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England will wonder what brings out Holder’s best against them – last year’s double ton, now his bowling best

Nagraj Gollapudi09-Jul-2020Without Statsguru-ing, who’s the best one-change fast bowler in Test cricket since 2018?How many of you guessed it was Jason Holder? Pat Cummins, Neil Wagner, Mohammad Shami; any of these would be valid, understandable guesses. All three have over 60 wickets each in that period, compared to Holder’s 39 but it is Holder who has the best average (14.66) among bowlers with more than 20 wickets. He also has the best economy rate (2.66). He has the best strike rate of the three. He has four five-fors in that period, the joint-most with Wagner.ALSO READ: Holder’s career-best haul puts Windies in controlUsually, when we think fast bowling, we think speed. More so when we think Caribbean fast bowling. Holder is the tallest fast bowler in Test cricket. He is strong. Yet he is not quick. And so the perception builds about him, that he’s somehow lesser.Yet fast bowling is not just speed. Control, discipline and, most importantly, skills – it is this package that makes a fast bowler complete and this that has made Holder one of the best fast bowlers in all conditions, on any continent, with any ball in the past few years.Since 2017, in countries where the Dukes is used – England and West Indies – Holder is on par with the master – James Anderson.The England strike bowler has 82 wickets in 19 Tests at 17.10 with an economy of 2.43. Holder has played three fewer matches, but has picked 67 wickets at 17.97 with an economy of 2.49. In the rest of the world, where the Kokaburra and SG Test balls are used, Holder has played just five Tests, taken 14 wickets (one five-for) at a healthy average of 25.92. He’s still not easy to score off, conceding just 2.44 per over.On Thursday, Holder put that complete package on full display to rack up his best Test bowling figures of 6 for 42. Asked to bowl, in the first match of a series away from home, playing their first Test match since last November, the stakes were high. The onus was on his fast bowling attack, which Roddy Estwick, the Windies assistant coach, said in June could better any team in the world.Jason Holder leaves the field with the ball after taking six wickets•AFP

At Bridgetown, a year ago, Kemar Roach had skittled out England for 77. At lunch on Thursday England were struggling at 106 for 5 with Shannon Gabriel snaring three wickets with extreme pace. But Ben Stokes had a reprieve on 14 when Roach dived to pouch a dying ball at deep square leg in response to a perfect short-pitched delivery from Alzarri Joseph. Immediately after the break, Shamarh Brooks dropped a sitter at short cover off Roach.Stokes, along with Jos Buttler, took the charge to Gabriel, who pitched wide and short in contrast to the fuller lengths in the first session. Holder was in the slips watching the drama unfold. He took over from Gabriel straightaway.In the morning, as ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data recorded, Holder hardly bowled a full delivery. But as he built up his rhythm he improved. Post-lunch, Holder bowled only a dozen deliveries short of good length. The best length to bowl on a pitch with variable bounce and conditions that supported seam movement was on a good length. Post the break, Holder capitalised, pitching 20 deliveries on a good length, which fetched him three wickets.Two of those were Stokes and Buttler, men who were threatening to take England swiftly into a commanding territory. From the slips, Holder would have observed Stokes stepping out of the crease to negate any swing and take advantage each time the ball was pitched fuller. Without getting distracted Holder continued to attack the off stump. Off the second delivery in his second over, Stokes attempted to outsmart Holder by charging his counterpart. The ball pitched on length and straightened. Stokes let out a smile.Next ball Stokes was on the march. Holder pitched slightly fuller from wider of the crease. But the ball pitched again on off stump and this time took the outside edge as Stokes attempted to play across. Stokes shook his head in disgust. Holder celebrated.An over later, Holder came closer to the stumps, pitched on a length, drew Buttler forward as the ball once again took the outside edge which Shane Dowrich pouched smartly. Holder had snatched the momentum back.ALSO READ: Taking the knee ‘meant the world to me’ – HolderAs a fast bowler, Holder has plenty of strengths: the height from where he delivers, his wrist is straight, as is the seam most times, and he actually moves the ball in the air and off the pitch most in this Windies bowling line-up. And he uses the crease wisely. These are things he has observed and learned from the likes of Anderson and Glenn McGrath, Holder told Sky Sports.Holder has now seven five-fors, which puts him fourth on the all-time list of captains. In addition to getting the milestone four times at home, Holder has taken at least five wickets in an innings in India (2018) and Sharjah (2016) – with non-Dukes balls – and in two places that pose unique challenges for fast bowling.Jason Holder celebrates with team-mates after dismissing Jofra Archer•Getty Images

