Celtic are keen to appoint a permanent successor to Martin O’Neill and now look to be well down the road in that regard, as fresh details over Wilfried Nancy’s arrival and potential backroom team emerge.

The Bhoys enjoyed a productive weekend of Scottish Premiership action, even if it was a little fortuitous, claiming a dramatic last-gasp victory over St Mirren before Heart of Midlothian lost out at Aberdeen to narrow the gap at the top of the table.

Four points separate the top two heading into a busy schedule, with Celtic holding the advantage of a crucial game in hand against Dundee United days after they collide with the Edinburgh side in a blockbuster clash at Parkhead in a couple of weeks.

From a position of real uncertainty, the Bhoys have edged their way back into title contention and will hope to capitalise as Hearts continue to falter, albeit O’Neill made it clear after their win in Paisley that he isn’t sure how much longer he will be in interim charge alongside Shaun Maloney.

He said: “There’s relief as much as anything else, but you enjoy winning football matches – that’s what it’s about. It keeps confidence alive as much as anything else and keeps momentum going.

“At this minute, I haven’t heard anything more. I would reckon I would probably be on the plane for Rotterdam and maybe not much longer. If the board announce a new manager in the couple of days, I will walk into the sunset.”

O’Neill looks likely to be in charge for Celtic’s trip to face Feyenoord on Thursday in the Europa League and could be in situ for their match against Hibernian on Sunday. However, it doesn’t look like he will be sticking around for long after that.

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Posts ByDan Emery Nov 22, 2025 Wilfried Nancy set to add four new faces to Celtic backroom staff

Previously, it became clear that Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy is set to take over at Celtic after his side bowed out of the MLS Cup playoffs, though there has since been quiet over the details of his arrival.

Now, PLZ Soccer report that Nancy is set to begin his journey at Parkhead from the start of December, if not before then, with the Bhoys’ home clash against Dundee on the third day of the month likely to be his first game in charge.

Four of Nancy’s own staff are set to take on new roles in Glasgow over the next week, should their contracts be signed off, with Dermot Desmond sparing no expense making the new boss feel at home in the face of recent fan pressure. Kwame Ampadu is likely to be one of the new faces following his work alongside the 48-year-old in the United States.

Wilfried Nancy’s record at Columbus Crew

Matches

136

Wins

71

Draws

32

Losses

33

Trophies

MLS Cup (2024)

It remains to be seen whether Maloney will form part of the Frenchman’s backroom team after his sterling efforts during his period as interim assistant.

Celtic fans have had to wait nearly a month to find out the identity of their new permanent manager, though they will be relieved to see that the hunt for a new boss is finally nearing an end.

Eddie Howe hasn’t minced his words when quizzed on Newcastle United’s interest in their former schoolboy Elliot Anderson, who was sold to Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest for about £35m in 2024.

Now regarded as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League” by Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel, Anderson is indeed becoming a star, and Newcastle want him back, forced into cashing in to comply with PSR regulations.

But Manchester United are also known suitors, and Forest are set to demand in excess of £100m for their prized player.

Newcastle need a centre-midfielder, though, and technical director Ross Wilson is centring on a shrewd alternative.

Newcastle pursuing new midfielder

Though Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali are among the finest midfielders in the game, Joelinton is becoming a weak link, with Toon writer Thomas Hammond claiming this is “the start of the end” for the Brazilian.

The 29-year-old surely doesn’t have much more mileage left in the tank, having run many laps around the St. James’ Park grass across the years.

The interest in Anderson is suggestive of Howe’s stance on the mainstay’s future, but there is an alternative option in the pipeline for the PIF-backed side.

Indeed, Italian outlet Tuttomercato, Newcastle are pursuing a January move for Roma midfielder Manu Kone, who has been instrumental in the club’s blooming Serie A title charge this term.

Reports from the summer claim that the Italians have placed a €50m (£44m) price tag on the 24-year-old, but United and PIF would surely strike gold, should they bring him over.

What Manu Kone would bring to Newcastle

Kone has been at Roma since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, joining the club from Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany. He was a loanee last season but has since become a permanent member of Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad.

A powerhouse of a midfielder, the 6 foot 1 Frenchman is limber but endowed with natural strength that allows him to perform robustly in the engine room.

As well as being a crisp passer, Kone is also skilled as a carrier, looking to break lines.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of Serie A midfielders this season for pass completion and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90. He regularly draws fouls from lunging opponents.

