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Real Madrid's performance manager, Antonio Pintus, has detailed what makes Luka Modric a unique talent at 40. The coach explained that the AC Milan star's professionalism and dedication are key, but it's his 'different mentality' and relentless hunger for victory that truly separates him and fuels his remarkable longevity at the top level.

Pintus hails Modric

The beloved midfielder is still going strong despite his age, having joined Milan after a sensational 13-year period at Madrid in which he won six Champions League trophies and four La Liga titles. Pintus has explained the key factors behind Modric's remarkable longevity, stating that the Milan player's unique mentality is what separates him as a "great champion." In an interview with , Pintus, who worked with the Croatian for several years in Madrid, insisted he is not surprised by the 40-year-old's immediate impact in Serie A.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesPintus on Modric's 'rare' dedication

The highly-respected coach dismissed the idea of a single "secret" to Modric's enduring fitness, instead pointing to a combination of elite habits. Pintus detailed the midfielder's meticulous approach to his career, which formed the foundation of his success at the highest level.

"I don't think there's a real secret, but rather a combination of factors," Pintus explained. "Luka has an extraordinary level of professionalism: he takes great care of his training, nutrition, recovery, and above all, he has a mentality that pushes him to never settle. He's a rare example of sporting longevity, the result of daily dedication."

Getty Images Sport'The difference lies in mentality'

While acknowledging Modric's physical attributes, which were maintained through comprehensive training, Pintus believes the Croatian's mindset is his most powerful weapon. He identified Modric's hunger and work ethic as the true driving force behind his ability to compete at the top at 40 years of age.

"I agree," Pintus said when asked if mentality was the key. "The difference between a great champion and a champion often lies in mentality. Modric has a desire to work, a predisposition to fatigue, and a never-ending hunger for victory. These, even more than his physicality, are the driving force behind his longevity."

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Getty Images SportWhat next for the evergreen Modric?

Having played a staggering 63 matches for Real Madrid last season, Modric has shown no signs of slowing down since his move to AC Milan. The veteran has made a seamless transition to Italian football and is set to start his fourth consecutive Serie A game for the Rossoneri. With his fitness and desire unquestioned, Modric is expected to remain a central figure for Milan as they compete for domestic honours. Milan will travel away from home this Sunday for their Serie A fixture against Udinese. They stand fifth on the table with two wins and one loss this season so far.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may not be happy with Andrea Berta’s transfer talks to offload a “sensational talent”, with the Gunners believed to be locked in exit discussions after a meeting in the last 48 hours.

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Fresh off a solid start to their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 win over Man United at Old Trafford, Arteta could still see a host of deals conducted at the Emirates Stadium ahead of deadline day on September 1.

Unfortunately for the supporters who wanted to see Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze link up with Arteta, that dream appears to be on the verge of collapsing.

Tottenham have verbally agreed a deal for Eze after Arsenal’s reported hesitation to move for the England international, with the club apparently deciding not to move, partly due to their desire for Ethan Nwaneri to get more minutes this season (talkSPORT).

Meanwhile, it is now believed that winger Leandro Trossard is on the verge of signing a brand-new deal at Arsenal, following previous reports that Berta could move for another left-winger if the Belgian leaves.

Given he is set for a salary increase, but the actual length of his deal hasn’t changed, it is unclear exactly what Arsenal’s plans are for the long-term when it comes to bringing in an eventual replacement for the 30-year-old.

However, in the meantime, Arsenal’s focus could be purely focused on outgoing transfers.

Fabio Vieira, Karl Hein, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior have all been linked with moves away from N5 in the last few weeks.

Stuttgart remain in lengthy talks for Vieira, which now centre around the possibility of a loan deal that includes an obligation to buy for £17 million, dependent on certain conditions.

Zinchenko has attracted interest from Italy and Turkey, with some reports suggesting that the Ukraine international has already discussed a move to Fenerbache with José Mourinho (Sabah).

Arsenal in talks to offload with FC Porto to offload Jakub Kiwior

According to GiveMeSport, following a meeting on Monday with FC Porto, Arsenal are also locked in talks over letting Jakub Kiwior depart for the Primeira Liga on loan.

