

27

2nd

Ball recoveries

28

4th

Touches

433

3rd

As the table outlines, Djiga ranks very highly in the Champions League for all statistics included, when compared to his former teammates, doing so at a very high level, considering Crvena zvezda came up against Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Benfica, PSV, Monaco and others during the league phase.

The centre-back’s defensive metrics are universally impressive but, more notably, so are his in-possession statistics, which will make him the perfect fit for a Martin team.

So, why will he be a more impactful signing than Aarons?

Well, in short, it’s due to what Rangers really need.

Aarons has presumably joined Rangers to play regularly, having seen just 338 minutes of action last season at Bournemouth and then Valencia, which raises serious question marks over current right-back and captain James Tavernier’s future.

Meantime, the Light Blues are desperate for central defensive reinforcements, with John Souttar and new arrival Fernandez currently the only options available to face Panathinaikos in a pivotal Champions League qualifier in just 19 days’ time.

So, while Djiga is clearly a high-potential player, he is also one that Rangers desperately require, making him a welcome and much-needed addition for Martin.

Ibrox's dream Igamane replacement: Rangers working to sign £5m striker

Rangers are eyeing up a move to sign a striker who would be a dream replacement for Hamza Igamane.

ByDan Emery Jul 3, 2025

Arsenal once again failed to get over the line in the Premier League or Champions League this season, so to ensure they achieve their goals next year, the club look set for an incredibly busy summer.

For example, while no signings have officially been announced, it’s been widely reported by the likes of Fabrizio Romano that Martin Zubimendi is incredibly close to joining the North Londoners in the coming weeks.

The Spanish international has been a key component of Real Sociedad’s midfield for years, played a crucial role in Spain’s European Championships triumph last year, and is still just 26 years old.

In short, the San Sebastian-born international will be an excellent addition to the Gunners’ squad, but if recent reports are to be believed, the club are now targetting someone who’d be even more exciting.

Arsenal transfer news

The good news is that, over the last few weeks, Arsenal have been linked with a host of incredibly exciting players, so before getting to the star in question, it is worth examining a few of them, like Benjamin Sesko and Antoine Semenyo.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former has been a long-term target for the Gunners and is reportedly available for close to £70m, which might end up being a bargain for someone described as “the new Erling Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who scored 21 goals and provided six assists in 45 games this season.

Semenyo, on the other hand, may cost just as much as the Slovenian and managed to rack up a reasonable enough tally of 13 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances for Bournemouth this season.

However, it now looks like the North Londoners are interested in an even more prolific Premier League-proven attacker: Bryan Mbeumo.

According to a recent report from transfers expert Romano, Arsenal are now one of several English teams seriously keen on the Brentford star.

Romano claims that alongside the Gunners, Manchester United and Newcastle United are also big fans of the Cameroonian international, who, according to other stories from the last few weeks, could be available for around £60m.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but one well worth fighting for, especially as Mbeumo would be a more exciting addition than Zubimendi.

Why Mbuemo would be a more exciting signing than Zubimendi

Okay, so the first thing to say is that for the aforementioned reasons, like his experience and track record of performing in big moments, Zubimendi would be an important and exciting signing for Arsenal.

However, it’s also true that Mbeumo would be an even more exciting addition to the team this summer for a host of reasons, chief among them being his unreal output.

For example, despite playing for a mid-table – at-best – team, and who were without their star striker for half of last year, the former Troyes star managed to end the 23/24 season with an impressive haul of nine goals and seven assists in 27 appearances, totalling 2079 minutes.

That means the Avallon-born dynamo managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.68 games, or every 129.93 minutes, which is undeniably impressive.

Yet, somehow, instead of plateauing or even regressing, the often “unplayable” international, as dubbed by manager Thomas Frank, did even better this season.

Appearances

27

42

Minutes

2079′

3577′

Goals

9

20

Assists

7

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.59

0.69

Minutes per Goal Involvement

129.93′

123.34′

In 42 appearances, totalling 3577 minutes, the 25-year-old phenomenon scored 20 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.44 games, or every 123.34 minutes.

On top of his outrageous output, the 18-capped attacker can also play up top or as a second striker, and if there is anything we know about Arteta, it’s that he likes players who can excel in more than one position.

Ultimately, Zubimendi could be an incredibly important cog in the machine next season, but goals and dynamic attacking phases of play are what get fans on their feet, and for that reason, Mbeumo would undoubtedly be the more exciting signing for Arsenal.

He's like Van Persie: Arsenal hold secret talks to sign "the new Haaland"

Arsenal could sign a similar striker to Robin van Persie this summer.

ByMatt Dawson Jun 2, 2025

Glasgow Rangers’ wait for a win at Ibrox is finally over. On Sunday, after a goalless first half, the Gers ultimately demolished their battered opponents 4-0, thanks to goals from Václav Černý, Cyriel Dessers, Hamza Igamane and then, rather fortuitously, Jefté; Černý’s shot deflecting in via his back-side.

This was Rangers’ first home win since 2 February, ending a streak of seven matches, and a first victory at Ibrox for Barry Ferguson in interim charge.

The Light Blues, guaranteed to finish second in the Scottish Premiership, host Dundee United on Wednesday night, before concluding a very disappointing campaign with a trip to Easter Road on Saturday lunchtime.

With the on-field results mattering very little at this stage, the main question Rangers supporters are pondering is who will be their next manager?

Well, could that mystery be about to be solved?

