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Manchester City loanee Kalvin Phillips' season has reportedly ended after he picked up an injury at West Ham – leaving Euro 2024 hopes in tatters.

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Phillips has succumbed to injuryLikely to play no further part in the campaignEuro 2024 hopes hanging in balanceWHAT HAPPENED?

The 28-year-old England international, who joined West Ham on loan from Manchester City in January, is set to end his campaign with a whimper after being sidelined in the final lap of the Premier League season due to an unspecified injury, according to. Despite his loan move aimed at securing more regular first-team football, Phillips faced limited opportunities at West Ham, making just three starts in all competitions.

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With his season prematurely ended, the midfielder's future remains uncertain as the medical teams of both clubs are currently in discussions to determine whether Phillips will return to Manchester or stay in London to undergo his rehabilitation. Moreover, his latest injury is a huge setback to his chances of getting called up by Gareth Southgate for Euro 2024 with the manager expected to announce his squad for the tournament later this month.

DID YOU KNOW?

Phillips got embroiled in a needless controversy in March when he lost his cool and showed his middle finger to a fan after being labelled as "useless" following a defeat to Newcastle United.

However, David Moyes defended the midfielder on that occasion and said: "Kalvin’s a human being and what he needs is support and people to help him, which is what we’ll do. We need our fans to give all our players the support they require. Kalvin’s a really good player and I do believe we can still make something out of the time we’ve got with him here.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Despite Phillips' premature departure, West Ham remains focused on their upcoming fixtures, with a crucial match against Chelsea on Sunday at Stamford Bridge. They will finish their campaign with games against Luton Town and Manchester City on May 11 and 19, respectively. However, Phillips would have been ineligible to play against his parent club, even if he was fit, due to a clause in his contract.

After enduring yet another afternoon to forget, this time losing against Nottingham Forest at St James' Park, Newcastle United's hopes of reaching the Premier League's top four for a second consecutive campaign look all but lost. The Magpies sit eighth and could be as many as ten points adrift of fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur if the North London side win their game in hand.

It's clear that Eddie Howe's squad is not in a position to compete on all fronts as things stand, meaning that 2024 could be a crucial year of changes. And that could see PIF make some ruthless decisions when it comes to reshaping the squad.

Newcastle transfer news

Despite securing a number of arrivals since their takeover, PIF still have some deadwood to clear out for Howe next year. If the Magpies want to become a team capable of consistently qualifying for the Champions League and then progressing out of the group stage all whilst balancing all competitions, then the transfer market will be the key.

First and foremost, however, Newcastle could sanction some surprise sales next year to make room for arrivals who could take them up to a new level on a permanent basis.

According to Caught Offside, Newcastle could sell Matt Targett in 2024 after the left-back has fallen down the pecking order under Howe. The former Aston Villa man is reportedly not part of Howe's plans, who has often opted for Dan Burn or summer arrival Tino Livramento down the left-hand side instead.

Given Targett's injury history too, a move could be the best solution. And whilst the Magpies have suffered the consequences for their lack of squad depth in the current campaign, they have more than enough left-back cover without Targett in the form of Burn, Livramento and Lewis Hall, meaning that they can sanction the sale of the former.

"Reliable" Targett needs Newcastle exit

Following the emergence of Livramento, it now seems a long way back for Targett at Newcastle, given that he was already behind Burn in the pecking order at left-back. With plenty of Premier League experience under his belt, the former Villa man now needs a move to earn the crucial minutes that he is unlikely to get at St James' Park. It must be said though, that Targett's stats show exactly why he is behind both Livramento and Burn.

Player

Progressive Carries Per 90

Progressive Passes Per 90

Tackles + Interceptions Per 90

Matt Targett

1.11

2.22

2.22

Dan Burn

0.65

3.15

2.90

Tino Livremento

2.81

3.59

3.44

Whilst his position at Newcastle is that of an out-of-favour player, that doesn't mean that Targett couldn't find a starting place elsewhere in the Premier League, given how he's impressed in the past. Previously named in Alan Shearer's Premier League Team of the Week, the Newcastle legend described the left-back as "utterly reliable at the back and gave everything for the Newcastle United shirt".

