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This is the second time in the last two years that the former Pakistan captain has turned to the lower level in a bid to extend his playing career

Umar Farooq11-Jan-2019Misbah-ul-Haq is set to play Quaid-e-Azam Grade Two competition for his home side Faisalabad ahead of the Pakistan Super League, which begins on February 14. This is the second time in the last two years that the former Pakistan captain has turned to the lower level in a bid to extend his playing career. He will be joined by batsman Ahmed Shehzad, who is aiming to work his way back from his ban.Misbah retired from international cricket in 2017 and has since been active in the domestic circuit. Last season, he played both List A and the four-day games for SNGPL. Ahead of the PSL draft last year, he backtracked on his agreement to mentor Islamabad United, saying he wanted to play in the 2019 season. He was picked by Peshawar Zalmi in the Diamond category in the draft.The 44-year-old led Faisalabad to a win in 2017 in the Grade Two tournament and helped them qualify for the country’s premier first-class tournament Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. They, however, lost six straight games out of the seven, with one abandoned, following which they were relegated.”The biggest motivation for me is to help Faisalabad regain their Grade One spot,” Misbah said. “We were relegated last season and our aim is to qualify for first-class cricket again; this is what we can strive to do for our region. Such events also provide an opportunity to work with younger players, to spend time with them to work on their game and transfer experience. On a personal note the tournament should help me prepare for the PSL.”Meanwhile, Shehzad will return to competitive cricket after serving a five-and-half-month ban for violating the board’s anti-doping rules. He was initially handed a four-month suspension but it was extended by six weeks after he was found guilty of breaching the ruling on the original ban. As a result, he missed playing the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he was to play for Sui Southern Gas Corporation after his contract was terminated by Habib Bank Limited.”The last few months were very tough for me; I badly missed playing cricket especially since the sport is a childhood passion of mine and an integral part of my life,” Shehzad said.”I am more focused than ever and have worked hard on improving my mindset and other aspects of the game. I am really looking forward to representing Faisalabad. Grade Two is a platform from where a lot of players have emerged and I am eager to deliver to the best of my ability for my team.”

The Celtic managerial pendulum is swinging once again. A few weeks ago it looked as though the Bhoys would appoint Roy Keane but then it was Eddie Howe in their crosshairs.

However, they may now have to turn their attentions elsewhere after a major update emerged on Howe’s future.

What’s the word?

The former Bournemouth boss has been touted as Neil Lennon’s successor for over a week now but an immediate move for the 43-year-old has now been put in doubt.

News from Sky Sports late on Wednesday evening revealed word coming from Howe’s camp that he wouldn’t be arriving at Parkhead until at least the summer.

The manager’s rep said: “Talks of any deal being close are extremely premature.”

They added: “His plan remains to not return to management until the summer at the earliest.”

Howe left the Cherries by mutual consent last August after they were relegated from the Premier League but he is yet to find a new job.

Desmond seething

This is news that will have rocked Celtic considerably. They evidently had ideas of replacing John Kennedy as interim boss in the immediate future with talks taking place with both Keane and Howe over the last month.

However, the idea that they may have to soldier on with Kennedy at the helm until the summer is unlikely to be greeted too kindly by supporters and majority shareholder Dermot Desmond.

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The businessman seemingly has his work cut out when it comes to finding a new manager for the playing squad and he may now have to look elsewhere again if Howe wants to wait until the summer before making an executive decision.

Last week it looked as though Howe was all but through the door after advanced talks had taken place.

There is nothing to play for in the league right now but finding a new manager to guide their Scottish Cup run could have been game-changing in providing them with some light relief after a difficult campaign.

This is their last remaining chance of winning a trophy this term but with Kennedy at the helm and Rangers to come in the next round, the opportunity of lifting silverware feels slim.

Though, with fresh ideas and a new manager like Howe arriving, it may have given the club some added impetus.

The fact that the Englishman won’t want to arrive until the summer at the earliest should leave Desmond particularly annoyed and frustrated.

AND in other news, Left for £0, now worth £63m: Celtic will rue rash call on “unbelievable” £100k-p/w gem…

According to a recent report, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in the signing of VfB Stuttgart centre-forward, Sasa Kalajdzic, as a replacement for Spurs’ loanee striker, Carlos Vinicius, this summer.

The report by the Daily Mail claims that, upon the expiry of his season-long loan at Tottenham, Vinicius is set to make a return to Benfica, as Daniel Levy is unwilling to pay the £36 million option to buy clause in the 26-year-old’s contract.

