She’s now the No. 1 allrounder, the No. 2 batter and No. 3 bowler in the ICC rankings

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2025Ashleigh Gardner’s storming Women’s World Cup 2025 has put her at a level seldom, if ever, attained by any allrounder, of any gender, in any format, in the history of the sport. She sits, following the latest update to the ICC rankings, among the top three batters, bowlers and allrounders in Women’s ODIs.Full rankings tables

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Gardner has been one of the most important drivers of Australia’s unbeaten run in the tournament so far, scoring 265 runs at an average of 88.33 and a strike rate of 128.01, and taking seven wickets with her offspin at 30.00. Four visits to the crease have brought her two hundreds, both coming in tense situations.When she walked in against New Zealand, Australia were 113 for 4, which soon became 128 for 5. She smashed 115 off 83 balls to lead them to a total of 326.Then, in a chase of 245 against England, Gardner entered with Australia 86 for 4. She scored an unbeaten 104, off just 73 balls, and put on an unbroken 180 with Annabel Sutherland to clinch victory with a whopping 57 balls to spare.Those knocks have propelled Gardner up six slots, from No. 8 to No. 2, in the latest update of the ICC’s ODI rankings, with only India’s Smriti Mandhana above her. Gardner has, meanwhile, kept hold of her top spot among allrounders and the No. 3 spot among bowlers.England’s Sophie Ecclestone sits on top of the bowlers’ chart with Australia legspinner Alana King, who took a World-Cup-record 7 for 18 against South Africa, in a career-best second place, having shot up five spots.

Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness has launched a blistering attack on Liverpool’s disastrous season, claiming that new arrival Florian Wirtz has been left to suffer because Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and others “want to play with their own ball”. With Liverpool in crisis after spending £450 million ($595m) on summer transfers, Hoeness insists the squad is full of “chiefs and no workers”.

• Liverpool struggling while Wirtz fails to find his feet

  Liverpool’s 2025-26 season has spiralled into turmoil despite a record-breaking summer outlay of almost £450m, leaving the Premier League giants sitting eighth and already nine points off leaders Arsenal. A humiliating 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League deepened the crisis, with fans labelling the performance one of the club’s worst in Europe in recent memory. Head coach Arne Slot now finds himself under intense scrutiny as pressure mounts and rumours of a potential exit swirl.

  The high-profile arrivals of Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike were intended to launch a new era of dominance, yet the Reds have instead struggled with cohesion, balance and consistency. Defensive frailties, disjointed pressing and ineffective attacking patterns have contributed to repeated lapses, with six defeats in seven matches across all competitions representing an alarming collapse. These shortcomings have allowed critics to accuse the squad of lacking structure and leadership, prompting scrutiny from figures across European football.

  Wirtz, signed to be the new creative heartbeat of the team, has endured an especially difficult adaptation to the Premier League, failing to score or assist in his first 12 league matches. As the Reds sink deeper into an early-season crisis, frustrations have intensified and external voices have begun to lay blame squarely at the feet of Liverpool’s expensive signings.

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  Bayern chief Hoeness defends Wirtz but takes shots at Liverpool

  Hoeness delivered one of the most scathing assessments yet, arguing that Liverpool’s fundamental problem is a squad overloaded with individualists rather than functional team players. He said: “They have spent 500 million euros and are playing a catastrophic season… In my opinion, that’s because you only have superstars. You only have chiefs and no workers.”

  Hoeness went further by accusing Liverpool’s attackers of refusing to share the ball and undermining their own playmaking unity. He claimed: “I always say: at Liverpool, they’ll soon have to play with five balls because the stars don’t want to give up a ball.”

  In what has become the most headline-grabbing portion of his outburst, Hoeness expressed sympathy for Wirtz while placing blame squarely on Salah and Szoboszlai. He added: “Poor Florian Wirtz, he doesn’t get the ball at all because Salah and Szoboszlai and what they’re all called want to play with their own ball.”