In a chat with Ian Bishop after West Indies had won the Wisden Trophy at home last year, Holder had said that his performance in the UAE against Pakistan four years ago was the turning point of his career. Remember he was just one year into his international cricket then. Pakistan were leading the series 2-0 going into the final Test in Sharjah. Holder went wicketless in the first innings. On the third evening he had three wickets. The next day, he grabbed his maiden five-for to set up the victory.During the CPL a few years ago, Mel Jones, the broadcaster, asked Holder if he fights fire with fire. Holder said he fights fire with water. That is Holder’s character: he is naturally aggressive, but does not like to wear it on his sleeve. He knows his job is that of a leader: to motivate, guide, mould West Indies into a successful unit.England will wonder what is it that brings Holder’s best against them. In 2019, it was Holder’s maiden double-century that set the tone for the series win. Holder became the No. 1 allrounder in ICC rankings. A year later Holder now has his best bowling figures against them in Test cricket.He is not like West Indian fast bowlers we are used to. He is an understated personality and he is not spoken about as much. But right now, Jason Holder is one of the best fast bowlers in cricket.

There's still a number of key areas for Los Blancos to address before they can consider their summer revamp complete

Xabi Alonso was in damage control mode after Real Madrid were knocked out of the Club World Cup. He described Los Blancos' loss to PSG as the final game of the 2025 season and pointed out that the real work starts a couple of weeks on from then, once Madrid have had time to rest and he can properly evaluate his squad.

The Club World Cup did, however, put into perspective how much of an issue he may well have. Madrid are full of world-class individuals, but lack in cohesion and their squad depth is shallow in a few areas. The signing of Alvaro Carreras has addressed one of those issues – bringing in a solid left-back – but as the summer drags on, there is a lingering sense that this Madrid rebuild isn't quite finished.

Indeed, there remain some missing pieces. Luka Modric's departure has left a need for a veteran presence, while they still have a Rodrygo issue to sort out, with the Brazilian's future remaining far from certain. Away from that issue, it's hard to imagine Alonso wouldn't welcome further reinforcements with open arms, with left-wing being the only area where Madrid are truly blessed with options.

So what comes next in the summer rebuild? GOAL takes a look at where Los Blancos' priorities should lie…

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  Replace Luka Modric

  Luka Modric's time at Real Madrid was up. He is past his best by now, his minutes decreasing year-after-year. He can still be a useful footballer, and will likely be a decent addition for Milan, either as an occasional starter or reliable bench option. But at Madrid, he was becoming a bit of an expensive barrier. Carlo Ancelotti said almost three years ago that Modric should prepare for a "moment of change" at the Santiago Bernabeu, and it has finally come.

  The issue is, it tends to help when you release a player that you have someone new ready to step in. Modric, as a figurehead and with his specific skillset, is practically impossible to replace. There is no one quite like him, and there likely never will be again. Madrid perhaps see an imperfect alternative in the immensely talented, but still raw, Arda Guler, who has shown moments of quality without truly making his mark in Madrid white.

  What Los Blancos need – and what they have lacked since Toni Kroos left – is a veteran centre-midfielder who can hold things down and keep heads cool in the big games. This is not the place for flustered youth still learning their craft. Franco Mastantuono looks a fine talent, who will add some attacking thrust. But Madrid could do with a tempo setter – less frantic, more composed. It's a hyper-specific role, but one big clubs tend to make use of. Modric was masterful at it. Madrid need a new one.

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  Cash in on Rodrygo

  When will there be an end to this saga?! It's tiresome at this point. Rodrygo is a top good left winger who is being used either as a No.9 or occasionally on the right. It worked under Carlo Ancelotti in the early days, or when he was coming off the bench to cause havoc, but he needs a move to a club that will maximise his talents as a left winger. It's what is best for him – and Rodrygo probably knows it, too.

  Arsenal looked a possible destination for some time, especially given their need for a left wing upgrade over the struggling Gabriel Martinelli, but their shift in focus to finding a No.9, and subsequent signing of Chelsea's Noni Madueke to play on either flank, has seen the chatter cool down. Liverpool have been mentioned here and there, as have Man City sporadically.

