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Afghanistan will soon get its first women’s national team which will participate in an international Twenty20 tournament organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) next year

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2010Afghanistan are set to get their first women’s national team, to participate in an international Twenty20 tournament organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) next year. Women have increasingly taken up careers in sport since the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2001, and the tournament in Kuwait next year marks another step forward for Afghanistan cricket.More than 100 women play the game in Kabul and several have attended umpiring courses, and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) plans to organise a local competition to shortlist players for the tournament. The team uniform will reportedly include a headscarf or hijab, as per Islamic tradition.”Women’s cricket provides an opportunity for Afghan young women to be fit and have healthier and more active lives,” Hamid Shinwari, the ACB chief executive, said. “The ACB has a strong commitment to developing the game for women in a way that is good for them and, at the same time, respects our Islamic and Afghan values.”Women’s cricket will build self-esteem, leadership and positive values for young women in our country, just as it is doing for young men.””This development is so exciting for our young women cricketers and their families and supporters,” Diana, the women’s cricket development officer at the ACB, said in a statement. “We love our country and hope to support it through our sport. Seeing a women’s cricket team in the Asian Cup will do so much to raise the hopes of many women here.”The men’s national team has made rapid strides, having qualifyied for the World Twenty20 in 2010 and gained ODI status.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has delivered an update on Leeds United’s transfer pursuit of RB Salzburg starlet Brenden Aaronson.

What’s the story?

Initially writing on Twitter, he revealed: “Leeds United will be back in for Brenden Aaronson. @MarkCarey93 and I took a close look at how the land lies: Strong pressing stats, Comparisons drawn with Klich, Leeds confident their pitch will work, Salzburg more open to selling in the summer.”

In a subsequent article for The Athletic looking at the deal in greater depth, he added: “The offers from Elland Road last month started at £15m and rose to £20m a few days later but the message from the perennial Austrian champions at the end of December — that their squad would remain intact throughout January — held firm.

“Leeds deduced from Salzburg’s unresponsive state that there was no point in returning with a third bid. The club decided in advance of Monday night’s deadline that they would try again for the US international midfielder in the summer.

“Leeds are optimistic that detailed plans for him and the unequivocal message about their interest in him last month will allow them to control the race, provided they meet Salzburg’s valuation.”

Fans will be excited

With reports suggesting that Marcelo Bielsa turned down opportunities to sign the likes of Donny van de Beek and Harry Winks respectively, it’s clear that the Leeds boss has his way of working and wants his players to fit his mould rather than the other way around.

The fact the Whites went in with two bids for Aaronson, and are now set to be back in for him in the summer transfer window, is a real indication of just how badly they want him and how well the midfielder would fit into Bielsa’s plans at Elland Road.

The Leeds boss has already shown that he won’t just sign players for the sake of it, even when his squad has been as badly affected by injuries and illnesses this season. Therefore, when a true ‘Bielsa transfer target’ becomes clear, fans know that it’s someone to whom the manager has given his full backing.

Whites fans should surely be excited with Hay’s update that the club intend to go back in for Aaronson in the summer transfer window.

Meanwhile, Beren Cross has delivered an update on Kalvin Phillips…

You would’ve been forgiven for being concerned for Wolves when first-choice goalkeeper Rui Patricio left the West Midlands to join AS Roma last summer for a reported figure of £9.8m.

The Black Country club eventually recruited Jose Sa from Olympiakos for £6.25m, a signing which has proven to be a masterstroke.

In the Portuguese goalkeeper’s first season in the Premier League, he has kept 11 clean sheets in 32 appearances so far, conceding just 28 goals in that space of time.

To put that figure into context, during Patricio’s time at Molineux, Sa’s fellow countryman kept 37 clean sheets in 127 appearances, conceding 151 goals – an average of a clean sheet every 3.43 games and 1.19 goals per game, compared to Sa’s 2.91 and 0.86 respectively.

The 34-year-old was a key figure for Wolves, signing for the Old Gold following their promotion to the top flight in 2018, but he has been replaced excellently with a figure who could well be number one for plenty of years to come.

Not only has Sa been an excellent recruit, but the deal to purchase him is now looking like a bargain.

To have paid just £6.25m for a goalkeeper who currently averages less than a goal conceded per game in the Premier League is astounding, especially when you consider the astronomical £71.6m fee that Chelsea paid for the error-prone Kepa Arrizabalaga in 2018.

