Adhitya Shetty's four-for guides UAE to win in Plate quarter-final

le Roux stars for Ireland in their win over Canada

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jan-2022A 12-run last-wicket partnership took UAE over the line in a tense contest against Uganda in the first Plate quarter-final in Port of Spain. Legspinner Adhitya Shetty played a crucial role in the win. First, his legspin yielded figures of 4 for 29 to bowl Uganda out for 123. Then, he made an unbeaten 11 from No. 10 to take his side over the line.Shetty was among the wickets early in the game when he got the first wicket of the day, dismissing Uganda opener Ronald Opio for 12. Nilansh Keswani struck from the other end, and the three wickets had reduced Uganda from 30 for no loss to 39 for 3. Ronald Lutaaya (25) and Uganda captain Pascal Murungi (23) then added 35 for the fourth wicket, but once Shetty broke the partnership, the rest of the wickets quickly followed. Shetty himself took two more, while Aayan Afzal Khan took two lower order wickets to set themselves a 124-run target.A 43-run opening stand for between top-scorer Kai Smith (25) and Dhruv Parashar gave UAE a solid start in the chase, but Uganda spinners Joseph Baguma (3-29) and Matthew Musinguzi (3-21) ran through the UAE batting line-up to have them reeling at 82 for 7. Aayan, the No. 9, scored a 38-ball 22 to take UAE closer to the target, but when the ninth wicket fell, the side was still nine runs away from victory. However, Shetty and Jash Giyanani (4*) held on to pip Uganda in a low-scoring thriller.In another low-scoring match, Ireland successfully defended 179 against Canada, with Philippus le Roux being the standout batter.Le Roux made an unbeaten 83 in 107 balls for Ireland, a clear outlier in the match where the second-highest score from either team was 25. His innings of 12 fours lifted Ireland to 179, after which a combined Irish bowling performance left Canada all out for a sub-100 score.Ireland seamer Reuben Wilson pegged Canada back early in the chase when he dismissed both openers cheaply. Liam Doherty then reduced Canada to 12 for 3, and by the time Nathan McGuire removed Gurnek Johal Singh, Canada were 41 for 5. Kairav Sharma displayed brief resistance in his 30-ball stay of 19 but two wickets for Jamie Forbes and Wilson’s third scalp ended Canada’s innings on 85 in the 30th over.Le Roux, the Ireland No. 5, walked in at 34 for 3 in the first innings and stayed unbeaten right till the end. He put on 33 with the captain Tim Tector for the fourth wicket, but a flurry of wickets at the other end had Ireland struggling at 90 for 7. However, a 48-run eighth-wicket stand between le Roux and Forbes (25) took Ireland closer to 140, and a 37-run ninth-wicket stand with Muzamil Sherzad (13) took Ireland to 179.

Man Utd want to sign "world-class" star to be Amorim’s answer to Rodri

Ruben Amorim will soon get his first taste of action as Manchester United manager, with the Red Devils facing off against Ipswich Town on the road to kickstart the new Portuguese boss’ reign in the Premier League.

This is a potential banana skin, considering the Tractor Boys are just fresh off a shock away win at Tottenham Hotspur, on top of the fact Kieran McKenna’s past Man United loyalties will mean he’s keen to get one over on the brand new face in the Old Trafford hot-seat.

Beyond this opening test in Suffolk, Amorim will also already be thinking about any potential additions he could make to his squad, with the potential for him to be prioritising a new central midfielder to partner Manuel Ugarte.

Ugarte's importance under Amorim

It has been well documented now the past both Amorim and Ugarte have shared together, with the Uruguayan winning himself a big move to Paris St. Germain in the summer of 2023 after starring under the 39-year-old’s watchful eye at Sporting CP.

Of course, the Premier League is a different kettle of fish altogether to Amorim’s native country, but the fresh face in the Theatre of Dreams dug-out will want to get even more out of the 23-year-old who was beginning to shine under the interim reign of Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Ugarte stood out in the Dutchman’s final match as temporary boss, with the United number 25 winning ten duels and only misplacing four of his 51 passes as the Red Devils breezed past Leicester City 3-1 in confident fashion.

He will have to make sure his performance levels are more consistent, so Amorim continues to pick him, having struggled to get going against Chelsea in early November when only two of his 13 duels on the day were successfully won.

