'Beginning of something special' – India v Bangladesh Test at Eden Gardens to be day-night affair

India and Bangladesh are the only Full Members apart from Afghanistan and Ireland to have not played a day-night Test yet

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2019

Eden Gardens might host India’s first day-night Test•Getty Images

The BCB has agreed to the BCCI’s request for the second Test between India and Bangladesh to be a day-night fixture at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.”I’m pleased to announce that our long-term partner BCB has graciously agreed to play a day-night Test match,” BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, who has spoken about day-night affairs as “a way forward” when it comes to bringing people to the stadiums to watch Test cricket, said in a statement released by the BCCI. “This is the beginning of something special in Indian cricket. It is a priority for the newly elected Office Bearers and members of Apex Council to take Indian cricket forward.”For me, as former captain of India and as the current president of BCCI, Test cricket is of utmost priority and we at BCCI will leave no stone unturned to bring this format back to its feet. In this effort of ours, day-night Test cricket is a huge step forward and we believe it will bring back the crowd into stadiums and a whole lot of young children to the sport. I am extremely honoured that the Eden Gardens will host the inaugural day-night Test match and the Cricket Association of Bengal will create a spectacle for everyone to watch.”The development comes less than a week after Ganguly took charge of the BCCI, and the BCB, despite the Bangladesh cricketers having played almost no day-night multi-day cricket – true of the Indians too – played ball.”I thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board President Mr. Nazmul Hassan and his team for accepting our request on such a short notice. I also thank India captain Mr. Virat Kohli for his co-operation,” Ganguly said.ALSO READ – Red ball, not pink – BCCI, domestic cricketers make their preference knownHassan acknowledged the “very long history of support, co-operation and friendship” between the two boards, saying in the same statement, “Ours is a bond of strength and it is very heartening and reassuring for the BCB to have someone like Mr Ganguly as BCCI President who has been an integral part of this journey.”Sourav Ganguly chats with Virat Kohli at an event in Kolkata in 2018•Getty Images

Bangladesh’s decision to go ahead with the pink-ball Test came after discussions between the board and the players.”I am pleased that we have had a frank and constructive discussion with the players and the team management. I have received a positive response about playing the day-night Test in view of the BCB-BCCI relationship,” Hassan said.That the Bangladesh team would play the Kolkata Test as a day-night contest had actually become clear when head coach Russell Domingo addressed a press conference in Mirpur on Tuesday, the same day their Test and T20I captain Shakib Al Hasan was banned by the ICC for two years (one year suspended) for not reporting bookie approaches to the concerned authorities.”As a coach and some players and all the other senior players, we think it’s a great opportunity and I don’t think India have played a pink-ball Test before,” Domingo said. “We haven’t played a pink-ball Test and it’s a great occasion at Eden Gardens and it will be a new experience for both teams. So, we’re excited and it’s going to be a great occasion under lights at Kolkata against probably the best team in the world.”We’re really looking forward to the challenge. We’re not going to have a lot of time to prepare with the pink ball but it’s the same for India.”One of the major concerns for Bangladesh was their lack of match practice with the pink balls that are used in day-night Tests – only one match has been played in the country with them, the first-class Bangladesh Cricket League final in February 2013.Coach Russell Domingo speaks to some of the players during a training session•BCB

