Perfect for Haaland: Man City can sign Foden 2.0 in "Ballon d'Or level" star

One of the standouts for Manchester City this season has been Phil Foden. Last term wasn’t the easiest for the versatile midfielder, but he has shone under Pep Guardiola in the 2025/26 campaign so far and has seen a real resurgence when it comes to his form.

His newfound role in midfield, operating slightly deeper as a number eight, has really helped him rediscover his best form. That was followed by his deserved recall into the England squad by Thomas Tuchel for the Three Lions’ final two World Cup qualifiers, a testament to his resurgence.

In a season where Foden looks back to his best, it is perhaps no coincidence that Erling Haaland is also firing.

Foden and Haaland’s connection in numbers

The connection between Foden and Haaland has been excellent over the last few seasons. According to Transfermarkt, the Stockport-born star has only linked up for a goal more times with Kevin De Bruyne than Haaland, 18 with the Belgian compared to 14 with the City number nine.

One of those came this season, against Napoli in the Champions League. It was a superb assist from Foden, taking the ball on the half turn and lofting it from close range into the path of his teammate.

Haaland did the rest, heading home inside the box.

The City academy graduate has spoken this season about his relationship with the Premier League’s top goalscorer. Foden said the pair are “definitely building that relationship,” explaining that he is “finding him more in behind and where he needs the ball to score.”

Well, that is certainly an exciting prospect for City fans. They might well be able to look forward to even more assists from their number 47, teeing up Haaland, especially given Foden’s performances are improving week by week.

Incredibly, the Citizens are linked with another attacking midfielder who could replicate Foden’s impact.

Man City now targeting another Foden

The January transfer window is almost upon us, and City are seemingly chasing a particular expensive attacking target. Real Madrid star Arda Guler is said to be a name they are looking at, in a deal which could cost the club upwards of £88m.

Should Guardiola’s side get a deal for the Turkish international over the line, it would represent another wonderful attacking acquisition. The 20-year-old has impressed for Los Blancos this term after being given a key role by new manager Xabi Alonso.

In 16 games across all competitions, the former Fenerbahce star has scored three goals and assisted six. Interestingly, all of those assists have been for Kylian Mbappe, as per Transfermarkt.

He has the creativity to provide goals for the world’s best attackers, which Haaland certainly is.

The 20-year-old has already made a great impression despite being a short way into his career. In fact, analyst Ben Mattinson said he can be a “Ballon d’Or level” player back in 2023, and with the form he is putting up now, it is hard to argue that could one day be the case.

There are certainly similarities between Guler and Foden. One of those, of course, is their playstyles, which mirror each other in many ways. They are both left-footed creative midfielders who excel between the lines and offer a big creative outlet for their sides’ attackers.

The pair are also noted as statistically similar players among their midfield European peers, as per FBref.

That has been seen this season, with Turkey star Guler averaging 3.68 key passes per 90 minutes, compared to the City number 47’s tally of 2.66 key passes each game.

Guler & Foden key stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Guler

Foden

Key passes

3.68

2.66

Progressive passes

7.7

4.56

Goal-creating actions

0.8

0.51

Progressive carries

2.07

1.65

Ball recoveries

4.25

4.68

Stats from FBref

It is easy to see how Foden and Guler are quite similar players. With the creative force they possess in the final third, plus the fact that they excel in central zones, Guardiola could have two exciting creative midfielders to choose from.

If Guler can recreate with Haaland the partnership he has with Mbappe, the Citizens could become even more of a threat in attacking areas than they already are.

As important as Doku: £50m star just had his best ever game for Man City

Manchester City smashed Liverpool 3-0 in the Premier League on Sunday, Jérémy Doku the star of the show, but another player shone for Pep Guardiola.

1 ByBen Gray Nov 10, 2025

Jazz Chisholm Jr. Has a Strange New Tradition With the Yankees Hitting Coach

It is very early in the season, but New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. has already hit six home runs which has him on pace to easily eclipse his career-high of 24 from last year. This is very bad news for Yankees assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler.

