يستعد فريق لوهافر لخوض مباراة اليوم ضد خصمه لانس، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الفرنسي لكرة القدم، موسم 2024/25.

تأتي تلك المباراة في إطار منافسات الجولة الرابعة والعشرين من الدوري الفرنسي لهذا الموسم.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | أمام أنظار عبد المنعم وبمشاركة كوكا.. نيس يفوز بثلاثية على لوهافر في الدوري الفرنسي

ويحتل لوهافر المركز السابع عشر في جدول الدوري الفرنسي برصيد 17 نقطة، في حين أن لانس لديه 33 نقطة في المركز الثامن.

وحسبما نُشر، يتواجد المحترف المصري أحمد حسن كوكا في التشكيل الأساسي لفريق لوهافر.

وانضم كوكا إلى لوهافر قادمًا من ريو آفي، في يناير الماضي، حيث شارك في 6 مباريات بقميص الفريق الفرنسي وسجل هدفًا. تشكيل لوهافر أمام لانس في الدوري الفرنسي

حراسة المرمى: جورجلين.

خط الدفاع: لويك نيجو، كينكوي، جوتيير لوريس، فودي توريه.

خط الوسط: عبد الله توريه.

خط الوسط الهجومي: كازيمير، دياوارا، عيسى سوماري، أيو.

خط الهجوم: كوكا.

PCB unhappy with information not shared, says it leaves door open for any tour cancellation without evidence provided

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2021New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said “there was no way” the New Zealand team could have stayed on in Pakistan given the security advice they had received. NZC had made the decision to abandon the tour of Pakistan – which comprised three ODIs and five T20Is – minutes before the first match on Friday in Rawalpindi citing security concerns.New Zealand’s touring party have now reached Dubai, after leaving Islamabad on a charter flight on Saturday. The contingent of 34 players and support staff will undergo a 24-hour period of self-isolation in their Dubai hotel. Of this group, 24 will return to New Zealand over the next week, as flights and Managed Isolation Quarantine rooms in New Zealand become available. The rest of the touring party will remain in the UAE and link up with New Zealand’s T20 World Cup squad, ahead of that tournament which is set to begin on October 17.”We appreciate this has been a terribly difficult time for the PCB and wish to pass on our sincere thanks to chief executive Wasim Khan and his team for their professionalism and care,” White said in a statement.Related

New Zealand to tour Pakistan twice in 2022-23 to make up for postponed series

Ramiz Raja hints at women's PSL for Pakistan in the near-future

'We certainly believe they should be coming' – PCB CEO Wasim Khan on England's tours of Pakistan

Ramiz Raja to the fans: 'Stand behind Pakistan cricket'