• Slot under pressure as failures pile up

  Liverpool’s slump has unfolded across multiple tactical and structural elements, creating a fractured team unable to execute Slot’s high-intensity principles. Their once-feared press is now inconsistent, leaving spaces for opponents to exploit while simultaneously limiting their ability to counter quickly and effectively. As a result, matches have been dominated statistically but lost through decisive moments, poor finishing and lapses in defensive concentration.

  The summer departure of wide man Luis Diaz have left a noticeable drop in pace and directness, stripping Liverpool of the explosiveness required to break low blocks. Even though players like Cody Gakpo remain influential in carries and build-up play, the final ball has repeatedly fallen short, preventing the team from converting favourable attacking positions. These deficiencies have fostered an overreliance on individual flashes rather than coordinated patterns, intensifying the pressure on midfield creators.

  Wirtz’s struggles mirror the wider issues, as his skillset relies on rapid combinations, synchronised movements and team-mates who recognise early passing triggers. At Bayer Leverkusen, he thrived in a system built around habit-forming repetitions. At Liverpool, he often drops deep only to find passes arriving too late or not at all.

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  Slot fighting for his job as Wirtz looks to find form

  Liverpool now face the task of stabilising their season before it drifts into an outright collapse, beginning with the need to rebuild confidence and restore structure in possession and transition. Slot must find immediate solutions within the squad, especially in creating a functional environment for Wirtz while reducing the reliance on isolated star moments. Should results fail to turn quickly, continued pressure could force Liverpool into major January decisions – both in personnel and potentially in the dugout.

  After getting somewhat back on track by beating West Ham on Sunday, the Reds will be up against Sunderland and Leeds United before taking on Inter in the Champions League.

They say form goes out of the window for a derby, but Arsenal proved that to be entirely untrue on Sunday afternoon.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Tottenham Hotspur, and instead of wilting under the pressure, they made the most of Liverpool and Manchester City dropping points by demolishing their bitter rivals.

The gulf in class was so vast that it looked like the Gunners were playing a League One side, and summer signing Eberechi Eze, who almost moved to the white side of North London, was unplayable.

The Englishman was untouchable from the first minute to the last, and therefore, fans should be delighted that Arsenal are already brewing a homegrown version of him.

Eze's performance vs Spurs

While it was a joke, Thomas Frank must regret asking “who” when asked a question about Eze in the buildup to the game, as while the entire Arsenal team played well, the former Crystal Palace star was nothing short of spectacular.

It almost felt as if the Englishman was on a mission to make the Spurs boss eat his words, as just three minutes in, he played an exceptional ball over the top that Declan Rice should have finished.

Then, 39 minutes later, with the Gunners already a goal to the good, he added a second thanks to some tidy footwork and a low-driven shot.

Just 30 seconds into the second half, the 27-year-old scored his second goal, once again driving the ball into the bottom corner, only this time with his weaker foot.

Now, for most players, a derby-day brace is more than they could even dream of, but the Greenwich-born maestro is not like most players, and in the 76th minute, he scored a third to make it 4-1.

It’s the first time a player has scored a hat-trick in the North London derby since Alan Sunderland in December 1978.

Overall, it would be fair to say Sunday’s game will always be remembered as the Eze derby, and should act as a springboard for the midfielder to really kick on this season.

And in more good news, the club might already have another homegrown version of the international ace brewing.

Arsenal's homegrown Eze

Arsenal have long been a team that prioritise and promote youth from within, with the greatest example of this in recent years being, of course, Bukayo Saka.

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

The club now have another group of incredible youngsters coming through, including one who could develop into a homegrown Eze: Ethan Nwaneri.

Yes, while the 18-year-old might not develop to be just like the former Crystal Palace star, there are some unmistakable similarities.

For example, the Hale End gem is an incredibly skilful player who can and has played out wide, but is ultimately seen as someone who will develop into a sensational number ten.