While Domingo acknowledged those concerns, he reckoned the “uncertainty” surrounding the pink-ball Test might tilt the scales in Bangladesh’s favour.”We know India are a good Test team, they’re the No. 1 Test team in the world, but the uncertainty of playing a pink-ball Test – both teams don’t quite know what to expect – could work in our advantage,” he said. “The way the game’s going, we need to try new things at certain times and we’re excited by it.”I’ve spoken to the players and for sure there have been some concerns and some guys have said: ‘Oh! We don’t know, two [four] days between the first and second Test’.”Domingo, though, has been part of a day-night Test before, in 2016, when he was the coach of the South Africa team that faced Australia at Adelaide Oval. Domingo hoped that experience would assist him in Kolkata.”In my time at South Africa, we played a pink-ball Test in Adelaide, but we had a warm-up game before that and we had a few sessions with the pink ball leading into the Test match,” Domingo recalled. “I have some experience when it has happened with the pink ball, so hopefully we can share the information and that’s the advantage for us.”Shakib’s ban is a massive blow to a side that is already depleted by the absence of Tamim Iqbal, who has pulled out of the entire tour of India as his wife is expecting their second child later this month.India and Bangladesh are the only Full Members apart from Afghanistan and Ireland to have not played a day-night Test yet.The Eden Gardens Test is scheduled to begin on November 22, with the series of three T20Is (Delhi – November 3, Rajkot – November 7, and Nagpur – November 10) and the first Test, in Indore from November 14, preceding it.

5 Arsenal starlets Norwich could target if Carlos Cuesta takes charge

Despite Norwich City turning their fortunes around as of late in the Championship – signalled in their emphatic 4-1 win over Cardiff City on Saturday – change could still be on the horizon in the Carrow Road dug-out very soon.

David Wagner has been a divisive and unpopular figure in Norfolk as the Canaries boss this campaign, the former Huddersfield Town manager scrutinised heavily when Norwich have played poorly due to his tactical decisions and more leaving a lot to be desired.

Yet, fast forward to proceedings in the second tier regardless of the German's up-and-down time in charge, Norwich now find themselves just outside of the playoffs owing to goal difference.

Still, the Canaries – according to rumours – are targeting Arsenal coach Carlos Cuesta to take over from Wagner at the end of this season.

With former Gunners man Ben Knapper sporting director now at Carrow Road, this bold alternate direction could make sense and could well see Norwich gain a number of starlets from north London in the process.

So, here are five Arsenal youngsters who could potentially relocate to Norfolk soon on temporary loan moves, with Cuesta putting his connections with Arteta and Co to good use…

1 RB – Brooke Norton-Cuffy

Cuesta could well look to bring in young right-back Brooke Norton-Cuffy to Norwich on his potential arrival into the building, with the exciting full-back proving – whilst out on loan in the EFL in the past – that he's capable of performing well in the Championship.

Able to operate further forward as a right midfielder if needs be, where Norton-Cuffy can show off his blistering attacking game, the 20-year-old is highly thought of by fans of Rotherham United, Coventry City and Lincoln City having donned their respective strips in short stints.

Scoring two goals and picking up four assists from 69 second-tier appearances to date, Norton-Cuffy is continuing to shine in the Championship with Millwall this season despite their precarious predicament in the division.

The full-throttle defender has helped himself to two goals and two assists this season for the Lions, a bright spark in a side that is currently languishing in 21st position.

Norwich could well be Norton-Cuffy's next destination after he returns back to Arsenal from the Den, bolstering the right-hand side in Norfolk away from Jack Stacey and Christian Fassnacht currently.

2 ST – Mika Biereth

Norwich could also be in the market for an explosive striker come the start of next season under Cuesta, with Mika Biereth eager to show off his goalscoring prowess in the Championship after impressing elsewhere on loan away from the Emirates Stadium.

The 21-year-old Danish striker – who has bagged an impressive 12 goals from 26 appearances with the Arsenal U23s to date – was potent on loan up in Scotland with Motherwell earlier this season with six goals and five assists managed from just 15 games.

The Scottish outfit were distraught when Biereth packed his bags and moved on to Austria in another loan switch, the two-time Denmark U21 international now plying his trade with SK Sturm Graz.

Biereth's free-flowing nature in front of goal has travelled with him to his new surroundings, with the Gunners loanee bagging two goals from three games out in Austria.

Could Norwich fancy taking a punt on the prolific young sharpshooter? With the Canaries unafraid to recruit strikers on loan seen just this January – as Dutch attacker Sydney van Hooijdonk joined on Deadline Day – Biereth could well be lined up for a switch to Carrow Road under Cuesta.

