The ACB has given him a 12-month contract extension after a successful 2024 that featured the team’s maiden appearance in a World Cup semi-final

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Dec-2024

Afghanistan have tasted major wins under Jonathan Trott’s tenure•ICC via Getty Images

Jonathan Trott will continue as Afghanistan men’s head coach till the end of 2025. His next assignment will be the ODI leg of Afghanistan’s multi-format tour of Zimbabwe, but he will not take charge in the other formats for personal reasons. In his absence, Hamid Hassan will deputise as head coach and Nawroz Mangal as assistant coach.The Afghanistan Cricket Board has extended Trott’s contract by 12 months following a highly successful 2024 for the team. The year featured Afghanistan’s first ever World Cup semi-final appearance following victories over New Zealand and Australia in the Group- and Super-Eights stages of the T20 event in the West Indies and the USA. They have since beaten both South Africa and Bangladesh in ODI series in Sharjah.Related

Jonathan Trott to step down as Afghanistan head coach after 2026 T20 World Cup

Mujeeb returns for Zimbabwe tour, Akbari earns maiden T20I call-up

Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi to retire from ODIs after Champions Trophy 2025

Afghanistan’s next major global tournament is a maiden appearance in the Champions Trophy next year. They qualified for the event after finishing among the top eight teams on the 2023 ODI World Cup points table, after a campaign that featured wins over England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.Trott’s tenure began in July 2022 with an 18-month stint that was renewed by a year in January 2024. Afghanistan have won 14 of the 34 ODIs and 20 of the 44 T20Is they have played since his appointment.The ongoing stint with Afghanistan is Trott’s first as head coach. He was a consultant with Scotland during the 2021 T20 World Cup. As a player, he made 3835 runs in 52 Tests at an average of 44.08, and was a key figure in England’s away Ashes victory in 2010-11. In ODI cricket, he made 2819 runs at an average of 51.25 with four hundreds and 22 fifties.

Joan Garcia’s Barcelona switch has stirred debate, with Espanyol coach Manolo Gonzalez calling him “world-class” despite questioning his decision.

• Espanyol coach admits he wouldn’t join Barca
• Still hails Garcia as a “world-class goalkeeper”
• Started all three games for Barcelona so far

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Espanyol coach Manolo Gonzalez admitted Joan Garcia is a “world-class goalkeeper” but could not hide his disappointment over the player’s controversial Barcelona move. The Catalan giants activated his €25 million (£21m/$27m) release clause this summer, securing the 24-year-old on a five-year deal until 2030. Despite lucrative offers from the Premier League, including Arsenal and Manchester City, Garcia prioritised a switch to the reigning La Liga champions. Since arriving, he has featured in all three matches, producing standout saves and rescuing Barca in their 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Spaniard's exit struck a nerve at Espanyol, where he had been a fan favourite and homegrown star. His 146 saves last season were the highest in La Liga, playing a crucial role in keeping the club in the top flight. Now, his move to Barca is being viewed through the lens of rivalry, with Espanyol fans left disappointed. Nonetheless, Garcia’s rise has kept him in the spotlight, and his performances suggest he’s capable of becoming Barcelona’s long-term No.1.

• WHAT MANOLO GONZALEZ SAID

  In an interview with Gonzalez admitted he didn’t agree with Garcia’s decision but still praised his ability: “I understand everyone. I wouldn't go to Barcelona, but I understand everyone's decision. He sent me an audio, I replied, and we haven't spoken since. I don't share his decision, but I respect him. He's the best, he's a world-class goalkeeper, and that doesn't change just by changing teams. Everyone is free to do what they want in their life, but he's a homegrown player and was very popular, which is why he's been given so much attention. If he had come from Barcelona to Espanyol, something similar would have happened.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JOAN GARCIA?

  Garcia is expected to retain his starting spot when Barcelona host Valencia this weekend in their first home match of the new season.

West Ham United have now submitted a major enquiry over a deal for a “magic” midfielder, who is keen on a move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.

West Ham set sights on midfielder amid Alvarez uncertainty

There is now an expectation that Edson Alvarez will exit the London Stadium this summer, having fallen down the pecking order, and Ajax are thought to be considering a loan move for their former midfielder.

The Mexican was benched for Saturday’s 3-0 defeat against Sunderland, but starters Guido Rodriguez and James Ward-Prowse didn’t exactly fare well at the Stadium of Light, both being withdrawn after the 70-minute mark with the Hammers 2-0 down.

Consequently, Graham Potter may be eager to get at least one new central midfielder through the door prior to the transfer deadline, and the Irons have now joined the race for Bayer Leverkusen’s Aleix Garcia.

