Tottenham Hotspur are now exploring an early January deal for one transfer target who was thought to be far more likely in the summer, as Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou contends with a player selection crisis.

Tottenham eye multiple January signings amid squad shortage

Goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky sealed a £12.5 million move to north London from Slavia Prague recently, with technical director Johan Lange and chairman Daniel Levy wasting no time in getting their first signing through the Hotspur Way door.

Related Club give Johan Lange hope he can agree Tottenham deal for £20m defender

The Dane is working on multiple winter signings at Spurs.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Jan 7, 2025

However, their winter business is very unlikely to cease there, as it is believed Tottenham could make up to three new signings before the January transfer window shuts its doors on February 3.

They’re looking at making new additions across the board, including in defence and attack, with Spurs actively pursuing a new centre-back and a potential deal for PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Arsenal (away)

January 15

Everton (away)

January 19

Leicester City (home)

January 26

Brentford (away)

February 2

Man United (home)

February 16

When asked about Kolo Muani, Postecoglou, speaking to the press, didn’t address the circulating rumour directly, but does suggest that his club are still in the market for reinforcements as injuries ravage their squad.

“We’re still trying to help the squad and players,” said Postecoglou on Spurs transfers. “We will have roughly 10 first-team players missing. That’s not easy so we need to still try to help the playing group.”

Expanding on his current player availability, Postecoglou confirmed that none of his injured crop of players are back or eligible for their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool on Wednesday.

“Net wise we’re still down,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham team news. “We get Bentancur back and lose Sarr and Maddison to suspension. In terms of injuries, no one is back but Mikey Moore could be on the bench. Everyone from the weekend, like Radu and Archie are better, they’re good. Richarlison is training but we want him to have two solid weeks of training so if he gets through next week he will be fine. Fraser is back in training.”

The abject state of Tottenham’s squad is undoubtedly an emergency-level situation, leading to them considering an intriguing measure.

Tottenham explore early January deal for Real Betis midfielder Cardoso

According to journalist Rudy Galetti, Tottenham chiefs are exploring the possibility of signing Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso in January – months earlier than they were expected to.

Spurs possess an option to sign the “extraordinary” USA international in the summer for around £21 million, which came as part of the deal for Giovani Lo Celso to join Betis midway through 2024.

Postecoglou’s side activating the clause later this year was seen as a real possibility, though it appears they could now bring his transfer forward in light of their player selection issues.

While his price tag for January is unknown, Cardoso’s Betis contract reportedly includes a £66 million release clause, but it is unlikely that Levy would part with such a high figure just to bring him in a few months early.

Ruben Amorim will get his first taste of a local derby as Manchester United boss this afternoon, when he takes his side to the Etihad to face Manchester City.

The Red Devils come into the game off the back of a 2-1 win in the Europa League against Viktoria Plzen, but it’s their Premier League form that has caught the eye for the wrong reasons.

His side have lost both of their last two matches in England’s top flight, desperately wanting to end such a run against their noisy neighbours and claim the bragging rights.

However, United have lost all of their last three trips to face Pep Guardiola’s side, with Amorim wanting to make an immediate impact in the Manchester derby.

If he is to do so this afternoon, he looks set to be without numerous key first-team members, only making the task of claiming all three points that little bit harder.

Man Utd’s injury concerns ahead of Man City clash

Experienced centre-back Jonny Evans has played a bit part role since his return to Old Trafford last season, often covering at the back during the defensive crisis.

However, after making six league appearances to date, the 36-year-old looks set to miss yet another match after picking up a knock in Amorim’s opening game against Ipswich Town last month.

The backline could remain the same as Thursday night, which could see Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martínez, and Noussair Mazraoui face the task of keeping Erling Haaland quiet.

After a torrid spell with injury, Luke Shaw suffered yet another setback, with his latest hamstring injury keeping him out of the clash at the Etihad this afternoon.

The 29-year-old has only made two league appearances to date, featuring for a total of 68 minutes – highlighting his recent struggles at the Theatre of Dreams.

However, if the new manager is to taste success against their local rivals, he must start a player in his natural role after dropping him into a slightly deeper role in the Czech Republic.

The player who would walk into Man City’s team

Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes has often been the go-to creative star for the Red Devils over the last few years, producing some incredible numbers in the process.