3 RW – Amario Cozier-Duberry

Amario Cozier-Duberry could also be lined up to come in at Norwich next season, potentially filling the void left behind by Jonathan Rowe if he does end up leaving the Canaries behind for pastures new.

The 18-year-old isn't anywhere near Rowe in terms of cutting his teeth at a senior level – with Rowe bagging 13 goals from 32 appearances this season – but Cozier-Duberry has been equally as slick and as tricky as the breakout 20-year-old Canaries attacker whilst playing youth football.

This season, the teenage starlet has accumulated five goals from nine appearances playing in the Premier League 2 which bumps his total up to 12 goals from 38 appearances for the U23s.

Yet to get a taster of senior action away from the Emirates, this could be the perfect loan switch for Cozier-Duberry's development especially if a familiar face in Cuesta can put his arm around the 18-year-old if times are tough acclimatising to the demands of the Championship.

4 CM – Charlie Patino

Arsenal youngster Charlie Patino

Charlie Patino has, however, more than proven himself out on loan away from the comforts of North London with the 20-year-old central midfielder impressing those at Swansea City currently.

Adept at playing as a defensive midfielder alongside being pushed forward to play in an attacking spot behind the strikers, Patino could offer the Canaries an adaptable presence in the middle of the park akin to the likes of Gabriel Sara already present in Norfolk.

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The silky 20-year-old has excelled in an attacking role for the Swans on loan this campaign, picking up four goals and four assists from 27 games played overall.

Those commendable numbers lift Patino's goal contributions to 13 in total from 59 Championship career appearances, with Cuesta keeping the 6-foot midfielder in mind if he does jump into the deep-end of management with the Canaries.

5 CDM – Myles Lewis-Skelly

myles-lewis-skelly-arsenal-charlie-patino-academy-transfer-ornstein

The final player Cuesta could look to target to help add to his new-look Norwich side could be defensive midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly, adding in strength to depth to the holding positions at Carrow Road as a result.

This loan signing could allow for the potential new Norwich manager to unshackle Sara and play him further forward, with Lewis-Skelly more than capable of holding his own in the second tier if given a chance to shine.

From 13 appearances this season for the U23s, the 17-year-old has amassed one goal and five assists for his efforts playing as an anchor for the youthful Gunners.

Signing his first professional contract for Arsenal late last year, the time could be right for Lewis-Skelly to spread his wings with Norwich a potential first loan destination for the teenage midfielder.

'I thought his podcast might be more PG!' – Jarrod Bowen stunned by Gary Lineker's expletive-laden criticism of England's performance against Denmark

Jarrod Bowen was surprised by Gary Lineker's scathing attack on the England team after Denmark clash.

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  • Bowen reacted to Lineker's criticism
  • Ex-England star labelled the team's performance as 'sh*t'
  • Three Lions have four points from first two matches
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The Three Lions have received heavy criticism from all quarters after subpar performances in their first two matches of Euro 2024. England picked up a narrow win over Serbia followed by a 1-1 draw against Denmark in their second group game.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Former England and Tottenham Hotspur forward Gary Lineker joined the bandwagon after the clash against the Danes and launched a scathing attack on the team on his podcast, where he called their performance 'sh*t'.

  • WHAT JARROD BOWEN SAID

    Now West Ham winger Bowen, who made his tournament debut against Serbia after replacing Bukayo Saka in the second half, has reacted to the England legend's criticism as he told reporters, "I didn’t know it was as strong as that. I thought his podcast might be a little bit more PG. But they’re more than entitled to speak about the games. They’ve played for their country and they’ve played at a high level.

    "I think the sign of a really good side is when you’re not playing as well as you know you can, but you make sure you don’t lose the game.

    "We’re sat here with four points. There’s a lot of noise, a lot of uproar, as if we’re sat here with two defeats and the bottom of the table. But the reality is we’re top of the table with lots of confidence going into the last group game, where we know we need to win. We look forward to that challenge on Tuesday night."

