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The Punjab batter had not played a single T20 game before this season, but has quickly become a mainstay for his IPL franchise

Daya Sagar10-May-20233:28

Moody: Wadhera ensuring the chase wasn’t entirely on Suryakumar was critical

Nehal Wadhera had not played a single T20 game before IPL 2023. A largely unknown entity coming into the tournament, Mumbai Indians made sure to back him, giving him a consistent run in the side, and he repaid the franchise’s faith with a 21-ball 40 against Gujarat Titans, followed by a 51-ball 64 against Chennai Super Kings.On Tuesday, with Mumbai chasing 200, Wadhera went a step further, scoring an unbeaten 34-ball 52 as he forged a 140-run stand off 66 balls with Suryakumar Yadav to take his side home. Coming in at the end of the fifth over, with Mumbai having lost both openers in the space of three balls, at no point did Wadhera seem out of his depth. Even with Suryakumar going berserk at one end, the 22-year-old kept his cool to stay till the end. But, who is Wadhera and how did he end up with Mumbai despite not having any prior T20 experience?Wadhera was called up for trials last year by Rajasthan Royals, but he could not make the cut. He went back to his home state of Punjab, where he took part in an U-23 tournament. Playing for Ludhiana, in one of the innings, he smashed 578 off just 414 balls, which included 42 fours and 37 sixes. The innings elevated him into the limelight and he was spotted by the Mumbai scouts who called him for trials.Related

• Mumbai discover uncut gems to make it farther than expected

• No Bumrah or Archer? The spirit of Mumbai shines through

• Mumbai show off their batting might, one 200-plus total at a time

• Stats – Mumbai Indians, masters of the 200-plus chase

• Mumbai mow down 200 to jump from eighth to third

“When Nehal came to me, he was a very small and chubby kid,” says his childhood coach Charanjit Bhangu. “He was a very quick learner and used to apply whatever I used to say to his game. Whenever a player does that, he immediately draws attention. After finishing practice, he used to come to my room and ask me for inputs on how to improve his game. He used to carry his bat everywhere so that he could shadow practice.”Wadhera slowly moved up the ranks in Punjab age-group cricket. In 2018, he was selected in the India U-19 team and was also named captain of an India A U-19 side that played a Quadrangular series in 2019 which had India B, South Africa and Afghanistan taking part. He then found a place in the squad for the U-19 Asia Cup in September 2019 but was overlooked for the U-19 World Cup that took place in early 2020. That came as a blow to Wadhera.Nehal Wadhera scored back-to-back fifties, the second coming in a winning cause for Mumbai•BCCI”It was a very challenging time for Nehal, but he never doubted himself,” Wadhera’s father Kamal Wadhera says. “He is a very positive boy. Whenever there are any problems, he always tries to search for ways to get out of them and not overthink about it.”To be honest, we are a middle-class family and we don’t have any stories of struggles. Whatever he (Nehal) asked for, we provided him with that. But the good thing is that he never misused his time or money.”During Covid-19, he worked on his fitness, both mental and physical. He started to read a lot as well. He now has even more self-belief than before.”Despite putting in consistent performances in age-group cricket, Wadhera had to bide his time before the senior call-up came, and he made sure to capitalise as soon as he got one. He scored a century on his first-class debut against Gujarat in January this year, and soon after compiled a match-winning 214 against defending Ranji Trophy champions Madhya Pradesh to further his credentials.Wadhera is yet to play a T20 game outside of the IPL, but the way his 2023 is going, he could soon become an all-format middle-order asset for Punjab.

The inconsistency of England’s top three batsmen may tip the scales slightly in India’s favour

Ian Chappell31-Jan-2021No sooner is one serious challenge accepted and robustly brushed aside than another is on the doorstep.The upcoming India versus England Test series has the potential to be an enticing contest similar in intensity to the one recently completed in Australia.India will start as favourites after an exhilarating victory over Australia, overcoming all obstacles. When you add the name Virat Kohli to the batting order, the team suddenly assumes a bulletproof cloak. In also adding the names R Ashwin, Hardik Pandya and Ishant Sharma to the list of available players, India take on an unbeatable appearance.Likewise, England can point to improvements they can make to the side that won convincingly in Sri Lanka. The availability of a premium player in Ben Stokes who, like Pandya, provides all-round ability and selection flexibility, albeit at a higher level than the Indian, is a big plus. And Jofra Archer adds substantially to the quality of an already strong pace attack.However it’s the top of the England order, where another returning player, Rory Burns, will reside, that the scales tip in India’s favour.India’s top three feature an impressive Shubman Gill, a talented but flawed Rohit Sharma and the indomitable Cheteshwar Pujara, which places them well ahead of England’s top order.Dom Sibley possesses the grit and determination required for success at the highest level but there are questions about his technique against the best international bowlers. In India and Australia he will face two of the best in fairly quick succession so that question will be answered in the next 12 months.Burns is another in the same category as Sibley, and if both players fail the challenges England will be in trouble unless Joe Root continues to score at his current freakish level.Related

