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Celtic are reportedly interested in signing Bodo/Glimt winger and Norway international Ola Solbakken, according to the Scottish Daily Mail [Print edition, 27/04] (via the Daily Record). 

The lowdown: A familiar foe

The 23-year-old played a major hand in eliminating the Hoops from the UEFA Conference League earlier this season, scoring and assisting across the two legs as the Norwegian side got past Ange Postecoglou’s charges 5-1 on aggregate.

Since then, Celtic have been tentatively linked with the ace whose contract is set to expire at the end of 2022 (Transfermarkt).

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Now it appears that the interest from Celtic Park could be about to ramp up a notch as we approach the winger’s free agency…

The latest: Mail provides an update

As per the Scottish Daily Mail (via the Daily Record), Celtic officials have identified the Norway international as a possible alternative to loan star Jota.

Whilst the club hold an option to make Jota a Bhoy on a permanent basis in the summer, the deal is yet to be finalised and the hierarchy may already be considering other avenues.

One possibility would reportedly be to ‘rekindle’ their interest in the two-cap Norwegian star, who has also been linked with a move to join Jose Mourinho at AS Roma.

The verdict: Smart planning

Most connected with Celtic would want to see Jota arrive on a permanent basis having already proved to be a hit in Scotland with 11 goals and 12 assists in 36 appearances across all competitions.

However, should that transfer not be forthcoming, never one to take a backwards step, Postecoglou would no doubt welcome Solbakken into the Lennoxtown ranks with open arms.

Already a fully-fledged senior international and with a stunning seven-goal European campaign under his belt, the talented wide-man would be a superb addition to the Celtic squad.

Predominantly operating as a right-winger, Solbakken has shone in the early season in Norway, averaging a 7.07/10 average match rating (Sofascore) – we feel he would make for a shrewd signing at the right price even regardless of Jota’s situation.

In other news, an ex-Celtic hero has taken a dig at Rangers ahead of Sunday’s game. Read more here.

Everton have been plagued with injury problems throughout this season but have been given a huge early injury boost ahead of their clash with Leicester City at the King Power Stadium this weekend.

What’s the latest?

According to Premier League injury expert Ben Dinnery, Richarlison is expected to definitely return to action after being subbed off early in the 1-0 win over Chelsea at Goodison Park last weekend.

Writing on social media, Dinnery said:

“Richarlison – Cramp in the Calf Muscles EFC Expected Return: 08-05-2022 Status: 100%.”

Lampard will be thrilled

With only five games left to save the Toffees’ season and make the great escape from their first-ever Premier League relegation, Frank Lampard will surely be thrilled that his star player will be available for their trip to the East Midlands on Sunday.

Richarlison scored the winning goal that led to controversy after he threw a flare into the stands shortly before hobbling off the pitch in the 80th minute with worry that he had sustained an injury. However, luckily for the Everton team, manager and supporters it was only cramp.

Despite only scoring eight goals and assisting four times this season, the Toffees can often rely on the Brazilian forward to deliver in the moments when they are needed most and his winning strike against his gaffer’s former club on Sunday could ultimately be the difference between Premier League or Championship football next season.

Richarlison has been gaining momentum with his form in the tail-end of the season, with four goals and one assist in the last six games for the Toffees, so having him available to take his chances to continue that impressive goal threat by imposing himself on Brendan Rodgers’ side so that Everton can take another three points in their bid for safety.

The Toffees boss has hinted that Dominic Calvert-Lewin could also return to action this weekend following another quad injury that has kept him sidelined over the last few weeks, so to have his most successful striking partnership back in the team will be a massive boost in Everton’s chances away from home and in their bid to beat the drop.

AND in other news: Everton given green light to sign “undefendable” £50m gem, it’s bye-bye Richarlison

Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen demonstrated a ‘very impressive’ range of passes against Watford on Saturday, according to one Sky Sports journalist.

The lowdown

Palace beat Watford, and former manager Roy Hodgson, 1-0 on home soil to make it back-to-back wins after last weekend’s success against Southampton.

