Crystal Palace are now genuine contenders to sign Nathan Ake, with an eye-catching raid of Manchester City now being planned.

Palace’s interest in a new centre-back stems from Marc Guehi’s contract situation, with the England international now poised to leave on a free transfer upon the expiration of his current deal next summer, and there are plenty of clubs waiting in the wings.

Liverpool remain keen on the 25-year-old, having come close to getting a deal done on deadline day in the summer, but Arne Slot’s side may now be set to face competition from the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea.

Steve Parish will, of course, be disappointed to have missed out on a transfer fee for the defender, unless he chooses to cash-in in January, although doing so could harm the Eagles in their quest to compete on all fronts, with the maiden European campaign likely to be of key importance.

Oliver Glasner’s side may not have to worry about bringing in a Guehi replacement until next summer, but they have already started identifying potential options, and Ake has now emerged as a target for the end of the season.

Crystal Palace genuine contenders to sign Ake

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which reveals Crystal Palace are now genuine contenders to sign the Man City defender, with their Premier League rivals giving serious consideration to cashing-in.

As such, the door could be open for Palace to get a deal done, with an eye-catching raid to sign the Dutchman being considered once again, having identified him as a target during the summer transfer window.

The Eagles are making sure they are prepared for Guehi’s departure, as it is considered almost a foregone conclusion that he will move on in the summer, with Bayern Munich named as one of the top clubs chasing the Englishman’s signature.

Once lauded as “incredible” by Man City manager Pep Guardiola, the centre-back has found game time hard to come by in the Premier League this season, often being benched or utilised as a substitute.

Crucially, the former AFC Bournemouth man is vastly experienced in the Premier League, having amassed 240 appearances in the competition, and he certainly knows what it takes to win, lifting 14 major honours in what has been a hugely successful career.

At 30-years-old, the City ace is likely to want to play regular first-team football, so it could make sense to seek pastures new in the summer, and there are signs he could be a solid replacement for Guehi.

The only negative is the fact the Netherlands international is over five years older than Guehi and set to turn 31 in February, which means he is unlikely to be a long-term replacement, although he should certainly have a few more years at the top level.

Crystal Palace also targeting Yann Bisseck as Marc Guehi replacement Crystal Palace now keen on "insane" £22m defender who pocketed Erling Haaland

Palace are looking to sign a new centre-back, with Marc Guehi heading for the exit door.

ByDominic Lund Oct 16, 2025

Despite strong spells from Warrican and Mujeeb, fielding lapses cost Royals in a tight finish

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-2025Karima Gore continued his superb form in CPL 2025, scoring his second consecutive half-century to guide Antigua and Barbuda Falcons to a commanding six-wicket victory over Barbados Royals on Saturday. Chasing 152, Falcons rode on Gore’s unbeaten 64 to claim their first points of the tournament in front of a home crowd.After a disappointing loss against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in their season opener – despite Gore’s 61 – Falcons bounced back with a disciplined all-round performance. Winning the toss and opting to field, the Falcons bowlers kept Royals in check for most of the innings. Quinton de Kock provided a brisk start with a fluent 57, and captain Rovman Powell added a late flourish with a powerful unbeaten 51 off just 24 balls to take Royals to 151 for 6. Jayden Seales was the pick of the bowlers for Falcons, returning 2 for 15 in an economical spell.In response, Falcons lost a couple of early wickets, but Gore held the innings together. Batting at No. 3, he anchored the chase, rotating strike effectively and finding the boundary when needed. He scored 39 off his first 41 balls, and by the end of the 16th over, Falcons still needed 45 off 24. Gore then accelerated, smashing 19 runs off his next six deliveries – including two consecutive sixes off Eathan Bosch in the 18th over – to ease the pressure. Eventually, it came down to six off the final over, and Gore sealed the chase with two balls to spare.Royals will be left ruing their missed opportunities in the field. Several dropped catches and missed run-out chances allowed Falcons and Gore to flourish. The fielding lapses not only released pressure but also gave Gore at least two reprieves, which he capitalised on to steer the game in Falcons’ favour.Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican and offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman conceded just 43 runs from their eight overs combined and picked up a wicket each, but it wasn’t enough to contain Falcons.