• What will it be like to take on Kohli and Co on their own patch?

• Jack Leach wants to 'cherish' every moment on first tour of India

• England's XI for Chennai Test: Can James Anderson and Stuart Broad both slot in?

• India's XI for Chennai Test: Four bowlers or five? Who will replace Ravindra Jadeja?

• Bess and Leach have their work cut out for them in India

Zak Crawley, like his Indian counterpart Gill, is talented and has great potential. Nevertheless his failure to contribute in Sri Lanka raises concerns that need to be put to rest quickly and there’s no better place or time to do that than in India.Unfortunately, any advantage England might gain from Root’s incredible form at No. 4 is immediately negated by India’s best batsman also holding down a similar position. Rarely does a series feature two such well-credentialed No. 4 batsmen.The middle order of both teams are a mixture of explosive stroke play with a touch of steadiness for good measure. Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant and the possible addition of Pandya have India well placed to take full advantage of any good start. The ability to swiftly accelerate the scoring is nearly as important to winning Test matches as the capability of taking 20 wickets.England are similarly placed with Stokes and Jos Buttler as their lethal weapons. The possible return of Ollie Pope would add some dependability to the threatening nature of that section of the batting order. However Buttler’s departure after just one Test and the possible return of Ravindra Jadeja to the Indian line-up would swing the scales further in favour of the home team.The presence of Archer, along with the skill and experience of stalwarts Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, would normally provide England with an advantage in the pace department. However India’s improvement in that category is amply illustrated by their performance in matching Australia’s much-vaunted pace attack in two successive away series.Not only does India now have quality pace bowling but they also have it in comforting quantities following the depth displayed in Australia.For years now the rest of the cricketing world has rested uneasily in the fear that India would finally utilise its population advantage by nurturing and selecting its best talent. That day has finally arrived.These mouth-watering Test series are to be savoured. With all the challenges Test cricket faces – Covid-19 just being the latest – the future of the format is not guaranteed to be as generously giving as it has been in the last few months.

Premier League title winner Jamie Vardy has made history in Italy by becoming the first English player to win the Serie A Player of the Month award. The evergreen striker, who is now 38 years of age, is currently on the books of Cremonese. He linked up with them over the summer and has enjoyed a productive start to life outside of his comfort zone.

• Italian job: Vardy to star in documentary alongside wife Rebekah

  Vardy became a free agent when seeing his contract at Leicester expire. He helped them to a stunning title triumph in 2016 and took in 500 total appearances for the Foxes, scoring 200 goals and earning 26 England caps.

  With no plans to hang up his boots any time soon, Vardy has embraced a new challenge alongside wife Rebekah and their children. They are set to star in their own documentary series, which will lift the lid on a surprising Italian job.

  Vardy will have plenty to smile about on camera as he has landed a top prize in Serie A. He starred across the month of November, with a memorable goal being recorded against Turin-based giants Juventus. He was nominated for a monthly gong alongside AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, Inter captain Lautaro Martinez, Napoli winger David Neres, Genoa's Leo Ostigard and Nicolo Zaniolo of Udinese.

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• History made: Vardy lands top Serie A prize

  Vardy topped the poll, with Serie A chief executive Luigi de Siervo saying: "Vardy is truly a player from another era. One of those talents who, with their history, their achievements and the indomitable spirit with which they live every match, best express the romance of football.

  "His arrival at Cremonese was greeted with great enthusiasm by all Serie A fans, and Vardy is repaying them with top-level performances, innate leadership and important goals, the result of the competitive spirit and shooting skills that have always distinguished him."

  Vardy has become the first Englishman to win a prize that was first handed out in 2019. Since then, countrymen such as Fikayo Tomori, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ashley Young and Tammy Abraham have graced the Italian top-flight.