The 30-year-old has registered eight combined goals and assists in his 15 league starts this year, most of which have come in his more natural attacking midfield role.

However, he operated slightly deeper alongside Casemiro at the heart of the midfield, but if Amorim is to hand himself the best possible chance of causing an upset – he must return the former Sporting CP star to his more natural role.

The “sensational” midfielder, as dubbed by the legendary Paul Scholes, would walk into the City side, adding the creativity that Guardiola’s men have desperately lacked in recent weeks – as demonstrated by their tally of just five goals scored in four matches.

When comparing his figures to that of Kevin de Bruyne during 2024/25, he’s registered more goal contributions, with age certainly catching up to the Belgian over the last couple of months.

Erling Haaland

14

Bruno Fernandes

8

Bernardo Silva

5

Kevin de Bruyne

4

Jeremy Doku

4

Savinho

2

Jack Grealish

1

Phil Foden

1

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese star would slot straight into City’s team as an outstanding scorer and creator of goals, given that Haaland is the only player with more contributions than him.

Fernandes has so often been the man to dig United out of trouble over the last couple of years, holding the keys to a potential win at the Etihad for the first time since 2021.

Local derbies always tend to spring up a surprise, with Amorim hoping that the saying could come to fruition by the final whistle later on this evening – potentially acting as the catalyst for his tenure at the club.

Bye-bye Zirkzee: Man Utd could make move for "magical" ace who's like Salah

Ruben Amorim will be wanting to improve his forward line after last night’s Europa League clash.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 13, 2024

Chelsea are now willing to make a huge bid to win the race for a “world-class” striker who’s also wanted by Arsenal, according to a report.

Chelsea want a striker despite Jackson success

The Blues have set their sights on a new striker in the January transfer window, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani becoming the latest target, having made contact with the Ligue 1 champions to discuss a deal. Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez is also on the shortlist, with Enzo Maresca willing to send Mykhailo Mudryk plus cash in the opposite direction, indicating how highly the Argentine is thought of at Stamford Bridge.

Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap is another attractive option for Chelsea, after a fantastic start to life at Portman Road in the first half of the Premier League season, scoring six goals in 17 games.

Chelsea’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Ipswich Town (a)

December 30th

Crystal Palace (a)

January 4th

AFC Bournemouth (h)

January 14th

Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)

January 20th

Manchester City (a)

January 25th

Although Delap is off to a flyer in an Ipswich shirt, Maresca may be keen to bring in a more proven striker this January, as he looks to get his side’s potential title push back on track, and there is now an option of that calibre in the frame. According to reports from Spain, Chelsea are now fighting Arsenal for the signing of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, following on from his impressive performances for the Italian side so far this season.

Juventus’ desire to balance the books means they could sanction the striker’s departure, and the player himself could be willing to listen to offers from elsewhere, amid interest from some of Europe’s top clubs.

The report states the Blues would be “willing” to invest a significant amount into the signing of the Serbian, indicating they could make a huge bid to get a deal done.

The next Jackson: Chelsea make contact over "ice-cold" £202k-p/w star

The Chelsea target is similar to Jackson

1 ByJoe Nuttall Dec 28, 2024 Vlahovic can take Chelsea to another level

Vlahovic has been one of the best strikers in the Serie A for a number of years now, most impressively scoring 21 goals in 37 games for Fiorentina during the 2020-21 campaign. Such is the Serbia international’s ability, he has been lauded as one of the best strikers in the world by journalist Siavoush Fallahi.

Nicolas Jackson has upped his game significantly this season, scoring nine Premier League goals, but there are still concerns over his finishing, which could hold Chelsea’s rebuild back.

If Maresca’s side are to kick on and compete for the Premier League title, it is likely they will need a top-level striker, and Vlahovic could fit the bill in that regard, so it is exciting news that Chelsea are willing to spend big to win the race for his signature.

Sergio Aguero is set to come out of his retirement to play in a one-off game for boyhood club Independiente.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Aguero set to come out of retirementWill feature for Independiente against RacingRetired from professional football in 2021Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

City legend Aguero decided to hang up his boots in December 2021 while at Barcelona after being diagnosed with a heart condition. But he is ready to come out of retirement to play in a competitive match for Argentine side Independiente against their arch-rivals Racing on Monday, reports .

