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Sharjeel Khan, currently banned from playing cricket by the board, is set to challenge the move with a writ petition later this month

Umar Farooq05-Dec-2017The PCB edited their anti-corruption code in an attempt to prevent players from appealing their punishments in Pakistani courts, even as a tribunal was sitting on a number of spot-fixing cases. The lawyer of Sharjeel Khan, who was banned from all cricket for five years earlier this year, will file a writ petition against what he considers to be the PCB’s male fide intentions.”During the proceedings [of Sharjeel Khan’s case], the PCB edited their anti-corruption code, which is obviously not in good faith,” Shaighan Ejaz, Sharjeel’s lawyer, said. “They had made a change in their code on 18 July 2017. Just a month and two days later, a verdict was announced and neither the tribunal nor the independent adjudicator was informed about it. This is questionable behaviour.”The relevant new clause – 7.5.4 of the PCB’s anti-corruption code – reads: “An appeal against the decision of the Independent Adjudicator shall lie exclusively before the CAS.” The CAS is the Court of Arbitration (Sports), based in Lausanne, Switzerland.The edited clause at the centre of the row effectively rules out Sharjeel’s ability to take his case to the Court of Appeals in Lausanne. “The parties may, if they so desire, file an appeal under Article 7, read with Article 7.4 of the PCB’s of the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Code for Participant, 2015, within 14 days of the receipt of the detailed decision, before the Court of Appeals in Lausanne, Switzerland, or an Independent Adjudicator in terms of the Constitution of the PCB.”Given that an independent adjudicator has already heard Sharjeel’s case, this clause would appear to rule out an appeal in Switzerland. And previously the clause did not make an appeal exclusive to the CAS.”The attempt they made is to oust the Pakistan judicial system and made sure that we will only be left with the option to go into the court of arbitration in Switzerland – which is obviously not feasible,” Ejaz said. “But I understand that you cannot rule out the jurisdiction of Pakistan’s courts and this will not happen. This is uncalled for. We will approach the high court soon; in fact, we will file a writ petition this month.”The PCB’s legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi told reporters that the modification was a routine change, and not one specifically designed to be applied to Sharjeel’s case. “In modern day sports, no code or regulation can remain stagnant,” he said. “Efforts to curb corrupt conduct in sports are updated regularly. Similarly, the PCB anti-corruption code also undergoes periodic reviews and amendments. Such amendments are never person-specific, and are applicable to all cricketers.”Pakistani courts have been involved in several PCB cases over the years, and haven’t been afraid to overturn board decisions on, to take one example, player bans and punishments.Sharjeel appeared for the first time in front of the media since his provisional suspension on February 10, continuing to proclaim his innocence. His ban, a suspended sentence, is effectively for two and a half years, meaning he cannot plot a return before the second half of 2019 at the earliest. He was representing Islamabad United at the PSL and was charged with five major breaches of the PCB’s anti-corruption code. He was found guilty on all five counts by a three-man tribunal.”My lawyer and I have fully cooperated throughout proceedings and I was expecting justice,” Sharjeel said, reading a prepared statement in Lahore. “But regretfully, at the end all I face is injustice. The PCB anti-corruption unit forcefully inducted me into a case which is beyond my understanding. Maybe there is another story hidden behind this which may be revealed with time. I swear to my nation and my fans that I am innocent.”If Sharjeel does not show public remorse and undergo the PCB’s rehabilitation program, he could end up serving the full five-year sentence.”Cricket is in my blood and it’s my passion and the punishment is severely painful for me and my family,” he said. “But what is more distressing is that I am being labelled a spot-fixer. So I have decided to clear my name and I will take this matter as far as possible.”The case against Sharjeel was centred on him playing pre-determined dot balls agreed with a bookmaker. According to Ijaz, that is merely based on assumptions, with the PCB failing to present any solid evidence.”During the entire process, we understood that the anti-corruption officials are not accountable,” Ijaz said. “They have all the discretion to do any kind of discrimination against any player and can trap any player and make any kind of case against anyone.”During the proceedings, PCB officials claimed Sharjeel had confessed to wrongdoing in Dubai and in Lahore on video. Sharjeel denies that is the case. “There were two interviews recorded, one in Dubai and the other in Lahore. On both occasions, I never confessed anything.”Ijaz said: “They had claimed that there was a lot of information from the ICC, and the PCB had prior knowledge of everything which was allegedly going to happen. This is an afterthought. If they knew anything, then there should be proof of it. Then why is that not presented at all? Where are they?”The most important thing is the statement by the PSL chairman (Najam Sethi). He said they had concrete evidence and a lot of things which a chairman should not have said. It seriously prejudiced proceedings and made the whole case a matter of ego, and Sharjeel’s exoneration would have proved personally embarrassing for Sethi.”