The Poland international deputised brilliantly for the injured Gabriel at the back end of 2024/2025, impressing with some solid performances, but Kiwior is firmly a squad player under Arteta.

GMS report that Porto are pushing to sign Kiwior on a temporary deal, including an obligation to buy for 2026, with the major obstacle in negotiations believed to be the 25-year-old’s wages.

Francesco Farioli’s side want Arsenal to cover the majority of his salary before agreeing a move. It is interesting to note that, given just how highly Arteta rates the player, the Spaniard may not be keen to lose a reliable member of his squad.

Kiwior has also been called a “sensational talent” during his time in N5, but Portugal could now be beckoning.

The U.S. will play the two South American sides, with Mauricio Pochettino continuing to schedule tricky opponents

USMNT set friendlies with Uruguay, Paraguay for NovemberWill be final games of the year for Maurico Pochettino's side Australia and Ecuador also lined up for October Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The USMNT will play friendlies against Uruguay and Paraguay in November as their pre-2026 World Cup fixtures ramp up, the federation announced Saturday.

Paraguay are up first, with the fixture set for Nov. 15 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Uruguay follow three days later in Tampa, Florida.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The U.S. historically, have fared well against Paraguay, holding a 4-2-2 record all-time against the South American side. Their most recent meeting was a 1-0 USMNT win in 2018.

Uruguay have been a far trickier opponent. The U.S. has a losing record to , most recently falling 1-0 in the 2024 Copa America group stage to seal an early exit from the competition. 

WHAT MAURICIO POCHETTINO SAID

The USMNT manager outlined his excitement at the prospect of playing against two highly-regarded teams.

"The matches against two strong South American opponents are a great opportunity for our players to be challenged against the types of teams we may see in the World Cup," he said. "As we continue to develop our group, we are looking forward to the amazing support of our fans as the excitement builds for next summer."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

The U.S. now have a series of friendlies lined up to conclude the calendar year. After taking on South Korea, they will face Japan, Australia and Ecuador – and then the two November matches – as Pochettino ramps up preparations for the 2026 World Cup, set to be held on home soil.

Newly-promoted Burnley have made an audacious approach to sign a Chelsea big-name this summer, with Enzo Maresca and BlueCo looking to trim their bloated squad before deadline day on September 1.

£80m Chelsea star tells agents to find him new club after becoming "unhappy"

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Their £87.5 million financial windfall from winning the Club World Cup, alongside their estimated £100 million raised through player sales already, has put Chelsea in very good stead when it comes to the PSR threshold – even with their £145m splash on Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro.

However, Chelsea do still have to sell, mainly because of their recent pact with UEFA.

“Last week they came to an agreement with UEFA that basically said that if they want to register new players for the Champions League next season, they have to make sure that their transfer spend this season is balanced out this summer by the players they sell as well,” said Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol earlier this month.

“So they’ve signed players like Liam Delap and Joao Pedro. That means they also have to sell players.”

Chelsea were fined around £26.7 million by UEFA for breaching their FFP laws, and they could be slapped with an additional £51.2 million penalty if they fail to comply again in the next four years.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

That being said, the threat of a reduced Champions League squad list is even more pressing, especially as Chelsea try to upgrade further with potential deals for both Ajax defender Jorrel Hato and RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons (BBC).

Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling, Renato Veiga, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu, Armando Broja, Tosin Adarabioyo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Nicolas Jackson, João Félix, Trevoh Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile and Alfie Gilchrist have all been named as Chelsea players who could leave this summer and make room for new additions.

Chelsea will be particularly keen to offload left-back Ben Chilwell, who’s on around £200,000-per-week, and journalist Simon Phillips has an update on this.

Ben Chilwell set to leave Chelsea with Burnley approach made

The left-back once captained Chelsea but has suffered from crippling injury problems in the last few seasons, with BlueCo looking to part company.

Chilwell was never in Maresca’s plans right from the off, and was omitted from the squad last summer with Raheem Sterling, later joining Crystal Palace on loan for the second half of 2024/2025, where he impressed in flashes.