Seifert’s 125 is also the second-highest score ever in the CPL, while Kings’ chase was the fifth-highest ever in the competition

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Aug-2025

A stunning century from Tim Seifert helped St Lucia Kings pull off the fifth-highest chase in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) history with utter ease as they marched to the top of the table with a six-wicket win over Antigua and Barbuda Falcons at Gros Islet.Seifert levelled with Andre Russell for the CPL’s fastest century as his 53-ball 125 not out saw Kings overturn their 205-run in 17.5 overs as Falcons slumped to their second consecutive defeat, despite a 26-ball 61 from Shakib Al Hasan.Seifert started the chase in style, flat-batting the first legal delivery of the innings for a six over long-off. Imad Wasim conceded another six, to Johnson Charles, as Kings made their intent clear in the first over.Charles then welcomed Jayden Seales into the attack with a six before Seifert went 6, 4, 4 against the West Indies quick.There was some reprieve for Falcons when Salman Irshad had Charles gloving behind off an attempted scoop but Seifert showed no signs of slowing down.He swept Shakib for a six over square leg before skying a chance that fell safe between three fielders converging, much to Shakib’s angst.Akeem Auguste hit Irshad for three consecutive fours before Seales took 24 off Shakib, with two sixes and three fours. The 92 runs Kings plundered in the powerplay were the most in the season, and it was the third-best powerplay in CPL history.Tim Seifert plays a shot during his opening blitz•Getty Images

Usama Mir saw Seifert hit him for a four and a six in his first over, right after the powerplay, but hit back in his next over when he beat Auguste in flight to have him stumped.Seifert and Roston Chase kept the scoreboard ticking before Irshad took a blinder at short leg off Odean Smith to cut Chase’s innings short.However, in the next over Seifert hit back-to-back sixes off Mir to move to 99 and completed his century with a single off the next ball.Tim David went 6, 4, 6 off Smith before Seales had him caught at deep midwicket in a wicket maiden amid the chaos.Seifert, who had scooped Irshad in the over before for four, picked up another boundary off Seales’ third over before sealing the win with a mighty six off the final ball.Seifert finished unbeaten on 125, posting the highest score of the season, going past his compatriot Colin Munro, who is the only other centurion this year. This was also the second-highest score ever in the CPL.Openers Amir Jangoo and Jewel Andrew took Falcons to 51 for no loss at the end of the powerplay, but Tabraiz Shamsi’s introduction shifted the momentum briefly. He had Andrew skying one off his first ball before drawing a thick edge from Karima Gore and Roston Chase took a good catch at slip to send the in-form batter back for a first-ball duck.Shakib Al Hasan powered Falcons’ innings•CPL

Shakib prevented the hat-trick by sweeping a loosener fine on the leg side before an edge off a reverse-sweep brought him four more next ball.An 18-ball streak followed without a boundary, but that was ended when Shakib hit back-to-back sixes off Chase to end the tenth over – a slog sweep over midwicket was followed by a wallop down the ground.Shakib hammered David Wiese for 25 runs, with three consecutive fours followed by two back-to-back sixes, the second of which saw him bring up a 20-ball half-century.Jangoo lofted Shamsi over long-off the next over before sweeping him fine on the leg side. Shakib’s shot of the day was when he pummeled Alzarri Joseph inside out for a one-handed six.But an offcutter from Delano Potgieter drew a leading edge from Shakib and one over later, Jangoo miscued a reverse-sweep off Shamsi to David at short third to depart for a 43-ball 56.Smith failed to fire in the death, ambling to 11 off 15, but Fabian Allen provided the punch at the death with a 17-ball 38, taking Falcons past 200.

Tottenham have reportedly entered pole position to sign a “big striker” for manager Thomas Frank in January, coming amid reports that the unfit Dominic Solanke now faces an uncertain future at the club.

