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Celtic winger Karamoko Dembele looks to have taken yet another major step in his recovery from injury.

What’s the latest?

After playing 90 minutes in Celtic B’s 4-0 win over Vale of Leithen last week – the first football the 18-year-old has played since fracturing his ankle against Bristol City in pre-season – the reserve team coach, Tommy McIntyre, hinted that the forward would be making a return to first-team action sooner rather than later.

Speaking to Celtic TV, McIntyre said of Dembele: “It was great to get him back. It was his first game since pre-season when he got the injury. He’s been training really well.

“The first team have been telling me that he’s been training really well with them, so he just really needs game-time. So yes, good to get him back in. I think he enjoyed it as well. You can see the qualities that he’s got – he’s a top player.”

And, following this run out for Celtic’s reserve side, the teenager appeared to take yet another step towards making a return to first-team football on Thursday evening, when Ange Postecoglou selected the England U18 international in his matchday squad for the 3-1 Europa Conference League defeat to Bodo/Glimt.

Postecoglou will be buzzing

Despite the fact that the wide attacking areas of his Celtic squad are arguably the Bhoys’ best-stocked position, the likely availability of Dembele for the visit of Dundee this weekend will nevertheless have left Postecoglou buzzing.

Indeed, with Mikey Johnston having sustained yet another injury, in addition to James Forrest struggling with both form and fitness this season, the return of the 18-year-old will provide the Greek-Australian coach with much greater depth both on the left and right flanks over what remains of the current campaign.

Furthermore, considering the sheer amount of potential the £225k-rated sensation quite clearly possesses, not only will the return of the youngster provide the 56-year-old Bhoys boss with an impressive option from the bench, but Dembele will undoubtedly be pushing both Jota and Liel Abada for their starting berths in the Celtic side.

As such, with this season’s Premiership title race being the closest it has been in over a decade, and with the Bhoys in need of a remarkable European comeback in the second-leg of their Europa Conference League tie with Bodo/Glimt next week, the return of the teenager who could potentially develop into one of the most exciting players to come out of Celtic Park in recent memory will certainly come as a major boost to Postecoglou and his side.

In other news: Ange may have made a grave mistake on “immense” 21 y/o, it could cost Celtic big time

West Ham United are entering a crucial stage of their season as they look to finish as high up the Premier League table as they can and go all the way in the Europa League.

Looking ahead to this vital period, it seems as though David Moyes could be set to have one of his key players back in action to help his side try and accomplish what they’re aiming to achieve.

What’s the news?

According to a recent tweet from journalist Jack Rosser, Irons winger Jarrod Bowen “has stepped up his recovery this week and is training on the grass at Rush Green once more.”

He added that it may be “too soon” for the attacker to be involved in West Ham’s Premier League clash against Everton this weekend but there is “a chance” that he’ll be ready for their Europa League showdown against Lyon next Thursday if his recovery progress continues on the right track.

The Englishman missed West Ham’s two previous league games against Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur after picking up an injury during their 1-0 defeat against Liverpool last month.

Prior to that, the 25-year-old had scored eight goals and provided 10 assists in 28 league appearances, highlighting how important he is to the side and how big a blow it was for West Ham to have him on the sidelines for the past few weeks.

To further highlight just how much of an attacking threat he is for the Hammers, Bowen has had more shots on target in the league this season (27) than any other player at the club, along with a higher shot on target percentage (40.3%) than any other West Ham player to have had more than one attempt at goal.

In addition to his useful goal contributions, the former Hull City star has earned himself an overall performance rating of 7.23/10 from WhoScored, making him the highest-rated player in Moyes’ squad.

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that having the winger back in action and available for the remainder of the campaign would be a massive boost for the Hammers, and it would surely delight Moyes to have one of his main attacking talents back.

In other news: GSB heading for disaster on “sensational” West Ham ace that’ll have supporters raging

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois da germinação, a renovação do gramado da Arena Corinthians entra, agora, em fase de desenvolvimento para poder voltar a receber os jogos do Timão. Segundo os responsáveis, a renovação segue conforme o planejamento.

– A germinação foi um sucesso e agora entramos na fase do desenvolvimento da grama. O primeiro corte deve ser feito na semana que vem e a partir daí ela será fertilizada e ganhará cortes frequentes – explica André Amaral, engenheiro agrônomo da World Sports, empresa que cuida do gramado da Arena Corinthians.