As his time at St James' Park looks increasingly likely to come to an end, Targett will certainly be one to keep an eye on in both January and the summer transfer window.

Sri Lanka lost eight wickets for 63 runs, after a 110-run second-wicket stand, and their captain Chamari Atapattu’s 94 was in vain as South Africa defended 262 in revised chase

The Report by Liam Brickhill14-Feb-2019South Africa sealed their series against Sri Lanka with a 30-run win in the second game in Potchefstroom. Captain Chamari Atapattu powered Sri Lanka’s chase with a boundary-laden 94, but no other Sri Lanka batsman reached fifty and the visitors were bowled out for 231 in pursuit of a revised target of 262 in 47 overs. The visitors lost eight wickets for 63 runs, after a 110-run second-wicket stand.The hosts were without their captain, Dane van Niekerk, who was ruled out for three months due to a stress fracture, but in her absence, fifties for Laura Wolvaardt, Lara Goodall and Marizanne Kapp – who slammed four sixes in her 34-ball 69 – set up an imposing total of 268 for 7.Wolvaardt had been out for a golden duck in the first match, but this time around she struck seven boundaries inside the Powerplay and raised a 49-ball fifty in the 15th over. She added 71 with Andrie Steyn, who was a little more circumspect in compiling her 24. After Wolvaardt fell to an edge through to wicketkeeper Prasadani Weerakkody, Lara Goodall kept the scoreboard ticking despite Sri Lanka’s repeated strikes to dent the middle order.Goodall reached 52 – her maiden ODI fifty – before she became Kavisha Dilhari’s second victim with the score at 183 for 6 in the 42nd over. Her dismissal brought Kapp and Faye Tunnicliffe together, and they added a rapid 85 for the seventh wicket that put South Africa well on top.While Tunnicliffe focused on turning the strike over, Kapp’s first six brought up South Africa’s 200 in the 46th over. In the last five overs of the innings, the hosts added a whopping 69 runs, with Kapp and Tunnicliffe combining to take 20 off a single over from Inoka Ranaweera.Sri Lanka needed a strong start to keep their chase on track, and although Atapattu was immediately into her groove, Weerakkody fell almost immediately, slicing a catch to Mignon du Preez at backward point off Kapp in the fourth over. Rain washed over the ground soon after, forcing an adjustment to Sri Lanka’s target and the overs they would have to reach it.Atapattu’s response was to go on the offensive, and two fours and a six in Masabata Klaas’ first over took her racing into the 40s. Another boundary off Tumi Sekhukhune took her to a 53-ball fifty in the 16th over, the Sri Lankan captain smashing 18 runs off the medium pacer’s next over to raise her team’s 100.Atapattu took her stand with Anushka Sanjeewani beyond 100 with her third six, off Nadine de Klerk, and was in sight of what would have been her fifth ODI hundred when she fell against the run of play, edging a swipe at stand-in captain Sune Luus’ legspin.Her dismissal knocked some of the fight out of Sri Lanka, and when Sanjeewani and Shashikala Siriwardene fell in successive deliveries soon afterwards, the visitors really lost their way. A required rate that had been kept in check soon ballooned to more than a run a ball, and Sri Lanka were left needing 69 from the last ten overs of their innings with five wickets still standing.Wolvaardt followed her innings with the bat up with an excellent performance in the field, effecting two run-outs to tighten South Africa’s grip and also holding a catch at deep midwicket to get rid of Nilakshi de Silva. With the run rate rapidly inflating, two further run-outs deepened Sri Lanka’s woes, and Shabnim Ismail removed a Dilscooping Dilhari in the final over of the innings to bring the match to an end, and seal the series win.

Crystal Palace have been a mixed bag in the Premier League this term and look to have identified a potential long-term successor to Roy Hodgson, according to a report.