That aside, Kone has also been hailed as a “one-man army” in midfield by talent scout Jacek Kulig, owing to that strength and physicality in the middle of the park.

In this, he could be the perfect player to succeed Joelinton in Howe’s midfield, striking a balance between the different facets of a successful box-to-box role.

Matches (starts)

10 (10)

12 (12)

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

1

Touches*

39.5

62.2

Accurate passes*

22.2 (82%)

43.8 (92%)

Chances created*

0.5

1.0

Dribble (success)*

0.2 (50%)

1.2 (67%)

Recoveries*

3.4

4.7

Tackles + interceptions*

2.7

2.0

Clearances*

1.7

1.0

Duels won*

4.6

5.4

Errors made

2x

1x

Joelinton has had a good run in Howe’s midfield, but it’s time for ruthlessness to take precedence: the club have threatened to stagnate this term, and a breath of fresh air in the engine room could elevate the squad, reinforcing the backline and giving new support to the forwards.

His ball-carrying metrics have decreased significantly, and while he remains a combative and dangerous force in the middle, there’s no question that the Brazil international lacks the same full-throttle energy as once before.

Kone was considered a top talent during his early-career days in the German Bundesliga, and while he has endured some ebb-tide moments in his career, no one can deny that he is now blooming into a complete midfielder tailor-made for the Premier League.

PIF have signed an "explosive" talent who can end Gordon's Newcastle career

Newcastle United already have an exciting attacker up their sleeve who can end Anthony Gordon’s stalling Magpies career.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2025

Everton know they will have to replace Idrissa Gueye in the near future and a new update has outlined their plans in the January transfer window.

The Blues could potentially be without Gueye for as many as six games in January, due to his involvement at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.

Not only that, but Everton also need to plan for life without the 36-year-old, with the midfielder out of contract at the Hill Dickinson Stadium at the end of this season.

Gueye signed a one-year extension during the summer, but given his age, there is every chance that the 2025/26 campaign will be his last in a Blues shirt.

Replacing him is going to be a tall order, with the Senegalese such an influential figure at the heart of Everton’s midfield across two different spells with the club, and it looks as though the Merseysiders are preparing for life without him.

Everton eyeing new midfielder in January

According to Football Insider, “both permanent and loan deals will be explored” by Everton in January, as they plan to fill the void left by Gueye with a new midfield signing.

The report also adds that the Blues “have no plans” to offer the popular midfielder a contract extension, as he gradually nears the end of his £120,000-a-week deal, which makes him Everton’s third-highest earner.

This feels like sensible thinking by Everton, with Gueye’s absence in the winter likely to leave a gap, given his ability to cover ground and bite into tackles, even at his current age.

Appearances

11

Starts

11

Minutes played

952

Goals

2

Assists

0

Tackles per game

2.0

Clearances per game

0.8

Pass completion rate

87.1%

The Blues need to be looking at a similar style of player to come in as his long-term successor, but whoever that is will have a lot to live up to, with James Garner heaping praise on him.

“He’s getting better the older he gets. He’s a calm, assuring head alongside me. I’m still pretty young and still learning the game, and he’s helped me massively.”

It remains to be seen who Everton’s choice of midfielder will be – Real Betis ace Sergi Altimira was reportedly the subject of a bid in the summer – but a permanent move makes more sense than a loan signing, in terms of bringing in a long-term option who is in and around his best years of his career.

Idrissa Gueye was "everywhere" for Everton vs Fulham, won 100% of his aerial duels

Nottingham Forest are now keen on a January move for a Champions League defender, amid doubts over the future of Murillo.

Murillo's future at the City Ground up in the air

It recently emerged that Murillo has now become Barcelona’s top target, with Evangelos Marinakis willing to cash-in on the Brazilian for £53m, and journalist Pete O’Rourke has also named Premier League rivals Chelsea as potential suitors.

With the centre-back contracted until 2029, Forest are in a strong negotiating position, but there is certainly no shortage of interest in his services, with Mikel Arteta a big fan, and Arsenal have also now identified the 23-year-old as a top target.

Although results have improved under Sean Dyche, the Tricky Trees are still very much in a relegation battle as things stand, so it would be a risk to sell one of their key players this winter, but it would not be a surprise if the defender has his head turned, amid interest from some of Europe’s top clubs.

