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Crystal Palace are now eyeing Lyon starlet Tyler Morton as a possible replacement for Adam Wharton, amid a new update on the midfielder’s future at Selhurst Park.

Wharton’s future at Selhurst Park remains up in the air, with a number of Premier League clubs emerging as potential suitors for the midfielder, including Chelsea, and it has now been revealed the Blues are “actively in talks” over a deal.

The 21-year-old was recently called up to the England squad by Thomas Tuchel, having remained a key player for Oliver Glasner’s side this season, with perhaps his most impressive performance coming in the 2-1 win against Liverpool, creating two big chances and making four key passes.

Unfortunately, the Eagles have become accustomed to losing some of their best players in recent years, with Michael Olise moving to Bayern Munich and Eberechi Eze joining Arsenal, and the former Blackburn Rovers man will also continue to attract attention from top clubs if he continues his current performance levels.

Consequently, Glasner & co may have to start thinking about bringing in a replacement, and a report has now given an update on their chances of signing a former Liverpool player…

Crystal Palace eyeing Tyler Morton

According to a report from Jeunes Footeux (via Sport Witness), Crystal Palace are now eyeing a move for Lyon midfielder Morton, a matter of months after he left Arne Slot’s side to sign for the Ligue 1 club.

The French side are currently experiencing financial difficulties, which means they may be tempted to cash-in, should Palace be willing to come to the negotiating table with a ‘substantial offer’.

The Eagles are currently monitoring the 23-year-old closely, as they are preparing for Wharton’s departure in 2026, amid interest from a number of unnamed clubs.

The Wallasey-born midfielder, who is represented by the same agent as Borna Sosa, found it difficult to establish himself as a first-team regular at Liverpool, but he has been a key player for Lyon this season, most recently picking up an assist in a 3-2 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.

Scout Ben Mattinson has also provided a positive review of the Englishman’s key attributes, saying: “Morton is a complete midfielder with an all-round ability to dictate tempo with his passing, carry forward and win the ball. Particularly his long passing stands out.”

Game time may have been hard to come by at his former club, but the Liverpool academy graduate did manage to impress when given the opportunity, having been singled out for praise for his performance against West Ham United last season.

Morton is at the right age to be a solid long-term replacement for Wharton, but Crystal Palace’s main priority should be to keep hold of their current central midfielder.

Crystal Palace identify Ezri Konsa as Marc Guehi replacement

Arsenal made it six wins from six in the Champions League on Monday night as Mikel Arteta’s men secured a 3-0 win over Club Brugge.

The Gunners tasted defeat against Aston Villa only a few days ago, but a much-changed team responded in emphatic fashion, with Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli both on the scoresheet.

Madueke scored a fierce opening goal, running through the heart of the Brugge team before unleashing a devastating effort from outside of the box that crashed in off the bar.

His second, a header from close range, was a lot simpler but there was nothing simple about Martinelli’s strike.

The Brazilian cut inside from the left and bent the ball into the far corner to cap off a phenomenal 3-0 win on the road in Europe.

Understandably, Arteta was delighted with what he saw from his players.

Arteta raves over Arsenal's attacking performance

Martinelli and Madueke have both struggled with injury this term but certainly made their chance count in Belgium on Wednesday night.

Speaking to the press after the game, Areta waxed lyrical over the two wingers, saying: “Madueke and Martinelli were outstanding today, the level of threat and two finishes spectacular. Jesus back after 11 months, to see him perform in the manner he did was really positive.”

Perhaps the biggest positive for the Gunners was Gabriel Jesus’ return to the side. The Brazilian hasn’t been seen in the first team since suffering a horrific ACL injury against Manchester United back in January.

While the striker didn’t score, he managed more touches than the man he replaced, Viktor Gyokeres, despite playing just half an hour.

Arteta was ecstatic to see the forward back in action, saying: “For 11 months, he’s been fighting against another very difficult injury and to see him back with that smile, with that energy and with that quality in his first performance back with us is really impressive and we’re all delighted for him.