Now, Phillips reports that Burnley have made an enquiry about signing Chilwell from Chelsea, but Scott Parker’s side may only want a loan as things stand.

“Ben Chilwell will leave Chelsea this summer after spending last season on loan with Crystal Palace, which is considered a successful spell for the former England left back who was signed for Chelsea by Frank Lampard,” wrote Phillips.

“Chelsea want to sell him permanently, but most recent enquiries that have come in lately have been for a loan move only.

“SPTC sources have heard Burnley have made an enquiry to Chelsea for Chilwell to understand any conditions of a deal to sign Chilwell this summer.

“We are unclear what kind of deal Burnley would offer, but sources expect it to be some sort of loan deal. The ball will then be in Chelsea and Chilwell’s court in terms of what deal they will accept.”

Former NZ batter had his life ban for corrupt activities revised in 2023

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Aug-2024

Lou Vincent scored three centuries in 102 ODIs•Getty Images

Lou Vincent, the former New Zealand international, received a special cap earlier this month to commemorate his 100th ODI, nearly 17 years since the milestone in 2007. Sir Richard Hadlee presented Vincent the cap in Auckland at a small ceremony attended by Vincent’s family and some former team-mates.”It was a lovely way to be acknowledged for my cricketing career, and to be able to use the night as an avenue to say thank you very, very much to people who’ve been by my side through the great times and the tricky times,” Vincent told The Post. “It was a really memorable, special night with some lovely words spoken.”Vincent, who finished with 2413 runs in 102 ODIs, also played 23 Tests and nine T20Is between 2001 and 2007. He then played in the now-defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL) and was on the domestic circuit until 2014, when he was banned for life by the ECB for corrupt activities on the county circuit.In December 2023, the ECB revised the punishment, allowing Vincent to return to working in domestic cricket.Related

Lou Vincent to address conference in Melbourne with 'powerful message to the next generation'

Vincent banned for life by ECB

Lou Vincent's life ban revised, allowing him to return to domestic cricket

“The past is the past,” Vincent said in Auckland. “It was powerful that I had such huge support for the application for the ban to be appealed and there was no opposition from the ECB, they fully respected the work I’d done behind the scenes over the last few years and using my experiences to help educate the next generation of players.”NZC chief executive Scott Weenink said the board had been sitting on Vincent’s commemorative cap “for probably 13 years.””The reality is, you can’t forget what he actually did and he would be the first to admit that, but he’s done his penance and no one has done more to fight match-fixing than he has by being so open and telling everything that he knew,” Weenink said. “When the opportunity came, it was really the least we could do to present him with his cap.”According to Vincent, Hadlee – the former chairman of selectors who had first picked him for New Zealand – was in tears while presenting the cap.”I was able to say to him ‘Richard, you are New Zealand Cricket, you are the best player we’ve ever had, you’ve achieved so much, and for you to take time out and fly to Auckland to want to present this cap to me is so, so humbling and a reflection of the great man you are,” Vincent said. “And he was in tears. Sir Richard Hadlee in tears!”Vincent’s 100th ODI appearance came in Cape Town in December 2007, where he scored 18 and also took his only ODI wicket by dismissing Jacques Kallis. Now 45, and slowly returning to cricket, Vincent recently turned out for Seddon Cricket Club and was involved in a five-day match to raise awareness on men’s mental health.”Life moves on, and my life has moved on now. I’ve been blessed with a little son, and I’ve got two daughters who are teenagers,” Vincent said. “To have the opportunity to start a family again and be settled in the far north and have the beach life – a simple life – this is all I’m focused on now.”

A positive update has now emerged regarding Newcastle United’s efforts to sign a “special” player in the summer transfer window.

Howe in charge of transfers at Newcastle

There has been a big change at St James’ Park since the end of the season, following the departure of Paul Mitchell as sporting director, with the 43-year-old releasing a statement upon his exit.

“I’d like to thank everyone at Newcastle United for their support over the last year. I’m leaving at a time that is right for me and the club, particularly with Darren Eales – someone who I have worked so closely with in my career – moving on soon. The club is in great hands on and off the pitch, and is in a fantastic position to continue building.”