Why? Because whenever Chisholm hits a homer this year, he bites the coach.

According to the , no one seems to know why aside from Chisholm who simply says he does it to show love.

From the report:

Jackson Chourio's No Good, Very Bad Opening Day Made Unfortunate MLB History

It can hopefully only go up from here for Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio, who had an opening day to forget in the Brewers' 4–2 loss to the New York Yankees on Thursday.

During the Brewers' loss to the Yankees, Chourio became just the second player in MLB history to go 0-for-5 and get struck out five times over nine innings on Opening Day. He joins Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy, who first reached the unfortunate milestone in 2023.

The outing was uncharacteristic for Chourio, who has never struck out more than three times in a MLB game until Thursday. In his debut season in 2024, Chourio slashed .275/.327/.464 with 21 home runs and 79 RBIs. He was a strong hitter for the Brewers, finishing top-three on the team in batting average, hits, runs, and stolen bases.

Chourio also made happier history on Thursday, becoming the second player since 1901 to bat in the leadoff spot multiple times on Opening Day before his 22nd birthday. He joins Sebastian Daniel Sisti as the only two players to achieve this since 1901, with Sisti doing so in 1940 and '41 for the then-Boston Braves.

Chourio just turned 21 earlier this month, and also bat in the leadoff on Opening Day last season at the age of 20. Chourio had a much better performance last season, recording one hit, one RBI, one stolen base and no strikeouts in three at-bats in a win over the New York Mets.

Spurs have their new Parrott in academy star who's been "compared to Kane"

There has been a lot of talk about how Tottenham Hotspur supposedly messed up when they allowed Troy Parrott to leave the club after his international heroics.

The Ireland international scored five goals in two games for his country during the current international break, which included a last-gasp goal to qualify for the World Cup play-offs.

Parrott struck twice in a 2-0 win over Portugal, in a game that Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off in, before netting an extraordinary hat-trick against Hungary in their second match.

Given his goal output and the importance of those goals to Ireland, the 23-year-old centre-forward has been a hot topic in football in the last week or so.

That has made some question Tottenham’s decision to sell him to AZ Alkmaar for a reported fee of £7m in the summer of 2024, after he came up through the youth ranks in North London.

Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood recently said said: “I’ve got a big question for anyone who decided to let Troy Parrott go. I’m not sure he had a fair opportunity to prove himself, he’s had to go to AZ to do that.”

Why Spurs should not be blamed for selling Troy Parrott

Whilst Sherwood may be right that he did not get much of an opportunity at Spurs, with four first-team appearances, the Lilywhites should not be blamed for cashing in on him last year.

After a return of 31 goals in 38 games for Spurs at U18, Youth League, and U21 level, per Transfermarkt, the Irish marksman was given a chance to showcase his quality over a series of loans.

Unfortunately, Parrott largely struggled in his domestic loans in League One and the Championship before enjoying a strong spell with Excelsior in the Netherlands, which led to his £7m move to AZ Alkmaar.

Excelsior (23/24)

32

17

Preston (22/23)

34

4

MK Dons (21/22)

47

10

Ipswich (20/21)

18

2

Millwall (20/21)

14

0

As you can see in the table above, the Spurs youngster did not offer much of a regular goal threat in his two spells at Championship level with Millwall and Preston.

That is why it is hard to blame Tottenham, who aim to compete at the top end of the Premier League and in Europe, for cashing in on Parrott, as he had not shown much potential in English football at senior level.

The Irishman, as shown in the graphic above, then went on to hit a career-high 20 goals in all competitions in his first season with AZ Alkmaar, and currently has 13 goals in 14 matches, per Transfermarkt.

Whilst his form for club and country in the present day makes it look like Tottenham were wrong to cash in on him, they made a decision that did make sense on the evidence that they had available to them at the time.

Of course, you can still argue that it was a mistake, as he only played four matches for the first-team, but it is one that those in power in North London in the present day can use as a learning experience moving forward.