“You can see how much we love him! If he continues to perform in that manner, he will bring something else to the team and I am really happy to see that.”

Arteta praises underrated Arsenal star

While the forward line grabbed the headlines in Brugge this week, praise must be handed to the lesser-spotted Christian Norgaard.

The Danish midfielder has barely kicked a ball since signing from Brentford in the summer but more than took his chance on Wednesday, albeit in an unfamiliar role.

Due to injuries to Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Cristhian Mosquera, Norgaard played at centre-back and looked very solid, helping his team keep a clean sheet.

The manager was delighted with his performance, stating: “Christian Norgaard is someone who probably prepares the best out of all of them. He is somebody who makes us better every day. Any position, any condition, his attitude is always immaculate.”

Arsenal star was playing like Saka, now he's being treated like Smith Rowe

The incredible Arsenal talent could end up following Smith Rowe’s trajectory instead of Saka’s.

3 ByJack Salveson Holmes 2 days ago

During the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur have started to splash the cash in the transfer market to aid them in their quest for success in the Premier League.

In the last four years alone, the hierarchy have dropped over £400m on new additions, but not all the big-money additions have made the desired effect in North London.

Tanguy Ndombele is just one of the players who cost a pretty penny, with the Frenchman costing a reported £63m in 2019 – a deal that was then a club-record.

He was only able to rack up 91 appearances for the Lilywhites over a five-year period, before leaving on a free transfer last summer to move back to his homeland.

With the January window on the horizon, the board and Thomas Frank will need to keep such a deal in mind to prevent themselves from losing a huge chunk of their investment.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this January

In recent weeks, Juventus defender Gleison Bremer has been one of the latest players touted with a move to join Spurs during the upcoming transfer window.

It’s been reported that Frank’s men are willing to fork out £35m for the Brazilian centre-back, as the board aim to add key depth and quality to the backline.

The Lilywhites have shipped 11 goals in their last three competitive outings, which could make the 28-year-old a viable option for the upcoming window.

However, the attacking department could also be subject to improvement, with Monaco star Maghnes Akliouche once again emerging on their radar after previously wanting to sign the forward in the summer.

According to Sacha Tavolieri, the Lilywhites are extremely keen on a deal to land the 23-year-old this winter, but a deal could cost the hierarchy a pretty penny.

The journalist has stated that the Ligue 1 side are currently demanding a fee in the region of €70m (£61m) for his signature, a deal that would be one of the most expensive in their history.

Why Spurs’ £61m target would be Simons 2.0

Spending big on a young attacker hasn’t been alien for Spurs in the last couple of months, with the board splashing a reported £52m on the signature of Xavi Simons last summer.

The Dutchman’s move generated huge excitement, with the hierarchy selecting the 22-year-old as the player to fill the void in the number ten role after James Maddison’s injury.

However, a couple of months on from his mammoth transfer, the youngster has struggled to hit the ground running, as seen by his tally of zero goals and just two assists to date.

Frank has also evidently been frustrated by the Dutchman’s lack of quality, with the manager leaving him on the substitutes bench in each of the last two outings.

A little ounce of leeway must be handed Simons’ way though, especially with the attacking midfielder often having to operate in a somewhat unnatural left-wing role in multiple of his starts.

However, the club could be about to land another version of the big-money talent this January, especially if they manage to complete a deal for Akliouche in the near future.

He’s been ranked as a similar player to Simons in the Champions League by FBref, with the pair even facing off against each other in the clash between the two sides in October.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats in such a campaign, the Frenchman has dominated the current Spurs star, which could hand Frank the attacking talent he’s craved in recent months.

Akliouche, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has achieved a higher tally of combined goals and assists in the Champions League at present.