The latest on Ancelotti to Rangers

According to a report by Madrid-based outlet AS, Rangers are interested in appointing Davide Ancelotti as their new manager.

It was confirmed on Monday that Carlo Ancelotti will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season to take over as the new Brazil manager, thereby becoming the Seleção’s first permanent foreign head coach since Ramón Platero exactly a century ago.

So, as noted by the aforementioned AS report, Carlo’s son Davide is now looking to pursue his own managerial career, having received ‘several offers’, including from Saudi Pro League clubs, but the ‘project’ that appeals to him most is Rangers, given the incoming 49ers takeover and the potential of Champions League football.

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Davide, who is 35-years-old, has been his father’s assistant at Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton and now Real Madrid, and is known for being a master tactician and an excellent communicator, as outlined by Mina Rzouki of BBC Sport.

Also, as documented by Ben Banks of Glasgow World, during Ancelotti’s time at Goodison, he worked alongside fellow assistant-coach Duncan Ferguson, who is an ex-Rangers player of course, intimating the duo could link-up once again.

So, would a rookie coach be the best way to go, or should the 49ers appoint a more-experienced manager?

Who Rangers should appoint instead of Ancelotti

According to a report from TEAMtalk earlier this month, Rangers were said to be ‘hoping to appoint’ Danny Röhl as their new manager, with Southampton also interested.

As documented by Football Insider, Röhl – who favours a 4-2-3-1 system – is likely to ‘walk away from Sheffield Wednesday’, having been required to juggle several off-field issues since arriving at Hillsborough in October 2023, leading to a’strained relationship with Dejphon Chansiri, who is the owner and chairman.

Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports Deutschland has previously claimed that Röhl is one of the candidates to become the new RB Leipzig manager, stating in an interview with Kicker that he’d “like to work at the highest possible level… in the near future”, so could this see him take over at Ibrox?

Let’s assess Röhl’s managerial credentials from his time in Yorkshire.

Röhl’s Sheffield Wednesday career in numbers

Statistics

Röhl

Matches

89

Wins

34

Win %

38%

Championship finish 2023/24

20th

Championship finish 2024/25

12th

Preferred formation

4-2-3-1

All statistics and information

Sheffield Wednesday’s EFL Championship survival in the 2023/24 is known as a great escape, given that they looked dead and buried when Röhl was appointed, only to win eight of their last 14 fixtures, concluding the campaign unbeaten in six, thereby surviving on the final day.

The Owls then finished 12th this time round, a more than commendable achievement given all their off-field issues and low budget.

Röhl has therefore earned widespread praise, described as “unbelievable” by Owls forward Josh Windass, while Toby Gavelle of Breaking the Lines praised the ‘outstanding job’ he’s done at Hillsborough, adding there will be no shortage of suitors.

So, rather than going for the headline-grabbing gamble that appointing Ancelotti would be, the 49ers should be a lot more sensible and secure a manager who has already proved he is capable of getting a team to punch above their weight.

Related Their new Morelos: Rangers eyeing "top striker" who'd cost just £8,000

Rangers have their eyes on a talented young striker

Posts ByRoss Kilvington May 12, 2025

As it has been for a number of years, Chelsea’s famous Cobham academy is a conveyor belt for elite talent. The 2010s was perhaps the best era to date for their academy.

They produced currency Premier League stars such as Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ola Aina and Mason Mount, whilst Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fikayo Tomori are all plying their trade at AC Milan.

Their current crop of academy talent might end up being better. One of the most highly-rated players in the academy is defender Josh Acheampong, who was one of ten academy stars to make his senior debut in 2024.

Another Cobham graduate who is establishing himself in the Chelsea team under Enzo Maresca is Tyrique George, who has made a big impression so far.

George's Chelsea career so far

It has been a real whirlwind few months for 19-year-old George, who has become an established member of Maresca’s squad after making his debut last August in the Conference League qualifiers.

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He has gone from strength to strength in recent weeks in particular. The London-born winger now has 20 games under his belt for the West London giants, scoring two goals and grabbing four assists, an impressive return so far.

His first strike for the Blues was in the Conference League quarter-final against Legia Warsaw, and he bagged his first goal in the Premier League last weekend too against Fulham. It was a superb finish, unleashing a first-time strike into the bottom left corner after Antonee Robinson’s miscued clearance fell at his feet.

Blues boss Maresca was complimentary of the attacker after his goal against the Cottagers last time out.

He described the winger as “a talent” and said he is “doing well” in the first team at Stamford Bridge.

It has been a dream start to life as a professional footballer and he could well become the next great Cobham star. However, there is a player in the Chelsea academy who might end up rivalling him for a place in the first team soon.

Chelsea's next exciting academy star

As good as George has been this season, perhaps Jimmy-Jay Morgan will leapfrog him in the first team at some stage.

A centre-forward by trade, the youngster is currently out on loan with League 2 side Gillingham, who are towards the lower end of the table but surely safe from relegation.

It has not been the easiest time of things for Morgan on loan at the Southern outfit. Adapting to senior football for the first time can be a challenge, and he has two goals in 14 appearances for the club so far.

However, despite the lack of goals during his time with the Gills so far, he has some strong underlying numbers, as per Sofascore. For example, Morgan averages 2.3 shots and completes 1.1 dribbles per game.

19-year-old Morgan is clearly a talented forward, as he has shown as a Gillingham player. However, his numbers from his time playing for Chelsea’s U21 side further showcase just how dangerous he can be.