Leeds United have endured a rough start to their new season, with some glaring weaknesses having been put on display…

Who else are Leeds United signing?

Whilst frustrating for fans and staff alike, at the very least it has given Daniel Farke a fresh, unfiltered look at exactly what he needs to do before the transfer window slams shut.

Poor results against Cardiff City and Birmingham City have left them winless in the Championship, with their lack of focal point proving a huge vacancy that needs an immediate solution.

Fortunately, journalist Ben Jacobs suggests they could have found one, as he told GIVEMESPORT about what the future might hold for Aston Villa's Cameron Archer:

"With Archer, what's interesting is that he's been made for sale now. So there is an opportunity to do that deal. He's had a couple of good loan spells in the Championship including with Middlesbrough and now, Aston Villa are willing to let him go.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

"I think that he put himself in the short window with I believe, a couple of goals and an assist at the under 21 Euros for England.

"He also scored plenty of goals he got into double figures for Middlesbrough last season and I think that was only in about 20-odd appearances and he added several assists on top of that.

"So that can be one to watch because Aston Villa are now prepared to sell him. Leeds are one of the clubs no doubt Middlesbrough are another. So I would expect movement on Archer between now and the end of the window."

How many goals has Cameron Archer scored?

Despite being only 21 years old, the young frontman has already earned himself a fine reputation as a clinical asset at every level he has experienced.

Three goals and two assists in four Premier League 2 matches during the 2021/22 season earned him his spell on loan, which he took with both hands at Preston North End. He scored seven times in 20 outings during that Championship term and would return to that level the year prior with Middlesbrough.

It was here where he truly stood out though, scoring 11 and assisting a further six across just 20 league matches. Such blistering form drew praise from Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who labelled him "incredibly prolific". With 45 career goals across various levels already, this is a claim more than supported.

The £20k-per-week marksman has everything that is missing at Elland Road right now, with that lack of focal point arguably transforming into Farke's biggest issue at the moment despite initial fears surrounding their backline.

Archer would offer speed, pace, power and a presence in the number nine spot, to help get their faltering campaign back on track.

Against the Bluebirds Leeds enjoyed 72% of the ball and created three big chances, yet were forced to wait until added time to salvage a point. Then, against the Blues, they could not convert their 59% possession into tangible opportunities, falling to defeat after a late penalty was converted for the hosts.

The first of those games were played without a starting striker on the pitch, whilst the young and unproven Joe Gelhardt struggled to make his mark in the second.

However, it is not just a quality issue but also a quantity one, as their most recent fixture also saw them name just eight substitutes, two of which were goalkeepers. Not only do they need high-quality talent, but they also need plenty of it to bulk out a squad ravaged by relegation.

Archer would offer that and more, coming in to offset the injuries and absences left by Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo amongst others, and providing a foundation for them to finally get their promotion push started.

Queensland fell just seven runs short of their target of 297 with three wickets in hand to draw against Western Australia on the fourth day in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2017Getty ImagesQueensland fell just seven runs short of their target of 297, with three wickets in hand, as their match against Western Australia ended in a thrilling draw on the fourth day in Perth. Going strong at 2 for 203 at one point on the back of Joe Burns’ century, Queensland needed 50 runs off 39 balls, and later 34 off 32. However, they suffered a collapse from 3 for 243 to 7 for 286 and needed 12 off the final over but Matthew Kelly – who took a five-for – conceded only five runs. Charlie Hemphrey led Queensland with 60 off 52 balls until they were 16 away from the target, but he fell with 10 balls left in the day.Queensland were dented early in the chase by Kelly, who had Matt Renshaw caught behind for 7 in the sixth over, before Burns and Labuschagne stitched a partnership of 154 at 4.69 runs per over to rally the score towards 200. Kelly trapped Labuschagne lbw for 72 in the 39th over and bowled Burns for 103 seven overs later when Queensland were 94 away from the target. Hemphrey steered them closer but Mitchell Marsh removed Jack Wildermuth and Queensland lost four wickets for 43 runs as Kelly struck twice more. Queensland’s chances decreased further once Hemphrey was caught off Marsh and they ended on 7 for 290 in 59 overs.As many as 431 runs were score on the day as Western Australia stretched their score from an overnight 5 for 165 to declare on 8 for 306 in just over 34 overs. They were in trouble early in the day when they lost three wickets for five runs and were 8 for 196 with a lead of 186. However, Ashton Turner took his score from 30 to an unbeaten 101 off 160 balls and was assisted by No. 11 Jason Behrendorff who struck a patient 39 off 83. They put together 110 unbeaten runs before the declaration. Josh Inglish, the other overnight batsman, had struck 54, before Wildermuth removed him and Andrew Holder in consecutive overs, and Kelly fell for a duck.Behrendorff was nursing a back injury and did not bowl on Sunday and Monday.