It means that Eddie Howe now has far more control of Newcastle’s summer transfer business, amid rumours that the pair didn’t get along, not least last summer when both were reportedly dissatisfied with a lack of business.

It will be interesting to see if Howe flourishes with even more responsibility, bringing in the right players who can suit his style of play, and a new centre-back will surely be a priority. Now, a new report has emerged regarding a potential signing in that area of the pitch.

Newcastle planning approach for "special" defender

According to a new report from Caught Offside, Newcastle are planning an approach for Juventus centre-back Federico Gatti this summer, with the Italian valued at £29m.

Alongside Pedro: Howe readying move to sign £16m-a-year star for Newcastle

He desperately needs a fresh start.

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The 26-year-old’s future in Turin is described as “uncertain” and he also likes the idea of moving to the Premier League, acting as a boost for the Magpies.

As mentioned, Newcastle must strengthen their defence this summer, considering several of their current options are in their 30s, and Gatti stands out as a strong choice for them.

The Italy international has enjoyed an interesting journey, emerging as a late bloomer rather than standing out at academy level, with Eurofoot describing his career as being on a “special” path.

Gatti enjoyed an impressive 2024/25 season with Juve, including completing 95.2% of his passes in Serie A, highlighting the quality he has in possession, and he is at a perfect age to come straight in as a key man for Newcastle.

Appearances

30

Starts

26

Minutes played

2196

Pass completion rate

95.2%

Clearances per game

2.5

Aerial duel wins per game

1.2

Tackles per game

0.9

Goals

1

Assists

0

It may not be easy for the Magpies to get him, amid competition from the likes of Tottenham, West Ham, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, but they can guarantee him Champions League football, which could prove vital.

Despite soaring up to the Premier League in dramatic fashion, Sunderland have found their summer so far to be testing.

Indeed, their playoff final goalscoring hero Tommy Watson has already departed the Black Cats for pastures new at Brighton and Hove Albion, with a second high-profile exit in the midfield ranks perhaps on the cards with Jobe Bellingham potentially moving on to German behemoth Borussia Dortmund.

To make matters even worse, Dan Neil has also been subject to many rumours surrounding his immediate Stadium of Light future, with a third quickfire departure surely too much for Sunderland to stomach.

The latest on Neil's future at Sunderland

On top of their homegrown captain allegedly eyeing a move away, standout defender Trai Hume is also finding his name to be on many a summer shopping list, as the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers begin to circle for the energetic Northern Irishman.

Whilst Hume leaving would obviously be a crushing blow, a trio of midfield exits would really deplete Regis Le Bris’ midfield options ahead of their Premier League venture, with reports suggesting that Neil is of interest to Serie A giants AS Roma for around the £15m region.

Bellingham might well steal most of the headlines in the midfield department, but Neil was the necessary glue for Le Bris last season in the middle of the park, leading to the 23-year-old only missing two league clashes all campaign long.

Averaging 5.7 ball recoveries per league match also shows off his relentless drive for the team, with a hope now that an equally spritely midfielder can come in and plug the gap of Neil if Sunderland’s worst fears are realised.

Sunderland's next "outstanding" version of Neil

Whilst losing the long-standing Black Cats servant would hurt in the short term, any wounds opened up by his exit would soon be sutured by a Premier League-ready midfielder entering the building.

As per a report from TEAMTalk earlier this month, Le Bris’ newly promoted side could target Tommy Doyle as a way to boost their reduced midfield numbers, with the report stating that the ex-Manchester City youngster could be available for as little as £3m after finding himself surplus to requirements under Vitor Pereira at current employers Wolves.

Before he tumbled down the pecking order at Molineux, Doyle did prove himself as a promising top-flight star with the Old Gold, as seen in his 50 Premier League appearances to date for Wolves, away from hammering home sublime strikes like the one above last year in the FA Cup.

Neil, of course, also has a fierce effort in his back pocket – with a hefty total of 12 goals and 20 assists next to his name on Wearside – with Doyle further showing off his similarities to the Roma target when previously shining bright in the Championship on loan at Sheffield United.