With this in mind, current first-team manager Thomas Frank, who was not at the club when Parrott was sold, should use the Irishman’s situation as a reference point when dealing with a star who is currently struggling out on loan.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Spurs youngster Jamie Donley is struggling to get a game on loan with Stoke City in the Championship, but he could be the next Troy Parrott in the making.

Why Spurs need to keep their faith with Jamie Donley

Donley has been earning rave reviews from many in recent years, including from reporter Charlie Eccleshare.

Speaking on a podcast for The Athletic in early 2024, he said: “He’s not a pure striker, he’s a nine and a half, some have compared him to Harry Kane, and someone I spoke to the other day compared him to Julian Alvarez.”

Since then, however, Donley has not really kicked on. In a bid to help him to do just that, the Lilywhites sent the 20-year-old talent on loan to Stoke for the 2025/26 campaign in the hope that he would improve and gain valuable experience in the second tier, as they did when they sent Parrott to Millwall and Preston.

However, the Northern Irish attacking midfielder has only played four times in the Championship, all off the bench, and has been an unused substitute on eight occasions in the league, per Transfermarkt.

The Spurs loanee, who assisted a goal on his debut against Derby, has also failed to make the matchday squad for their last three league matches, which suggests that he is not in Mark Robins’ plans.

Despite his lack of game time at club level with the Potters, Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill has kept faith in the playmaker, as he played against Slovakia and Luxembourg during the international break.

Donley scored from the penalty spot against Luxembourg on Monday night and was described as the “best player on the pitch” by the Northern Ireland manager after the game.

Along with his international performances, Spurs should also keep faith in the 20-year-old attacker because of his form on loan at Leyton Orient in the 2024/25 campaign.

xG

4.05

Top 22%

Goals

8

Top 9%

xA

6.39

Top 1%

Chances created

62

Top 1%

Assists

10

Top 1%

Accurate long passes

60

Top 3%

Successful dribbles

28

Top 16%

As you can see in the table above, Donley was an exceptional performer at League One level last season with Leyton Orient, ranking in the top percentile of his positional peers as a creative force in the number ten position.

These statistics, his form for Northern Ireland, and his return of 37 goals and 30 assists in 90 matches for Spurs at U18 and U21 level, per Transfermarkt, suggest that he has far more potential than his stint at Stoke suggests.

This is why Tottenham should not give up on Donley because of his struggles out on loan this season, as he has not been given a single start in the Championship and could still have a future in North London if given a chance at Spurs or at another club on loan.

Parrott struggled out on loan in the Championship and was sold to go on to greater things. Tottenham can learn from that by providing Donley with the chances that the Ireland hero did not get.

He can end Bentancur's stay: Spurs gem is showing "shades of Mousa Dembele"

Tottenham Hotspur have a star who could end Rodrigo Bentancur’s career in North London.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 19, 2025

تقارير توجه صدمة لجماهير ريال مدريد بشأن فينيسيوس جونيور

استقبلت جماهير ريال مدريد، خبرًا سعيدًا أمس السبت، بتقدم مفاوضات الفريق مع النجم البرازيلي فينيسيوس جونيور، لتجديد عقده.

وكانت المحادثات بين ريال مدريد وفينيسيوس جونيور قد وصلت لطريق مسدود في فبراير، ورغم ذلك فقد أفادت تقارير أمس أن الطرفين تجاوزوا خلافاتهما واتفقا على تمديد العقد.

ومع ذلك، فقد نشرت “كادينا كوبي” الإسبانية تحديثًا جديدًا وصادمًا لجماهير ريال مدريد حول فينيسيوس جونيور.

اقرأ أيضاً.. ريال مدريد يعتذر عن خطأ في تكريم ديوجو جوتا وشقيقه

وأكد ممثلو فينيسيوس جونيور عدم وجود أي مستجدات بخصوص تجديد عقد اللاعب البرازيلي مع ريال مدريد في الأيام الأخيرة، وأن الوضع يبقى كما هو.