Having established a massive first-innings lead, Karnataka pummeled UP with the bat again, as their openers played out an unbroken 262-run partnership

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Nov-2017R Samarth and Mayank Agarwal struck centuries on the final day, as a drawn game against Uttar Pradesh ensured Karnataka’s place in the knockouts on the basis of first-innings points. The Karnataka openers put up an unbroken stand of 262, after their bowlers had established up a first-innings lead of 324. The three points they earned put them at the top of the Group A table with 26 points; with Delhi on 23, the massive lead the two teams have in points have ensured their passage to the knockouts.UP’s response to Karnataka’s mammoth 655 had floundered on the third day itself, as they lost five wickets by stumps. The overnight pair of Rinku Singh and wicketkeeper Upendra Yadav couldn’t go on to build a big partnership, with Rinku dismissed in the fifth over of the day for 73. Left to bat with the tail, Upendra stitched a useful ninth-wicket partnership of 40 with Ankit Rajpoot (19) to lift Uttar Pradesh over 300. Upendra was eventually unbeaten on 49, with UP dismissed for 331.Karnataka then put up another dominating show with the bat. Dismissed for 16 in the first innings, Samarth capitalized on the opportunity to bring up his third century of this Ranji season. His 126 came off 183 balls with 11 fours and two sixes. At the other end, Agarwal scored his third century in as many games, pairing a 90 in the first innings with 133 off 171 balls. The pair scored at close to 4.5 runs an over.Ambati Rayudu’s unbeaten 52 anchored Hyderabad’s chase of 142 in their four-wicket win over Assam in Guwahati.Assam’s seamers, Arup Das and Rajjakuddin Ahmed had lifted the side’s hopes of defending a small total by rooting out Hyderabad’s top order for 18 within the first seven overs. Sixteen-year-old legspinner Riyan Parag’s two wickets then reduced Hyderabad to 69 for 5 before Rayudu and Akash Bhandari comfortably secured the win.Earlier, Assam had resumed their second innings from 300 for 7, and the overnight batsman Amit Sinha went on to complete his second first-class century. However, the lack of partners at the other end meant that Sinha could help Assam add only 31 runs to their overnight total.

Liverpool's transfer objective for the remainder of the summer transfer window is no secret: the Anfield side need to sign a first-class defensive midfielder after missing out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea.

Who are Liverpool going to sign?

After suffering the plight of losing a transfer battle to the Blues twice over recent days, Jurgen Klopp's side still need to replace Fabinho after the Brazilian was sold to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad for £40m in July.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The Reds are said to have compiled a shortlist of options to fortify the Anfield centre, with Fulham's Joao Palhinha and Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure at the forefront of the shopping list.

However, according to TEAMtalk, Liverpool have leapt into contention to sign Lille's rising star Carlos Baleba this month, looking to bypass Brighton & Hove Albion's pursuit, with the Seagulls currently seeking to replace Caicedo with the Cameroonian talent, who is valued at €30m (£26m) by his French side.

Indeed, Fabrizio Romano even went as far as to describe the talent as the "perfect" replacement for Liverpool's former target.

Who is Carlos Baleba?

Some would argue that Liverpool's ostensible interest in Baleba is lazy and lackadaisical, but the Reds have been credited with an interest in the 19-year-old midfielder back in March, with Arsenal and Manchester United also monitoring his situation.