Thomas Frank unimpressed by Dominic Solanke at Tottenham

Spurs’ club-record signing has played just 49 minutes in all competitions so far this campaign, with a niggling ankle problem keeping him out of action since their 2-0 win at Man City in August.

His ankle issue required minor surgery and Frank has confirmed that the England striker could soon return to the field, having made decent progress in his recovery, but we can still only estimate when he will be fit and available for selection once again.

Tottenham absentee list to face Newcastle

Problem

Estimated return date

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

22/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

08/11/2025

Cristian Romero

Groin

01/11/2025

Destiny Udogie

Knee

08/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

08/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Fitness issues have been commonplace at Spurs since Solanke made the £65 million move from Bournemouth last year, and he hasn’t had a chance to showcase his worth to Frank just yet.

The 28-year-old finished 24/25 as Tottenham’s second-top goalscorer behind Brennan Johnson with 16 goals in all competitions, but a combination of knee, thigh and ankle problems limited his availability.

Interestingly, according to a report from Football Insider this week, Frank has already seen enough.

It is believed that Frank has been left unimpressed by Solanke and a January exit could be on the cards for him, as Tottenham’s manager decides that he wants a new striker to come in.

In the build up to the next transfer window, reports have suggested that Tottenham could bring Ivan Toney back to the Premier League on loan from Al-Ahli, with Frank’s ex-star at Brentford looking to battle his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

Some media sources claim that Frank has personally contacted Toney about a temporary move to Spurs, but there are other options.

With his contract expiring in 2026, Spurs have also been touted as suitors for Juventus star Dušan Vlahović.

Tottenham "leading the race" to sign Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović

According to reliable Bundesliga journalist and Bayern Munich expert Christian Falk, there’s been an update, and one which suits the north Londoners down to the ground.

While Bayern were continuously linked, it is actually Tottenham who are “leading the race” to sign Vlahovic, as Falk tells Bayern Insider that Vincent Kompany’s side have now backed off.

The 25-year-old, who reportedly earns a whopping £375,000-per-week in Turin, has managed to score at least 14 goals per season since his magnificent breakout campaign at Fiorentina in 2020/2021.

Vlahovic can be a big-game player as well, with strikes coming in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund and Man City over the last two seasons, as well as in crucial Serie A matches against the likes of Inter Milan.

On a free transfer or for a cut-price in January, Vlahovic could be a real coup, but he’ll almost certainly have to take a massive pay cut.

انفعلت جماهير فريق مانشستر سيتي على المدرب بيب جوارديولا بسبب النجم المصري عمر مرموش، عقب الفوز القاتل في مباراة اليوم ضد ليدز يونايتد، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة فريقي مانشستر سيتي وليدز يونايتد في الجولة الثالثة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26، حيث حقق السكاي بلو فوزًا بثلاثة أهداف لهدفين.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فودين بعد فوز مانشستر سيتي القاتل على ليدز يونايتد: لا أحد يعلم ما ينتظرنا

ودفع المدرب بيب جوارديولا بالمصري عمر مرموش في الدقيقة 89، بدلًا من برناردو سيلفا، وهو القرار الذي نال غضب عدد من جمهور مانشستر سيتي.

وترى جماهير مانشستر سيتي أن مرموش لا يحصل على فرص كافية للمشاركة، حسبما أعربت عبر موقع إكس، على النحو التالي:

“بيب لا يُصدق، أنت تثق في مهاجمك الثاني كثيرًا لدرجة أنك تمنحه ثلاث دقائق ضد ليدز!”.

Incredible Pep, you trust your second striker so much you give him 3 minutes against leeds. — Kuba (@burian_jakub) November 29, 2025

“لو كنت مكان مرموش، لفكرت جديًا في الانتقال في سوق الانتقالات القادم، بيب لا يُنصف هذا الرجل”.

If I was Marmoush I’d seriously consider a transfer next transfer window. Pep isn’t doing justice to this guy — Karisa (@karisamusa9) November 29, 2025

“تبديل آخر رائع من بيب، انتظر 88 دقيقة!”.

