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Wilfried Nancy’s implementation of a 3-4-2-1 system at Celtic has provided some players with a fresh chance to emerge as regular starters for the club.

Hyun-jun Yang, who scored against Livingston last time out, has established himself as the first-choice option as the right-sided wing-back, for example, since the Frenchman came in.

Anthony Ralston is another player who has benefitted from the change in formation, starting the last four matches as a right-sided centre-back, but his performances have left a lot to be desired.

67HailHail described his performance against Livingston as a ‘nightmare’, handing him a 4/10 player rating, and claimed that some fans ‘have had enough’ of the experienced defender, because of his errors.

Celtic eyeing move for Premier League defender

The Hoops are now reportedly looking at adding a player to their squad next month who could be the end of Ralston’s career with the Scottish giants.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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According to The Scottish Sun, Nancy is lining up a move to sign Bournemouth right-back Julian Araujo on loan from the Premier League side in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the defender is due to move on from the Vitality ahead of the second half of the campaign, and that the Hoops could swoop to bring him to Parkhead.

It adds that the full-back, who played in the MLS whilst Nancy was managing over there, is viewed as an ideal player for the manager’s 3-4-2-1 system.

The Scottish Sun reports that Celtic are ‘strong contenders’ to secure his services on loan until the end of the season, as they want to add more quality to their backline.

Why Celtic should sign Julian Araujo

Nancy should push for the club to get this deal over the line because he could end Ralston’s Celtic career by coming through the door to take the starting spot on the right of the back three.

Araujo has yet to play a single minute of football in the Premier League for Bournemouth this season, after starting seven matches last season, but his form in the MLS in the past suggests that he could be a good option.

The Mexico international caught the eye with his performances for LA Galaxy in the MLS and with Las Palmas in LaLiga during the 2023/24 campaign.

Araujo, as explained in the post above, excelled in possession during his time in the MLS, which is backed up by a return of 11 assists in his last two seasons with the Galaxy, per Sofascore.

Ralston, meanwhile, has provided six assists in all competitions since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, per Sofascore, and is yet to create a ‘big chance’ or assist a goal in 14 appearances in the Scottish Premiership so far this season.

Julian Araujo (MLS)

2021

2022

Appearances

32

35

Goals

0

1

Key passes per game

1.1

1.2

Big chances created

8

6

Assists

6

5

Tackles + interceptions per game

4.7

3.4

Duel success rate

51%

50%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Araujo provided quality as both an offensive force and as an out-and-out defender in his last two seasons in the MLS, which may be where he caught Nancy’s eye.

Subscribe for deeper Celtic transfer and tactics insight Curious about how a signing like Julian Araujo could reshape Celtic’s back line? Subscribe to our newsletter for expert breakdowns of transfer prospects, tactical fits, and the squad implications that matter to fans.

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Upon signing for Bournemouth in 2024, Chief Executive Neill Blake claimed that the full-back has “high potential”, but he has not had many opportunities to fulfill that potential, starting just seven league matches to date.

Celtic could provide him with an opportunity to start week-in-week-out in Glasgow as a loan signing for the second half of the season, which would offer him a chance to finally fulfill his potential by playing regular minutes.

His mixture of creativity and defensive quality with LA Galaxy suggests that he could offer more than Ralston, who has created nothing this season, as the right-sided centre-back in Nancy’s system, leaving the Scottish dud on the bench.

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Posts ByDan Emery

Then, Ralston could find himself struggling to make the bench once Alistair Johnston is back fit and ready to compete for Araujo for a position in the side, which is why this signing could facilitate the end of the right-back’s career at Celtic, as he may have to consider his future at Parkhead.