  From Madrid's point of view, it really doesn't matter where he ends up. Rodrygo is surplus to requirements on the left, the wrong fit on the right, and steadily becoming a very expensive distraction. He would fetch a pretty penny, too, that can be reinvested pretty much anywhere else in the squad. Time to get to work.

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  Go big for Konate

  At the Trent Alexander-Arnold unveiling, Florentino Perez devilishly announced that Real Madrid and Liverpool have a great relationship. It was a bit of a punch in the face to Reds fans.

  The England full-back's departure will likely hurt on Merseyside for quite some time – the signing of Jeremie Frimpong notwithstanding. And now, it seems Madrid are back for more. Ibrahima Konate seemed set to sign a new contract to stay with Liverpool less than a year ago, but talks broke down, and it has been reported that Madrid have shown serious interest in signing the player, whose contract ends at the end of the 2025-26 season. From a Madrid perspective, it makes almost much sense. They don't really have a reliable right centre-back, with Antonio Rudiger preferring to play on the left – and his best days might be behind him. Konate, meanwhile, is 26 and, on his day, is one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. He also prefers to play on the right side of the pairing.

  And with Madrid's injury problems at the back – Eder Militao still isn't full fit after undergoing ACL surgery last year – Konate is more of a need than a want. They would be wise to cough up now if they want a player who might be crucial for Liverpool the closer we get to the start of the new season.

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  Re-sign Vinicius Jr

  It seems that the window for Vinicius to depart has passed. It remains very difficult to see a world in which Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius can play together – at the Club World Cup, Madrid looked better with one of them plus Gonzalo Garcia in the side – but the Brazilian doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

  The irony here is that Madrid possess two of the best five players in the world, and, when they're on song, they're the best attacking duo world football can provide – and by some distance. The issue is that it seldom happens. The obvious fact is that they play in the same position, and play it remarkably similarly, too. Alonso tried to experiment in the United States over the summer, sticking Vinicius on the right, or coaxing Mbappe towards the centre, but it never looked fluid.

  The Madrid boss, it's fair to say, is stuck with the two of them, with neither really wanting to leave. Madrid now have to commit to Vini long-term, if only to shut everyone else up. The onus is now on Alonso to find the tactics that sufficiently play to both players' strengths. It should be an excellent problem to have.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is reportedly on "borrowed time", as per a former Scottish Premiership club chief.

Celtic chasing Rangers

The former Liverpool manager is currently on his second stint with Celtic, with his first time in charge beginning in May 2016. His first tenure was of course incredibly successful, with the 51-year-old managing to win seven honours whilst at the club, with two of those being league titles.

However, despite being welcomed back to The Hoops with (mostly) open arms, his second spell with the Scottish side has been far from smooth sailing. The club currently reside in second place and have only won three of their last five Premiership games.

This is quite a fall from grace for Celtic following their previous season, as Ange Postecoglou's side managed to finish on 99 points and only lose three domestic games the entire campaign. The sole outlier being the 2020/21 season where Steven Gerrard led Rangers to an undefeated season with 102 points, the Bhoys have won 11 out of the last 12 titles, so anything less than first place is correctly categorised as failure.

And as Phillipe Clement's men are currently leading the way by two points, Celtic's streak of dominance could once again be stopped by their rivals. If Rodgers does fail to lead the club to a title they are expected to look to replace him in the near future, with former Aberdeen Club Chief Keith Wyness claiming the Northern Ireland manager is on "borrowed time."

Rodgers running out of time

Speaking on Football Insiders' Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old suggested Rodgers could be replaced "within a year or two".

"I wouldn’t be surprised to see a change in manager in the off-season. I don’t know if Rodgers was the right pick," said Wyness. "It’s not a happy ship. It does seem to be on the pitch where the failings have come. It certainly seems that they’ve been underperforming in some pretty key games."

These claims come after the Hoops were knocked out of the group stages of the Champions League after only amassing four points out of a possible 18. Rodgers has, however, managed to overcome Celtic's Old Firm rivals on two occasions this term.

Despite triumphing over their arch rivals twice, Wyness went on to claim he has "no sympathy" for the 51-year-old.

"If you’re not first in Scotland, you’re nowhere – and I think the footballing side is what I’d be focusing on to find answers. I don’t have any sympathy for Rodgers. He’s a very experienced manager and he knew what he was walking into. I think he’s running on borrowed time. It’s going to be very hard to claw it back after this unhappy start.

"Even if he wins the league, I think it will only be a year or two before he ends up leaving.”