Another great pep sub. Waiting 88 mins — 🦅 (@Brendemos_) November 29, 2025

“لماذا الآن؟ لماذا لم ينتظر حتى الدقيقة 90؟!”.

Why now? Why didn’t he wait til the 90’ — Edd ❄️ (@unoriginaled) November 29, 2025

“جوارديولا أكبر مهرج في الإنترنت”.

Pep is the biggest clown on the internet — Mercury (@Merc900) November 29, 2025

“لقد تعبت”.

I’m tired — Royalty 👑 (@Roy__alty27) November 29, 2025

“يجب أن نبدأ بـ مرموش مع هالاند، كنت سأضع مرموش بدلاً من برناردو، لا يزعجني أن أحدهما لاعب خط وسط والآخر مهاجم، لكننا نعلم جميعًا أن هذا لن يحدث لأن برناردو هو حيوان أليف للمدربين”.

Should be starting with Haaland I’d put marmoush in place of bernardo doesn’t bother me that one is a midfielder and the other is a forward but we all know it won’t happen because bernardo is the teachers pet — Katie (@KaiteORourke) November 29, 2025

“دقائق ضئيلة كل أسبوع، كنت لأفكر في الرحيل لو كنت في مكانه”.

Scrap minutes every single week, i’d be thinking about an exit in January if I was him — . (@SZ_ctid) November 29, 2025

“يا لها من مزحة أن تدفع لاعبًا بمثل جودته في 5 دقائق، لقد أفسدت الشوط الثاني بأكمله”.

What a joke to use a player of his quality for the best part of 5 mins absolutely pisstake the entire second half — Louis (@Louis_0805) November 29, 2025

Look closely and you’ll see the first shoots of success springing from the St. James’ Park turf. Newcastle United started the season poorly, but then the same happened last year.

How did the 2024/25 campaign turn out for Eddie Howe and his men?

Newcastle’s win over Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday was more than just three points. It signified tenacity and togetherness, with captain Bruno Guimaraes striking at the eleventh hour to lift his team toward the top half of the table.

With the signs of success also found out on the continent in the Champions League, there’s just cause for optimism, alright, with the physical and mental parts of the battle both favouring the Magpies as they start to find form.

Those two facets are both sides of the same coin, and it is something Nick Woltemade has embraced since joining from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m before deadline day. He’s been brilliant, but Howe and technical director Ross Wilson are already considering another striker.

Newcastle planning move for new striker

Newcastle didn’t just add Woltemade to their squad this summer. The saga linking Yoane Wissa to Tyneside was of a higher profile, raging throughout the summer and lacking clarity. Wissa wanted to go; Brentford wanted to keep him. It was balanced on a knife-edge.

Typical, then, that the DR Congo international has yet to feature or even get up to speed in full training, injured on international duty shortly after completing his deadline-day £55m move.

Wissa, 29, is recovering well, due to return in two or three weeks. He could feature before the November international break, but Howe has intimated a desire to give the goalscoring recruit a pre-season of his own, and so he could make his bow against Manchester City on November 22nd.

The fine form of Woltemade across the opening weeks of the term eases the need for rapid integration. Woltemade, 23, has already scored six times for United, so elegant and intelligent. Newcastle have got bang for their buck (despite what some envious rivals might think).

Still, with the uncertainty around Wissa and the struggles for attacking fluidity, as a whole, this year, Wilson has reportedly registered Newcastle’s interest in Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, who faces an uncertain future in Portugal.

According to Spanish sources, the 21-year-old is attracting interest from Newcastle, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur after his prolific start to life with Porto, with the Iberian outfit for a little over a year.

The report suggests that while the Magpies’ ability to invest may be limited in January, they ‘aren’t ruling out entering the bidding’ for the in-demand striker, should the opportunity arise.

Valued at €100m (about £88m), Samu clearly wouldn’t come cheap, but he’d be worth the investment, one of the most potent young strikers in Europe.

What Samu would bring to Newcastle

Samu might be young, but he was coveted by Chelsea in 2024 before that move fell through, and he wound up at Porto. He is well regarded as one of the most exciting attacking talents out there, and his track record in the final third suggests he could provide Newcastle with an even greater goal threat than Woltemade is offering.