Overall, Morgan’s record for the most senior side of the Cobham academy is impressive. In 34 appearances so far, he has found the back of the net 16 times and has also managed to grab three assists.

EFL Trophy (2023/24)

3

233

1

0

Premier League 2 (2023/24)

14

849

6

1

Premier League 2 playoffs (2023/24)

3

135

1

0

EFL Trophy (2024/25)

3

124

0

0

Premier League 2 (2024/25)

11

442

8

2

Football scout Antonio Mango described Morgan as a player who is “too good for his age”, while Gills boss Gareth Ainsworth has suggested he’s “going to be a hell of a player when he’s older”. Although the weight of goals isn’t necessarily there, his experience playing senior football will have surely taught him plenty.

George has shown there is still a pathway from Cobham into the first team at Stamford Bridge, and perhaps next season, with Nicolas Jackson underperforming and Christopher Nkunku likely on his way out, Morgan can be the man to break into the squad.

Chelsea have signed "future Ballon d'Or winner" who's going to stunt George

Tyrique George could find his first team minutes at Chelsea are halted by the emergence of this sensational forward.

4 ByKelan Sarson Apr 22, 2025

A lucky break during Covid-19 took Simarjeet Singh to international cricket, but finding his way back to that level has proved difficult

Daya Sagar29-Sep-2025Simarjeet Singh’s eyes still light up when he is reminded of the time he got to wear the India blue and spend time in the national team’s dressing room. He didn’t get a chance to make his international debut on that Sri Lanka tour during Covid-19, in June 2021, after moving up from being a net bowler to the main squad, but it suggested a rise through the ranks for a bowler who has struggled with injuries and lack of consistency throughout his career.”I was not making too many mistakes, but I was trying to do things too quickly,” Simarjeet, familiar to cricket-watchers for his time in Chennai Super Kings’ yellow, tells ESPNcricinfo. “I was also changing my plans constantly. I always used to think that my process must be perfect, but nothing in this world is perfect. [Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat] Cummins also told me the same thing, to focus on giving my best and not think about perfection. So now I focus more on how I can improve.”Except for a few stray games in the IPL where he did decently – 11 wickets in 14 games with a best of 3 for 26 and an overall economy rate of 10.00 – 27-year-old Simarjeet’s story has been one of struggle, even to make the Delhi team in the domestic circuit. In the last seven seasons, he has played only 15 first-class, 23 List A, and 39 T20 matches, in which he has taken 46, 23, and 44 wickets respectively.Related

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At the IPL, though, with the teams looking for Indian bowlers to fill their sides with, Simarjeet has been around, for three seasons now – 2022, 2024 and 2025 – first with Mumbai Indians, then with CSK, and most recently with SRH, where the interactions with Cummins happened.”It feels surreal just to think that you have played with a world-class bowler like Cummins. As a fast bowler, if your captain is also a fast bowler, then he not only backs you but also teaches you many things by giving you new ideas,” Simarjeet says. “Apart from that, Cummins is a big name and playing with him makes me feel very lucky.”Though I did not get too many chances there, and when I got them, I could not perform that well, I always thought about what new things I could do at training. I also used to ask [head coach Daniel] Vettori and [bowling coach James] Franklin how to improve myself. They talked about different bowling plans and stressed on how I could implement those plans better on the field. Even after the IPL, I am continuously working on them.”And [Mohammed] Shami did not just talk, he taught by showing us. He used to tell me ‘today we will focus on yorkers’, or sometimes slower bouncers, or some other variations. Then when I bowled, he himself used to stand there and tell me what I was doing right and what could be improved. Cummins also did the same. With both, there were continuous talks about action, speed, and other aspects of bowling.”Simarjeet Singh gets some assistance from MS Dhoni during his time with Chennai Super Kings•BCCIIt’s a career that has also been blighted by injury. He missed the entire 2022-23 domestic season and continued to struggle till IPL 2024.”I have had so many injuries that I don’t even remember how many,” he says. “I just remember that each time it was a different injury. I never really got injured while bowling. But sometimes it happened while batting during practice or while standing somewhere and a shot from another batter hit me. Sometimes it also happened that I slipped on the field and got a serious injury.”It was disappointing, and I was also losing opportunities, I was losing consistency. But what can you do? Sometimes, I just laughed thinking about my injuries. But after that, I became very disciplined and started following a regular routine, which had details like how much gym I had to do, when to run, how to bowl, everything. When you follow that, you get results.”It was at the Delhi Premier League recently that Simarjeet put all those lessons to good use, picking up 20 wickets (the joint-highest) in 11 matches and an economy rate of 10.00 with a best of 5 for 23 as his team Central Delhi Kings finished runners-up. Now he has one more shot to impress, if he gets the chance, in the first one-dayer for India A against Australia A, in the hope that he finds that elusive consistency to claw his way back up the ladder.