Moreover, while he hasn’t been getting the minutes that so many expected or hoped he would this year, he’s still very young with plenty of time to develop and even then, he proved how talented he is last season.

For example, the “phenomenal” prospect, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

That works out to a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which would be incredibly impressive if he were a seasoned professional and helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

Finally, on top of his output, the Enfield-born gem put up some sensational underlying numbers last year.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League for successful take-ons, the top 6% for total carrying distance, the top 8% for crosses and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while he is still so young, Nwaneri’s ability to play out wide and as a ten, combined with his output and technical ability, means he could be Arsenal’s next Eze.

Forget Eze: £32m Arsenal star looked like prime Ozil and Odegaard vs Spurs

Eberechi Eze is not the only Arsenal star who deserves his flowers after north London derby win.

ByMatt Dawson Nov 24, 2025

يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول لاستكمال موسمه الحالي 2025/2026 بعد الفوز على إنتر ميلان ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحقق ليفربول فوزًا مهمًا على إنتر ميلان بهدف نظيف في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ونجح المجري دومينيك سوبوسلاي، لاعب ليفربول في تسجيل الهدف الأول لصالح فريقه أمام إنتر ميلان من ركلة جزاء.

كان ليفربول قد تقدم بهدف عن طريق إبراهيما كوناتي في الدقيقة 32 من عمر الشوط الأول من المباراة الجارية في الوقت الحالي لكن حكم الفيديو قام بإلغاؤه.

اقرأ أيضًا | هنري ينتقد محمد صلاح: يجب عليك حماية فريقك بأي ثمن.. ولم أتصرف مثلك

وفي الدقيقة 88، نجح نجم خط وسط الريدز في إحراز هدف ليفربول الوحيد من ضربة جزاء بعد عودة الحكم إلى تقنية الفيديو عقب عرقلة فلوريان فيرتز من المدافع الإيطالي باستوني.

من المعروف أن الهولندي آرني سلوت، المدير الفني لليفربول قرر استبعاد محمد صلاح من مباراة إنتر ميلان بعد تصريحاته الأخيرة عقب تعادل الفريق مع ليدز يونايتد ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي. موعد مباراة ليفربول القادمة بعد الفوز على إنتر ميلان في دوري أبطال أوروبا

ومن المقرر أن يخوض ليفربول مباراته القادمة أمام برايتون، ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ 16 من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”.

ويواجه ليفربول نظيره برايتون مساء يوم السبت، في تمام الساعة الخامسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، السادسة بتوقيت مكة المكرمة، على ملعب “آنفيلد”.

LOS ANGELES — From a business perspective, there has never been any question that Shohei Ohtani is most valuable to the Dodgers as a two-way star: Designated hitters don’t tend to become national heroes in Japan and earn their teams an estimated $70 million in sponsorship revenue. From the player’s standpoint, there has never been any discussion, either.

“The reason why I’m a two-way player is because that’s who I am, and it’s what I can do,” Ohtani said last week.

But viewed through the lens of baseball, there was reason to be cautious. It wasn’t just the injury concern, although that certainly caught the Dodgers’ attention; Ohtani’s return to pitching this season has come after his second elbow reconstruction. “There is a cost,” acknowledges manager Dave Roberts. He adds, “What [another ailment] would essentially do is lose two players.”

Josh Naylor had the best season of his career in 2025. After starting the year with the Diamondbacks, Naylor was dealt to the Mariners at the trade deadline, where he played a big role in the team’s run to the ALCS. Now, he’s set to hit the open market for the first time in his career, and he figures to have plenty of teams interested in him in free agency.

Naylor racked up a career-high 3.1 bWAR in ‘25, including 2.2 in just 54 games in Seattle. He recorded a .812 OPS with a .295 batting average, and launched 20 home runs with 92 RBIs. In addition to his prowess at the plate, Naylor was an extremely effective baserunner, racking up 30 stolen bases despite never having swiped more than 10 bags in any previous season.