As a result of Vinicius’ impending departure from north London, it is then claimed that Jose Mourinho is searching for replacements for the Brazilian, with Kalajdzic believed to be one of the 58-year-old’s targets.

Last month, a report by Kicker (via Sport Witness) claimed that West Ham United are also interested in the 6 foot 5 Stuttgart forward, for whom the Bundesliga side are thought to be demanding a fee of between €20-25 million (£17.4-21.75 million) to part with this summer.

Transfer Tavern Take

With Vinicius starting just three Premier League fixtures during his loan spell at Spurs so far, with the striker only managing one goal over his total of nine top-flight appearances, it is hardly surprising that the club are unwilling to pay a substantial amount of money for the Brazilian this summer.

And, with Kalajdzic having scored 14 goals and provided four assists over his 27 Bundesliga appearances for Stuttgart this season, as well as the fact the 23-year-old is reportedly available for much less than it would cost to sign Vinicius, it is easy to see why Tottenham may feel that the Austria international would be much better value for money.

In other news: ‘It may be’ – Spurs target drops huge hint on transfer; Mourinho fascinated by ‘remarkable’ star – find out more here!

The ex-Barcelona man did what he does best, helping the Herons escape Los Angeles with a shocking draw

It had to be him, didn't it? For 90 minutes, Inter Miami deserved a whole lot of nothing from their visit to the LA Galaxy on Sunday night. That was the first 90, though. As it turned out, Lionel Messi was simply waiting for minute 92.

The Argentine was the hero, of course. His 92nd-minute goal helped Miami steal a point that few would say they deserved. Combining with Jordi Alba, Messi turned back the clocks with a fantastic last-gasp finish to stun a Galaxy team that had so, so many chances to put this game away.

Dejan Jovelic scored LA's lone goal, and it's a wonder that it was the only one. Riqui Puig saw his penalty kick saved by Drake Callender, who created miracles to keep the Galaxy from more. He faced 23 shots during the match, but only one slipped in one as Jovelic was left free to tap-in on the back post in the 75th minute.

From there, though, things slowly started to go Miami's way. Marco Delgado's 87th-minute second yellow card was the start of it all, a questionable call at best, that helped turn the game. From that moment forward, Miami had a chance, and Messi ultimately made the most of it.

Despite the result, the Herons looked clearly frustrated after the final whistle. They were played off the field for much of this one but, somehow, stole a point anyway. That's what Messi can do – and at the end of the day, having the Argentine in your XI remains a cheat code.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Dignity Health Sports Park…

• USA Today Sports
  

  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Drake Callender (9/10):

  The clear Man of the Match for Miami. Absolutely fantastic in goal, making several key stops in addition to the one on Puig from the penalty spot.

  Jordi Alba (8/10):

  Did his thing on the left throughout before finally setting up Messi's equalizer. A connection we've seen a thousand times, and one that saved Miami in a big way on Sunday night.

  Tomas Aviles (6/10):

  Did his job defensively and moved the ball well. Much more solid than he was in the opener.

  Serhiy Kryvtsov (6/10):

  Lack of pace was exposed a few times, but he held his own mostly. Could have been a bit more aware on the goal, though.

  DeAndre Yedlin (6/10):

  Couldn't quite get going and had one bad foul in the second half. Overall, nothing too special.

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• USA Today Sports
  

  Midfield

  Julian Gressel (4/10):

  Just hasn't looked himself yet this season. Pressure is only going to turn up on a player who can help this Miami team, even if he hasn't done much of that yet.

  Sergio Busquets (4/10):

  Didn't look anything like the player we've all watched for so long. Conceded the penalty and looked a bit slow all game, physically and mentally.

  Diego Gomez (6/10):

  Far and away the best in the midfield three, but that isn't saying much. Actually had a decent game which looked much, much better when compared to those around him.

• USA Today Sports
  

  Attack

  Robert Taylor (5/10):

  Never got into the game, taking just 25 touches before being taken out 22 minutes in to the second half.

  Luis Suarez (4/10):

  It's almost like it wasn't a good idea to play someone with Suarez's knees after a cross-country trip on short rest. Looked totally off the pace before being mercifully subbed out.

  Lionel Messi (8/10):

  It had to be him, huh? Relatively quiet all game, Messi popped up for the goal late, netting his first of the season to earn Miami a relatively undeserved point.

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  Subs & Manager

  Leonardo Campana (5/10):

  Came on to replace Suarez, but barely got a touch of the ball. Poorly utilized off the bench.

  David Ruiz (5/10):

  Could have done better on the Galaxy goal but his energy was much, much needed once Miami tired.

  Shnayder Borgelin (N/A):

  Thrown on late, but couldn't do much for the Herons.