Bowlers let the team down last year but the likes of Harshal Patel and Chris Woakes have strengthened the attack

Ekanth17-Mar-2024Where Punjab Kings finished last seasonEighth, with six wins. They were tied with KKR on points, but had a lower NRR.Kings squad for IPL 2024Shikhar Dhawan (capt), Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Rilee Rossouw, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Harpreet Bhatia, Ashutosh Sharma, Shashank Singh, Rishi Dhawan, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Shivam Singh, Chris Woakes, Harshal Patel, Vishwanath Singh, Tanay Thyagarajan, Kagiso Rabada, Nathan Ellis, Arshdeep Singh, Vidwath Kaverappa, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Prince ChoudharyRelated

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Player availabilityKings have all their players available for the season. However, if they make the playoffs – and also the final, which is expected to be played on May 26 – they might be without Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran, who could be instead playing for England in a five-match T20I series against Pakistan at home, which begins on May 22.What’s new with Kings this year?Harshal Patel. He brings with him the ability to bowl in the middle overs and at the death. Capable of bowling 24 slower balls, he can vary his lengths depending on the pitch. Harshal strengthens the pace department that also has Kagiso Rabada, and the left-arm duo of Sam Curran and Arshdeep Singh.Rilee Rossouw and Chris Woakes are top-order and new-ball back-ups, respectively. Rossouw can be a dangerous batter across phases. Woakes, though, didn’t feature in the last three editions of the IPL, but has enough experience to make handy contributions with the ball and bat.Harshal Patel’s presence will be a huge boost for Kings in the bowling department•AFP/Getty ImagesThe good: Several all-round optionsKings have multiple bowling allrounders, like Curran, Rishi Dhawan and Sikandar Raza, who are strike bowlers and also lengthen the batting. It allows them to use an Impact Player as a bonus rather than as a necessity.They also have a well-rounded Indian bowling contingent. Arshdeep, Harshal and Rahul Chahar have experience, and offer variety in the attack. Harpreet Brar’s left-arm spin and Vidwath Kaverappa’s pace offer Kings a conditions-based selection call. So they can go into each game with six or seven bowling options.The bad: lack of Indian middle-order battersKings do not have a strong Indian core in the middle order. They let go of M Shahrukh Khan and brought in Shashank Singh, albeit with some confusion at the auction.Jitesh Sharma, who impressed as a finisher last year, will be key, but Kings might still be over-reliant on their experienced batters Dhawan, Bairstow and Livingstone to come good this season. Though Livingstone can clear boundaries at warp speed, he is coming off a poor SA20 campaign, where he scored just 109 runs in nine innings.Kings also have Raza in the squad, but might have a headache fitting him in the XI, with Curran, Livingstone and Bairstow being the first-choice overseas starters, along with Rabada. They will also hope Shikhar Dhawan stays fit and has a good season because their probable XII is thin on captaincy candidates.Schedule insightsKings will start their season on March 23 against Delhi Capitals with the comforts of home, albeit a new one – the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, which will host its first-ever IPL match. Two days later, they play Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru. That is followed by five-day gaps between both their games against Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans, both on the road.The big question

The left-arm seamer missed out at U-19 level in 2016, and then at senior level in 2021, but now he’s stronger than ever and raring to go

Deivarayan Muthu04-Aug-20220:58

Obed Mccoy: ‘Improved fitness has helped me be consistent’

The build-up to the second T20I in St Kitts was bizarre. The match, which was originally scheduled to start at 10.30am local time, eventually started at 1.30pm local time – around the time it was supposed to end – as the team kits and luggage arrived late from Trinidad.Once the action got underway, though, Obed McCoy turned up and ambushed Rohit Sharma, aka the master of the pull shot. The left-arm quick ran in hard from over the wicket, hit the pitch harder and got a back-of-a-length delivery to rear up and seam away outside off. Rohit was perhaps caught between pulling it and jabbing at it, but McCoy had so much going for him that he squared up the batter and snagged the outside edge near the shoulder of the bat. The ball ultimately landed in the hands of short third.Rohit, gone for a golden duck. In his next over, McCoy, generating speeds close to 150kph, surprised Suryakumar Yadav, too, and had him caught behind. India were 17 for 2 and suffocating.

****

McCoy had started his T20I career as a slower-ball specialist at the death after having done that job in the CPL. He was West Indies’ sixth bowler on T20I debut and bowled overs 13, 15 and the 20 against England in Basseterre, the same venue, where he picked up 6 for 17 to knock India out. At the CPL, McCoy had perfected the big, dipping back-of-the-hand slower variation. In a way, it’s the left-arm version of Dwayne Bravo’s calling card.”I’ve been bowling that slower ball from about 14-plus years,” McCoy had told in the lead-up to CPL 2021. “I’ve realised the game was changing and I was telling myself that pace don’t matter anymore, unless you mix it up and keep the batsmen thinking. And I’ve been working on that for a number of years and in CPL 2017, I was actually scared to bowl it because I hadn’t perfected it as yet. It was pretty difficult to bowl – the control was pretty hard at first. I used to drop half-pitch, on my toes, over the batsman’s head, off the pitch, but I just stuck with it. Once I master the slower ball, I would have to keep the same arm speed and same action and try not to change anything about it.”

I’ve realised the game was changing and I was telling myself that pace don’t matter anymoreObed McCoy