How Akliouche & Simons compare in the UCL (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Akliouche

Simons

Games played

5

5

Goals & assists

2

1

Pass accuracy

83%

81%

Progressive passes

6.3

4.7

Passes into final third

3.8

2.9

Take-ons completed

2.7

2.1

Carries into final third

2.1

1.3

Crosses completed

2.4

2.1

Stats via FBref

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, with more of his efforts going into the final third – showcasing his creative nature when in possession.

The aforementioned tallies would undoubtedly hand Frank the big-money talent he’s been craving since taking the reins in North London during the off-season.

The Monaco star has also completed more take-ons per 90 in Europe this season, whilst achieving more carries into the final third per 90 – reaffirming his incredible ability with the ball at his feet.

£61m in today’s market for a player of Akliouche’s quality would be an excellent deal, with the 23-year-old having bags of time to reach the next level in his development.

As for Simons, the Frenchman’s potential move could push him down the pecking order further, but it could also provide him with the

needed kick to ignite his career in North London.

Related Romero upgrade: Spurs "ready to make" £35m bid for "world-class" defender

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make a huge January move for a new centre-back.

Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2025

Celtic look set to finally confirm the appointment of their permanent successor to Brendan Rodgers in the dugout at Parkhead with the arrival of Wilfried Nancy from Columbus Crew.

Rodgers tendered his resignation at the end of October, after a 3-1 loss to Hearts, and experienced manager Martin O’Neill has taken the reins as interim head coach for the past month or so.

The former Celtic boss, as shown in the graphic above, won the Scottish Premiership title in his first two seasons back at Parkhead, and it will be down to Nancy to overcome Hearts to win the division in his first season.

Journalist Graeme Bailey claims that the Hoops are set to confirm the appointment of the MLS boss before the weekend, but that means that it remains to be seen if he will be in the dugout for the weekend’s clash with Hibernian.

Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen and Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna were also said to be in the running for the role, but it is the Frenchman who is poised to replace Rodgers.

Whilst Nancy will have to deal with the players that he inherits for the first month or so of his reign in Glasgow, the incoming boss has already been linked with a move to bring one of his Columbus Crew stars to Scotland.

The Columbus Crew star Wilfried Nancy could bring to Celtic

Earlier this week, it was reported that Celtic are lining up a move to bolster their attack by swooping for one of the French head coach’s key players from the MLS side.

Chalkboard

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

Nancy is reportedly set to swoop for Columbus Crew centre-forward Wessam Abou Ali to provide him with a proven and lethal number nine at Parkhead for the second half of the 2025/26 season.

The Palestine international scored three goals in five MLS games for Nancy towards the end of the 2025 campaign, per Sofascore, after a £5.7m move from Egyptian giants Al Ahly back in July.

Prior to his almost £6m move to the MLS in July, Abou Ali’s form for Al Ahly in Egypt caught the eye, as he showcased his reliability in front of goal in the Egyptian Premier League.

Abou Ali – Egyptian Premier League	23/24	24/25
Appearances	19	16
Goals	18	10
Minutes per goal	76	118
Big chances missed	5	1
Conversion rate	40%	23%
Big chances created	3	2
Assists	4	3
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old frontman scored a staggering 28 goals in 35 appearances in those two seasons, which shows that he can find the back of the net on a regular basis.

However, it remains to be seen how much money Columbus Crew would want for the prolific striker because they paid almost £6m for him earlier this year, and he has already scored three goals in five league games.

If the MLS side demand a hefty fee that Celtic are either unable or unwilling to pay in the January transfer window, Nancy will have to look at alternative ways to bolster his attacking ranks at Parkhead.

For example, the French boss could unearth his next version of Abou Ali by helping young striker Callum Osmand fulfill his potential when he is back fit and available for selection.

Why Osmand could be Celtic's own version of Abou Ali

The Jersey-born star is currently out with a hamstring injury and a timeline has not been given on his return date, so it remains to be seen when he will be available to the incoming Hoops boss.

With Kelechi Iheanacho and Osmand both missing through injury, Ireland international Johnny Kenny is the first-choice number nine at Parkhead. The young forward has had an impressive run under interim boss O’Neill with four goals in five matches, per Sofascore.