– Esse processo ajuda a grama a desenvolver seu sistema radicular, para que ela tenha maior aderência ao reforço de fibras do campo. Dessa forma, essas raízes se enrolam nas fibras, tornando o campo muito mais resistente aos movimentos dos jogadores em uma partida – acrescentou.

A previsão dos responsáveis é de que o campo esteja apto a receber os jogos do Timão no mês de fevereiro. Até lá, o Corinthians mandará os primeiros jogos do Paulistão – contra Ponte Preta (17/01), Ferroviária (24/01) e São Paulo (27/01) – no Pacaembu.

O tour Casa do Povo, visita guiada à Arena Corinthians, está mantido durante esse período, aberto também às segundas e terças-feiras, e os torcedores podem acompanhar, de perto, todo o processo de renovação do gramado da casa do Timão. Os ingressos podem ser adquiridos pelo site www.tour.arenacorinthians.com.br.

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Jamaica made hard work of their Digicel-sponsored Jamaica Cricket Festival fifty-over contest against Canada, losing six wickets before labouring past the paltry target of 149 in the 29th over

Cricinfo staff09-Apr-2010Jamaica made hard work of their Digicel-sponsored Jamaica Cricket Festival fifty-over contest against Canada, losing six wickets before labouring past the paltry target of 149 in the 29th over.Despite having a below-par score to defend, Canada made a contest out of the encounter and showed their intentions from the very first delivery in the Jamaican response, getting rid of opener Danza Hyatt who was caught in the slips by Harvir Baidwan off the bowling of Henry Osinde.The Canadians were at it again minutes later when Donovan Pagon was sent on his way, caught by Rizwan Cheema off Khurram Chohan, to leave the Jamaicans precariously poised at 3 for 2.Things looked even worse for the locals when Carlton Baugh and captain Tamar Lambert, who went for a first-ball duck, were sent packing with the score on 64. Opener Brenton Parchment was the saviour for the hosts with a responsible, unbeaten knock of 72 achieved at a run-a-ball, with ten fours. Hard-hitting lower-order batsman Andre Russell hastened the finish, crashing four boundaries in a rapid 19.Earlier in the day, David Bernard had Canada in trouble early, as the top three fell for single-figure scores. Captain Ashish Bagai stemmed the rot with a 64-ball 53, and he got some support from Usman Limbada and Sunil Dhaniram, before Odean Brown ran through the lower order. He finished with 4 for 33, as Canada folded for 148 in 41 overs.

Crystal Palace have not made any signings as of yet in the winter transfer window, despite being linked with a number of players, including Aaron Ramsey and now a transfer expert can reveal that a move could potentially be on the cards.

What’s the word?

In an interview with FFC, transfer insider Dean Jones, has said that a move for the Wales midfielder is certainly feasible.

Speaking to Jones about the potential option of the South London club signing the 29-year-old midfielder in the transfer window, he revealed:

“So, Aaron Ramsey to Crystal Palace is one that I’ve been told is definitely feasible. It is an option, yeah.”

The central midfielder is reportedly being released by Juventus, where he fell out of favour in the team after joining the Serie A side in 2019, making just 70 appearances and scoring six goals, with only five appearances and one start in the team under the current manager, Massimiliano Allegri.

The ex-Arsenal player has been touted with a move back to the Premier League, with speculated links to Newcastle United, Everton and Crystal Palace over the last few months.

Gallagher replacement inbound?

Conor Gallagher has been an incredible presence in the midfield this season for Crystal Palace, and with the star set to go back to his parent club, Chelsea in the summer, there is a huge question mark hanging over the next steps to replace the youngster in their team when he does inevitably leave.

Thus, fans will be buzzing that a potential replacement who is experienced in midfield and familiar with their manager Patrick Vieira, could make a move to the club, with the Palace manager making it clear about his feelings on Ramsey in his press conference last week, saying:

“We are talking about a top player and of a footballer that can make a difference. If he wants to return to the Premier League, he can be a big hit.”

When you look at Ramsey’s last stint in the Premier League with Arsenal, he clearly knows how to get the best out of his game from his midfield position in the league, with 65 goals and 65 assists, scoring or assisting for the Gunners every 185 minutes he played.

Eagles fans have also given their thoughts on the potential signing of the 29-year-old, with many taking to Twitter to give their verdict, one fan saying:

“People forget just how good Aaron Ramsey was before his move from Arsenal. Under Wenger, he was one of the best midfielders in the league. For a decent price, he is very worth it.”