• Just like Ronaldo: Vardy tipped to play into his 40s

  He has four goals in total for Serie A new boys Cremonese through 10 appearances. Vardy is just the second player, after Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola, to net more than three goals for a promoted team at the age of 38 or over – with Zola achieving that feat for Cagliari prior to ending the 2004-05 campaign with nine efforts to his name.

  Vardy may go on to better that total, allowing another entry in the record books to be secured. He has been showing no sign of slowing down, with his game all about high energy and clever movement.

  It is being suggested that Vardy could have several seasons left in him yet, with there every reason to believe that he can emulate the efforts of Portuguese GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo – who is still playing at the age of 40 with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

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  Vardy contract: When deal at Cremonese expires

  European football expert Andy Brassell has told : "There's still plenty in there, I feel. To have that sort of pressure off, I suppose in a way it must make him feel like going back and achieving stuff with Leicester.

  "Leicester, who were never fancied to stay up. Then they were never fancied to be in the European mix. Then they were never fancied to win the league, win the FA Cup. And I guess, obviously, Cremonese is very different.

  "Culturally, he's at a different point in his career. But I do think there's a little bit of him that feels, yeah, this is the perfect fit for me. With Serie A as well, it's got an incredible history of strikers in their mid to late 30s scoring a lot of goals.

  "I mean, straight away, if you're Vardy, and you know anything about Italian football history, you're thinking I'm modern-day Antonio Di Natale or Fabio Quagliarella or any of those guys. Why can't I keep going until I'm 40, 41?"

  Vardy only signed a one-year contract when heading to Italy, which is due to expire in the summer of 2026, but Cremonese have a performance-related extension option that can be triggered at any stage.

Florian Wirtz was denied a first strike for Liverpool after the Premier League's goal accreditation panel judged his effort against Sunderland to be an own goal from Nordi Mukiele. The German midfielder showed great close control to weave his way through the penalty box before shooting, with his effort taking a significant deflection off the Black Cats defender on its way into the back of the net.

Wirtz's deflected strike earns Liverpool point

Liverpool were staring down the barrel of another disappointing result on Wednesday night after falling behind to Sunderland courtesy of Chemsdine Talbi's effort. The defending for that goal was poor, with captain Virgil van Dijk giving the ball away and then backing off before the shot deflected off his side and past goalkeeper Alisson. The Reds once again looked short of confidence and failed to create too many opportunities against the resolute visitors, but a driving run from Curtis Jones and Wirtz's fine dribbling ability resulted in a desperately needed equaliser. 

AdvertisementWhy the strike was deemed a Mukiele own goal

It looked to be clean off Wirtz's boot on first viewing, but replays soon showed the former Bayer Leverkusen star had completely mis-kicked his effort, which was heading well wide of the goal. However, his side got the slice of luck they so urgently needed as the shot deflected off Mukiele and over Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs. Wirtz has been the subject of much criticism and mockery since arriving at Anfield in the summer, having failed to contribute much in the way of goals and assists since his £116 million ($155m) transfer to the English champions. This latest decision means the derision may continue until he finally gets a goal which cannot be debated, but there was no doubting he was still one of Liverpool's better performers on a night where few of them played with much freedom or creativity. That line of thought was echoed by former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher, who said on : "It feels like a real step back tonight to what you saw at West Ham at the weekend. They didn't look like scoring a goal at any moment of the game tonight. Missing the energy, zip, pace power. Really worrying."

AFPWhen will Wirtz finally get off the mark?

After his extraordinary exploits with Leverkusen, few would have predicted Wirtz would still be waiting for his first Liverpool goal by December. He got an assist in his first competitive outing for the club in the Community Shield and has another couple in the Champions League, but there is clearly so much more to come from the silky 22-year-old. Even with the lucrative price tag, he has been thrown into a malfunctioning Liverpool side, with Mohamed Salah, so often their reliable figure in attack, looking well short of match sharpness after an incredible 2024-25 campaign. There have also been issues in the central striker position, with Alexander Isak being short of fitness after he forced through his record-breaking transfer to Merseyside from Newcastle, while Hugo Ekitike has had to battle back from injury worries after a hugely promising start to his Reds career.

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What comes next for Wirtz and Liverpool?