PCB in 'shock and disbelief' after NZ cancel tour

“What I can say is that we were advised this was a specific and credible threat against the team. We had several conversations with New Zealand government officials before making the decision and it was after informing the PCB of our position that we understand a telephone discussion was conducted between the respective Prime Ministers. Unfortunately, given the advice we’d received, there was no way we could stay in the country.”NZC said in a statement that while the general tenor of the threat was immediately shared with the PCB, White reiterated that specific details could not, and will not, be disclosed – privately or publicly. White said that while New Zealand were initially comfortable with the decision to play in Pakistan – their first tour of the country in 18 years – based on comprehensive assessments of the security situation, “everything changed on Friday”.”We went through security checks and we were ensured of the high level of security that was to be provided,” he said. “And also of the opinion of the number of teams that have toured here recently – South Africa a few months ago, West Indies, Zimbabwe.. so we made the decision to tour there. On Friday it all changed.”The advice changed, the threat level changed and, as a consequence, we took the only responsible course of action possible. I’m comfortable with the decision we made.”The PCB remains unhappy at the lack of information that was shared with them – White said the nature of the threat will not be disclosed – with one official saying that opened the door to any side pulling out of any tour without ever having to provide a credible explanation.The stumps are being removed after New Zealand called off the tour of Pakistan•AFP/Getty ImagesIt intends to open up discussions with NZC about the financial fallout from the abandonment, including costs of security, accommodation, travel arrangements, and TV and broadcasting schedules. At his press conference, White said NZC would have discussions about playing the three ODIs and five T20Is at a future date, saying it was too early to talk about where they might be played. The PCB, however, will likely insist on a more unilateral approach as to the location of those games, and when they happen.White said that the relationship between the boards will be worked through over the next few weeks. “For many years we’ve had a close relationship with Pakistan cricket,” White said. “We’ll work through this over the next few weeks and months. They’re a passionate cricketing nation and I understand that. But on the advice we’ve received from the government that we had a specific credible threat to the safety of the team. The safety was paramount. We had no choice but to abandon the tour.”ESPNcricinfo had earlier reported that the decision had led to mounting frustration within the Pakistan board, as well as fears of how it could impact their calendar this season and beyond. In the heat of the moment, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja even tweeted that New Zealand will hear from the PCB at the ICC. The abandonment of the tour had also led to widespread anger among fans in Pakistan.It has plunged a busy Pakistan schedule into doubt and disarray, with the England men and women’s tours scheduled next month the most pressing concern. The ECB did say on Friday that a decision would be announced in 24 to 48 hours. The PCB are, in the meantime, in contact with the ECB to reassure them of the safety arrangements in place for what would be the country’s first tour to Pakistan since 2005-06.Next year in February-March, Australia are due to tour for the first time in over 20 years, but the status of that, even at this early distance, looks shaky. New Zealand women are scheduled to visit this season and the men’s side are also supposed to visit again in 2022-23, for a series of Tests and ODIs.

Former scout Mick Brown believes Newcastle United are working to replace a “unique” St James’ Park hero in the January transfer window.

Newcastle transfer news

In an exciting recent report, the Magpies have been backed to seal the signings of Wout Faes and Nikola Milenkovic, who are at Leicester City and Nottingham Forest respectively. The pair could cost a combined £75m and are seen as potential younger upgrades on Fabian Schar and Dan Burn, who are now both in their 30s and out of contract at the end of this season.

Another centre-back who has been mentioned as a possible target for Newcastle is Fikayo Tomori, with the Englishman still at AC Milan after moving to Italy on a permanent basis from Chelsea back in 2021. One way or the other, it is clear Newcastlw are keen to bring down the average age of their defensive core.

At the other end of the pitch, Botafogo forward Igor Jesus has been linked with a move to the Magpies, but Premier League rivals Arsenal are providing stiff competition for his services.

Newcastle want to sell "unique" ace in January

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown claimed that Newcastle will look to accept offers for Miguel Almiron in January, having fallen out of favour under Eddie Howe, and they will put any funds earned towards finding a replacement.

“Yes, that’s one I’ve heard they’re looking to do and get a deal done. He doesn’t feature regularly in their team any more, under Eddie Howe. He was always a bit of a bright space and he looks electric at times but he’s not consistent or efficient enough to play regularly at the top level.

“Now they’ve made the decision to move him on. They’ve got people already that can cover for him, but any fee they do get for him will likely be reinvested in that position. That right-hand side is certainly a concern of theirs and they’ll look to bring in money from Almiron’s sale to avoid those financial regulations. Letting Almiron leave will free up that money to spend in January.”

January does feel like a natural time for Almiron’s Newcastle career to reach its conclusion, with the £60,000-a-week Paraguayan increasingly having to settle for a squad role as the years have passed. Just 30 minutes of action have come his way in the league, spanning three cameo appearances, with his only two starts coming in the EFL Cup when Howe decided to shuffle his pack.

Almiron has been a good servant for Newcastle overall – his manager has described him as a “unique footballer”, adding that “I don’t think there’s anyone better at doing what he does” – but he can be improved upon now, certainly in terms of end product, with 12 assists in 214 appearances disappointing for a wide attacker.

Newcastle wasted £29m on Toon flop who earned more than Gordon

Newcastle United wasted a lot of money on this dud.

1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 14, 2024

For that reason, accepting offers in January makes complete sense, not only getting the 30-year-old off Newcastle’s wage bill and freeing up money for incoming signings, but also allowing him to enjoy more regular playing time at a new club.

