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Celtic players are slowly starting to filter back in for pre-season, and they could be joined by yet another new addition sooner rather than later, according to reports.

Celtic's transfer state of play with pre-season already underway

Several Celtic stars were spotted being put through their paces at Lennoxtown earlier this week, and it is anticipated that the bulk of the main group will join before long, but who could accompany them from elsewhere over the coming weeks?

Kieran Tierney, Ross Doohan and Benjamin Nygren have already been announced. Fulham youngster Callum Osmand is set to follow the trio to Celtic and has already been spotted at their training base before being officially confirmed as a new asset.

With Greg Taylor out of contract and set to depart, Djurgarden left-back Keita Kosugi is the latest name on the Bhoys’ radar as they plot a replacement for the Scotland international.

Despite some swift moves to bolster their pool of talent, Chris Sutton believes Celtic should be doing more in the transfer market with the Champions League qualifiers around the corner.

He explained: “Unless Celtic are going to start paying silly money, I’d imagine they may have to wait, perhaps even until the end of the window, for some of the key targets.

Related Celtic in talks to sell international defender for 7-figure loss

Is it the right time for him to leave?

Posts 1 ByHenry Jackson Jun 27, 2025

“But it still feels a little lacking to me at this precise point of proceedings and, at the very least, Rodgers will surely want the majority in his squad for the start of the domestic season.”

Managers will never be content with that they’ve got, there will always be an appetite for as many useful options as possible to offer cover across the pitch.

Either way, Sutton’s wish could now have been granted as Celtic are now on the brink of bringing in a talented central defender.

Celtic set to land Hayato Inamura with medical scheduled

According to Sponichi, Celtic are set to land defender Hayato Inamura from Albirex Niigata, and he will travel to Europe to undergo a medical before signing on the dotted line at Parkhead.

The 23-year-old took on his final fixture in current club colours against Machida Zelvia this weekend, and is set to become the ninth Japanese player to join the Hoops once his move is ratified.

Hayato Inamura’s record at Albirex Niigata

Appearances

35

Goals

1

Assists

2

Predominantly a central defender, Inamura is also capable of featuring at left-back and has two years left on his current deal at the Denka Big Swan Stadium. He is considered an impressive talent back home, evidenced by the fact he shares an agent with two of Japan’s top stars in Europe – £20m Arsenal man Takehiro Tomiyasu and Mainz star Kaishū Sano.

Enjoying a productive J League campaign, the Tokyo-born man has won 63 duels and 75% of his tackles and would likely arrive in Glasgow for a nominal fee, although the specifics on that front haven’t yet been confirmed.

Either way, Celtic appear primed to venture back into a market that has been a happy hunting ground in recent years, so there is every chance Inamura will become a shrewd addition with plenty of potential to develop.

Chelsea reached the final of the Conference League courtesy of a 5-1 aggregate victory over Swedish side Djurgarden in midweek.

Ending the season with a trophy could be a catalyst for the Blues to improve even further in 2025/26.

Enzo Maresca will be determined to succeed, but even more importantly, is the fact that he has blooded several youngsters into the team, notably Tyrique George.

With the summer transfer window opening in a few weeks, might the Italian be aiming to sign another talented forward?

Chelsea plot move for Borussia Dortmund starlet

According to reports, the Blues have earmarked Dortmund starlet Jamie Bynoe-Gittens as a player under serious consideration this summer.

The Stamford Bridge side are currently in contact with the Englishman regarding a potential deal and if they secure Champions League qualification, it could help their cause massively.

Previously valued at €100m (£85m), Gittens’ asking price has now dropped to ‘just’ €50m (£42m) as he doesn’t fit the system of Niko Kovač, which could open the door for Chelsea to make their move.

If they did bring the youngster to London, they would be signing one of the most talented wingers in Germany.

Transfer Focus

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

He is certainly a bigger talent than George. That’s for sure.

Why Chelsea must sign Jamie Gittens

Since making his senior debut for the Blues earlier this season, the 19-year-old has now racked up 23 appearances in all competitions.

Not one to be fazed by performing at the highest level, the teenager has scored twice and chipped in with five assists, helping the club reach yet another European final.

He will only continue to get better, especially if Maresca keeps utilising him in this Chelsea squad. Signing Gittens, however, would perhaps take the club to the next level.