    He added, "Of course you see it, but there’s only so much you want to read before you either end up replying or saying something you don’t want to say. So you’re controlling what you want to see because it can affect your mood and put a negative spin on it when you’re sat here after two games, undefeated and in a really good position. We know what we have and what we can do going forward. We know we can be better."

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    WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

    Harry Kane and Co will hope to silence the naysayers with a stellar performance in their final group game against Slovenia on Tuesday to book a round of 16 berth as group toppers.

Newcastle chiefs may now make surprise Joelinton decision amid "headache"

Walking a fine line up against the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, if Newcastle United are to spend big again, then selling players may well be the only way forward. And that could result in a shock decision to accept offers for one of Eddie Howe's most important players, according to reports.

Newcastle transfer news

Despite Newcastle's loss reportedly hitting the £155m mark across the last three seasons, which is £50m over the Premier League's limit, they are seemingly not in breach of the rules due to investment in the women's team, academy and charity foundation not playing a part in the final figure. That said, it's certainly too close for comfort for the Magpies, who need to sell before they can get involved in big-money deals once more, in a similar manner to how Liverpool moved on from the likes pf Philippe Coutinho early in their project.

It's quite the blow for Howe, given that his side are in desperate need of reinforcements. Sat as low as 10th after failing to replicate the form that saw them qualify for the Champions League last season, those at St James' Park have had their squad depth exposed for all to see in the current campaign. Yet, so far this month, Howe has been forced to watch on as speculation circles over the futures of Bruno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier, Callum Wilson, Miguel Almiron and now Joelinton, albeit only Almiron looks really likely to leave this month.

Newcastle United defender Kieran Trippier.

Previous reports claimed that contract talks had broken down between the former Hoffenheim star and the Magpies, but now an even more damning update has emerged. According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, PIF and Newcastle could now accept offers for Joelinton, with a well-placed source within the club claiming that the midfielder is giving club chiefs a "headache".

Potentially forced into a sale as a result, Newcastle could lose a player who may not even get the chance to bid farewell at St James' Park due to an injury that will leave him sidelined until May.

"Excellent" Joelinton has become a key man

It wasn't so long ago that Joelinton looked destined to become a £40m flop never to be talked about again on Tyneside, but the arrival of Howe soon paved the way for a different path. Whilst Joelinton the striker earned the flop tag, Joelinton the midfielder has earned the tag of a star player for the Magpies and even Brazil. It's now reached the point where his long-term injury is a major blow for those at St James' Park. Howe is certainly aware of the midfielder's capabilities too, saying back in 2022:

Despite the Brazilian's importance, however, if contract talks continue to cause headaches behind the scenes over his contract demands at St James' Park, then Joelinton may well find himself heading for the exit door, aiding Newcastle's FFP situation in the process.

Wow: Chelsea considering meeting Newcastle’s asking price for Callum Wilson

Having endured a season to forget on the pitch, which has so far seen Eddie Howe's side fail to replicate the form that saw them qualify for the Champions League last time out, Newcastle United now face problems away from St James' Park. The Magpies could soon have no choice but to bid farewell to some key players, perhaps even in the January transfer window.

Newcastle's FFP situation explained

The Premier League's profit and sustainability rules have left Newcastle walking a fine line when it comes to Financial Fair Play sanctions. According to The Guardian, the rules state that over the course of three seasons, a club is only allowed to record a loss of £105m. Newcastle's in that time period stands at a reported £155m, but the Magpies are safe from any punishment for now due to investment into the women's team, academy or charity foundation.

PIF will likely have to sell before they can think about spending big once more though, with chief executive Darren Eales saying earlier this month: "If we’re going to get to where we want to get to, at times, it’s necessary to trade your players. It’s a counterintuitive part of the PSR system that there is an incentive to trade players if you want to reinvest.”

callum-wilson-newcastle-united

That said, reports suggest that the Magpies could be set to lose a key player before the end of the month. According to Football Transfers, Chelsea are considering matching Newcastle's £18m asking price for Callum Wilson, who has also been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid in the winter window.