AdvertisementTSTTHE BIGGER PICTURE

In February, there was speculation over the 36-year-old making a return to professional football, but the ex-striker was quick to shoot down those rumours. Speaking to reporters, he said: "It's totally a lie, I'm not going to train with Independiente. Sometimes things are invented. I reiterate that the cardiologist said that I am well and that it is important that I am in good health. But to return to training at the First Division level, I would need to undergo a lot of tests."

DID YOU KNOW?

The former Argentina international briefly returned for a legends match last year, but his time on the pitch was limited as he dislocated his shoulder. Aguero also appeared in a seven-a-side soccer tournament in the US in June 2024.

(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT?

Aguero's return to professional football will just be for this one-off game, as he is now looking forward to his new venture of club ownership. He is also monitoring the progress of his 16-year-old son Benjamin, who plies trade in Independiente's youth team.

Sri Lanka have never beaten India in a T20I at home. They last won a T20I against them in 2014, which was just one of their three wins in 19 encounters against India in the format. India ensured this record stayed intact by beating the hosts by 34 runs in the first of the three-match series in Dambulla.Jemimah Rodrigues at No. 5 made a crucial 36* first to help India get to 138 for 6, before the spinners applied the brakes on the Sri Lankan batters.Ranasinghe sends early jitters
India didn’t get the desired start after opting to bat. On a slowish surface, Sri Lanka pressed their slow bowlers into action early on, stifling Smriti Mandhana. The left-hander then tried to break the shackles against offspinner Oshadi Ranasinghe, only to miscue one straight to mid-on. On the next ball, Ranasinghe dismissed Sabbhineni Meghana for a first-ball duck to jolt the tourists early.But Shafali Vermaand captain Harmanpreet Kaurmotored along and prevented the hosts from making inroads. Harmanpreet put the sweep to good effect to transfer the pressure back to Sri Lanka while Shafali was happy to use her feet to milk singles as well as score boundaries.Rodrigues’ flourish after Ranaweera’s stifle
Shafali was dismissed by Chamari Athapaththu on her second ball, holing out to long-on for a run-a-ball 31. Soon left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera got into the act to stifle the middle order. She first trapped Harmanpreet in front for 22 before dismissing Richa Ghosh and the dangerous Pooja Vastrakar in successive overs.India were 106 for 6 after 17 overs with Deepti Sharma joining Rodrigues, who had managed to get a good measure of the surface. Along with Deepti, who played an impressive eight-ball cameo of 17 after walking in at No. 8, Rodrigues helped India add 32 off the last three overs, including taking 20 off the final over delivered by offspinner Kavisha Dilhari.Familiar storyThe 139-run chase from Sri Lanka had a familiar look to it with Athapaththu scoring 15 of the 25 they scored in the powerplay. But Radha Yadav, playing her first T20I since the tour to England last year, dismissed Athapaththu and Harshitha Madavi in the same over to kill off the chase.Dilhari finished unbeaten on 46 after walking in at No. 4 but couldn’t receive enough support from the other end. India used 12 overs of spin, including that of Shafali’s offspin – where she had Ama Kanchana stumped for her maiden international wicket – to keep the home side in check and start off their tour with a win.

Aston Villa returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a narrow 2-1 victory over Leicester City at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon.

Unai Emery’s side have been fairly inconsistent over the previous few weeks. A win over Manchester City was followed by a defeat against Newcastle United before ending 2024 by drawing with Brighton and Hove Albion.

They start 2025 off right, however, and the win means they now occupy eighth position in the league table.

Aston Villa’s best performers against Leicester

Ross Barkley was a notable standout for Emery during the clash against the Foxes. Not only did he finish the game with a pass success rate of 98%, but the Englishman also scored the opener with a lovely, driven effort, lost possession just twice and won six of his eight ground duels contested.

Elsewhere, Ezri Konsa won 100% of his duels, succeeded with 96% of his passes and made two tackles, ensuring the Foxes were kept at bay.

Stat

Highest Ranked

Shots on target

Leon Bailey (2)

Key passes

Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara (2)

Ground duels won

Matty Cash (10)

Accurate passes

Tyrone Mings (100)

Tackles

Matty Cash (7)

It was Leon Bailey who returned to some form, finally scoring his first goal of the campaign following fine work from substitute Ian Maatsen down the left flank, and it turned out to be the winner.