Wilfried Zaha’s first-half penalty was enough to seal a result that moves Palace up to ninth place and confirms the visitors’ relegation to the Championship.

Andersen made his 29th Premier League start of the campaign in Palace’s 35th match, helping the Eagles keep their 11th clean sheet.

The latest

Sky Sports journalist Charlotte Marsh, stationed at Selhurst Park, was left in awe of Andersen’s distribution.

“Andersen has made a number of incredible long passes down the field to try and set Crystal Palace up in an attacking position,” she said in the early stages of the second half.

“His latest to [Eberechi] Eze on the left isn’t quite as successful as some of the others, but the range is still very impressive.”

The verdict

Andersen didn’t have all that much defending to do in this particular game as Watford, reduced to ten men following Hassane Kamara’s red card 20 minutes from time, could muster only 31% possession and five shots.

That largely explains why he didn’t make any tackles, recorded only one interception and one clearance, and contested only three duels (via SofaScore).

But he found another way to contribute, launching attacks for Palace with his booming balls from the back. Over the course of the game, he completed a whopping 15 long passes (from 22 attempts).

For context, the next highest was Watford’s goalkeeper Ben Foster, who successfully pulled off 112 (out of 33).

The £70,000-per-week man is an offensive asset to Patrick Vieira’s side despite operating as a centre-half.

In other news, Palace’s top target has emerged. 

With Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United currently staring down the barrel of relegation from the Premier League, whether or not the 48-year-old manager remains at the club in the event of the Whites dropping down to the second tier appears very much up for debate.

Indeed, this question was posed to the American in a recent press conference, with the former RB Leipzig head coach appearing to suggest that he was not brought into the club by Victor Orta to simply oversee the remaining fixtures of the season, but rather to build a project at Elland Road.

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Regarding his future in LS11 beyond the end of the current campaign, Marsch said: “I am so focused on what we are doing right here, right now. My vision was not 12 games. It’s over years. The first step is staying in the Premier League. The club deserves it and the club has earned it. But we have to earn it in the moment right now.”

However, despite the 48-year-old’s rather optimistic outlook, the fact remains that, should Leeds find themselves playing Championship football next season – an outcome which, following the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday, is now a 65% probability – he will have failed in what will undoubtedly the primary objective given to him by Orta and Andrea Radrizzani back in March.

In a recent article for The Athletic, Phil Hay suggested that securing survival for the Whites is the only real way the American can back up his positive outlook concerning his future, with the journalist writing:

“He is nine games in and you cannot tell at this stage if you are seeing all of the coach or the man, which creates confusion over whether to be convinced or perplexed by some of what he is saying. Gandhi won’t get Leeds United out of trouble and neither will Mother Theresa. Marsch, on the other hand, can. It is an essential first step in proving he can walk the walk.”

Indeed, despite Leeds’ brief upturn in form following Marsch’s arrival at the club, results in recent weeks, as well as individual player performances – have been well below par, rendering Sunday’s meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion a must-win game if the Whites are to remain a Premier League side heading into 2022/23.

However, aside from deciding the club’s immediate future, the visit of the Seagulls could also determine whether or not Marsch will fulfil his prophecy of spending a number of years at Elland Road – as a defeat against Graham Potter’s outfit will force both Orta and Radrizzani into making a decision as to whether the 48-year-old is the man who they want to lead the Whites into a campaign in the second-tier of English football.

And, in the event of relegation, while it is true that a number of the current playing staff – including the likes of Rodrigo and Mateusz Klich – should be moved on this summer, we at Football FanCast also believe it would be wise to axe the £80k-per-week American, as the 48-year-old once again appears to be “out of his depth.”

AND in other news: Forget James: “Completely anonymous” dud should’ve just played his last game for Leeds

Reliable journalist Alan Nixon has backed Nottingham Forest striker Keinan Davis to be the one to ‘make the difference’ in the club’s upcoming Championship play-off final against Huddersfield Town.

