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Wolves defender Ki-Jana Hoever could return from injury after the upcoming international break, according to expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Hoever sidelined

The Old Gold picked up another crucial Premier League victory on Sunday afternoon, winning 1-0 away to Everton thanks to Conor Coady’s second-half header.

One player who didn’t partake in the win was Hoever, with the young right-back unavailable since going off early in the 2-0 loss at home to Crystal Palace earlier this month.

Bruno Lage controversially criticised the Dutchman’s professionalism after the injury, suggesting that he didn’t prepare correctly before the game.

The Latest: Dinnery makes positive claim on Hoever

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Dinnery provided a positive update on Hoever’s progress, suggesting that the 20-year-old could return in early April after the internationals.

The injury expert simply stated: “Ki-Jana Hoever could return after the break.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“388797″]

The Verdict: Vital for season run-in

With Nelson Semedo sidelined for the foreseeable future, it is vital that Hoever returns as soon as possible as Wolves continue to eye up European football next season.

Jonny has done well at right wing-back filling in for both players in recent weeks but he still doesn’t possess the natural width in that role compared to on the left-hand side.

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Hoever may feel that he has a point to prove to Lage upon his return following the aforementioned criticism, and he could see it as a perfect opportunity to get back in his manager’s good books, with the Wolves boss having previously hailed the young defender’s “aggressive” nature.

In other news, Tim Spiers hailed one ‘outstanding’ Wolves player against Everton. Find out who it is here.

Stephen Fleming: “It feels very tentative with the [New Zealand] batting unit – there’s been a lot of focus on it, the performances haven’t been great and with that comes a certain amount of tension” © AFP

Stephen Fleming has warned New Zealand not to take Bangladesh for granted in the upcoming ODI and Test series. Fleming, the former New Zealand captain, was leading the New Zealand Cricket XI that lost to the Bangladeshis in a charity Twenty20 game in Hamilton.”If we’re tentative, they’ll put up a fight,” he told the after the game. Fleming, who retired from ODIs after the World Cup but is still part of New Zealand’s Test team, highlighted the Bangladesh batsmen as the key threat. “They’ve got good strokemakers,” he said. “There’s not a lot of fear in some of their players and on their day they can come off – we’ve seen that in some of the upsets they’ve caused at World Cups.”Fleming also contrasted the approach of the Bangladesh batsmen with that of New Zealand. “Their batting is probably almost the opposite of where our batting unit is,” Fleming admitted. “They seem full of confidence, and they don’t really have a lot of fear. The consequence of them playing a bad shot and getting out doesn’t seem to be there.”New Zealand’s batsmen haven’t had a great run of late; Dale Steyn decimated the line-up with 20 wickets in the two Tests in South Africa, and barring one ODI in Port Elizabeth, their batsmen have generally failed to cope. “It feels very tentative with the batting unit – there’s been a lot of focus on it, the performances haven’t been great and with that comes a certain amount of tension.”Coming into the side, you could feel that, the ways the guys played. We have to get away from that and try and stamp some authority with the willow in hand.” The match on Sunday was Fleming’s first competitive game after the Tests in South Africa, during which he had dislocated his thumb. Fleming, who made 17, but was not his fluent self, said, “I felt like a fish out of water. It was all a bit foreign. I was pretty nervous after six weeks without playing so things are pretty green at the moment.”Bangladesh, who haven’t won an ODI or Test against New Zealand, play the first of the three-match ODI series on Boxing Day in Auckland. The two-Test series, in which Fleming is to play, begins in Dunedin on January 4.

