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Crystal Palace have now joined Manchester United in the race to sign a “magnificent” £19 million playmaker who could replace Eberechi Eze, according to a recent report.

Eze edges closer to Crystal Palace exit after FA Cup triumph

It was a weekend to remember for the Eagles as they secured their first major trophy in their history by winning the FA Cup and, in the process, also secured Europa League football for next season.

This achievement will likely see Palace spend some money this summer, as Oliver Glasner looks to build a squad which is capable of competing in Europe and domestically.

Viana now moving to sign £59m Crystal Palace star who destroyed Man City

He’s been in sensational form as of late.

ByTom Cunningham May 18, 2025

Despite securing European football, it appears it hasn’t done much in terms of them retaining the services of Eberechi Eze for next season. The Englishman, who got the only goal of the game over the weekend, has been a standout performer this season and is now wanted by several clubs from the Premier League.

Not long after beating Man City in the final, it was reported that incoming City sporting director Hugo Viana has made a move to sign Eze for the Blues. Eze is thought to have a release clause worth around £68-70 million, and the Etihad hierarchy are ready to activate it.

But City are not the only team ready to activate Eze’s release clause, as a report from Spain has stated that Chelsea are also lining up an offer for the exciting attacking midfielder. The fact that Eze has a release clause means the likelihood is that Palace will lose their talisman this summer unless he downright demands to stay, and therefore, a replacement may well be needed.

Crystal Palace in race to sign Rayan Cherki

The Eagles appear to already have a player in mind when it comes to replacing Eze, as according to a report from Spain, Crystal Palace are interested in signing Rayan Cherki from Lyon, who are desperate to sell their midfielder.

The report states that Lyon’s financial situation means they are having to consider letting players leave the club this summer. It goes on to add that the French side are looking to improve their accounts quickly and therefore are willing to sell Cherki for around 22 million euros, which is roughly £19 million, and they hope an offer will arrive soon.

Cherki

Eze

Apps

30

32

Starts

22

30

Goals

8

7

xG

5.0

10.2

Assists

11

8

Progressive carries

106

67

Palace are not the only team chasing the 21-year-old, as Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur are also keen on the Frenchman, as well as Manchester United, who have been contacted with the chance to sign Cherki.

The right-winger, who can also play in a more central position, has been dubbed “magnificent” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig, and he could be seen as a player who could fit perfectly into Eze’s playmaker role.

Fabrizio Romano has even reported that Lyon have confirmed Cherki will be leaving the club this summer, and were Palace to sign him and lose Eze, it would represent a good bit of business for the South Londoners from a financial perspective, as much as it would hurt to see their cup final hero walk out the door.

Everton are close to the beginning of their new era at Bramley Moore Dock and could now look to beat one of Europe’s elite to the signing of a talented forward, per reports.

Everton set to kickstart an exciting summer under David Moyes

Goodison Park will play host to just three more fixtures before David Moyes begins to plan for the future on Merseyside, and there is plenty of anticipation over potential arrivals.

In an unexpected turn of events, Everton could make Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah one of their first summer signings as he nears the exit door at Anfield. Newcastle United, Brentford, Bournemouth and Borussia Dortmund are also in pursuit of the Three Lions international.

Finally, the Toffees appear to be in a position of stability on and off the pitch following years of close shaves with relegation. With their Premier League status all but guaranteed, there is every reason to look forward with optimism on the blue half of Merseyside.

Reports suggest Everton could land Evan Ferguson for £45 million from Brighton & Hove Albion, which could offer a clue regarding Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s potential replacement in attack.

Moyes also has to deal with a rising tide of expiring contracts and loan deals, so there is every reason to expect mass personnel changes during the off-season.

Everton’s state of play ahead of the summer – action set to be taken

Players out of contract this summer

8 players out of contract (most notably Calvert-Lewin and captain Seamus Coleman).

Expiring loan deals

5 players set to see loan deals expire.