It's only December but Liverpool already look out of the Premier League title race, with this latest result seeing them fall 11 points behind current leaders and favourites Arsenal. There is little time for Slot's squad to lick their wounds, however, with the famously hectic Christmastime schedule creeping up on teams throughout England. They next have a tough-looking trip to Leeds United, who will buoyed after earning a much-needed victory over Chelsea, and then there is a daunting journey to San Siro when they resume their Champions League campaign against Inter. The Merseysiders need more points if they are to progress to the round of 16 and avoid a European play-off, having suffered a damaging 4-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven the last time they played in the competition.

Tottenham are looking to get back to winning ways against Fulham tonight with Thomas Frank handed a key selection decision ahead of the Premier League clash.

Tottenham face Fulham after back-to-back defeats

Spurs face a crucial test when Fulham visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Frank desperate for a response following Wednesday’s devastating 5-3 Champions League defeat to PSG.

The Parc des Princes encounter saw Spurs’ unbeaten European run spectacularly ended despite twice taking the lead, with Vitinha’s sensational hat-trick ultimately proving the difference.

The result leaves Tottenham fifteenth in the Champions League standings, significantly increasing pressure on Frank to arrest their recent slide.

The Lilywhites have won just one of their last five games in all competitions, a 4-0 rout of Danish minnows FC Copenhagen, with London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal recently putting them to the sword.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

19th

Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

Dominic Solanke’s continued absence through injury compounds Tottenham’s attacking concerns. The striker has been out since undergoing ankle surgery earlier in the season, managing just 47 minutes of football all campaign.

His unavailability places enormous responsibility on Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison to provide a consistent goalscoring threat, though Frank has suggested that the former will be given the nod against Fulham after his breathtaking PSG performance.

The Frenchman donned a mask for his fractured jaw, scoring a brace and providing an assist against his parent club, with Frank confirming that Kolo Muani is fit enough to start this evening.

However, one man who won’t be taking part is star defender Cristian Romero.

Tottenham "liability" left Thomas Frank "raging"

The Argentine endured an evening to forget away to PSG, with talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook branding him a “liability” that would have left Frank “raging”.

Romero is set to miss tonight’s clash with Fulham through suspension, meaning that Kevin Danso is more than likely set to partner Micky van de Ven at the heart of Frank’s defence.

This could be enough to get the job done against a Fulham side who are firm candidates for relegation after a lacklustre start to 2025/2026, but Frank will be wary that Marco Silva’s men have won two of their last three Premier League games.

Even after Romero’s disasterclass at PSG, the 27-year-old remains a key figurehead for Spurs and partners van de Ven to devastating effect at times.

Ange Postecoglou always had a much better time as Spurs boss when both men were available to play his high line, but Danso has proved that he can do a solid job when called upon.

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke is coming under increasing pressure after his side moved closer to the relegation zone, and Brendan Rodgers is now a contender to take over at Elland Road.

Despite a decent start to the Premier League campaign, the Whites have begun to feel the reality of how difficult it is to claim a regular stream of results in the top-flight as other clubs begin to get their act together after indifferent performances.

Nottingham Forest fit that bracket and took Leeds apart last weekend at the City Ground, leaving the Yorkshire outfit one point above West Ham United and two above the Tricky Trees, who are beginning to show signs of life under Sean Dyche.

With pressure mounting on Farke to deliver results, he responded post-match by indicating that his side have to be better when it comes to fine margins, something that can so often determine whether newly-promoted sides are able to stay in the top division.

He told BBC Sport: “Football games on this level are decided with small details. We have to make sure we are more switched on. We concentrate on the things we can influence and should have defended the cross situation. It was crucial.

“We didn’t follow their full-back and that can happen, but not after we’ve just celebrated. We lost two 50/50 duels, and then the cross comes in. We could have defended the situation more competitively.”

Journalist Graham Smyth labelled the Whites’ performance “desperately poor” and some supporters are now at the point of demanding change at Elland Road.

In that case, who could come in to replace Farke at Leeds? Ian Ladyman has let slip one potential contender that could come to the forefront if that scenario were to take place.

Leeds could replace Daniel Farke with Brendan Rodgers

According to Daily Mail football editor Ladyman, Leeds could replace Farke with former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers after he left the Scottish champions following a public fallout with Dermot Desmond last month.

Suggesting that the Irishman may well be a candidate to take over at Elland Road, he explained: “Now we are eleven games in and Leeds are on a bit of a sticky run with only win in six and games against Aston Villa, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool to come the other side of the international break.