The Mariners will certainly be hoping they can work out a deal to keep Naylor in Seattle on a new contract, but with free agency awaiting the 29-year-old, they’ll have to fend off some staunch competition for his signature.

Naylor is projected by ESPN to be in line to receive a contract worth around $52.5 million over three years. That feels a bit low, and it’s certainly possible that price tag would rise, potentially dramatically, if multiple teams got in the mix.

So, what are some possible landing spots for Naylor when he hits the open market?

Seattle Mariners

Naylor was an outstanding fit for the Mariners after being acquired at the trade deadline. Bringing him back should be a top priority for Seattle this offseason. That much has been echoed by the organization’s front office, as GM Justin Hollander has expressed his desire to keep Naylor in the PNW.

The Mariners enjoyed their longest stay in the postseason in franchise history this year, despite finishing just one win shy of a World Series berth. They’ll be determined to finish the job in 2026 and try to punch their first-ever ticket to the Fall Classic. Naylor was fantastic during the team’s run in October, registering a .957 OPS in 12 games, and bringing him back feels like a must for Seattle.

San Diego Padres

The Padres have a glaring need at first base, and after a disappointing showing in the postseason, San Diego will be determined to bounce back in 2026. Offense was hard to come by for the Padres last year, and without an established first baseman currently on the roster heading into the ‘26 campaign, Naylor feels like an excellent fit for the organization.

The Padres were 28th in MLB in home runs last year (152) and were in the middle of the pack in OPS (.711). Those are both areas where Naylor could make an instant impact. Naylor started his career in San Diego, playing 94 games for the organization as a rookie in 2019 before getting traded to Cleveland the following season. He could return to the team where he got his first taste of MLB action, while providing the Padres with a much-needed boost on offense.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds have been linked to Naylor in the past, and after failing to bring him aboard in recent seasons, they could stage another attempt during free agency. Cincinnati narrowly missed out on the postseason last year, but adding a player of Naylor’s caliber could help them get over the hump.

Cincinnati ranked in the bottom half of MLB in home runs, batting average, OPS and hits. Spencer Steer had a decent season at first base, but Naylor would certainly be an upgrade over him and also has the flexibility to move into the outfield or even be used at DH. Only two players on the Reds hit 20 or more home runs last year and no one had more than 22. Naylor could achieve those numbers in the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park with ease.

New York Mets

If the Mets and Pete Alonso are truly parting ways this offseason, with the veteran slugger destined for free agency, New York will be in the market for a new first baseman. Naylor could be a great fit, providing the team with some more consistent hitting as opposed to pure power.

The Mets ranked in the middle of the pack in terms of batting average in 2025, though their OPS was among the best in the league. Getting another reliable hitter in the middle of the order, one who flirts with a .300 batting average, would be a great way to replace one of the league’s biggest sluggers.

Pitching will be one of the main focal points for New York this offseason, but if Alonso doesn’t return, they’d be hard pressed to find a more suitable replacement at first base than Naylor.

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O Corinthians se prepara para encarar o Cruzeiro, pelo jogo de ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. A partida será nesta quarta-feira (10), às 21h30 (de Brasília), no Mineirão. Raniele ficou fora dos dois últimos treinos do Timão e se tornou preocupação para Dorival Júnior.

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A informação foi trazida pelo ‘ge.globo’. O volante sentiu dores no tornozelo esquerdo e não participou das atividades promovidas por Dorival Júnior na segunda e na terça-feira. O atleta deve viajar com o elenco para Belo Horizonte e será reavaliado antes da partida.

No domingo (7), no empate por 1 a 1 com o Juventude, Raniele entrou na segunda etapa. O jogador deixou o jogo com um inchaço no tornozelo esquerdo e iniciou o processo de tratamento com o departamento médico. O volante disputou 49 partidas na temporada e é peça fundamental na equipe de Dorival Júnior.

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O treinador utiliza Raniele tanto como primeiro volante, quanto como terceiro zagueiro, muitas vezes durante uma mesma partida, como variação tática. Sem o jogador, Dorival Júnior terá que contar com os reservas imediatos para posição: José Martínez ou Ryan são os mais cotados.

Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Dores de cabeça no Corinthians

Garro e Yuri Alberto também são dúvidas para o confronto. O argentino se recupera de um estiramento no sóleo, músculo localizado na panturrilha, e ficou fora dos últimos dois jogos. Yuri Alberto sofreu uma inflamação no adutor da perna esquerda e também perdeu as últimas partidas.

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A dupla avançou no processo de recuperação, estiveram em campo nos dois últimos treinamentos e podem ser novidade contra o Cruzeiro. Memphis, recuperado de um edema ósseo no joelho esquerdo, entrou em campo contra o Juventude e será reforço do Corinthians na semifinal.

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Copa do BrasilCorinthiansFutebol Nacional

Glasgow Rangers parted ways with sporting director Kevin Thelwell at the start of last week after the Englishman had just one transfer window in his role.

In the summer, the former Everton chief was given plenty of money to spend and splashed £8m on Youssef Chermiti, which made him the club’s most expensive signing in 25 years, since they paid £12m for Tore Andre Flo in 2000.

The Portugal U21 international has scored one goal in 15 matches for the Light Blues in all competitions, per Sofascore, which illustrates how difficult he has found the move to Ibrox so far.

With Danny Rohl now in the building and Thelwell gone, the Scottish Premiership giants are reportedly making plans to make changes to the squad that Thelwell built in the summer.

The latest on Rangers' plans for the January transfer window

According to TEAMtalk, the German head coach wants to make three ‘major’ additions to the squad in the January transfer window next month.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The report claims that the former Sheffield Wednesday boss is eyeing a new striker, another ‘dynamic’ central midfielder, and a full-back who can provide competition on both sides of the pitch.

TEAMtalk does not mention any names of specific players, but the outlet reveals that Rohl has been watching players and will be backed by the owners with funds to make these ‘major’ additions ahead of the second half of the season.

The report also states that the Rangers manager wants a ‘proven’ number nine who can hit the ground running and provide an instant threat on the pitch, rather than another ‘project’ player, like Chermiti.

Why Rangers should sell Bojan Miovski

With this news in mind, the Light Blues should ruthlessly cash in on Macedonia international Bojan Miovski just a matter of months on from his move to Ibrox.

The left-footed striker’s form for Aberdeen, as shown in the graphic above, made him an exciting signing in the summer because he was billed as a ‘proven’ performer in Scotland, arriving in what should be the prime years of his career at 26.

Unfortunately, though, it simply has not worked out for him on the pitch for the Ibrox giants so far this season, as he has scored one goal in 11 appearances in the Premiership, per Sofascore.

With Rohl looking to sign a ‘proven’ centre-forward to come in and start matches week-in-week-out, the Light Blues may need to move on one of the three senior strikers they already have in the building.

Given that Miovski was signed in the summer, for an initial fee of £2.6m, to be that proven goalscorer for Rangers, it may be his position at the club that is most under threat.

Age

26

21

26

Games

18

15

20

Starts

10

7

13

Goals

2

1

3

Big chances missed

6

5

3

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old attacker has missed more ‘big chances’ than Chermiti and Danilo, whilst he has also scored fewer goals than the latter.

Journalist Mark McDougall described Miovski as an “awful” player who is “worse than Chermiti” at the end of last month, and it is hard to disagree when you look at their all-round play.

Chermiti, to his credit, has won 43% of his duels and 52% of his aerial duels in the Premiership, per Sofascore, which shows that he offers the team a physical outlet at the top end of the pitch. Miovski, however, has won 32% of his ground duels and 31% of his aerial duels in the league.

This shows that, whilst both players have only scored one goal in the league, it is the former Everton man who offers more to the team overall with his hold-up play and physicality.

On top of that, Chermiti is five years younger and was signed for £5.4m more, which means that there are more reasons for Rangers to stick with him and hope that he proves to be a good signing in the long run.

