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Aston Villa are keen on signing a “spectacular” Champions League striker, who is now considering working under Unai Emery.

Villa want to sign new striker amid Watkins' struggles

Ollie Watkins has fallen below his usual lofty standards so far this season, with the striker finding the back of the net just once in eight Premier League matches, and he could find it difficult to reclaim his spot in the starting XI.

Emery may choose to persist with Donyell Malen at centre-forward, given that the Dutchman has impressed in recent weeks, scoring a brace in the 2-1 victory against Burnley at the beginning of the month.

Watkins was benched for the 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur due to fitness concerns, but the Englishman did manage to impress on international duty, scoring in the Three Lions’ 3-0 victory against Wales.

Emery will be hoping that goal will be a real confidence-booster for the 29-year-old, but it has now emerged that the Villans are looking to sign a new striker, who could push for Watkins’ starting spot.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are now keen on signing Real Madrid striker Endrick, and there are signs the Brazilian could be tempted by the move, with it being revealed that he is considering working under Emery.

There is widespread interest in the Real Madrid centre-forward from within the Premier League, however, meaning there could be fierce competition for his signature, with Manchester United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Newcastle United and West Ham United also in the race.

Not only that, but it could take a huge bid to get a deal over the line, given that the 19-year-old joined the Spanish side for around £53m, in a deal that eventually went through in 2024.

"Spectacular" Endrick could flourish at Villa Park

The 14-time Brazil international has found it very difficult to break into the Real Madrid team this season, failing to play a single minute of football in all competitions, despite emerging as a first-team player last season.

Aston Villa now overtake Liverpool in race for "outstanding" £43m defender

There has been a new development in the Villans’ pursuit of a defender.

ByDominic Lund Oct 21, 2025

During the 2024-25 campaign, the youngster was used sporadically by Carlo Ancelotti, but he achieved some important milestones, scoring his first goals in both La Liga and the Champions League.

Ancelotti is a keen admirer of the former Palmeiras man, having once lauded him as “spectacular”, but the starlet clearly needs first-team football if he is going to fulfill his potential, so a move, at least on a loan deal, would make sense.

With Watkins reportedly frustrated with Emery, the manager may also need to start thinking about long-term replacements, and Endrick has the ability to flourish at Villa Park.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s future at Anfield has come into question after his team dropped points in their 3-3 draw with Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Dutchman, who won the title in his first season, has lost ten of his 23 matches in all competitions, including six in the top-flight, this term.

On top of that, Mohamed Salah has claimed that his relationship with the manager has broken down after being on the bench for the third straight game against Leeds.

The Salah situation and the poor results this season have put pressure on the former Feyenoord tactician, with the club reportedly looking at potential replacements.

Liverpool have admiration for national team manager

Dave OCKOP reports that Steven Gerrard has been sounded out as a potential interim to come in and steady the ship if FSG decide to part ways with Slot in the coming days or weeks.

Manager Focus

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The report claims that Liverpool are also admirers of Germany national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann, previously of Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim.

It adds that the 38-year-old manager is expected to lead his country to the World Cup in America, Canada, and Mexico next summer, though, which means that he will not be available immediately.

Dave OCKOP suggests that the German tactician may be available after the World Cup, though, which is where Gerrard stepping in as an interim option could make sense.

If Liverpool were to eventually bring Nagelsmann in as their long-term replacement for Slot, he would be the perfect appointment to get the best out of Florian Wirtz.

Why Nagelsmann would be perfect for Wirtz

To say that Wirtz has not lived up to expectations in a Liverpool shirt so far would probably be an understatement, as he has yet to deliver a single goal or assist in the Premier League, per Sofascore.

The Reds splashed out £116m to sign the attacking midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer transfer window, and he has racked up no goals and three assists in 19 appearances in all competitions.

Slot has simply been unable to get the best out of the huge-money signing, who produced 16 goals and 14 assists for Leverkusen last term (Sofascore), but Nagelsmann could come in to get him flying at Anfield.

Wirtz’s form for Germany at international level is proof that he could shine for the Reds if Nagelsmann replaces Slot in the dugout, because he has proven that he can perform in that system.