	Suresh Raina had a good Ranji season with 683 runs from eight games, with a double-century, a hundred and three half-centuries © Cricinfo Ltd

Suresh Raina is playing the patient game. He has no other option and he understands that. Two years ago he was earmarked for the future but he dropped off the radar, having failed to regain his mojo after which the team management lost its patience. He went back to domestic cricket to work out his faults but it was not a smooth drive and he had to encounter obstacles and navigate tight corners to work his way back into the Indian dressing room.”I didn’t make use of the time I spent in the middle”, Raina admits reflecting back on the form slump he faced in 2006 after starting off his international career on a high note. After returning home midway through the series in South Africa in December 2006 Raina scored a century against Tamil Nadu in a Ranji Trophy game. The selectors gave him another chance when they picked him for the last two ODIs of the home series against West Indies. Raina only played in the final game in Chennai, and his 23 was the last score he made for India.Soon it was back to the domestic grind but Raina suffered a knee injury during the one-day domestic tournaments and had to undergo surgery. He didn’t let that interfere with his focus and tried to work on his shortcomings. “I had to improve my footwork and my fitness is much better now”, he said.Raina agrees it is tough to make a comeback after one year, but he is now more positive and derives confidence from that. “I play very positively whenever I play any form of cricket. It’s good for me I got some big runs in the Ranji season. It’s always tough to come back, but the Indian players spoke with me to keep my confidence high.”Raina proved he had recovered completely from the injury with handy scores for Uttar Pradesh which played a crucial role in getting his side to the final for a second time in three years. UP lost the final to Delhi but Raina had scored 683 runs in eight Ranji games, including a double-century, a hundred and three half-centuries. In addition he worked on his fitness and more importantly sought to understand different match situations, which he feels is the key to success in the middle.He learnt by watching the seniors. “His [Tendulkar] practice session is different: his batting style, the selection of the balls is good learning. He has always been good at understanding the position of the game and adapts accordingly.” Raina now intends to do the same as he talks about the changes he has brought into his game during his break from international cricket. “Now I keep myself in a positive frame of mind and make sure I read the situation, understand the player at the other end and adapt”, Raina said, stressing that he has been working hard in the nets despite not yet getting a chance in the CB Series campaign.He understands that getting a chance in the series isn’t going to be easy since there are at least four players vying for the same No. 6 position. With Mahendra Singh Dhoni coming in at No. 5, Raina will first have to compete with Yuvraj Singh who, despite his minor form slump, will still be favoured for his experience. Dinesh Karthik and Manoj Tiwary are also waiting for call-ups.But competition and batting position don’t bother Raina too much. “What mattes is how you read the situation. I learned a lot of Yuvraj batting at No. 6. So I don’t see any pressure”, Raina said, pointing out that there was still one more practice session before the next game against Australia on Sunday. With four more games left in the league phase Raina is not losing hope yet.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Mashrafe Mortaza did the early damage with the ball © AFP

It was a delayed, stop-start affair that was reduced to 21 overs-a-side but will go down as one of the biggest moments in Bangladesh’s sporting history, a sweet seven-wicket triumph that surged them into the second stage of the World Cup. Their comfortable victory meant that India were well and truly ousted from the competition, leaving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to carry forward the Asian hopes from here on.It was a wet, gloomy affair at the Queen’s Park Oval but one that ended in a wave of Bangladeshi elation. They kept Bermuda down to 94, largely owing to Mashrafe Mortaza and Abdur Razzak, and then got home by seven wickets in conditions where the ball was moving around prodigiously. Chasing a meagre 96, Bangladesh were shaky at 37 for 3 but Mohammad Ashraful and Saqibul Hasan stitched together a 59-run stand to seal the issue.Defending a Duckworth-Lewis revised target of 96, Bermuda needed something special from their bowlers, and Kevin Hurdle delivered it, though not with his extra-ridden opening overs. Saleem Mukuddem, recalled into the XI, struck with his first ball as Tamim Iqbal shimmied down the track and top-edged over point. Hurdle sprinted over from third man, ran towards deep point, dove and pulled off a stunner with both hands.Hurdle couldn’t transform that effort into a good bowling display; three no-balls and a six followed in his second over. At the other end, a spirited Mukuddem hustled in and got the ball to move both ways off the scrambled seam and forced the wicketkeeper to stand up to the stumps. Aftab Ahmed drove perilously close to a diving mid-off and inside-edged on more than one occasion before he played all around an incutter that struck him in front of off stump. Mukuddem was rewarded for his consistent movement off a great length with a third wicket when he forced a shaky Shahriar Nafees to edge to second slip in the last over of the Powerplays.Perhaps unsure of how to approach their run chase, Saqibul and Ashraful survived leg before shouts, balls whizzing over the top of the stumps, and dropped catches. Fortunately for their side, they held their nerves. The yells and whoops from their team-mates on the balcony was one for the photo album.