The Jamaican certainly saved a few blushes as it appeared Villa were heading for a 1-1 draw before the winger scored. One player who will be thankful to his teammate is Ollie Watkins, as the striker was poor throughout his time on the pitch.

Ollie Watkins' game in numbers vs Leicester

It’s fair to say that the centre-forward hasn’t quite been at his fluid best this season. Across the whole of 2023/24, he scored 27 goals while chipping in with 13 assists, which saw him secure a place in England’s European Championship squad.

At the time of writing, Watkins has found the net just eight times, with no goals coming in the Champions League and he delivered a stale performance on Saturday.

During the clash, he completed just nine passes, which was 16 fewer than Emiliano Martínez in the Villa goal, while also managing 22 touches and registering just two shots, with none of them on target.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

The striker also lost possession eight times – including in the build-up to Stephy Mavididi’s equaliser – lost five of his eight total duels and missed a big chance as he failed to get on the scoresheet.

To top it off, he was given a match rating of just 4/10 by Birmingham World’s Charlie Haffenden, who stated that Watkins was ‘toothless’ on the day in front of goal.

Is he feeling the pressure of having some competition for his place in the side? Jhon Duran is finally emerging as a key player for Emery, already scoring 12 times from 26 appearances this term.

With a match against West Ham United coming up in the FA Cup next week, the continued absence of Duran due to suspension may see Watkins keep his place, although, in the long term, the battle for that starting berth is an intriguing one.

The Englishman will have to improve on his next outing, that’s for sure.

Aston Villa in talks over signing striker whose contract expires in January

Unai Emery has said Villa are moving for signings.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 4, 2025

انتقد أحمد حسن، قائد منتخب مصر الأسبق، الأداء الذي ظهر به لاعبو الأهلي خلال مواجهة بتروجيت في الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة حسم لقب الدوري المصري الممتاز “دوري النيل”، مشيرًا إلى أن الأحمر يفتقد للجماعية والهوية الفنية التي طالما ميزته.

وقال أحمد حسن في تصريحات تلفزيونية لفضائية “أون سبورت”: “هناك شيء خاطئ في لاعبي الأهلي، الفريق يفتقد للجماعية، لا توجد جملة تكتيكية واحدة تُنفذ داخل الملعب، لا ألوم عماد النحاس، لكن الجبهة اليسرى بقيادة علي معلول غير موجودة، والأهلي فاقد الروح العالية المعتادة”.

فيديو | الأهلي ينجو من فخ بتروجيت بثلاثية مثيرة في الظهور الأول لـ عماد النحاس

وأضاف نجم الأهلي والزمالك الأسبق: “تقدم الأهلي بهدفين في الشوط الأول تسبب في حالة من الاستهتار، وكأن اللاعبين استسهلوا المباراة، رغم الفارق الكبير في الإمكانات المادية والجماهيرية بين الأهلي وبتروجيت”.

وتابع: “على أرضية الملعب، كان بتروجيت ندًا قويًا، وكان قريبًا من الخروج بنقطة التعادل، وهذا أمر يدعو للقلق، هناك أخطاء واضحة لا بد من الوقوف أمامها”.

وأكد أحمد حسن على أهمية تركيز اللاعبين في المرحلة المقبلة: “يجب على اللاعبين التركيز بشكل قوي، خسارة نقطة واحدة قد تبعد الفريق عن المنافسة تمامًا، الأخطاء التي يقع فيها المدافعون ولاعبو الوسط كارثية، (لو دول بيغلطوا كده يبقى مين الأفضل؟)”.

واختتم: “غياب الالتزام والانضباط واضح، لا يوجد توجيه داخل الملعب، ولا نشاهد أي ملامح للعب الجماعي، وهذه الأمور تحتاج إلى علاج سريع للحفاظ على فرص الأهلي في المنافسة”.