Caps

27

3rd

Goals

8

1st

Assists

6

2nd

Goals + assists

14

1st

As you can see in the table above, the Liverpool attacking midfielder has been the most impactful attacker of the manager’s reign with the national team, providing more goals and assists combined than any other player.

For further context, Wirtz scored no goals and provided three assists in his first ten caps for Germany before Nagelsmann took the job, which shows that the ex-Bayern boss can get the best out of him.

The 38-year-old boss was once described as the “best young coach in Europe” by reporter Josh Bunting in 2022, and it is still hard to argue with that assessment in the present day.

Mikel Arteta, 43, and Xabi Alonso, 44, are two of the brightest young coaches in the game, managing Arsenal and Real Madrid, yet they have won as many league titles combined (one) as Nagelsmann has, having won the Bundesliga with Bayern, and he is five and six years younger than them.

The German boss won 2.31 points per game during his time with Bayern, per Transfermarkt, whilst Slot has won 2.00 points per game across 79 matches with Liverpool to date.

This suggests that Nagelsmann could come in as an upgrade on the Dutchman as an all-round manager, whilst also being the perfect appointment to get the best out of Wirtz at Anfield.

As bad as Konate: Slot must axe 6/10 Liverpool star who made 0 tackles

Liverpool blew a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 against Leeds United at Elland Road.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 6, 2025

Therefore, it could be a good move for FSG to bring Gerrard in as an interim appointment with a view to landing Nagelsmann next summer, if they decide that parting ways with Slot is the route that they want to go down in the coming weeks.

Liverpool are plotting ways to get their Premier League season back on track and could now be set to make a surprise move to bring an exciting forward to Anfield.

Arne Slot looks to evade Liverpool pressure after recent results

It goes without saying that Arne Slot has been under pressure at Liverpool in recent weeks, and reports have even began to link Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique with the Anfield hotseat as scrutiny follows the Dutchman.

Nevertheless, football statistician Josh Williams told BBC Radio Merseyside that he doesn’t believe the former Feyenoord manager should be relieved of his duties, stating that the issues he has faced this season can be internally fixed.

He said: “I wouldn’t sack Arne Slot if it can be helped because whoever replaces him will have the same top-heavy, unbalanced squad. There are two playable centre-halfs and no right-backs as it stands and a dwindling star down the right side in Mohamed Salah.

“You can’t really drop him without it being a massive story. Even if it is a coaching issue that can be solved behind the scenes, whoever replaces him has a game every three days now.”

In the cold light of day, Liverpool’s transfer spend of over £400 million in the summer wasn’t bad on paper, with some high-profile stars arriving following their Premier League triumph last term.

He'd revive Isak: “Best manager in the world” now Liverpool's top target

Arne Slot is losing grip on his position as Liverpool manager after a shocking run of form.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 29, 2025

Nevertheless, the Reds have really struggled to generate momentum since the early part of the campaign, which has put them in a position where the January window and beyond have become more important than anyone would’ve liked them to be.

With that in mind, Liverpool could now turn to an unexpected source to bolster their attack as Slot looks for answers within his tactical framework.

Liverpool make enquiry for Everton attacker Iliman Ndiaye

Antoine Semenyo is said to be one of Liverpool’s key targets for January but he’s not the only Premier League winger on their radar.

According to Foot Mercato, Liverpool have made an enquiry for Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye, and he is also on the radar of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur after an excellent start to the campaign.

The Senegal international has made 15 appearances across all competitions this term, registering four goals and an assist in total and his versatility is said to appeal to the three clubs who have emerged as suitors.

Lauded by Toffees journalist Patrick Boyland as “one of the best in the league in his position”, Ndiaye is said to be worth in and around the £70 million bracket, likely meaning he would be someone Liverpool need to pay a premium for if they are serious about seeinh him cross Merseyside.

Any move would see a fair deal of controversy unfold, given Liverpool haven’t signed a player directly from Everton since Abel Xavier in 2002. Still, the 25-year-old is someone who is worth the risk as Slot looks to find new solutions in the final third.

The New York Yankees found themselves in unfamiliar territory Thursday night, strolling into the away clubhouse and dugout at George M. Steinbrenner Field, a ballpark named after their late owner.

The Yankees spend spring training playing there in Tampa, and during the season, it's the home of their Single-A affiliate Tampa Tarpons. But in 2025, the Tampa Bay Rays are calling George M. Steinbrenner Field home as Tropicana Field undergoes repairs.