However, it may be the former Fulham youngster who is the most likely to emerge as the star goalscorer of the Nancy era when you consider his record at first-team and academy level to date.

The battle to be Celtic’s number nine
Academy + first-team	Kenny	Osmand
Appearances	150	83
Goals	47	49
Games per goal	3.19	1.69
Assists	11	13
Games per assist	13.64	6.38
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Osmand has scored and created goals at a much more impressive rate than Kenny has throughout his career to date, with an exceptional haul of 49 goals in 83 matches.

Whilst the majority of those goals have been at youth level, the 20-year-old star also showcased his quality in the first-team with a poacher’s finish against Rangers in the semi-final of the League Cup at Hampden Park earlier this month.

Unfortunately, Osmand then suffered his hamstring injury off the bench against Midtjylland in the Europa League in the very next game, shortly after winning a penalty from which Reo Hatate scored.

The ex-Fulham youngster, who was also hailed as “lightning quick” by Fulham expert Jack Kelly, scored one goal and won a penalty in his first three first-team outings for the Scottish giants, which is an impressive start to senior football for the young attacker.

His exceptional goalscoring record in his career suggests that he has the potential to emerge as a real star for Celtic in the future, once he is back from injury, because he has the quality to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis.

Therefore, the summer signing could be unearthed as Nancy’s next version of Abou Ali, who has been a prolific scorer for his last two teams, as another number nine who can provide a lethal presence in front of goal, if the Hoops are unable to get a deal done for the MLS star.

£1.5m Celtic flop has been an even bigger waste of time than Balikwisha

This Celtic flop has been an even worse signing than Michel-Ange Balikwisha for the Scottish giants.

1

By
Dan Emery

Nov 25, 2025

Deion Sanders is now well-known for being the head football coach of the Colorado Buffaloes but back in the day he was one of the coolest two-sport athletes in the world, playing in the NFL and MLB at the same time. Bo Jackson, another legendary two-sport star, was doing the same thing back then, also playing in the NFL and MLB.

Sanders and Jackson squared of in an electric game 35 years ago today at Yankee Stadium. Sanders played center field for New York, while Jackson played center field for the Kansas City Royals.

Jackson batted cleanup for Kansas City and belted three home runs in his three at-bats. Sanders, meanwhile, went 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot for the Yankees and hit an inside-the-park home run that had the crowd going nuts.

Check out these highlights from that clash:

Incredible.

Imagine if that game was played today. The sports debate shows and social media would have been going wild for days.

Bayern Munich sensation Lennart Karl has etched his name into the history books once again with a stunning Champions League performance against Sporting CP, leaving manager Vincent Kompany in awe. The 17-year-old prodigy continues to justify the hype with a "killer" instinct that team-mate Joshua Kimmich believes should earn him a spot in the German national team for the World Cup.

• Karl strikes again in the Champions League

  On a night where the Bundesliga giants found themselves in a precarious position as they trailed 1-0 to Sporting CP at the Allianz Arena following a shock Kimmich own goal, it was their teenage wonderkid who once again provided the catalyst for a vital 3-1 comeback victory.

  In doing so, Karl achieved a feat that eluded even the greatest names in the competition's history at his age. By firing home the decisive goal in the 69th minute, cushioning a Konrad Laimer cross before lashing a finish past Rui Silva, the teenager became the youngest player in Champions League history to score in three consecutive matches, aged just 17 years and 290 days. It is not the first European record he has set during this breakthrough season for the Bavarian giants.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kompany: 'He gets his moments and kills'

  For Kompany, who has not hesitated to throw the youngster into the deep end this season, the impact of his young forward is becoming a reliable weapon. Speaking to after the match, the Belgian coach offered a candid assessment of the performance, noting that while the teenager is still developing, his ability to affect the scoreboard is elite.

