With India vs England series renamed the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy, he wanted to preserve the legacy of the former India captains

Sruthi Ravindranath19-Jun-2025

James Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar pose with the trophy that bears their names•ECB via Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar wanted to ensure that the Pataudi name would remain wedded to India vs England men’s Test series. So together with the BCCI and the ECB, he came up with the idea that the winning captain be granted a medal in the former India captain’s honour.Previously, an India tour of England would involve them playing for the Pataudi trophy. But now, it has been renamed to Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, honouring Tendulkar and James Anderson. While taking pride in that, Tendulkar spoke of how he wanted to preserve the legacy of one of India’s greatest leaders.”I remember some time ago,” he told ESPNcricinfo, “when the Pataudi Trophy was retired by ECB and BCCI, and then a few months down the line, when I was informed about this – the trophy being named after the two of us – that came as a pleasant surprise. The call that I made immediately after that was to the Pataudi family and I spoke to them; [I] also spoke about keeping the Pataudi legacy alive, [and] said, ‘I’ll have some ideas. I will come back to you’.Related

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“I shared my thoughts with BCCI and ECB. I thought the outcome was very good. We decided that the Pataudi Medal of Excellence would be given to the winning captain because he was known for his leadership skills. The legacy is kept alive. I’ve always believed that someone who’s contributed to Indian cricket and cricket across the globe should always be respected and remembered.”The new trophy features imagery of Anderson and Tendulkar in action, along with their engraved signatures. They are the most-capped players in the history of Tests: Tendulkar played 200 matches, and Anderson 188.”It’s a reflection of our contribution to our respective nations in Test cricket,” he said. “I’ve played for 24 years, and Anderson played for 21 years. So both of us put together, it’s a substantial number of years – 45 years put together of international cricket, especially Test. That makes me feel happy. I know the appreciation is in a different way as naming the Trophy after us.””It’s a proud moment for me and my family to have this iconic series named after Sachin and myself,” Anderson said in a statement. “The rivalry between our two nations has always been something special – full of history, intensity and unforgettable moments.”To be recognised in this way is a real honour. I’m looking forward to seeing the next chapter unfold in England this summer. It promises to be compelling, competitive cricket – exactly what you’d expect from two great sides. This is elite sport at its finest.”Tendulkar, who first faced Anderson in Tests in 2006, said playing against the fast bowler was an “integral part” of his career, recalling the “challenging” times playing in tough conditions in England.”In 2003, I played against him in South Africa during the World Cup,” Tendulkar said. “In England, I played against him in 2007. But along the way, there have been many battles, and some ended up in a good result, some didn’t. But all in all, when you look back, you feel that I enjoyed those challenging moments, and that’s what one prepares for.”That journey was a beautiful [one], and in that, multiple experiences taught to me so much in life. And playing in England was an integral part of that, and Anderson was an integral part of it.”The first Test between India and England begins at Headingley on Friday.

Bangladesh have made 484 for 9 in Galle so far, which is often a winning first-innings score at this venue.But so batting-friendly does this surface appear so far, that even Bangladesh’s assistant coach is willing to claim a definitive advantage. “It’s hard to tell who is in the driving seat – it depends on who is winning each session,” said Mohammad Salahuddin, Bangladesh’s assistant coach. Sri Lanka bowling allrounder Milan Rathnayake had similar things to say. “It’s not easy [to judge which team is ahead]. Both teams did really well today.”Both Rathnayake and Salahuddin also agree that this is an unusually batting-friendly Galle track.”It still looks like a batting-friendly pitch. I hope the wicket can break in the next couple of days,” Salahuddin said.”The pitch is definitely one that favours batters,” Rathnayake said. “Even though it’s the second day, it’s just as good for batting. I don’t think it’s changed since yesterday.”Rathnayake thinks Sri Lanka clawed their way back into the contest in the final session of a rain-interrupted second day. Bangladesh began that final session on 423 for 4, but finished the day on 484 for 9, having lost 5 wickets for 26 runs towards the end of the day.Rathnayake insists that his wickets during that late period, with the old ball, came from conventional swing, rather than reverse swing. And Salahuddin seemed to agree.”I will take the positive from Sri Lanka’s bowling – they maintained the ball very well in that last session, unlike the previous five sessions,” Salahuddin said. “If that’s so, we can use this exact method in our bowling.”Rathnayake, meanwhile, chose to focus on the period of day two in which Sri Lanka made their greatest gains- the last half of the final session. Early in the day, they had missed at least three chances – a catch that went down at short midwicket, plus two run-out opportunities.”We did miss a few chances and it did have an effect,” Rathnayake said. “But at the end of the day our bowlers did make a recovery. Though their batters did well we could have cut down their runs by holding our chances. But I think the bowlers made some ground at the end of the day.”