This year, the Spain international has posted nine goals from 11 matches. This after a 27-goal campaign in his maiden year away from home soil.

Woltemade, too, knows something of hitting the ground running in a strange land, but for all the German’s exquisite link-up play, he might not quite have the same prowess and hunger in front of goal as the 6 foot 4 Samu, who has been described as an “absolute powerhouse” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Porto

56

36 (3)

Recre Granada

36

18 (0)

Alaves

35

8 (1)

Granada

1

1 (0)

Wherever he goes, goals are scored. Though Samu may be a touch more one-track-minded than Woltemade in his attacking approach, there’s little question that he is an expansive striker, with elements to his game. After all, you cannot be laden with holes and described as having “everything it takes to be one of the best strikers in Europe” by journalist Zach Lowy.

This is further corroborated by Samu’s underrated passing game. Data from FBref reveals that, while he is among the most prolific goalscorers in Europe, he also ranks among the top 10% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 14% for through balls, the top 8% for switches and the top 13% for goal-creating actions per 90.

Like Woltemade at Newcastle, the Spaniard is a jack of many trades, and there’s a sense when watching him in action that he might actually be the superior goalscorer besides.

Sofascore show the incremental progress that may have been made in this regard. Samu scored 19 times in the Liga Portugal last term, and he missed 18 big chances across the year. We may be early into the new campaign, but he has bagged himself six goals in 2025/26 while fumbling only two golden opportunities in the final third.

Woltemade is a brilliant up-and-coming striker, but four converted and missed big chances apiece in the Premier League this year show where he needs to sharpen his game.

Howe could actually strike a wonderful balance with both Woltemade and Samu in the Toon mix, the contrasting elements of each man piecing together a new synergised quality at number nine in Newcastle.

What’s not to like? Newcastle plan to attack the many forks in a season’s road time and time again over the coming years. Both have their strengths.

But in terms of goals, Samu might just prove an upgrade on Woltemade, maybe even rivalling the very best across Europe.

Newcastle's “outstanding” talent can help Woltemade reach Shearer levels

Eddie Howe has an outstanding star at his disposal at Newcastle United who can help Nick Woltemade reach Alan Shearer levels.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 28, 2025

Pedri has opened up on the lessons he learned from Barcelona icons such as Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets as he rose from teenage prospect to team leader and how he now hopes to pass that knowledge on. The 22-year-old is recovering from a muscle injury but remains central to Hansi Flick’s project, reflecting on his evolution while backing Lamine Yamal to thrive under pressure.

From prodigy to leader at Camp Nou

Pedri is the face of the latest 'Revista Barca' edition, a symbolic moment for a midfielder who arrived as a quiet 17-year-old and now stands among the team’s most influential figures. Five years on from his debut, the Canary Islander has become the heartbeat of Barcelona’s midfield, guiding the club through a generational reset after the departures of Messi, Busquets, Jordi Alba and Gerard Pique.

This season, Pedri has been indispensable for Flick. Before his latest setback, a distal biceps femoris tear, he had started 13 games and surpassed 1,000 minutes, orchestrating Barcelona’s play with intelligence and rhythm. Even in the 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid, he battled through visible fatigue and stayed on the pitch until the closing stages, only to receive a second yellow card in the final minutes of the match.

The injury comes after an exhausting run of 41 consecutive appearances, but Barca believe the enforced pause may help him reset physically. As he continues recovery, Pedri has taken time to reflect on the lessons and influences that shaped his development, transitioning from a youngster surrounded by legends to a leader guiding the next wave. That reflection naturally leads into his comments on those who moulded him.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhat Pedri learned from Messi, Busquets & Co

The Spaniard spoke with admiration about the Barcelona greats who mentored him from the moment he arrived. “I’ve experienced a big change since I arrived, yes. In this time, I’ve learned a lot from my teammates and the captains I’ve had. And yes, now I feel like I’m in a leadership position within the team.