Roy Hodgson's future at Crystal Palace in doubt

Despite speculation that Crystal Palace could sack Hodgson if they were to fall to defeat against Brentford last weekend, the Eagles recorded a comfortable 3-1 victory at Selhurst Park, prompting the 76-year-old to hit back at recent rumours in his post-match press conference.

Hodgson stated: "I'm 76 years of age. I've been working 47 years, I've got a CBE for my services and I've got a CV which is incredible. So, my final answer to you is that it makes no difference [talk of potential Crystal Palace departure]."

Crystal Palace leading race to sign "outstanding" player ahead of rivals

The Eagles could receive a January boost…

ByTom Cunningham Dec 24, 2023

The Sun claimed last week that former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper is said to be on Crystal Palace's wishlist as they look to replace Hodgson and he is supposedly "open-minded" to the possibility of stepping into the Selhurst Park dugout.

One source told the publication when explaining the permutations of the Welshman taking over in South London: "Palace are very interested in Steve Cooper, but there are no immediate plans to part ways with Roy Hodgson. Roy’s a legend at the club and will be treated with the respect he’s earned and which he merits. One option being looked at is whether a deal can be agreed for Cooper to join in the summer and for Hodgson to stay on until then."

Nevertheless, new reports suggest that an up-and-coming star in the coaching world could be next in line to succeed Hodgson at Selhurst Park once the veteran departs the club.

Crystal Palace eye Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna

According to The Sun, Crystal Palace could battle it out with rivals Brighton & Hove Albion to try and appoint Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna, who has directed his side into an automatic promotion battle in the Championship this campaign.

Kieran McKenna's managerial record in 2023/24 – Championship (Transfermarkt)

Matches

26

Wins

16

Draws

7

Losses

3

Points per game

2.12

The report states that a summer move would be most likely in the event the 37-year-old ended up at the Eagles, given that they are still behind Hodgson and also factoring in the difficulties that would arise trying to finalise a deal with McKenna while he is in the middle of a battle for promotion.

McKenna left Manchester United to take on his first venture into senior management with Ipswich Town in 2021 and achieved promotion at Portman Road in 2022/23 after his side finished runners-up in League One.

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, pundit Gary Lineker labelled the former Red Devils' coach as the best manager in English football outside of the Premier League, stating: "I’m going to go with Kieran McKenna from Ipswich Town. I think he’s done a brilliant job with them. He’s young, he was a youth coach at Manchester United, and was at Tottenham a bit before that."

Crystal Palace will be keen to ensure the future after Hodgson is clear and McKenna would be a fantastic appointment who would fit the bill as an exciting hire at Selhurst Park.

Bayern Munich held talks with Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner in their difficult hunt for a new permanent boss.

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Bayern spoke to GlasnerAustrian coach has shone at PalaceFlick the favourite to replace TuchelWHAT HAPPENED?

Ralf Rangnick has already rejected a move to the Allianz Arena to remain in charge of the Austria national team, while Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso will also not be completing a switch to Bavaria this summer. According to , Glasner was considered for the position by the Bayern hierarchy before they made Hansi Flick their first choice.

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With Thomas Tuchel's departure at the end of the season confirmed back in February, Bayern are desperate to tie down a new manager. Ex-Eintracht Frankfurt boss Glasner and Bayern's sporting Christoph Freund share a close relationship and there were discussions. However, it is reported that Palace made it clear that Glasner would not receive clearance.

DID YOU KNOW?

Glasner has masterminded quite the turnaround at Palace since replacing Roy Hodgson. Only Manchester City and Arsenal have picked up more points than the Eagles since the 49-year-old Austrian took charge. Saturday's 3-1 victory at Wolves was Palace's fifth in their last six games, a run which includes a 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United.

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GetyWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN?

With Glasner happy and thriving in south London, Flick's return to Bayern looks firmly on the cards. The 59-year-old endured a tough spell in charge of Germany and was sacked last September following a dismal run of results – but he enjoyed huge success in his previous spell at Bayern, winning the treble in 2019-20.

Sunderland are thought to be leading the race to sign an in-demand target for Michael Beale, according to one reliable reporter.