The board’s modelling indicates a deficit of half that figure by June 2021

Daniel Brettig03-Jun-2020Kevin Roberts, the Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive, has outlined his case for 25% across the board cuts to the governing body, the state associations and revenue due to the players. Roberts claimed that the game would be facing a cash deficit of A$142 million by the end of the next financial year without major cost reductions in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic.Cricket Australia and Roberts have been mired in arguments with its state association owners, the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) and within its own organisation since declaring in April that there was danger it would be “trading insolvent” by August without major cutbacks. New South Wales, Queensland and the ACA have all openly disputed CA’s course of action, while Western Australia has insisted that its own agreement to a reduction on distributions will not take effect unless all states agree.Coinciding with the delayed deadline for CA’s projections of Australian Cricket Revenue to the ACA – a requirement inked into the MoU with the players that was last renewed in 2017 – Roberts attempted to articulate his and the CA board’s position on cutbacks on Wednesday, after briefing the state associations of NSW and Queensland earlier in the week.ALSO READ: CA redundancies looming even as forecasts improveThe ACA’s response is expected on Thursday, with players looking at a reduction to their payment pool of around A$28 million. This would be smoothed out by drawing cash from the adjustment ledger that collects the extra cash made above CA’s conservative 2017 revenue projections – most of it from a A$1.18 billion broadcast deal signed with Fox Sports and Seven in 2018.According to its modelling, CA could improve its projected cash position by the end of June 2021 to a deficit of around half the A$142 million figure with cuts of around 25% to player pay, state association grants and staff cuts – an amount that would be covered by the provision of a credit facility worth A$100 million through the Commonwealth Bank. The plan has been pulled together by a financial crisis team featuring Roberts, the CA chairman Earl Eddings, fellow board members Paul Green and Michelle Tredenick and the acting chief financial officer Paul Reining, who previously worked with Roberts at the sports apparel company 2XU.”Given the economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, many organisations are working with scenario plans rather than developing precise financial projections that may need to be updated various times in ever-changing circumstances,” Roberts said in a statement. “We face similar challenges in projecting cricket’s revenue, however we wanted to fulfil our obligation to provide the ACA with our outlook for the next two years, along with additional information on various possibilities for that period.”We are continuing to do everything possible to deliver an exciting 2020-21 cricket season, including the men’s Test series between Australia and India that will see the world’s top two ranked teams face off against each other. Our planning for the 2020-21 season also needs to respond to ongoing uncertainty in relation to travel, mass gatherings and economic conditions that mean the season will most likely look quite different to what we are accustomed to.”It’s important to note the revised revenue projection provided to the ACA will have zero impact on the value of player retainers, match fees, national team performance bonuses or domestic competition prize money in 2020-21 or 2021-22. As it stands, the revised revenue projection would impact the amount owing to the players at the end of the five-year MOU agreement in 2022, however we are focused on maximising revenue in the next two years.”Cricket Australia’s board and executive felt compelled to move in a drastic cost-cutting direction in late March, less than two weeks after the women’s Twenty20 World Cup final was watched by nearly 90,000 spectators at the MCG. This change of direction – after Roberts had publicly stated that CA was well placed to ride out the coronavirus pandemic – was not articulated beyond a small circle of executives and board members until about a month later in late April. It cannot have been driven by anything other than fears of massive reductions in the broadcast rights payments that are the bread and butter of the game’s wellbeing.The first action made by CA was to stand down the majority of CA staff on 80% pay cuts until the end of June, returning a saving of just A$3 million. At the same time, it asked the state associations to accept cuts of 40% to their annual grants and also contacted ten senior contracted players individually rather than first approaching the ACA to declare the urgency of the situation.Those actions set off a chain reaction of cutbacks among all the states apart from NSW, while the ACA reacted with understandable scepticism given the relatively recent history of a fractious pay dispute in 2017. Some of the state cutbacks, particularly in Victoria and Queensland, met an angry response from CA as they saw huge swathes of community cricket staff being removed despite the governing body’s previous statement of a strategic priority for funding cricket’s grassroots.Negotiations between CA, the states and the ACA have subsequently been taken on primarily by the chairman Eddings and fellow board director Green, the second time Roberts has been moved to one side in critical talks after a similar turn of events during the 2017 pay dispute. This has left Roberts to deal with considerable disillusionment among his staff, who after being stood down in vast numbers in April are now bracing for the inevitable round of redundancies.