PSR regulations

Everton could also have to work creatively to avoid PSR conflict, like most clubs.

Addressing squad depth

Strength in numbers will be needed to avoid another bottom-half finish.

Now, another talented forward has cropped up on the Toffees’ radar ahead of the summer transfer window, per recent developments.

Everton position themselves to sign Albert Gudmundsson

According to TEAMtalk, Everton want to sign Fiorentina loanee Albert Gudmundsson this summer should circumstances pan out in their favour.

The Serie A outfit have an option to buy the Iceland international from parent club Genoa for a £17 million fee, inclusive of add-ons. Should they pass up the opportunity, Everton may be in with a chance of landing his services at around the £20 million mark.

Related Everton battling Real Madrid to sign £15m ace who's outscored Calvert-Lewin

His versatility could be a big asset for David Moyes.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Apr 14, 2025

Inter Milan are also seriously contemplating a swoop for the 27-year-old, who has registered eight goals and two assists in 27 appearances this term, playing mostly as a second striker or winger.

Labelled a “devastating player and also an exemplary professional” by Kevin Strootman, the man in question has also shown his ingenuity, creating ten chances and completing 12 dribbles on league duty.

Competition for his signature will likely be fierce this summer. Everton will need to construct a proposal that exceeds the appeal of playing for a side that may be Serie A and Champions League holders once the window opens.

Nevertheless, a new dawn on Merseyside may be the perfect launchpad for Moyes to make a statement in the market as the Toffees build for the future.

India’s oldest T20I debutant reflected on her journey as a cricketer and expressed her delight at playing alongside ‘elite athletes’ like Mandhana and Harmanpreet

Srinidhi Ramanujam07-May-20242:37

Asha on India debut at 33: ‘Never stop dreaming’

Monday was an emotional day for S Asha. At 33 years and 51 days, and after waiting out a heavy downpour and storm in Sylhet, the legspinner made her maiden India appearance, becoming the country’s oldest debutant in women’s T20Is. Asha is a living example in this sport that your wildest dreams can and do come true when you don’t limit yourself.”I have no words to describe the feeling I’m going through,” Asha said in an almost empty press-conference room after the game. “I was pretty emotional, of course. 2012 was the year when I came into probables for the first time in India. From there, if you see, it’s like touching 13-14 years. So, I am feeling so happy.”Related

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Radha Yadav, batters lead India to 5-0 T20I series sweep over Bangladesh

S Asha levels up to awesome for RCB

How Radha Yadav levelled up her game with a 'smiling face'