That could well happen under the familiar managerial methods of Amorim, with the former Sporting midfielder perhaps joined by a new face in the middle of the park who could go on to become United’s very own Rodri.

The signing who could be Man United's own Rodri

The only issue here would be getting all of United’s central midfield talents into one starting lineup, with Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo also options at his disposal that could fit into his distinctive 3-4-3 set-up.

But, it seems as if another midfielder is on his transfer wish list, with German Leon Goretzka one player taking their fancy. However, according to TEAMTalk, they fill face competition from Bundesliga outfit Union Berlin.

leon-goretzka-transfer-gossip-manchester-united-bayern-munich-jude-bellingham-ten-hag

Frustrated by his current situation in Bavaria, having not been a regular starter since Vincent Kompany’s arrival as manager, the Red Devils could swoop in to breathe life back in the 29-year-old’s career.

Said to be the eighth most similar player in Europe’s top five leagues to Rodri when comparing the two midfielders on FBRef, this could be a perfect route to go down if United finally axe Casemiro down the line, with Goretzka a smart addition judging by his eye for a goal and assist too.

Shots in total

1.73

1.63

Shot-creating actions

3.03

4.63

Passes attempted

75.42

113.39

Pass completion %

90.1%

91.5%

Progressive passes

7.52

12.00

Progressive carries

2.53

2.73

Successful take-ons

0.58

2.73

Progressive passes received

2.30

1.77

Although the Ballon d’Or winner is, of course, the better player, the wantaway Bayern star and Rodri are similar in many aspects of their respective games, with Goretzka actually bettering the Spaniard in shots averaged per match across the last year.

Goretzka has bagged 41 strikes for the Bundesliga giants, on top of picking up 46 assists, leading to shouts from football journalist Stefan Bienkowski that the 29-year-old is even “world-class.”

He could well be a great alternative to Fernandes in this regard, therefore, with Goretzka also mirroring his Spanish counterpart when looking at his impressive trophy haul at Bayern.

The 29-year-old has picked up five Bundesliga titles playing in Germany, which isn’t too dissimilar to Rodri’s four Premier League title triumphs in a row, with the addition of the 6 foot 2 star giving United a classy option who could be a statement buy for the new Amorim era.

Whatever does take place on the transfer front moving forward, United supporters will just hope Amorim settles in well initially, with lots of flashy buys already being hyped up.

Amorim’s perfect wing-back: Ten Hag sold Man Utd gem now worth 132% more

The talented youngster should have been a hit for Man Utd.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 16, 2024

Borussia Dortmund prepared to drop Jamie Gittens asking price from 'unrealistic' €100m as England winger expected to leave amid Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool & Bayern Munich interest

Borussia Dortmund are ready to reduce their asking price for Jamie Gittens amid interest from Premier League clubs and Bayern Munich.

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Dortmund ready to reduce Gittens' asking pricePremier League clubs and Bayern keen on signing himWinger will be sold if BVB fail to secure European footballFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Dortmund sensation Gittens is all set to be sold in the summer as the Bundesliga side have accepted they may have to significantly drop their asking price for the English winger, according to . Earlier it was reported that BVB are set to demand a fee of around €100 million (£83m/$103m), but they are now considering reducing the figure between €60m (£50m/$63m) and €70m (£58m/$73m).

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The report also adds that Dortmund might be forced to let go of Gittens in the summer due to financial constraints if they do not secure European football for next season. Niko Kovac's side have struggled for form in the 2024-25 campaign and are currently 10th in the Bundesliga after 24 matches.

DID YOU KNOW?

Several top European clubs have shown interest in the 20-year-old winger, including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Premier League giants like Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR DORTMUND?

The German club will be back in action in the Bundesliga on Saturday when they host Augsburg, who sit 11th and are unbeaten in eight league matches.