  Lawson Sunderland (N/A):

  Looked tidy during his late cameo, but didn't feature enough to warrant anything more.

  Tata Martino (5/10):

  Should know better than to run out the same XI on short rest. Team is dealing with injuries, of course, but it was always going to be rough relying on old legs for a second game in just a few days.

Marcel Brands can secure Carlo Ancelotti his new Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a summer swoop for Everton target Sasa Kalajdzic of VfB Stuttgart.

What’s the word?

While speaking with Give Me Sport, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Toffees are one of several Premier League sides with eyes on Kalajdzic.

The Goodison Park outfit were recently linked with the 24-year-old target man by reports in Italy, which cited Everton and Newcastle United as potential competition for Juventus in the race for the man dubbed the next Erling Haaland.

Kalajdzic has been in sensational form during his first year of German top-flight football, with the Austria international striking 13 goals in 25 Bundesliga games including eight in his last eight outings.

Stuttgart are understood to value Kalajdzic at between €20m and €25m (£17m-£21.5m) and Romano fully expects a Premier League side will present a move in the summer, although it remains to be seen if that is Everton.

“I think yes, he has chances to join Premier League,” Romano said. “To be honest with you, I don’t know about the club because all the clubs you mentioned (Everton, Newcastle and West Ham) are scouting this player, he’s an amazing player.

“At the moment, there is still nothing advanced, but I think yes, he has chances to join the Premier League. A lot of clubs are looking at him.

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“So, he’s the typical opportunity and this kind of summer we have after the pandemic, we are obviously in a difficult situation from an economic and financial point of view. Having this kind of opportunity is interesting for English clubs.

“So, I would say yes, I see him as a good opportunity in Premier League, but let’s see if they will pay what the club are asking. So, it’s still so far away, but I think it’s an opportunity.”

Should Everton sign Stuttgart’s Kalajdzic?

Kalajdzic burst out of the gates with three goals in his first three career Bundesliga games back in September before a difficult winter followed, but his form has been incredible since the end of January to now rank sixth in the German top-flight’s scoring charts.

The 24-year-old would have been forgiven for struggling to score prolifically in his first season of Bundesliga action, having missed much of last term due to a cruciate ligament rupture, though that has not been the case.

Kalajdzic’s goals have been a huge factor behind Stuttgart sitting ninth in the table heading into of the international break, with his strikes against Bayer Leverkusen, Union Berlin, Hertha BSC, 1.FC Koln and Eintracht Frankfurt directly returning seven points and avoiding defeat on four occasions.

Stuttgart would be looking over their shoulder at the relegation zone without those points, yet Kalajdzic can have an impact higher up the table in the Premier League next season if Brands were to strike a deal.

Doing so would see Everton’s Director of Football hand Ancelotti his new Ibrahimovic, having taken the Sweden icon – who Kalajdzic has been compared with – to Paris Saint-Germain for £15.5m back in 2012.

Ibrahimovic went on to strike 156 goals in 180 games for PSG across all competitions over four years in the French capital, including 35 in 46 games under Ancelotti during their sole season together.

Kalajdzic, who stands at 6 ft 6 to Ibrahimovic at 6 ft 4, is yet to boast the same record that the 39-year-old already claimed in 2012, but is on course to follow in his footsteps on a path that Brands should strive to see includes a spell at Goodison Park.

Click here to see the full interview with Fabrizio Romano.

AND in other news, Everton can potentially save £13m by turning to this Max Aarons alternative…

According to a report by Claret & Hugh, West Ham United are now committed to bringing defender Craig Dawson onto the payroll permanently, with David Moyes deciding some time back that he wanted a permanent deal regardless of his obligation-to-buy clause.

West Ham committed to Dawson signing

Indeed, as per the Irons insiders, West Ham had already made the call over Dawson becoming a permanent player, with the 30-year-old having been a revelation since coming to the London Stadium on loan.

The defender, who has started 14 Premier League games this season (WhoScored), took a while to work his way into the side but has managed to usurp the likes of Fabian Balbuena and Issa Diop over the course of the campaign.

He is currently a mainstay in Moyes’ backline, and the manager has apparently already made up his mind on a permanent deal for Dawson, with the club set to sign him for around £3m.

Transfer Tavern take

Claret & Hugh added that GSB are committed to this transfer regardless of whether Dawson hits the number of games needed to trigger his obligation-to-buy clause, which seems inevitable judging by Moyes’ recent admission that it was ‘very close’.

Given his form over this season, it seems obvious why Moyes made up his mind about the 30-year-old a while ago.