وإلى جانب ذلك، فإنه لم يكن هناك أي تواصل من ريال مدريد مع ممثلي فينيسيوس منذ ما قبل الصيف، ولم يتم تحديد موعد لمزيد من المناقشات بينهما.

وبحسب المقربين من فينيسيوس جونيور، فقد اعترف بأن الوضع ليس جيدًا بالطريقة التي يصورها النادي عبر وسائل الإعلام، وأن كل شيء تم إهماله بين الطرفين.

وينتهي عقد فينيسيوس جونيور مع ريال مدريد في عام 2027، وقدم له ريال مدريد عرض تمديد في وقت سابق من هذا العام وقد رفضه لكونه أدنى من توقعاته من الناحية الاقتصادية، وسيتعرض النادي لضغوط في نهاية الموسم بسبب تبقي عام واحد في عقده.

Better than Nancy: Celtic shortlist "attractive" Rodgers replacement

When Celtic return to action on 22 November for a rare Saturday night extravaganza against St Mirren, who will be sat in the away dugout in Paisley?

Well, interim manager Martin O’Neill has done a pretty good job since being parachuted in following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation, winning both Premiership matches 4-0, with goals from Johnny Kenny, Kieran Tierney, Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels downing Kilmarnock on Sunday.

​​​​​​Now, as we head into an international break, the Celtic board are surely intensifying their search for a permanent head coach, with last Thursday’s 3-1 Europa League hammering at the hands of Midtjylland perhaps underlining O’Neill’s shortcomings.

So, which of the leading candidates for the Parkhead hot seat should they prioritise appointing?

What Wilfried Nancy would bring to Celtic

In recent days, the surprise, left-field candidate who has emerged for the Celtic job is Wilfried Nancy.

The 48-year-old’s entire coaching career, to date, has come in North America, his first managerial role coming in 2021, succeeding Thierry Henry as CF Montréal head coach.

With the Impact, who are one of the lowest spending teams in Major League Soccer, Nancy miraculously led them to second in the Eastern Conference in 2022, thereby third in the overall standings, having also won the Canadian Championship the year before.

Manager Focus

However, he has seriously made a name for himself since joining Columbus Crew.

Since swapping Québec for Ohio, Nancy has enjoyed huge success in charge of the Black and Gold, winning MLS Cup in his first season and then Leagues Cup in 2024, also leading the Crew to their first-ever CONCACAF Champions Cup Final, ousting two Mexican juggernauts en route, ultimately beaten 3-0 by Pachuca in the final.

At the weekend, Columbus’ 2025 campaign came to an end, dumped out of the MLS play-offs by Hell is Real rivals FC Cincinnati, which may mean Nancy is more available now than he would have been a week ago.

This though should not denigrate what Nancy has achieved in Columbus.

Joe Lowery believes he is the most talented coach in MLS history, describing the Crew’s “patient possession” play as “so much fun to watch”, but does this mean the Frenchman would succeed in Glasgow?

Well, the step from Major League Soccer to top-level European football is massive.

Other coaches such as Gerhard Struber, Jaap Stam, Raphaël Wicky, Bob Bradley and Patrick Vieira, who have made the jump, have often struggled to make their mark at the top level, meaning it is impossible to tell if the 2024 coach of the year would fare any better.

So, who knows, appointing Nancy would certainly be a massive risk, so is there another manager already operating at the top level in Europe the Celts should chase first?

Who should be Celtic's first choice to replace Martin O'Neill

Given the current economic climate in European football, it is increasingly difficult for clubs outside Europe’s big five leagues to compete, a reality Celtic supporters experience every season, despite the fact their side have won 13 of the last 14 Premiership titles.

Well, a club who have continued to punch above their weight are Bodø/Glimt, hence why, as reported by Sky Sports, Celtic’s managerial shortlist features Kjetil Knutsen, with the report outlining that he still remains among their lengthy list of targets.