The club of an “outstanding” player has now decided to allow their £80m+ player to leave in the January transfer window, acting as a boost to Newcastle United.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies and PIF have been linked with plenty of players of late, with Eddie Howe and Paul Mitchell possibly liking the idea of strengthening his squad midway through the Premier League season.

Manchester United winger Antony is one player who has emerged as an option for Newcastle, with an upgrade on Miguel Almiron being looked at moving forward. The Red Devils ace hasn’t managed to be a key starter this season, with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo often preferred in wide attacking areas.

AC Milan central defender Fikayo Tomori has also been backed to seal a move to St James’ Park, with a potential return to the Premier League on the cards for the former Chelsea man. Howe needs added depth at centre-back, so it could prove to be a match made in heaven.

Antoine Semenyo has also been linked with joining Newcastle, which could cause controversy because of his Sunderland past, with the 24-year-old now plying his trade at Bournemouth, scoring three goals in the league so far this season.

Newcastle boosted in pursuit of £80m+ ace

According to Caught Offside, Newcastle have now been boosted in their efforts to sign Antony in January, with Man Utd happy to see him move on at that point, giving PIF the green light. The Red Devils have “decided” to offload the Brazilian, not seeing him as a key part of their plans, having cost £82m from Ajax back in the summer of 2022.

The Magpies, Crystal Palace and the Dutch giants are all believed to be “eyeing up a mid-season deal” for the 24-year-old, who could jump at the opportunity to enjoy a new challenge after falling out of favour.

Antony would be an intriguing signing by Newcastle, with United manager Erik ten Hag hailing his defensive ability as a winger in the past, saying: “His attitude was outstanding defensively. With Garnacho they doubled up. Every man has to put a shift in, and them two today were outstanding.”

The United ace clearly has bags of natural ability, possessing a lovely left foot and the ability to produce spectacular pieces of skill – winning 16 caps for Brazil is also no mean feat – but there would also be some Magpies supporters who may be concerned about his lack of consistency in his right-sided role.

While Antony can be an aesthetically pleasing player to watch, a lack of substance has been aimed at him, with the South American never coming close to matching similar players in his position in the Premier League, such as Mohamed Salah, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden.

Antony’s club career stats

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Man Utd

86

12

5

Ajax

82

24

22

Sao Paulo

52

6

6

Just 12 goals in 86 appearances for United is a poor tally, with only five coming in the league, but if Howe feels he can improve that aspect of his game, Newcastle could have a top-quality signing on their hands. He may also cost far less than the huge money the Red Devils paid for him, which could be worth the risk.

Borussia Dortmund have reportedly held a 'secret meeting' with ex-Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick over their vacant head coach post.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Dortmund held a meeting with Rangnick
• Want the German coach to join immediately
• Kovac also on their radar

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• GOAL/Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since parting ways with Nuri Sahin last week, Dortmund have been actively hunting for their next permanent manager. They were initially strongly linked with ex-Manchester United bosses Louis van Gaal and Erik ten Hag, but the Dutchmen have ruled out the possibility of joining the German side.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After failing in their pursuit of Ten Hag and Van Gaal, the Bundesliga giants have now turned to another ex-Red Devils head coach. According to Sky Sports' , Dortmund executives Hans-Joachim Watzke and Lars Ricken held a 'secret meeting' with Rangnick in Austria. Dortmund want the German to replace Sahin immediately, but could wait for him until the summer. The 66-year-old still has a valid contract with the Austrian national team until the end of 2025 and is leaning towards rejecting Dortmund, the report added.

• getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Dortmund are also interested in ex-Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac. However, Kovac would ideally only commit to a six-month deal with an option to extend by one or two years.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR DORTMUND?

  Dortmund will be back in action in the Champions League on Wednesday as they take on Shakhtar Donetsk at home, with Mike Tullberg handling first-team affairs on an interim basis.