According to a report from Football Insider, Chelsea could make a big-money move for Murillo when the January transfer window opens, and Nottingham Forest are now keen on signing Inter Milan defender Stefan De Vrij, whose future at the San Siro is in doubt.

De Vrij’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and having not received much game time, he could be open to a move this winter, with a place in the Netherlands’ 2026 World Cup squad at stake.

Forest have set out to sign a new centre-back in January, with Dyche personally keen on bringing in new additions more suited to his style of play.

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ByEthan Lamb Nov 27, 2025 De Vrij would arrive at Forest with wealth of top-level experience

With the 33-year-old’s contract due to expire next summer, he could plausibly be available for a low fee, and the £117k-a-week defender’s vast top-level experience could be invaluable for Forest in their bid to avoid relegation and compete in Europe.

The Dutchman has 77 caps to his name for the Netherlands, while also making 48 appearances in the Champions League and 14 in the Europa League, and he was recently singled out for high praise from compatriot Rafael Van der Vaart.

The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder said: “In the air, he can clear those four balls from the goal, and he always stays calm. I’ve come to appreciate him immensely. Usually, I prefer a player with more style, but he doesn’t make mistakes.”

Given his age, De Vrij wouldn’t be a viable long-term replacement for Murillo, and Forest should look to hold onto the Brazil international for as long as possible, but he could be a savvy addition to the squad on a short contract, with an option to extend.

Batter set to link up with Dubai Capitals in December but hopes to impress during Ashes warm-up fixture

Matt Roller13-Oct-2025Jordan Cox, the newly-crowned PCA men’s player of the year, will leave England Lions’ tour to Australia early to take up a lucrative contract with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20.Cox missed out on selection for England’s 16-man Ashes squad after they deemed Ollie Pope to be sufficient wicketkeeping cover for Jamie Smith. He will have a chance to impress Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes first-hand when playing for the Lions in England’s only warm-up fixture but, barring an injury, will arrive in Dubai before the ILT20 starts on December 2.”We have got an agreement,” Cox said at last week’s Toyota PCA Awards. “I won’t be at the Lions as long as people think. I will be there for the first game, maybe the second. It’s mainly to help the England boys get ready for the Test matches, which is the most important thing. When they don’t need me, they will flick me off to Dubai.”The Capitals signed Cox as a replacement player before the ILT20’s recent auction and he is understood to be one of the league’s highest earners, with a contract worth around US$250,000. His exact itinerary is yet to be confirmed, but he is expected to leave the Lions tour before they play Australia A in Brisbane on December 5.After missing out on a Test debut there last winter with an ill-timed thumb injury, Cox is back in New Zealand with England’s T20I squad ahead of the start of the series on Saturday. He capped an excellent summer for Essex and Oval Invincibles with a maiden international half-century in Ireland last month, and is anticipating a busy winter.Brydon Carse hopes his injury problems are behind him, going into the Ashes•Getty Images”There is some England stuff I’d love to be a part of,” he said, “but if not, there’s a few franchise competitions and I’ll have some fun. My aim is to play Test cricket, but I wouldn’t wish an injury on anyone. If I get a chance, it would be awesome.”It will be nice to show Stokes, Baz and Keysy [Rob Key]. They haven’t watched me live much in red-ball [cricket]. They have come to Hundred or T20 games, but I don’t imagine they are coming to much four-day cricket. Maybe they will see something different that they like – or not – and I’d like to show them [what I can do] in the flesh. That would be really good.”I was close to a Test call-up but hopefully I will get closer. It will be nice to be on the Lions and try to score a few runs against the England bowlers to show them I’m capable… You always notice more outside of the nets: do they mingle well with the group? Are they polite, well-mannered? All that sort of stuff you need to be if you want to be an England player.”Related

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Meanwhile, Brydon Carse – who, like Cox, has arrived in New Zealand ahead of Saturday’s first T20I – has revealed that he has stockpiled specially modified bowling boots ahead of this winter’s tours. Carse struggled with an infected toe last winter and churned through pairs of spikes this summer as he tried to avoid cutting it back open.Carse said he had “absolutely no problems” with his toe this summer, and said that his sponsors have been an “unbelievable” help. “They’ve kitted me out with enough pairs of boots to go away,” he said. “They’ve started cutting holes into my boot for me, specifically made for me, which has been a massive help.”I’ve got a little hole in the second toe [area of the boot]… During that India Test series, I struggled in the first couple of games. I probably went through five or six pairs during the first two Tests. New Balance have been really supportive with me. As long as they keep churning out pairs of boots, I’ll be happy.”Carse spent two weeks training at Loughborough before travelling and said that Stokes and Mark Wood are progressing well in their recovery from injuries: “Ben is looking near enough 100% fit, and so is Mark. It’s exciting to see where they have got to after their setbacks during the summer. They will be raring to go come Australia time.”