  "Lenny is always dangerous," Kompany explained. "To be totally honest, he's had better games, but four or five times he's always there, and that's also a strength, and then you don't always have to be the best player on the pitch. He gets his moments and then he just kills."

  This "killer" instinct was evident as Karl ghosted into the box to score the goal that broke Sporting's resistance, turning a potential frustration into a comfortable night that was eventually sealed by a late strike from Jonathan Tah. Even before Karl's goal, he had appeared to have given his side the lead in the early stages of the game, but saw the effort ruled out for offside after a VAR review.

• Karl has 'something you can't coach'

  The praise was not limited to the dugout. Max Eberl, the club's director of sport, was effusive in his admiration for the academy graduate's natural skillset. Eberl highlighted that the forward possesses intangible qualities that separate good players from the truly special ones.

  "He can head the ball and use both his left and right foot, and he has that feel that you can't teach as a coach, you can only support him where possible," Eberl stated. "He has that special something. He plays a very, very important role for us."

  Perhaps the most significant endorsement came from the captain. Kimmich, who had endured a difficult evening personally after conceding the own goal that put the hosts behind, was quick to shift the spotlight onto his young team-mate. The midfielder believes the youngster's form is now impossible for national team boss Julian Nagelsmann to ignore.

  "I assume that Lenny will continue to get playing time with us," Kimmich said of the attacking midfielder who has three goals from his two appearances for Germany Under 21s and is waiting on his first senior call up. "Currently, he has broken into the starting eleven, and every regular player at Bayern Munich – especially now, the way we are playing – also belongs in the national team."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Karl's feet on the ground

  Despite the clamour for a senior international debut and the record-breaking statistics, Karl remains grounded. The teenager, who has now scored against Club Brugge, Arsenal, and Sporting in succession, spoke with a maturity that matches his play.

  "Playing in the Champions League at 17 is something very special for me," the forward told reporters. "I'm very proud of myself and the team, and that's why everything came together today."

  With Bayern flying high in both the Bundesliga and Europe, the role of their new star is set to grow even further. The Bavarians face a busy winter schedule, and with Kompany’s rotation likely to be minimal for his "dangerous" talisman, the 17-year-old will have ample opportunity to extend his record-breaking run. If Kimmich is correct, a phone call from Nagelsmann may not be far away.

He wanted to continue batting but was taken off the field by India A coach and the physio

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2025Rishabh Pant gave India a brief injury scare ahead of next week’s first Test against South Africa in Kolkata by having to retire hurt while batting for India A against South Africa A at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.During the first session of the third day, Pant was struck three times – on his body and helmet – by fast bowler Tshepo Moreki, forcing him to retire hurt on 17 off 22 balls in the 34th over of India A’s second innings.However, he allayed fears of serious injury by returning to bat in the final session, after Harsh Dubey put on 184 for the sixth wicket with Dhruv Jurel, who made an unbeaten 127. Pant took on the spinners, racing to a half-century before declaring India A’s innings on 382 for 7. He was dismissed for 65 when he top-edged a slog sweep off left-arm spinner Kyle Simmonds to the wicketkeeper.Pant had walked out to bat at No. 5 in the third over of the day after overnight batter KL Rahul was bowled for 27 – he added just one to his overnight score – by an inducker from Okuhle Cele. Pant didn’t take long to get going, his first three scoring shots were 4, 4 and 6 – all off Cele – but a series of short deliveries left him wincing in pain.Related

• Dhruv Jurel makes case for India Test spot with twin hundreds against South Africa A