Imran Khan took four wickets while Sahbizada Farhan scored 73 to take KP top of the table

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2021

Sarfaraz Ahmed rolls out a sweep•PSL

A consolidated effort from bowlers, followed by contributions from Sharjeel Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Anwar Ali with the bat, helped Sindh beat Northern by four wickets.Batting first, Northern got off to a decent start putting in 27 in 3.3 overs before opener Umar Amin was dismissed, following which wickets started falling in regular intervals. The scoring rate went down, as no batter scored more than Mohammad Nawaz, who made a 30 off 34. Imad Wasim (18 off 13) and Haris Rauf (19 off 9) helped pushed the score further but Northern could only post a modest 136. Shahnawaz Dahani (3 for 26), Mohammad Hasnain (2 for 40) and Zahid Mahmood (2 for 25) were the pick of the bowlers for Sindh.Sindh were off to a strong start in the chase with Sharjeel Khan hammering 23 in the first two overs. But three quick wickets in space of nine balls meant Sindh had to take the conservative route, as Sarfaraz and Anwar batted with caution to take them to a win. Anwar hit three fours and one six in his 31 off 23 balls before falling to Haris in the 19th over with the scores level following which Sarfaraz hit the winning runs.File photo: Mohammad Rizwan taps one away•PCB

A comprehensive all-round performance from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) saw them ease past Southern Punjab (SP) by seven wickets. KP found both their bowlers and batters on song in a comfortable win that takes them top of the table.Mohammad Rizwan had opted to field first, and with arguably the best bowling attack in the league, it was easy to see why he felt confident. Imran Khan and Mohammad Wasim found themselves among the wickets early to stifle SP up front, and while Mohammad Imran tried to hold the innings together, wickets continued to fall at the other end. Shaheen Afridi, who had gone wicketless in his first spell, returned to remove the dangerous Khushdil as well as the stubborn Mohammad Imran, and aside from a breezy 14-ball 25 from Hassan Khan, there was limited resistance from the lower order as SP folded for 152.Naseem Shah gave SP some hope by getting rid of Fakhar Zaman early but, thereafter, KP assumed control. Rizwan’s breathtaking 2021 continued with another commanding, assured anchoring role in the chase, while Sahibzada Farhan took on a more pugnacious role at the other end. The duo kept SP at bay for the best part of the innings in a sensational 136-run second-wicket partnership, and by the time both fell off consecutive deliveries either side of the 17th-over mark, the game was all but done. Adil Amin and Iftikhar Ahmed knocked off the remaining runs to keep SP winless after two games.

Premier League clubs are keeping a close eye one Southampton’s up-and-coming star Tyler Dibling, according to a new report.

The Saints have endured a very difficult start to life back in the top flight, as they are winless in seven games, picking up just one point. That is form that has put manager Russell Martin under considerable pressure this early into the campaign.

Martin gutted: Concerning new injury update on "fantastic" Southampton ace

This could be a big blow.

ByHenry Jackson Oct 6, 2024 Southampton news and updates

It was reported last week that Southampton’s majority owner, Dragan Solak, is considering the position of Martin. Solak has “major ambition” for the Saints to cement themselves in the Premier League, but according to this report, he has been left “reeling” from their start to the campaign.

Sporting director Rasmus Ankersen is also said to be under pressure, but it is Martin who is the bigger risk, as the Saints lost once again against Arsenal over the weekend, meaning his job is at risk in this international break.

It gets even worse for Southampton, as Martin’s confirmed that striker Ross Stewart has a muscle injury and requires a scan to see the severity of the situation. The Scotland international has struggled with injuries in recent years, playing just nine times for the Saints in a season and a bit at the club.

While the current focus around Southampton is on Martin, there is more bad news for supporters as one of their star talents is being tracked by top English teams, given his recent performances.

Report now shares worrying new Southampton update on Tyler Dibling

According to Football Insider, Southampton’s Dibling has caught the attention of some of England’s top clubs due to his performances this season. The 18-year-old came through the academy at St. Mary’s before leaving to join Chelsea in 2022, but he returned not long later and is now excelling in the first team.

Dibling made his first team debut last season, but this season he has really progressed, making his Premier League debut against Newcastle United back in August. He has played in all seven league games in this campaign, where he has scored once, and that came in the 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town in September.