The £17k-p/w Sa, who was hailed as “dominant” by former Molineux ‘keeper Matt Murray, has also been a major contribution to Wolves’ status as the Premier League’s fourth-best defence.

According to Transfermarkt, the goalkeeper was valued at £6.75m when Wolves signed him, making the £6.25m fee a pretty fair deal. However, after a stellar maiden campaign at Molineux, the 29-year-old has seen his value rise to £12.6m, just over double the transfer fee paid for him.

It’s a colossal increase when considering that, for the majority of Sa’s career, he has been valued at under £2.5m. If this form is to continue, then surely a first senior cap for Portugal isn’t far away.

Patricio is still the country’s number one with an impressive 102 caps for his national team but, like at Wolves, Sa could be his eventual heir in the coming years.

One thing seem certain – Bruno Lage certainly won’t be looking to change the man between the sticks for a very long time.

In other news – Fewer touches than Sa: Wolves “hindrance” who lost 79% duels badly failed Lage against Newcastle

Forty-year-old opener Sanath Jayasuriya has been dropped from the 15-member Sri Lanka squad for the Asia Cup starting in Dambulla next week. Also missing from the line-up is spinner Ajantha Mendis, while fast-bowling allrounder Farveez Maharoof is back in favour after recovering from a side strain which had kept him out of contention since February last year.This was the first squad picked by Sri Lanka’s new selection panel, headed by former captain Aravinda de Silva, who took charge two weeks ago.Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss had warned at the start of the year that Jayasuriya was unlikely to be picked as a specialist opener and that he would have to force his way in as a spinning allrounder if he was to play the 2011 World Cup. He had been left out of Sri Lanka’s side for the tri-series in Bangladesh earlier this year as well, and had been moved out of his favoured opening slot to the middle order late last year. Jayasuriya’s most recent outings for the national side were at the recent World Twenty20 in the West Indies, where he had a miserable time, averaging 3.75 in six matches.There were some surprises in the slow-bowling department with left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who last played an ODI in 2004, chosen ahead of Mendis, who has had a reasonably good tri-series in Zimbabwe. Two offspinners at opposite ends of their careers, 38-year-old Muttiah Muralitharan and newcomer Suraj Randiv, are the other specialist spinners.The Asia Cup will be held in Sri Lanka from June 15-24. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are the other participating countries.Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), Muttiah Muralitharan (vc), Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Farveez Maharoof, Chamara Kapugedara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Chanaka Welegedara, Lasith Malinga, Suraj Randiv, Rangana Herath, Thilina Kandamby.

Brett Lee’s hopes of making an international comeback have been dashed by a muscle strain in his right forearm that will force him out of the ICC World Twenty20. Lee suffered the problem during Australia’s one-run warm-up loss to Zimbabwe and the team has requested a replacement player, likely to be either Doug Bollinger or Ryan Harris.The injury is a major blow for Lee, who has not played for his country since October and was making his return from elbow surgery. Lee felt pain after taking 1 for 13 in four overs and later had MRI scans, and a team spokesman said the strain was unrelated to his elbow trouble.”It’s a muscle strain,” the team spokesman told AAP. “We have gone to the ICC Technical Committee to ask for a replacement player.”The latest problem will raise further questions over the future of Lee, 33, who retired from Tests in February but wanted to remain a key Twenty20 and one-day player. A broken thumb curtailed his IPL season and although he retained his Cricket Australia contract, his ongoing injury worries must be a concern for the team management.Australia play their second warm-up game against the Windward Islands on Thursday before their opening match of the tournament proper against Pakistan on Sunday. Bollinger and Harris are the front-runners to replace Lee, having both had strong summers in the shorter formats.

West Ham have approached Aston Villa over a move for centre-back Kortney Hause, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: El Ghazi interest

The 26-year-old isn’t the first Villa player with whom the Hammers have been linked during the January transfer window. David Moyes is also thought to be keen on signing Anwar El Ghazi, with the Irons manager viewing the Dutchman as a versatile attacking option at the London Stadium.

Villa are willing to part ways with the Netherlands international and would prefer a permanent sale, and it now seems as if Hause is also a player of interest.

The Latest: Source shares Hause update

Football Insider, who were informed by a West Ham source, shared a story on Saturday morning regarding Hause.

They claimed that the Hammers have approached Villa over a possible deal, but Steven Gerrard’s side have the option to extend the defender’s stay in the Midlands by a further 12 months.