Barcelona have announced that Ballon d'Or holder Aitana Bonmati has officially penned a new deal with the club until 2028.

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• Bonmati signs new Barca deal
• Signs four-year extension
• Becomes highest-paid female player

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bonmati joined Barcelona's youth setup in 2012 and the midfielder has risen up through the ranks as many before her. Over the course of the last few years, the 26-year-old's presence in the side has been pivotal to their successes in the league and the Women's Champions League.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bonmati's current contract was set to expire in the summer of 2025, and as such the Catalan side have now tied her down to a new deal until 2028 amid interest from clubs for the Ballon d'Or winner. Bonmati's agent Cristian Martin recently claimed that WSL champions Chelsea were ready to trigger her €3 million (£2.53m/3.32m) release clause – to make her the most expensive signing in the history of women's football. However, Bonmati turned down the approaches by Sonia Bompastor's side to stay in Catalonia.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  As per ESPN, Bonmati's new contract with Barcelona has now made her the highest-paid female footballer in the world. While the salaries of players are not revealed in the women's game, the report has claimed that Bonmati will now be paid wages exceeding anything seen in the game.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR BONMATI?

  Barcelona have begun their Liga Femenina campaign in style, with two wins in two. They will now look to continue that run when they face Sevilla on Saturday, September 21 at the Ramon Cisneros Palacios Ciudad.

Aston Villa's injury problems in the centre-back position have mounted up in recent weeks. First, Ezri Konsa picked up a knee issue in the 5-0 Premier League win over Sheffield United, one that's expected to keep him out until the early part of next month.

Then, to make matters worse, Diego Carlos damaged his hamstring in a training session, and he may not be available again until after the March international break. Unai Emery had already lost Tyrone Mings to a season-ending knee injury back in August.

The Spaniard was probably cursing his luck again when Pau Torres was forced off at half-time in Saturday's 4-2 win over Nottingham Forest, with Calum Chambers replacing him for his first top-flight playing time of the entire season. We've now received an update on Torres' status, and fortunately, it's good news for Villa.

Torres could feature at Luton

According to The Express and Star, Villa are "cautiously optimistic" that Torres will be able to play when they travel to face relegation-threatened Luton Town this weekend.

Torres' availability hasn't been confirmed just yet – he'll have to undergo further assessment later in the week – but it seems he's avoided any serious setback in the midst of Villa's battle for Champions League qualification.

"Barcelona and Real Madrid" claim shows Torres' value

Torres has become a key figure at Villa since his summer arrival from Emery's former club Villarreal, starting 18 of the 22 league games for which he's been available. The manager has been delighted with how the 27-year-old has been able to carry out his instructions.

He said: "Pau Torres is a very good player and his level is high. He is playing with the Spain national team, more or less being consistent. We worked together in Spain and were doing a plan with him.

"Not only with the ball but when he has to run back and be in contact with the striker’s body. Then it is about trying to adapt quickly in the best qualities he has, trying to adapt and play with the ball. He is doing it very well and in my idea and style I am trying to create here, he is very important.

He added: "If I was the coach at Barcelona and Real Madrid I would want a player like him."

Aston Villa's next Grealish is the “second biggest flop of all time”

The star is now playing his football in Qatar.

By
Tom Lever

Feb 27, 2024

Emery mentions Torres' qualities in possession there, and they have been crucial to Villa's build-up this season. Nobody who's started a league match for Villa this season has averaged more passes into the final third than his 5.98 per 90, and he also leads the way among defenders for progressive passes (5.54). When he's not playing, he's a dual miss, so it's a relief for Villa that they should be able to count on him in what promises to be a tense run-in.

Batsman added 118 in 19.5 overs alongside James Bracey as Lions rack up mammoth first-innings total