However, the five-time Spain international is not the only option on the shortlist, with Potter’s side now joining the race for a versatile midfielder, who is able to play in a multitude of positions.

That is according to a report from Italy (via Sport Witness), which states West Ham have now submitted a major enquiry over a deal for RB Leipzig’s Eljif Elmas, who has regularly featured in attacking midfield and on both wings throughout his career.

Elmas has predominantly been utilised in a central midfield role, however, and the maestro was particularly impressive during a stint with reigning Serie A champions Napoli, who are also in the race for his signature.

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Despite only arriving at Leipzig for a fee of €24m (£21m) in 2024, the 25-year-old wants to leave the German club this summer, and he would be keen on a move to the Premier League or a return to the Serie A.

"Magic" Elmas could be exciting addition for West Ham

While the North Macedonia international’s move to Leipzig hasn’t worked out, with the Bundesliga side open to sanctioning a departure this summer, there are plenty of signs he could be a solid addition to Potter’s midfield.

The former Napoli man was a key player for the Italian club during their Scudetto-winning 2022-23 campaign, picking up six goals and three assists in 36 outings, with his side going on to lift the title.

Robert Earnshaw has also praised the Leipzig ace for his performances at international level in the past, saying: “He has this magic in him. He has the ability to create something out of nothing. Great movement, intelligent, he understands spacing and time and he can finish.”

Elmas’ attacking prowess, coupled with his versatility, could make him an exciting addition to West Ham’s squad, although the fact the North Macedonian struggled to adapt to life in the Bundesliga will be a concern.

تحدث الصربي ميتشو، المدير الفني الأسبق لنادي الزمالك، عن مباراة القمة بين قطبي الكرة المصرية، موضحًا رأيه في مدرب الفارس الأبيض الحالي، البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع الزمالك، على أرضية استاد القاهرة الدولي، ضمن منافسات الجولة التاسعة من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وقال ميتشو في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون إي”: “الأهلي لعب كأس العالم للأندية ولم يتعاف بالشكل الكافي، بداية الأهلي بطيئة في الدوري المصري، كانت هناك مشكلة مع ريبيرو الذي لم يستقر مع الفريق بشكل كاف، تقابلت مع أحد المدربين المصريين الذي كان يدرب في ليبيا وتحدثنا عن كرة القدم المصرية بشكل عام، وما يحدث في الدوري المصري”.

طالع أيضاً.. تشكيل الأهلي المتوقع أمام الزمالك في الدوري المصري.. طاهر أساسيًا

وتابع: “في الوقت نفسه يوجد مدير فني جديد مع الزمالك، هذا المدرب بالنسبة لي أراه لأول مرة يؤدي بشكل طيب، شاهدت مباريات وأرى طريقة استقطاب اللاعبين في الزمالك أصبحت مختلفة، شيكابالا اعتزل والزمالك افتقد وجوده، والأبيض استطاع أن يجمع عددًا كبيرًا من النقاط في هذه المباريات، الآن هو يتربع على قمة الدوري، شيء مهم جدًا أن الزمالك يدخل مباراة الغد بنية الفوز”.

وأفاد: “لا نستطيع أن نرشح فريقًا بعينه في الديربي، ممكن أي شيء يحدث غدًا لأن هذه النوعية من المباريات مختلفة، هناك العديد من اللاعبين في الأهلي لن يلعبوا غدًا ولكن هذا لن يؤثر على جودة الأهلي والمتواجدين سيقومون بالمهمة”.

وأشار: “أرى أن الزمالك مكتمل وهناك عنصر كبير وهو عمر جابر، يلعب هذا الديربي منذ وقت طويل جدًا، الزمالك لديه هجوم قوي سيصطدم بقوة دفاع الأهلي، وستكون مباراة تكتيكية كبيرة”.

وأردف: “الأهلي يرغب من خلال هذه المباراة في العودة إلى مناطقه الطبيعية، والزمالك يريد حصد الثلاثة نقاط لكي يبقى على القمة”.

واستطرد: “أعتقد لم يأتي في كرة القدم المصرية منذ وقت طويل لاعب بجودة بيزيرا، قميص الأهلي والزمالك ثقيل، وليس أي لاعب يرتديه، الجناح الأيمن في الزمالك، لا بد أن يكون هناك تعاون بين عمر جابر وبيزيرا”.

وأتم: “على الأهلي أن يحذر من الجانب الأيمن للأبيض، هذا اختبار كبير لشخصية بيزيرا لأن هذه المباراة التي من خلالها سيدخل قلوب المشجعين، لا يمكن أن تكون هناك بوابة أكبر من الديربي لدخول قلوب الجماهير”.

Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi expects Mason Greenwood to become a "complete" footballer like the "greatest players in Europe". The Italian has pushed the forward hard since arriving at the French side last summer and it is clear he has high hopes for him. The head coach also wants him to learn from the likes of elite players such as Kylian Mbappe and Raphinha.

De Zerbi sets Mbappe and Raphinha challenge for Greenwood

The 23-year-old had a superb debut season for Marseille in 2024-25, scoring 22 goals and bagging six assists in 36 appearances. Former Brighton head coach De Zerbi has a lot of faith in the ex-Manchester United man's ability but feels he needs to improve his pressing game to get to the level of Real Madrid's Mbappe, Barcelona's Raphinha, and Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele.

AdvertisementgettyWhat De Zerbi said on Greenwood

He said, via RMC Sport: "I expect him to become a complete player, like the greatest players in Europe. Yesterday, I saw a bit of Newcastle vs Barcelona. I saw Raphinha, who was pressing everyone in the last 20 minutes, with incredible determination. I also see Kylian Mbappe in Madrid, who was pressing everyone, Ousmane Dembélé in Paris too last year, we remember. I would like to help him, because it helps Marseille in general. I would like him to become a complete player, a team player. That is my job, it is not just individual work. The collective, you improve it by improving the individuals."

De Zerbi demands the best from Greenwood

Despite him having an excellent campaign for the French giants, that did not stop De Zerbi from dropping Greenwood last season as he questioned his attitude and application. But the former Sassuolo boss clearly feels that his strategy is the best way to get the most out of him. He certainly looked undaunted when Greenwood's Marseille took on Mbappe's Madrid in their 2-1 Champions League loss in midweek.

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Getty Images SportWhat next for Greenwood and Marseille?

The one-time England international will need to be at his best when De Zerbi's Marseille, who sit seventh in Ligue 1, host defending French champions and current league leaders PSG on Sunday evening.

A “barnstorming” Sunderland player has now agreed a move to a foreign club this summer in a last-minute permanent transfer.

Le Bris wary of Burnley threat

The Black Cats made a dream start to life back in the Premier League last weekend, beating 3-0 West Ham at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland cannot afford to rest on their laurels, however, with a trip to fellow promoted side Burnley up next on Saturday, and manager Regis Le Bris isn’t taking the Clarets for granted.

“It is always a different story. They (Burnley) enjoyed a really strong last year. They were really consistent and strong to beat. They conceded few goals and they were always well-organised so I don’t think it will be different for the next game.

“They still have many threats to score goals. Against Tottenham, they changed their system so they might change it again or keep the same one. At the same time, we have a different team. Players who played last season alongside the new players.”

It has been a relentless summer for Sunderland when it comes to new signings, with as many as 11 permanent additions coming in, but now an update has emerged regarding the exit of a current player.

Habib Diarra

Strasbourg

£27.1m

Simon Adingra

Brighton

£21m

Enzo Le Fee

Roma

£19.8m

Chemsdine Talbi

Club Brugge

£17.2m

Noah Sadiki

Union SG

£14.6m

Granit Xhaka

Bayer Leverkusen

£12.9m

Nordi Mukiele

Paris Saint-Germain

£10.3m

Omar Alderete

Getafe

£9.8m

Robin Roefs

NEC Nijmegen

£9m

Reinildo Mandava

Atletico Madrid

Free transfer

Arthur Masuaku

Besiktas

Free transfer

"Barnstorming" Sunderland player agrees "permanent" exit

Taking to X, O’Rourke said that Sunderland midfielder Nectarios Triantis has agreed a move to MLS side Minnesota United, striking a deal at the last minute before the window closed there on Thursday evening.

This feels like the right time for Triantis to seal a permanent exit from the Black Cats, considering he has spent the past two seasons on loan at Scottish Premiership side Hibernian.

Sunderland's most expensive signings of all time

Who is the Black Cats’ record addition?

ByCharlie Smith Sep 5, 2025

It may have been made clear to the 22-year-old that he didn’t have a long-term future at Sunderland, amid so much competition for places in the Premier League, and a move to the MLS could be good for him, having been hailed as “barnstorming” by producer Sacha Pisani after one goal for Hibs.

Triantis ultimately didn’t make the grade at Sunderland, only making five appearances, but he is young enough to enjoy a good career elsewhere as the years pass.

MatériaMais Notícias

Formado nas categorias de base do Vitória, Ronaldo Mendes chega para reforçar a equipe do Athletic Club, na disputa do Campeonato Brasileiro Série D. O jogador se junta ao elenco do time mineiro por empréstimo até o final desta temporada.