Vieira will be hoping to make his mark by exceeding expectations in his first season at Selhurst Park, and signing the Wales international could be a fantastic way to give him that push to secure that top-half finish.

It would add experience and proven ability to offer a consistent attacking output in the Premier League, so it will be interesting to see if the Eagles can make it happen this January. If they do, fans will understandably be elated, especially if they seal a long-term replacement for Gallagher.

In other news: Journalist drops claim about Vieira’s transfer plans

Tottenham Hotspur have made contact with Ousmane Dembele regarding a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to reports from Spain (via Sport Witness), who claim that Fabio Paratici has made progress in his discussions with the Barcelona forward about a summer switch to Spurs, with the 24-year-old able to agree to a pre-contract in January as a result of his contract expiring at Camp Nou next summer.

The report goes on to state that the likes of Chelsea, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are all monitoring the situation of the France international, while Barcelona are also reported to be keen for the World Cup winner to extend stay in LaLiga.

However, it is then said that Dembele’s agent is well aware that his client is viewed as one of the “big bargains” of next summer, something which gives the winger the upper hand in his contract talks with Xavi’s side – which, at present, do not look likely to come to a resolution.

Paratici must seal Dembele deal

While it is true that, since Dembele’s £135.5m move to Barcelona back in 2017, the winger has failed to hit the heights of his time at Borussia Dortmund, it is undeniable that the 24-year-old would be a magnificent deal for Paratici to get over the line this winter, particularly on a free transfer.

Indeed, while a series of serious injuries have severely limited the £45m-rated man’s game time at Barcelona, he has still scored an impressive 30 goals and registered 21 assists over his 122 appearances for the Spanish giants.

However, should Spurs go on to sign the £287k-per-week forward, Antonio Conte will undoubtedly be hoping the Frenchman can refind the form he displayed over his 32 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund back in 2016/17, a season in which the versatile winger bagged six goals, provided 12 assists and created a whopping 17 big chances for his teammates.

The player who Lionel Messi dubbed a “phenomenon” also took an average of 1.7 shots and made 2.2 key passes per game that season, metrics which saw the 24-year-old earn an astonishing seasonal SofaScore rating of 7.34 – ranking him as the joint 10th-best performer in the German top flight.

This level of form would appear to lend some weight to Joan Laporta’s recent claim that Dembele is “better than Mbappe,” and also proves exactly why Paratici simply must simply do all he can to seal a deal for the forward in the coming months.

In other news: Antonio Conte set for huge Spurs boost “in a few days”, fans surely buzzing

Celtic are no longer on a putting a timeframe on the return of defender Christopher Jullien, The Athletic’s Kieran Devlin says. 

The lowdown

Jullien hasn’t played for Celtic since a 3-0 win over Dundee United on 30 December 2020.

The centre-back left that game on a stretcher after colliding with a goalpost.

Neil Lennon, who was still the manager of Celtic at the time, initially said that his absence was likely to last only ‘three to four months’.

The Hoops have looked defensively vulnerable in the absence of the 28-year-old, conceding 15 goals across their six Europa League group stages matches and crashing out of the competition.

The latest

Devlin was asked by a supporter to explain ‘the situation with Jullien’.

He replied that the Frenchman’s return date ‘kept getting pushed back and pushed back’, and ‘now there’s no estimated return date anymore’.

Ultimately, his recovery in the last 12 months has ‘just gone really, really poorly’.

The verdict

Questions surely have to be asked of the Celtic medical department at this stage. He’s now been out for almost three times as long as the club initially forecast.

That could suggest that they misjudged the injury in the first place or that they have mishandled his rehabilitation.

Perhaps it’s just misfortune, but Devlin also claims there have been complaints for ‘years’ about the club’s medical and sports science staff from ‘sources close to players’.

When Jullien does eventually return, how long will it take for him to recover his pre-injury form? Will he ever do so? Given the length of his absence, these are pressing questions.