He highlighted the lessons handed down by club icons: “In the different stages I've experienced at Barça, I've learned a lot, especially from players like Busi [Busquets], Jordi [Alba], Leo [Messi], Geri [Pique], and Sergi [Roberto]. Besides their quality on the pitch, it was incredible to train with them.

"They taught me how I should conduct myself off the field and what I should do to help the team. Now it's my turn to enjoy it and try to pass that same knowledge on to the younger players.”

Backing Yamal and leading the new Barca

As Barcelona’s rebuild accelerates, Pedri sees it as his responsibility to support rising stars, none more prominent than Yamal. He praised the 18-year-old’s maturity and composure despite the intense scrutiny: “He’s incredible. At his age, few players do what he does. He’s very mature and, despite the talk about his private life, he knows what he’s doing at every moment.” 

Pedri’s leadership arrives at a crucial moment. The Catalan giants are transitioning into a new cycle under Flick, relying heavily on young talent while maintaining the essence of their identity. His role mirrors those of the legends who once mentored him – a bridge between eras, linking the values he inherited with the future the club aim to build.

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Getty Images SportBarcelona await Pedri’s comeback boost

Barcelona may soon receive a major lift. According to , Pedri is ahead of schedule in his recovery and could return sooner than expected. He is pushing to be available for the club’s first post-international-break match against Athletic Club, and if not, optimism is growing that he will feature in the high-stakes Champions League trip to Chelsea on November 25.

If Flick regains his midfield orchestrator earlier than planned, it would mark a crucial reinforcement as Barca enter a decisive stretch in Europe and La Liga. All eyes now turn to Pedri’s recovery and his growing role as the leader of Barcelona’s next generation.

The Milwaukee Brewers suddenly find themselves with one of the best records in baseball, and they are reportedly acting the part.

The Brewers are finalizing the acquisition of catcher Danny Jansen from the Tampa Bay Rays, according to a Monday afternoon report from Jeff Passan of ESPN. Jansen, a 30-year-old native of Elmhurst, Ill., has spent his entire eight-year career in the American League East division with the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Rays.

Jansen has played in 73 games for Tampa Bay this season, slashing .204/.314/.389 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs. He remains better known for his glove, with his 1.2 defensive bWAR exceeding his 1.1 offensive bWAR.

According to Will Sammon of , the Rays will take back High-A infielder Jadher Areinamo in the deal. Tampa Bay is also reportedly acquiring catcher Nick Fortes from the Miami Marlins to spell Jansen, per Ken Rosenthal of .

His current one-year contract carries a mutual option for 2026. The Rays are 53-53, and sit three games back of the AL's final wild-card slot.

Milwaukee, on the other hand, is on a protracted tear that has the team tied with the Chicago Cubs for the NL Central lead.

Brace of centuries hunt down hefty 393-run target as Worcestershire are left facing relegation