And he has certainly been making waves in Ligue 1, with his performances leaving journalist Graeme Bailey waxing lyrical and calling him a "future star", with the teenager breaking into the Lille first-team last term and displaying his passing composure by completing 84% of his passes across 19 outings in Ligue 1.

He also ranks among the top 2% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for blocks, the top 12% for tackles, the top 1% for successful take-ons and the top 9% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, illustrating his defensive tenacity and aptitude as a forward-barrelling midfield vehicle.

It is this skill set that has left Brighton pushing for his services and Liverpool closely monitoring the situation, and there is every possibility that the teenager will prove to be an apt alternative to Caicedo for Klopp's men.

Caicedo joined the Seagulls for £4.5m from his homeland side Independiente del Valle in 2021, and completed 89% of his passes, averaging 2.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game in the Premier League last season, earning an average match rating of 7.08.

The Ecuadorian, still only 21, is one of the crispest passers on English shores and boasts a destructive defensive presence to stifle the most fluid and threatening of attacks, ranking among the top 5% of midfielders for pass completion, the top 14% for tackles and the top 15% for interceptions per 90.

Hailed as the "crown jewel" of Ecuadorian football by football expert and historian Enrico Castro-Montes, the failure to sign Caicedo has left a sour taste in the mouths of all affiliated with the Merseyside outfit, but by swooping for Baleba, such concerns could quickly evaporate.

And while there will be concerns over the player's age and inexperience, Baleba could be signed for a relatively paltry fee, leaving room to bolster the midfield further and providing Klopp with a prodigious talent who could be moulded into a superlative star capable of rivalling his South American counterpart as the Premier League's standout No. 6.

Thilanga Sumathipala sent out a message of solidarity with Pakistan, reiterating that the PCB and and the government of Pakistan have stood by Sri Lanka in the past

Umar Farooq29-Oct-2017Thilanga Sumathipala, Sri Lanka Cricket’s president, has vowed to support Pakistan in their bid to host top-flight cricket on a regular basis. He was speaking at a media conference in Lahore, during Sri Lanka’s short visit for the third T20I.”Since we have experienced more than 30 years of war, we know what isolation means,” Sumathipala said. “We have gone through more than 30 years of war in Sri Lanka, but Pakistan has never cancelled a single game of cricket which we agreed to play against each other in Sri Lanka.”There are various [types of] people. We appeal to them to keep children, women, religious places and sports aside. Leave us alone, let us play our game of cricket in peace and harmony. We want to enjoy the game of cricket and give everyone opportunities and a chance to share our happiness in the game.”Since the attack on the Sri Lankan team nearly nine years ago, Pakistan have been trying to convince the world to visit, but had not managed to convince teams to tour until 2015, when Zimbabwe visited for a short series.But the first real sign of cricket returning on a more regular basis was taken earlier this year when a number of international cricketers featured in the final of the Pakistan Super League. Then, in September, Pakistan hosted a World XI, coached by Andy Flower and captained by Faf du Plessis, for a three-match series. Sri Lanka’s short trip is the latest step in the PCB’s efforts to convince international sides to tour the country.”Good or bad, Pakistan cricket and the government of Pakistan have stood by Sri Lanka,” Sumathipala said. “This is not a matter of just government. As you all understand, since the last incident was against Sri Lanka, the sentiments were quite different. We thought we should take the initiative and support Pakistan cricket.”If Pakistan is weak in cricket, Asian cricket will be weaker and that will make world cricket weaker and weaker. Your strength is our strength and it’s our responsibility to look after each other. We strongly believe in that.”The one-off match in Lahore was played under extraordinary security arrangements, with thousands of armed policemen deployed between the stadium and team hotel. The arrangements were similar to the security protocol followed for a presidential visit.”The arrangements made for the team and spectators are very much satisfactory,” Sumathipala said. “You deserve regular good cricket being played in your country. It is such a wonderful country that has produced so many talented cricketers. We don’t want anyone to fear and leave Pakistan away from international cricket. We encourage Asian regions to play more games in Lahore and in other [Pakistan] cities if possible one day.”As far as SLC is concerned, we are happy and privileged to be here to support Pakistan cricket. We believe in, especially in the Asian region, Pakistan is a very important, pivotal partner, a brother that we can’t allow to be left alone.”

Tottenham Hotspur have rejected Bayern Munich's mammoth €100m (£85m) for their star striker Harry Kane and will reject all further offers that don't reach at least £100m, per Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol.