Australia's spin-bowling consultant Fawad Ahmed tests positive for Covid-19

He was part of Lahore Qalandars’ squad at the recently concluded PSL

Danyal Rasool02-Mar-2022Australia’s spin-bowling consultant Fawad Ahmed has tested positive for Covid-19 and started his five-day isolation period. A media release from Cricket Australia stated he was experiencing mild symptoms and would leave isolation only after returning two negative results.Fawad, who was born in Pakistan and played three ODIs and two T20Is for Australia, was part of Lahore Qalandars’ squad at the recently concluded Pakistan Super League. He arrived at the Australia team hotel on Monday, where he was due to start his role as the spin-bowling consultant.Fawad was tested immediately upon arrival, and returned a positive result. It is believed he did not interact with anyone from the Australian travelling party before testing positive. ESPNcricinfo understands all of Australia’s squad and touring party underwent Covid tests today, returning negative results.Fawad, who had also tested positive for Covid-19 at the PSL last year, is the second person to be impacted by Covid-19 on this tour. Earlier this week, Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf – also part of Qalandars’ setup – tested positive and was ruled out of the first Test.The first Test begins on Friday in Rawalpindi, which will be the first international match for Australia in Pakistan in 24 years.

Arsenal target "lethal" £38m Jesus upgrade who could be their own Kane

It may be too early to say with any authority, but it is starting to look like Arsenal might be returning to their incredible best.

The North Londoners were in a sorry state before the international break, with just one win in their previous five games, but since then, they’ve beaten Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and Sporting CP in the Champions League.

Moreover, with eight goals in these games, it looks like the club’s troubles in front of goal have subsided somewhat, but there is always room for improvement.

Games

12

5

2

Wins

6

3

2

Draws

4

1

0

Losses

2

1

0

Goals For

21

8

8

Goals Against

12

2

1

That seems to be the club’s opinion anyway, as recent reports have now linked one of the most exciting strikers in Europe with a move to the club, a striker who’s been compared to Harry Kane and could spell big trouble for Gabriel Jesus’ future in N5.

Arsenal transfer news

According to recent reports in Italy, Arsenal have maintained their interest in Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui.

Mateo Retegui for Italy

The report claims that alongside the Gunners, there are now ‘many big clubs’ keen on signing the Italian marksman next year.

This increased interest in the exciting forward has unsurprisingly increased the price tag on his head, and according to the report, it has now more than doubled from €22m to at least €45m, which is around £38m.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

In all, signing Retegui could prove complicated and costly, but given his form this season and the comparisons to Kane, it would be well worth it, even if it would be bad news for Jesus.

Retegui's comparison to Kane and Jesus

So, before we look at how Retegui stacks up against Jesus, who he’d surely be competing with for the place just behind Kai Havertz, where has this comparison to Kane come from?

Well, it stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in the Champions League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the fifth most similar striker to the Italian this season.

To better understand how this conclusion was reached, we can examine the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked closely, metrics including but not limited to non-penalty goals plus assists, shots on target, shot-creating actions, blocks, clearances and carries, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.63

0.60

Shots on Target

1.57

1.80

Goals per Shot

0.15

0.11

Shot-Creating Actions

4.06

4.00

Blocks

0.31

0.20

Clearances

0.31

0.40

Carries

24.1

22.8

On top of these statistical parallels, there are more surface-level similarities between the pair, such as the fact they’re both right-footed and the Englishman is 6 foot 2 while the Italian is 6 foot 1.

However, while this comparison to arguably the best striker in the world is undoubtedly encouraging, how does the former Genoa ace stack up to Jesus?

Well, from a pure output perspective, it’s not even close as in his 16 appearances this season, totalling 579 minutes, the former Manchester City star has scored one goal and provided one assist, equating to an average of a goal involvement every eight games, or every 289.5 minutes.

In contrast, Atalanta’s “lethal” marksman, as dubbed by Italian manager Luciano Spalletti, has scored 14 goals and provided three assists in 19 appearances, totalling 1153 minutes, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every 1.11 games, or every 67.8 minutes – talk about efficiency.

Appearances

19

16

Minutes

1153′

579

Goals

14

1

Assists

3

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.89

0.12

Minutes per Goal Involvement

67.8′

289.5′

Ultimately, there just isn’t a competition between Retegui and Jesus, so should Arsenal have the chance to sign the San Fernando-born machine in 2025, they must take it, and who knows, he might even be able to displace Havertz from the starting number nine role.