Spinners, Harmanpreet seal comfortable win for India in rain-hit match

Asha’s journey, in fact, has been longer than 13-14 years. She made her debut for Kerala in 2006, at the age of 15. In 2011, she made the step up to Railways, the most formidable domestic side in Indian women’s cricket, and played there for a decade, before leaving in 2022. At one time, she even took up a commentary gig during a men’s T20 tournament in Puducherry. Eventually, she agreed to lead a young Puducherry women’s team in the 2022-2023 season. It was during her time in Puducherry that Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (now Bengaluru) scouts were impressed with her bowling and decided to rope her in for the inaugural WPL season in 2023.She stole the limelight in WPL 2024. She ended the competition – during which she also became the first Indian to take a five-wicket haul – as the second-highest wicket-taker with 12 scalps at 15.41, with an economy rate of 7.11. These displays for RCB, who eventually won the title, helped her earn her maiden India call-up for this tour of Bangladesh.On Monday she starred with two wickets as India went 4-0 up with a match to spare with a 56-run win in the fourth T20I against Bangladesh. She had finally arrived, after all those years of anticipation, patience, downturns, hardships, passion and dreams.Despite Asha bringing a bucketload of experience from domestic cricket, India waited until they had taken an unassailable 3-0 lead to unleash her at this level. For Asha, it was worth the wait.Asha was the second-highest wicket-taker of WPL 2024•BCCI”I have been through so many struggles and [put in a lot of] hard work. It was worth this moment. Really happy,” Asha, who was handed her India cap by Mandhana, said. “It was not easy for me to make [my] debut at the age of 33. But the credit goes to BCCI, selectors, captain, vice-captain, all the team members, coaches and management for having faith in me and giving me the opportunity to play at 33. The kind of faith they showed [in] me, that’s amazing.”[WPL] was an amazing journey, playing under Smriti in WPL. Coming along with Smriti and Harry [Harmanpreet Kaur] , the most experienced player at the moment, it’s an amazing feeling. At one point in time, I thought I could never make it to the national side. But WPL gave us that opportunity and showed us that everybody can dream, and dream is not that far, and we can always achieve it. So WPL changed my life.”It was also a special day for her captain Harmanpreet, who at 35 became the second Indian woman after Mithali Raj to play 300 international games. Having watched Harmanpreet play from a young age, Asha said it was a “nice feeling” to play alongside her in Indian colours.”I am feeling so blessed to share some time with some elite athletes of our country,” she said. “They know [when to] switch on and switch off really well. They are very free [with] us, they come to us and talk. At the same time, they know when to switch on. Next moment, they are that serious team player. I am watching Harry from my 18 years. I never thought I would be playing with her.”Asha’s debut also made her the third player from Kerala, after Minnu Manni and S Sajana, to make her way to the India Women side. A year ago, none of the three had represented India. And before Asha, only two over-30s had debuted for India in T20Is. Acknowledging what she has achieved at her age, she only had one message to those putting in the hard yards behind the scenes: Never stop dreaming.”If it’s a long journey, don’t give up. That’s what I want to say,” Asha said. “Sometimes what happens is in the journey ahead, we will think, ‘oh, it’s a long journey. I might want to take a break. Maybe I will quit.’ But don’t do that. You never know what’s going to happen next. So, the way WPL changed my life, anything can happen to anyone. And never stop dreaming. Dreams are not so far to achieve.”Maybe, Asha’s dream of “playing a World Cup for my country” isn’t far away either.

England are one win away from the start of yet another exciting period in their white-ball cricket

Andrew McGlashan12-Nov-20223:41

Buttler: ‘The consistent message to the team is to take the game on’

Shortly after England’s 10-wicket mauling of India in Adelaide, Jos Buttler walked towards Sky Sports’ Ian Ward for the latest in his line of post-match interviews. As he came into frame, he was embraced by Eoin Morgan, the sort of hug team-mates give each other after a resounding performance. It also felt a little like the baton being passed from master to apprentice.It has been a fascinating dynamic having Morgan as part of the commentary team in Australia given he was so recently involved with England. Not being part of the side by the time of this tournament was not wholly unexpected, but his retirement did come suddenly during the English season after a series in the Netherlands and thrust Buttler into the job little more than four months before a World Cup.Related

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• Morgan: England should consider Willey over Jordan for final

• Buttler: 'Managing risk is a big part of T20 batting'