To welcome the Rays and manager Kevin Cash to the building, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone left a good luck note and a bottle of tequila in the office desk.

"Just my housewarming gift, like, hey, take care of the place," Boone said [via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch].

The Yankees are set to play six games against the Rays as visitors to their spring training home this season, with a four-game series this weekend and another two-game set at George M. Steinbrenner Field in August.

Through 18 games, Boone's Yankees are 11-7 and in first place in the AL East entering Thursday's slate of games.

Newcastle United have been sculpted into a force over the past four years. Eddie Howe has been the architect of this staggering rise, qualifying twice for the Champions League inside three seasons and, last year, beating Liverpool to lift the Carabao Cup.

The summer transfer window was a testing one for many reasons, but United have assembled a group of players ready to compete at the highest level once again.

But there’s no question that there’s work to be done. After all, the Toon sit 14th in the Premier League, and new signings are still bedding in.

But there’s so much world-class talent at Howe’s disposal, and the manager and his side’s success in tying down Sandro Tonali to a new contract is evidence of how mighty St. James’ Park is becoming.

Sandro Tonali's new contract at Newcastle

It has come to light that Tonali secretly signed a contract extension at Newcastle during his betting ban, meaning his new deal runs until 2029, with the club holding the power to activate a one-year extension.

The Italy international is now set to star at Newcastle for many years to come, and if interest does heat up, the Toon will hold all the cards concerning a player who has blended athleticism with intelligence and technical grace to become “one of the best footballers to ever play for Newcastle”, according to one prominent online supporter.

The bond he has forged with Bruno Guimaraes in the centre of St. James’ Park is a thing to behold. Together, they are supercharging Howe’s system, piecing together this next stage in Howe’s project, so the recent success will not be remembered as a flash in the pan.

Though the 25-year-old suffered through some adversity at the start of his career in England, he has since repaid the £55m investment and then some, good enough to become the next £100m+ sale.

The loss of Alexander Isak to Arne Slot’s Premier League champions? That one stung. But Newcastle banked a record-breaking £125m cheque for the departure of their former talisman.

And, whisper it quietly, but the Sweden striker’s sale has been cushioned and then some by the redirection of the funds.

Howe's latest Newcastle superstar

He’s the talk of the Toon. Despite raising eyebrows upon their club-record £69m acquisition of Nick Woltemade, the German striker is proving his worth and then some at the front of Howe’s system.

The 23-year-old is quickly climbing up to the high ground on which Tonali stands, and he could enter a similar £100m ballpark with a continuation of the resounding early performances in black and white.

Already, Woltemade has scored five goals for Newcastle, having only played eight times.

When fellow forward signing Yoane Wissa pulled up with a knee injury on international duty with DR Congo after completing his £55m transfer from Brentford to the north east, fears were heightened.

Isak had departed, had he not? And Wissa was the free-scoring, Premier League-tuned striker. But Woltemade has allayed concerns and then some with his displays over the past few months.

Howe and his analytical staff will have known all about Woltemade’s quality, but it’s hard to imagine they expected such a fast and seamless start to life in a new land.

BBC Sport analyst Raj Chohan has even said that “there’s no striker on the planet who moves the ball like Woltemade.”

He’s not Isak, but that’s the beauty of it. Newcastle have signed a player with the potential to emulate elements of the 26-year-old’s game while adding his own flair and personality to the front of Howe’s system.

The forwards’ comparable strength in directly taking on their opponents with the ball at their feet demonstrates their technical level. It absolutely accentuates Woltemade’s individual talent. Isak is more of an unrelenting runner, and he’s faster besides, but Woltemade arguably has neater close control.

Moreover, the Germany international’s technical skill has been picked up in his recent weeks on Tyneside, with reporter Andy Sixsmith hailing him for flair, saying the phenom’s “link-up play is mesmerising”.

The transfer chatter, would you believe it, has already started up. German publication BILD have recently revealed that Bayern Munich, who had earmarked Woltemade as a summer transfer target, are still keeping a watchful eye on the lanky forward, with the report going on to suggest he dreams of returning to his homeland and signing for Die Roten one day.