How has Brendan Rodgers fared in the Premier League?

Matches

302

Wins

139

Draws

71

Losses

102

Points claimed

488

“Farke doesn’t deserve the sack, far from it. But that doesn’t mean he won’t get it. And the moment Brendan Rodgers left Celtic a couple of weeks ago, every manager in the lower half of the Premier League became a little more vulnerable.”

Intriguingly, he averaged over two points per game in his second spell at Celtic, adding another two Scottish Premiership titles, a Scottish Cup and a Premier Sports Cup to his haul of 11 trophies while in Glasgow.

Leeds could sign a talented Championship star in January

Of course, his time at Liverpool and Leicester City is still fresh in the memory, and the Carnlough native may be the sensible choice to replace Farke at Leeds due to his ability to turn the tide via his man-management skills.

كشفت تقارير صحفية صدمة قوية لنجم منتخب البرتغال، كريستيانو رونالدو، بعدما طُرد في مباراة مساء أمس ضد أيرلندا، في التصفيات المؤهلة إلى بطولة كأس العالم، نسخة 2026.

وحل منتخب البرتغال ضيفًا على أيرلندا، في الجولة قبل الأخيرة، من تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم الصيف المقبل، حيث تعرض الضيوف للهزيمة بهدفين دون رد.

طالع | ترتيب مجموعة البرتغال في تصفيات كأس العالم (محدث باستمرار)

وتحصل كريستيانو رونالدو على بطاقة حمراء مباشرة، في الدقيقة 61، بعدما اعتدى على أحد لاعبي منتخب أيرلندا بـ”الكوع” دون كرة، حيث تدخلت تقنية الفيديو في الموقف قبل اتخاذ القرار النهائي من جانب الحكم.

وبطبيعة الحال، سيغيب كريستيانو رونالدو عن آخر مباراة لـ البرتغال في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم، ضد أرمينيا يوم الأحد المقبل.

وظهرت تقارير صحفية بعد ذلك تفيد أن رونالدو قد يتلقى عقوبة إيقاف لمباراة أخرى، بسبب سلوكه العنيف، مما يعني غيابه عن أول لقاء لـ البرتغال في كأس العالم، حال تأهله وحال حصوله على بطاقة مباشرة.

ولكن يبدو أن الأمر لا يتوقف عند هذا الحد، حيث ذكرت صحيفة “ذا صن” الإنجليزية أن عقوبة إيقاف رونالدو قد تكون أطول من ذلك، بسبب قانون الانضباط الخاص بالاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، فيفا.

وأوضحت أن ذلك القانون ينص على فرض الإيقاف لمباراتين على الأقل، في حالة اللعب غير النظيف الخطير، كما تضيف اللوائح أنه يجب تطبيق عقوبة الإيقاف لثلاث مباريات على الأقل في حالة الاعتداء، بما في ذلك الكوع، اللكم، الركل، العض والبصق على أو ضرب الخصم”.

وإذا تأهلت البرتغال مباشرة يوم الأحد، فهذا يعني أن رونالدو من المرجح أن يغيب عن المباراتين الأوليين في الصيف المقبل، وربما يعود مع اقتراب منتخب بلده من التأهل إلى الدور المقبل أو توديع البطولة.

أما في حال فشل البرتغال في الحصول على بطاقة تأهل مباشرة، سيضطر إلى دخول الملحق، وستسري عقوبة رونالدو خلاله حال إقرارها.

After Ange Postecoglou’s dismal season in the Premier League throughout 2024/25, changes simply had to be made if Tottenham Hotspur were to progress in the right direction.

His Europa League triumph certainly papered over the cracks, but former chairman Daniel Levy saw the bigger picture and decided a switch in manager was needed.

Such responsibility fell into the hands of Thomas Frank, with the former Brentford boss tasked with the responsibility of transforming the Lilywhites’ fortunes in England’s top-flight.

The backline was a real issue for the club last time around, but the 51-year-old has already made an immediate impact – as seen by their tally of six clean sheets across all competitions.

However, the upcoming January transfer window is rapidly approaching, which could see added quality being injected into the opposite end of the pitch.

Spurs’ hunt for new attacking talent in January

Over the last couple of days, Spurs have once again been linked with a deal to land Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo after previously wanting him during the summer.

The Ghanaian international has enjoyed a phenomenal start to 2025/26, scoring on six occasions and registering three assists within his first eight outings.