Making his debut for Dortmund all the way back during the 2021/22 season, Gittens has made over 100 appearances for the club. A total of 31 goal contributions have been recorded in this time as he has emerged as a player to watch out for in the coming years.

Hailed as a “wonderkid” by Statman Dave in November 2023, Gittens has the talent to follow in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham, who both made huge moves abroad after shining in Germany.

Despite his tender years, he is already playing like an experienced winger. Indeed, when compared to positional peers, Gittens currently ranks in the top 8% for progressive carries (5.55) and in the top 1% for successful take-ons (3.62) per 90 over the previous 365 days.

This ability to advance the ball into dangerous areas while being able to beat his marker could give Maresca something extra in the final third next season.

George’s emergence from academy starlet to first-team regular shows that the club aren’t going to be totally reliant on the transfer market.

But when a talent like Gittens is available, it would be foolish not to try and sign him. Especially for a fee of £42m.

Eden Hazard 2.0: Chelsea make contact to sign £64m "difference-maker"

Chelsea have reportedly made contact over a deal to sign a star who could be Eden Hazard 2.0.

By
Dan Emery

May 10, 2025

He is finally reaping the rewards for his consistency and fitness but can he sustain this intensity for longer formats for India?

Sidharth Monga10-Apr-20251:36

What’s working for Prasidh Krishna this season?

Gujarat Titans (GT) have shown themselves to be a pretty ruthless and unemotional side.Washington Sundar finally got a chance to play – the Impact Player rule has ruined it for even slightly imperfect allrounders – in the last match, put in a match-winning innings that had commentators and experts calling him too good to be left out, but when GT returned to a red-soil pitch at home, they left him out. They didn’t get carried away. They trusted M Shahrukh Khan, a specialist batter, to do the job. They also saw the conditions called for an extra fast bowler. They didn’t try to accommodate Washington.R Sai Kishore was GT’s second-highest wicket-taker before this match. “Probably the best spinner in the tournament so far,” according to their mentor Parthiv Patel. He didn’t get to bowl until this match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) was practically over as a contest.Related

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This is a squad that has lost Kagiso Rabada after three games, and yet they seem to be able to field different attacks for different conditions almost effortlessly. They go to Bengaluru where new-ball movement can be crucial, they add Arshad Khan. They see the one sluggish track in Hyderabad being used, and they bring in Washington. They roll out the slow and low black-soil pitch at home, they go for taller bowlers. On red soil, back comes Arshad. And Shubman Gill almost always has six nearly genuine bowlers at his disposal.However, apart from the resurgent Mohammed Siraj and the all-time-great Rashid Khan, there has been one constant in the GT side that has made this versatility and ruthlessness possible. He is tall, finally fit and quick, he goes by Skiddy on Instagram and with his team-mates, but he is anything but. This version of Prasidh Krishna is the one that India hoped for when they backed him.

The reaction Prasidh is getting from the pitch is a sight for sore eyes. The bounce is steep and unbecoming of the lengths he is bowling, drawing poor connections from the batters

Without taking anything away from Siraj, he does get the new ball to play with. Prasidh is playing the other role of making something out of nothing when the movement has died, and you need some other point of difference. He has now had four straight matches in which he has gone under seven an over. He has taken wickets in each of these games.Nothing quite sums up Prasidh’s impact more than GT’s last two home games. Against Mumbai Indians (MI), they played on the black-soil pitch because MI are used to the red soil at Wankhede and are built for quick and bouncy surfaces. His figures: 4-0-18-2. Against RR, GT went back to the pace and bounce of red soil. His figures: 4-0-24-3.A lot of top-level cricket is about feeling good about your body and executing your plans well, but don’t underestimate the value of knowing what to do in different conditions. In these two games, Prasidh has shown the awareness of his own game that only comes with experience. On the slower, grippier surface, Prasidh went into the surface more and bowled more slower balls. Both his wickets in that match came off slower balls. Every fourth ball he delivered in that game was a slower one.Prasidh Krishna enjoyed a productive outing against his old team, Rajasthan Royals•IPLOn the quicker pitch, not only did Prasidh crank up the pace, he also didn’t bother with the slower balls. He tried just one against RR as against seven against MI. Six balls went above 145kph and 14 above 140kph against RR, as against just one and eight against MI. Against MI, he went short of a good length 15 times, against RR only 12.Reaping the rewards for his consistency and fitness, Prasidh has probably been the best fast bowler outside the powerplay in this IPL so far. Even if it is over a period of four overs, the reaction Prasidh is getting from the pitch is a sight for sore eyes. The bounce is steep and unbecoming of the lengths he is bowling, drawing poor connections from the batters. The pace is up perhaps because he feels good about his physical fitness.Too often, India have been edged out of Test matches because their bowlers are shorter and skiddier, thus extracting less from the surfaces in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia. India’s next big Test tour is in England, two months away. Can Prasidh sustain this consistency and intensity for longer formats?