The forward has been at the club since 2020, but could now leave amid Newcastle's FFP fears in a deadline beating move, with the Blues themselves in desperate need of a truly clinical number nine who won't break the bank.

Newcastle must keep "excellent" Wilson

Given that Chelsea sit ninth, two points and one place above Newcastle in the Premier League, it wouldn't exactly be wise for those at St James' Park to sanction Wilson's exit to the London club this month, or to wherever else for that matter. The former Bournemouth man holds the experience that Alexander Isak lacks and is still going stride for stride with the Swede, who is not ready to take up the goalscoring mantel on his own just yet. Here's how Wilson's stats compare to Isak's in the Premier League this season…

Premier League 2023/24

Starts

Goals

Assists

Expected Goals

Callum Wilson

7

7

1

7.2

Alexander Isak

13

10

0

10.1

After working with Howe at Bournemouth and now Newcastle, Wilson is certainly one of Howe's favourites, with the manager full of praise for the forward back in their days on the South Coast, telling Sky Sports: "Callum was excellent today, as was Josh King – they caused lots of problems today. It is testament to Callum's professionalism that he is able to play 90 minutes, he has worked hard on his comeback. It was great to see him score and the team were boosted by his return."

Jadhav fit, no changes to India's World Cup squad

The selectors decided to stick to the original 15 once they were told Jadhav had been batting in the nets without any discomfort

Nagraj Gollapudi20-May-2019Kedar Jadhav has been pronounced fit to take part in the World Cup, meaning that there will not be any changes to the provisional squad named earlier. Jadhav’s position had become uncertain after he hurt his left shoulder during IPL 2019 while diving in the field during Chennai Super Kings’ match against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali in the first week of May. Jadhav left the field immediately, and was subsequently out of the rest of the IPL season.The injury took place on May 5, a month before India’s first league match in the World Cup, against South Africa, on June 5 in Southampton. Given the time available for recovery, the Indian selectors did not rush into naming a replacement after receiving a favourable initial report from team physiotherapist Patrick Farhart.ESPNcricinfo understands that Farhart gave a final nod to the selectors a few days back. The selectors eventually made up their minds once they were told Jadhav was also batting in the nets without any discomfort in his injured shoulder.If Jadhav had failed to recover, the selection panel, led by former Indian wicketkeeper MSK Prasad, would have picked a replacement from the five standbys: Rishabh Pant, Ambati Rayudu, Ishant Sharma, Axar Patel and Navdeep Saini.

USMNT Olympics midfielder Tanner Tessman scores wondergoal to lead Venezia past Palermo in Serie B promotion playoff semifinals

Tanner Tessman scored a sensational goal to lead Venezia into the Serie B promotion playoff final Friday as they defeated Palermo.

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Venezia defeat Palermo 3-1 over two legsTessman scores wondergoalClub advance to promotion playoff finalWHAT HAPPENED?

Tessman opened the scoring of the second leg, notching his sixth goal of the campaign for the club in stunning fashion. With a wicked effort across the box, Tessman smashed the ball into the side of the net and over the goalkeepers hands just three minutes in. With a 1-0 victory in the first leg, Venezia capped it off with a 2-1 win Friday, winning 3-0 on aggregate.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Alongside Tessman, fellow U.S. Olympic squad member Gianluca Busio started both matches, playing a pivotal role in their advancement to the final. The duo are expected to be the starting pairing for Marko Mitrovic's U23 USMNT side in the Paris Olympics this summer, with their club chemistry translating to the international stage. Before they can even think about this summer, though, the duo have a final to play now.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tessman has been with Venezia since 2021, when he debuted for the club as a 19-year-old midfielder from FC Dallas. Friday marked his 98th appearances across all compeitions for the Italian side.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR TESSMAN?

The Serie B promotion playoff fin al will now see Venezia, Tessman and Busio take on the winner of Cremonese vs Catanzaro, who play on Saturday. The date and time of the final is yet to be confirmed.