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Jul-2025 Warwickshire 184 (Smith 68, Webster 57, Shahzad 6-42) and 396 for 5 (Malik 142, Webster 100*, Mousley 69) beat Worcestershire 333 (Brookes 140, D’Oliveira 57) and 243 (Brookes 87, Roderick 50) by five wicketsWarwickshire pulled off the third biggest run-chase in their history to record a sensational five-wicket Rothesay County Championship victory over Worcestershire at Edgbaston.Second best for the first three days, on the fourth, Warwickshire chased down a target of 393, reaching 396 for five thanks to Zen Malik (142 from 222 balls), Beau Webster (100 not out, 166), Dan Mousley (69, 107) and Kai Smith (48 not out, 40). As the sun came out for the first time in the match and batting conditions eased, they delivered a remarkable recovery from 12 for two the previous evening.Malik unfurled a high-class career-best while Australian all-rounder Webster, in control from his first ball faced, was just as pivotal to the triumph. It was a real heartbreaker for Worcestershire as a victory which would have galvanised their survival fight turned into a defeat which shunts them to the brink of Division Two.Twenty-three days earlier at Southampton, Worcestershire needed to take seven Hampshire wickets on the last day and took only one. This time they need to take eight and found just three. That inability to close out winning positions will almost certainly cost them their First Division status.Warwickshire resumed on the final morning on 55 for two and, to their delight, the thick cloud that sat over Edgbaston for the first three days had departed. Batting was much at its easiest all game and Mousley and Malik applied themselves diligently to deny the visitors early impetus from a wicket.Mousley, recalled to the championship side due to Sam Hain’s paternity leave, reached 50 from 89 balls and a long overdue maiden championship century beckoned when he reverse-swept Bertie Foreman to short third man.Malik chugged on with immaculate concentration while Webster restrained his attacking instincts to launch another productive partnership. When Malik struck Foreman for ten in two balls to take the total halfway to the target, the home crowd’s thoughts started to turn towards an unlikely win.Malik reached his second first-class century (156 balls) with a six over the well-peppered short Hollies-side boundary. Webster followed to his half-century from 103 balls and Warwickshire went into tea on 267 for three, needing 126 from 35 overs.Malik skied Ethan Brookes to long on but left with his side firmly on course for victory. Ed Barnard edged Tom Taylor behind in the first over with the new ball, but Smith joined Webster to work the ball astutely around the big field to add an unbroken 84 in 11.2 overs.The unlikeliest of victories ultimately arrived with great comfort with 82 balls to spare, and Warwickshire’s exhilaration was as great as Worcestershire’s desolation.

Roberto Mancini has returned to management as Al Sadd’s new head coach, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal after missing out on the Nottingham Forest job. The former Manchester City and Italy boss now follows Xavi in taking charge of Qatar’s biggest club, with his debut set for November 24.

• Mancini returns to the dugout in Qatar

  Mancini is officially back on the touchline after being unveiled as the new head coach of Al Sadd, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract with the reigning Qatari champions. The 60-year-old returns to management for the first time since stepping down as Saudi Arabia coach in October 2024. Mancini had held talks with Nottingham Forest about replacing Ange Postecoglou this season, but the Premier League club ultimately chose Sean Dyche, opening the door for Al Sadd to make their move.

  The appointment marks a significant coup for the Doha-based club, who previously revived their project through Xavi Hernandez, before the Barca legend made his return to Spain. With Mancini now stepping into the same role once occupied by Xavi, Al Sadd are again banking on a high-profile leader to elevate standards and reassert dominance in Qatar.

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• AFP
  

  What Mancini’s arrival means for Al Sadd’s ambitions

  Mancini’s arrival signals a clear strategic shift. His resume – from winning City’s first Premier League title, to lifting the Euro 2020 trophy with Italy underlines Al Sadd’s ambition to modernise and compete internationally. This move also comes at a period of transition for the club, who currently sit sixth in the Qatar Stars League and recently dismissed Felix Sanchez. The board are aiming for a reset built on elite coaching experience and star names.

  That approach is further highlighted by the permanent signing of Roberto Firmino from Al-Ahli, giving the Italian an immediate marquee player to build his attack around. The Firmino-Mancini partnership is viewed internally as a new foundation for a long-term rebuild.

• From City glory to Doha: Mancini’s next chapter

  After leaving City in 2013, Mancini has managed across various clubs across Europe like Galatasaray, Inter, Zenit and Italy before taking charge of Saudi Arabia. His return to the Middle East now places him at Qatar’s most successful club, one that has historically attracted high-profile talent both on and off the pitch. The likes of Spain legends Raul and Xavi have played for the Qatari club, and the latter went on to coach them to the Stars League title, among other trophies.

  Mancini turns 61 later this month, adding an extra milestone to a comeback that he hopes will restore his managerial momentum. His versatility and experience across top leagues make him a strong fit for a squad seeking tactical clarity and discipline.

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• AFP
  

  What comes next for Al Sadd under Mancini?

  The ex-Inter boss will take charge of his first match on November 24, away to Al-Wahda in the AFC Champions League. Until then, interim manager Sergio Alegre continues to oversee training. With Al Sadd pushing to climb the table and recalibrate their identity, all eyes will be on whether Mancini can spark an immediate reaction and emulate the success Xavi once delivered in Doha.