He bagged a pair in his first match after taking over the Test captaincy, but has bounced back emphatically

Firdose Moonda10-Mar-2023Temba Bavuma is used to handling crises.”I always find myself in situations where I am coming in at No.5 or 6, and it’s 20 for 4 or 10 for 2 or whatever it is, and you really have to try to soak in the pressure,” he said.So when he walked out to bat with South Africa 8 for 2, the lead just 77, and the opposition eyeing a middle order that is prone to collapses, he was not panicking. “You just have to try to absorb and when the opportunity comes, try and release. I think I’ve done that fairly well in my career, albeit I didn’t have any big scores to back it up. Walking in that situation, is something that mentally I am accustomed to. My games also leans towards that.”Bavuma left six of his first eight deliveries, giving himself time to assess an atypical Wanderers surface, and had only scored 11 off his first 38 balls, which included some that kicked up off a length and others that stayed a touch low. He watched Aiden Markram nick one that he was forced to play at, and Ryan Rickelton reach for one he could have left, and knew that once the ball softened and the bowlers tired, variable bounce would be the biggest challenge.When his fifty came up, off 107 balls, it looked like Bavuma would run out of partners before the idea of a century became real. When Heinrich Klaasen top-edged a pull, the prospect of another below-par innings and unfinished business for Bavuma loomed.Enter Wiaan Mulder. “I said to him, he’s got nothing to prove. He’s done it before for the Lions, he’s done it at county level, now it’s just an opportunity for him to do what he’s been selected to do,” Bavuma said. “Maybe that that calmed him down. We have good synergy that also obviously would have helped him. I guess for us it was just trying to build that partnership. In doing that, that took the pressure off him and it was about the team.”Bavuma was also talking about himself. He was too concerned with getting the team into a position where they had batted West Indies out of the match than his own score. “My mindset was always just to stick to what I was doing. A hundred wasn’t the target. It wasn’t the objective. The objective was really to get to the end of day’s play.”The prospect of a century only became real once he entered the nineties with a cut shot off Roach that brought a small Friday afternoon crowd to life. All 2378 of them lived every ball from that point on. They slow-capped every delivery and cheered every run with increasing volume, which peaked with the four overthrows that took him a shot away from the moment people have been waiting for since Bavuma’s first Test century in 2016. “I was obviously quite happy that I got an extra four runs,” Bavuma said. “I went from 91 to 96 and that does make things mentally a bit easier.”Naturally, there were also some nerves. Since his first century at Newlands, Bavuma has never got closer than an unbeaten 95, so 96 was unfamiliar territory and he could feel things changing. “The energy started picking up, I guess in anticipation of the milestone. My emotions also started picking up and I just kind of went with it at that moment.”Temba Bavuma leaps to fend off a short ball during the course of his hundred•AFP/Getty ImagesHis 97th run was a quick single at the start of an Alzarri Joseph over that Mulder saw off. The impatience grew. The clap became a beat or two faster. The cries from the crowd sounded more desperate. “Come on Tembaaaaa,” became a plea and not a war cry.His 98th came from a flick through midwicket at the start of a Roston Chase. He got back on strike for the fourth delivery and whipped Chase again but only as far as the fielder and got another one.99. Mulder rotated strike again.99 and facing. Chase pulled out of his delivery stride. 