The young star has the ability to play out wide as well as a centre-forward, and it appears that his performances have now caught the eye of some of England’s biggest teams. The report states that multiple Premier League clubs are plotting a potential move for the 18-year-old should Martin’s side be relegated back to the Championship this season in what is a worrying update.

Apps

14

Goals

1

Assists

2

It goes on to add that the top clubs from England have sent scouts to watch Dibling play on several occasions after producing some impressive displays. Dibling is under contract until 2027, but Southampton may have to tie the player down to new terms if they are going to secure his long-term future. These top clubs are eyeing a move for the player now before his value goes even higher due to his performances.

Big picture

The perennial bridesmaids meet 2017’s losing finalists. The Guyana Amazon Warriors have been the nearly team throughout the history of the CPL, advancing to the final five times but never claiming the title. The St Kitts & Nevis Patriots finished runner-up four years ago, coincidentally during Chris Gayle’s first rodeo with this year’s host franchise, and he is now back trying to turn a silver medal into gold.The first half of this campaign saw these teams in far different situations to the ones they enter the playoffs in. The Patriots shot like a cannon out of the gates, winning their first five matches behind the sizzling form of Sherfane Rutherford, who scored three fifties in that stretch. But as Rutherford’s bat has cooled down, so have the Patriots as a whole, winning just one of their last five league games.The Amazon Warriors, meanwhile, only won two of their first five – needing a Super Over to get over the line in one of them – but have since won four out of five with different heroes stepping up on each occasion. Whether it has been Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, or the captain Nicholas Pooran, the Warriors have been resilient thanks to a variety of match-winning performances. The Warriors come into this match with all the momentum but if the Patriots can rekindle their early-season form, it could be the formula for an exciting semi-final.

Form guide

Guyana Amazon Warriors WWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
St Kitts & Nevis Patriots LWLLL

In the spotlight

Romario Shepherd had 36 runs in the tournament entering the final match of round-robin play. There, he scored twice as many in incredible style, digging his side out of a hole at 75 for 7 while scoring at a strike rate better than 200, then took three wickets in the chase. He’s been the tournament’s joint-leading wicket-taker with 18, and has been especially valuable at the death.Evin Lewis helped the Patriots clinch a spot in the playoffs with an unbeaten 101 off 52 balls on the penultimate day of group play, but was missing in action a day later. He’s the tournament’s second-highest run-getter and is coming into good form heading into the T20 World Cup.

Team news

Fitness permitting, Lewis should be back in the Patriots XI for the semi-final clash. Joshua Da Silva’s half-century at the top of the order gives the selectors an interesting dilemma as to who should take the gloves, though. Another coin toss may happen between picking Sheldon Cottrell and leaving him out for an extra spinner in Jon-Russ Jaggesar.St Kitts & Nevis Patriots (possible): 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Devon Thomas, 4 Sherfane Rutherford, 5 Dwayne Bravo (capt), 6 Fabian Allen, 7 Joshua Da Silva (wk), 8 Dominic Drakes, 9, Jon-Russ Jaggesar, 10 Paul van Meekeren, 11 Fawad Ahmed.The Warriors’ winning combination over the final weekend looks difficult to break up as they try to make it to their sixth final. Though with Shoaib Malik out of form, a tough call may need to be made to keep faith in the long-time middle-order stalwart or look elsewhere for runs and middle-overs spin, potentially from Kevin Sinclair.Guyana Amazon Warriors (possible): 1 Brandon King, 2 Chandrapaul Hemraj, 3 Shimron Hetmyer, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Nicholas Pooran (capt), 6 Anthony Bramble (wk), 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Odean Smith, 9 Gudakesh Motie, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Imran Tahir.Gudakesh Motie has been a key performer with the ball for the Amazon Warriors•Getty Images

Pitch conditions

As the tournament has gone on, the wickets have continued to wear down and assist spin. But there have still been plenty of runs on offer thanks to the short boundaries. There were a few rain interruptions during the final weekend of play, but those came in the mid to late afternoon and were brief so a full match shouldn’t be difficult to get through.