Is Harry Kane leaving Tottenham Hotspur?

It's the transfer saga that never seems to end, Kane to Bayern. The German behemoths have now made three bids for the Spurs legend, with the second being worth around €80 (£69m), which was immediately rejected, and this most recent one of €100m (£85m) also being rebuffed albeit after a few days.

The Bavarians officially made the offer on Friday afternoon (August 4), stipulating that it was a 'take it or leave it' offer and had to be answered by midnight that night, or they would walk.

Spurs did not even acknowledge it.

Read the latest Tottenham Hotspur transfer news HERE…

Unsurprisingly, Bayern's negotiating tactics did not affect the incredibly experienced Daniel Levy, with the Spurs chairman finally responding to the offer this week (Monday) with a firm rejection on the basis that it is still quite far below the Lilywhite's valuation of their all-time leading goalscorer.

The figure required to so much as tempt Tottenham into selling their talismanic forward this summer is £100m, according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekhol.

He explained the situation on Sky Sports News (via Football Daily), saying:

"That bid was worth around €100m, which is around £85M. Now we told you that wasn't going to be enough, £85m [is] not enough, it would take at least £100m for Spurs to be tempted to sell Harry Kane, so that is the latest.

"But as far as the player himself is concerned, he's made it clear 'sort my future out this week'."

Who else is linked with an exit from Tottenham?

With so much media attention on the possible departure of a single individual, it's easy to forget that the club will also be working on the exits of several other players this summer.

One midfielder linked with a move away from N17 is none other than club record signing Tanguy Ndombele, who cost Spurs a whopping £63m when he joined from Lyon in the summer of 2019.

It's fair to say that despite making 91 appearances for the club in all competitions, the 26-year-old has dramatically fallen short of the expectations so many had of him, and after a mediocre loan spell with Serie A champions Napoli last year, he could be on his way to Turkey to join Galatasaray.

According to the Daily Mail, the Turkish Super Lig side remain in talks to secure his signature after their attempts to sign Manchester United midfielder Fred fell through last week.

Another midfielder that could be leaving the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer – albeit a far more successful one – could be Danish international Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

According to Football Insider, the 27-year-old is set to agree to a move to La Liga outfit Atletico Madrid, despite being a nailed-on starter since moving to north London three years ago.

It looks like Spurs are set for a lot more changes in the final few weeks of the window this summer, even if they can keep a hold of Kane.

A round-up of the first day’s action at ICC World Cricket League Division Five in Benoni

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2017Germany marked their return to WCL Division Five for the first time in nine years with a nail-biting one-wicket win over Ghana.Chasing a target of 159 to win, Germany were 10 runs away from victory with four wickets in hand when Obed Agbomadzie took his third wicket of the day in the 37th over to trigger a dramatic tailspin. Vincent Ateak followed a run-out on the fifth ball of the 38th over by dismissing No. 10 Sajid Liaqat off the first ball for his third wicket.Ahmed Wardak struck a boundary off the penultimate ball of the 40th over to secure victory, ensuring Daniel Weston’s 47 off 40 balls to open the chase didn’t go to waste. Asad Mohammed set up the victory in the first innings with 3 for 30 after Germany sent Ghana in to bat at the toss.In the other Group B encounter, Jersey coasted to a six-wicket win over Vanuatu. Jonathan Dunn and Patrick Matautaava put Vanuatu into a strong position early with a 76-run second-wicket stand but nobody outside the top three crossed double digits on the day as Vanuatu lost their last seven wickets for 27 runs to be bowled out for 170.The game turned when Matautaava and Nalin Nipiko fell in the space of four balls in the 25th over. Matautaava was bowled for 39 off 52 balls by Eliot Miles before allrounder Nipiko was given out handling the ball for a duck. Jonathan Dunn tried to shield the middle order from Ben Stevens, who took 5 for 28 in his WCL return after missing last year’s Division Four due to a medical condition, before he was the ninth man out for 76.Former captain Peter Gough struck 65 off 78 to anchor the Jersey chase before Corey Bisson finished the game with an unbeaten 37 off 30, hitting his fifth boundary to clinch victory with 94 balls to spare.Italy established their superiority in Group A with a 48-run win over Guernsey. Former captain Damian Crowley top-scored with 92 off 103 balls in Italy’s 277 for 7 after new captain Gayashan Munasinghe opted to bat.Oliver Newey made 73 off 93 after entering in the second over of the chase but Guernsey never seriously threatened to overhaul the target. When three wickets fell in the space of 11 balls to make it 187 for 8 in the 42nd over, Guernsey shut up shop and focused on batting out the overs to limit the damage on the net run-rate tiebreaker as they eventually finished on 229 for 8.Qatar posted the highest total of the day on their WCL debut, making 343 for 7 in an eventual 93-run win over Cayman Islands. Dharmang Patel (93 off 79 balls) and Khurram Shahzad (94 off 116 balls) shared a 162-run third-wicket stand before both were run-out. Tamoor Sajjad (49 off 36 balls) and Kamran Khan (50 not out off 27 balls) made brisk contributions down the order to propel Qatar to a commanding total after they were sent in to bat.Considering their dismal prior history at WCL events, Cayman Islands posted a respectable 250 for 8 in reply. Conroy Wright top-scored with an unbeaten 74 off 63 at No. 8. Cayman had gotten off to a reasonable start before Imran Ashraf removed Sacha de Alwis (32) and captain Ramon Sealy off consecutive balls in the 20th over to make it 79 for 5. Wright arrived in the 29th over at 127 for 6 and set about mitigating the net run-rate by dragging the match to the final over, giving Cayman a chance to stay alive for a semi-final berth.Day two of the tournament features a pair of matchups between unbeaten sides – Italy v Qatar in Group B and Jersey v Germany in Group A – with the two winners guaranteed a semi-final berth. Guernsey play Cayman Islands and Vanuatu face Ghana in virtual knockout matches.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to add a sixth signing of the summer transfer window to their playing squad…