99 and still facing. Bavuma advanced and defended into the offside.He and Mulder met in the middle for a long chat before Joseph’s next over. Mulder must have confirmed that he’d take a single as quickly as possible because that’s what he did. Then, they had another conversation, presumably with Mulder promising to run like his life depended on it if Bavuma thought a single was on. It turned out he wanted more than that. Joseph delivered a short ball asking to be cut but Bavuma slashed and missed. The Wanderers held its breath.Joseph had also overstepped, and he overcompensated with his extra ball by going too full. That was the delivery Bavuma had been waiting for. He cracked it over the covers and held the pose as the ball crossed the boundary. At the other end, Mulder whooped and swooped as though he had scored the century while Bavuma removed his helmet and raised his bat to the changeroom, to his father in the Long Room and his mother in the stands and then to every part of the ground. Eventually he turned to Mulder and they shared a bear hug. After seven years of relative run-scoring famine, Bavuma has finally been able to feast.Temba Bavuma: a pair in his first match as Test captain, and a century in the second•AFP/Getty Images”It’s been a long journey and a lot more downs than ups,” Bavuma said, maybe remembering that just four months ago, he returned from Australia unable to hold back tears and explain how South Africa had lost to Netherlands at the T20I World Cup. “I keep learning about myself every day in terms of the type of person and the type of cricketer that I am.”What we are now learning is that the usually sedate and serious Bavuma can also score runs at speed. Once he reached the hundred, he was obviously unshackled. He scored 71 runs off 81 balls and is now 29 away from a double century. For someone who had not scored a red-ball hundred at the Wanderers through a professional career based at this venue, that would be another crowning moment. “The guys are always teasing me about it (not scoring a hundred here). I can stick it to the guys in that one,” Bavuma said. “And as I said before the series, West Indies sentimentally means quite a lot so I am going to try to bat as long as I can. I’m not about to give my wicket away.”Bavuma is not the only one for whom this hundred is about more than the numbers. He is now the first black African captain from South Africa to score a century, seven years after becoming the first to score a Test hundred. The significance of it is not lost on Bavuma. “It’s about inspiring the next generation. Being a black Africa cricketer, it also allows other young black African batters to really dream they can also come and play for the Proteas and have their names entrenched in the history books.”Last week, Bavuma made history as one of only four captains to register a pair on their leadership debut and immediately questions were asked about how the leadership would affect his batting. His coach, Shukri Conrad, was asked that too and dead-batted the question saying that Bavuma was not the only player to get a pair. Conrad was the one who selected Bavuma as Test captain and Bavuma has acknowledged feeling “fully backed,” by his coach. “I’m learning a lot from him in terms of the language that he speaks and also the challenging conversations that we have. Before the game, he challenged me. He asked some really tough questions. One of them was that just because I’m captain, who says I’m not going to score two ducks?”Ask the Bavuma of 2014, who made his Test debut against West Indies at St George’s Park, what he thinks of the Bavuma of 2023, and he would be “very proud,” according to the man himself. “After everything that has happened I’m still managing to keep my head up, keep afloat and keep finding a way to move forward.”