The Lowdown: Wembley preparations

Steve Cooper’s side booked their place at Wembley Stadium having defeated Sheffield United 3-2 in a scintillating penalty shootout at the City Ground on Tuesday night, and so will now start preparations for their all-important clash against the Terriers on May 29.

The 24-year-old wasn’t in the starting line-up for the game vs the Blades after returning from injury, but did come on as a substitute at the 75-minute mark to replace fellow forward Sam Surridge, and Nixon believes that Davis could prove to have a huge impact in the looming final.

The Latest: Nixon backs Davis to start

When responding to a fan question on his personal Twitter account asking if he thought Forest could go all the way and gain promotion, Nixon replied:

“Davis needs to start. Would make the difference. Johnson can then move wider. Spence can then go forward and link.”

The Verdict: Instant impact

Despite only making 15 league appearances in the second-tier this season, Davis has still managed to score five goals and provide two assists during that time, as per Transfermarkt, showing just how much of an influence he can have when on the pitch.

Forest defender Steve Cook previously dubbed his teammate an “unsung hero”, so it’s clear to see the admiration that the rest of the squad have for him.

This kind of strong team spirit is exactly what Nottingham are going to need if they want to secure promotion and get the victory over the line against a tough opponent in Huddersfield at the end of the month.

Sadler will eye short-form revival after disappointing white-ball season

Matt Roller20-Sep-2021Northamptonshire have appointed John Sadler as their new head coach after David Ripley stood down following a decade in the job.Sadler joined Northants as assistant coach ahead of the 2020 season following two years in the same role at Leicestershire, where he had previously worked as the club’s second-team coach. He also spent three seasons at Derbyshire as batting coach, assistant coach and interim head coach between 2014 and 2016.Sadler will be tasked with leading a revival in white-ball cricket after results tailed off in the latter stages of Ripley’s time in charge. Northants embraced a moneyball approach in their recruitment to win two Blast titles in 2013 and 2016 under Ripley’s stewardship but finished eighth in their group in the Royal London Cup and bottom of the Blast’s North Group this season.Related

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Their four-day cricket has been much stronger over the last three years. They won promotion from Division Two in 2019 only for the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on the English season to cost them the opportunity to play top-flight cricket, and would have qualified for the six-team Division One this season if they had won their away fixture against Yorkshire which finished in an agonising one-run defeat.”I’m absolutely delighted to be stepping into the top job” Sadler said. “I feel the club is in a really good place and ready to kick on even further. We’ve got a very exciting group of cricketers and some great people around so it’s an exciting opportunity to take on.”Rips is obviously a very, very well respected man and coach who’s been around a long time. He’s a real stalwart of the club in a lot of positions and the success he’s had, the group of players he’s assembled, he’s left the side in a good place and I’m looking forward to taking it on.”I’ve got massive boots to fill but if I’ve got half the longevity and half the success he had then I’ll be delighted. I’m sure things will be slightly different with a different voice and different ideas but ultimately there’s been some brilliant things going on here so it’s about adding to those and not necessarily changing too much.”Chris Liddle, Northants’ bowling coach, will take on further responsibilities as their assistant coach as a result of Sadler’s promotion.Ray Payne, the club’s chief executive, said: “When we brought John on board at the end of 2019 there was always a feeling that he was someone we wanted to keep around long-term. He’s been an excellent addition to the club and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do as our head coach.”

The batter featured in five matches in the National T20 Cup which concluded on Wednesday