It was Seattle Orcas’ second win of the season, and lifted them to No. 4; Los Angeles Knight Riders, meanwhile, have now lost six of their seven games

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2025For the second game in a row in MLC 2025, Shimron Hetmyer took charge of the Seattle Orcas innings at a critical stage and smashed his way through to victory.He did it off the last ball against MI New York just about 24 hours ago even as he cramped up, but didn’t show any signs of discomfort when he did it again. This time, against Los Angeles Knight Riders, who were on top at different stages of the game but came unstuck in the end.The base for Hetmyer had been set by Aaron Jones.After Josh Brown had been sent back for a two-ball duck by Jason Holder in the first over, Jones and Shayan Jahangir put together 119 for the second wicket in 11.1 overs. Jahangir’s contribution was 42 from 29 balls, while Jones scored 73 in 38, a strike rate close to 200.But the innings needed something more if Orcas, after losing their first five games of the season, needed to make it two in two. That came from Hetmyer, who walked out at No. 5 with 77 still needed in just under eight overs.Two fours came off Ali Khan in the 14th over. Tanveer Sangha was then sent for two sixes in the 15th, and 48 from 30 balls looked very gettable for Orcas. There was a little blip as Andre Russell, who had earlier smashed 65 not out from 39 balls, bowled a five-run over, but it was business as usual for Hetmyer after that, as he took two more sixes off Holder in the 17th, and another off Ali Khan in the 18th.Andre Russell smashed 65 not out in 39 balls to lead Los Angeles Knight Riders’ batting charge•Sportzpics for MLCStill, after Russell had bowled an eight-run 19th over, Hetmyer had a bit left to do. And when the fifth ball of the last over, bowled by Shadley van Schalkwyk, went straight down the ground, it was all done and dusted.Orcas have now risen from the bottom of the six-team table to No. 4, while Knight Riders have taken their place.After being asked to bat, Knight Riders stuttered to 41 for 1 in the powerplay, and then 66 for 3 at the halfway mark, with none of Andre Fletcher (strike rate 113.04), Unmukt Chand (84.61) and Sherfane Rutherford (125.00) able to get a move on.Russell, promoted to No. 3 and having reached 15 from 13, took off at that point. With Saif Badar for company, Russell took 16, 15, 10 and 21 runs off the next four overs, and suddenly Knight Riders were in business.Even after Badar fell for a 21-ball 41, Waqar Salamkheil getting his second wicket of the game, the big-hitting didn’t stop. In fact, the entry of Rovman Powell made it worse for the Orcas bowlers. Russell, not as belligerent as he usually is, ended with 65 from 39 balls with six fours and four sixes, but Powell was another story. All Powell’s four sixes came against medium pace – three off Jasdeep Singh. and one off Ayan Desai. He ended with 43 not out in 21 balls, with two fours to go with four sixes.Orcas didn’t help themselves with a couple of dropped catches, both off Powell, while captain Sikandar Raza’s decision to not bowl himself and leave the last few overs to Jasdeep and Desai didn’t come off. Hetmyer made sure it didn’t matter.