The unlikely hero of the Kolkata Knight Riders first IPL title victory looks back on a magical night

As told to Shashank Kishore29-May-2021The 2012 final was everything an Indian domestic player who might not make it to the national team could want – a big stage, a capacity crowd, the thirst to win a title and prove a point, to yourself if not to everyone.My position in the XI wasn’t a given. I’d played on and off until that point, so my only aim was to soak in every aspect of our training, fitness drills, meetings, and team activities for one last time. It was my wife’s birthday, and if we won, it would’ve been the perfect birthday gift for her.Related

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Finally, a winning script

We did it for Balaji – Gambhir

I didn’t have much hope of playing in the final. I’d been batting well but was left out mid-season after being unable to convert starts. Brendon McCullum and Gautam Gambhir formed a formidable combination at the top, so I knew I had to wait for my chances. When I got left out, I remember Brendon putting his arm around me and telling me to believe in myself. He said, “You’re a match-winner. The big knock isn’t far away. No matter what others say, until you believe, you can’t feel better. You’re batting beautifully, we all can see that, and when you get a chance, you’ll smash it.” Those words gave me a massive lift.The afternoon of the final, after lunch we were all called for a team meeting. L Balaji had injured himself during the playoffs and was ruled out, so there had to be a forced change. Gautam announced I’d be part of the XI, in place of Balaji. It meant Brendon had to miss out. But no sooner was my name announced than he came up to me and gave me a big hug and wished me well. I’ll always remember that gesture.Bisla hit five sixes in the final, three of them off R Ashwin•Associated PressThat team meeting was extra special, because the Kolkata Knight Riders management played video messages from all our families. You could see a lot of the players in tears – it meant a great deal to them that the franchise cared for human emotions. It felt amazing seeing my parents wish me on a giant screen, and then everyone around me applauding because I was going to be getting another opportunity.As a captain, Gautam was fiercely protective of his players. He was like an older brother. Win or lose, he needed to just see focus and intensity. Even when I wasn’t converting starts, he was never short of encouraging words if he saw the effort. So chats with him at different times during the competition gave me the reinforcement that I was very much valued. Vijay Dahiya, our assistant coach, was also a great motivator. These two made it easy for me to deal with both success and failure.I opened the batting. We were chasing 190 and Gautam was out in the first over. For a change, I didn’t feel the pressure. Sunil Narine, who was our bowling trump card, had been picked quite easily by the Chennai Super Kings batters. There wasn’t much turn, and I knew this wasn’t a typical Chepauk surface. So I just told myself: “Here’s your platform, everyone’s watching. Make it a night to remember.” Jacques Kallis was batting at the other end, and he emphasised the importance of playing for short targets.As I started getting into my innings, I entered a zone I find hard to recall even today. Even if there was some friendly banter around me, I can’t remember what was said because I was completely focused on the job at hand. It was so hot; I was sweating buckets and was trying to conserve as much energy as I could in between.Bisla on KKR’s homecoming: “There were 80,000 people waiting to get a glimpse of us at Eden Gardens. I didn’t think a franchise team would get that kind of love”•Aijaz Rahi/Associated PressThe one shot I remember clearly is a lofted inside-out hit for six off R Ashwin. It’s a shot I can still replay in my mind. Ash was at the peak of his white-ball powers and clever in the way he varied his lengths. So to outfox him by playing that shot was mighty special.I wanted to see the team home but got out with us needing 50-odd. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach and the disappointment of not seeing the team over the line pricked me. I didn’t even take off my pads until the winning runs were hit. The next 30 minutes after I got out seemed rather long, but when Manoj Tiwary hit the winning runs, I can’t remember the next few seconds. We’d won, it was mayhem in the dressing room. Shah Rukh Khan, the team owner, was dancing in the stands.We stayed in the dressing room for a good two or three hours after the game, dancing with SRK, singing and celebrating the win. We cherished a hard-fought campaign. I was on a call with my parents when SRK asked if he could talk to them, and he spoke so glowingly about me. That was another special memory. It was also a perfect gift for my wife.The next day we were on a flight to Kolkata. I had seen how people had danced on Marine Drive after India won the 2011 World Cup final. This felt similarly incredible. The roads were filled with people, Eden Gardens was decked up, and there were nearly 80,000 people wanting to get a glimpse of us. I didn’t think a city-based franchise team would get that kind of love. It was magical.

Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston revealed he was “getting close” to a return as he provided a positive update on his recovery from a hamstring tear.

The influential Canada international suffered his injury in the first half of the goalless first leg of the Champions League play-off against Kairat Almaty on August 20.

Johnston was initially told he would be out for 12 weeks, which would have meant mid-November, but he has been progressing well and could be back sooner than that.

“It’s been a couple of months since I’ve been out there but the recovery’s been good,” the 27-year-old said in a club interview.

“I haven’t had any real setbacks, which has been nice. I’ve been doing tons of work behind the scenes with our medical staff and I’m feeling really good.

“It’s been difficult watching all the matches from the side. As a player, that’s probably the hardest thing to do, not being able to affect the game and not really feeling like you’re completely a part of the group.

“But that’s just fuelled that fire to get back as quickly as possible, so we’re getting close now. We’re not going to put a timeline on it, but I’m feeling really good and I’ve been keeping well.

“We’ve checked off all the boxes that we need to check and we’re definitely ticking towards getting back out there. I’m just looking forward to getting back out there and being with the team again.”

Johnston heaps praise on Colby Donovan

In Johnston’s absence, Anthony Ralston and Colby Donovan have shared the right-back berth. Johnston has been impressed with the way 19-year-old Donovan has performed in his six outings – three as a starter – since his debut at home to Livingston in August.

“Colby’s been great,” said the Canadian. “From what I’ve heard talking to the gaffer and knowing Colby, I think the biggest thing that’s stuck out to everyone is his personality. I don’t think that was ever in question.