Therefore, attempting to cash in on Miovski in order to free up room for the proven striker Rohl wants to sign in January could make the most sense for the Light Blues.

0 tackles, 0 interceptions: Rangers flop must never start under Rohl again

Rangers are still paying the price for a dismal summer of recruitment…

ByRobbie Walls Dec 4, 2025

It is not an ideal situation, given that he only joined in the summer, but the Macedonia international appears to be the most viable option to sell out of the three strikers they currently have.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke is looking to follow in Marcelo Bielsa’s footsteps by steering the club clear of relegation in their first season back in the Premier League.

After a run of four straight losses, the Whites have picked up four points and scored six goals in two matches against Chelsea and Liverpool in the top-flight, which has pushed them out of the bottom three.

Farke has needed his players to step up in recent games to climb back out of the relegation zone, and several stars have shown that they have what it takes to deliver in the Premier League.

Ranking Leeds United's top performers this season

Joe Rodon, who has started all 15 games, has proven to be a reliable option at the heart of the defence, winning 69% of his ground duels in the top-flight, per Sofascore.

Gabriel Gudmundsson, signed from Lille in the summer, has also caught the eye at left-back, with 3.1 tackles and interceptions and 1.3 dribbles completed per game, per Sofascore, whilst exciting fans with his bombing runs down the left flank.

£17.4m signing Anton Stach has been one of the top three performers for the Whites, though, with his return of two goals and two assists as a box-to-box midfielder.

1

Ethan Ampadu

2

Sean Longstaff

3

Anton Stach

4

Gabriel Gudmundsson

5

Joe Rodon

As you can see in the ranking above, we have placed Sean Longstaff in second place. He leads the team in ‘big chances’ created (six), but he has also only started ten of the 15 league games, per Sofascore.

That leaves the captain, Ethan Ampadu, in first place as Leeds United’s best Premier League performer since they sold Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City in 2022.

Why Ampadu is Leeds United's best Premier League player since Phillips

After Phillips was sold to City for £45m, after emerging as an England regular at Elland Road, the Whites were relegated from the top-flight in the 2022/23 campaign. No other player was able to step up and save them from trouble.

The English star was particularly impressive with Marcelo Bielsa, as shown in the graphic above, and he averaged 3.9 tackles and interceptions per game in midfield in his last Premier League season with Leeds.

Ampadu, now, is looking like the club’s best top-flight performer since Phillips departed. He was judged as an “indispensable” part of Leeds’ midfield in the words of scout Jacek Kulig when promotion was being eyed up, and since moving up a division, he has been a rock on the pitch in the middle of the park. It’s safe to say he could be the first player to lead the team to safety since the Man City midfielder was at the club.

Off the pitch, teammate Karl Darlow described him as a “brilliant” person who has “handled the pressure” of captaining Leeds in the Premier League, which speaks to the qualities that he provides as a leader within the group, and perhaps explains how the team pulled off the last two results despite such a poor run of form that preceded them.

On the pitch, his performances have been impressive. Ampadu lined up in the middle of the park in the games against Chelsea and Liverpool and caught the eye with his defensive nous.

Minutes

90

87

Pass accuracy

86%

87%

Tackle success rate

100%

100%

Duels won

6/11

3/6

Interceptions

2

1

Dribbled past

0x

0x

As you can see in the table above, the Wales international was perfect in his tackles and did not allow an opposition player to dribble past him a single time, which shows how combative and reliable he was in midfield.

Ampadu has started all 13 of his appearances in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, and averaged an eye-catching 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game, which is just shy of the 3.9 that Phillips averaged in his final season with the club.

The former Chelsea starlet offers a similar presence to the England international at the base of the midfield for Leeds, sitting in front of the back four and screening play, making vital defensive interventions to regain possession and start attacks for his side.

He has won 60% of his ground duels and 53% of his aerial duels, per Sofascore, whilst only being dribbled past 0.6 times per match, which shows that Ampadu has been efficient and reliable in the middle of the park for Farke, as an ever-present when fit.