In a season where no teams are on pace to finish with 100 wins, the playoff picture feels quite muddled considering there are just 11 days left in the regular season.

That's especially true in the American League, as none of the three division titles have been clinched yet and the three wild-card spots are still up for grabs. We've witnessed Aaron Judge steer the New York Yankees to the top of the AL East once again, the Seattle Mariners fumble away a big lead to their AL West bullies in the Houston Astros, and the Cleveland Guardians pull away in the AL Central under the leadership of new manager Stephen Vogt.

There will be a new team representing the American League in the World Series this year, as the defending champion Texas Rangers are all but officially eliminated from playoff contention. So, what could prevent each contender from emerging from the AL bracket? Let's dive into each contender's biggest weakness.

New York Yankees

Current playoff spot: AL East leader
Biggest weakness: Bullpen

The Yankees' high-leverage bullpen arms have been a big concern all season. Former closer Clay Holmes was demoted from his ninth-inning role earlier this month and has blown a league-high 11 saves—including two since his transition to a setup role.

Luke Weaver, Tommy Kahnle, Ian Hamilton and Marcus Stroman have combined for five saves since Holmes's demotion, but the Yankees don't really have a go-to reliever to set the table for whoever gets the ninth inning. And they certainly can't trust Holmes at this point.

Cleveland Guardians

Current playoff spot: AL Central leader
Biggest weakness: Starting rotation

The Guardians arguably boast the best bullpen in all of baseball thanks to another dominant season from All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, but the guys trying to get the game to the arm barn leave much to be desired. Cleveland's rotation ranks 24th in ERA (4.49) and 23rd in WHIP (1.32) this season, having scuffled amid injuries, poor performances, or both, from Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, Logan Allen and Carlos Carrasco.

Tanner Bibee should start the first game of a playoff series, but after that? Veterans Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb, who last pitched on Sept. 1 and is still dealing with a right hand blister, have combined for 10 starts for Cleveland and yet are probably the best options.

Houston Astros

Current playoff spot: AL West leader
Biggest weakness: The Justin Verlander situation

Remember in May when everyone thought the Astros' dynasty was over? Houston is playing its best baseball at the right time, much to the chagrin of the rival Mariners.

The Astros are still a team nobody wants to face in the playoffs and could easily make their eighth straight ALCS appearance this fall. But a big question lingering in Houston is around three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander. Is there a spot for him in the playoff rotation?

Framber Valdez should start the opening game of any playoff series, and Hunter Brown has been fantastic since the All-Star break (2.33 ERA). The Astros also have won all eight games Yusei Kikuchi has pitched since he was acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline. Meanwhile, Verlander owns a 5.20 ERA in 15 starts this season and hasn't posted a single quality start since May.

Does first-year Astros manager Joe Espada roll with the hot hands in his rotation? Or does he give the ball to a future Hall of Famer and two-time World Series champion who consistently shows up in the spotlight?

Baltimore Orioles

Current playoff spot: First AL wild card
Biggest weakness: Slumping offense

An old baseball adage rings true for Baltimore: It's not who you play, it's when you play them. And right now, anyone playing the Orioles is having a pretty good time.

The O's have lost seven of their last 10 games and have failed to score more than three runs in all seven losses. Over the last 30 days, Baltimore ranks 29th in batting average (.204) and 28th in OPS (.624). The club's young, exciting core has struggled of late, as Adley Rutschman owns a .190/.289/.250 slash line over the last month and Jackson Holliday hasn't exactly secured himself a spot on the playoff roster.

Kansas City Royals

Current playoff spot: Second AL wild card
Biggest weakness: Bullpen

Bobby Witt Jr. is a problem. And he'll be a problem for whoever the Royals face in the wild-card round. But the bullpen is a problem for those employed at 1 Royal Way in Kansas City.