After losing the tournament opener to India, Sri Lanka play Australia in an ODI for the first time since 2019

Madushka Balasuriya03-Oct-20252:44

Can the Australia batting juggernaut be stopped?

India first, Australia second. No, that wasn’t an early prediction for the finals, just simply Sri Lanka’s first two matches at this World Cup. It should only get easier from here but for a Sri Lankan outfit that, despite having played 31 ODIs between the 2022 World Cup and this one, has been crying out for consistent, high-level competition, this upcoming game will lay the most accurate marker yet on their upward trajectory over the past couple of years.Having challenged the hosts India in the tournament opener, they fell short at key moments in that game, perhaps succumbing to the pressure of the occasion. And that pressure will only be cranked up against an imposing Australian outfit, one with so many avenues to hurt you, it’s hard to pinpoint any single weak point that opponents could potentially prey on.For Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu both these matches have come at the right time – at the start of the tournament – and she hopes they will serve as a building block for her side’s ambitions.Related

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“Yes, we’re playing against the two best teams in the first two games, but that’s really good for us,” Athapaththu said ahead of Saturday’s match against Australia in Colombo.”Because then we have some games against teams – like South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan Bangladesh – that we have beaten during the last 12-15 months. So it’s good to start with best teams so that we can prepare well and learn from our mistakes and bounce back.”That resilience to bounce back from setbacks is what has driven this Sri Lankan team over the past couple of years. Between October 2019 and June 2022, they didn’t play a single ODI. Since then, they’ve surged forward, culminating in their T20 Asia Cup title in 2024.Game time has helped, even if parity with the men’s team remains distant. Sri Lanka played 31 WODIs and 61 WT20Is between the 2022 and 2025 World Cups. Still, matches against elite sides like Australia remain rare. Before this tournament, Sri Lanka hadn’t played an international for four months; they prepared with domestic fixtures and games against youth teams.”Everyone knows the Australians are the best team and they have a very experienced side,” Athapaththu said. “In 2019 we played a series against them and I scored a century in Brisbane. After that we never played against Australia because of Covid and some other various reasons. So we missed playing against Australia.”We know we haven’t played international games during the past few months, but we played some domestic cricket. There are things that I cannot control as a captain but I’ll control my bat and ball. Our preparation is good, because we played some games against national youth teams.”Australia’s preparation, meanwhile, has been ideal. They won a hard-fought series in India in September and several of their players have gained exposure to Indian conditions through the WPL. They arrived in Colombo on Thursday afternoon, well in time to recover and prepare for Saturday.”It’s been good, positive vibes,” said opener Phoebe Litchfield when asked about the team’s mood following their journey from Indore. “Woke up this morning, hit the gym, got to the ground and hopefully have some food and get started into training. The commute was fine. It was pretty stock standard but the bodies feel great all around so we’re keen to play tomorrow.”Litchfield struck a 31-ball 45 against New Zealand to set the tone for Australia’s innings in Indore, but with conditions in Colombo unlikely to be as conducive to batting, she knows a more considered approach might be required.”I think we’ll see when we get out there,” Litchfield said. “I’m not going to swing from the limbs first ball. Going to assess conditions, see how it’s playing. And if we think it’s a 300 wicket, it’s a 300 wicket and we’ll play our way. But also know that we might have to adapt depending on the conditions that we face.Litchfield has played just the solitary match against Sri Lanka – a WT20I last year – but Australia know what to expect for the most part.”Their opening bowlers pose a threat but their spin attack is where their work gets done. They’ve got four spinners that are completely different to each other. That’ll probably be the biggest threat to us.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo venceu o São Paulo por 2 a 1, nesta quarta-feira (17), no Maracanã, pela 2ª rodada do Brasileirão. Luiz Araújo e De La Cruz foram os responsáveis pelos gols do triunfo, enquanto Ferreira descontou para os visitantes.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Flamengo

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Com o resultado, o Rubro-Negro ocupa a liderança do Campeonato Brasileiro pela primeira vez desde a última rodada da edição de 2020. A equipe de Tite soma seis pontos e tem dois gols favoráveis no saldo.