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to Fennec Football, Brendan Rodgers is eyeing up a bargain Hoops swoop to sign free agent central midfielder Haris Belkebla, who left Stade Brestois upon the expiry of his contract this year.

The report claims that Premier League side Sheffield United are also interested in a deal to snap him up for nothing ahead of their return to the top-flight in England.

However, both clubs will face competition from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which leaves the Algerian maestro with a big decision to make as to whether he remains in Europe or tries his luck elsewhere.

It is stated that the 29-year-old ace's desire is to remain with a European side but a lucrative offer from a Saudi Arabian club could possibly tempt him into changing his stance.

How good is Haris Belkebla?

The experienced 5 foot 10 campaigner has proven himself to be a superb ball-winning midfielder in Ligue 1 over the last few seasons and could be the dream replacement for James McCarthy, who has been touted with an exit from Parkhead.

Celtic signed the Ireland international in the summer of 2021 but he has been unable to nail down a regular starting spot and has been linked with a switch to the MLS this summer.

The arrival of Belkebla could allow Rodgers to sanction an exit for the 32-year-old dud and provide him with a better option in the defensive midfield position to compete with Hyeok-kyu Kwon this season.

Last term, the Algerian international played 38 Ligue 1 matches for Stade Brestois, which shows that he has experience of playing in a major European league, and caught the eye with 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game for his side.

This was 1.3 more per outing than any Celtic midfielder managed in the Scottish Premiership and 0.2 more than Kwon made for Busan IPark across 19 K League 2 matches earlier this year.

McCarthy, meanwhile, made one tackle and zero interceptions in two league outings last season, which came after he averaged 1.3 tackles and interceptions combined across ten appearances in his debut campaign in Scotland – as per Sofascore.

These statistics show that the Irish midfielder has not offered much protection to the back four throughout his time at Parkhead as the ex-Crystal Palace man has not been able to regularly win possession back for his side with key defensive interventions.

Therefore, Belkebla, who has made 127 Ligue 1 appearances in his career, could be a huge upgrade on McCarthy and provide Rodgers with a better option in the number six role due to his exceptional work off the ball to consistently cut out opposition attacks, which could come in handy against tough opposition in Europe.

Having another excellent defensive midfielder, alongside Kwon, could help Celtic when they come up against big sides in the Champions League who will be expected to dominate possession, as the Bhoys would have players who can prevent their goalkeeper and defence from being overly worked.

McCarthy's form for the Scottish giants over the last two years does not suggest that he has the quality to be good enough for that job, which is why Belkebla could be the dream replacement for the MLS-linked dud.