Sunderland January rumours

The new Black Cats manager suffered a disappointing defeat to rivals Newcastle United in the FA Cup over the weekend, but prior to the game, admitted there have been transfer discussions over one or two possible additions.

“We spoke about the January window in our initial meetings, and it has been ongoing. Stuart Harvey, the head of recruitment, is someone I was familiar with before I came in, and the recruitment here is done by a number of us getting together in a room and discussing the options that we have.

“We have a clear idea on one or two of the areas we would like to strengthen this month, if we can. It’s never an easy month, but we are certainly going to try and do something to strengthen and boost the squad, and to hopefully excite the fans. Those discussions are going on in the background. This (derby) game has been a bit of a distraction, if I’m honest, but those discussions were happening even (Tuesday) morning and late on in the afternoon.”

EFL Championship done deals: Every January 2024 transfer

As the January transfer window closes, FFC has you covered for every in and out involving your club in the EFL Championship.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Players who have been linked with a move to the Stadium of Light include left-back Bohdan Mykhaylichenko, who may leave Dinamo Zagreb as a free agent. Another has been AFC Bournemouth forward Kieffer Moore in a possible loan move, and a promising update has now emerged.

Kieffer Moore transfer update

According to reliable reporter Alan Nixon sharing information on his Patreon, relayed by Football League World, it is Sunderland who are leading the race to sign Moore from Bournemouth, with four Championship clubs also linked with the Wales international.

It has been claimed that the Black Cats are the club who have moved strongly to complete the signing of the forward, something they are apparently hopeful of doing quickly.

Moore featured for the Cherries on the weekend in an FA Cup win over second-tier side Queens Park Rangers, scoring in a 3-2 comeback victory. That was the 31-year-old’s second goal of the campaign under Andoni Iraola, although he has played just 236 minutes of football all season. (Kieffer Moore stats – Transfermarkt)

The striker has also come in for praise during his career from former Cardiff manager Mick McCarthy, who said in 2021:

"He's been terrific. Not only that, when he's not scored he has been on the pitch almost every minute of every game. The shift he puts in every week is amazing. We have not got a direct replacement for him, so he has played all the games.

"Testimony to that is that he knows we haven't got a direct replacement and he knows he is going to play all the games, but he doesn't take his foot off the gas, he keeps going. He's been terrific. A real threat and a very effective centre forward.”

Beating a number of Championship rivals to win the race for Moore could be a shrewd move as the season progresses, and with the club scoring fewer than 11 second-tier sides so far, Moore’s potential arrival could help with a top-six finish.

Ashantha de Mel was appointed as team manager and selector-on-tour for the World Cup and had clashed earlier with the coach over selection choices

Madushka Balasuriya02-May-2019Sri Lanka Cricket believes that coach Chandika Hathurusingha and Ashantha de Mel will have no issues working together in the Sri Lankan dressing room, after the pair is said to have “thrashed things out” prior to the latter’s appointment as team manager and selector-on-tour for the World Cup starting at the end of this month. Since de Mel took the reins as chief selector ahead of Sri Lanka’s tour to New Zealand, the pair had clashed over several selection choices – most notably the exclusion of Dinesh Chandimal and Lasith Malinga’s captaincy.Other decisions taken by SLC’s executive committee

Chandima Mapatuna appointed as the logistic manager of the team for the World Cup. Mapatuna, who is also the head of international cricket of SLC, will travel with the team for the World Cup

In the wake of recent tragic incidents in the country, SLC will take additional measures to strengthen the security of the team at the World Cup. SLC is working on it in consultation with the Ministry of Sports and the ICC

Roy Dias appointed as coach of the ‘A’ team for the upcoming tour of India, in May, while Chaminda Mendis has been appointed as team manager. Mendis will also continue to function as a national selector

Avishka Gunawardena appointed coach of the emerging team for the tour of South Africa, in June. Hemantha Wickramaratne appointed team manager and will continue to function as a national selector

SLC has decided to donate Rs. 2 million to the Relief Effort Fund set up by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith The Arch Bishop of Colombo, to support the victims of the affected areas and parishes following multiple attacks on Easter Sunday