‘Brian Lara’s late decision not to play in the final against Barbados was the right one for a number of reasons’ © AFP

Two players showed real leadership for the home team at Guaracara Park, leaving it up to an assortment of talented but impetuous followers to fail to build on foundations of selflessness and solidity.Whether or not he was influenced by the widespread debate over the wisdom of returning to national duty for the first time this season, Brian Lara’s late decision not to play in the final against Barbados was the right one for a number of reasons. It’s no point being wise after the fact and lamenting that Lara should have played because he had a better chance of prospering against the excellent bowling of senior bowlers Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore, who also showed the value of discipline, control and experience on a generally unresponsive track.The fact is that, when the public address announcer did not mention his name in the final XI just before play, there was no great rumbling of discontent among the expectant multitude. If the truth be told, some of them were already primed to unleash some warm picong on the senior statesman of regional cricket about picking and choosing when to play for the country.Even if he was relieved to avoid that quintessentially Trini treatment (I’ll tell about one of the best that I’ve ever heard at the end of this column), Lara must have been pained at the reckless manner in which a succession of precocious young men made gifts of their wickets. Yet it would at the same time have been enormously reassuring to see how one of his more mature protégés, Daren Ganga, held firm while many around him fell by the wayside through their own errors of judgment.

Inevitably, the question around the ground, and especially among us cynical media, was: Why?

The official word from the team camp apparently mentioned something about a knee injury or some other excuse, but let no-one be in any doubt that it was Lara himself who chose to step down, so ensuring that someone like Adrian Barath did not have to be omitted for this high-profile clash with the regional champions.Inevitably, the question around the ground, and especially among us cynical media, was: Why? Was it a public relations exercise, a back-tracking from the original desire to play in the face of divided public opinion so as to be seen as the beneficent national hero, giving up his place for the benefit of a star of the future?As easy as it is to partake in the popular pastime of rubbishing our own for the sake of a laugh, I’d like to draw reference to an occasion just over ten years ago in Australia that illustrated how – for all the accusations of selfishness, manipulation and arrogance – Lara often thinks ahead, even if it seems as if he wants to shape the future in his own image and his own terms. It was December 1996 in Melbourne and the West Indies squad was about to head out to the MCG for the first match of the tri-nation limited-over series against the Aussies. As he was putting his gear together, Lara wanted to send the message back home via an interview that young players like Ganga should be given a break at senior national level in the upcoming season.Earlier that year, Ganga, who was just short of his 17th birthday, showed impressive powers of concentration over nearly six hours at the crease in compiling 80 for South in the annual North-South Classic at this same Guaracara Park. Clearly, Lara was impressed, so much so that he was prepared to put some pressure on his fellow selectors two months before the start of the regional season and from more than half-a-world away.It can be argued that this is more evidence of preoccupation with his own objectives at the expense of more immediate priorities. But, like it or not, this is the way the man operates, in the middle or beyond the boundary. He almost always strives to be ahead of the game, whether that game is against Murali in Colombo or involves the national selectors in Balmain. Yesterday, with Ganga on 102 out of an unsatisfactory total of 275 for 9 with an hour left to play, Lara’s vision of more than a decade ago seemed impressively sharp. Maybe Barath, the current 16-year-old sensation, will use the second innings to make his hero feel that the last-minute decision to step aside for this match was not in vain.Getting back to classic picong, let’s go back a bit further to November 1995 and the final of the regional one-day tournament between Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana at the Queen’s Park Oval. This was just after the general election that saw the UNC come to power following a short-lived accommodation with the NAR, and as Lara and his national teammates were doing laps of the ground before play, a gentleman of East Indian descent, with exquisite timing, shouted from the Republic Bank Stand as the players went past: “Aye Lara! As we in charge now, we goin’ change the name of the promenade to the Suruj Ragoonath Promenade!”Every man jack, including Lara, broke down with laughter.Good-natured moments like that make you love this place, which may have been why, later that evening, he pulled out of a one-day series in Australia even as the players were heading to the airport. Lara and cricket, on or off the field, are a compelling combination.