“Now that I’ve been in this changing room for the past couple of years and been out, played at Celtic Park, I know what it takes and what a Celtic player looks like at this point and he looks like one in terms of the personality, the confidence that he has on the ball.

“That’s something you need, especially as a young kid, to go into those kind of environments like he did in Belgrade and be able to handle the moment, not look overwhelmed. It’s been really impressive. He’s been really just like a duck to water.

“He’s done so good so far at taking it all on board and I think he’s going to be a great player. We’re really lucky to have him here at Celtic.”

Sri Lanka collapsed in a heap, losing their last nine wickets for 30 before Babar and Ayub’s steady 30s took Pakistan over the line

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Nov-2025

Pakistan thundered to victory in the final of the tri-series, their attack blazing through the last nine Sri Lanka wickets for 30 runs, before their batters carried them without major drama to a target of 115. The victory came in the 19th over.Earlier, it had been three-wicket hauls for Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Nawaz, and two wickets for Abrar Ahmed, that had seen Pakistan produce the definitive passage of the game – the second half of Sri Lanka’s innings.Sri Lanka had been 84 for 1 in the 11th over when Nawaz had Kusal Mendis caught athletically by Babar Azam, on the boundary. They would nosedive spectacularly from there, losing wickets to spin mainly, but pace too, until they were all out for 114 in 19.1 overs.The chase was low-tempo, but mostly smooth. Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub put on 46 together. Babar then produced a steady 37 not out to guide the team home in plenty of time. They never hit a high gear. But they didn’t need to.Shaheen Shah Afridi picked up 3 for 18 as Sri Lanka collapsed in a heap•Associated Press

Sri Lanka’s epic plungeHow do you go from a 64-run second-wicket partnership to 114 all out? Let Sri Lanka show you how.The spinners drove the collapse. After Nawaz dismissed Mendis, Abrar and Ayub ran riot, Abrar having Kusal Perera and Pavan Rathnayake caught attempting big shots within three balls of each other. Ayub had Sri Lanka’s top-scorer Kamil Mishara caught, before Nawaz came back to rattle the stumps of Janith Liyanage and Wanindu Hasaranga.To give you an idea of how quickly wickets were falling, Sri Lanka had seven consecutive partnerships worth six runs or fewer.Babar keeps coming backA score of 37 not out off 34 isn’t exactly stellar T20I material, but in the context of having to guide the team to a low target, Babar’s innings was sensibly-paced. It may not deter his critics exactly, but it might hold them off.In a stretch in which Babar has been suggesting that the best version of himself might be back, it was also significant that he had such a good outing in the field in this match. The catch to dismiss Mendis was a nicely-judged overhead take, balancing to keep himself inside the boundary. The catch to dismiss Mishara was taken on the run, coming in from the straight boundary, diving forward. To get Rathnayake, he leapt up inside the circle to hold the catch with outstretched fingers.Kamil Mishara struck a quick half-century to keep Sri Lanka going•Getty Images

Mishara sets a foundationAlthough Sri Lanka would fail spectacularly to build on it, their young opener Mishara had set a launching pad with his 59 off 47 balls. He had a powerful aerial game inside the powerplay, his three sixes in that phase coming in the arc between long off and deep midwicket. After the field went back, he settled into a rhythm of singles. With this being his second successive half-century, Sri Lanka are likely to persist with him.

Former allrounder had been in interim role since Dale Benkenstein’s departure

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2025

Lancashire have confirmed Steven Croft as their new head coach after a successful period in the interim role.Croft stepped up after the departure of Dale Benkenstein in May. Lancashire did not win a game during the first half of the County Championship season, but rallied to finish fifth in Division Two, as well as reaching T20 Blast Finals Day.”It means so much to have the honour of being named head coach of this great club,” Croft said. “Lancashire has been a huge part of my life – from joining the academy as a young player, to captaining the team, and now stepping into this role off the field.”I’m incredibly proud of how the lads responded last season, and I’m excited for what’s ahead. We have a talented, driven squad who are passionate about representing the Red Rose and I believe there is much more to come.”My focus now is on building on the second half of last season’s progress, helping each player improve, and bring success back to the club for our members and supporters at Emirates Old Trafford.”Croft, 41, was part of the team when Lancashire last won the Championship in 2011. He retired in 2023 after playing more than 600 times for the club.Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, said: “We are thrilled that Steven has accepted the role permanently after making such a strong impression this summer.”Taking over during a challenging period in May, Steven displayed outstanding leadership throughout this summer. His passion for Lancashire Cricket, knowledge and understanding of the game, and ability to connect with players made him the outstanding candidate.”He will take a hands-on role in the leading of day-to-day coaching of the first team and will be supported by a restructured cricket department – including assistant coach Will Porterfield – with further appointments to follow.”