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2020Dan Lawrence made 190 to put continue his stellar form and put England Lions into a commanding position on the second day of their tour match against a Cricket Australia XI in Hobart.Resuming on 103 not out overnight, Lawrence put his foot down on the second morning, adding 118 in just 19.5 overs for the sixth wicket alongside James Bracey, taking him to 190 before he was eventually dismissed by Jake Lehmann’s part-time spin. Lawrence has been the standout player across the tour, his innings in this game following scores of 50*, 35 and 41 as well as six wickets in the one-day leg of the tour.Bracey made 58 before becoming Brendan Doggett’s fourth victim, while Lewis Gregory put on 78 in 13.3 overs with Craig Overton before declaring at the fall of his wicket. The total of 613 for 8 declared was the second-highest in the history of England Lions and England A sides, behind only a score of 624 for 8 declared against South Africa A in 2015.Gregory struck almost immediately with the new ball, having Caleb Jewell caught behind with the third delivery of the reply, before Sam Whiteman and Jason Sangha provided some resistance. Richard Gleeson, the Lancashire fast bowler, made the breakthrough by bowling Whiteman, but Sangha continued to frustrate the Lions with an unbroken stand of 79 with Lehmann.”I’m really proud of the boys who’ve helped us rack up this formidable total to put us in a strong position to win this match,” said Gregory. “Dom [Sibley] and Keaton [Jennings] batted beautifully yesterday, with Dan carrying on his day-one form to propel us even further today with great support from James.”I enjoyed my partnership at the end with Craig to push past the 600 mark and we’ve started well in the tough task of taking 20 Australian wickets. The next two days will be a great test for us.”

Harry Kane paid tribute to his "incredible" Bayern Munich team-mate Thomas Muller after he became the club's all-time record appearance holder.

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• Bayern Munich beat Freiburg 2-0
• Muller breaks Bayern appearance record
• Kane honours "incredible" team-mate

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Goals from Kane and Muller secured Bayern their second-straight Bundesliga win of the season in their first home match in front of their fans on Sunday. In doing so, Muller brought up his 710th appearance for the club – making him the outright record appearance holder. That prompted the England captain, who opened his goalscoring account for 2024-25 in the 2-0 victory over Freiburg, to share some kind words about the German veteran.

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• WHAT HARRY KANE SAID

  He wrote on Instagram: "Kicking off the first Bundesliga home game of the season with a win and a goal 🙌👌. Huge congrats to @esmuellert for breaking the @fcbayern appearance record. Incredible player and leader. 🤝."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Muller is a Bayern legend. He has had 17 seasons there, is a record 12-time Bundesliga winner, and has won a whopping 32 trophies with the club. Plus, he is still only 35, so there could yet be more success to come for the one-club man.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  After the international break, which runs over the next fortnight, Kane and Muller will return to action for Bayern in the Bundesliga away to Holstein Kiel on September 14.

Celtic did not enjoy a completely successful January transfer window as Brendan Rodgers reportedly missed out on targets in several key positions.

The Hoops were able to secure the signing of Nicolas Kuhn on a permanent deal from Austrian side Rapid Wien but Football Insider claimed that the manager also wanted a left-back, a goalkeeper, and a centre-forward.

Adam Idah arrived on loan, with no option to buy, from English Championship side Norwich City on deadline day, and he was the only other first-team signing made before the window slammed shut.

The Daily Record reported on deadline day that the Bhoys were also eyeing up another central midfielder to bolster the squad after David Turnbull was sold to Cardiff City and Reo Hatate suffered an injury whilst playing for Japan.

However, Celtic ended the window without a new goalkeeper, left-back, or central midfielder, which may have left Rodgers frustrated with their efforts.

The Northern Irish tactician could, though, unearth a surprise homegrown replacement for Turnbull next season by calling MacKenzie Carse up to the first-team after his loan spell with Queen's Park.

David Turnbull's Celtic career in numbers

The Scotland international arrived from Motherwell on a permanent deal in the summer of 2020, after an impressive tally 16 goals and seven assists in 41 appearances.

He went on to play 134 matches in all competitions for the Hoops over three years in Glasgow, which shows that the club got a decent return out of the young gem.

Turnbull showcased his quality as a scorer and a creator of goals from midfield with 31 goals and 23 assists – a return of a goal or an assist every 2.48 outings on average.

His best season in a Celtic jersey, arguably, came during the 2020/21 Scottish Premiership campaign under Neil Lennon as he caught the eye as a number ten for the former Bhoys boss.

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old magician offered regular quality as a scorer and a creator from a midfield position for the club.

No Celtic player provided more key passes per game than Turnbull (2.7) that term. In fact, he created 0.8 more chances per match than any of his teammates, which illustrates how impressive his passing was for the Scottish giants.

His 15 combined goals and assists that season were the most he ever managed during a campaign for the Hoops, which is why it was his best and most productive year at the club.

This season, Turnbull offered a goal threat from the middle of the park with seven strikes in 16 Premiership appearances – a tally only Kyogo Furuhashi (nine) and Matt O'Riley (ten) have bettered within the Celtic squad.