Umar Farooq14-Oct-2021Northern batter Zeeshan Malik has been provisionally suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) under the provisions of its anti-corruption code.Malik, 24, played five matches for Northern in the recently concluded National T20 Cup where he made 123 runs at an average of 24.60, finishing as his side’s sixth-highest run-getter during their campaign that ended with eventual winners Khyber Pakhtunkhwa knocking them out in the semi-finals.The PCB has opened an investigation against Malik pertaining to article 4.7.1 in its code that covers a wide range of offences, including corruption and breach of a criminal law.Though the PCB has refused to divulge the precise offence for which Malik is being investigated, the board has barred him from participating in any activity related to cricket while the probe is carried out.Malik shot to prominence after becoming Pakistan’s third-highest run-scorer at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, averaging 56.25 for his 225 runs. He hails from Chakwal in Rawalpindi division, made his debut in first-class cricket in 2016 for Rawalpindi, and has played five seasons since. His 2019-20 season for Northern saw him make 780 runs at an average of 52. His 467 List A runs in the 2018-19 season, including three hundreds, kept him in national contention.According to article 4.7.1 of PCB’s anti-corruption code, provisional suspension is effective where the PCB decides to charge an individual with a corruption offence or considers that there are other exceptional circumstances where law enforcement agencies arrest the individual under the criminal law. In cases where it considers that the integrity of the sport could otherwise be seriously undermined, the PCB holds the discretion to suspend a player pending the anti-corruption tribunal investigation of the said offence.

Former club captain had previous stint on coaching staff between 2017 and 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2021Michael Yardy, the former Sussex and England allrounder, has returned to Hove as academy director after two seasons as batting coach with Kent. Yardy replaces Richard Halsall, who has left Sussex to pursue new opportunities.Yardy spent the entirety of his 15-year playing career with Sussex, where he was captain between 2009 and 2012, winning three Championships and multiple white-ball titles, as well as recognition with England. He retired in 2015, returning to the club as 2nd XI/batting coach two years later, and also worked with England Young Lions before moving to Australia to fulfil a similar role with New South Wales.Yardy, who helped England win the 2010 T20 World Cup, spoke openly about his mental health issues during his career, subsequently going on to study for a degree in sports psychology.Related

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“It’s great to be coming back to Sussex, particularly in a role that is so crucial to the future of the club,” Yardy said. “My various roles in the time since I was last at the club have given me a wide range of perspectives which I believe will serve me well as I return to Hove.”Top of my list of priorities is making sure our emerging young players are ready for professional cricket and can perform in the first team as quickly as possible after reaching that level. As well as the technical and tactical requirements, making sure they’ve got the mental approach and resilience they’ll need will be a big focus of mine and something we’ll be looking at throughout the pathway.”There are some very good coaches throughout the pathway and they’ll play a big part in shaping our approach. Rich Halsall has done some excellent work over the last few years and we’ll be looking to build on that as we strive to make the Sussex pathway the best in cricket.”If we can do that, then we’ll be producing cricketers that can not only win games and trophies for Sussex but also do the same for England.”I massively enjoyed my two seasons at Kent, which is a special club with a special group of players. I’ve made some great friends there and it was great to be part of their success last season, more of which I’m sure will follow.”Sussex endured a tough summer in 2021, despite reaching T20 Blast Finals Day, finishing bottom of Division Three of the County Championship and losing nine of their 14 games with a squad heavily reliant on young players.Sussex’s performance director, Keith Greenfield, said: “Everyone at the club is incredibly excited that Yards will be returning home to Sussex Cricket. We couldn’t wish for a better person to be leading the development of the young Sussex players of the future.”The different cricket experiences and knowledge he has gained will be invaluable to the players he will work with. In particular, Mike’s psychology degree will enable him to develop the mental skills of players, which are so vital in the modern game.”I can’t wait to resume my working relationship with Yards as we work towards giving Sussex the best talent production line in cricket.”Mike will also work closely with Phil Hudson, who will now be responsible for managing our boys’ pathway programme from U10 to U16 level to enable Mike to focus on our overall talent development strategy and pay special attention to our academy players.”