The new Rutter: Leeds open talks to sign £21m star in "the last few days"

Daniel Farke could win himself a new Georginio Rutter by securing this £21m star at Leeds United.

ByKelan Sarson 4 days ago

Overall, the Welshman may well be the club’s best Premier League player since Phillips, not just for the quality that he clearly provides as a holding midfielder, but also for his leadership skills and how he handles the pressure of leading a Premier League side.

Lionel Messi has lifted the lid on a shock "childhood dream" that was scotched by his Barcelona debut. Messi’s life pivoted sharply when Barcelona chose to take a chance on him at a moment when Argentine clubs, including giants River Plate, backed away from the cost of treating his growth hormone condition.

• The napkin that changed football history

  Signed on 14 December 2000, the napkin has become one of the most iconic artefacts in football. The blue-ink message, hastily scribbled by Barça sporting director Carles Rexach, carried a personal commitment to sign a 13-year-old Messi "regardless of any dissenting opinions." Alongside Rexach’s name were those of transfer advisor Josep Minguella and agent Horacio Gaggioli, men who had championed Messi’s potential when others hesitated. The napkin emerged amid growing anxiety from the Messi family. After his trial, weeks drifted by with little communication from Barca. As Christmas approached in 2000, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid hovered as possible alternatives. Messi’s father, Jorge, feared the moment would pass. Rexach, aware the club were close to losing a generational talent, invited Jorge Messi to lunch, and, lacking an official document, wrote the pledge on the only material available. Messi was officially signed a month later, and history took its course.

  Translated into English, it reads: "In Barcelona, on 14 December 2000 and in the presence of Messrs Minguella and Horacio, Carles Rexach, FC Barcelona's sporting director, hereby agrees, under his responsibility and regardless of any dissenting opinions, to sign the player Lionel Messi, provided that we keep to the amounts agreed upon."

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  A debut that closed one door, and opened the world

  Messi’s Barcelona debut followed three years later, on 16 November 2003, in a friendly against Porto. Frank Rijkaard introduced the 16-year-old in the 71st minute. Even then, whispers circled La Masia suggesting that the teenager from Rosario possessed a talent beyond comparison, though few could predict the scale of what would unfold. His competitive first-team bow came the following year on 16 October, in a La Liga fixture against Espanyol. At 17 years, three months and 22 days, he became Barcelona’s youngest-ever representative in official competition. The dream of playing for Newell’s faded in that moment, but a new reality began.

  In an interview with Messi has now said: "I always say that my childhood dream was to play for Newell's first team. I'd go to the stadium, I played there, and I dreamed of becoming a professional in Primera. Then my life changed completely because I left at 13, debuted for Barcelona, and everything that happened afterward. It's something I never would've imagined, not even in my best dreams. I lived things much bigger than anything I could have dreamed of."

• The Messi era at Barcelona

  Messi would go on to score 672 goals in 778 games for Barcelona, win 10 La Liga titles, lift four Champions Leagues, and establish an era-defining legacy before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. Hence, despite the romanticism attached to a homecoming, Messi never managed to fulfil that childhood wish. When he left PSG, the option was emotionally appealing but professionally unworkable as Inter Miami ultimately offered the stability and vision that Newell’s could not. Now 38 and still guiding Argentina as they prepare to defend their World Cup crown, Messi accepts that the story of his early years remains unfinished. Whereas the same napkin was sold for an astonishing £762,400 at auction, far surpassing its £300,000 starting price.

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  All eyes on the 2026 World Cup

  The 2026 World Cup, spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico, looms large. Argentina, the reigning champions, are among the favourites once more and will learn their group-stage opponents when Friday’s draw takes place. For Messi, the tournament represents an opportunity to win back-to-back World Cups as captain. His Newell’s dream may remain untouched, but everything else, the records, the glory, has exceeded his dreams.