It was that back-of-the-hand slower ball that hoodwinked Australia when they had toured the Caribbean in 2021. Bravo was often at mid-on or mid-off, mentoring McCoy during that series. West Indies’ grand plan was to pair McCoy up with Bravo in the T20 World Cup that year in the UAE. Remember, how McCoy was originally picked in the main squad ahead of Jason Holder? But, a shin injury put him on the sidelines and limited his World Cup stint to just the opening game.This was history repeating itself. McCoy had been in contention for the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, which West Indies won, but a split webbing on his bowling hand days before the tournament ruled him out.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe 2021 injury also denied him the chance to play in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2021-22. So all that was left was the IPL. McCoy linked up with Rajasthan Royals, who managed him carefully and opted against rushing him back into action.”At RR we had a well-structured program, which helped Obed ,” AT Rajamani Prabhu, the strength and conditioning coach of the franchise who has also worked with R Ashwin as his personal trainer, tells ESPNcricinfo. “For specific strength training we had Steffan Jones, for bowling skill training there was [Lasith] Malinga sir and my role was to develop the general strength and endurance and recovery of the player. I think per day Obed used to do one session each with us. As a team, we decided that we had to reduce his load to the leg and overall workload since he is coming back from the leg injury.”Obed is generally a strong guy, normally all West Indians are. But our main goal, at the start of the season, was to make him available for all nets and training sessions and slowly build strength by reducing impact. We took a lot of care and I think in about four weeks he was on the field and ready for matches, bowling important overs for us. The more the bowlers bowl in matches, the better they get. Obed just got better and better.”Credit to Sanga [Kumar Sangakkara] sir and the management because we didn’t have soft-tissue injuries and those who came in with injuries like this improved after training.”Obed McCoy was part of a Rajasthan Royals team that went to the IPL final in 2021•BCCIHaving turned heads in the IPL, the Vitality T20 Blast for Sussex and more recently for West Indies, this is now . And, after bagging the best bowling figures by a West Indies player in T20Is, he attributed his recent success to his focus on fitness.”[Fitness has helped] a lot because it has helped me be consistent,” McCoy says. “I’ve been experienced in Indian conditions and England. Different batsmen play different shots and conditions have taught me that I’ve to be smarter and also have a clear head.”I’m proud because I’ve been putting in the hard work after having the injury for many months. That kind of made me depressed in a way. I wasn’t playing cricket and the hard work I’ve been putting in… that actually helped a lot. I just can’t really explain the feeling [of holding this record for West Indies]. All I can say is hard work pays off.”McCoy has done all of this while his mother is ailing. He even dedicated the record haul to his mother after beating India’s IPL superstars to square the series at the time. Rajamani, however, isn’t surprised by how McCoy has overcome setbacks – both on and off the field.”I used to sit in the back row of the [team] bus along with Obed and [Shimron] Hetmyer,” Rajamani says. “I don’t think many knew about him dealing with this problem [his mother’s illness] at the start. He is always calm and focused on his training, recovery and bowling. He was very open-minded and I think he was enjoying every moment with the team.”

****

Had Sheldon Cottrell been fit, McCoy might not even have got the opportunity to bowl with the new ball in the ongoing T20I series against India. Having blown away India’s top order with pace and the middle order with the lack of pace, McCoy is now the front and centre of West Indies’ revamped attack. He is fitter, stronger and finally ready for a World Cup.

He has scored five centuries at No. 4 or lower since 2014 in his team’s successful chases

Bharath Seervi05-Feb-2020348 – The target successfully chased down by New Zealand, is their biggest ever in ODIs. Their previous biggest chase was a target of 347 against Australia, also at Seddon Park in Hamilton, in 2007. New Zealand’s previous best chase against India was 281 at the Wankhede Stadium in 2017 in which also Ross Taylor and Tom Latham were the stars in the chase.Ross Taylor has starred in New Zealand’s big chases in ODIs•ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 – Bigger successful chases against India than the 348 by New Zealand on Wednesday. Australia had chased down 359 in Mohali last year, which is the highest.5 – Number of times Taylor has scored a century in successful chases batting at No. 4 or lower since 2014. No other batsman has scored more than two centuries in successful chases at those positions in this period. Two of Taylor’s centuries have come against India and three against England. In three of the top-four chases for New Zealand, Taylor has scored hundreds. In the top-three successful chases for New Zealand against India, Taylor has scored two hundreds and a 95.10.48 – Run rate of the Taylor-Latham partnership for the fourth wicket – 138 runs in 79 balls. It is the second-quickest century partnership while chasing for the fourth wicket or lower in ODIs (where balls are known). The only quicker stand was of 120 off 55 balls at 13.09 between Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina against Sri Lanka in Hobart in 2012.369 – Runs scored by Nos. 4 and 5 in this match, the second-highest aggregate in any ODI. Shreyas Iyer (103) and KL Rahul (88*) from India and Taylor (109*) and Latham (69) were the Nos. 4 and 5. The third and fourth-wicket partnerships for both sides combined to 438 runs, which is the third-highest in any ODI. It was only the third instance of both the No. 4 batsmen scoring centuries in the same ODI.111 – Runs scored by New Zealand in a span of eight overs between the 34th and 41st overs, at a run rate of 13.88, which tilted the match towards them. Latham scored 54 off 24 and Taylor got 48 off 25 in that phase. Since 2001, where ball-by-ball information is available, only once a team has scored more runs in those overs – 115 by South Africa against Netherlands in the 2007 World Cup.84 – Runs conceded by Kuldeep Yadav in his 10 overs, his most expensive figures in ODIs. His previous most expensive figures were 75 against Australia in Indore in 2017.

India spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been named Tamil Nadu captain for the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, beginning November 26. Narayan Jagadeesan will be the vice-captain.Varun played a handy role in India’s recent T20I series win in Australia, taking five wickets across three completed matches. This will be his first captaincy stint at any level. He replaced M Shahrukh Khan in the role and was appointed ahead of R Sai Kishore and Jagadeesan, both of whom have prior captaincy experience.India left-arm seamer T Natarajan is also part of the squad, as is his fellow left-arm seamer Gurjapneet Singh. Two more left-armers, Sai Kishore and M Siddharth, will lead the spin attack.Tamil Nadu are having a modest run in the ongoing Ranji Trophy and are placed sixth in their group after two losses and two draws in four games.In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, they are in Elite Group D alongside Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Tripura, Jharkhand and Saurashtra. They will open their campaign against Rajasthan in Ahmedabad.