The Royals' relievers rank 23rd in ERA (4.42) and 25th in WHIP (1.38) this season. Trade-deadline acquisition Lucas Erceg has been mostly steady since being promoted to the ninth-inning role, converting eight of 10 save opportunities, but former closer James McArthur is the latest reliever to hit the injured list, following veterans Hunter Harvey, Will Smith and Chris Stratton. Manager Matt Quatraro is running out of reliable options to work with in the late innings.

Minnesota Twins

Current playoff spot: Tied for third AL wild card
Biggest weakness: Starting pitching

The Twins' ownership followed up its most successful season in two decades last year by significantly slashing payroll—and now the club is paying for it.

There's really no trustworthy option in the rotation behind ace Pablo Lopez. Joe Ryan is out for the season, Bailey Ober has been inconsistent after a fantastic start to the year, and the Twins' trio of youngsters—David Festa, Simeon Woods Richardson and Zebby Matthews—are so hot and cold it's tough to predict which one they'll call upon for a Game 3 start.

The bullpen hasn't been good, either, over Minnesota's current 10–19 slump since Aug. 18. Add that to lingering injuries for stars Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa, and a lot has to go right for the Twins to even match last year's playoff success.

Detroit Tigers

Current playoff spot: Tied for third AL wild card
Biggest weakness: Inexperience

To even be on this list in late September is quite the accomplishment for Detroit, which hasn't made the playoffs since 2014 or finished a season over .500 since '16. The Tigers find themselves in the mix after winning the most games (33) in the American League since the All-Star break.

Detroit, however, is a young team—the third-youngest roster in MLB. Just one of their nine regular starting hitters has more than two years of MLB service time, and Matt Vierling represents the most playoff experience among Tigers batters with 15 postseason plate appearances for Philadelphia in 2022.

The Tigers are likely still a year away. But if they surpass the Twins or Royals, the pitching staff—namely, AL Cy Young front-runner Tarik Skubal—could make some noise in the postseason.

Seattle Mariners

Current playoff spot: 2.5 GB of third AL wild card
Biggest weakness: Offense

The Mariners built a World Series-caliber rotation, as Luis Castillo, George Kirby and Logan Gilbert are about as good as it gets for a trio of starters. Unfortunately, their offense isn’t of the same pedigree.

Entering Thursday's game, the Mariners rank dead last in baseball in batting average (.221) and 25th in slugging percentage (.373). Julio Rodriguez, a preseason favorite to take home the AL MVP, is finally finding his swing in September, batting .310 with seven extra-base hits in 16 games. But will it be enough?

It’s the start of a new era for Newcastle United at boardroom level.

Last week, Ross Wilson was appointed as the club’s new sporting director.

They’ll be hoping he sticks around in the role, having succeeded Paul Mitchell, who held the position for only a year, while Dan Ashworth only held the post for two years, before being placed on extended gardening leave prior to his ill-fated five-month stint at Manchester United.

Wilson himself has previously been a sporting director at Huddersfield, Southampton, Rangers and, most recently, Nottingham Forest, spending two seasons in the East Midlands before now heading to Tyneside.

Under Saudi ownership, Newcastle are certainly one of the most ambitious clubs around, so Wilson is likely to oversee plenty of high-profile deals, but which current squad members will need to be phased out in the coming year or so?

Newcastle's squad transition under PIF

Since the Saudi takeover in 2021, a lot of the Newcastle squad have remained virtual ever-presents.

Eddie Howe has been in charge of 183 matches to date, with 12 players featuring in at least 100 of them, nine of which are currently at the club.

Sean Longstaff, Miguel Almirón and Alexander Isak are the only trio of exceptions, and the latter’s record-breaking departure could signal the start of a new era.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Using the £125m yielded from the no longer very popular Swede’s sale, the Magpies spent around £256m last summer, recruiting five new senior players on a permanent basis.

Yoane Wissa and Jacob Ramsey are yet to make much of an impact due to injury, but Anthony Elanga and Malick Thiaw have established themselves as part of the first-choice lineup, while Nick Woltemade has made quite the early impression, scoring four goals already.