Roses rivals can’t be separated as Richard Gleeson has last word to claim share of the spoils

Paul Edwards27-May-2022

Neither the frequently overcast skies nor the late May appointment to chill made a scruple of difference. This may not have been the hot summer’s night beloved of Meatloaf and connoisseurs of these unique occasions but both crowd and players know what is expected of them. And although we also missed the advancing darkness that so often adds to the drama of short-form cricket in England, maybe that was for the best, too. For in a last over that was frenetic and absurd even by the standards of these encounters Lancashire managed to tie with Yorkshire when Richard Gleeson trapped Harry Brook leg before wicket for 72 with the last ball of the 20th over when the Vikings required just one scampered single to win a T20 match at Emirates Old Trafford for the first time since 2014. It is the third tie between the sides in 33 short-form matches.And, of course, it shouldn’t have been a tie at all. The pockets of Yorkshire supporters among the 14, 000 crowd and the affluent ones draping White Rose banners from the Hilton Garden Hotel will tell you that. For after losing their first three wickets for 56 runs inside the first eight overs, Yorkshire had kept pace with a tough asking rate thanks entirely to a splendid third-wicket stand of 115 between Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Brook. Lancashire’s fielders had dropped the pair, Kohler-Cadmore being spilled by Liam Livingstone when only 14 in the second over. Another 13 runs were needed off the last over but Lancastrian indiscipline – Gleeson bowled a high full toss when Yorkshire needed six off two balls – and eased matters outrageously. A scrambled two had left Brook needing one run and Brook has middled almost every shot he’s played this season…So how the chuffin’ ‘ell did he fail on this occasion?And, of course, it shouldn’t have been a tie at all. The vast majority of the home crowd belting out the anthems as though it was the Last Night of the Proms will tell you that. Lancashire’s bowlers had never really let Kohler-Cadmore and Brook off the leash. Gleeson should have defended 13 off six and certainly 10 off three. But Shadab Khan squeezed his first ball for four and then Gleeson clearly laboured under the illusion he was a baseball pitcher. (He wasn’t alone; Luke Wood had bowled a similar full toss.) Thank God he’d managed to bowl a straight one last up.But it was that sort of evening. Both sides could be relieved and both disappointed. Supporters of both teams, sated with drama and fluctuation, were left wondering how the hell it had come to this.Well…some three hours later, before the sun got in everyone’s eyes, Lancashire’s powerplay had galloped along at a sprightly all-but-ten runs an over, which is more or less the par for this particular course on this particular evening. The only wicket to fall in those first six overs was that of Keaton Jennings, who made 19 off 14 balls before driving Matthew Revis into the midriff of Adam Lyth at mid-on. Given that he had been deposited over long-on for six by Phil Salt a few balls previously, Revis’s clenched-fist joy was understandable.Phil Salt struck a half-century on Lancashire T20 debut•Getty Images

Steven Croft made 13 before perishing in the deep to Adil Rashid but one had the feeling – this is showbiz on grass after all – that Jennings and Croft were the warm-up acts for Livingstone and Tim David, Lancashire’s Singaporean big hitter and a man who has never played a game of first-class cricket in all his spit. To a degree, that under-card instinct proved to be well-founded. Livingstone managed just one six in his 16-ball 23 but David smote three maximums deep into the stands and both energised the Emirates Old Trafford crowd. Livingstone, who only arrived back from the IPL on Thursday, helped Salt add 45 in five overs for the third wicket before he was caught at long-on by Brook off Jordan Thompson.Two overs later Salt was run out by Thompson’s throw from the deep but batting in T20 matches has become something of a relay exercise in which it is not a baton that is passed on as much as a bludgeon. As long as a batter doesn’t eat up balls, his indiscretions are, to a degree, tolerated. So Salt’s 59 in his maiden T20 innings for Lancashire and a bit of late-order whacking by Danny Lamb hoisted the total to 183. Home supporters of a statistical bent will have noted that Lancashire have won 80% of their home T20 games whenever they’ve scored above 168. Then again, what about the 20%…?Yorkshire’s pursuit nearly matched Lancashire’s in the Powerplay overs but it seemed crucial when they lost two wickets, both to Wood, in the first five overs. Dawid Malan was caught behind when swiping and Lyth was bowled when making room to work the ball away. Wood had also conceded 22 runs off his first two overs but his part in the game was not yet done. Joe Root made three off four balls before swinging the third ball of Matt Parkinson’s spell to the safe hands of the ex-Nottinghamshire man at deep square leg. That left Yorkshire poorly placed in the seventh over but Kohler-Cadmore and Brook consolidated and then accelerated. Kohler-Cadmore took 50 balls over his 67 before being run out off the last ball of the nineteenth over; Brook hit three sixes in his 72 and perhaps a few Yorkshire supporters thought he would take them home. The crowd settled for the last over and wondered which side would prevail; they little guessed it would be neither.