Tamil Nadu squad

Varun Chakravarthy (capt), Narayan Jagadeesan (vice-capt, wk), Tushar Raheja (wk), VP Amit Sathvik, M Shahrukh Khan, Andre Siddarth, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Shivam Singh, R Sai Kishore, M Siddharth, T Natarajan, Gurjapneet Singh, A Esakkimuthu, R Sonu Yadav, R Silambarasan, S Rithik Easwaran (wk)

MatériaMais Notícias

A FPF (Federação Paulista de Futebol) detalhou, neste sábado (13), a tabela da fase de grupos da Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior (Copinha) 2026, principal torneio de base do futebol brasileiro.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasJoias da base: FPF apresenta caminho do Palmeiras na CopinhaPalmeiras13/12/2025

+ Melhores momentos: zagueiros decidem, Flamengo vence o Pyramids e enfrenta o PSG na final do Mundial

Ao todo, 128 equipes foram divididas em 32 grupos de quatro times, espalhados por todo o estado. Os jogos começam no dia 2 de janeiro, e a grande decisão está marcada para o dia 25, data do aniversário de São Paulo, no Pacaembu.

O Corinthians segue como o maior vencedor da competição, com 11 títulos conquistados. O último clube a levantar a taça, por sua vez, foi o São Paulo, que venceu justamente o alvinegro na decisão, por 3 a 2.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Confira os grupos da Copinha

Grupo 1
Santa Fé-SP x Alagoinhas-BA – 3 de janeiro, 13h
Chapecoense x Volta Redonda – 3 de janeiro, 15h15
Santa Fé-SP x Volta Redonda – 6 de janeiro, 13h
Alagoinhas-BA x Chapecoense – 6 de janeiro, 15h15
Volta Redonda x Alagoinhas-BA – 9 de janeiro, 13h
Santa Fé-SP x Chapecoense – 9 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Santa Fé do Sul

Gupo 2
Votuporanguense x Galvez-AC – 2 de janeiro, 15h45
Grêmio x Falcon-SE – 2 de janeiro, 18h
Galvez-AC x Grêmio – 5 de janeiro, 16h
Votuporanguense x Falcon-SE – 5 de janeiro, 18h15
Falcon-SE x Galvez-AC – 8 de janeiro, 19h15
Votuporanguense x Grêmio – 8 de janeiro, 21h30

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Sede: Votuporanga

Grupo 3
Tanabi x Sobradinho-DF – 3 de janeiro, 13h
Goiás x América-RN – 3 de janeiro, 15h15
Tanabi x América-RN – 6 de janeiro, 13h
Sobradinho-DF x Goiás – 6 de janeiro, 15h15
América-RN x Sobradinho-DF – 9 de janeiro, 13h
Tanabi x Goiás – 9 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Tanabi

Grupo 4
Mirassol x Forte-ES – 2 de janeiro, 16h15
Sport x Linense – 2 de janeiro, 18h30
Mirassol x Linense – 5 de janeiro, 18h30
Forte-ES x Sport – 5 de janeiro, 20h45
Linense x Forte-ES – 8 de janeiro, 18h15
Mirassol x Sport – 8 de janeiro, 20h30

Sede: Bálsamo

Grupo 5
Araçatuba x Maricá-RJ – 3 de janeiro, 19h15
Athletico-PR x Oeste – 3 de janeiro, 21h30
Araçatuba x Oeste – 6 de janeiro, 18h45
Maricá-RJ x Athletico-PR – 6 de janeiro, 21h
Oeste x Maricá-RJ – 9 de janeiro, 18h45
Araçatuba x Athletico-PR – 9 de janeiro, 21h

Sede: Araçatuba

Grupo 6
Grêmio Prudente x Carajás-PA – 3 de janeiro, 17h15
Ceará x Olímpico-SE – 3 de janeiro, 19h30
Grêmio Prudente x Olímpico-SE – 6 de janeiro, 19h15
Carajás-PA x Ceará – 6 de janeiro, 21h30
Olímpico-SE x Carajás-PA – 9 de janeiro, 16h45
Grêmio Prudente x Ceará – 9 de janeiro, 19h

Sede: Presidente Prudente

Grupo 7
Assisense x Naviraiense-MS – 3 de janeiro, 18h45
Athletic-MG x Guarani – 3 de janeiro, 21h
Assisense x Guarani – 6 de janeiro, 18h45
Naviraiense-MS x Athletic-MG – 6 de janeiro, 21h
Guarani x Naviraiense-MS – 9 de janeiro, 18h45
Assisense x Athletic-MG – 9 de janeiro, 21h

Sede: Assis

Grupo 8
Corinthians x Trindade-GO – 3 de janeiro, 14h45
XV de Jaú x Luverdense – 3 de janeiro, 17h
XV de Jaú x Trindade-GO – 6 de janeiro, 17h15
Luverdense x Corinthians – 6 de janeiro, 19h30
Trindade-GO x Luverdense – 9 de janeiro, 16h
XV de Jaú x Corinthians – 9 de janeiro, 18h15