Man Utd make contact for "amazing" £60m Marc Guehi swoop in January

Manchester United have endured a strange season so far. Erik ten Hag and Harry Maguire have just won Manager of the Month and Player of the Month in England's top tier.

But this comes amid a disastrous Champions League campaign, though they sit within touching distance of the champions and the top four heading into this weekend's matches despite a number of shock defeats.

That is thanks in part to defeating Chelsea in midweek, suggesting there is little need to panic just yet for the Red Devils in terms of their results.

When the January transfer window swings open, Ten Hag has the chance to improve his squad and rid of any deadwood, which could result in the arrival of a potential gamechanger in his backline.

Man Utd transfer news

Those at Old Trafford haven't got it right on too many occasions in the transfer market in recent years, with Jadon Sancho epitomising that. The winger arrived with all the potential in the world after rising to stardom at Borussia Dortmund, only to now find himself frozen out at United. Sancho's falling-out with Ten Hag stole the headlines earlier in the season and the situation remains unresolved. United's focus doesn't seem to be on Sancho, however, with reports suggesting that they're eyeing a move for a Premier League defender.

Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

According to Football Insider, Manchester United have made contact with Crystal Palace to register their interest in signing Marc Guehi. The Eagles have reportedly set a price tag of £60m for their central defender in January, but United are currently only willing to offer £45m in the forthcoming window.

The Red Devils aren't alone in their interest either, with Tottenham Hotspur also reportedly eyeing a move to sign the England international. When January arrives, Palace may find themselves in a battle to keep their star defender, given the calibre of interest in Guehi.

"Amazing" Guehi could be Man Utd's best centre-back

It's no real shock that Palace have set their valuation so high for Guehi, who has enjoyed a fantastic rise since making the move from Chelsea to Selhurst Park in 2021. Guehi's stats show exactly why United are interested and indicate that he could instantly take the responsibility as the best centre-back at Old Trafford ahead of Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez.

Marc Guehi

10

37

11

13

Harry Maguire

8

34

4

9

Raphael Varane

6

26

4

1

Victor Lindelof

13

27

6

8

Lisandro Martinez

6

26

6

2

Those numbers have earned Guehi an England call-up and deserved praise from the likes of Maguire, who could be his future teammate. Maguire said via BBC Sport: "Marc has done amazing. I think he left Chelsea at an amazing time when he had to play football. When you watch him play, he doesn't look like a young boy playing football. He's a captain of Crystal Palace. He’s going to have a long career in the game. He has all the attributes you need to be a centre-back.

"He's such a young boy playing with so much maturity."

Bidding war: Another club now makes offer to sign Celtic’s Yosuke Ideguchi

One Celtic player is starting to become a target overseas ahead of the New Year, with another club making an offer for his services.

Celtic transfer update

The Hoops were busy over the summer following Brendan Rodgers’ return to Parkhead, with a number of additions being made in multiple areas of the pitch.

Celtic summer window signings

Fee

Gustaf Lagerbielke (IF Elfsborg)

£3m

Odin Thiago Holm (Valerenga)

£2.5m

Marco Tilio (Melbourne City)

£2m

Hyun-Jun Yang (Gangwon)

£2m

Hyeokkyu Kwon (Busan I-Park)

£1m

Maik Nawrocki (Legia Warsaw)

£4.3m

Tomoki Iwata (Yokohama F. Marinos)

Undisc.

All fees according to Sky Sports

Alongside all the arrivals, there were also some departees, and the club actually made a profit in the summer, mainly due to Jota’s big-money exit to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad. As well as Jota, Celtic also received fees for Carl Starfelt, Albian Ajeti and Conor Hazard, and by the looks of things, the club could soon bring in cash for another player in 2024.

Celtic outcast Yosuke Ideguchi made the move back to Japan earlier this year, joining Avispa Fukuoka back in February. Since then, reports have claimed that the J1 League want to secure his services on a permanent deal.