Stats and trivia

• Captain Dwayne Bravo continues to extend his illustrious career record at the CPL. His eight wickets this season have extended his CPL mark to 114, 18 more than the next closest bowler Rayad Emrit.
• The Amazon Warriors have advanced to the tournament final on both previous occasions when the knockouts were staged in St Kitts. Both their preliminary final wins came against the Jamaica Tallawahs, before they lost to the Barbados Tridents (2014) and Tallawahs (2016) in the finals.

Quotes

“We need to go to the end and try and win the finals. We’ve been in the final five times and haven’t won it yet. We want to try to get the first.”
“To me TKR is the best team in the tournament so to get the result I’m very proud of the squad. Evin is the best in the world at the moment.”

Johan van Heerden on concerns raised by Eddie Leie over living conditions of younger academy players, all of whom were black

Firdose Moonda18-Oct-2021

Monday’s testimony was based on issues raised by Eddie Leie•Cricket South Africa

The Free State Cricket Union has admitted to providing sub-standard accommodation for academy players, all of whom were black, as recently as 2019, but denied any racial discrimination in the province’s cricketing structures. Speaking at the resumption of Cricket South Africa’s Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) hearings, Free State CEO Johan van Heerden expressed regret with the provisions his union made for up-and-coming players in their system but said the facilities in Bloemfontein remain exemplary for anyone hoping to further their cricketing career.van Heerden was the first responder after a ten-week recess, and will be followed by several others, of all whom will be answering to allegations of discrimination made in the first phase of the hearings between July 5 and August 6. van Heerden specifically addressed issues raised by two-time T20I cap Eddie Leie, who expressed concerns over the living conditions of younger academy players among other things.Leie’s affidavit, submitted to the SJN earlier in the year, contained images of the Mangaung Oval’s old gymnasium, which had been converted into a residence for academy players, at the request of the academy coach. Although not displayed on the SJN’s YouTube channel, the pictures showed basic accommodation which Sandile July – one of ombudsman Dumisa Ntsebeza’s assistants – described as “not even a star, never mind five”, and which van Heerden conceded the union was embarrassed about. “If you look at the photos and if you ask me if I would advertise accommodation like that, absolutely I wouldn’t,” van Heerden said.He explained that the accommodation was developed under former academy coach Dillon du Preez, who currently works with the South Africa women’s team, to assist young players who missed out on financial support via a bursary scheme. “He requested us to assist on a short-term basis players who could not get into the university. They were coming not from Bloemfontein, but most probably from Bethlehem and Kroonstad and places from where they would have travel in for the day and back,” van Heerden said.”When Dillon requested that, we used the old gym at the downstairs western pavilion and revamped it into accommodation. We developed it into three bedrooms with partitioning walls. It was fairly private but not five-star accommodation. It was not as permanent accommodation but solely for a short term.”Obviously the accommodation was not five-star, but they had TVs, they had brand-new beds, it was very neat at the time, when they moved in. Part of the arrangement was that they would have to upkeep it themselves, not upkeep but clean it, as it wouldn’t have been a serviced area. It’s not something I would pride ourselves on. After the kids moved out, we have never used that accommodation any further. Did we ever think it was the best solution? Most probably not. It was made into living accommodation – not that we want to pride ourselves on it.”Related

Former South Africa manager wants team to adopt 'a unified approach' on BLM movement

Dolphins CEO says Roger Telemachus passed over for coach role based on interview, feedback

Mark Boucher and the alternative history of South Africa's champion side

SJN Hearings: Boucher apologises for offensive songs, nicknames during playing days

SJN hearings: 'I have never wanted KG dropped from any team at any time,' says AB de Villiers