West Indies were restricted to 149 for 9 in 41-overs-a-side match which Bangladesh chased down comfortably

Associated Press11-Jul-2022

Bangladesh posted their first win on the tour of West Indies with a six-wicket victory on Sunday in the first ODI in Guyana.Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bowl in a match reduced to 41 overs per innings because of a wet outfield.The West Indies struggled to get going and posted an unchallenging 149 for 9, with No. 3 Shamarh Brooks leading the scoring with a 66-ball 33.Tailenders Anderson Phillip (21 not out) and Jayden Seales (16 not out) refused to give up the final wicket, adding 39 runs. Phillip hit his team’s only six of the innings at Providence.Left-arm medium pacer Shoriful Islam, who took his ODI career-best 4 for 34, and offspinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who scalped three wickets for 36 runs, were the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers.Bangladesh reached the target with 55 balls to spare, scoring 151 for 4 in 31.5 overs. Mahmudullah top-scored with an unbeaten 41 off 69 deliveries, and Najmul Hossain Shanto hit a 46-ball 37.Spinner Gudakesh Motie was economical with a return of 1 for18 from nine overs.The second ODI in the three-match series will be played on Wednesday at the same venue.West Indies won both Tests and the T20I series 2-0.

They play 34 Tests, 59 ODIs and 51 T20Is in the next four years; only West Indies have more games slotted in this period

Mohammad Isam18-Jul-2022Bangladesh have a bit of a bonanza lined up. The 2023-2027 ICC Future Tours Programme has 34 Tests marked for them, behind only England (42), Australia (41) and India (38). They have the most ODIs listed against their name – 59, with only Sri Lanka (58) above the 50 mark. Overall, too, they are behind only West Indies’ 146 international fixtures in the cycle with 144 of their own.The FTP for the next cycle, accessed by ESPNcricinfo, is subject to change, but it is a fair guideline into what the next few years of international cricket will be like.Related

Australia men's FTP takeaways: BBL window, the Afghanistan question, home Tests in March

Injured Blessing Muzarabani, Tendai Chatara ruled out of Bangladesh T20Is

Nurul Hasan, Bangladesh's new T20I captain, might only be a stop-gap arrangement

Stokes' ODI retirement should prompt change, but won't

PCB concerned over impact of T20 leagues on international cricket

Bangladesh, who have already played 28 of their 30 Tests in the ongoing FTP [two in India later in the year are left], and are ranked ninth in the ICC Test chart, have some exciting games lined up for 2023-2025, the next World Test Championship cycle. They will play Tests in India, Pakistan and the West Indies, and host New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. This is well ahead of the other Test nations outside the top eight: Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland.Not just that. The BCB also has a near-consistent window for the BPL in their domestic calendar. Over the next five season, the tournament will be played in January, only occasionally starting slightly sooner, in late December.Zimbabwe, who have played 13 Tests in the last five years, are likely to play only 20 Tests in the next cycle, the same as Afghanistan, but Ireland have only 12 Tests lined up. But overall, they will all play over 100 international matches in this period, if their boards can keep the schedule intact over the next four years.Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe should feel encouraged, as they have been allocated 20 Tests in a total of 109 international matches in the next four years. Like in the last four-year period, they play most of their cricket against Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Ireland, with South Africa and New Zealand playing a combined three Tests against them.They have fixtures against Pakistan and Sri Lank but only for white-ball matches, while Zimbabwe have proposed a T20I tri-series in July 2025, though the opponents’ names aren’t public.Afghanistan
Afghanistan have solitary Tests scheduled against India, Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka in the next four years. Most of their 20 Tests will, however, be against Zimbabwe and Ireland, while Bangladesh have committed to four Tests against them.Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have two series each against Afghanistan, with a mix of ODIs and T20Is, while West Indies have a solitary ODI series against them.Ireland
Ireland have reason to feel shortchanged, with the fewest Tests lined up, 12, and play most of them against Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. New Zealand and Sri Lanka have offered them solitary one-off Test series, while England and Australia are expected to play white-ball series against them in 2023 and 2024 respectively.