Chris Woakes, the England allrounder, has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing down the curtain on a 14-year career representing his country across all three formats.Woakes, 36, was omitted from England’s Ashes squad last week after a battle to regain fitness following a shoulder dislocation suffered in the fifth Test against India at the end of July. Rob Key, England Men’s managing director, said afterwards that Woakes “isn’t in our plans… at all” and he has now decided to call time, posting a statement on Instagram.It means his final act in an England shirt – after 62 Tests, 122 ODIs and 33 T20Is – was walking out to bat at No. 11 in the Oval Test against India with his arm in a sling, in a vain attempt to help secure a series-sealing victory on the fifth day.Related

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• How Woakes defied injury to front up in England's hour of need

• The agony, the ecstasy: 56 minutes of Test cricket at its most glorious

“The moment has come, and I’ve decided that the time is right for me to retire from international cricket,” he said.”Playing for England was something I aspired to do since I was a kid dreaming in the back garden, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have lived out those dreams. Representing England, wearing the Three Lions and sharing the field with team-mates over the last 15 years, many of whom have become lifelong friends, are things I’ll look back on with the greatest pride.”Making my debut in 2011 in Australia seems like yesterday, but time flies when you’re having fun. Lifting two World Cups and being part of some amazing Ashes series is something I never thought was possible, and those memories and celebrations with my team-mates will stay with me forever.”To my Mum and Dad, my wife Amie and our girls Laila and Evie, thank you for your unwavering love, support and sacrifices over the years. None of this would have been possible without you.”To the fans, especially the Barmy Army, thank you for the passion, the cheers and the belief. To my coaches, team-mates and everyone behind the scenes both with England and Warwickshire, who helped me play for my country – your guidance and friendship has meant the world.”I look forward to continuing to play county cricket and exploring more franchise opportunities in the near future.”Chris Woakes was part of England’s World Cup wins in 2019 and 2022•IDI via Getty Images

A double World Cup-winner, Woakes was England’s Player of the Series during the 2023 Ashes, returning to the side midway through the series to help orchestrate a draw from 2-0 down. However, his involvement on the 2025-26 tour was put into doubt the moment he walked off clutching his shoulder on day one at The Oval.In all, he took 396 wickets across formats for England, putting him eighth on the list. His most enduring contribution was in ODIs, where he led the attack that won the 2019 World Cup, and eventually finished with 173 wickets at 30.01, the fifth-most by an Englishman.Woakes made his debut as far back as the 2010-11 tour of Australia, playing in two T20Is and three ODIs. In his second ODI appearance, at Brisbane, he picked up the Player of the Match award after taking 6 for 45 – at the time the second-best figures for England Men in the format.His Test debut came at the scene of his final appearance, at The Oval in the 2013 Ashes, but he spent much of his career waiting for opportunities in the pecking order behind James Anderson and Stuart Broad (though Woakes would end with a better average than both in English conditions).A breakthrough came in the summer of 2016, when he claimed 34 wickets at 17.20 in six Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. He scored his only Test hundred two years later, against India at Lord’s, by which time he was the senior new-ball bowler in the ODI side.Woakes was often behind James Anderson and Stuart Broad in England’s pecking order•Getty Images