So, while players such as Bruno Guimarães, Fabian Schär, Dan Burn, Jacob Murphy, Joelinton, Anthony Gordon and Nick Pope have been stalwarts of the Newcastle team for around four years, players are going to have to be eased out, and for one in particular, he could be on borrowed time.

Newcastle's ageing star set to be phased out

Kieran Trippier will always go down in history as Newcastle’s first signing of the Saudi era, arriving in January 2022 for around £12m.

With previous club Atlético Madrid, he’d won the La Liga title the season before and was first-choice for England at the time, thereby representing a major coup for a side in the Premier League relegation zone at the time.

Well, to date, he has made 132 appearances for the Magpies, starting all eight Champions League fixtures they’ve had, as well as both EFL Cup Finals, donning the armband during the defeat to Manchester United at Wembley.

So far this season, Trippier has also started five of seven Premier League fixtures, but was left on the bench against Bournemouth, before coming on towards the end against Arsenal after Tino Livramento was stretchered off with a knee ligament issue.

Considering he’s set to be sidelined for around eight weeks, Trippier will be required to deputise for now, but there’s already started to be a changing of the guard in terms of Newcastle full-backs, with Livramento earning three England caps, while Lewis Hall’s performances on the opposite side are catching the eye too.

Writer Scott Wilson labelled Trippier Newcastle’s “talisman” shortly after his arrival but, now 35 years old, his importance is starting to be diminished.

So, let’s compare the England international’s statistics from last season to the year before.

Trippier Premier League stats
Statistics	2023/24	2024/25
Appearances	28	25
Minutes	2,240	1,308
All statistics below are on a per-90 basis:
Chances created	2.6	1.6
Big chances created	0.52	0.14
Crosses	2.5	1
Take-on success %	73%	50%
Interceptions	1	0.9
Ball Recoveries	6.6	4.7
Tackles	2	1.5
Ground duel success %	53%	56%
Touches	98	98
Average SofaScore rating	7.31	6.94
Stats via Squawka and SofaScore

As the table outlines, by pretty much every metric included, Trippier’s numbers worsened last season compared to the year before.

His chance creation numbers drastically decreased, as did his out-of-possession statistics, including ball recoveries and tackles.

This is a clear sign of a player in decline, which is to be expected given the player’s age, but with Trippier in the final year of his contract, one of Wilson’s biggest challenges will be finding a replacement who has not only his quality but also his leadership skills.

Before Dan Burn: Newcastle "leader" is the first player Wilson must ditch

This Newcastle United star, who was once called a leader by Alan Shearer, is now on borrowed time on Tyneside.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 13, 2025

تقدم فريق برشلونة بهدف أول في مباراته أمام سيلتا فيجو، ضمن مواجهات بطولة الدوري الإسباني “الليجا” موسم 2025-2026، لكن صاحب الأرض أدرك التعادل سريعًا.

ويحل برشلونة ضيفًا على سيلتا فيجو، في إطار مباريات الجولة الثانية عشر للدوري الإسباني للموسم الجاري.

وتحصل برشلونة على ضربة جزاء، احتسبها حكم المباراة بعد العودة لتقنية الفار، بمراجعة تسديدة فيرمين لوبيز بحثًا عن لمسة يد محتملة.