Bangladesh were on a roll in the field, restricting Bermuda to 94 © AFP

Blue tarps and yellow tarp were both used by the groundstaff in a game that started roughly two-and-a-half-hours late due to rain and was held up four times, but Bangladesh’s decision to bowl first was justified. Mortaza wasted little time with the new ball under overcast conditions – Steven Outerbridge went for an injudicious pull in the first over but only found Mohammad Rafique at fine leg. After just three overs, however, the players and umpires were forced back into the hut as a massive rain shower lashed across the Queen’s Park Oval.The rain relented somewhat, the match was brought down to 35 overs, the groundstaff did a commendable job, and Mortaza needed just one delivery to take his second wicket. Syed Rasel wasn’t about to be left out, and picked up David Hemp with some help from Aftab Ahmed at backward point. But that the good old rain refused to go away for long and for the second time the players and umpires went inside with Bermuda on 17 for three after 7.4 overs.On resumption, Bashar introduced spin in the form of Razzak. The ball had to be wiped every few seconds, and the lack of turn did Bermuda, even in slippery conditions, created doubt in the batsmen’s’ minds. Captain Irvine Romaine adopted a stand-and-defend-or-swish approach, which worked for two thumped boundaries down the ground off Razzak, but when the bowler fired in one at 100kmhs, Romaine was a dead duck in front of middle stump.A fourth interruption curtailed the game to 21 overs, forcing Bermuda to go for broke. Dean Minors was let off at deep square leg off Saqibul’s slow left-arm spin, but two balls later Pitcher was smartly taken by Bashar, who ran backwards at sweeper cover and took the catch as he tumbled over. Lionel Cann took two fours and a six off three Aftab deliveries, was stumped off Saqibul, Rafique removed Tucker, Minors hit a big six in his 25-ball 23, and Bermuda set Bangladesh a Duckworth-Lewis revised 96 to get at just over four-and-a-half runs an over. Many in India would have stayed up late to hope Bermuda pull this one off, but would have to go to sleep disappointed.

Andre Nel: ‘I was catching sweet all week, I dropped Ricky again but luckily this time is cost us 15 runs’ © Getty Images

Andre Nel, the pick of South Africa’s bowlers on the second day at Cape Town, is upbeat about their prospects in the first Test. “If we can get 200 runs ahead, we are well in the game. If we bowl as well as we bowled today we have a real chance.”Nel beat the bat and caused problems for all the batsmen without much luck – he only took 2 for 45. But he knows how important his role will be defending any target. “Pace will be more difficult than spin – it is a two-paced wicket, some stop, some go through. Then again, maybe Nicky Boje can play a big part.”His disappointment at losing three wickets before the close was clear, as was his reaction to the crowd: “Our crowd are quite quiet in comparison to the Australian crowd – I miss the Australian crowd, I need them to fire me up.” But he was pleased that his dropped catch – Ricky Ponting on 61 – didn’t cost the team dear: “I was catching sweet all week, I dropped Ricky again but luckily this time is cost us 15 runs, not 100.” Nel dropped Ponting at Melbourne, when South Africa toured Australia, and he went on to score 117.Matthew Hayden was disappointed to miss out on his 26th Test century after doing a lot of hard work in tough conditions. “It is frustrating but I rode my luck as well over the course of the day, I was solid but it was the conditions we faced.”We would have liked some more runs, but it is a hard wicket to start on for batsmen and, while we are disappointed, we have a 100-run lead and with three wickets down we are looking at a pretty solid position.””There is a lot of sideways movement. This morning was as hard batting as we’ve had in Test cricket for a while. All the seamers had a good day, they offered that lateral movement – unless you were looking to play defensive shots you felt vulnerable.”He added that he was surprised by the quality of the wicket and thinks it leaves Australia in a good position for to push for victory. “I thought it would quicken up and there’d be less movement, but as the day went on it still offered seam movement. I’d suggest those conditions will remain through the course of this match. We have an important three wickets.”On this track we don’t want to chase 300, that’s for certain, we are off to a good start, we bowled in some good areas tonight and if it is anything like today, tomorrow morning will offer some challenges for their batting.”With no longer being part of the Australian one-day set-up, Hayden is delighted with his return to the international scene. “I have had two months where I haven’t played at this level and straight away I am really enjoying the opportunity and experience. The partnership today was a beauty. I have been playing a lot of four-day cricket so that is an advantage to prepare that way.”