Yosuke Ideguchi

However, in a new Celtic transfer update from Japan, relayed by The Glasgow Times, the Hoops have already received an offer from Avispa Fukuoka and now fellow Japanese side Vissel Kobe are also said to have made a "formal offer" for the midfielder.

Yosuke Ideguchi's career at Celtic

Ideguchi arrived in Glasgow back in January 2022 and is under contract until 2026, however, things haven’t worked out for the Japan international. He has missed a number of games through injury since putting pen to paper in Scotland and has made just six senior appearances in green and white. His injury issues have continued while on loan at Avispa Fukuoka.

Yosuke Ideguchi injury history

Injury

Games missed

Season

Broken ankle

17

2022/23

Fitness

12

2022/23

Knee

7

2021/22

Unknown

10

2020/21

Former Greuther Furth boss Damir Buric previously heaped praise on the player, though, saying:

“In regards to Yosuke, I can only speak the best. He is an outstanding person with great character. First of all I was very impressed with the way he came back from that serious injury. What impressed me most was the way he was working during his time out with the injury.

“It was just unbelievable, almost like soldier. He showed such a great attitude and positive approach. He was extremely disciplined, took in every additional training session of physical rehabilitation and invested all of his time in getting back as soon as he possibly could.”

He appears to be a player with quality when fully fit, however, unfortunately, Celtic haven’t seen that version of the player enough, so a permanent exit could make sense for all involved in 2024, whether that be with Avispa Fukuoka or Vissel Kobe, making this one to watch.

Wolves player now likely to leave in January as 5 clubs register interest

Wolverhampton Wanderers could sanction the sale of a first-team squad member next month, with a reliable journalist revealing that he’s attracting serious interest ahead of January.

Wolves ins and outs

Jonny Otto has recently been exiled from the group after aiming an elbow at one of the club’s youth team players, alongside spitting at one of the staff and damaging items in the changing rooms, and his behaviour is expected to signal the end of the road for him.

According to Dean Jones, Gary O’Neil’s defender is set to leave during the upcoming transfer window, with clubs still likely to be interested in him based on the experience that he carries under his belt, but if the following update is to be believed, he might not be the only one heading for the exit door in the near future.

Wolves make contact for "immense" starlet who wants to join Premier League

This could all but seal their survival.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 15, 2023

Fabio Silva first put pen to paper back in 2020, but the striker has failed to nail down a regular place in the starting line-up so has been sent out on two loan spells, the first to Anderlecht and the second to PSV Eindhoven, and he’s still been struggling upon his return (Transfermarkt – Silva statistics).

In the Premier League this season, Portugal’s youth international has made just three starts and five substitute appearances (WhoScored – Silva statistics), and considering how out of favour he is, the 21-year-old’s potential availability has alerted suitors that he might be up for grabs.

Wolves expected to sell Silva

Taking to X, The Express and Star’s Liam Keen claimed that Wolves will get rid of Silva amid growing interest, whether this be on a temporary or permanent basis.

EXCL: Fabio Silva likely to depart Wolves in January and not short of suitors. 5 German clubs interested and named below. Spanish and Italian clubs also monitoring. Details on loan or permanent possibility.”

Wolves striker Fabio Silva.

Silva has not been "good enough" under O'Neil

As it stands, Silva currently ranks as O’Neil’s 23rd overall best-performing player out of 23 squad members with a match rating of 6.04, showing how little of a positive impact he’s able to make when he is handed the rare opportunity to play, so Fosun should definitely cash in next month (WhoScored – Wolves statistics).

Standing at 6 foot, Gondomar’s native has even failed to register a single goal or assist in the top-flight since the start of the season, and considering that he is meant to be a centre-forward, it's no surprise that he hasn't been able to stake his claim, with his form seeing him slammed not “good enough” by journalist Josh Bunting.

Furthermore, Silva pockets £80k-per-week which makes him the joint second-highest earner alongside Nelson Semedo and behind Pablo Sarabia (Wolves salaries), so for someone who doesn’t serve to be receiving that much, Fosun should indeed get him off the books and use the extra cash to generate funds towards new signings in January.

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