The 57-year-old has been in charge of the Yellow Horde since 2018, when they were still a second-tier outfit, but has transformed them into Norway’s dominant force.

Bodø/Glimt, who had never won the league before, have picked up four of the last five Eliteserien titles, including setting the league’s single-season points record of 81.

With two matches remaining of this campaign, which concludes on 30 November, they are second, one point below Viking, who are seeking their first title since 1991, but the race will go down to the wire.

This domestic domination has given Bødo/Glimt a platform on which to shine in Europe, which is where their most eye-catching results have come.

2021/22

Conference League

Quarter-finals

2022/23

Europa League

Group stages

2023/24

Conference League

Knockout stages

2024/25

Europa League

Semi-finals

2025/26

Champions League

League phase

As the table documents, Bodø/Glimt have been European regulars over the last five seasons, most notably reaching the Conference League quarter-finals and last season’s Europa League semi-finals, before qualifying for the Champions League proper for the first time ever earlier this year, smashing Sturm Graz in the play-off round.

These are performances Celtic can only dream of, considering the Hoops have not won a European knockout tie since 2004, one of their numerous defeats coming at the hands of Bodø/Glimt in February 2022, Knutsen’s team demolishing Postecoglou’s side 5-1 on aggregate.

The Norwegian champions have also enjoyed noteworthy victories over Roma, Beşiktaş​​​​​​​, Crvena zvezda, Porto, Olympiacos and Lazio, while they have lost only seven of their last 38 European home matches, winning 29 of them, making Aspmyra the fortress that Celtic Park yearns to become once more.

Looking at Knutsen specifically, across his 351 matches in charge, he has always deployed an attacking 4-3-3, with width provided by adventurous full-backs, allowing wingers, including current star Jens Petter Hauge, to drift inside and score goals.

Former Norway international Jan Åge Fjørtoft praised Knutsen’s “clear philosophy” and “attractive” style of play, forecasting that he is destined to land one of the biggest jobs in European football.

So, as Celtic aspire to be as competitive on the continent as Bodø/Glimt have become, Knutsen would be a statement appointment, surely one an entire divided fan base could get behind.

Nancy has his own credentials, but it is Knutsen who might just be the ideal pick.

117 touches, 96% passing: Celtic star just had his best game all season

Celtic demolished Kilmarnock 4-0 in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, and one of Martin O’Neill’s players enjoyed their best game of the season.

ByBen Gray Nov 9, 2025

India bat, bring in Arshdeep and Harshit

Toss India captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bat against Oman in the last league fixture of the Asia Cup, in Abu Dhabi. With this being a dead rubber – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have qualified for the Super Four – India experimented with their combination, resting their bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy. They handed Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh their first games of the tournament.With Abu Dhabi less conducive to spin than Dubai in recent times, India fielded just two specialist spinners in Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel though Abhishek Sharma can also pitch in with left-arm spin, if needed. Arshdeep, who returned to the XI, is on the brink of a milestone: he is just one strike away from 100 T20I wickets. He is set to become the first Indian to the landmark.Suryakumar explained that India chose to bat to test their depth. “We’ve not batted [first] in this competition and we want to know our depth. having game-time is important going into Super Fours,” he said.Oman also made two changes, with Zikira Islam and Mohammad Nadeem coming in for Wasim Ali and Hassnain Shah.Oman captain Jatinder said his team lacked experience and exposure at this level and were keen to compete against India. This is the first international game between Oman and India.India: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Sanju Samson (wk), 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Kuldeep Yadav.Oman: 1 Aamir Kaleem, 2 Jatinder Singh (capt), 3 Hammad Mirza, 4 Vinayak Shukla (wk), 5 Shah Faisal, 6 Zikria Islam, 7 Aryan Bisht, 8 Mohammad Nadeem, 9 Shakeel Ahmed, 10 Samay Shrivastava, 11 Jiten Ramanandi.