“Before the appointment we got the both of them together to talk things through,” SLC secretary Mohan de Silva told ESPNcricinfo. “They eventually thrashed things out and now we’re very confident that they’ll work quite well together.”De Mel’s appointment, which was rubber-stamped by SLC at an executive committee meeting on April 30, had been mooted for some time, but speculation had been rife over whether he and Hathurusingha would be able to get along over the course of the six-week tournament.It was a spat with the new selection committee that culminated in Hathurusingha being removed from the role of selector-on-tour in February. And since then Hathurusingha’s job security has only become more tenuous.In March, he was given “a break” during Sri Lanka’s T20I series against South Africa after rumours surfaced of him having fallen out with certain players and staff. The situation was so dire that SLC CEO Ashley de Silva flew over personally to hold crisis talks, following which Hathurusingha returned to the island for further mediation. During this period, there were also reports of SLC seeking legal advice over possible options with regard to prematurely terminating Hathurusingha’s contract which will only run out in 2020.However, following clear-the-air talks with the board, Hathurusingha is understood to have agreed to rein in his methods as a “total dictator”, much of which de Silva believes had manifested during the course of the nine-month SLC power vacuum, when the governing body was run by a sports ministry-appointed competent authority.”We were in two minds whether to discontinue him or not,” de Silva said. “We needed to know if he was amenable to our way of thinking and whether he would change his attitude. Because to be quite honest, he had become a total dictator after we left, and that’s also one of the reasons that the selectors were gunning for him.”But he has now promised to toe the line with the administrators and the selectors, because to be honest his thinking in terms of the national team has been good, although the results haven’t followed unfortunately.”Sri Lanka will begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Cardiff on June 1.

Pep Guardiola may have picked up a sixth English league title, but that doesn't necessarily mean he did the best job in the top-flight

Pep Guardiola's status as the best manager in world football was solidified after Manchester City's run to the treble last season, but it didn't quench his appetite for success. He was determined to secure a record fourth-successive Premier League crown, and the Catalan delivered, as he always does, despite City suffering a slight drop-off in quality as a collective.

Arsenal took the title race down to the final day after reaching the next stage of Mikel Arteta's ambitious project in north London, while Liverpool re-emerged as contenders in Jurgen Klopp's final season at the helm, but Manchester United and Newcastle dropped out of the top four after enduring nightmare campaigns. Unai Emery's Aston Villa capitalised to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 41 years, with Tottenham moving up to fifth under the stewardship of their fearless Australian boss Ange Postecoglou.

At the other end of the table, Chris Wilder, Vincent Kompany and Rob Edwards failed to prevent Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton, respectively, dropping straight back down to the Championship, but Sean Dyche and Nuno Espirito Santo had plenty to celebrate after guiding Everton and Nottingham Forest to safety despite being hit with respective points deductions.

GOAL has rated every head coach's performance from the 2023-24 campaign to decide the final rankings for the Manager of the Season award…

Getty20Erik ten Hag (1/10)

Manchester United were supposed to be title contenders this season, as Erik ten Hag followed up a third-placed finish in his debut campaign by signing Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Sofyan Amrabat – while also bringing veteran defender Jonny Evans back to the club on a free transfer.

The new additions didn't take the Red Devils to the next level, though, and pre-existing stars such as Marcus Rashford and Casemiro allowed their standards to slip. United slumped to their worst-ever Premier League finish in 2023-24, posting a goal difference of minus-one, and lost a grand total of 14 games, with Bournemouth and Crystal Palace among the teams to absolutely blow Ten Hag's disjointed side off the park.

The Dutchman's poor recruitment choices and baffling tactics have dragged the club down to previously unthinkable depths, and he doesn't deserve to be part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's revolution as INEOS map out a revival plan following their purchase of a 25 percent stake at Old Trafford.

AdvertisementGetty19Chris Wilder (2/10)

Paul Heckingbottom worked wonders to guide Sheffield United to a second-placed finish in the Championship last season, and did his best to make the squad Premier League-ready by signing 10 new players in the summer transfer window.