However, he’s not the only Premier League forward currently on their radar, with Sporting Director Fabio Paratici targeting a move for Everton star Iliman Ndiaye.

The latest report from TEAMtalk states that the Lilywhites see the 25-year-old as a top target for the winter window, but face competition from a fellow top-flight rival.

Newcastle United are also in the race to land the versatile forward in the coming months, which has seen a £60m price tag mooted to prise him away from the Toffees.

Why Spurs’ latest target is even better than Kudus

Landing an attacker from another Premier League side certainly isn’t alien to Spurs, as seen by their deal to land winger Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United.

The hierarchy forked out a fee in the region of £55m for the 25-year-old’s signature, with the Ghanaian seen as the player to take the frontline to the next level.

It’s safe to say he’s already had an immediate impact at the Lilywhites, scoring once and notching four assists within his first eight Premier League appearances.

Kudus has certainly nailed down the role on the right-hand side of the frontline, but he could be joined by another phenomenal talent in the form of Ndiaye.

The Toffees forward has rapidly progressed under David Moyes over the last couple of months, with the Senegalese international now one of the most potent attackers in the division.

When comparing his stats to those of the new Lilywhites addition, Ndiaye has managed to outperform him in numerous key areas throughout the early stages of 2025/26.

The Toffees star has achieved a better shot on target rate and a higher goal per shot on target average – which showcases the added goalscoring threat he possesses.

Games played

8

8

Goals & assists

4

5

Shot on target accuracy

83%

38%

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.2

Pass accuracy

77%

73%

Key passes

1.8

1.7

Take-on success

47%

46%

Carries into final third

2.1

1.6

Fouls won

1.5

0.8

He’s also completed more passes and registered a higher tally of key passes per 90 – leading to one analyst labelling him as “one of the best” talents in the Premier League.

Ndiaye’s dominance over Kudus is further reflected in his higher take-on success and better tally of carries into the final third per 90 – highlighting his ability to progress the ball into dangerous areas whenever possible.

£60m would be another huge statement from the hierarchy, but it’s a deal that could add further quality into Frank’s frontline in his quest for success in North London.

The prospect of Ndiaye thriving with Kudus at the Lilywhites is truly one to behold, which could see the club be the home to two of the division’s best attacking talents.

However, the board will have to act quickly in January to complete a deal for his signature, especially given the interest from rivals Newcastle United.

Forget Spence: Frank can bin Porro by unleashing "future £100m" Spurs star

Tottenham Hotspur already have another phenomenal talent within their ranks in North London.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 24, 2025

Manchester City star Josko Gvardiol has made a stunning revelation about how his professional sports career could have taken a very different direction after temporarily falling out of love with the game. The Croatia international is a regular for City boss Pep Guardiola and has also revealed the tentative approach being taken by the club after a slow start to the season.

• Meteoric rise to football elite

  Gvardiol’s career ascent has been rapid, establishing him as one of the world's most promising defenders. He started at Dinamo Zagreb, where he won back-to-back Croatian league titles before landing a record move to RB Leipzig in 2021, where he won two German Cup crowns, impressing with his composure, passing, and tactical versatility. His stellar performances led to a £77 million ($102.5m) transfer to Man City in 2023, making him one of the most expensive defenders in history, and he landed a Premier League title and FIFA Club World Cup in his first season. Gvardiol is also a key figure for the Croatia national team, helping them to a third-place finish at the World Cup in 2022.

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• AFP
  

  Guardiola's go-to defender

  Gvardiol's campaign was delayed due to a knee injury carried over from last season, but he has since regained full fitness, and the versatile defender has featured for Man City in both the Premier League and in Europe, contributing assists in both. The 23-year-old’s strong technical skills have seen him operate in both central defence and at left-back, where his passing ability has been a massive asset to the squad. But he has revealed his career in sport came very close to taking a wholly different direction.

• How Gvardiol almost quit football

  Gvardiol told the BBC: "I was thinking about quitting because I like basketball as well. I wasn't sure in football any more because when you get to the training ground, you don't feel happy any more, you know? I was just trying to find other solutions and to feel happier than I felt before because all of my friends were playing basketball. My dream obviously was to become a professional football player, but I didn't know that I was going to go that far. If you go five years back and ask me, do you see yourself at Manchester City in 2023, '24, '25? I would say no chance, like really impossible."