Bangladesh pushed their lead to 88, with nine wickets in hand, after bowling Australia out for 217 on the second day in Mirpur

The Report by Brydon Coverdale28-Aug-2017Bangladesh 260 and 45 for 1 (Tamim 30*, Taijul 0*) lead Australia 217 (Renshaw 45, Shakib 5-68, Mehidy 3-62) by 88 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShakib Al Hasan marked the first day of his 50th Test match by scoring a half-century; on the second day, he continued the party with a five-wicket haul. There is every reason to think that by the end of this match, he might be celebrating Bangladesh’s first ever Test win over Australia. But that is getting ahead of proceedings. For the time being, Bangladesh will be content with the strong position in which they find themselves at stumps on day two.It was a day that began brilliantly for Bangladesh. Australia walked out on 18 for 3, and within three overs they had stumbled to 33 for 4 when Steven Smith danced down the pitch, tried to flick Mehidy Hasan through the leg side and was bowled. Smith is easily Australia’s best player of spin – three centuries in four Tests in India earlier this year attest to that. To lose him in these conditions was to hand Bangladesh complete control.Pat Cummins was bowled for a patient 25•Getty ImagesThere was a fightback of sorts from Australia, first through a 69-run partnership between Peter Handscomb and Matt Renshaw, and then a 49-run stand involving Ashton Agar and Pat Cummins. But Bangladesh remained well on top. By the close of play their first-innings lead of 43 had ballooned back out to 88, with nine wickets in hand. Only Soumya Sarkar, who rashly holed out to a juggling Usman Khawaja at long-on off Ashton Agar, had fallen for 15. Tamim Iqbal was set on 30, with nightwatchman Taijul Islam yet to score.But the key man on this day, as on the first day, was Shakib, who for the eighth time in his Test career combined a half-century with a five-wicket haul. Only Ian Botham has done so on more occasions (11), though from more than twice as many Tests. Shakib also joined Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath and Dale Steyn as the only bowlers with Test five-fors against all nine possible Test opponents: next stops, Ireland and Afghanistan.Shakib finished with 5 for 68, and created a couple more chances besides. He had a fine partner in Mehidy, who collected 3 for 62, while Taijul was the only other wicket-taker: nine wickets fell to spin, and there was one run-out. Notably, while there was decent turn, there was also variable bounce – some kept low and others kicked sharply off the surface – and this too will play on Australia’s minds when they enter their second innings.Not that batting was impossible: Handscomb and Renshaw handled things well during their partnership, though in the end Handscomb’s habit of playing deep inside his crease brought him undone when on 33 he missed one from Taijul and was rapped on the pads dead in front. Renshaw likewise failed to capitalise on his solid start, caught at slip for 45 when he poked at a Shakib delivery shortly before lunch.Such was Australia’s state of mental fogginess that shortly after the resumption, Matthew Wade was needlessly lbw to Mehidy for 5. Australia had both reviews remaining and the two men in the middle – Wade and Glenn Maxwell – were the last pair before the bowlers. But Wade declined to ask for a review that would have saved him – replays showed the ball would have slid down leg side and Nigel Llong’s decision would have been overturned.Tamim Iqbal flicks one into the leg side•Getty ImagesMaxwell made a confident 23 before he was lured out of his crease by Shakib, who turned the ball past the outside edge and Mushfiqur Rahim completed the stumping. Shakib might have had Agar stumped as well, but some exaggerated bounce off the pitch tricked Mushfiqur as it did the batsman. Another opportunity went begging when Cummins skied one towards cover off Shakib on 11 and Shafiul Islam dropped a straightforward chance.Cummins and Agar took those reprieves and used them to bat together for 25.2 overs, displaying impressive patience and technique that some of their top-order colleagues might learn from. For a while, it even looked like they might lift Australia close to Bangladesh’s total of 260. But on 25 from 89 balls, Cummins tried to drive Shakib through the off side and was bowled; Agar finished unbeaten on 41 off 97 when Josh Hazlewood was taken at short leg off Shakib for 5.Australia were not the only ones struggling: umpire Aleem Dar had two poor decisions overturned on review, first when he gave Renshaw lbw off a Mehidy delivery that would have sailed well over the top of the stumps, and then when he adjudged Cummins caught behind down leg off Shafiul Islam, when all the ball had touched was thigh pad. Both times, Dar self-admonished with face-palms. Australia, all out for 217, might have collectively done the same.