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Atacante de 20 anos, Ronaldo Mendes está na Toca do Leão desde 2018, quando tinha 15 anos. O contrato com o Vitória vai até o final de 2024. Na última temporada, disputou seis partidas do Campeonato Brasileiro de Aspirantes pelo Leão da Barra e marcou um gol.

– Estou muito feliz em poder vestir esta camisa, um clube que vem mostrando o seu valor no cenário do futebol mineiro e nacional. Espero poder ajudar meus companheiros dentro de campo para alcançarmos nossos objetivos dentro da competição – disse o atacante.

Athletic está na quinta posição do grupo 6, com duas vitórias somadas até então. No grupo time mineiro está ao lado de Democrata GV, Portuguesa-RJ, Real Noroeste-ES, Resende, Santo André, Vitória-ES e Nova Iguaçu.

– A Série D é uma competição muito difícil, com partidas muito disputadas em todas as rodadas. É a primeira vez do clube e minha também disputando a competição, estamos trabalhando para alcançar o objetivo para o clube, com o melhor desempenho possível, visando ótima colocação, e consequentemente, assim chegar no objetivo principal que é o acesso – finalizou Ronaldo.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has faced mounting criticism in the aftermath of their botched deal for Eberechi Eze, and talks for Man City winger Savinho haven’t exactly been plain sailing either.

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Eze ultimately chose a move to boyhood club Arsenal ahead of Spurs, despite agreeing personal terms with the latter, when Mikel Arteta’s side swooped in at the last second and offered him a chance of returning to N5.

Tottenham also had a verbal agreement with Palace over the finances of a deal for Eze, but as the old saying goes – a signing is never done until all the contracts are signed.

Arsenal’s dramatic late hijack leaves Thomas Frank still without a star number 10 to replace the injured James Maddison, nor does the Dane have an heir to club legend Son Heung-min out wide.

Just under two weeks ago, Tottenham entered talks for both Eze and Savinho in separate deals, prompting huge excitement among the fanbase, but there is the possibility that Frank ends up with neither.

Eze is completely off the table, but in Savinho’s case, the north Londoners are not giving up, despite City blocking the deal as things stand.

Reports from Brazil earlier this week claimed that Tottenham are vowing to go all out for Savinho behind-the-scenes after losing out on Eze, and his agents are in London right now attempting to facilitate a deal (Globo Esporte).

Spurs could even submit a club-record £69 million bid for the Brazil international, but Pep Guardiola has previously insisted that he wants him at Eastlands for “many years” amid Levy’s interest.

Savinho is out injured right now, funnily enough, but an alternative to the 21-year-old could be Real Madrid star Rodrygo – if Spurs can’t agree a deal for the City man.

Tottenham make approach for Rodrygo amid chance of Real Madrid loan deal

Frank and Guardiola are poised to come head-to-head this weekend, and it gives club officials a chance to hold further talks over Savinho, as widely reported elsewhere.

However, City appear to be making this very difficult, and Rodrygo’s pool of suitors is running low.

The 24-year-old Brazil star, who bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, has struggled for starts under new manager Xabi Alonso, and Defensa Central have claimed that Real could sanction a loan-to-buy deal as Tottenham take note.

Now, Mundo Deportivo, relayed by Sport Witness, have an update on the story – reporting that Tottenham are the only side to have approached Real over signing Rodrygo – and his potential exit remains a ‘live’ possibility heading into the final stretch of this summer.

Jude Bellingham called the ex-Santos star their most “underrated” and “gifted” player this year, and if a deal is there to be had, it is certainly one worth considering.

Rodrygo would be the statement signing that Tottenham are crying out for after a very testing window, and one that could seriously lift spirits around N17.

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Harry Kane is being backed to become a transfer stopgap for Barcelona, with the Liga giants expected to make a play for Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland at some stage. If England captain Kane could be lured away from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2026, then Barca would have time in which to generate the funds required to make their Haaland dream a reality.

• Haaland tied to 10-year contract at Man City

  Norwegian frontman Haaland has seen a move to Catalunya speculated on for some time. He would appear to have no immediate plans to head for Spain, with a 10-year contract being signed in England that is due to take him through to 2034.

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  Barcelona require a prolific No.9

  Barcelona believe that said agreement can be broken, with Haaland expected to seek out a new challenge once achieving as much as possible at the Etihad Stadium. Until that day comes, another No.9 will be required at Camp Nou.