Games played

44

31

Goals scored

2

3

Assists

3

4

Touches*

57.5

43.3

Accurate passes*

36.6 (84%)

24.5 (78%)

Big chances created

4

6

Total duels won*

4.8

2.3

Looking at the numbers, Doyle would amazingly better Neil’s output on the temporary books of the Blades, with the Manchester-born ace also winning a respectable 2.3 duels per league clash when last battling away in the second tier.

He has since taken to the step up of the Premier League relatively well, with one of his former youth coaches in Mark Kennedy even once comparing his midfield game to that of Steven Gerrard’s when labelling Doyle as “outstanding.”

Ideally, Sunderland would keep Neil around for their daunting jump up to the top-flight, with Kristjaan Speakman revealing that there is a “conversation” to be had over the midfielder’s contract, as well as that of Dennis Cirkin.

But, if he does fancy a new challenge away from his boyhood side, Doyle could well step in and replace Neil adequately, with his game potentially elevated under the fresh methods of Le Bris.

Worse than selling Jobe: "Outstanding" Sunderland star wanted by PL clubs

This Sunderland star is being eyed up by Premier League teams, and his exit would be a bigger blow than Jobe Bellingham’s.

ByDan Emery Jun 4, 2025

A worrying injury update has now emerged on a Sunderland star ahead of this weekend’s trip to Coventry City in the first leg of the Championship play-offs.

Black Cats gearing up for play-off clash

The Black Cats have earned the opportunity to end their eight-year absence from the Premier League, courtesy of a fourth-placed finish in the second tier, but they could have their work cut out, given their form heading into the play-offs.

Regis Le Bris’ side are winless in their last six Championship games, losing their last five games on the spin, while upcoming opponents Coventry have fought valiantly in the second half of the season to secure a play-off finish under the helm of Frank Lampard.

While it could be difficult to re-gather momentum heading into the play-offs, Le Bris has insisted that a lack of a prize to play for may have affected his team towards the tail end of the season, saying: “We had nothing to chase and in that situation, it’s very difficult for all the teams in the world.

Worry for Le Bris as Newcastle eye possible move for £25m Sunderland star

This would be a massive blow for the Black Cats.

ByHenry Jackson Apr 13, 2025

“Look at Paris St Germain, for example. They won the title and went unbeaten all season. But as they started to prepare the (Champions League) semi-final, they lost two games in a row.”

The Sunderland boss had been hoping Romaine Mundle would return to selection for play-offs, which could have given his side a much-needed boost, but there has now been a worrying update ahead of Friday’s trip to Coventry.

Le Bris said: “I don’t know exactly who will be available but I don’t think we will quite have a full squad,”

“I think it will be a little bit soon for Romaine and also for Aji to be involved in the first leg. Most of the squad will be available. Romaine and Aji can hopefully be involved on Tuesday night.”

"Brilliant" Mundle could be huge miss for Sunderland

It looks very unlikely that Mundle will be involved this weekend, with Le Bris indicating he may not even be able to be involved in the second leg, and the winger could be a huge miss for the Black Cats.

The 22-year-old has been a key player when fit this season, picking up five goals and two assists in the Championship, and his absence coincides with the major drop-off in form, underlining his importance to the side.

Sunderland’s last five fixtures

Result

Queens Park Rangers (h)

0-1

Oxford United (a)

2-0

Blackburn Rovers (h)

0-1

Bristol City (a)

2-1

Swansea City (h)

0-1

Captain Dan Neil will also be disappointed by the news that the forward is unlikely to play a part in Saturday’s game, having lauded his teammate as “brilliant” in the past.

The news that Mundle is set to be unavailable will be a major concern for Sunderland ahead of the play-offs, especially considering their very poor form heading into the tie against Coventry.

Glasgow Rangers showed plenty of fighting spirit under Barry Ferguson once again during his interim period in charge as they came back from 2-0 down to draw against Aberdeen.

The result was made even better by the fact that Ross McCausland was sent off for the Ibrox outfit after receiving a second yellow card just five minutes before the interval.