A star is born in the 1992 World Cup© Getty Images

Inzamam’s back-to-the-wall 201 not out for United Bank Limited in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy on a greentop pushed him into the limelight. Haroon Rashid, the former Pakistan batsman and coach, considers it the best innings he has ever seen.
Inzamam had to contend with a fiery line-up of Curtly Ambrose, Ian Bishop, Malcolm Marshall and Patrick Patterson on his international debut at Lahore. He managed 20 before being bowled by Marshall. The game turned out to be a thriller and ended in a tie.
His rollicking 48 against South Africa ended when Jonty Rhodes defied all laws of gravity to run him out, but Inzamam made sure that he finished the World Cup with a mighty bang. His volcanic 60 at Auckland remains one of the great knocks in ODIs, as he and Javed Miandad surmounted a run-rate of over 8 per over. Later, his thrilling 42 in the final proved crucial in Pakistan’s dream triumph.
Not much batting for Inzamam in a high-scoring draw against England at Edgbaston.
Another high-scoring draw at Antigua but Inzamam managed to notch up his maiden Test century against West Indies, despite having to shepherd the tail for much of his innings.
Inzy played his part in a run-fest against New Zealand at Wellington, where Saeed Anwar and Saleem Malik also produced hundreds. Wasim Akram finished the job with a cracking seven-wicket haul and Pakistan claimed the series 2-0.
Not many nails were left at the end of this one as Inzamam and Mushtaq Ahmed engineered a minor miracle against Australia at Karachi. From 258 for 9, Pakistan managed to surmount the target of 315 and go one-up in the series. Ian Healy missed a stumping when three runs were needed and Pakistan prevailed in one of the closest finishes of all.

On his way to a mammoth 329 against New Zealand at Lahore© Getty Images

On the opening day of a series against England at Lord’s, Inzamam walked in at 12 for 2 and revived the innings before stamping his authority with a magnificent 148. He tightened the noose in the second innings with 76 more and Pakistan wrapped it up by a 164-run margin.
Inzamam’s first Test double-hundred came in the final of the Asian Test Championship against Sri Lanka. Ijaz Ahmed joined in the run-glut and Pakistan sailed to the title.
Inzamam’s only century against Australia came in a losing cause but it was made with the Hobart Test very much in the balance. Australia had managed only a slender lead and he consolidated Pakistan’s position with a controlled 118. It almost turned into a series-levelling knock until Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist began their daylight robbery.
This was another series in the balance with Darren Gough, Andy Caddick and Matthew Hoggard swinging it on the first morning. Enter Inzy who responded with a rattling 114. A tenacious 85 in the second innings set the game up, as Saqlain Mushtaq and friends took eight wickets in the final session to seal the series-levelling win.
The biggie. For nearly two days, New Zealand had no respite in the searing heat and were clobbered to all corners of the Gaddafi Stadium. Inzamam’s 329 was the second-highest score by a Pakistan batsman, behind Hanif Mohammad’s 337, and the tenth-highest score in Test history.
Nineteen runs in six innings is all that Inzy could manage in Pakistan’s shambolic World Cup performance. Was one of the many who was dropped in the aftermath.

Magic at Karachi© Getty Images

This was the match where Inzamam ensured against a humiliating result. Chasing 261 in the final Test at Multan, Pakistan were 205 for 8 and in danger of giving Bangladesh their first Test win. Inzamam would have none of it, however, and with sizeable help from Nos. 10 and 11, inched them past the line.
Just three matches after his comeback, Inzamam found himself in the hot seat. It turned into a tense Test and Pakistan required his calm presence on the final day to earn a nervy draw.
In a coruscating display of mind-blowing strokeplay, Inzamam nearly made the impossible happen against India. No team had successfully chased down 350 in an ODI but his 122 off 102 balls was like a divine bolt that landed in Karachi. Pakistan fell just short but it was undoubtedly the innings of the series, maybe even the best of his career.
He became only the second player, after Sachin Tendulkar, to pass 10000 runs in one-day cricket during Pakistan’s victory over India in the Champions Trophy last year.