That’s nice, but if the Isak saga tells us one thing, it’s that Newcastle will only let their prized pieces leave if they get bang for their buck.

And if Woltemade has started as he means to go on for the Tynesiders, he’s not going to be going anywhere for a figure beneath that which saw Isak book a one-way trip to Anfield.

It’s early days yet, and the rangy talent must now work on building consistency in the final third. But the early readings are oh-so promising, and Woltemade is already shaping up to be the real deal and perhaps the biggest star since Tonali blossomed.

Howe can forget Elanga by unleashing Newcastle's teen who's 'like Yamal'

Eddie Howe may turn to the academy to help build fluency down Newcastle’s right side.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 23, 2025

In the wake of two lower-order collapses in the first Test against England in Leeds, India’s captain Shubman Gill has put the onus on the batters, starting with himself, to not give away starts on these flat pitches in England. India were 430 for 3 and 340 for 4 before losing 7 for 41 and 6 for 31, failing on both occasions to bat England out of the game. Eventually they lost by five wickets on the final evening despite getting into positions from where a draw should have been the worst result for them.”When we were batting, I felt I could have, now looking back at it… the kind of shot I played, I felt I could have batted a little bit more, added another 50 runs with Rishabh [Pant],” Gill said when asked what lessons he learnt from his captaincy debut. “That was my learning from when I was batting.”Gill was on 147 when he tried to hit Shoaib Bashir in the air, and ended up dragging it to the deep fielder on the leg side. What followed was some extravagant shots from the lower order, which didn’t come off. Gill was asked if the lower order was spoken to regarding batting responsibly. He again shifted the spotlight more on himself and the batters. “Definitely [chats have been had],” Gill said. “It’s been one of the things that we always talk about, especially with our batting depth… the lower order sometimes isn’t able to contribute as much as the other teams.Related

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“Having said that, you can also look at the other side as well. I was batting on 147 and the way I got out, maybe I could have scored 50 more in partnership with Rishabh. If you get a good ball and you get out, that’s fine, but once you are set and you know that you don’t really have that much depth in your batting order, maybe the top order could take a little bit more responsibility and bat the opposition completely out of the game. So I think these are different perspectives to look at the game, but definitely your lower order when your last five or six don’t contribute as much, then it becomes easier for the opposition to come back in the game.”The batting depth is what India seem to be grappling with Jasprit Bumrah available for Edgbaston but likely to be rested to manage his workload, which demands he play only three of these five Tests. The surface is dry underneath and Birmingham has been dry and warm in the lead-up to the match, which gives India an option to go with a second spinner. Indications are that the said spinner could be Washington Sundar to retain batting depth.”When we were bowling, there were learnings like once the ball is getting old and it’s getting soft, there isn’t much happening,” Gill said. “So how do you contain? How do you control the run flow, especially with the way they bat? Maybe having an extra spinner might help contain that run flow, especially in the third or in the fourth innings.”Gill was asked if Bumrah’s absence might encourage them to play a wicket-taking spinner in Kuldeep Yadav. “We will take that [final] call this evening, and I don’t think it will change the combination as such,” Gill said, suggesting a direct swap between Bumrah and a fast bowler, and a spinner for Shardul Thakur, whom India played as a “bowling allrounder”.”We did play an extra bowler, I would say a proper bowling allrounder in the last match,” Gill said. “And now having to look back at it, I think nobody really expects that your last six is going to get out in under 40 runs. Even if they play bad, you expect them to maybe score 100 runs or 80 runs. And these are things that you can’t really plan or you can’t really expect, but you can reflect on those things. And we have some things in mind if we are in this kind of situation again, how we can get better at it.”

تحدث عمر جابر، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، عن الفوز على بيراميدز في نصف نهائي بطولة كأس السوبر المصري.

وقال عمر جابر في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “فوز مهم جدًا، الجميع يعرف ظروف الزمالك، والجماهير الوفية تساندنا في كل مكان، لذلك يجب أن نقدم 100% من مجهودنا، لدينا نهائي قادم، ونسأل الله أن يوفقنا فيه”.

وأضاف: “ربنا أكرمنا أمام فريق محترم وكبير، وإن شاء الله نركز في النهائي نحن نلعب على كل التفاصيل”.