طالع تشكيل برشلونة أمام سيلتا فيجو في الدوري الإسباني.. تغيير دفاعي وهجومي

وتوجه البولندي روبرت ليفاندوفسكي لتسديد ضربة الجزاء ونجح في تسجيلها ليتقدم برشلونة بهدف أول في الدقيقة العاشرة من عمر المباراة. هدف ليفاندوفسكي في مباراة برشلونة وسيلتا فيجو

وبعد دقيقة واحدة نجح سيلتا فيجو في إدراك التعادل بهدف أمام برشلونة، سجله سيرجيو كاريرا في الدقيقة 11. هدف تعادل سيلتا فيجو أمام برشلونة

سيرجيو كاريرا يسجّل هدف التعادل لصالح سيلتا فيغو في شباك برشلونة ⚽️#الدوري_الإسباني #سيلتا_فيغو #برشلونة pic.twitter.com/VpBAbXTtHx — beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) November 9, 2025

ويسعى برشلونة لاستغلال تعثر ريال مدريد والذي تعادل سلبيًا اليوم أمام رايو فاليكانو، من أجل تقليص الفارق مع متصدر الترتيب.

Liverpool are now seen as a genuine destination for a “phenomenal” player who will be hoping to shine at next summer’s World Cup.

Injury concerns for Liverpool before Brentford clash

The Reds may have returned to winning ways at Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek, but they have to show that it wasn’t just a flash in the pan against weak opposition.

Liverpool make the trip to Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday night, which has the potential to be a huge test, and the champions will have to make do without some influential players.

Alisson is still missing in goal, with his world-class presence a big loss, while Jeremie Frimpong is also definitely out after injuring his hamstring in Frankfurt.

Ryan Gravenberch and Alexander Isak are also unlikely to be available for Liverpool’s trip to west London, so picking up all three points away to a Brentford team with two wins in their last three matches won’t be easy.

The Reds will continue to eye new signings, with a move for Marc Guehi expected to be on the agenda again, but he is not the only England international on the shopping list.

Liverpool a viable destination for England star

Speaking to TEAMtalk, insider Dean Jones said Liverpool are now a “possible” destination for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson.

“I don’t think Anderson would close the door on returning to Newcastle and there is no issue around that specifically, but the thing that makes me question how likely it is regards the other options he is going to have. At the moment Man United, Liverpool and Man City all seem possible destinations for him and when those sorts of doors open up, is he going to go back to somewhere he has already played?

“As a player you surely always want to feel a sense of progression, so Newcastle are going to have to be in a very strong position if they are to enter a battle to sign him and then win it. I have to say I don’t think the Man United move is quite as nailed on as some people seem to make out.

“While he is on their list I get the impression there are still some reservations about whether he is the ideal fit as a midfield partner for Bruno Fernandes. That’s something they continue to explore.”

The £40,000-a-week Anderson is enjoying the best spell of his career, becoming a regular starter for England at the base of the midfield alongside Declan Rice.

Appearances

8

Starts

8

Minutes played

720

Tackles per game

2.8

Key passes per game

1.3

Pass completion rate

88.5%

Goals

0

Assists

1

The 22-year-old is playing with such poise in front of the defence, but also showcasing an ability to get forward, with England teammate Reece James recently calling him a “phenomenal” player.

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While Liverpool aren’t short of top-quality midfield options, Wataru Endo could depart next year and Anderson would be a strong option, especially if he continues on his current trajectory.

West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo has reportedly made his feelings about recruitment crystal clear to the board ahead of January, with the Portuguese adamant that they need to strengthen multiple areas of the squad.

West Ham told by Nuno to make three signings in January

Second bottom after conceding more Premier League goals than any other side so far, losing six of their first eight matches, West Ham are staring relegation in the face if they don’t improve quickly.

Nuno is yet to win his first game as manager since taking over from Graham Potter in September, and they looked completely bereft of ideas in their last outing against Brentford at the London Stadium.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

West Ham fielded a much-changed line-up to face the Bees, which included a host of men playing out of position, and Nuno’s team selection for the 2-0 defeat certainly raised plenty of eyebrows.

They were second best all over the pitch and barely threatened the away side at all, barring a decent attempt from winger Jarrod Bowen, with the January window looking more and more like Nuno’s potential lifeline.

According to reports this week, Nuno has urged West Ham chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady to sign a defender, midfielder and forward in the winter (GiveMeSport) as three key positions to address.