Pool AImran Nazir led by example with a rollicking 40 to guide Sialkot Stallions to their third successive win, beating Peshawar Panthers by five wickets. Nazir started the match on the right note by winning the toss and putting in; in helpful conditions, Mohammad Asif, Sarfraz Ahmed and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan chipped in collectively to dismiss a Younis Khan-less Peshawar for 126. It was never going to be enough as first Nazir, caning all his runs in boundaries, and then Shahid Yousuf with a more cultured 38 saw Sialkot home with overs to spare. Three games gone and Sialkot are looking worthy title contenders.Who says players don’t take this competition seriously? After Rawalpindi Rams had been restricted to a middling 157 – only Mohammad Waseem and Sohail Tanvir could repel the dangers of Imran Farhat’s leg-spin (three for 26) and Sohail Ahmed’s slow left-arm – Lahore Eagles were coasting to their second win in three games. Mohammad Ashfaq was one away from a maiden century (and the third in Pakistan’s Twenty20), three were needed for victory and Najaf Shah promptly came along and bowled a deliberate leg-side wide which went for four. Ashfaq, tragically, remained unbeaten on 99, Lahore moved closer to the semi-finals, Rawalpindi further away from it, but Lahore refused to shake hands with their opponents so upset were they at the act. Competition lives on.Multan Tigers beat Karachi Zebras by virtue of having made more runs in the first 10 overs (94 as opposed to 82) after both sides ended 173 for nine. Have Karachi Zebras become king of the ties? Probably not, for after beating Peshawar two days ago by virtue of losing lesser wickets, they were beaten by Multan despite both teams ending at 173 for nine: the match was decided in hindsight on who scored more in the first 10 overs. Karachi opener Khurram Manzoor had more reason than most to feel hard done by, having scored the competition’s third hundred (and second of the day) off 61 balls to set Karachi on their way. They lost direction thereafter collapsing from 108 for one. Multan should have been outright winners for they were 159 for three at one stage, with Saeed Anwar jnr and Hasnain Abbas embedded in a 113-run partnership. But they imploded to Hasan Raza’s curiously effective wrong-foot leg-spin and mad running; having not won a game (and lost the last one due to a power failure) they won’t mind how their wins come, as long as they do.Pool BIf Pakistan don’t pick Taufeeq Umar as opener they may have to as their next all-rounder. Discarded from the national team since early last year, Umar reminded them of his batting prowess and then revealed his bowling skill later to help Lahore Lions to a comfortable fourth successive win, this time against Islamabad Leopards. He first became only the second man – after Moin Khan last year – to score a Twenty20 century in Pakistan, from only 60 balls; a140-run opening stand and a typically languid Abdul Razzaq salvo towards the end saw Lahore pile up a massive 234. The target was never realistic but Umar, having taken two catches as well, decided to put his gentle right-arm off-spin to use, sending back four Islamabad batsmen for only 11 runs in three overs. The Man of the Match was never in any doubt and neither is Lahore Lions’ place in the semi-final.Andrew Flintoff can bat and bowl, but can he keep as well? Afsar Nawaz has been doing all three, successfully, for Karachi Dolphins and another truly all-round performance saw his side move closer to the semi-finals, beating Quetta Bears by six wickets. Nawaz began by keeping wickets, taking a catch, then coming onto bowl to take a wicket with his off-breaks. Despite a captain’s 50 from the hulking Faisal Irfan, Quetta were dismissed for 154, off-spinner Irfanuddin ending with his second four-wicket haul of the tournament. Far be it from Nawaz to let anyone else steal the limelight and he came in at the fall of an early wicket, added 73 for the second wicket with Khalid Latif, totted up 64 for himself (to follow 71, 27 and 61) and coolly walked off with the win and match prize. And he may well ask, who is Freddie Flintoff?Faisal Athar and Pir Zulfiqar starred with bat and ball respectively as Hyderabad Hawks beat Abbottabad Rhinos by nine wickets. The Hawks bounced back in style (after losing to Islamabad Leopards on Sunday), reaching the target of 175 comfortably with four balls to spare. Zulfiqar, the slow left arm bowler, picked up four wickets and wrapped up the Rhinos’ innings. Ali Naqvi, the former Pakistan opener, top-scored for the Rhinos with 45. Kashif Raza, the right arm medium bowler, chipped in with three wickets. The Hawks got off to a solid start, putting on 60 for the first wicket. Aqeel Anjum retired hurt after he scored 26 while Hanif-ur-Rehman made a quick-fire 43 off 26 balls. Athar remained not out on 66 till the end, scoring seven boundaries and a six.