Despite his goalscoring exploits, the former Motherwell star, who registered zero assists, only started nine league games during the first half of the campaign.

The Hoops decided on deadline day that they were prepared to cash in on him and sold the talented whiz to Welsh side Cardiff for a reported fee of £2m.

This may have been due to his lack of regular starts in midfield for Rodgers, who preferred the likes of Paulo Bernardo, Callum McGregor, and O'Riley.

David Turnbull's Championship struggles

Since making the move to Wales, the right-footed ace has struggled to adapt to life in the Championship in England with the Bluebirds so far.

Turnbull has made five appearances in the second tier, including two starts, and is yet to register a single goal or assist for his new club from an attacking midfield role.

In those five matches, the Scotland international has had one shot, that was off target, and failed to create a single 'big chance' for his teammates in the final third.

At the age of 24, there is still plenty of time for him to emerge as a success in Wales and, hopefully, his current struggles are just a result of a big change midway through the season.

However, his current form does suggest that Rodgers made the right call by deciding to send him away from Parkhead on a permanent basis on deadline day.

The Celtic teen who could replace David Turnbull

Celtic failed to land the central midfielder that they were reportedly eyeing up, although there were no names given, in the January transfer window.

However, that does not mean that Rodgers does not have a player with the potential to emerge as a dream replacement for Turnbull already at the club.

Carse, who was sent out on loan to Queen's Park for the second half of this season, is a young player who could make the step up to the first-team to take the Scottish maestro's place for the 2024/25 campaign.

The 19-year-old showcased his attacking potential during the first half of this term for Celtic's B team with a return of seven goals in 18 Lowland League matches, to go along with one goal in six UEFA Youth League outings.

His leadership skills were also on display for the club's academy as he captained the B team or Youth League side on 15 occasions before his temporary exit, which suggests that he has a mature head on his shoulders and has the mental attributes to inspire those around him.

As you can see in the table above, Carse recently showcased his quality as an attacking threat at first-team level for Queen's Park with a goal off the bench against Dunfermline.

This shows that the teenage whiz has already done more at the top end of the pitch in four substitute appearances in the Scottish Championship than Turnbull has in the English Championship for Cardiff in five outings.

It is now down to Carse, who was described as a "high potential" prospect by Queen's Park manager Callum Davidson, to earn a spot as a regular starter for the second division team between now and the end of the season.

If he can translate his form as a regular scorer for Celtic B at senior level, which his goalscoring impact for the Championship suggests he has the potential to do, then the 19-year-old gem could emerge as the dream replacement for Turnbull next term.

That would negate any need for Rodgers to dip into the market to sign another midfielder as Carse could replace the goals that they have lost through the sale of the now-Cardiff ace.

Turner will be returning to Premier League as Crystal Palace seal loan deal on deadline day.

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Article continues below

• Keeper joined Arsenal in 2022
• Moved to Forest in summer of 2023
• Headed to Selhurst Park on loan

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Matt Turner, the United States No. 1 international goalkeeper, has joined Crystal Place on loan from Nottingham Forest, both clubs announced Friday. He is expected to challenge Dean Henderson for the No. 1 spot at the club.

  Turned moved to England when linking up with Arsenal in 2022. He was restricted to just seven cup appearances for the Gunners, with none of those outings coming in the English top-flight. He then joined Forest in 2023, looking for an expanded role. After struggling with inconsistency through last season, he ultimately lost his starting role. Entering this season, he was seen as the No. 3 keeper at the club.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Nottingham Forest pulled him away from north London in the summer of 2023, but saw him slip down their pecking order on the back of a number of costly errors. Various landing spots for Turner have been mooted in the latest transfer window – from MLS to Liverpool.

  With his national team position at stake, it was crucial Turner found another club that would allow him to get some playing time. While he isn't expected to start league games, he could play a role in Palace's cup competitions and give manager Oliver Glasner a compelling alternative if he proves himself.

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Turner's arrival will see him fill the void created by Sam Johnstone’s departure for Wolves.

  Turner has a decorated career in MLS and on the U.S. men's national team. He won Goalkeeper of the Year in 2021 as a member of the Revolution and two Nations Leagues in 2023 and 2024 — securing Golden Gloves in both tournaments.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Turner took in 17 Premier League appearances for Forest, but the last of those came on Jan. 30. The experienced shot-stopper is eager to find regular game time away from the City Ground, with minutes required in order to retain his standing as No.1 for his country.