Mikel Arteta gifted Arsenal injury boost as Fabrizio Romano confirms star can play

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been handed a major North London derby boost after an injury update from N5.

Arteta’s side welcome Tottenham to the Emirates on Sunday seeking to extend their remarkable dominance over their rivals.

The Gunners boast a formidable recent record in this fixture, even achieving something they had never previously done in the Premier League era earlier this year.

For the very first time since the division’s inception, Arsenal won three straight top-flight games against Tottenham, with victories in January (2-1) and September last year (1-0) following their 3-2 triumph in April 2024. The January win was enough for Arsenal to prolong their unbeaten run against Tottenham to six matches, having also done the double over Spurs in the 2022-23 campaign.

Since 1995, Arsenal have won 30 games to Tottenham’s 16 with 24 draws, highlighting their indisputable superiority in the modern era.

That being said, Spurs have been handed some encouragement by Sunderland’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal just before the international break — which ended their unbelievable winning run and proved they can in fact be broken down.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Some injury concerns also cloud Arsenal’s preparations.

Gabriel Magalhaes was injured during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal, since returning to London Colney, and it is likely that the centre-back misses at least a short stretch of games, including the North London Derby. The star centre-back is apparently a major doubt to face Tottenham this weekend, and his absence would be a real blow given his undoubted importance to the side.

The injury list extends beyond Gabriel too.

Captain Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli are all racing to be in contention to face Spurs after their own lay-offs, but the game comes too soon for Gabriel Jesus, who will be last to return to the field as he continues full recovery from an ACL injury (Simon Collings).

Arteta was also dealt a scare when Riccardo Calafiori nursed a hip problem on international duty with Italy, causing him to miss both of their World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Norway.

Mikel Arteta gifted Riccardo Calafiori boost with Arsenal star set to play against Tottenham

Following his return to London for assessments and checks on the problem, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed some positive news about the left-back.

Indeed, it is believed that Calafiori is set to be available for Arsenal’s clash against Tottenham this weekend, with no injury or overload.

Having the former Bologna star ready for selection is a major boost for Arteta.

He has been one of Arsenal’s standout performers this season, establishing himself as the undisputed starter at left-back ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly. The £42 million defender has transformed his fortunes after an injury-plagued debut campaign last season, when he was in and out of the starting 11 and struggled to build any consistent momentum.

Calafiori has completely turned around, becoming an absolutely crucial part of Arteta’s system, offering both defensive solidity and attacking threat from the left flank, chipping in with one goal and two assists from 11 games this season.

With Gabriel very likely to miss the derby, losing Calafiori, who’s been called one of their players of the season so far by Ray Parlour, would have left Arsenal dangerously exposed defensively.

However, the 23-year-old will instead return to the side for what is set to be a mouth-watering clash in the capital.

No repeat of Wrexham fairy tale! South American club backed by Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac & Eva Longoria finishes 2025 season BOTTOM of table

Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac are yet to oversee a repeat of their Wrexham success in another venture with South American club La Equidad, with that team – which also includes Eva Longoria among its backers – ending the 2025 Colombian top-flight campaign in last place. There is only one way up from the bottom, with a major rebrand set to be delivered in 2026.

Relocation project: Why La Equidad are being moved

A standing at the foot of the division was confirmed on Wednesday when taking in a final outing of what has been a disastrous season. La Equidad did win that contest, against Deportivo Pereira, 4-0 but were unable to become upwardly mobile.

They will be hoping positive steps in the right direction are taken next season, but will no longer be operating in their current guise. The team will compete under a new name, while donning different colours, in 2026 as Reynolds and Longoria begin to make their mark.

Colombian reporter Felipe Sierra said at the time of relocation proposals first being aired: “Not only is the name change being evaluated, but also the change of city. It is one of the alternatives, although the name is almost a fact. Next week the document has to be signed to make the transfer official.”

AdvertisementGettyBright future: Big plans for Colombian outfit

Fans were encouraged to attend the final fixture in 2025 as La Equidad took to the field one last time. The club posted on social media: “Let’s experience together the close of a story that defined Colombian football.”