Bringing Dawson to east London permanently for just £3m has been described as a potentially ‘staggering’ deal by pundit Noel Whelan (Football Insider), and it’s hard to argue with his assessment.

In other news: West Ham have been dealt a potential Jesse Lingard blow, find out more here.

Borussia Dortmund are extremely interested in landing Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard this summer.

That’s according to a report from Football Insider, who have been informed by a recruitment source that the Bundesliga big guns ‘are lining up a big money move’, seven words which could be music to the ears of new Hoops chief Dominic McKay.

The report suggests that Dortmund are in the market for a new forward due to major doubts over the future of Erling Haaland.

West Ham are thought to be in pole position for Edouard at this moment in time, but it seems as if Dortmund want to win the race for the 23-year-old’s signature – they would of course have plenty of cash to burn if Haaland is sold.

Transfer Tavern take

To us, this is perfect news for the Hoops. Edouard will have just 12 months remaining on his Celtic contract in the summer and a recent report suggested that the French forward could depart for just £8m over the coming months.

However, with Dortmund now ‘lining up a big money move’, that could play into Celtic’s favour, especially if he is seen as a replacement for Haaland, which could drive the price up.

Their interest could well start a bidding war between multiple interested parties, which, in the end, could see the Hoops receiving an impressive fee for a player who will have just one year left on his deal come this summer.

This would be a massive boost as it would allow McKay, along with whoever is appointed in the new Director of Football role, a head start in their rebuild with some extra funds to invest.

In other news: Celtic source shares major managerial update as boardroom U-turn emerges, find out more here. 

Manchester United have been hit with a serious hammer blow in their pursuit of the UEFA Europa League this season with the potential formation of The Super League.

News broke on Sunday evening that the Red Devils had become one of the six Premier League teams to become founding members of the new competition – a prospect that has earned considerable backlash.

Supporters, and in fact governing bodies, have been staunch in their criticism of The Super League, with sanctions such as a ban from all European competition and domestic tournaments being mooted by Fabrizio Romano.

Furthermore, United have stood down from the European Club Association (ECA), which likely means that they cannot compete in UEFA competitions.

That consequence would simply be disastrous for the Red Devils and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they may not be able to compete in the competition that they find themselves in the semi-finals of.

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Solskjaer’s troops are currently in the race to finish in the top-four in the Premier League, whilst they have also managed to reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League.

With the Norwegian having not yet lifted a trophy in his time at Old Trafford yet, the opportunity in which to do that has seemingly been cruelly snatched away.

So with United’s co-chairman Joel Glazer set to be appointed vice-chairman of the apparent Super League, he has seemingly done more damage to his club than good.

AND in more news, take a look Mason Greenwood’s exhilarating performance against Burnley this weekend…

Wrexham were held to a draw at MK Dons after throwing away a one-goal lead in a dramatic game that saw two red cards.

• Wrexham take lead through James McClean
• MK Dons hit back five minutes later
• Both teams finish game with 10 men

• Getty
  

  TELL ME MORE

  Wrexham had early sights of goal through Jack Marriott and Sam Dalby before opening the scoring midway through the first half. Luke Young swung in a superb corner and found James McClean to nod home at the near post. The lead was short-lived, however, with Dan Kemp firing past Arthur Okonkwo just five minutes later to make it 1-1.

  The visitors were bright at the start of the second half but almost conceded when Okonkwo dropped a straightforward catch but just managed to grab it back on the line. MK Dons felt the ball had dropped in with Dean Lewington ultimately sent off for taking his protests too far.

  Phil Parkinson reacted quickly to the dismissal with a triple substitution, calling for strikers Paul Mullin and Steven Fletcher, but his team couldn't take their chances. The visitors were then reduced to ten men late on when Will Boyle picked up a second yellow card. MK Dons did have the chance to win it at the death, but Okonkwo made a point-blank save in the eighth minute of stoppage-time to preserve a point.

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• THE MVP

  Luke Young was back in the starting XI and making his 250th appearance for Wrexham on Tuesday night. It was a memorable occasion for the 30-year-old who crowned it with a fine assist for the opening goal. Credit must also go to Okonkwo who, aside from one wobble, came up with some vital saves to preserve a point.

• THE BIG LOSER

  Wrexham had a man advantage and were looking dangerous when Will Boylecynically brought down Dennis to earn his second booking of the match with just 13 minutes of normal time remaining. The red card proved costly as it saw both teams play out the remainder of the game with 10 apiece and really hurt Wrexham's chance of securing the win

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Wrexham are back in action and will hope to get back to winning ways on Saturday in League Two when they take on Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium.