Buttler was the heir apparent, and it would have been a huge shock if anyone else had got the job, but it’s hard to overstate the position he was coming into. Morgan had been central to revolutionising England’s white-ball cricket, and arguably world cricket. Could Buttler make it team?Perhaps unsurprisingly, given there had also been the arrival of a new coach in Matthew Mott, it was not an easy start during the English season: three out of the four limited-overs series against India and South Africa lost. When Buttler opted to hand over the wicketkeeping gloves during the Hundred there were even the odd murmurings as to whether he had too much on his plate.To compound things, Buttler then suffered a calf injury which ended his tournament early and would go on to rule him out of the England’s seven-match series against Pakistan. However, significantly, he went on that tour as a non-playing member as Moeen Ali captained them to a 4-3 win. There was an ambassadorial role about it, given the significance of the tour, but he also recognised the importance of continuing to build towards the T20 World Cup.Now he stands on the eve of the final having had his two best games as England captain, victories against New Zealand and India, sandwiched either side of a tense affair against Sri Lanka, where he has both delivered with the bat and marshaled the team outstandingly in the field.On top of the world: Jos Buttler celebrates a famous win over India•Getty Images”I think it’s part of my own journey as a player and as a person to now be at this stage of my career where I’m a captain, learning at something very new that I haven’t done before, and that’s exciting to get the chance to do that,” Buttler said. “As frustrating as the summer was in terms of results, I think I actually learned a lot through that period, with the benefit of having a few months to reflect on things I probably would have done differently or what certain situations arose and how they made me feel and how I reacted to them. I feel like I’m growing into the role day by day.”There had been promising signs in the warm-up series against Australia when in his first innings for nearly two months he hit 68 off 32 balls in Perth with England coming out on top in a high-scoring game (the type that has not been seen at this World Cup). There were more runs in the last match after the series was secured with a tactically smart display in the second fixture, not least the work with Sam Curran to get Tim David bowled behind his legs.But the pressures at a World Cup are very different. The consequences of decisions or bad days so much higher. England had a very bad day against Ireland at the MCG, not just in losing the game but seemingly being tactically off the pace when the rain was looming. It is probably over-stating the situation to say things were on the brink for Buttler, but an early exit from the tournament would have left a lot of questions.Against New Zealand at the Gabba, he accelerated at the key moment to push England towards a match-winning total then used a couple of tactical match-ups to good effect: Moeen opened the bowling and conceded just four runs, while Curran removed the dangerous Finn Allen. Glenn Phillips nearly took the game away, but England held their nerve.Buttler was even better in the semi-final against India, and the aforementioned interview with Ward and Morgan highlighted some of his tactical moves in the field. Buttler said that fielding first had been based as much on knowing how India like to chase as anything else, and his use of Adil Rashid earlier in the innings was because he was aware of Rishabh Pant’s presence on the middle order. Rashid had an outstanding evening, taking 1 for 20, removing the pivotal figure of Suryakumar Yadav.He took a gamble in leaving Chris Jordan with three overs to bowl in the final five during his first outing of the competition, but the earlier decisions had kept India quiet enough that even Hardik Pandya’s late damage did not prove to be a game-changer.”Hopefully I’ve got more time ahead myself as a captain and with Matthew Mott we can hopefully shape the next era of English white-ball cricket,” Buttler said. “Of course, we’re still reaping the rewards of Eoin Morgan’s tenure and the changes that have happened in the white-ball game in England, and that’s clear to see in the strength and depth of the talent we now have.”When Buttler lofted Mohammad Shami straight down the ground for six it put the most emphatic statement on the most emphatic of personal and team performances. One more win and the transition of the Morgan legacy into the Buttler era will be complete.

Phehlukwayo’s fitness will be crucial, as will the management of Sipamla’s talent