Hall-of-fame allrounder signs for six Vitality Blast and two One-Day Cup matches

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-2025Australia’s legendary allrounder Ellyse Perry has signed for Hampshire, a statement overseas signing for the women’s side’s ahead of the inaugural Tier One county competition.Perry will be available for six Vitality Blast fixtures in July, as well as two Metro Bank One Day Cup matches. She will also be available should the club reach Vitality Blast Finals Day. She is set to make her debut at Chesterfield on July 4 against The Blaze, before a first appearance at the Utilita Bowl against Somerset on July 6.A modern great, the acquisition of Perry is a big statement of intent from Hampshire. Her CV boasts six T20 World Cups, two ODI World Cups, Commonwealth Games gold and five Ashes wins. She was ever-present through the recent 16-0 demolition of England, and is the leading run scorer and wicket-taker in Women’s Ashes.Related

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The 34-year old is highly sought after on the women’s T20 circuit, turning out most recently for 2024 WPL champions Royal Challengers Bangalore, finishing second on the 2025 edition’s run charts with 372 runs at an average of 93. Following her stint with Hampshire, she will turn out for Birmingham Phoenix in the women’s Hundred, who she captained last season.”I’m really looking forward to joining the Hampshire team this summer,” Perry told the club’s website. “The club has been a leader within the women’s game for the last ten years and I’m excited to have the opportunity join the team at such an exciting time for domestic cricket in England.”Paul Prichard, Hampshire Women’s interim head coach added: “Ellyse is one of the world’s best cricketers and we are looking forward to welcoming her to the team this summer. Her record across all formats speaks for itself and she will add a tremendous amount of value on and off the pitch.”Our group of young players will learn so much from Ellyse and I know our fans will be incredibly excited to see her in a Hawks shirt.”Perry’s acquisition follows on from Prichard’s appointment yesterday as interim head coach after Charlotte Edwards departed the role last week to replace Jon Lewis as England Women’s head coach.

They move up after the CSK vs SRH game, where Noor picked up two wickets and Harshal bagged a four-for

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-20251:29

Will this win make SRH rethink their approach?

The Purple Cap tablePrasidh Krishna, Gujarat Titans fast bowler, is still the Purple Cap holder with 16 wickets from eight games. RCB’s Josh Hazlewood is tied with him in terms of wickets after he picked up 4 for 33 against RR. He is second because of a slightly inferior economy rate than Prasidh.CSK’s Noor Ahmad is back in the top three after his 2 for 42 against SRH on Friday, taking his overall tally to 14. Noor was leading the Purple Cap list for a while since the beginning of the season but dropped out after he went wicketless in a couple of games. Behind him is Harshal Patel from SRH, who is on 13 wickets. Harshal picked up 4 for 20 against CSK, including the crucial wickets of Dewald Brevis and MS Dhoni.Below them is a pack of seven bowlers with 12 wickets each: Gujarat Titans’ R Sai Kishore, Delhi Capitals’ Kuldeep Yadav, brothers Hardik Pandya (Mumbai Indians) and Krunal Pandya (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), GT’s Mohammed Siraj, CSK’s Khaleel Ahmed and LSG’s Shardul Thakur.The Orange Cap tableGT’s B Sai Sudharsan remains at the top with 417 runs from eight games at an average of 52.12 and a strike rate of 152.18. Virat Kohli occupies the No. 2 position after his 70 off 42 balls during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s match against Rajasthan Royals. He is now on 392 runs from nine innings.Nicholas Pooran, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) No. 3, had started the IPL with a bang, and was the top run-getter from Game No. 7 to Game No. 39. But three low scores have pushed him down to No. 3, with 377 runs from nine innings.Mumbai Indians’ (MI) Suryakumar Yadav, who has been super consistent in the IPL this season without really making an almighty splash, is fourth with 373 runs. He hasn’t had a single-digit score this season: 29, 48, 27*, 67, 28, 40, 26, 68* and 40*.Not far behind Suryakumar are Jos Buttler of GT and, after his 49 in 19 balls against RCB, Yashasvi Jaiswal, both on 356 runs, though Buttler has played one innings fewer than Jaiswal, who had a woeful start to the season but now has 75, 51, 74 and 49 in his last four innings.The following are some of the other IPL 2025 tables that might interest you.

• Highest batting strike rates
• Best bowling economy rates
• Most sixes
• Best bowling figures in a match