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
FLAMENGO 2 X 1 SÃO PAULO
BRASILEIRÃO – SEGUNDA RODADA

🗓️ Data e horário: quarta-feira, 17 de abril de 2024, às 21h30 (de Brasília);
📍 Local: Maracanã, em Rio de Janeiro, no Brasil
🟨 Árbitro: Anderson Daronco (Fifa/RS)
⚽ Gols: Luiz Araújo e De La Cruz (Flamengo); Ferreira (São Paulo)

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⚽ ESCALAÇÕES
FLAMENGO (Técnico: Tite)
Rossi; Varela,Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira e Ayrton Lucas; Pulgar, Allan e De La Cruz; Everton Cebolinha, Pedro e Bruno Henrique.

SÃO PAULO (Técnico: Tiago Carpini)
Rafael; Ferraresi, Arboleda e Diego Costa; Igor Vinícius, Alisson, Pablo Maia e Wellington; Luciano e Michel Araújo; Calleri.

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Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoFlamengoSão Paulo

Chelsea have found that a long-serving employee fraudulently siphoned more than £200,000 from the organisation over a four-year period. Claire Walsh, 39, who worked as an assistant treasury manager, pleaded guilty to abusing her position to obtain £208,521.65 for personal gain and could now face a prison sentence of up to 10 years for her actions.

• Long-serving treasury manager faces jail after four-year fraud

  Walsh entered her plea at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, confirming the charge of fraud by abuse of position relating to offences committed between June 2019 and October 2023. When asked how she wished to plead, she responded quietly: "Guilty." Magistrate Kieran O’Donnell informed Walsh that the scale of the fraud placed the offence beyond the magistrates’ sentencing powers. 

  Magistrate Kieran O'Donnell told Walsh: "You've been charged with an offence of fraud which exceeds £200,000 against Chelsea Football Club. You've pleaded guilty to the offence and it exceeds our powers in terms of sentencing. You'll need to be sent to a crown court for sentencing, where they have the appropriate powers."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Chelsea reported the fraud in 2022

  Walsh, who has lived in Chelsea and worked for the football club for more than 20 years, was granted unconditional bail. She will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on a date yet to be determined. Under sentencing guidelines, the prosecution confirmed the case sits within category "A", meaning it carries a starting point of five years’ imprisonment and a potential range of three to six years. 

  Chelsea are understood to have discovered the financial wrongdoing in early 2022 and swiftly referred the matter to the police. Walsh’s LinkedIn profile indicates she was promoted to full-time treasury assistant in July 2020. Given her role, she was expected to safeguard the club’s financial interests, but those were responsibilities prosecutors say she "dishonestly abused" for several years.

• Arsenal clash looms amid turbulence at Stamford Bridge

  As the legal proceedings continue off the pitch, Chelsea are preparing for one of their most daunting fixtures of the season as they are set to host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Enzo Maresca's side have climbed into second place with three successive wins, but now face an opponent that has dominated this London rivalry in recent years. Chelsea have beaten Arsenal just once in their last 11 Premier League encounters and have not defeated Arsenal at Stamford Bridge for seven years. Arteta’s impact is central to that transformation. His first defeat as Arsenal manager came at the hands of Chelsea in December 2019. Since then, he has overseen seven wins in 11 meetings, giving him a 58.3 per cent win rate against the Blues, which is the third highest of any Premier League manager who has faced Chelsea at least ten times, behind only Pep Guardiola and Kenny Dalglish.

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  Arteta praises Chelsea’s strength ahead of derby

  When asked whether Chelsea deserve to be viewed as legitimate title contenders, Arteta avoided inflammatory commentary and instead offered a measured assessment of his opponents.

  The Spanish manager said: "I think we are all there, and they are there because they fully deserve what they have done in the last few years. I think the squad that they assembled, the numbers that they have, the quality that they have, the number of coaches they have, it makes sense that what is happening there is very, very positive and they deserve to be there."