With the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final tie coming up against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday evening, it was evident that Ferguson was thinking ahead to that game, making nine changes to his team.

In the grand scheme of things, the result wasn’t important, especially as the domestic season is all but done for the Light Blues.

The game did present an ideal chance for several fringe players to make an impression against the Dons. The likes of Danilo, Rafael Fernandes, Findlay Curtis and McCausland were all given starts at Pittodrie.

Given the most important match of the season is fast approaching, none of the aforementioned players took their chance to shine against the Dons.

In McCausland’s case, his brief cameo on the pitch could well turn out to be one of his last games for the Ibrox side.

Why Ross McCausland was sent off against Aberdeen

The Northern Irish winger was given his first league start since the 2-1 loss to the same opponents all the way back in October 2024.

He received an early yellow card before he chopped down Aberdeen player Topi Keskinen in what was a senseless challenge that saw him receive a second yellow and ensured the Gers would play the rest of the game with ten men.

After breaking into the first-team squad last season due to an injury crisis, McCausland looked to have a bright future ahead of him, although there were certainly a few things to work on.

The current campaign hasn’t exactly been much of a success, as the winger has featured 25 times for the club, with only seven of those coming in the starting XI.

A tally of just three goals and a solitary assist has been registered from those matches, hardly numbers which have given the Ibrox faithful much confidence in his abilities.

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Across his 13 league matches this term, the youngster has registered only 1.2 shots per game while creating no big chances, averaging just 0.6 key passes per match and succeeding with only 0.8 dribbles each appearance for the Light Blues.

In Europe, these numbers decrease even further, as he has averaged no key passes per game while succeeding with 0.7 dribbles and recording only 0.4 shots a match in the Europa League.

Goals

3

0

Assists

4

1

Key passes per game

1.4

0.6

Big chances created

3

0

Successful dribbles per game

0.9

0.8

It has become evident that he isn’t up to the required standard to be a regular at the club, especially if the new manager wishes to embark on a title challenge next season.

If a decent offer arrives this summer, then McCausland should be offloaded at the first available opportunity, no doubt about that.

He isn’t the only one who must be sold when the summer transfer window opens either, as someone who was signed just last summer must headline the list of those expected to depart Rangers.

Bajrami's performance against Aberdeen in numbers

Nedim Bajrami was making his first start for the club since a 3-1 victory over Dundee United in January. With a chance to make a solid impression ahead of the second leg against Bilbao in midweek, it’s fair to say that the Albanian failed to take his chance.

Deployed in a deeper role than he is perhaps accustomed to, Bajrami struggled throughout the match, taking just 44 touches and completing only 25 of his 32 passes against the Dons.

Bajrami lost possession ten times, registered no shots and failed to deliver an accurate cross throughout his time on the pitch. The former Sassuolo man was subbed off with 25 minutes remaining and quite frankly, must not start again in Light Blue.

Journalist Ben Banks of Glasgow World gave Bajrami a match rating of just 4/10 for his performance on Sunday and it is clear he has regressed massively since arriving at Ibrox last summer.

With yet another lethargic display for the Light Blues, Bajrami may have started his last game for the club.

Why Bajrami could be sold this summer

The midfielder joined Rangers in a deal worth around £3.4m towards the end of the 2023 summer transfer window.

It appeared as though Philippe Clement had landed a decent signing, as Bajrami did showcase his talents during his first few months at Ibrox.

He scored on his first European start for the club against Malmö in September, adding goal involvements against Aberdeen, Dundee and Motherwell, with his goal against the latter sending the Gers through to the League Cup final.

Since the start of 2025, however, Bajrami has recorded only four assists in all competitions, with none coming in Europe.

Stevie Clifford, who runs the Four Lads Had a Dream, criticised the player back in January after a string of poor performances, saying: “I’ll highlight it again, it’s not singling him out, but Nedim Bajrami is not offering enough at all. We need him to influence games & be involved, largely anonymous so far, again. £4m is big money to do it in these type of games & he’s miles off it so far.”