Unfortunately, those additions didn't make an immediate impact, with the Blades losing 11 of their opening 14 games, including a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Burnley. That result proved to be the last straw for the board, who sacked Heckingbottom before re-appointing Wilder.

The popular Englishman made a strong start to his second spell at Bramall Lane, notably picking up a vital win over Brentford in December thanks to a superb individual goal from James McAtee. But the Blades only registered one more win after that – a surprise 3-1 triumph at Luton that was sandwiched by two more 5-0 hammerings against Aston Villa and Brighton.

The Blades were relegated by the end of April, and finished the season having conceded a record 104 goals, with Wilder's past Premier League experience ultimately counting for little as he spectacularly failed to organise a squad that lacked quality across the pitch.

Getty18Vincent Kompany (3/10)

Guardiola's disciple proved his coaching chops in an impressive debut season at Burnley, who stormed to the 2022-23 Championship title with a fluid, possession-based style – completely opposite to the approach used by Dyche during his reign at Turf Moor.

Kompany single-handedly changed the way Burnley are perceived by neutrals, but the step up to Premier League level proved to be too big for the Belgian, after his admirable decision to snub interest from Spurs. The Clarets only won five of their 38 top-flight games and finished eight points adrift of 17th, having never managed to build up any kind of rhythm.

A lack of experience in the squad proved costly, and although Kompany deserves credit for sticking to his core values, he also looked out of his depth as basic errors crept into Burnley's game. The Belgian learned some harsh lessons in 2023-24, but will be stronger for it, and should be allowed the chance to try and guide the Clarets to another promotion.

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Getty17Nuno Espirito Santo (4/10)

Steve Cooper's three-year reign at the City Ground ended on December 19 as the Nottingham Forest board took the decision to part ways with the fan-favourite after a run of just one win from 13 Premier League games. Former Tottenham and Wolves boss Nuno was drafted in as Cooper's replacement, and picked up huge wins over Newcastle and Manchester United in his first two weeks at the helm to instantly lift the mood in the stands.

Forest's form dipped again at the turn of the year, though, as they won just four of their final 18 games. Nuno made Forest slightly harder to beat, but his ultra-conservative style hasn't gone down too well with supporters, with January loan signing Gio Reyna barely getting a look in, and it remains to be seen if he stays in the dugout for the long-term.

Still, the main thing is that he steered Forest clear of the relegation zone, even after the club was punished with a two-point deduction for breaching Profit and Sustainability rules, and if he avoids more bad luck with injuries next season then the team should start rising back up the league quickly.

The Argentine is being strongly linked with a move to the Premier League after a stellar debut season at Estadio Do Dragao

A new era is about to begin at Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp's nine-year reign is now officially over, and Feyenoord boss Arne Slot has been chosen to fill the beloved German manager's spot in the Anfield dugout.

Slot won't be facing a rebuilding job on Merseyside, but it has been suggested that key players such as Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk could follow Klopp through the exits, and it will be necessary for the Dutchman to stamp his mark in the transfer market if Liverpool are to re-emerge as title contenders in 2024-25.

If reports from Argentina are to be believed, Porto's Alan Varela could be the first new addition, with Liverpool said to have already opened "formal talks" to sign the midfielder. According to Portuguese outlet , the Reds are considering triggering Varela's €70 million (£60m/$76m) release clause – a hefty investment that is sure to raise plenty of eyebrows.

Varela is not a superstar yet, but he certainly has the potential to be one, and GOAL is here to provide everything you need to know about Porto's Argentine general…

Where it all began

Varela was born just a 40-minute journey away from Boca Juniors' iconic home stadium, La Bombonera, and was raised in Argentina's capital city Buenos Aires. He became obsessed with football at a young age and began his journey towards the professional ranks by linking up with Barcelona Juniors Lujan, the youth academy created by La Liga giants Barcelona to nurture Argentine talent back in 2007.