  When pressed on whether he still considers Chelsea the league’s most potent attacking side, Arteta added: "They were [the best last season], the sample now this season is early, so it's difficult to say. But it is one of the teams that I enjoy the most watching and they have a lot of fluidity, they have a lot of threat, they have a lot of individual talent, they are very clear what they want to do and that's why they are very tough."

  The Sunday fixture is a potential six-pointer for Chelsea as they remain determined to chase down the Gunners in the title race. Three points will not only end the seven-year wait but propel them straight into a championship contender. 

Wrexham, owned by Hollywood icons Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, have been boosted by a public grant from the government of Wales worth an astonishing £18 million. The funding is set to help the club in their ambitions to rebuild StoK Cae Ras into a world-class arena that meets UEFA's stadium requirements, with the goal of hosting prominent international fixtures in the future.

Wrexham received hefty public grant from Welsh government

Wrexham have received nearly £18 million (€21m/$25m) in non-repayable public grants from the Welsh government – far more than any other football club in Britain, according to UK government state-aid disclosures. Local officials had previously said that Wrexham would get a "substantial amount" of a £25m (€29m/$34m) Welsh government grant earmarked for redeveloping the area around Wrexham General train station, which sits adjacent the Racecourse Ground. What hadn’t been made public until now is that the club itself would receive the majority of that funding directly.

The club, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has also enjoyed a surge in commercial success. Their involvement has helped secure major sponsorships from global giants such as Meta, United Airlines, and TikTok. The public grant will only strengthen their already healthy financial situation.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA positive step towards Wrexham's bid to meet £350m valuation

Back in June, reported that owners Reynolds and McElhenney were considering selling a minority stake in a valuation of the club at £350m (€400m/$475m), having bought for just£2m in 2021. Earlier this year, Wrexham hit the £100m valuation mark following a 15 per cent stake acquisition by New York's Allyn family. More investors are being sought according to the report, with internal talks having taken place already. The Welsh government grant will further strengthen the owners' bid to transform Wrexham into the most expensive club in the Championship and solidify their push to achieve a record-breaking fourth-successive promotion, which will take them to the Premier League. 

"This looks like an £18m nonrepayable subsidy to a privately owned business now flirting with a £350m valuation. Its existing owners are US-based and very wealthy and liquid private individuals," said Stefan Borson, a football finance expert who works as the head of sport at the McCarthy Denning law firm.

"The club, and its owners, will benefit from the stand for the next 50 years, yet at no point would the taxpayer be repaid or directly profit from the club’s rise. The current ownership have put Wrexham on the global map but it is hard to understand why funding this stand in this way would be a priority for the government.

"So many. I don't want to say to the world that I'm the best because there’s no truth to that. In my mind, I'm the best version of myself, if you know what I mean? It's different when you say you are the best in the world to the world. 'There are so many good players in my position. I'm doing my best. But I need to show more because I feel like I can do more. With goals, with assists, I can feel it.'"

Wrexham's StoK Cae Ras ambitions

Reynolds and McElhenney have reiterated their desire and ambition to convert StoK Cae Ras – the oldest international football stadium on the planet – into a world class venue. "We have a plan in place right now that would eventually work from stand to stand, so eventually you get all four sides. It's hard to say for sure, butwe think we could get between 45,000 and 55,000 people in there," McElhenney told last year.

With the renovation of the Kop Stand, the capacity will exceed 12,000. When that happens, it will comply with UEFA stadium requirements, having already been selected as one of the venues when Wales hosts next year's European Under-19 Championship. What's more, the Racecourse Ground has also been included in UK's official bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup.

A council spokesperson said: "The Racecourse is an important cultural and heritage asset for the city of Wrexham and we are obviously keen to protect it for the future.

"Utilising grant funding from Welsh government, the council have provided funding to the football club to enable the redevelopment plans to be enhanced to a standard to enable international matches to be hosted in Wrexham once again."

A Wrexham spokesperson added: "The impact of these improvements, and the ability to host international sporting events in north Wales, will create both a catalyst for local job creation and provide an overall economic uplift to the region due to the increased number of visitors attracted to the events and their economic activity while they are in the area."

Meanwhile, the Welsh government is certain that the funding "will make the crucial difference between the club satisfying league requirements and meeting the more demanding international fixture standards," adding that, consequently, StoK Cae Ras "can host competitive international football at the world's oldest international stadium, boosting the local economy and delivering a fitting landmark for Wrexham."