In other news, an expert has made a prediction about another Celtic injury.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has reacted with “disappointment” to the West Indies Players’ Association’s (WIPA) public call for a longer first-class season

Cricinfo staff27-Dec-2009In a fresh episode of disagreement, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has reacted with “disappointment” to the West Indies Players’ Association’s (WIPA) public call for a longer first-class season and claims that there had been no consultation with the board on the schedule. The WICB, instead, has decided to cut back on the number of matches in the upcoming season as a result of limited financial resources.The two parties had been involved in a bitter contracts dispute that led to senior players boycotting the Test series against Bangladesh, before reaching a compromise that paved the way for the selection of a full-strength squad for the tour of Australia.Last week, Dinanath Ramnarine, the WIPA president, had reiterated the proposal made in the WIPA’s 15-Point Development Plan for West Indies cricket. “West Indies first-class season should be made up of two rounds of matches with a minimum of 12 four-day games per year played alongside the international series. One round is insufficient in this modern era of cricket. We have seen that in recent years,” Ramnarine was quoted in the WIPA’s official website.Reacting to the statement, WICB’s CEO Ernest Hilaire said the WIPA was undermining the compromise reached between the two parties and creating ground for yet another public dispute. “My instinctive reaction to the release was one of disappointment with the President of WIPA,” Hilaire said in a statement. “After the recent dispute with WIPA, it was publicly expressed by the WICB that it would be seeking to establish a relationship based on mutual trust, respect and co-operation. As CEO, I expressed a desire for maturing our relationship by moving from a situation where every disagreement or difference becomes a public spat.It is unfortunate that behaviour patterns cannot change so easily and as WIPA has not gotten its way on this matter, it seeks public announcement of its position and creates the context for a public fight. It is ironic that WIPA is calling for a meeting and doing so not through the established and respected procedures but through the public medium.”The “fundamental issue”, Hilaire said, was the threat of a deadlock in the event of disagreement by either party. “The situation is that WIPA requested a minimum of 12 rounds as stated in the WIPA release and WICB expressed that in accordance with its strategic objectives it was not possible to host 12 rounds in 2010,” he said. “Once WIPA establishes its minimum requirements which remain in variance to the WICB position, who has the final call? If it is WIPA to make the final call, then consultation or agreement with WIPA in reality becomes a veto by WIPA on any proposal made by WICB.”The 2010 domestic season will feature seven rounds of matches including day-night fixtures. Though the first-class season last year was expanded to 14 rounds and the fees for players and officials increased despite the absence of a sponsor, Hilaire said a similar format for the upcoming year was unsustainable. “It begs the question – how can this be sustainable especially with the cricket development agenda increasing? As I said earlier, in an ideal situation there should be an expanded round and hopefully that can be achieved sooner rather than later.”Some of the savings from organising the next domestic season, Hilaire said, would be invested in other projects such as the A team programme, developmental tours and the High Performance Centre. “This can only be achieved if we use our limited resources efficiently and effectively and hopefully an active “A” Team programme will be more efficient and effective use,” he said. “The net effect is that the best regional players will not have any decrease in first-class cricket but rather increase and at a higher level. Further, they will be exposed internationally and learn to play under different conditions even before reaching Test level.”Hilaire acknowledged there would be objections to WICB’s plans but urged dialogue with the WIPA in an attempt to proceed with the understanding reached after the contracts dispute. “I am conscious that there will be objections to the changes in the four-day tournament,” he said.”I was warned that it reduces earnings for players and officials since they are paid per match, that territories would lose their home advantage and that decision making was proceeding too quickly. However, I am also conscious of the policy directions of the Board which requires that we do not remain in our comfort zones. The cricketing world has moved so far ahead of us that we need to take a giant leap forward, trying new and better ways of doing things. It is always easy to do new things but more difficult to determine that they are better. We need to be brave and trust our innate capacities to be creative and innovative. We will fail sometimes but that is a lot better than never trying.”I am anxious to engage WIPA in dialogue and discourse on the various issues facing West Indies cricket not in an antagonistic and hostile manner but with respect and regard for each other’s role. We have reached the point where it cannot be business as usual. We have to move forward and there must be no reverse gear.”

Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is just over a month away from his first transfer window at Ibrox with the Glasgow giants.

The Dutchman replaced Steven Gerrard at the helm over the last fortnight and could look to put his own stamp on the club by bringing in a couple of additions to bolster his squad in the winter market.

Dream signing

One player who could become a target is Dutch midfielder Joey Veerman. He was linked with a switch to Ibrox from Eredivisie side Heerenveen over the summer, but a move ultimately fell through.

Scottish journalist Stuart Hodge has now refused to rule out the Gers going back in for him. When asked about Veerman as a potential target for Van Bronckhorst, he said: “That one, yeah, potentially. But I think more so, that’s a market that van Bronckhorst will know well, that’s a market that’s affordable for Scottish clubs.”