Rarely, through the bizarrely grueling itinerary this tour has charted, has cricket and all its pre-match rituals – the scouring of the ground, pre-match press conferences, press box arrangements, coming to the stadium in the morning – been as unpleasant an experience as it has in Jamshedpur.This is not intended as a slight on the city; it is an admirable construct and a curious blend of drab industry with pleasant foliage. In any case, the schedule is such that if sightseeing stretches beyond your hotel room wall, consider it a luxury. The residents of the city and the fans too are blameless.Although there is little that is inspiring about the Keenan Stadium – certainly not the hastily constructed rickety extra bamboo stands – it holds intrigue. Maybe it is the plumes of smoke drifting out of the steel mills blending into abundant greenery. Or perhaps it is because of its capacity; it holds only 20,000 and feels even more compact.And until Indian wickets began tumbling, the crowd at least had been an energetic one. Then, their energies were expended towards the exit, not a graceless departure, but a regrettable one nonetheless. They had been fitfully non-partisan and sporting, heartily acknowledging the arrival of Inzamam, politely clapping Pakistani boundaries and generously clapping Salman Butt’s century. The missile thrown onto the field in the 11th over was, thankfully, a solitary and minor aberration.So why will Jamshedpur be less than fondly remembered? Partially at least because, until yesterday afternoon, it looked barely capable of handling one journalist let alone the traveling circus that accompanies an India-Pakistan match. The press gallery, situated worryingly just above the sight-screen just to please Sachin Tendulkar, was full of those chairs with arm-rests more commonly associated with exam halls. No tables for laptops let alone plug points for them in sight. The media communication centre, bereft of phone lines and PCs was used for the pre-match press conference. The Pakistan Radio commentary team didn’t have a box until they rented a tent on top of the pavilion the night before the game.Was the Keenan stadium really fit to hold an international match of this magnitude? Obviously the PCB’s venue inspection team had thought so in February.But the Jharkhand State Cricket Association, to their credit, at least managed to get the press gallery into a minimum working order. They remained limited – we weren’t sure whether there was a scorer or not for Pakistan’s innings – but local staff were at least willing. And at least they provided snacks and a much-needed lassi in the morning session.No, the real basis of the distaste that Jamshedpur will unfortunately leave originates from the overbearing officiousness of almost all the security personnel. Actually officiousness is possibly too polite a word. At every level, every instance, in the ground, outside it, at team hotels, various police and private security forces have been obnoxious, antagonistic, disinterested and rude. If you asked them for directions they snorted gruffly, if you asked to be let through somewhere, they would be virulently obscurantist, even after passes had been shown.The day before the game journalists weren’t allowed onto the field during practice. The local association said it was under police orders not to. The police said they knew nothing about it but wouldn’t let journalists go on. Yet on the field, during practice, were families, happily strolling around, hunting autographs and taking pictures with players. Some of these fans left the ground later in police cars.Despite having arranged an interview with a team member in the afternoon, upon turning up at the hotel, I was brusquely evicted by a senior police official, trippy on power. My crime was to have forgotten to arrange the interview through him, now obviously an ad-hoc hotel media manager. “My job is not a pleasant one so don’t expect me to be pleasant,” he explained. No argument, no pass, nothing – out. So the stone-throwing incident on the team bus had concurrently rattled and raised stakes, but was there the need to be as abrupt, as obstinate and just so rude? Could not a little courtesy have been extended?Outside Keenan Stadium this morning, policemen were little more than uniforms on pot-bellied sticks, unwilling to help with directions but more than willing to become obstacles to entry. I asked one for directions to the media entrance as no maps or directions were forthcoming. He huffed that he didn’t know but that I should immediately turn around and go. Where? No answer.It’s not so much that they were like this. Police and security personnel, after all, are rarely polite in this part of the world but what has been shocking is how deeply it permeated. It wasn’t just one incident of surliness, it was sustained at every level and at every opportunity.Coming as it did on the back of a trouble and hassle-free tour, on the back of Cochin and Visakhapatnam – small venues which many thought wouldn’t be fit to host a tour as momentous as this but which had coped so well – it was surprising, unfortunate, unnecessary and ill-timed.