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• AFP
  

  Man City taking stock after slow start

  Gvardiol has also revealed he is most happy at taking his place back on the left side of centre-back. He said: "I'm happy to be back to my position. Just play simple, protect the goal, defend the goal. Obviously, we have new goals this season and we want to aim high. But I like to say that it's quite early to talk about our goals, the season is long so let's go game by game.
  He added: "In my head last season I was like, 'no matter what, how I feel, no matter if I am fit or not, I just want to play. I just want to compete to help the team’. I could feel it on my body, especially in the summer. I had a [knee] injury, but now it's finally good after six months." 

  After a slow start to the season, where they lost two of their opening three games, they have gone on an unbeaten run and surged up the Premier League table. In the coming weeks, they have a Premier League trip to Aston Villa followed by a League Cup away game against Swansea. In November, they host Bournemouth and face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

Manchester United are reportedly prioritising a move for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton after cooling their interest in Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. The Red Devils were keen to strengthen in the middle of the park by signing the Cameroon international in the summer but have now decided to rethink their shortlist following the 21-year-old’s difficult start to the 2025-26 season.

Amorim an admirer of Wharton's desire to play brave passes

According to a report from United head coach Ruben Amorim is believed to be an admirer of England international Wharton. The report claims that the Portuguese has taken note of the 21-year-old’s ability to consistently pass forwards and not sideways, piercing through opposition low blocks to launch Palace attacks. After joining the Eagles from Blackburn in 2024, Wharton has quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders, playing a significant role in his side’s victories in the FA Cup and the Community Shield – the first two trophies in the club’s history.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWharton moves up United's wish list following Baleba's struggles

The report concludes by claiming United’s interest in Wharton represents a rethink in their quest to strengthen in midfield, having chased Brighton ace Baleba in the summer. More defensive-minded than Wharton, Baleba has equally become one of the league’s best players in his position since moving to Brighton from Ligue 1 side Lille in 2023. However, following a transfer window which saw United initially open talks before opting to walk away over the Seagulls' reported asking price of over £100 million (€115m/$134m), Baleba has subsequently struggled so far this term, failing to complete a full 90-minute match. And therefore Wharton is believed to have moved up United’s wish list ahead of the January transfer window.

Brighton chairman confirms United wanted Baleba in the summer

Brighton chairman Tony Bloom recently confirmed United’s interest in signing Baleba this summer, telling “I don’t think Baleba was a saga. There was interest from Manchester United, and we said that he wasn't available this summer and they went away. So we've had many bigger sagas in the past. But Carlos Baleba, his improvement has been immense. Massively important player to this football club, and just delighted that he's with us for this season.”

Bloom’s comments came off the back of Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler admitting Baleba’s slow start to the season could be down to United’s interest in his services, saying in September: "For sure, when a young boy reads there is interest from Manchester United with a big, big offer, it might affect him deep, deep (down). That’s also part of the development to understand that when you play well, there comes a big offer, there comes a big club who wants to have him. But then to keep pushing, to be humble, stay here in Brighton, and try to make the next step with the team and that’s something we have to keep on working with him and therefore I can’t give you a clear answer if it’s really affected him or not. But for sure, he’s a young boy and we need to understand he’s not a machine that if you click on then he always runs and off then he stops. We need to understand his feelings, his emotions, where he comes from, and that’s our responsibility.”

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Getty Images SportPalace owner says club are not under any pressure to sell Wharton

Meanwhile, Palace owner Steve Parish recently said he is not surprised to see Wharton being linked with a move to United, but reiterated that his side are not under any "pressure" to sell any of their prized assets.

He told "I think Adam at some point will want to play either in the Champions League with us, if we can make that happen, or probably with another club. He's an extraordinary talent. I think right now, and I can't speak for Adam, but I think he's focused on his time at Crystal Palace. He had a broken season last season with the groin issues that he had that a lot of young players get.

"I think this season he's completely focused on putting the games in, getting in the England squad, being a regular for us, and making sure that he can show that Saturday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday. It's a difficult programme for us right now. I think he's very committed to the club. I don't know where all this stuff comes from.”

When asked specifically about United's reported interest, Parish said Palace were confident of keeping hold of Wharton, adding: "If Manchester United want Adam Wharton, there's nothing surprising really about that. The fact of the matter is he's got a long contract to run. There's no pressure on us to do it, and I don't think there's any real pressure from the player either.”