طالع.. أحمد عبد الرؤوف يوضح سبب عدم مشاركة محمد صبحي أمام بيراميدز.. ويؤكد: جاهزون للنهائي

وواصل: “كنا نتمنى أن نحسم اللقاء قبل ركلات الترجيح لأنها دائمًا تكون صعبة، سنبدأ التحضير لمباراة الأهلي من الغد، وإن شاء الله نحقق الفوز”.

ومن جانبه، قال محمد إسماعيل عبر قناة “الزمالك”: “مبروك لجماهير الزمالك، والحمد لله أننا تجاوزنا هذه المباراة، وإن شاء الله نحصد البطولة في اللقاء المقبل”.

وأكمل: “كان هدفنا الأساسي الفوز من أجل الجماهير، ونجحنا في ذلك، جماهير الزمالك شيء مختلف، وهي السبب الرئيسي وراء قدومي إلى النادي”.

وأتم: “الزمالك دائمًا خلفه جماهيره، وأي لاعب يتمنى الانضمام إليه من أجلهم، أعد الجماهير بأننا سنبذل أقصى ما لدينا لتحقيق اللقب”.

Opener smashes 52 runs in boundaries as Leicestershire’s 196 for 5 toppled with ease

ECB Reporters Network14-Jun-2025

Derbyshire 197 for 3 (Donald 60, Scriven 3-29) beat Leicestershire 196 for 5 (Budinger 49, Brown 3-51) by seven wicketsDerbyshire Falcons completed back-to-back Vitality Blast derby wins in 24 hours with a seven-wicket victory over Leicestershire Foxes at Edgbaston.The Foxes were lifted to a hefty 196 for five by an impressive collective effort headed by Sol Budinger 49 and Shan Masood’s 43. Pat Brown took 3 for 51.But the Falcons chased it down with ten balls to spare, reaching 197 for 3 as Aneurin Donald launched the chase with an explosive 60 from 25 balls and Samit Patel crowned it with an unbeaten 52 from 32. Having belatedly opened their Blast account at the sixth attempt against Notts Outlaws on Friday night, suddenly the Falcons are flying and right back in contention for quallification.After the Foxes chose to bat, Budinger tore into the Falcons for the second time in a month. When these teams met in the group opener at Leicester, the 25-year-old blasted a 15-ball half-century. This time he thundered to 49, with seven fours and two sixes, by the eighth over. When he skied Samit Patel to backward point, his two Blast innings against the Foxes this season and yielded 100 runs from 41 balls.Masood and Rehan Ahmed (29) maintained the momentum with a stand of 71 from 43 balls. At 136 for 2 in the 15th over with two batters well set, the Foxes were racing but the Falcons hit back with three wickets in five balls. Pat Brown removed Ahmed, who edged to wicketkeeper Brooke Guest, and Masood, caught at third man, in four balls before Louis Kimber missed a cut at Patel and was bowled.Wickets usually slow the scoring but not in this case. Sixth-wicket pair Ben Cox (28 not out) and Logan van Beek (26 not out) settled quickly to smash 55 from the last 29 balls of the innings to ensure an imposing total.Undaunted, Derbyshire openers Donald and Caleb Jewell galloped to 50 from just 23 balls. Donald took 22 from five balls from Matt Salisbury and thundered to 50, 48 of which came in fours and sixes, from 18 balls.The Falcons were 93 without loss in the eighth over when Tom Scriven was brought on and took out both openers in his first over. Jewell edged to wicketkeeper Cox and two balls later an excellent delivery hit Donald’s off-stump. Scriven followed his successful first over with another excellent one (2-0-7-2 at that stage) to further peg back the Falcons.Patel and Wayne Madsen (35) deployed their considerable experience to good effect in a stand of 60 in 42 balls before Scriven returned to have the latter caught at long leg. Needing 22 from three overs, the Falcons still had a bit to do but Patel smote Scriven for successive sixes in the first of those overs to settle matters.

FC Barcelona legend Ronaldinho has named a 78-time England international as one of the “toughest” opponents he faced throughout his career, alongside Paolo Maldini.

Ronaldinho names ex-England star as "toughest" opponent

Famed for his skill moves, which included the elastico, rainbow flick and no-look pass, Ronaldinho is one of the most iconic players of his generation, winning the 2005 Ballon d’Or, 2002 World Cup and 2005-06 Champions League in what was an illustrious career.

