New Zealand allrounder Doug Bracewell has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Bracewell, 35, last featured for New Zealand in a Test match in 2023.A persistent rib injury, which has kept him out of action for Central Districts this season, has contributed to Bracewell’s decision.Bracewell played 28 Tests, 21 ODIs and 20 T20Is between 2011 and 2023. The highlight of his career came in just his third Test match, in Hobart in December 2011, when he took match figures of 9 for 60 to lead New Zealand to their first Test win in Australia in 26 years; it remains their last Test win in the country. In all, Bracewell’s bustling fast-medium brought him 74 wickets in 28 Test matches at an average of 38.82. He also took 46 wickets across his white-ball appearances for New Zealand.Bracewell led New Zealand to one of their most memorable Test wins with his 9 for 60 in Hobart in 2011•Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

“It’s been a proud part of my life, and something I aspired to as a young cricketer,” Bracewell said in a Central Districts statement. “I will always be grateful for the opportunities I have had through cricket, and the chance to play for my country, as well as for Central Districts, throughout my domestic career. It’s a privilege to play first-class and international cricket, and I’m grateful to have played and enjoyed the game for as long as I have.”Bracewell comes from one of New Zealand’s foremost cricketing families. His father Brendon and uncle John both played Test cricket, with John also enjoying multiple stints as New Zealand coach, while uncles Douglas and Mark also played first-class cricket. Bracewell played two ODIs and a Test alongside his cousin Michael, who will captain New Zealand in the ODIs on the tour of India next month, as well as an Under-19 World Cup in 2010.Apart from domestic cricket for Central Districts, Bracewell played for Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) in IPL 2012, Joburg Super Kings at SA20 2024, and Central Stags in the Global Super League earlier this year.Bracewell retires with the rare distinction of having scored over 4000 runs and taken more than 400 wickets in first-class cricket in New Zealand; offspinner Jeetan Patel another player to have achieved this double. In his 137-match first-class career, Bracewell took 437 wickets at 31.08 and scored 4505 runs at 25.45 including three hundreds.

Arsenal are keeping tabs on a Real Madrid star who is set to depart the Spanish capital before the February transfer deadline.

Having fallen painfully short of any major silverware in recent years under Mikel Arteta, the 2025/26 season feels especially important for the Gunners. At the half-way point of the campaign, the North London side have a four-point advantage over Manchester City as they sit atop the Premier League.

Arsenal, who have not won the English top flight in over two decades, will no doubt be desperate to once again lift the biggest domestic honour available to them. Arteta has, over the years, built a squad that, in terms of quality in depth, is by far the best in England, something that has helped the club compete on all fronts this season.

Despite being the best team in the country at this moment based on their league position, Arsenal are looking to bolster their ranks this winter, adding some bodies to further cement their push for glory at the season’s end.

Recent reports have indicated that the club could be set to make a seismic addition to their forward line in the coming weeks.

Rodrygo seeks Madrid exit as Arsenal circle

According to Sport, as per Sport Witness, winger Rodrygo is “determined to leave” Real Madrid in the near future and Arsenal, along with Man City, are the “most likely destinations”.

A Madrid player since 2019, Rodrygo has grown unhappy under the tenure of Xabi Alonso having started just five league matches out of 18, and there is now “no going back” as he is already hiring new agents to force an exit.

Rodrygo, who earns £280,000 per week at the Bernabeu, is being pursued by a number of Premier League teams, with England appearing to be the most feasible destination for him. Arsenal are one such club and reportedly made “informal contact” with Madrid in September about a potential deal for the Brazilian.

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Without doubt, Rodrygo would be a superstar signing for Arsenal, a player who could integrate immediately into the first team and bring with him an added level of quality to help the Gunners push themselves over the line this season. Whether or not a price can be agreed in the winter transfer window, however, remains to be seen.

Related Man City now favourites to sign £75m+ attacking star alongside Semenyo

He’s already working on an exit.

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As per reports from Spain, Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension transfer chief Fabio Paratici, are now eyeing a move for West Ham United defender Ben Johnson.

The Lowdown: Conte eyeing full-back upgrade?

According to reliable sources, Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte, was eager for the club to sign a right wing-back upgrade in January who would be tailored for his back-three formation.

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Spurs attempted to sign a makeshift option in former Wolves star Adama Traore for most of the month but to no avail as Barcelona swooped in to hijack the winter move.

This has left Conte with Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty as his options on that side, and while the latter may have played his way into the Italian’s plans after a stunning performance against Leeds, doubts surround his team-mate.

Indeed, there are question marks hanging over Royal’s ability to create in the final third, with Paratici now eyeing an unlikely alternative from one of Spurs’ London rivals.