• Kamboj, Suthar take India A home after Pant 90

• Rishabh Pant returns to India's Test squad

While Pant was keen to continue batting, he had to be taken off by India A coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar and the physios as a precautionary measure. He was grimacing in pain every time the ball thudded into his bat, and his range of motion was limited due to some taping on his elbow after being hit there.The first blow Pant suffered was to the helmet when he attempted a reverse pick-up shot off Moreki, who had bowled a short ball from around the stumps. Pant was off balance at the point of impact and immediately fell to the ground, forcing the physios to conduct a mandatory concussion test. Once cleared, he pulled out from his stance to take his helmet off and gather himself before taking strike.The second blow had Pant groaning as the ball thudded into his right elbow as he shaped to play a short-arm jab. This time, the physio administered some pain-relief spray and taped the elbow. The third blow to the abdomen from a delivery that cut back in off the seam eventually forced the management to take Pant off the field.Having proved form and fitness with a 90 in the second innings of the first four-day fixture that India A won last week, Pant has had a more challenging time in the second game. In the first innings, he was rapped on the glove by a short ball from Moreki and caught at slip for 24.At the toss of the second game, Pant had kept an exact count of the number of days he’d been away for – 98 – while recovering from a fractured toe after being hit by Chris Woakes during the fourth India-England Test in Manchester in July.He spent two months in rehab at the Centre of Excellence following surgery, and resumed training in early September before playing for India A to get some match time ahead of the South Africa Tests. In his absence, Dhruv Jurel kept wickets during the two home Tests against West Indies as well as the fifth Test at The Oval, which India won to level the five-Test series at 2-2.India play two Tests against South Africa from November 14 in Kolkata, and then from November 22 in Guwahati, a city that will be hosting Test cricket for the first time. India are currently third in the World Test Championship table with 61.90% points; South Africa, meanwhile, are fifth with 50% points.

The new No. 4 for India evoked memories of the old one with his double-hundred at Edgbaston

Sidharth Monga03-Jul-20251:15

Aaron: ‘Gill is an Indian Rolls Royce’

As a boy, Shubman Gill was a cricket nerd. He knew of the website , which is not a place for the casual fan. Back then, it was not behind the paywall that it is now. Gill would visit it because it is a repository of cricket scorecards that goes beyond international and domestic cricket, right down to junior scorecards and local leagues. Gill wanted to measure himself up against great players when they were his age.Gill’s “player oracle” search featured one player more than others. He wanted to know what Virat Kohli’s scores and achievements were when he was his age. At that age did he get ahead of Kohli. The senior man acknowledged as much when he first saw Gill in the nets in New Zealand in 2019-20, famously saying he didn’t have even 10% of the talent when he was Gill’s age.By then, though, Gill knew what a tall order he had chosen to follow. He might have had the skill, but he would need every bit of bloody-mindedness, competitiveness, fitness and drive he could muster to keep measuring up. Remarkably, he kept measuring up: he had his ODI game sorted before any other format, had a tough initiation into Test cricket, and then was named the Test captain at a similar age with similar numbers as batter and a similar transition to carry out. And with the whole world watching, not just the nerds.Related

India's quicks cause damage after Gill's epic 269

Gill makes the highest score by an India batter in England

Stats – All the records Gill broke during his historic 269

Gill won’t need to subscribe to any websites to tell him he is carrying the parallels too far. A century on captaincy debut. Just like Kohli. In a defeat. Just like Kohli. A century in the second Test as captain. Just like Kohli. The same number of centuries as Kohli in England already. Going past Kohli for the highest score by an India captain already. Then getting out for 269, Kohli’s India cap number.More than just the numbers, it is the same inevitability he has carried as Kohli did at his prime whenever a pitch was less than spiteful. Gill barely ever plays a false shot. Even in a high-risk format such as T20 cricket, Gill scored 650 runs in IPL 2025 at a strike rate of 155.87 with a control rate Test batters would be proud of: a false shot every nine balls, or in control of 88.49% of the balls he faced. No batter did better than one false shot every over. Can you imagine what would happen if you gave Gill a flat track and unlimited time to bat?There is no need to imagine. You saw what happens. At Headingley, he played 21 false shots in 227 balls. That last one stuck with him. That was the kind of shot his dad would taunt him for playing when he was at the junior level.Long before that, when he was still living in his village, Lakhwinder Singh, Gill’s father, used to get his farmhands to throw balls at little Shubman. They would be rewarded with Rs 100 if they got him out. It was a little over a pound back then. Much better paid professional bowlers might as well be asking themselves, “What are we, farmers?”2:11