Undoubtedly, one of the Brazilian’s greatest goals came against Chelsea in the Champions League back in 2005, with the Barcelona legend managing to leave Petr Cech completely flat-footed courtesy of a clever strike from outside the box.

The 97-time Brazil international always threatened against the Blues, picking up three goals and one assist in the six appearances he made against the west Londoners in the Champions League.

However, given that the 2002 World Cup winner has a completely even record against Chelsea, winning two, drawing two, and losing two, it is clear he had a tough time against José Mourinho’s former club.

"Massive fan" – Gerrard has named Man Utd legend among his "favourite players"

Steven Gerrard has made it clear he is a huge admirer of a former Manchester United star.

ByDominic Lund Sep 16, 2025

The former Barca star has since confirmed that he found it particularly difficult to come up against one Chelsea legend in particular, saying:

Terry one of the best defenders of his generation

Terry won it all at Chelsea, playing a major role in the Blues winning five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three EFL Cups, the 2011-12 Champions League and the 2012-13 Europa League.

Consequently, Ronaldinho is far from the only person who holds the 78-cap former England international in very high regard, with ex-Chelsea boss Mourinho once saying: “For me he is the best. I know Sir Alex would say Ferdinand. I know Ancelotti will say [Alessandro] Nesta. For me it’s John Terry.

“He’s absolutely amazing. I saw him play in the national team, so not just with us where is the skipper and has other responsibilities, and the level is the same. For me he’s the most complete central defender.”

Not only was the Englishman a “complete” centre-back, but he was also a real threat going forward, scoring 41 Premier League goals, the highest number of any defender in the history of the competition.

The former Chelsea captain is undoubtedly one of the Premier League’s greatest-ever players, which has now been recognised, having been inducted into the Hall of Fame back in 2024.

LSG begin their IPL 2025 season without four of their first-choice Indian fast bowlers

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Mar-20255:41

Should Pant open the batting for LSG?

Fast bowler Mayank Yadav’s recovery from a back injury has been set back by a new toe injury, but Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer is hopeful he will be available for the “back end” of IPL 2025.Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are going into their season opener against Delhi Capitals without four of their first-choice Indian fast bowlers – Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan and Akash Deep – all of whom are down with varying degrees of injuries.”Yeah, we’re very aware that four of our bowlers are unavailable for the first game and probably a couple of the guys for a few games down the track,” Langer said on the eve of the game in Vizag. “But that’s sport, that’s cricket, fast bowling usually gives you some headaches but you just have to adapt. And we’ve all been in the business long enough to know that the fast-bowling injuries is something that you always have to prepare for. You never hope for it, you never wish for it but you prepare for it. So, we might have to change our game plan a little, but knowing that as the tournament goes on, we’ll have some of these excellent bowlers to come back into our attack for us.”Related

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Rahul joins DC team but availability for opener not confirmed

Yadav, the fast bowler from Delhi who LSG signed last year, has been plagued by injuries since he hit speeds of 150kph and won Player-of-the-Match awards in his first two IPL matches in 2024.”Mayank, who everyone was very excited about last year, he was going quite well (coming back from a back injury), and he kicked his toe on the bed,” Langer said. “He got an infection in his toe. It’s put his rehab back about a week or two weeks. But he’s up and running. We regularly see videos of him bowling. I saw a video of his yesterday. So, hopefully by the back end of the tournament, Mayank will be up and ready to go for us.”Like Mayank, Mohsin was another fast bowler whom LSG retained, but he’s already been ruled out of the season and replaced by Shardul Thakur. Langer, however, was more hopeful of quick returns for Avesh (knee niggle) and Akash (back injury).”Unfortunately, I think Mohsin sustained a small calf injury in his rehab. So, knowing that we had four guys out, we had to make that tough call on Mohsin. We think Avesh Khan will pass his right to play tomorrow morning through the NCA. So, if that’s the case, then he’ll be back sooner rather than later. Akash Deep is up and running, and bowling at about 90% now. I believe he’s done his yo-yo test. So, he’s really ticking off all the boxes.”LSG are playing under a new captain this season, Rishabh Pant, whom they bought for an all-time IPL record price of INR 27 crore at the mega auction in December. His first game is against his former team – DC.