Defensively, Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo had a nightmare against Brentford. While Igor Julio has impressed in training lately and could be recalled to the West Ham squad to face Leeds, especially after Konstantinos Mavropanos’ injury, the need for another option is evident.

In midfield, Nuno is believed to want a box-to-box engine room technician who can inject some pace, with internal talks held over a potential move for Chelsea star Andrey Santos among others (GiveMeSport).

Out of all West Ham’s glaring weaknesses, you don’t need an expert to tell you that they’re sorely lacking a reliable number nine who they can rely on as a consistent goalscoring threat.

Niclas Füllkrug’s injury nightmare since joining from Borussia Dortmund threatens to add the German to a long list of failed West Ham striker signings, and it is believed they’re already moving for alternatives.

West Ham have reportedly spoken to Real Madrid about signing Endrick on loan, while journalist Alan Nixon reported earlier this week that the east Londoners are considering ex-Brentford star Ivan Toney on a temporary deal too.

While their goalkeeping department demands the least attention, it is now being reported that West Ham have a chance to sign yet another big-name on loan.

West Ham offered Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen on loan

That man is Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen.

The Catalans captain has barely featured since Hansi Flick took charge in 2024, having suffered various injury problems, but ter Stegen is expected to be back around December — on the eve of the next transfer window.

With Joan Garcia now seizing the number one spot, Barça have told their club legend that he’s free to leave in January for more game time, informing ter Stegen’s camp that they should start looking for a new landing spot.

According to TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, West Ham are one of the clubs who’ve been offered a chance to sign ter Stegen on loan, with intermediaries reaching out over a potential deal.

The 33-year-old is a serial winner. Boasting a Champions League winner’s medal and six La Liga titles from his time at the Camp Nou, ter Stegen would bring a champion’s mentality to Rush Green – something which has been severely lacking in the squad for quite some time.

However, given his £280,000-per-week wages, and the fact West Ham need to prioritise outfield positions, an agreement could well be out of the Hammers’ reach.

In an attempt to get fans back onside, the 49ers recently shared a key data comparison in defence of one of their summer signings at Rangers – comparing him to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Cavenagh backs Thelwell and Stewart

After missing out on Steven Gerrard and Kevin Muscat before eventually landing on Danny Rohl, Rangers chiefs Andrew Cavenagh, Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart all met with fans to discuss the 49ers’ plans with the Gers going forward.

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The new owners have been met with plenty of criticism in recent weeks, with banners unveiled at Ibrox and the likes of Thelwell finding themselves at the centre of fan frustration following what looks like a disastrous summer transfer window. Now, however, the 49ers have had their chance to have their say and face up to a disgruntled crowd.

Hosting a fan session in an attempt to get supporters back onside, Cavenagh reiterated his backing for both Thelwell and Stewart even after recent mistakes.

The words are certainly positive, but those at Ibrox will now want to see action. They will be desperate to see new manager Rohl get off to the perfect start against Brann this Thursday and for one attacking talent to prove the 49ers right once and for all in Scotland.

Rangers compare Chermiti to Calvert-Lewin

Whilst they were quick to admit a number of mistakes, the 49ers also launched a defence for Youssef Chermiti. The summer arrival cost as much as £10m on deadline day, but is yet to score a goal for the club or show any signs of making his mark at Rangers.

The 49ers still back their striker, however, and even went as far as to compare him to former Everton star and current Leeds United forward Calvert-Lewin in their recent fan meeting, revealing the 6 foot 4 youngster is a physical specimen.

It’s a bold comparison but one that the 49ers have made based on physical data. Whether Chermiti proves them right is now the big question. At his very best, Calvert-Lewin scored 21 goals in all competitions for Everton in the 2020/21 season, but Rangers’ owners believe that their new striker could be better than that based on the data they’ve seen.