Club president Nicolas Maya delivered an end-of-season message as he outlined the team’s vision for what they hope will be a brighter future. He apologised for the shocking 2025 campaign, with La Equidad ending the year with a record of three wins against 12 defeats and a goal difference of -15.

Maya said: “We know that the sporting results this season were not what we expected nor what our fans deserve. We made risky decisions, betting on young talent and building a model with projection, but not everything went as we wanted. Even so, we are convinced it was a necessary step to start building something lasting and sustainable.”

He hinted at the mooted rebranding being announced shortly, saying of the planned changes that are about to be implemented: “Many of them will be known soon.” La Equidad are preparing to move out of their Bogota base.

Who forms part of the La Equidad ownership group?

The team was taken over by a U.S. consortium in January 2025. Said group is fronted by real estate investor Al Tylis and Club Necaxa executive Sam Porter but also includes Reynolds, Mac, Longoria, MLB superstar Justin Verlander and his model wife Kate Upton.

They are said to have purchased a 99 per cent stake in La Equidad at a valuation of over $30 million (£23m) – as reported by .

It remains to be seen what the new ownership team have in store, with it possible that inspiration will be taken from other ventures at Wrexham and Necaxa. Reynolds, Mac and Longoria have made a point of combining their sporting interests with their love of storytelling, with documentary series being delivered in Wales and Mexico.

Those productions are intended to cover resurgences on and off the field, with ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ opening up a window to the world for a club that has risen out of the National League in British football and to within touching distance of the Premier League.

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Getty Images EntertainmentAnother documentary after success at Wrexham & Necaxa?

A docuseries all about Necaxa – who boast ex-Arsenal and Real Madrid playmaker Mesut Ozil among their investors – was released on FX and Hulu in August 2025. With Reynolds, Mac and Longoria among the executive producers, that show intends to showcase how celebrity owners will “reignite the soul of one of Mexico’s most storied football clubs”.

A similar project could be lined up for La Equidad, as they enter a bold new era, with famous faces behind the scenes hoping to oversee a renaissance there that delivers more drama for a worldwide audience that can be drawn in through global streaming services.

Pant heads to BCCI's Centre of Excellence to restart training

Rishabh Pant, who hasn’t played any cricket since fracturing his foot during the Old Trafford Test, is understood to be walking comfortably now

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2025

Rishabh Pant suffered a fractured foot during the Old Trafford Test in July•Getty Images

Rishabh Pant, who hasn’t played any cricket or even trained since the Old Trafford Test match against England where he fractured his right foot, is headed to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru to resume his training. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Pant’s foot is not in a cast anymore and he has been walking comfortably.Pant is India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in Test cricket, and India’s next World Test Championship assignment is at home against West Indies in a two-Test series next month (in Ahmedabad, Oct 2-6 and in Delhi, Oct 10-14). The selection for that series is expected in the last week of September.After Pant was injured at Old Trafford, in what was the fourth Test in England, Dhruv Jurel kept wicket both in that game and at The Oval in the final game, and N Jagadeesan was flown in as back-up. In case Pant doesn’t regain full fitness in time for the Tests against West Indies, Jurel and Jagadeesan could be the frontrunners to be the wicketkeepers in the squad.Pant picked up the injury on the first day of that Old Trafford Test when he attempted a typically audacious reverse sweep off quick bowler Chris Woakes, inside-edging the ball on to his foot. He retired hurt, the fracture was confirmed not long after, and came out to bat the next day despite having arrived at the ground in the morning wearing a moonboot. He went on to add valuable runs, ending with 54 (he had retired hurt when on 37).Jurel kept wicket in both England innings in the game, and while Pant was available to bat if needed in India’s second, he wasn’t required to as Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar – the last two ordinarily below Pant in the batting order – scored centuries to save the Test, which kept the series 2-1 in England’s favour. India went on to win the final Test without Pant to square the series 2-2.

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