Firdose Moonda03-Dec-2020Being without Faf du Plessis and Kagiso Rabada will give South Africa the opportunity for younger players to gain international experience even as it leaves questions over how they will balance their XI against England.Du Plessis is being rested for the upcoming ODI series after a period in which he played at the IPL, PSL and in the three T20Is while Rabada has been ruled out with a groin strain. South Africa have also released Pite van Biljon, Bjorn Fortuin and Reeza Hendricks from their 23-man group, leaving them with a squad of 18 and similar questions about their combinations as they had in the T20Is.At the top of South Africa’s priority list is getting a pace-bowling allrounder into the XI and for that, they need Andile Phehlukwayo to pass a fitness test. With Dwaine Pretorius ruled out of the entire tour with a hamstring concern, Phehlukwayo is the only option for this position but was unavailable for the T20s. He returned to training on Sunday and should slot straight into the one-day side if he gets the green light to play, chiefly because he provides South Africa with an additional bowler.”If you’ve got six bowlers in the team it gives you another option and in 50-over cricket he has been great for us. His one-day record is special,” Charl Langeveldt, South Africa’s bowling coach said. “He gives you that option bowling at the back end as well. If he is fit, we are going to have a look today, and then we will make a judgement on if he will be able to play on Friday.”Phehlukwayo’s inclusion will also help South Africa address their other selection conundrum – transformation targets. As of this season, the national team is required to field, on average, a team that is made up of 25% black African players, which equates to between two and three black African players in an XI, and three more often than two. In the three T20Is, South Africa met that target in each match (although they missed the overall player-of-colour target, which requires six non-white players) by fielding Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Temba Bavuma. With Rabada out of the series and Bavuma competing with Janneman Malan for the openers’ spot, Phehlukwayo will be a welcome addition.However, the bigger question might be what South Africa will do if Phehlukwayo still needs some time to get match fit. They will likely have to lean on one of their left-arm-spinner allrounders – George Linde and Jon-Jon Smuts – and carry a longer tail which could start as high as No.7. Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Junior Dala and/or Lutho Sipamla and Tabraiz Shamsi are the likely frontline bowlers. Of those Dala and Sipamla are the least experienced international cricketers, on opposite sides of the domestic spectrum.Dala is 30 years old and is into his 10th season of cricket. He has 158 domestic and international white-ball appearances to his name, was the leading wicket-taker in the 2018-19 one-day cup and the fifth-highest wicket-taker in last season’s MSL. South Africa see him as a new-ball bowler, perhaps to partner Nortje. “Junior bowls hard lengths, he is aggressive and when you’ve got two bouncers (per over) and two white balls, I see him very much as part of our 50-over plan,” Langeveldt said. “We worked on trying to up-skill him as well, get him to play slower balls and work on his yorkers.”Lutho Sipamla’s talent is undisputed, but the way he is managed needs to be more closely considered•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesSipamla is 22, a former national Under-19 player and by all accounts a prospect to be nurtured for the future. He finished third on the wicket charts in the inaugural edition of the MSL, which earned him an international call up in the 2018-19 season. His most recent appearance was in the final T20I against England, where he went for 45 runs in 2.4 overs.That Sipamla is talented is undisputed, but the way he is managed needs to be more closely considered. Sipamla had not played any cricket, in any format, between an ODI in March and the T20I against England, having sat out the first two rounds of domestic cricket. At Newlands on Tuesday night, he looked a lonely young man, as none of his team-mates offered advice or empathy while Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan tucked in. Langeveldt conceded that South Africa needed to offer Sipamla more support but not that Sipamla should be held back until a less aggressive opposition comes to town.”It’s been hard on Lutho. You know with a top team like that they are always going to target him. You need to speak to him, analyse his own game, try and calm him down in the situation. We tried to prepare him as much as we could, but we all saw in the game it’s hard when you are put under pressure, especially against a top-quality team,” Langveldt said. “We try to get the team to rally around him, to support him. That’s the big thing, to get one of your senior bowlers, even one of your senior players just to back him and say, ‘forget about that ball, it’s all about the next execution and just be clear in your game plans.’ That’s a thing we speak about a lot.”But no one came to Sipamla’s side at the end of what was a demoralising defeat for South Africa. And this is where they need to be careful. Throw Sipamla into the deep end too many times and he could easily become a casualty of a transformation policy intended to do exactly the opposite. And if they are going to use the sink-or-swim policy for Sipamla, the least that needs to happen is that he has a few lifesavers around. Quinton de Kock wasn’t one on Tuesday and usually that’s where Faf du Plessis, or Rabada, would come in. Neither of them will be able to in the ODIs, which seems set up to be another test of South Africa’s ability to juggle their combinations before they even begin to work out how to take on the team they are playing against.Langeveldt tried to see the positives in the situation. “For a young bowler, it’s a great opportunity to test the mental aspect of the game. England are going to come hard at you. That’s the nature of the way they play T20 cricket and fifty-over cricket. So mentally you need to be strong,” he said. “When you are under pressure, you need to be able to execute and they will learn from this. We’ve got work to do with our bowlers.”Ultimately, South Africa have work to do all round because “we have a lack of international experience,” as Langeveldt put it. Maybe then it’s not such a bad thing to be without du Plessis and Rabada, for if nothing else, it gives younger players the chance to wrestle with the challenges they come up against, at the highest level.