He hasn’t become any more influential since Clifford said this and his spell in Glasgow may be short-lived, especially if a new coach comes in who wants to sell a few players to raise transfer funds.

If an offer comes in that would see Rangers recoup the majority of the £3.4m they paid for him, then the board will certainly be keen on accepting this, without a shadow of a doubt.

Some transfers work out well, while others don’t. That is the nature of the beast. In Bajrami, Rangers thought they had a player who might take them to the next level, especially considering he had shone at Euro 2024 and in Serie A. Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite worked out like that.

As bad as McCausland: Ferguson must instantly drop £5m Rangers man

Rangers fought back from 2-0 down to salvage a 2-2 draw at Pittodrie against Aberdeen, but one flop in particular came in for scathing criticism.

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India’s Under-19 star on the importance of family, playing mind games with his brother Sarfaraz, and more

Shashank Kishore29-Jan-2024Musheer Khan is three weeks shy of turning 19. It’s an age where teenagers are excited to escape from their parents’ clutches and leap into the unknown. Musheer is slightly different, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. (father) charts Musheer’s plans on a weekly basis. Their life revolves around the , with Naushad Khan instructing net bowlers and throwdown specialists to target his weakness. Practice sessions are relentless.If it’s raining, the 18-yard turf besides their residence in Mumbai’s Taximan Colony is the training ground for practice against the short ball with wet tennis balls. If there’s sunshine, one of the several in Mumbai, or at their home town of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, is where they are at.Related

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Famous surnames at the Under-19 World Cup: Shah, Rowe, Khan and others

All this, of course, is when Musheer, and older brother Sarfaraz Khan, are meant to have some downtime, away from the plethora of cricket they play at various levels. At the Khan household, downtime means rest between training sessions.The sons are as busy as they’ve ever been, and Naushad currently has some time at hand. Musheer, the youngest, is currently at the Under-19 World Cup, traversing the same journey his oldest son Sarfaraz did over a decade ago. At the 2014 edition in Dubai, Musheer, all of nine at the time, watched Sarfaraz from the stands. Today, he’s a key allrounder in the Uday Saharan-led team that has entered the Super Six stage on the back of three convincing wins.In three outings, Musheer has picked up two wickets with his thrifty left-arm orthodox. Both those scalps came against Bangladesh at a crucial juncture in the chase. His economy of 2.85 has largely been down to batters unwilling to rake risks against him and fellow left-arm spinner Saumy Pandey. With the bat, at No. 3, Musheer has knocks of 3, 118 and 73 in his three outings.So what sort of a batter is he?Musheer Khan is an industrious batter who can accumulate runs quietly•Getty ImagesIndustrious is a decent place to begin. He can accumulate runs quietly. And then suddenly he’ll grab your attention with some audacious sweeps and scoops, like older brother Sarfaraz. He’s got a stable base, and also tackles the short ball well. Coaches vouch for his backfoot game. Recently, the ICC put out a video package with Sarfaraz and Musheer on a split-screen. The similarities between the two are eerie.Musheer is away from the media glare at large in South Africa. When he wasn’t, in the summer of 2022, he chatted with ESPNcricinfo during the knockout stages of the Ranji Trophy in Bengaluru. He’d just broken into Mumbai’s Ranji squad, on the back of a sensational run at the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy. He led Mumbai to the final, where he was named Player of the Tournament for his 632 runs and 32 wickets.Musheer was 17, and still very boyish, without a thin beard he sports today. His squeaky voice was a throwback to his pre-teen days. He was only in the mix as a reserve, but there was an enormous sense of maturity that stemmed from having grown up playing with Sarfaraz and training with . He didn’t carry a cellphone back then, because didn’t want him to be “distracted.”The team manager or Sarfaraz would relay any important information or details such as flight/hotel bookings. A pouch of cash – “only what is necessary” – stashed away in one corner of his kit bag for regular spending. These were ‘s way of ensuring his youngest son was solely focused on cricket.The brother seemed to share a great bond. Sarfaraz was the protective older brother, Musheer happily tagging along with big brother. They were ready to play table tennis when this correspondent bumped into them. There weren’t too many videos of Musheer the batter, so it’s obvious Sarfaraz would be the go-to person for any info on his younger sibling.Sarfaraz Khan (left) and father Naushad have both played an important part in Musheer’s development•Naushad Khan”He’s a better batter than me,” Sarfaraz quipped. “I’m not saying this because he’s my brother. Sometimes, I may be struggling but watching his technique and trying to work out what he’s doing would give me confidence. His mannerisms, bat flow is very good. Sometimes when I’m not batting well, I look at him and learn.”It’s natural that Musheer began bowling initially, being the youngest sibling. But Naushad wasn’t one to let him focus on only one aspect of his game. Naushad says his experience of training Sarfaraz taught him to ensure his youngest son would be multi-skilled.”If I batted 300 balls, Musheer would bat for 300 balls even if he’d done a lot of bowling,” Sarfaraz said. “Our middle brother, Moin, would do the throwdowns. Having two cricketers in the house, he decided to switch to training.”What are the aspects of their game where there’s healthy competition?”Musheer’s reverse sweep is better than mine,” Sarfaraz says spontaneously. “Sweep, I think mine is better since I have better judgment that has come from experience. We always want the other to do better. Now when he bowls and I bat, there’s a lot of healthy competition.”It wasn’t always the case.”When Musheer was very small, and I used to play Under-19s, we used to do a lot of match simulation. asked him to bowl spin and I think in one over, I hit him for three fours and three sixes. Musheer ran away crying.” said ‘we need to make him stronger. (until it doesn’t hurt him) he won’t learn . He didn’t stop anyone from poking fun at him. It was tough love. Musheer has improved a lot since. , bowler? (A bowler only learns from getting hit, no?)”These days if we’re playing on opposite sides, I sledge him if I hit him for a six (laughs).”At this juncture, a shy Musheer opened up. “.” (You need to play with your brother’s mind). He has a lot of shots. You need to play on his patience. Like toss it up wide, get him to slog sweep, have short fine in place.”The brothers shared a laugh and slapped high fives. The jovial and candid interaction is filled with some wonderful little nuggets, so much admiration for their father, and of course non-stop chatter about cricket, techniques, practice, matches and runs. It almost feels like there’s no life outside cricket.