Jadeja: Captaincy pressure not affecting Gill’s batting

“We threw everything at him,” England’s assistant coach Jeetan Patel said afterwards.The skill and muscle memory developed hitting all those balls from the age of four or five teamed up with the resolve that comes from seeing a relaxed shot result in a Test-losing collapse, and England found themselves at the receiving end. Only 25 false shots came about in his 387 balls at the wicket. And he didn’t have to shelve any of his shots: reverse-sweeps, aerial hits, all were a go.Ravindra Jadeja, who spent the most time with Gill at the wicket, summed it up best. “When he has batted, it hasn’t seemed he is the captain or he has any extra responsibility. Today, unluckily that ball went to hand because it never looked like he would even get out.”Gill famously started this series at a Test average of under 36. He stated that his goal was to be the best batter in the series. His average has risen to 40.64 already. It is tempting to imagine where his average would be if he got a few more such pitches in his first 32 Tests.

West Indies seamer Matthew Forde has been ruled out of the three-match ODI series against Pakistan that starts in Tarouba from Friday. Forde suffered a shoulder dislocation earlier on Wednesday while attempting a catch during a training session.Johann Layne, the West Indies academy seam-bowling allrounder, has replaced Forde in the squad. Layne is among the seamers that impressed Ian Bishop, who called him “rangy, tall and intelligent”.Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph, Romario Shepherd and Jediah Blades are the quicks in their ODI squad with Gudakesh Motie as their frontline wristspinner. Alzarri Joseph has been rested. West Indies would also miss Forde’s talent with the bat lower down the order; he holds the ODI record for fastest fifty (16 balls), achieved in May against Ireland.Related

• Alzarri Joseph rested, Shepherd back in WI squad for Pakistan ODIs

• Pakistan and West Indies look to break out of their ODI funk

West Indies lost the T20I series against Pakistan 2-1 in Lauderhill, but are looking to claim a fourth-straight ODI series with the tour moving to Trinidad & Tobago. It is only their fifth ODI series since the start of 2023, but come into the contest having beaten England twice (2-1, on both occasions) and Bangladesh once (3-0).The 50-over game has been a difficult format for West Indies in recent history, missing out on the last two ICC tournaments for ODIs. Their qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup is also far from guaranteed as they are ranked tenth in the rankings. West Indies realistically need to finish within the top nine – one place higher than they are – to secure automatic passage at the cut-off date. A series win against Pakistan, ranked six places above them, would help them significantly.

The tours of Australia and England were largely successful, but the failures were dramatic, and that is something South Africa have to be wary of

Firdose Moonda15-Sep-2025South Africa’s 2025-26 season-opening white-ball tours of Australia and England have ended with more success than failure. Across formats, they won six out of 11 matches and two out of four series, with one series defeat and the fourth shared. At the same time, they suffered their two biggest ODI defeats (in dead rubbers) and their largest T20I loss.The blowouts must sting, especially because South Africa were hoping to bounce back from the last of them in the washed-out game at Trent Bridge on Sunday, but T20I captain Aiden Markram said South Africa are hopeful the setbacks were a thing of the past which wouldn’t need further dissection.”You never like losing and then you don’t like losing by big margins either, so it certainly hurts the egos. It certainly hurts the feeling but we’ve addressed it obviously post that second T20,” Markram said. “It’s happened three times and I’ve put a lot of emphasis on making sure it doesn’t happen again. If you look after the way we approach the game and our processes off the field, we have to have belief that hopefully that’s not going to be a thing that continues.”Related

• Maharaj withdrawn from T20I squad, Fortuin called up

• Brevis, Markram earn record sums at SA20 2025-26 auction

• Breetzke must play, room for Jansen – SA's ODI lessons

There are other aspects to consider with 14 T20Is scheduled before next year’s World Cup.One of those is the game against Namibia on October 11, which is being held to celebrate the new ground in Windhoek. It will be played with an understrength side as several South Africa regulars will be in Pakistan for a Test that starts the next day. But another eight games will be played in the subcontinent (three in Pakistan and five in India) and those will likely give South Africa their clearest idea of combinations before the SA20 and five home T20Is against West Indies immediately prior to the World Cup.Here are the areas of concern five months away from the big tournament:

Do South Africa have the right openers?