The Little League Classic is meant to be a wholesome event, but Sunday's clash between the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners got off to quite the opposite start.

The very first pitch of the game from Clay Holmes ran up and in, catching Mariners leadoff hitter Randy Arozarena right around the head.

Karl Ravech had barely even finished introducing the game by the time Holmes's pitch clipped Arozarena as the Little League Classic was off to a rather awkward start.

"… on , and he gets drilled by Holmes, right off the bat," said Ravech.

Some words were exchanged between the two teams but Arozarena eventually took first base without incident and play resumed. The outfielder was able to remain in the game.

That certainly wasn't the first pitch fans in Williamsport were anticipating on Sunday evening.

Harry Kane hailed Bayern Munich’s fighting spirit after his side secured a last-gasp 3-1 victory over St. Pauli in the Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon. Vincent Kompany's league leaders bounced back from their Champions League defeat against Arsenal in midweek thanks to late goals from forwards Luis Diaz and Nicolas Jackson at the Allianz Arena.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Diaz and Jackson score late on as Bayern go eight points clear

  Locked level heading into stoppage time, Bayern looked set to drop points against strugglers St. Pauli. Alexander Blessin’s visitors took a surprise lead when Burnley loanee Andreas Hountondji scored after just six minutes, before Diaz recorded a stunning assist for Bayern defender Raphael Guerreiro’s equaliser before half time.

  And then after three minutes of second-half stoppage time, former Liverpool forward Diaz saved Bayern’s blushes as he headed home from Joshua Kimmich’s teasing cross, before substitute Nicolas Jackson – on loan from Chelsea – made it 3-1 on 90+7. On a day when second-placed RB Leipzig were held to a 0-0 stalemate with Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayern’s victory saw them move eight points clear at the top of the table.

  The win also saw Bayern bounce back from their 3-1 loss against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday. Suffering defeat for the first time in Europe’s premier club competition this season, Kompany’s side fell to goals from Jurrien Timber, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli after youngster Lennart Karl scored in the first half.

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• 'Proud' Kane pays tribute to Bayern team-mates after the game

  And after the final whistle, England captain Kane took to social media to pay tribute to his Bayern team-mates following the all-important win. Writing on X, he said: “Important win today, proud of the boys for pushing until the very end!”

  Echoing Kane’s thoughts, Bayern head coach Kompany also praised his side’s determination against St. Pauli, telling reporters: “Such hard-fought wins are part of a season. That gives us confidence in the future that we can win in such situations. Compliments to the boys that they kept going and believed in themselves. We need that over the course of the season.”

• Getty Images Sport
  

  German giants' director of sport delivers update on Kane's future

  While he was unable to join Guerreiro, Diaz and Jackson on the scoresheet, Kane was a topic of discussion after the match as Bayern director of sport Max Eberl delivered a cryptic update on the striker’s future amid speculation linking him with a move to Barcelona.

  Asked whether the Bavarians have entered into contract renewal discussions with Kane, whose current terms expire in 2027, Eberl told “Harry knows exactly what he wants and we have plans for him. We would like to continue. We can very, very well imagine that, but we will basically discuss everything with Harry.”

  And when pressed on the future of defender Dayot Upamecano, whose contract expires next summer, Eberl added: “We definitely want it [a renewal]. I think we've communicated that clearly enough. I believe he feels very, very comfortable here.”

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• England captain insists he is calm regarding his future at Bayern

  While speculation continues to swirl, the former Tottenham forward insists he remains calm over his future at Bayern, saying there is “no rush” to enter into discussions regarding a new contract.

  “I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me,” he told this week. “I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern.

  “There's no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there's contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it's very unlikely that anything will change after this season.”