50 overs Australia 5 for 205 (Gilchrist 75, Symonds 73) beat India 203 (Yuvraj 47, Lee 3-22) by five wickets
Scorecard

Australia’s fast bowlers blasted India out for a small total and their batsmen made short work of chasing it © Getty

Brett Lee’s searing spell in the morning set the tone and the Adam Gilchrist-Andrew Symonds pair completed the dominance as Australia walloped India by five wickets with 18 overs to spare at the WACA in Perth. After Lee had caused India all sort of problems, they did well to muster 203, and when Australia lost three early wickets aupset was briefly on the cards. But then a whirlwind partnership between Gilchrist (75) and Symonds (73) left them bereft of ideas and completely battered.The two came together when Michael Clarke (2) had attempted to drive through the covers and edged a simple catch to Virender Sehwag at first slip (3 for 37). Matthew Hayden and Damien Martyn had already departed to acrobatic catches; Rohan Gavaskar pulling off a reflex grab diving to his right and VVS Laxman stretching full-length at second slip (2 for 16).Gilchrist was dropped in the second over of the innings, slashing wildly at a wide ball from Ajit Agarkar, and what a costly miss that proved for the Indians. In the next over from Irfan Pathan he pierced the field with a similar slash and followed it up with a rollicking six over backward square leg. Agarkar and Pathan served up some wide half-volleys and he blitzed a few sizzling square-drives. Going down on one knee, Gilchrist used the full arc of the bat and pounded the fence with regularity.Once Symonds came in, India were bombarded from both ends. Barring Lakshmipathy Balaji, who bowled a very accurate spell in the face of brutal hitting, the rest sprayed it around and played into the batsmen’s hands. Symonds received half-volleys with plenty of width and smashed them freely through cover. Neither batsmen ducked when the ball was pitched short, and just swivelled back and swatted it away. Symonds took a special liking to Murali Kartik and deposited one of his flighted balls onto the rooftop at midwicket. The 15.1 overs that they batted produced 122 runs before Symonds pulled Pathan to midwicket and Laxman caught a sharp chance (4 for 159). Gilchrist hit 11 fours and a six and Symonds smashed 11 fours and two mighty sixes. Gilchrist fell soon after, top-edging a cut to Balaji at third man (5 for 165), but Michael Hussey (17), on debut, and Simon Katich (18) ensured that the target was reached without further alarms.Earlier in the day, India had been restricted to 203 largely due to a blistering spell of fast bowling from Lee (3 for 22). Clearing the 150 kph mark with ease, Lee troubled all the batsmen by mixing up his length while maintaining an accurate line. A few perished trying to jab and flirt with deliveries probing on the off-stump line. Sachin Tendulkar (5) got a peach of a ball that pitched on off and just seamed away a bit to clip the edge of the bat (1 for 20). Laxman (1) didn’t have too much of a clue in his short stay at the crease and edged a short ball fishing outside off (2 for 32). Sourav Ganguly, who might have regretted his decision to bat first, resorted to some wild swinging when he was peppered with the short stuff but fell victim as he poked at one that bounced steeply (4 for 57).Sehwag’s breezy 32, including some ferocious driving, and Yuvraj Singh’s 47 were primarily responsible for India posting a modest total. Yuvraj’s shot-selection was near perfect and he showed that the pitch wasn’t a vicious one by any means. He didn’t flinch when hit high on the arm by Brad Williams, and answered the very next ball with a glorious square-drive. He pasted Symonds to midwicket with a pull but fell soon after to the same bowler. He chased a wide one and handed Gilchrist an easy chance (8 for 142).Before this dismissal, Gavaskar’s off stump was cleaned up by a screaming straight one from Lee and Agarkar (9) was run out after a 39-ball struggle. The total was shored up by Kartik (32) and Pathan (20) who eked out some valuable runs, with Balaji (11) providing some good support at the end.Gilchrist and Symonds ensured that the total wasn’t even close to enough. No arguments about which team won the psychological brownie points before they clash again in the finals.