• Lewandowski replacement: Prolific Pole to move on

  Robert Lewandowski will see his contract expire next summer, with it likely that the prolific Pole will be released by Barca as a free agent at 37 years of age. There has already been talk of a move for Kane being made, with Bayern potentially open to a sale ahead of the Three Lions captain hitting the final 12 months of his deal in Germany.

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  Is Kane deal feasible? Hamann answers that question

  Ex-Bayern midfielder Dietmar Hamann, speaking in association with , told GOAL when asked if Kane to Barcelona sounds feasible: "Obviously they find it hard to register players, so I’m not sure they’d be able to register Haaland. But then again, this is probably a few years away.

  "But Lewandowski went there, and I didn’t think he’d score the goals he did. I think the Bundesliga is the closest to the Premier League when it comes to physicality. Once you’re past 30, I reckon you probably find it a bit easier to score goals in Spain than you do in Germany or certainly in England. So that’s certainly something I can see.

  "And if it were to be a stopgap, obviously it’s a good stopgap because we know the record of Harry Kane. And with all the financial issues they’ve got, they’ve got three or four years to sort that out if they want to try to get Haaland to Barcelona. So, it’s certainly something I can see, yes."

Heather Knight, England’s captain, has conceded the umpires made the correct call in taking the players off the field for rain with just five balls of the second T20I remaining, even though that denied her the chance to hunt down the 18 runs still needed to keep her side in with a chance of a squared Ashes series.Knight was going strong on 43 not out from 19 balls, having just struck Annabel Sutherland’s first ball of the final over for four, when umpires Ben Treloar and Eloise Sheridan decided the rain in Canberra – which had already caused a 20-minute mid-innings delay – was too heavy to ignore. She was visibly furious as she left the field, but later admitted her reaction was pure “frustration” at being denied the chance to “do something special”.”It was right decision by the umpires,” Knight said. “I was really in the zone to try and win us that game, and obviously frustrated that we were going off, but it wasn’t at the umpires at all. It was pretty wet, even when we were running it felt pretty slippy and it was quite hard to attack those twos. So yeah, it was the right decision, 100%.”The match was called off minutes later to confirm England’s defeat by six runs on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern, and hand the Australians an unassailable 10-0 lead in the Ashes points table, with the third T20I to come in Adelaide on Saturday, followed by next week’s one-off Test at the MCG.”It was brilliant game of cricket,” Knight said, after England had finished on 168 for 4 in reply to Australia’s 185 for 5. “I felt like I could get us over the line. I felt really set, and I had some really good boundary options on a very good cricket wicket. It was an awesome crowd and they deserved a finish, and you could hear the frustration from the fans that that we were going off, and the game wasn’t able to reach its conclusion.”Related

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Despite being England’s fifth consecutive defeat of a dispiriting campaign, Knight said she was proud that her team had showed a “bit of mongrel” in what she identified as their best batting performance of the tour. With Danni Wyatt-Hodge leading the way with 52 from 40 balls, England had been ahead of the DLS rate until a break in play at 69 for 1 allowed Australia to regroup and claim two key wickets in a middle-overs squeeze.”As a batting group, we’ve been disappointed that we haven’t showed off our best cricket, and I think tonight was certainly our best,” Knight said. “We knew it was going to be tough and a lot had to go our way, but I’m really proud of the way we fought in the run-chase. We showed some brilliant skill level, brilliant intent, brilliant fighting spirit, led by Danni in particular, to try and get us over the line.”The “mongrel” comment itself stemmed from a pre-match pep-talk from Courtney Winfield-Hill, England’s assistant coach, and on the face of it, seemed to mark a departure from the team’s familiar mantra of “inspire and entertain”, a notion that has sounded increasingly hollow with each new loss on this tour. Knight, however, insisted that the team’s recognition of their status as role models remained integral to their ethos, even though she acknowledged that professional cricket is ultimately a results business.”It’s still a mantra that is really important to this team,” she said. “We’re always at our best when we’re trying to take the game on and enjoy it, but obviously, there’s more to cricket than that, and we know that it’s not as simple as just saying we want to entertain. We also want to win at the end of the day.”We haven’t done that this trip, and there’s a lot of players frustrated and hurting that we haven’t done that. We all really care about playing for England, and representing a team that’s really special.”Despite the improved performance, and her own contribution with the bat, Knight acknowledged that the confirmation of England’s Ashes loss would heighten the scrutiny on her position as captain after nine years at the helm.”I guess in any leadership position, you always feel the responsibility when the teams aren’t performing well and we haven’t performed as well as we want to, across the board,” she said. “It’s certainly frustrating, but that’s not really a question for now. I’m just focused on what we need to do to try and win the next game, and try and turn things around. Whatever happens at the end of the tour, that’ll be a conversation for later.”