A new update has now emerged regarding the managerial situation at Norwich City and Jon Dahl Tomasson’s chances of taking charge at Carrow Road.

The search is on to find Liam Manning’s successor at Norwich, with the Canaries languishing in 23rd place in the Championship table, with only Sheffield Wednesday below them ahead of the return of domestic action next weekend.

A host of managers have been mentioned as options to come in and take charge at Carrow Road, including Will Still, following his dismissal at Southampton earlier in the campaign.

It is claimed that talks have taken place with the Englishman, who will no doubt be desperate to rebuild his reputation after a disappointing spell at St Mary’s.

The same reportedly applies to Gary O’Neil, who has been linked with making a return to Wolves recently, only for Rob Edwards to come in and replace Vitor Pereira at Molineux instead.

New Tomasson to Norwich update

According to reliable reporter Samuel Seaman, Tomasson remains “in contention” to be Norwich’s next manager, with sporting director Ben Knapper “whittling down his shortlist of potential new head coaches to a small number who will meet the club’s owners.”

O’Neil is also considered an option for the Canaries, but the same doesn’t apply to Still anymore, with the former Southampton boss seemingly out of the running.

Tomasson stands out as a good option for Norwich, with the Dane most recently in charge of the Sweden national team, being sacked last month.

Sweden

18

1.61

Blackburn Rovers

90

1.51

Malmo

91

1.8

Granted, the idea of bringing in a recently dismissed manager may not be ideal in the minds of some Canaries supporters, but he has a strong knowledge of the Championship, which can only be a good thing as they look to get out of the relegation mire.

The 4-2-3-1-playing Tomasson took charge of Blackburn Rovers for 90 matches, averaging 1.51 points per game, and he also won two Swedish league titles in charge of Malmo, showing that he has an ability to win trophies. He has tasted victory three times at Carrow Road as a manager, too.

Norwich City in talks with manager who has 100% win record vs Liam Manning

He’s available right now.

1 ByCharlie Smith Nov 13, 2025

Opinion is sure to be split among the Norwich fanbase over whether he is the right man for the job, but he has managed international players recently, so can deal with big characters, and he may feel that he has unfinished business in the Championship.

Norwich set 10-day deadline as Carrow Road chiefs open talks with O'Neil

Carlo Ancelotti has issued a final warning to Neymar when it comes to 2026 World Cup selection, with the Italian tactician eager to ensure that he does not make any “mistakes” when naming his final squad. Ancelotti has yet to call upon Neymar since becoming Selecao boss, but insists that the door remains open to the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain superstar.

When did Neymar make his last appearance for Brazil?

Neymar is his country’s all-time leading scorer, with 79 goals being recorded across 128 appearances. He has not, however, pulled on a famous yellow jersey since October 2023 – when suffering knee ligament damage during a World Cup qualifying clash with Uruguay.

A long road to recovery was taken in on the back of that fitness blow, with his contract at Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal eventually being terminated. That decision freed Neymar to head home and rejoin boyhood club Santos.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesIs Neymar in Brazil's World Cup plans? Ancelotti explains

More fitness issues have been endured there, preventing the 33-year-old playmaker from convincing Ancelotti of his worth and earning an international recall. Neymar was overlooked again when Brazil named their squad for a friendly date with Tunisia that will take place in Lille, France.

Unsurprisingly, Ancelotti continues to be quizzed on whether an iconic No.10 forms part of his plans. He told reporters when discovering that the subject had followed him from South America to Europe: “I thought Neymar was just a topic in Brazil, but I see it's a global issue. Fortunately, he recovered from his injury. Now he has six months to play. The Brazilian Championship stops on December 7, then he can take a vacation, but then he'll have the Brazilian Championship again to show his quality and, obviously, his physical condition.”