Club Brugge and Barcelona played out a six-goal thriller on Wednesday night as the spoils were shared in an entertaining 3-3 draw. The Belgian side responded to back-to-back Champions League defeats with a solid point. Barcelona, meanwhile, came from behind three times to secure what could prove a precious result in their bid to book their place in the last 16 of the competition.

Brugge raced into an early lead as Carlos Forbs beat the offside trap and presented Nicolo Tresoldi with an easy chance to tuck past Wojciech Szczesny. The lead, though, lasted just two minutes as Barcelona hit back with a bang through Ferran Torres, who easily beat Nordin Jackers from close range.

And Barca missed the chance to go ahead in the 10th minute as Fermin Lopez, who provided the assist for Torres, struck the outside of the left post. The hosts made the Spanish champions pay for their profligacy as they were ahead again in the 17th minute following a rapid counter. Forbs and Christos Tzolis linked up well, with the former on hand to follow up his early assist with a well-taken effort past Szczesny.

Barcelona huffed and puffed for an equaliser in the second half as Fermin forced a fine Jackers stop six minutes after the break, and their pressure finally paid off on the hour mark as Lamine Yamal slalomed his way through a sea of Brugge bodies, played a neat one-two with Fermin before finishing superbly past Jackers.

Parity, though, lasted just two minutes as Forbs again ruthlessly exploited Barcelona's high defensive line to delicately dink past Szczesny to score his second and Brugge's third.

Barcelona were again level with a little over 10 minutes to go as Yamal's cross was turned past Jackers by Tzolis as the La Liga giants looked to claim a pressure victory in Belgium. And while Barca dominated, they rode their luck late on as Szczesny came close to committing a costly error in injury time in an entertaining stalemate.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from the Jan Breydelstadion…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Wojciech Szczesny (4/10):

Was left exposed by Barcelona's high defensive line for all three goals. Did deny Seys at his near post minutes after the break. Came very close to committing a costly effort in second-half injury time.

Jules Kounde (6/10):

Played Forbs onside for Tresoldi's opening goal. Hit the crossbar midway through the first half.

Ronald Araujo (5/10):

Captained Barcelona on the night but struggled to marshal the Blaugrana backline against this rapid Brugge attack.

Eric Garcia (5/10):

Made a vital clearance early on from a Tzolis cross. Hit the bar in the second half but looked lost at the back whenever the Belgian side pushed forward.

Alejandro Balde (4/10):

Really struggled against Forbs. All three Brugge goals came down his side and almost conceded a second-half penalty.

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Frenkie de Jong (7/10):

Dictated the tempo in the middle of the park and linked the defence and attack well.

Marc Casado (6/10):

Tidy on the ball but offered little going forward. Came off after an hour.

AFPAttack

Lamine Yamal (9/10):

Hauled Barcelona level on the hour mark with a fine finish following neat link-up play with Fermin and forced the third with a cross from the right that was inadvertently turned past Jackers by Tzolis. Saved the Spanish side in Belgium.

Fermin Lopez (8/10):

Provided the assist for Ferran's equaliser and clipped the post shortly after. Forced a good Jackers save after the break and linked up well with Yamal for the winger's goal.

Marcus Rashford (6/10):

Had a few first half chances, the best of which forced Jackers into a low stop shortly before the beak.

Ferran Torres (7/10):

Bagged a rapid leveller after Barcelona had gone behind with a well-taken finish. Came close to adding a second on the stroke of half-time after rounding Jackers. Replaced after an hour.

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Robert Lewandowski (5/10):

Saw a low drive blocked by Ordonez with 15 minutes to play. Evidently still short of match fitness.

Dani Olmo (6/10):

Offered Barcelona more drive from midfield after replacing Casado on the hour mark.

Pau Cubarsi (N/A):

Came on for Garcia in added time.

Gerard Martin (N/A):

Replaced Balde for the final seconds.

Hansi Flick (5/10):

Got his tactics completely wrong as the Barcelona defence looked completely exposed whenever Brugge pushed forward. Yamal spared his blushes.