Two brilliant knocks from Khaled Mashud Pilot and Anisur Rahman had posted Rajshahi Division well into a commanding position after day-3 of Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 3rd National League. Their opponent Khulna Division is fighting to evade the looming innings defeat with 147 for 4 at the close of the day.Rajshahi had amassed 536 runs for 8 wickets when their swaggering skipper Khaled Masud decided to declare the innings against a Khulna first innings total of 239. Masud hammered the second double century (201 not out) in the League (Minhajul Abedin got the first one) with good support he got from Anisur Rahman (107) and the Shamimul Haque (43).Masud, the skipper and wicket keeper of Bangladesh National team, has added more 144 runs to his overnight tally. To reach the double figure he sent the ball 18 times to score boundaries and chose the aerial for a single occasion. Thanks to his fifth wicket stand with Anisur Rahman that procured Rajshahi 155 runs.With Shamimul he summed up another 108 runs in the next wicket and declared the innings soon after he reached his double hundred.Khulna Division suffered a middle order collapse after a good start. Sajjadul Hasan (45) and Nahidul Haque (43) set in motion auspiciously as they gathered up 88 runs in the opening stand.However, after Nahidul’s departure Khulna middle order crumbled miserably as they lost the next 3 wickets in quick succession. At stumps they were pulling out all the stops on 147/4 with Hasanuzzaman (31) and Asadullah Khan (19) on the crease.

Worcestershire Royals threw away a great chance to consolidate their lead of the First Division of the National league when they saw Gloucestershire snatch a dramatic three wicket win at Cheltenham.The Australian Glenn McGrath had sent the home side reeling with a dynamic burst which rbought him threee wickets in seven balls for no runs.They were then on 76 for 7 in reply to Worcester’s 149 for 9 and McGrath had two overs left.But then in an astonishing decision acting-captain Stephen Rhodes withdrew him from the attack and with the pressure off Chris Taylor, a youngster in his first season at county level, and veteran spinner Martyn Ball who can no longer command a regular place, as the West County side fashioned a remarkable escape.They began to punch holes in the field and were to score 73 in 13 overs with each matching the other.A capacity crowd at the Cheltenham College who had given up the mathc as lost began to get behind them cheering eveyr run and when McGrath was finally recalled to complete his nine overs the game had taken a completely different appearance.Fifteen were needed off four overs and by then the eight wicket pair were fearing no one. McGrath at the start of the innings had sent down thunderbolts in an opening spell which saw just three runs taken off him, now Taylor planted one foot firmly down the wicket and drove four runs straight past him.It was more than bravado for it was his fourth boundary and he finished on 37 off 54 balls. Ball had two boundaries in his 30 off 37 balls, the second of them winning the match as he smacked spinner Richard Illingowrth to the cover boundary.The crowd swarmed onto the field to salute a famous, if unlikely victory, while Rhodes was left to reflect on a bad error of judgement for easing the pressure at the wrong time.His decision to bat first had also come under close examination for it was never easy to get the ball off the square against the persistent accuracy of Mike Smith who bowled through his nine overs of left-arm pace for nine runs and the wicket of Paul Pollard, bowled off his pads for eight.Vikram Solanki, whose enterprising 45 off 69 balls ended in a catch at long off, Ryan Driver with a big 29 and Rhodes, caught at cover off a full toss for 27 lifted Worcester’s score but it was a modest score on a good wicket of even bounce.Dominic Hewson (34) and Jack Russell gave Gloucestershire’s reply a steady start with 40 in 17 overs before Russell who had made just seven of them spooned a return catch to Richard Illingworth.The innings was in trouble on 56 when Hewson was run out by David Leatherdale’s sharp throw from cover point before Illingworth, three balls later, bowled Harvey around his legs for 11.A painstaking 11 overs for 20 by Matt Windows and Mark Alleyne promised to rebuild the innings but on 76 it all swung Worcester’s way. An uncertain Alleyne, going onto the back foot was bowled by Illingworth and this was followed by McGrath’s assult which saw Windows and Jeremy Snape depart leg before and Reggie Williams caught behind.Worcester were on course for their seventh league win in eight maches but then came that fatal blunder to remove McGrath and it became sackcloth and ashes.