Markram and Ryan Rickelton are the chosen ones in order to allow the bigger hitters to make up the rest of the line-up and, so far, they haven’t shot the lights out. In five matches, they have one stand of 50 and three others under 15. While Rickelton’s form is a concern – he hasn’t got a half-century in his last ten international innings across formats – Markram’s position is. He has spent most of his career at No. 4 and recognises that opening presents a different challenge, which he is still adapting to.”The middle order is a place where you have to have your game on different levels at different times, whereas opening needs you to be more consistent with your planning,” he said. “Sometimes you get good wickets and you can cash in. I’ve felt like I’ve got in a few times now, but I haven’t quite cashed in. The focus moving forward is to continue to try and get the team off to good starts, but then when you get in, [you have] to play proper match-winning knocks.”Should South Africa have a rethink and move Markram down, they may also look at bringing back Rassie van der Dussen (the MI Cape Town opener) for a few months of T20 cricket, or to throw Lhuan-dre Pretorius in at the deep end. If the latter comes at Rickelton’s expense, they could also give Pretorius the gloves.Kwena Maphaka has shown that he belongs at this level•Getty Images

Can Jansen, Bosch and Maphaka be in the same XI?

Marco Jansen was not available for the Australia series as he recovered from thumb surgery, but the Corbin Bosch-Kwena Maphaka combination worked really well there.Between them, the two quicks took 16 wickets at an average of 12.68 across three matches.All three were in the same XI for the opener against England, but Maphaka didn’t bowl in a rain-reduced encounter where Kagiso Rabada made his comeback. They were able to fit all four seamers in because Lungi Ngidi was out.The question facing South Africa will be how to juggle things if they get a situation where all their quicks are available and it would likely come down to two out of the three names in the headline above.While all of them are quick, Jansen and Bosch are genuine allrounders and offer big-hitting while Jansen and Maphaka are both left-arm bowlers. If that already sounds like a problem of plenty, consider that South Africa also have raw pace in Nandre Burger and Gerald Coetzee, neither of whom are being considered for T20Is at the moment, waiting in the wings.South Africa would be desperate to have Keshav Maharaj back in time for the T20 World Cup•Getty Images

The issue with injuries

David Miller was given special dispensation to miss the Australia T20Is because of his deal to play in the Hundred, but the agreement was that would then stay on in England for South Africa’s series. His body had other ideas. Miller injured his hamstring and could play no part in the T20Is, which denied South Africa’s middle-order experience.Dewald Brevis’ immense talent meant South Africa still had firepower in their line-up, but a combination of Brevis and Miller will be worth seeing, if only to see how strong it could be. That opportunity could come at the end of next month in Pakistan.By then, South Africa will also hope to have Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj back from hamstring and groin concerns, respectively. Both players are crucial to their T20 World Cup plans with Ngidi’s variations earning him a more regular spot across all formats and Maharaj’s reliability pushing out George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy, both of whom originally had what coach Shukri Conrad called “the inside lane” on World Cup selection. Bjorn Fortuin, the other spinner in the set-up, only has an outside chance of getting another look-in.As things stand, none of the other frontline T20I players are injured (though Test and ODI captain Temba Bavuma has a calf niggle which will put him in a race against time for the Pakistan series), but from mid-October, South Africa play non-stop until March. They will need to balance some players between the need to get their WTC title defence off to a good start with their desire to progress as far as possible at the T20 World Cup.