The £3.1k-per-week gem could be a dream signing for Van Bronckhorst, who may know the midfielder due to his prominence in the Netherlands. Veerman has been a regular for Heerenveen in the Eredivisie, a league in which the 46-year-old Gers coach has played and managed, so he could be well-known to the ex-Barcelona defender.

Former Rangers forward Michael Mols previously described the midfield dynamo as “perfect” in possession, although he did have some concerns over Veerman’s ability to compete in duels. 

Mols told the Daily Record: “He is perfect with the ball and in possession, he’s a really great player. His passing and movement with the ball is really relaxed in a good way.

“But in Scottish football, there is a lot of emphasis on duels and fighting for the ball. I’m just not sure that would suit his style. He would maybe find it a little bit difficult to adapt.”

His potential weakness in individual duels may not be as much of an issue under Van Bronckhorst as it would have been under Gerrard. The latter deployed a 4-3-3 system which could have seen Veerman exposed physically in midfield, whereas the Dutchman’s 4-2-3-1 could see him slot in as a number 10, thus allowing the two holding players to shoulder the bulk of the defensive duties in the middle of the park.

Veerman has shown his quality on the ball in the Netherlands in recent years. In 67 Eredivisie games, he has managed 13 goals and 21 assists, whilst averaging an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.33. Along with Mols’ comments on his ability in possession, this shows that the 23-year-old could arrive at Ibrox and become an attacking force to be reckoned with in the Premiership.

Therefore, he could be a dream first signing for Van Bronckhorst, as he is a fellow Dutchman who could have the quality to make a big impact, and Rangers chief Ross Wilson must duly reignite his interest in the midfielder in the January transfer window.

AND in other news, “Priority will be..”: Ibrox expert makes Rangers claim which must have fans delighted…

Tottenham Hotspur could secure manager Antonio Conte his new Eden Hazard with a move for Charles De Ketelaere…

What’s the word?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Spurs have become the latest team to enter the race to sign the Club Brugge sensation this January, with Serie A outfit AC Milan also mooted with interest.

Premier League rivals West Ham United and Everton have been linked with the 20-year-old gem.

In the summer, Football Transfers reported that the Belgian side would only be willing to sell him for a fee of around €25m (£22m).

Meanwhile, journalist Mo Messoudi claimed only last month: “For me, De Ketelaere is the most valuable player in Belgium at the moment. I am sure he will break the outgoing transfer record set by Jeremy Doku.”

Conte’s new Hazard

Valued at a similar fee of £22.5m by Transfermarkt, De Ketelaere could be the perfect solution to the Lilywhites’ creative and attacking woes in the final third.

The 6 foot 4 maestro is capable of playing nearly anywhere – striker, no.10, wide, and in deeper midfield – and that makes him a very interesting prospect under Antonio Conte, who is able to deploy numerous systems, primarily with three-at-the-back.

“His versatility is a huge asset. He is complete, with a mix of physical and technical qualities,” legendary Club Brugge midfielder Gert Verheyen explained to Het Nieuwsblad (via Goal).

Despite his towering stature, the Belgium wonderkid has been likened to Roberto Firmino in playing style, which suggests there is more a touch of flair and skill about him than being a brute force up top.

With that in mind, he could be the sort of game-changer in attack that Conte once had at Chelsea in Eden Hazard. He played wide and in the middle for the Italian and helped contribute massively towards a Premier League title and an FA Cup too.

De Ketelaere has already racked up over 100 senior appearances and that’s earned the praise of talkSPORT’s European football expert Andy Brassell.

“He’s got loads of potential,” Brassell said on Hawksbee and Jacobs. “I’m really interested to see what he can do for the rest of the Champions League. The move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs is too soon. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen, of course.”

He has continued to impress this campaign, managing to provide five goals and four assists, including a Man of the Match display against Mauricio Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain.

Indeed, his 7.8 rating on SofaScore was the highest of any player, including the two goalscorers in the game and Lionel Messi (7.3) as the youngster absolutely bossed the Ligue 1 giants winning 81% of his duels, creating five key passes and managing 100% of his dribbles.

Fabio Paratici and co must look to seal the Brugge wizard in January, he could well become Conte’s new Hazard at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

AND in other news, Conte given Spurs boost as major Hotspur Way development emerges, fans surely thrilled…