Asked if all of the players using the accommodation were black, van Heerden said: “I don’t think there was a white player in there.”In hindsight, van Heerden said it was “a mistake from Free State’s side… but it was never meant in a bad way. It was meant to see how we could get kids to the next level.”When pushed on whether he could understand Leie’s dismay at seeing young black players living in such conditions, van Heerden agreed that Leie had cause to be distressed, albeit that he lived in better accommodation. “If I was a player, I would have felt that way too,” van Heerden said. “Eddie didn’t live there. He had a flat that was rented by the franchise. It wasn’t at the stadium. He was a professional, earning quite a lot of money and he would have been able to pay for his accommodation.”Leie moved to the Free State from Gauteng and also claimed to be unhappy with the way his career went in Bloemfontein, where he hoped he would be able to push for a more permanent place in the national side. According to van Heerden, Bloemfontein remains a place where cricketers, and especially black cricketers, can advance themselves. “We’ve had so many black players coming through who enjoy it, and have improved their cricket to the extent that they can play for the national team. We have a team set-up that I believe is culturally the best in South Africa,” van Heerden said. “I believe that in Bloemfontein the social life is different to any other province or city so if you love to be at the sea, you are going to find it difficult but our facilities are fantastic. The nets are good. If your purpose is to come here and get yourself into the team, this is the place to make it happen.”van Heerden also emphasised that the team culture is healthy. “It’s a family team set-up. We don’t have the bright lights or the sea. It’s a small community, a family-orientated, small set-up with strong disciplines on the field and in fitness. It’s more difficult for younger kids to grow up in Bloemfontein than those in Durban or Johannesburg. There’s not many attractions, but the team will do things like have a together once a month. We are quite a happy family.”

Chelsea are now prepared to make a “significant” bid for one Barcelona star, with head coach Enzo Maresca looking to shore up one key area of his squad.

Chelsea and Barcelona's potential transfer dealings

In the last week, reports have claimed that Barca and Chelsea could be involved in a few transfer dealings – as we slowly approach the winter window.

Chelsea now think "fantastic" player is trying to leave behind their back

He’s got an array of suitors.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 23, 2024

Indeed, it is believed the La Liga heavyweights are very keen to strengthen their options in the middle of the park – leading to their interest in a trio of Chelsea players including Carney Chukwuemeka, Romeo Lavia and even Enzo Fernandez.

Journalist Simon Phillips wrote on his Substack that Barca have made contact with Chukwuemeka’s representatives ahead of January, with the 20-year-old up for sale. Barca are also keen on Lavia, but Chelsea and Maresca have adopted a very firm ‘not for sale’ stance – meaning they’re not interested in conducting any business with the Catalans over their promising young midfield ace.

Newcastle (home)

October 27

Man United (away)

November 3

Arsenal (home)

November 10

Leicester City (home)

November 23

Aston Villa (home)

December 1

Fernandez is on Barca’s radar as well, but there is little to report on that right now, other than them being admirers of the Argentine. In any case, a deal for Chukwuemeka to head to the Camp Nou looks like a real possibility.

While Hansi Flick’s side eye up a winter move for the ex-Aston Villa midfielder, Chelsea are in the market for centre-backs and could look to South American options to bolster Maresca’s defence.

“Chelsea will be looking to bring in a new centre back or two in the next couple of transfer windows,” wrote Phillips again earlier this month (via Substack).

“And there is a real possibility of seeing a new one arrive in the January window should an opportunity present itself.

“SPTC sources understand that Chelsea are doing a lot of shopping and scouting in the South American region this season, taking a look at a number of centre backs. Not only in that region though, but players who have come from that region.

“Chelsea scouts have been stationed in a number of South American countries already from last season, but there is a real focus in the Brazilian Serie A this season as they also keep a watchful eye on the progress of pending new Chelsea player Estevao Willian.”

Taking this into account, links to Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo could hold real weight.

Chelsea prepared to make a "significant" offer for Araujo

According to a Spanish media report, Chelsea are prepared to make a “significant” offer for Araujo, with the Uruguay international’s deal expiring in 2026 and no new contract signed as things stand.

Araujo is valued at around £83 million, but if he doesn’t pen fresh terms, Barca may have to come down considerably from this price tag in the next few windows. Man United are also believed to be monitoring his situation in Spain, and they’re willing to make a sizable bid as well.

Barcelona legend Carles Puyol certainly rates Araujo highly, saying of him last year: “He’s in extraordinary condition. I’ll stick with what they’ve told me, because I don’t know him personally, but he’s very professional, humble, he always gives his best in training and matches and that’s where his performance is.

“Right now, if he’s not the best central defender in the world, he’s among the top three. He’s young, he still has room for improvement and I think we have a very good central defender at Barcelona for many years to come.”