The report added that, should Villa activate the clause, it would enable them to secure a significantly higher fee for Hause, with his manager open to moving him on if the club can bring in a replacement.

The Verdict: New addition needed first

Villa recently lost Axel Tuanzebe’s services after he cut short his season-long loan spell to join Italian side Napoli. That has left Gerrard with Hause, Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa as first team options in the centre of defence, so Villa certainly need one and possibly two additions at the back if they are to part ways with the 26-year-old.

The £25,000-a-week earner, who journalist Pat Rowe called a defender who ‘dominates players’, made his first start under Gerrard in the recent 2-1 defeat to Brentford, with a number of fans criticising his performance that day.

Incomings are needed at Villa Park before possibly letting Hause leave, but it seems as if a move to the capital could have legs, making it a transfer rumour to watch.

In other news: ‘Heartbroken’ – Many Villa fans react to Gregg Evans’ big transfer development

Zinedine Ferhat would be ‘one of the better players in the SPFL’ if he joined Celtic, journalist Adam White has told GiveMeSport. 

The lowdown

French outlet Foot Mercato reported earlier this month that the 28-year-old was poised to move on from Nimes during the January transfer window. The £4m-rated midfielder is into the final six months of his contract and Celtic were named among his admirers, with the player’s ‘profile’ and ‘low cost’ appealing to the Glasgow club.

The Hoops may now be even more keen to snap him up after Callum McGregor, who like Ferhat can play in an attacking midfield role, suffered a serious facial injury. The Celtic captain is reportedly due to have surgery this week and, according to injury expert Ben Dinnery, he could face up to eight weeks on the sidelines.

The latest

White, who covers French football for The Guardian, Get French Football News and Football Radar, waxed lyrical about Ferhat when speaking to GiveMeSport. He explained that the Nimes maestro would bring not only quality to Celtic, but also useful versatility.

The journalist gushed: “I think for Celtic, absolutely, he’d be a really good option. He can play as a number 10, can also play out wide and as an attacking midfielder, very graceful, creative, and I think he’d improve Celtic’s team and would be one of the better players in the SPFL.”

The verdict

It’s hard to argue with White’s assessment. Last season, Ferhat was one of the top creators in Ligue 1, notching 10 assists despite his team being relegated – only Lyon’s Memphis Depay bettered that tally.

The French top flight is ranked as the fifth-best league in Europe, four places above the Scottish Premiership in UEFA’s coefficient, so you’d think that Ferhat really could boss proceedings here if he made the move to Parkhead.

He only earns £9,000 per week in France, which is roughly equivalent to what reserve goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas is making at Celtic. When you put it that way, it should be easy for them to present an appealing contract offer to the Nimes midfielder, who could be a timely target given McGregor’s unfortunate convalescence.

In other news, this Hoops talent is wanted by a leading Premier League club

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has tipped David Moyes to sign Besiktas striker Cyle Larin in the January transfer window, as he would ‘fit the bill’ for the Hammers, as per GIVEMESPORT.

The Lowdown: Goals drying up

Goals have recently dried up for the Hammers, who have failed to find the net in their previous three games. Their top scorer Michail Antonio has lost his clinical form, failing to score in his last eight appearances in the Premier League.

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The 31-year-old is currently the Irons’ only senior striker and this has caused deep problems for Moyes, as his once reliable attacking threat is no longer bringing in the goals.

As a result, West Ham are looking to bring in a centre-forward in the January transfer window. The manager has already stated that he will dip into the market to provide the squad with some much-needed depth.

The Latest: O’Rourke tips Moyes to sign Larin

Following Moyes’ admission that he will need additions to the West Ham squad if they are to continue in their push for Champions League qualification, O’Rourke has tipped the Irons boss to sign Besiktas striker Larin.

This comes after the Canadian was linked with a move to the east London club before, and the journalist believes that he could be an ideal signing for West Ham.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke said: “He’s a big strong striker who can play right across the front positions as well and that will be attractive to West Ham. He would definitely fit the bill.”

The Verdict: Depth is needed

As the club’s only recognised striker is currently out of form, it is crucial that Moyes is able to bring in an extra attacker in the January transfer window.

Larin has long been tipped for a big European move, even before his switch to the Turkish league. Former Orlando City teammate and Brazil legend Kaká spoke highly of the 26-year-old in the past, saying: “Cyle is a very good player and the third season for us will be great, but I think Cyle can play in a big team in Europe as well.”