Sede: Jaú

Grupo 9
América-SP x CSA – 3 de janeiro, 8h45
Bahia x Inter de Limeira – 3 de janeiro, 11h
América-SP x Inter de Limeira – 6 de janeiro, 8h45
CSA x Bahia – 6 de janeiro, 11h
Inter de Limeira x CSA – 9 de janeiro, 8h45
América-SP x Bahia – 9 de janeiro, 11h

Sede: São José do Rio Preto

Grupo 10
Comercial x Atlético-PI – 3 de janeiro, 18h
América-MG x Noroeste – 3 de janeiro, 20h15
Comercial x Noroeste – 6 de janeiro, 18h
Atlético-PI x América-MG – 6 de janeiro, 20h15
Noroeste x Atlético-PI – 9 de janeiro, 18h
Comercial x América-MG – 9 de janeiro, 20h15

Sede: Ribeirão Preto

Grupo 11
Bandeirante-SP x Tuna Luso – 3 de janeiro, 13h
Santa Cruz x Botafogo-SP – 3 de janeiro, 15h15
Bandeirante-SP x Botafogo-SP – 6 de janeiro, 13h
Tuna Luso x Santa Cruz – 6 de janeiro, 15h15
Botafogo-SP x Tuna Luso – 9 de janeiro, 13h
Bandeirante-SP x Santa Cruz – 9 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Brodowski

Grupo 12
I9-SP x Guanabara-GO – 3 de janeiro, 17h15
Vasco x Velo Clube – 3 de janeiro, 19h30
Guanabara-GO x Vasco – 6 de janeiro, 15h
I9-SP x Velo Clube – 6 de janeiro, 17h15
Velo Clube x Guanabara-GO – 9 de janeiro, 17h15
I9-SP x Vasco – 9 de janeiro, 19h30

Sede: Cravinhos

Grupo 13
Francana x Esporte de Patos – 3 de janeiro, 19h15
Cruzeiro x Barra-SC – 3 de janeiro, 21h30
Francana x Barra-SC – 6 de janeiro, 18h15
Esporte de Patos x Cruzeiro – 6 de janeiro, 20h30
Barra-SC x Esporte de Patos – 9 de janeiro, 19h15
Francana x Cruzeiro – 9 de janeiro, 21h30

Sede: Franca

Grupo 14
Meia-Noite x Real-RR – 2 de janeiro, 8h45
Coritiba x Ponte Preta – 2 de janeiro, 11h
Meia-Noite x Ponte Preta – 5 de janeiro, 13h
Real-RR x Coritiba – 5 de janeiro, 15h15
Ponte Preta x Real-RR – 8 de janeiro, 13h
Meia-Noite x Coritiba – 8 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Patrocínio Paulista

Grupo 15
Ferroviária x Quixadá-CE – 4 de janeiro, 14h
Cuiabá x América-RJ – 4 de janeiro, 16h15
Ferroviária x América-RJ – 7 de janeiro, 14h
Quixadá-CE x Cuiabá – 7 de janeiro, 16h15
Ferroviária x Cuiabá – 10 de janeiro, 15h
América-RJ x Quixadá-CE – 10 de janeiro, 17h15

Sede: Araraquara

Grupo 16
São-Carlense x União Cacoalense-RO – 4 de janeiro, 17h15
Santos x Real Brasília-DF – 4 de janeiro, 19h30
São-Carlense x Real Brasília-DF – 7 de janeiro, 17h15
União Cacoalense-RO x Santos – 7 de janeiro, 19h30
Real Brasília-DF x União Cacoalense-RO – 10 de janeiro, 8h45
São-Carlense x Santos – 10 de janeiro, 11h

Sede: São Carlos

Grupo 17
Cosmopolitano Sports x São Luis-MA – 4 de janeiro, 13h
Figueirense x Red Bull Bragantino – 4 de janeiro, 15h15
Cosmopolitano Sports x Red Bull Bragantino – 7 de janeiro, 13h
São Luis-MA x Figueirense – 7 de janeiro, 15h15
Red Bull Bragantino x São Luis-MA – 10 de janeiro, 13h
Cosmopolitano Sports x Figueirense – 10 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Cosmópolis

Grupo 18
Comercial Tietê x Canaã-DF – 4 de janeiro, 13h
Criciúma x XV de Piracicaba – 4 de janeiro, 15h15
Comercial Tietê x XV de Piracicaba – 7 de janeiro, 13h
Canaã-DF x Criciúma – 7 de janeiro, 15h15
XV de Piracicaba x Canaã-DF – 10 de janeiro, 13h
Comercial Tietê x Criciúma – 10 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Tietê

Grupo 19
Real Soccer-SP x Independente-AP – 4 de janeiro, 8h45
São Paulo x Maruinense-SE – 4 de janeiro, 11h
Independente-AP x São Paulo – 7 de janeiro, 15h
Real Soccer-SP x Maruinense-SE – 7 de janeiro, 17h15
Maruinense-SE x Independente-AP – 10 de janeiro, 16h15
Real Soccer-SP x São Paulo – 10 de janeiro, 18h30

Sede: Sorocaba

Grupo 20
Paulínia x Operário-PR – 4 de janeiro, 13h
Vila Nova x Portuguesa – 4 de janeiro, 15h15
Paulínia x Portuguesa – 7 de janeiro, 13h
Operário-PR x Vila Nova – 7 de janeiro, 15h15
Portuguesa x Operário-PR – 10 de janeiro, 13h
Paulínia x Vila Nova – 10 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Paulínia