The Egyptian scored and assisted in west London, but Jurgen Klopp was left sweating after key players were forced off early

Mohamed Salah scored and assisted on his return to action as Liverpool absolutely obliterated Brentford in their Premier League matchup on Saturday, running out 4-1 winners despite both Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota being forced off with first-half injuries.

The Bees looked to make things difficult for the visitors with a dominant first half-hour, but a defensive error changed the course of the match completely – and set the tone for the rest of game

Sergio Reguilon misjudged the flight of a long ball and Jota capitalised, expertly heading into the path of Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan showed rare composure in front of goal and chipped delightfully over goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

But that would be Jota's last contribution as he and Jones were forced off in quick succession with worrying-looking issues, adding to Jurgen Klopp's woes in the treatment room. On the positive side, those issues did allow Salah to be introduced after a lengthy injury lay-off of his own – and it was as if the Egyptian had never been away.

Salah's pinpoint pass set up Alexis Mac Allister for Liverpool's second, with the Argentine showing intricate skill to finish coolly. Salah then got in on the action himself with a fine mazy run after Brentford switched off again at the back.

Ivan Toney got a consolation for the hosts before the rout was completed, as a complete miscue by Nathan Collins allowed Luis Diaz in, and he duly set up Cody Gakpo for Liverpool's fourth. Over to you, Manchester City…

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from the Gtech Community Stadium…

• Goalkeeper & Defence

  Caoimhin Kelleher (7/10):

  Undoubtedly a last-minute selection after Alisson's latest injury setback, but played well here. He made an unbelievable save only to see Toney knock in the rebound, before keeping the England strike out late on with another great stop.

  Conor Bradley (7/10):

  Showed great feet in advanced areas and was Liverpool's most threatening defender going forward. Drifted centrally at times and came close from long range at one point.

  Ibrahima Konate (5/10):

  Guilty of affording Maupay too much space early on when Brentford looked more dangerous. Positioning questionable at times but unthreatened as Liverpool took control of the game.

  Virgil van Dijk (6/10):

  Again struggled early on but warmed into the game. Turned into a fairly solid display, and nearly scored with a bullet header late on.

  Andrew Robertson (7/10):

  Perhaps a basic observation but his passing ability is fantastic. Posed a real threat from crosses and linked up play so well, and like Bradley got himself well forward.

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  Midfield

  Alexis Mac Allister (7/10):

  Endo's inclusion again gave him more creative license and he thrived in a more offensive role. Deft touch matched a pinpoint assist from Salah for a sublime Liverpool second.

  Wataru Endo (7/10):

  Liverpool's lynchpin in midfield. Showed ridiculous work rate and was constantly battling. Could temper his aggression, though, after picking up a needless yellow.

  Curtis Jones (5/10):

  Barely lasted half an hour before being forced off after an awkward-looking landing. Replaced by Gravenberch.

• Getty Images
  

  Attack

  Diogo Jota (7/10):

  Arguably Liverpool's best player before being stretchered off just before half-time. Superb awareness set up Nunez for his first-half chip. Klopp will be left sweating as his knee injury looked serious.

  Darwin Nunez (7/10):

  Pace a constant outlet for Liverpool and that he utilised that for his goal. Reguilon defended poorly and Jota assisted expertly, but it was a sublime chipped finish from Nunez. Hooked at half-time, presumably as a precautionary measure.

  Luis Diaz (7/10):

  Came central too often early in the match, clogging up Liverpool's attack. But grew into the game and was his typical tricky self when staying out wide. Showed some mazy footwork and assisted Gakpo for the fourth.

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  Subs & Manager

  Ryan Gravenberch (6/10):

  Brought on for the injured Jones after 34 minutes. Slotted right into midfield and put in a solid performance, both defensively and offensively.

  Mohamed Salah (8/10):

  What an introduction. Wouldn't have expected such an early return from injury but that certainly didn't show. Played a sublime pass for Mac Allister's goal and showed incredible strength and finesse for his own strike. His return is set to be huge given Jota's woes.

  Cody Gakpo (7/10):

  Brought on for Nunez at half-time and, like Gravenberch, slotted right in. Played in by Diaz and finished expertly to complete the rout.

  Harvey Elliott (N/A):

  Brought on for Mac Allister, too late to make an impact.

  Joe Gomez (N/A):

  Brought on for Bradley, too late to make an impact.

  Jurgen Klopp (8/10):

  Near-perfect performance from his side, sending a clear message to City ahead of their match against Chelsea later on Saturday. Huge downside will obviously be the double injury blow, especially to Jota, but the return of Salah couldn't have come at a better time. Five points clear at the top…