Larin has also proven himself on the international stage. In 44 appearances for Canada, he has bagged an impressive 22 goals. This adds to his fine tally at club level; since joining Besiktas, he has made 68 Süper Lig appearances, scoring 29 goals and producing seven assists.

Maybe O’Rourke is right; this could just be the centre-forward alternative to Antonio that Moyes is craving.

In other news: West Ham make first move for £13m-rated dribbling wizard amid Premier League rivals’ interest

An update has emerged on Benfica wizard Everton Soares, regarding interest from the Blues in his signature…

What’s the talk?

According to UOL Esportes, via Portuguese outlet A Bola, the Toffees are eyeing up a swoop for the Brazilian and have been tracking his progress for a number of years.

The report claims that AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund are also keen on the forward and will compete with Everton in January.

Get it done

Everton must ensure that they can get a deal over the line for the attacker as he could be “exceptional” for Rafa Benitez in the Premier League.

The £16.2m-rated wizard has shown quality for Benfica in recent years and could bolster the club’s options out wide. He has scored 12 goals and provided 16 assists in 73 games for Benfica and caught the eye with some stunning displays last season.

In the 2020/21 campaign, he averaged an excellent Sofacore rating of 7.10 as he produced seven goals and eight assists in just 24 league starts. Soares created eight ‘big chances’ and averaged 1.3 chances created per game throughout the season, showing off his creativity as a winger.

Andros Townsend (1.9) is the only Everton midfielder and forward averaging more key passes per game this term than Soares did for Benfica. This suggests that he could come in and add to Benitez’s options in the forward line by offering a new threat alongside Townsend and the likes of Demarai Gray and Alex Iwobi.

Fortaleza president Marcelo Paz was previously effusive in his praise of the wide man, saying:

“He is a fantastic, exceptional, very talented player, with great dribbling skills. Of course, he will not be (the second coming of) Ronaldo, because he is Il Fenomeno and there is only one. But I assure you that he is a special player, he has all the qualities to become among the best in the world. And besides being strong he is a serious guy.”

These comments suggest that he has the potential to progress further and improve. At the age of 25, he still has plenty of time on his side and he could arrive at Everton with both the quality to make an immediate impact and the scope to increase his value over time and develop into a top player on the pitch for Benitez.

AND in other news, Everton to be offered £31.5m-rated beast who’s “similar to Xavi”, Rafa would love him…

Rangers have enjoyed a sublime start to life with Giovanni van Bronckhorst in Glasgow after two wins from two since his official arrival at Ibrox.

The Gers have beaten Sparta Prague, in the Europa League group stage, and Livingston, in the Premiership, and are now looking to make it three wins in a row.

They face up against Hibernian, who they recently lost to in the semi-final of the League Cup, in the league as they look to build on their 3-1 win at the weekend.

How many changes will he make to the team? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three alterations to the side, with John Lundstram, Fashion Sakala and Scott Wright coming in.

With a busy festive schedule set to hit the Gers in the coming weeks, van Bronckhorst may need to make changes to his side based on more than just individual performances from week to week. He may need to offer minutes to players to keep them fresh and rest others to avoid burnout.

The first change we are predicting is John Lundstram coming in for Glen Kamara, with the back four and goalkeeper staying the same. Per SofaScore, the Finland international was dribbled past twice and lost six of his 11 duels against Livingston, which could open the door for the ex-Sheffield United man to step in and have his chance to shine.

FFC published an article explaining why Ryan Kent should be axed from the team, after back-to-back disappointing displays under the Dutchman’s reign. Sakala replaced him off the bench against Livingston and scored the third goal for the Gers with a composed header, which could see the £8.3k-per-week Zambian start on the left of the attacking four tonight with the ex-Liverpool man cut from the XI.

Finally, Wright could start out wide on the right ahead of Ianis Hagi. With a busy schedule coming up, van Bronckhorst could keep the Romanian winger fully fit by resting him for this clash, whilst also offering Wright an opportunity to come in and show that he is deserving of more minutes in the coming weeks and months for the Gers.

The 24-year-old has one goal and an average of 1.3 chances created per game despite only starting three games in the Premiership this term. This suggests that the potential is there for him to be a threat in the final third, but he needs to go and show that he can do it on a consistent basis – starting with Hibs.

AND in other news, GVB must brutally axe £18k-p/w Rangers “wizard” vs Hibernian, he’s been a passenger…