2 wins, 0 goals: Arsenal's frustrating £45m star is having a nightmare week

The talented international is becoming surplus to requirements at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 27, 2024

Real Madrid have left Xabi Alonso 'isolated' – Bayer Leverkusen chief questions Florentino Perez's treatment of coach amid early sack reports

Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has launched a scathing critique of Real Madrid's hierarchy, accusing Florentino Perez of leaving Xabi Alonso "isolated" at the Bernabeu. The German club's chief claims the culture in the Spanish capital treats managers as a "necessary evil", contrasting it sharply with the support Alonso enjoyed at the BayArena.

Shaky run for Real Madrid

Alonso's tenure at Real Madrid, once viewed as the homecoming of a managerial prodigy, has quickly turned into a trial by fire. Back-to-back home defeats to Celta and Manchester City added fuel to reports that Alonso's future at the club is in doubt heading into the weekend clash against Deportivo Alaves, which they won 2-1. Amidst growing reports that the 44-year-old is facing the sack already, his former boss at Leverkusen has spoken out to defend the coach, pointing the finger squarely at the structural differences between the two clubs. Carro, the CEO of the Bundesliga side, believes that Alonso has been left exposed by a Madrid board that fails to protect its managers in times of crisis.

Alonso departed Leverkusen in the summer to take the reins at the Santiago Bernabeu, tasked with leading a new era for Los Blancos. However, results have been mixed, and the Spanish press has already begun to sharpen its knives. For Carro, who oversaw Alonso’s historic unbeaten domestic double in Germany, the issue lies not with the tactician’s ability, but with the ruthless and often lonely environment fostered by Madrid president Florentino Perez.

AdvertisementAFPCarrow pledges support to Alonso

Speaking to , Carro did not mince his words when comparing the supportive environment of Leverkusen with the cut-throat politics of Madrid. 

"We didn't advise him on anything," Carro said when asked if he had spoken to Alonso about his current predicament. "At the time we would have liked him to stay here, but we know he is a coach with enormous talent who, yes, finds himself in a different context in Madrid.

"If the president says that a coach is a necessary evil, if the coach is left alone and it is always he who receives the criticism, well then the situation is very different from the one he experienced in Leverkusen, where we all rowed in the same direction and did not leave the coach politically alone."

A bond that remains unbroken

Despite the tense situation surrounding Alonso’s future, Carro revealed that his personal relationship with the Basque coach remains incredibly strong. The two forged a close bond during Alonso’s three-year stint in Germany, a period that transformed Leverkusen from underachievers to history-makers.

Carro confirmed that he recently visited Alonso in the Spanish capital, emphasising that their connection transcends the professional sphere.

"During the international break I was in Madrid for a weekend, and the coaching staff and the family were at our house twice," Carro revealed. "We have a very good relationship; after all, during those three years we were like a family. I also know that they follow our matches and we follow theirs, we follow each other. We feel a lot of appreciation for each other and maintain very close contact."

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Getty Images SportThe pressure cooker of the Bernabeu

The contrast described by Carro serves as a warning to Madrid fans and pundits calling for Alonso’s head. However, pressure will only continue to build on the coach unless he brings consistency after a stunning start to his tenure. They started the season with 13 wins from their first 14 games under Alonso, including a victory against Barcelona, but a defeat to Liverpool sparked a dismal run that saw them drop four points behind in La Liga and in danger of falling out of the Champions League's top eight.

While Leverkusen soldier on without him, watching their former manager struggle under the weight of the "white house" expectations has evidently struck a nerve with the German club's hierarchy. Whether Perez heeds the subtle warning from his counterpart remains to be seen, but as the sack rumours intensify, the accusation that Alonso has been "left alone" will likely resonate with those who feel the manager is being made a scapegoat for wider structural issues.

Man United wanted to sign one of the world’s best GKs but got Onana instead

Manchester United’s transfer strategy in recent years has seen them come under fire, wasting hundreds of millions of pounds on players who simply aren’t up to the level required of the Premier League.

Former boss Erik ten Hag is partly to blame for their recruitment, spending over £600m on new additions during his tenure in charge at Old Trafford.

In an attempt to combat their recent woes, Dan Ashworth was brought in from Newcastle United a couple of months ago but has already left his post after a fallout with Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

INEOS' Sir Jim Ratcliffe

The 53-year-old was only in the role as Sporting Director for five months, overseeing the last transfer window under Ten Hag that saw another £200m splashed before his dismissal.

However, it was one deal before he moved to the North West that may look to be a mistake, especially considering his unforgivable errors in the latest outing.