Boca soon took notice, drafting an 11-year-old Varela into their academy ranks in 2012 – after a hilarious initiation ceremony that saw him and six other new players forced into getting very unique haircuts – and seven years later he began training with the first team. Varela also signed his first professional contract in 2019, and made his debut for Argentina's Under-20s, but had to bide his time before becoming a fully-fledged starter for Boca.

Varela finally made his senior bow in a Copa de la Liga Profesional play-off stage clash with Independiente in December 2020, and put in an impressive display to help Boca to a 2-1 victory. His minutes dwindled as the tournament went on, but got his first taste of silverware after Boca beat Banfield on penalties in the final, and they followed up that success by clinching the Copa Argentina.

In the 2021 campaign, Varela made 27 appearances across all competitions, and although Boca ended up finishing a disappointing fourth in the league table, he was developing at a rapid rate.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe big break

Boca bounced back with a vengeance in 2022 to win their 35th Argentina Primera crown, alongside another Copa de la Liga Profesional triumph, and Varela was one of the most important members of the squad. He provided the rock solid base for Boca's success across his 47 appearances, three of which came during their run to the Copa Libertadores last 16, and also weighed in with one goal and two assists.

Varela's solitary goal also happened to be the 8,000th in Boca's history, and gave them a vital 1-0 win over Deportivo Cali in their final Copa Libertadores group game. It was a fitting strike for the weight of the moment, too, as he rifled a fierce shot into the net from 25 yards out – albeit with the help of some poor goalkeeping.

The season would end on a sour note for Varela, however, as he was one of 10 players to receive a red card as Boca suffered a 2-1 defeat to Racing Club in a bad-tempered Trofeo de Campeones final – with the referee forced to cut the contest short in extra-time due to a lack of remaining players. Still, Varela had more than made his mark, and was rewarded with a shirt upgrade from No.33 to No.5 after the departure of Carlos Zambrano.

By this stage, Varela was attracting attention from top clubs across Europe, and Porto eventually edged out the competition in August 2023, snapping him up for the bargain price of €11 million. “I’m really happy to arrive at a club as big as Porto and I can’t wait to get to know my new team-mates, the club facilities. I’m so happy,” Varela said at his unveiling. “It’s a beautiful stadium. I can’t wait to play here and I’m going to get straight down to hard work to try and earn the trust of the coach."

Varela would soon learn that winning Sergio Conceicao's trust is no easy feat as he swapped the comfort of life in his homeland for a whole new challenge and environment in Portugal.

GettyHow it's going

Varela made his debut for Porto off the bench in a draw against Arouca before starting in a 1-0 victory over Estrela, and Conceicao stuck with him for their Champions League group-stage opener against Shakhtar Donetsk. The Dragons stormed to a 3-1 win over the Ukrainian champions, and Varela played the full 90 minutes, only to face criticism from his manager in the days that followed.

Speaking on the integration of Varela and fellow new addition Ivan Jaime, Conceicao said: "They have to understand some of the ideas I have. I would say they have a lot to improve." The Porto manager's words had the desired effect, though, as Varela nailed down a spot in his starting XI with a string of stellar performances to help the team fight at the top of the Primeira Liga and qualify for the Champions League knockout stages as runners up in Group H behind Barcelona.

Varela eventually opened his goal account for Porto in January, showing great composure to capitalise on a defensive error and round two players before tapping into the net, finishing off a 5-0 rout of Moreirense. He produced a brilliant first-time finish from the edge of the box the following week as Porto saw off Farense, leaving Conceicao delighted with his progress.

"He has a good arrival, a good shot, he defines well – both in the short and long pass. He is also a player with quality and, in that sense, there has been an interesting evolution, especially now that I am asking a little different things of him," the Portuguese coach told a press conference.

Porto then turned their attention to the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie against Arsenal at the Estadio Dragao, which saw Varela properly introduce himself to fans across Europe. Porto secured a massive 1-0 victory thanks to a late strike from Galeno, but it was Varela that walked away with the Man of the Match award.