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Getty Images SportWrexham pushing for Championship playoff spot

Phil Parkinson's men enjoyed an excellent November, going unbeaten in England's second tier after a difficult start to the season at the club's highest level in over 40 years. Their last defeat came over a month ago against Stoke City, and since then they’ve put together a strong run of form, remaining undefeated and collecting 15 from a possible 21 points. 

They find themselves in 10th position on the league table, just two points behind sixth-placed Ipswich Town. If they can now find a bit of long-term consistency, Wrexham will fancy their chances of securing a promotion playoff spot, which would put them on the brink of the Premier League.

It took Zimbabwe less than three hours on the third day to claim their first home Test win since 2013, their first innings win since 2001 and their biggest Test win. Richard Ngarava was the star, where in overcast conditions he took his first five-wicket haul in Tests. His movement through the air and off the pitch never looked exaggerated, but it was relentless enough to break the game open and leave Zimbabwe with a win by an innings and 73 runs against a listless Afghanistan batting unit.The day began with Zimbabwe’s Test squad lining up for a group photo, a clear suggestion they were keen to finish the contest on Wednesday itself. And they started with a surprise by giving the ball to Tanaka Chivanga ahead of Blessing Muzarabani.It turned out to be a good decision as Chivanga’s third over of the morning saw Rahmanullah Gurbaz flicking one down the leg side, and Tafadzwa Tsiga, alert behind the stumps, did the rest. Three overs later, Ngarava produced almost the same dismissal when Ibrahim Zadran, who had reached 42 with measured strokes, flicked another ball going down leg, and Tsiga took his second of the morning.Hashmatullah Shahidi lasted briefly. A full delivery from Ngarava drew a hard-handed push that went to Craig Ervine at slip. Bahir Shah and Afsar Zazai then gave the innings some momentum. Bahir found six boundaries but his counter-attack ended after Muzarabani cramped him with a short ball. The fend popped up and Ben Curran swooped in from short leg. Zazai followed soon after, easing a half-hearted drive to backward point to end the morning session at 127 for 6.The sun broke through after lunch but offered little relief to Afghanistan. Chivanga thought he had Ismat Alam caught, only for a front-foot no-ball to intervene. Ngarava corrected it soon after with a length ball outside off that induced a cut from Alam. Tsiga flung himself to his right and pulled off a one-handed catch that drew gasps even from the slips. Two overs later Sharafuddin Ashraf edged to second slip, giving Ngarava his fifth.Muzarabani, quiet through much of the innings, finished it off with precision. First he flattened Khalil Gurbaz’s leg stump, then beat Ziaur Rahman with a yorker that split middle stump. Those wickets gave him six for the match and ended a game Zimbabwe had controlled from the second hour of the first day.Ibrahim Zadran top-scored for Afghanistan with 42•Zimbabwe Cricket

Ngarava’s five, Chivanga’s pace, and Muzarabani’s closing spell combined for a win that was both rare and easily earned. Curran’s day-two performance of 121, which earned him a Player-of-the-Match award, and Sikandar Raza’s 65 were the other highlights of their comfortable win.After the game, Zimbabwe captain Ervine said a win in their final Test match of the year was satisfying.”I’m ecstatic. A lot of credit to the boys for fighting and winning to end a tough year of Test cricket,” Ervine said. “The way we started, in the first hour of day one wasn’t good, but the way the boys pulled things back was excellent. Then with the bat, Curran’s innings – full of composure and discipline – was outstanding.”The wicket offered something throughout, so the boys did well to put on some good partnerships. The boys have learnt with the Test cricket they’ve played in the last six-seven months to find their game. Brad [Evans] with the five-for in the first innings and Richie [Ngarava] stepped up in the second innings. TK [Chivanga] was superb and Bless [Muzarabani] was unlucky not to take a few more wickets.”Shahidi, the Afghanistan captain, rued the batting collapse on the first day when Afghanistan slid from 77 for 1 to 127 all out.”They played really good cricket, it was supporting the fast bowlers,” Shahidi said. “Ball was seaming around but overall, we didn’t play good cricket. We started the Test well with 80 for 1 [77 for 1] in the first innings, but that collapse let us down. I feel the lack of our Test-playing experience cost us since we kept losing back-to-back wickets. In Test cricket, winning the first day is very important.”The two teams now meet for the three-match T20I series starting October 29.