Andre Onana’s move to Manchester United

The summer of 2023 saw various areas of the pitch undergo an overhaul to try and build on the third-place finish achieved during the season prior.

Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount both arrived to provide added firepower in attacking areas, with the pair costing the hierarchy over £120m in the process.

However, the departure of fan-favourite David De Gea left a huge hole between the sticks that desperately needed filling ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Spaniard, who made 545 appearances for the Red Devils, was let go at the end of his contract by Ten Hag, who opted to sign Andre Onana for £47m – believing that the Cameroonian would be a better fit in terms of playing out from the back.

Whilst there’s no denying that the 28-year-old has produced some impressive moments, his errors will always be the ones that are remembered, especially when they contribute to a defeat.

His errors against Nottingham Forest last night were unforgivable, leading Ruben Amorim to his first defeat on home soil since his appointment at the end of last month.

Onana was unable to keep out efforts from Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood, leading them to a second consecutive defeat. As a result, Amorim already has a huge task on his hands.

It could have been made easier had the club completed a deal for another goalkeeper, rather than opting for a move to land the Cameroonian. Here is who they could have signed instead…

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

Man United's Onana alternative

After losing such a key member in De Gea, the job of replacing the Spaniard was always going to be a tricky task, placing huge expectations onto his replacement – which ultimately ended up being Onana.

The move undoubtedly came about after his time playing under Ten Hag at Ajax, reuniting the pair – a common theme with the majority of the additions during his time at the helm.

However, during the same period of the goalkeeping overhaul, there were numerous reports linking Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a big-money transfer to Old Trafford.

The Belgian, who’s previously been dubbed as “world-class” by journalist Harri Burton, featured in the Premier League for Chelsea, before joining Real Madrid in the summer of 2018.

During his glittering career, the 32-year-old has won six league titles to date, undoubtedly cementing himself as one of the best ‘keepers in the world over recent years.

2018/19

35

48

10

2019/20

43

32

21

2020/21

51

44

21

2021/22

52

46

22

2022/23

49

49

17

2023/24

5

0

5

2024/25

16

14

6

Since his transfer to the Bernabeu, Courtois has also helped the Spanish giants to win two Champions League trophies, producing a Man of the Match display against Liverpool in the final back in the 2021/22 season.

Given his massive success as a player, coupled with Onana’s recent mistakes, the club may have wished they had forked out the added money needed to secure the services of the Belgian.

Belgium'sThibautCourtois

His experience at the top level, coupled with his winning mentality would’ve added the leadership and quality needed to end their recent run without a Premier League title.

However, he will remain as one who got away, leaving United supporters with a case of what could’ve been had they signed him instead of the current number one.

Amorim must drop 5/10 Man United dud who Ashworth thinks is "really good"

Manchester United suffered a second consecutive defeat under Ruben Amorim last night.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 8, 2024

'Most beautiful goal you can see' – Lionel Messi still the 'best player in history' after putting on another MLS masterclass with Inter Miami

Javier Mascherano saw Lionel Messi score the "most beautiful goal" for Inter Miami at Atlanta, believing that he remains the "best player in history".

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Argentine returned to starting XINetted first MLS goal of 2025Helped preserve unbeaten recordFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has seen limited game time over recent weeks, with his MLS employers reluctant to take unnecessary gambles on his fitness. After being rested and left on the bench, Messi returned to the Herons' starting XI against Atlanta United.

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It took less than 20 minutes for him to make an impact and register his first MLS goal of 2025, with the Argentine dancing past a couple of defenders before calmly clipping the ball into the back of the net. That effort helped unbeaten Inter Miami to a 2-1 win in Georgia.

WHAT JAVIER MASCHERANO SAID

Mascherano told reporters afterwards, with another experienced head – new signing Fafa Picault – grabbing an 89th-minute winner for Miami: "Well, Leo's goal, he's the best player in the history of this sport, there's nothing more to say. He's a player who has the ability to score the most beautiful [goal] you can see.

"The goal from Fafa obviously makes us very happy for him. We came from three hard weeks because he had been out. We're very happy. He's come to contribute his experience in this league. But he's been humble, working as a team, knowing to use the moments when we need it. So, we are delighted with him."

DID YOU KNOW?