With 16 wickets at 27.87 – including a brilliant analysis of 3 for 20 against Australia in the semi-final – he was one of the key cogs in England’s 2019 World Cup win. Two years later, his skills with the white ball won him a return to the T20I side, and he went on to help England lift another World Cup in Australia in 2022.Latterly, following the retirements of Broad and Anderson, Woakes led the line in the Test side, with 2024 (32 wickets at 24.09) proving his second-most prolific calendar year with the ball. However, he struggled for penetration against India this summer, with 11 wickets in five Tests before slipping while attempting to field the ball on the boundary and being ruled out of the rest of the decider – at least until his dramatic reappearance, arm strapped up under his jumper, ready to bat left-handed if required.ECB chair, Richard Thompson, said: “The images of Chris walking out to bat with his arm in a sling to try and win a Test match this summer reflected how much he cared about playing for his country and being the best team-mate he could be.”He has been a gentleman off the field, with the skills and fierce determination to win on it, regularly rising to the occasion on the biggest stage with bat as well as ball. There are so many special memories, from brilliance with the new ball in the 2019 World Cup and winning the T20 World Cup in 2022 to his series-changing impact in the 2023 Men’s Ashes which earned him the player of the series honour.”We are indebted to have players like Chris represent England and I want to thank and congratulate him for everything he has done in an England shirt for the past 14 years.”Key added: “Chris Woakes is one of the finest people to have played the game. An extraordinary career carved out alongside two of England’s greatest ever bowlers. A man who helped every team he played in, even before he walked onto the field.”

Idrissa Gueye was shockingly sent off for Everton after striking the face of team-mate Michael Keane in their Premier League game at Manchester United. Seconds after the Red Devils shot narrowly wide, the veteran angrily confronted the defender, before appearing to hit out at him. Referee Tony Harrington immediately issued a red card as the Toffees went down to 10 men after just 13 minutes.

• Early drama at Old Trafford

  In shades of Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dier for Newcastle United in 2005, Gueye clashed with Everton team-mate Keane on Monday night. The former was soon giving his marching orders, with the Premier League quickly moving to explain the decision.

  The Premier League match centre posted on X: "The referee’s call of red card to Gueye for violent conduct was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the action deemed to be a clear strike to the face of Keane."

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  On Sky Sports' commentary, United legend Gary Neville expressed his shock at what he had just seen, while praising Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for trying to diffuse the situation.

  He said: "There's a coming together between him and Michael Keane. It always looks unsavoury when it is team-mate on team-mate. Idrissa Gueye has gone towards Michael Keane, who hasn't really reacted. He just pushes them, and then there is not much in it. I think Jordan Pickford does a very good job, to be fair to him."

• 'Game's gone'

  @agbnufc_ wrote on X: "Shades of Bowyer vs Dyer you love to see it."

  @ChelsChris03 tweeted: "That is the softest red card I’ve ever seen. Let’s just say if that was 2 united players it’d never be a red card."

  @0xJonnyDee commented: "What a moron. Slapping your own teammate and getting sent off for it. Not seen that in a long time."

  @ViscogliosiLuca mused: "Is that really worthy of a red card?. A bit of handbags, nothing more than that."

  @brxdzQPR quipped: "Get a camera in that half time dressing room and interview Gueye at half time immediately. Only time I’ll advocate a half time interview."

  @Alexander_divi exclaimed: "MICHAEL KEANE CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT HE JUST WITNESSED. HE GOT SLAPPED IN THE FACE BY HIS OWN TEAMMATE WHO THEN GOT SEND OFF."

  @mevans_11 agreed with Neville, writing: "Think a yellow would’ve been fine. If that’s against an opponent, I think it’s a yellow 50% of the time. The fact that it’s his own teammate should see it even more likely to be a yellow."

  @ftbIdxniel put: "Game's gone," and @Ash_LFC7 added: "So pushing your own team mate gives you a red card now. Honestly the PGMOL are an utter embarrassment. Football is a dying sport."

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  Everton make unwanted history

  According to BBC Sport, Arsenal, and now Everton, have been shown more red cards than any other side in Premier League history at 110. Moreover, Gueye became the first player to be red carded in the division for fighting with a team-mate since Stoke City duo Ricardo Fuller and Andy Griffin in December 2008.

  Incidentally, the laws around 'violent conduct' state: 'Sending off offence – Striking an opponent or any other person on the head or face with their hand or arm, unless the force used was negligible."

  And according to Neville, it could have easily been avoided if the correct card was dished out. 

  "Was it negligible? That's the question. I think it was negligible. I don't think there was much in that at all," he said. "They were not fighting, it wasn't a scrap. It could have been dealt with by a yellow. I don't think it needed to be a red. I'm now trying to imagine what Gueye and Keane say when they get to the dressing room. How is that one going to go?"