“Musheer’s reverse sweep is better than mine. Sweep, I think mine is better since I have better judgment that has come from experience. We always want the other to do better. Now when he bowls and I bat, there’s a lot of healthy competition”Sarfaraz Khan on playing alongside his brother

During lockdown, Naushad and the boys packed up and left Mumbai to their hometown in Uttar Pradesh. With lockdowns in place, they drove across 1600 kilometres with several pitstops. Naushad had chalked out a map that involved them staying over to train at a number of private cricket facilities along the way to ensure they spent time better during lockdown.”Sometimes, we would practice (in the terrace),” Musheer said.”If we have to drive non-stop it takes a day. wouldn’t let me drive,” Sarfaraz chimed in. “He’d be like, you guys should rest because there’s training to look forward to. So we stopped and completed the journey across 10-12 days, with a lot of training sessions in between.”At this point, it’s only Musheer’s first tour with Mumbai. Naushad and Sarfaraz have been media friendly; at times the “friendliness” has possibly come in harm’s way. Musheer has been largely isolated. But things will change, should he return from South Africa as an Under-19 world champion.But even until a couple of years ago, Musheer remembers receiving an earful every time he was out playing a bad shot. “.” (I’ve also been scolded. Not for breaking glasses, but for playing rash shots). At home, he’s . Ground , I call him coach.”Musheer has come a long way in these last two years. The shy persona has given way to a more outgoing nature. He’s in the thick of things, cheering bowlers, at times playing mind games with the opponents, chiming instructions from slip, offering Saharan a helping hand with on-field strategy. The shy youngster is a lot more open and candid in interviews, pulling off dance moves, mimicking actors and team-mates.Behind all that, of course, is a mature 18-year-old firmly in charge of his own fortunes. And Naushad, not used to having such a lengthy downtime because both his sons are away playing cricket – Sarfaraz has just earned a maiden Test call-up – can’t be prouder.