Mascherano, who has succeeded fellow Argentine Tata Martino as Inter Miami boss, added on his early experiences of life in MLS: "I paid a lot of attention to Inter Miami because the reality is that, like all Argentines, we followed Inter Miami, but I wasn't paying attention to other teams, which surprised me.

"There are many teams that have very good ideas that execute very well. I started to meet players who have a high, good level who are in this league but who could also be in a European league. In fact, I think we have some of our players who I didn't pay so much attention to before, perhaps, because we didn't know them; and now, the truth is, they have surprised me.

"It's a league that I like. I like its organisation. I like that everything works. I like that I have to worry about training the team and preparing for games."

Mignon du Preez left out of CSA women's central contracts list

Newcomers Brits and Mlaba are among the 15 to get a deal for the 2022-23 season

ESPNcricinfo staff02-May-2022Mignon du Preez was left out of the 15 women who were awarded central contracts for the 2022-23 season by Cricket South Africa on Monday. The 32-year old former captain played a crucial role in taking her team to the semi-finals of the 2022 Women’s World Cup, but has since retired from Test-match and ODI cricket and remains available only for T20s. Also missing is Nadine de Klerk, who was part of the contracted 15 in 2021-22.The space they left behind was filled up by top-order batter Tazmin Brits and left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba. Pholetsi Moseki, CSA’s chief executive officer, heaped praise on the two newcomers for their “dedication and work on and off the field” over the last 12 months.”After a remarkable year for the Momentum Proteas that saw the team climb to and maintain second spot in the ODI world rankings, it is with immense pleasure to announce next season’s squad of contracted players as they embark on their next challenge in world cricket.”Just like the previous 12 months, the next year brings forth a hugely-anticipated calendar of international cricket for the Proteas Women and we strongly believe in the set-up in place at the top of our women’s game to continue breaking boundaries and make their mark in the game,” he said.”On behalf of CSA, congratulations to Tazmin Brits and Nonkululeko Mlaba on their newly-awarded contracts. Their dedication and work on and off the field has not gone unnoticed and these contracts are a reward for their contributions.The upcoming season will begin with South Africa Women touring Ireland for three T20Is and three ODIs from June 3 before a multi-format tour of England between June 25 and July 27. Then there are the Commonwealth Games T20s in August followed by the T20 World Cup in February 2023, with South Africa hosting the global event for the first time. CSA will play host to the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup next year too.Women’s contracts: Tazmin Brits, Trisha Chetty, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Lizelle Lee, Suné Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloé Tryon, Dané van Niekerk, Laura Wolvaardt.

Ryan Giggs hit with huge £40k wage bill after his restaurant was suddenly forced to close down over spiralling £563k debts

Ryan Giggs has reportedly been hit with a huge £40k wage bill after his restaurant went bust over spiralling £563k debts.

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Giggs had to shut down his restaurant in FebruaryOwes close to £40k to 22 workersInvested £100,000 back in 2014Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Giggs' restaurant, George’s Dining Room and Bar, located in Worsley near Manchester, ceased operations in February without prior warning. According to recently filed records with Companies House, the establishment owes its 22 employees a combined total of £39,986 in wages, as reported by Beyond unpaid salaries, the restaurant has accumulated financial liabilities reaching £495,145. These debts were disclosed in an official Statement of Affairs regarding the company's voluntary liquidation, which was submitted just days ago.

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Giggs had invested £100,000 of his own money into the venture, funds that now seem unlikely to be recovered following the restaurant’s collapse. In addition to wage arrears, the company owes significant amounts to others, including £117,000 to HM Revenue & Customs for unpaid tax and National Insurance contributions. A further £15,000 is outstanding for gas bills, while NatWest Bank is owed £35,000.

DID YOU KNOW?

Giggs had launched George’s Dining Room and Bar in 2014 alongside business associates Kelvin Gregory and Bernie Taylor. Both partners are also facing financial losses due to the liquidation, with Taylor reportedly being owed close to £13,000, while Gregory is set to lose over £53,000.

WHAT NEXT FOR GIGGS?

Despite this setback, Giggs has been involved in other business ventures, notably teaming up with former Manchester United teammate Gary Neville. The duo co-founded the GG Hospitality Group, which successfully launched Hotel Football near Old Trafford, as well as the luxury Stock Exchange Hotel in Manchester's city centre.

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