Varela recorded more ball recoveries (five), interceptions (three) and passes in the opposition half (11) than any other player, running himself into the ground while also showing great technical quality on the ball. Porto would go on to exit the competition on penalties after a tense second leg in north London, but they did so with their heads held high, and Varela's stock has only continued to grow.

Porto slumped to a disappointing third-place finish in the league, but can still salvage silverware in the form of the Taca de Portugal, if they beat new champions Sporting in the final. The question is: will that be Varela's send-off game now that Liverpool and others are hot on his tail?

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GettyBiggest strengths

Varela is currently following in the footsteps of some of the biggest South American stars of this generation, including Angel Di Maria, James Rodriguez, Enzo Fernandez and Luiz Diaz, all of whom played in the Portuguese top-flight before moving on to one of Europe's elite clubs. The Porto star doesn't possess quite the same level of flair as those men, but he is already a master at shielding the defence and driving his team forward with his physicality.

The combative defensive midfielder has a great engine and reads the game brilliantly, while he also possesses an aggressive streak and will to win that makes him a perfect leader. Varela isn't just a brute, though; he also has a superb passing range and keeps a cool head under pressure in tight areas.

For all of these reasons he has been dubbed 'the next Javier Mascherano' in his homeland, which will be music to the ears of Liverpool fans. Mascherano played for the Reds between 2007 and 2010, establishing himself among Europe's top midfielders before going on to form part of a star-studded Barcelona team alongside Lionel Messi, and Varela has the potential to reach similar heights if he stays on his current trajectory.

The tour was originally scheduled to begin in early May, but was postponed following the Easter Sunday blasts in Colombo

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-2019The PCB has announced that Pakistan’s Under-19s will tour Sri Lanka from May 23 for a series of five 50-over matches. The tour was originally scheduled to begin in early May, with the team set to depart Pakistan on April 30, but was postponed following the Easter Sunday blasts that left over 250 dead in Colombo.The original schedule consisted of two four-day games and three one-dayers against Sri Lanka’s Under-19s, in Galle and Hambantota. Now the tour will consist only of one-day games, all in Hambantota, on May 26, May 28, May 31, June 2 and June 5. The team will depart for Karachi on June 6.The team will be captained by Rohail Nazir, the 17-year-old Islamabad wicketkeeper-batsman, and coached by Azam Khan.Zakir Khan, the PCB’s director – international cricket, said the decision to go ahead with the tour was made after reviewing the security arrangements made by SLC.”I am pleased to confirm the Pakistan U19 cricket team’s tour to Sri Lanka is now back on track following 21 April tragic events,” Zakir said via press release.”Pakistan have themselves been a victim of terrorism. In the past decade, we have suffered massively, both financially and in terms of growing and developing cricket in our country, following international teams’ refusals to visit Pakistan.”When the offer for a revised schedule came on the table, the PCB management team unanimously agreed they will not allow any cricket playing country to go through the same difficulties and challenges as Pakistan. In such difficult times, the cricket family needs to stand together and support their member.”The decision to visit Sri Lanka is not only to show solidarity with them but to also practice what we preach.”In reaching the decision, we have reviewed and are satisfied with the security plans Sri Lanka Cricket have to put place for the Pakistan U19 cricket team. We have complete faith and confidence that our team will be well looked after in Sri Lanka.”In making the final decision, the PCB also took consent of the relevant authorities who backed our view to support Sri Lanka in these difficult times.”Pakistan Under-19 squad: Rohail Nazir (capt & wk), Mohammad Taha, Abbas Afridi, Akhtar Shah, Basit Ali, Haider Ali, Khayyam Khan (wk), Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Junaid, Mohammad Wasim, Niaz Khan, Saim Ayub, Shiraz Khan, Suleman Shafqat, Qasim Akram
Reserves: Amir Ali, Irfan Niazi, Mohammad Amir, Nadir Shah, Said Nazir
Coaching staff: Azam Khan (coach-cum-manager), Mohtashim Rasheed (assistant coach), Faheem Shah (physiotherapist), Saboor Ahmed (trainer), Usman Hashmi (analyst)