Ancelotti went on to reveal that Neymar is in his thoughts when it comes to World Cup call-ups, but has pointed out that he will not be taking any risks when it comes to piecing together a squad to compete for global glory in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

He added: “Neymar is on the list of players who could be at the World Cup. Now he has six months to make the final list. We just have to observe him and other players so as not to make mistakes in the final list.”

Best position? Ancelotti wants to see Neymar as a No.10

Ancelotti recently said of wanting to see more of Neymar at Santos in his favoured central playmaking berth: “I know everyone wants Neymar to get back to his best physical condition. And also the CBF, the coach, the technical staff of the national team hope that Neymar can return to his best level. The truth is that today's football demands many things. Not only talent, but also physical condition, intensity… hopefully Neymar will be at his best level.

“I think he needs to play more centrally, not as a winger, because wingers in today's football are players you need to help defensively as well. When you play a little more centrally, the defensive work is much less than when you play as a winger. And I also think that a very talented player, closer to the goal, has more opportunities to score goals. [False 9] could be his ideal position.”

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GettyMove in 2026? Messi reunion mooted for Neymar in MLS

Neymar has taken in three appearances since returning from his latest injury – with his last seeing a shock victory picked up against Palmeiras that has helped to lift Santos out of the relegation zone.

Thigh problems have been an unfortunate theme over recent months, but Neymar does have six goals and three assists to his name through 24 appearances this season. More will be required in order to earn favour with Ancelotti, with there every chance that he will be plying his trade somewhere else when 2026 is welcomed in. That is because his contract continues to run down towards free agency, with a potential reunion with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at MLS side Inter Miami that would see Barcelona’s fabled ‘MSN’ strike force reformed continuing to be speculated on.

Northern Superchargers 193 for 5 (Malan 58, Crawley 45) beat Birmingham Phoenix 157 for 9 (Bethell 48, Livingstone 46*, Potts 3-26, Lawes 2-23, Rashid 2-26, Duffy 2-31) by 36 runsAn absorbing game in front of a capacity Leeds crowd finally went the way of Harry Brook’s Superchargers, who claimed top spot outright in the men’s Hundred following another scintillating batting performance against Birmingham Phoenix.In pursuit of the Superchargers’ 193 for 5 – the highest score in the men’s tournament since the 2023 season – a magnificent partnership of 80 in just 42 balls between Phoenix’s Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell briefly threatened to upset the odds, but the brilliance of Adil Rashid, who removed Bethell caught-and-bowled with 87 still needed from 38 balls, ultimately swung the momentum back to the home team.Livingstone kept swinging after Bethell’s departure but Rashid’s guile was too much for the Phoenix hitters. In a game dominated by the bat, on a flat pitch with a lightning fast outfield, it was the great legspinner who once again proved to be the difference, outfoxing Livingstone with his 17th delivery to settle the contest.The Phoenix top order again failed to fire, with three wickets falling in the powerplay – two of them to the excellent Matthew Potts, who finished up with three. Phoenix now face an uphill task to qualify for the latter stages of the competition.With the bat, the Superchargers’ superb top four were yet again irrepressible. Zak Crawley and Dawid Malan continued their fruitful opening partnership, adding 67 in 31 balls – Crawley was particularly savage on anything wide, racking up six fours and two sixes in his 23-ball stay – before Michael Pepper and then Brook took centre stage.Brook opened his account with an outrageous scoop for six off his first ball, and finished with 31 from just 14 deliveries as the home side added 40 in the last 20 balls.With three wins in four, Andrew Flintoff’s team are emerging as one of the teams to beat in this year’s tournament.Rashid, named the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “I thought we played exceptionally well. We put a great score on the board, which allowed us bowlers to go out there and attack to take wickets. We’ve got world class players all the way through and great firepower in the middle order.”I know their batters are going to come hard at me, so I need to be unpredictable and mix it up. It’s useful for me because I’ve bowled to a lot of these boys in the nets, so I know their strengths and weaknesses as well, which all plays a part. You’re always learning every day, and hopefully I’ll keep learning until the day comes when I hang up the boots.”