Grupo 21
Atlético Guaratinguetá x Nacional-AM – 4 de janeiro, 13h
Juventude x São José-SP – 4 de janeiro, 15h15
Atlético Guaratinguetá x São José-SP – 7 de janeiro, 13h
Nacional-AM x Juventude – 7 de janeiro, 15h15
São José-SP x Nacional-AM – 10 de janeiro, 13h
Atlético Guaratinguetá x Juventude – 10 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Guaratinguetá

Grupo 22
Taubaté x Estrela de Março-BA – 4 de janeiro, 8h45
Botafogo x Águia de Marabá-PA – 4 de janeiro, 11h
Taubaté x Águia de Marabá-PA – 7 de janeiro, 19h15
Estrela de Março-BA x Botafogo – 7 de janeiro, 21h30
Águia de Marabá-PA x Estrela de Março-BA – 10 de janeiro, 16h45
Taubaté x Botafogo – 10 de janeiro, 19h

Sede: Taubaté

Grupo 23
Fortaleza x Centro Olímpico-SP – 4 de janeiro, 13h
União Mogi-SP x Confiança-PB – 4 de janeiro, 15h15
União Mogi-SP x Centro Olímpico-SP – 7 de janeiro, 13h
Confiança-PB x Fortaleza – 7 de janeiro, 15h15
Centro Olímpico-SP x Confiança-PB – 10 de janeiro, 13h
União Mogi-SP x Fortaleza – 10 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Mogi das Cruzes

Grupo 24
Itaquaquecetuba x Juventude Samas-MA – 4 de janeiro, 13h
Náutico x Novorizontino – 4 de janeiro, 15h15
Itaquaquecetuba x Novorizontino – 7 de janeiro, 13h
Juventude Samas-MA x Náutico – 7 de janeiro, 15h15
Novorizontino x Juventude Samas-MA – 10 de janeiro, 13h
Itaquaquecetuba x Náutico – 10 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Itaquaquecetuba

Grupo 25
Sfera x Brasiliense – 5 de janeiro, 19h15
Fluminense x Água Santa – 5 de janeiro, 21h30
Brasiliense x Fluminense – 8 de janeiro, 16h30
Sfera x Água Santa – 8 de janeiro, 16h45
Água Santa x Brasiliense – 11 de janeiro, 8h45
Sfera x Fluminense – 11 de janeiro, 11h

Sede: Santana do Parnaíba

Grupo 26
Referência-SP x Ivinhema-MS – 4 de janeiro, 13h
Real-RS x Ituano – 4 de janeiro, 15h15
Referência-SP x Ituano – 7 de janeiro, 13h
Ivinhema-MS x Real-RS – 7 de janeiro, 15h15
Ituano x Ivinhema-MS – 10 de janeiro, 13h
Referência-SP x Real-RS – 10 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Embu das Artes

Grupo 27
Remo x Batalhão-TO – 5 de janeiro, 17h15
Palmeiras x Monte Roraima-RR – 5 de janeiro, 19h30
Monte Roraima-RR x Remo – 8 de janeiro, 17h15
Palmeiras x Batalhão-TO – 8 de janeiro, 19h30
Batalhão-TO x Monte Roraima-RR – 11 de janeiro, 8h45
Palmeiras x Remo – 11 de janeiro, 11h

Sede: Barueri

Grupo 28
Flamengo-SP x Rio Branco-ES – 3 de janeiro, 13h
Vitória x Capivariano – 3 de janeiro, 15h15
Flamengo-SP x Capivariano – 6 de janeiro, 12h45
Rio Branco-ES x Vitória – 6 de janeiro, 15h
Capivariano x Rio Branco-ES – 9 de janeiro, 13h
Flamengo-SP x Vitória – 9 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: Guarulhos

Grupo 29
Audax-SP x QFC-RN – 4 de janeiro, 19h15
Atlético-MG x União-MT – 4 de janeiro, 21h30
Audax-SP x União-MT – 7 de janeiro, 18h45
QFC-RN x Atlético-MG – 7 de janeiro, 21h
União-MT x QFC-RN – 10 de janeiro, 18h45
Audax-SP x Atlético-MG – 10 de janeiro, 21h

Sede: Osascos

Grupo 30
Ibrachina-SP x Ferroviário-CE – 4 de janeiro, 13h
Bangu x Santo André – 4 de janeiro, 15h15
Ibrachina-SP x Santo André – 7 de janeiro, 13h
Ferroviário-CE x Bangu – 7 de janeiro, 15h15
Santo André x Ferroviário-CE – 10 de janeiro, 13h
Ibrachina-SP x Bangu – 10 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: São Paulo (Ibrachina)

Grupo 31
Juventus-SP x Cascavel-PR – 3 de janeiro, 13h
Retrô-PE x São Bento – 3 de janeiro, 15h15
Juventus-SP x São Bento – 6 de janeiro, 13h
Cascavel-PR x Retrô-PE – 6 de janeiro, 15h15
São Bento x Cascavel-PR – 9 de janeiro, 13h
Juventus-SP x Retrô-PE – 9 de janeiro, 15h15

Sede: São Paulo (Juventus)

Grupo 32
Nacional x CSE-AL – 4 de janeiro, 12h45
Internacional x Portuguesa Santista – 4 de janeiro, 15h
Nacional x Portuguesa Santista – 7 de janeiro, 8h45
CSE-AL x Internacional – 7 de janeiro, 11h
Portuguesa Santista x CSE-AL – 10 de janeiro, 8h45
Nacional x Internacional – 10 de janeiro, 11h

Sede: São Paulo (Nacional)

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