Celtic ‘will continue to keep tabs’ on Bristol City’s Antoine Semenyo, but he could prove to be too expensive for the Hoops. 

That’s according to freelance sports journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was speaking to GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Celtic sent senior scout Craig Strachan to watch Semenyo in action against Reading last month (via Bristol World). The 22-year-old is capable of operating anywhere across the frontline and has less than 18 months remaining on his contract at Ashton Gate (via Transfermarkt).

However, Bristol Live’s James Piercy has claimed that the Robins have slapped a £20m price tag on the forward. For context, Celtic’s record signing up to this point is Odsonne Edouard, who only cost them £9m.

The latest

Nontheless, O’Rourke believes that Celtic have yet to give up hope of signing Semenyo despite the warning over his price tag.

The journalist told GiveMeSport: “I’m sure Celtic will continue to keep tabs on him. But if it comes down to pricing, I think Celtic will be priced out of it.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-22/” title=”Celtic updates!!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The verdict

It’s no surprise that Celtic are interested in Semenyo. He’s impressively racked up 14 direct goal contributions in the Championship this season, with six goals and eight assists to his name.

Only six players in the entire division have set up more goals (John Swift, Harry Wilson, Chris Willock, Sorba Thomas, Jed Wallace and Ryan Giles), and they have all played at least four more games than Semenyo (via BBC Sport).

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Furthermore, Robins manager Nigel Pearson has said that the 22-year-old’s ‘power and pace’ make him a ‘nightmare to play against’.

Celtic perhaps shouldn’t give up hope just yet because Semenyo’s contract situation puts Bristol City in a difficult position. As it stands, they know that he could walk away for free in just over a year’s time, so they could be willing to compromise on his transfer fee as a result.

In other news, Stiliyan Petrov criticised this Celtic star on Sunday over one ‘poor’ moment 

	Shane Bond is reportedly in line to earn more than NZ$3 million over three years for joining the Indian Cricket League © Getty Images

Shane Bond has signed up with the Indian Cricket League (ICL), according to one of the league’s senior officials. New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive Justin Vaughan will meet with Bond on Tuesday as NZC make a last-ditch attempt to rescue Bond’s international career.Ashish Kaul, the executive vice-president of the Essel Group, the company behind the ICL, confirmed the rumours that the league had secured New Zealand’s strike bowler. “Shane Bond has signed up,” Kaul told . “It’s a three-year contract that he has with the Indian Cricket League.”The reported Bond’s ICL deal was worth US$800,000 a season, regardless of whether he is fit to play. That would equate to more than NZ$3 million over the length of the contract – an extremely attractive proposition for the injury-prone Bond, who turns 33 this year. While NZC would prefer Bond to sign with the Indian Premier League (IPL), which has the backing of India’s board, their offer is reportedly a much lower US$250,000 a season, provided Bond is fit to play.An abdominal strain has kept Bond out of the current Test series against Bangladesh but Bond said he would make his comeback through club cricket next weekend. He would not confirm the reports he had signed with the ICL. “There’s a few agreements in place that mean I can’t really talk at the moment,” Bond told the paper. “I’d rather work through those before saying too much.”The deal would likely mean the end of Bond’s Test and ODI career, as NZC has already told its selectors to consider other players ahead of any who join the ICL. NZC has also made an agreement with the other Test nations that any players who take part in the non-officially-sanctioned ICL should not be selected for international duties.Heath Mills, the New Zealand Cricket Players Association manager, said the rights of the players needed to be kept in mind. “We just need to make sure we don’t do anything that breaches the rights of the individual contractor in any way, shape or form, and effectively bring on a situation that results in NZC being in dispute with its players,” Mills told the .”It’s not necessary. We need to continue working hard to find a solution that is good for both parties. It’s not staring us in the face right now, I’m the first to admit. But we’re not going to give up on finding a solution that’s good for both NZC and for the players.”