The Latest: Spurs eye Ben Johnson move…

According to Spanish sources, Tottenham are one of the clubs in a three-way battle to sign West Ham starlet Johnson in the summer, even after the Hammers apparently activated a two-year contract extension option.

Indeed, Paratici and co are allegedly targeting the homegrown ace to add both offensive and defensive quality for Conte’s side.

The Verdict: Great option…

The 22-year-old would come as a very good signing for Conte going by his early promise.

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West Ham manager David Moyes recently called Johnson a ‘really important’ player for his team, while pundit Noel Whelan has recently raved over the ‘exciting’ and ‘very aggressive’ full-back (Football Insider).

However, after the Irons triggered the two-year extension option in his contract, and with a potential reluctance to do business with a positional and geographical rival in Spurs, this move could be a tricky one to pull off for Paratici.

In other news: ‘Worrying’…Insider shares what ‘in the know’ source is now ‘reporting’ at Tottenham, find out more here.

Everton have made an offer to Franck Kessie ahead of the expiry of his AC Milan contract but the player is unconvinced, according to Spanish publication Sport (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

Kessie has reportedly turned down the offer of an extension at the San Siro and made clear his intention to depart in the summer.

He’s currently able to negotiate with foreign clubs with a view to potentially joining on a free transfer.

Landing Kessie on a Bosman deal would be impressive business given that the player is rated at £43.2million by Transfermarkt.

Stefano Pioli has used the Ivorian first and foremost as a defensive midfielder, but he can also operate as a box-to-box number eight.

The latest

Everton have reportedly proposed pre-contract terms to Kessie, though he isn’t thought to be particularly keen.

The player was hopeful that teams towards the top of the Premier League would come in for him, but no such offers have materialised yet.

Instead, he’s increasingly open to the idea of joining FC Barcelona, who have ‘intensified’ their efforts to sign him in recent weeks.

The verdict

It’s no surprise that Everton are interested in Kessie, regarded as a near-complete midfielder by former Milan star Antonio Cassano.

Cassano says that Kessie ‘scores, he assists, he doesn’t lose the ball, he’s intelligent’ and claimed that he can be ‘devastating’.

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The problem is that it may just be a bit too ambitious. The Toffees, let’s not forget, are fighting to avoid relegation, whereas Milan are in the midst of a Serie A title race and Barcelona are a club of similarly immense stature who will hope to be competing in next season’s Champions League.

If Lampard can lure the 25 year-old to Merseyside though, he could form a monstrous midfield partnership with Abdoulaye Doucouré.

In other news, Everton could sell this academy product if the right offer arrives.

Crystal Palace are thought to be one of the sides leading the race for Birmingham City midfielder Jordan James, TEAMtalk report.

The Lowdown: James profiled

James is 17 years of age and recently penned a professional contract at St. Andrew’s through to 2024.

The youngster has been a regular for The Blues since signing that deal, making 17 Championship appearances this season.

He is primarily a central midfielder but has actually turned out in defensive and attacking midfield roles, while also playing on either flank, showing impressive versatility at such a young age [Transfermarkt].

Lee Bowyer has described James as a player with plenty of energy who ‘ticks a lot of boxes’, and it seems as if his displays in the second tier have caught the eye at Selhurst Park.

The Latest: Palace links

TEAMtalk journalist Michael Holland shared a story on Wednesday afternoon regarding Jones.

They led with a title suggesting that Palace, Everton and Wolves are leading the way in the race to sign the midfielder, whereas Brighton, Southampton and West Ham were also name-checked with an interest.

The Verdict: Shrewd move?

Palace have already acquired the services of young striker Luke Plange from Derby County in 2022, and it seems as if they now have their eye on James.

The Eagles agreed to loan Plange back to Derby for the second half of the season, and a similar agreement with Birmingham in the summer could be appealing.

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You’d expect Palace view James as a long-term project at just 17 years of age, so a permanent view and loaning the player back to the Midlands could be worth considering for the highly-rated midfielder.

In other news: Huge Palace transfer news emerges as Parish lines up £15m bid for ‘special’ player.  

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has claimed that he will sell the club when he no longer feels he is the best man to take it forward.

The Lowdown: Radrizzani oversees successful period

The 47-year-old became co-owner of the Whites back in January 2017, purchasing 50% of the club, before taking sole charge at Elland Road in May of that year.

Radrizzani has overseen a memorable period in Leeds’ recent history, appointing Marcelo Bielsa as manager, who in turn inspired their return to the Premier League.

He has since relieved the Argentine of his duties and brought in Jesse Marsch, in a decision that has not gone down overly well among the supporters.

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The Latest: Owner hints at future sale

Responding to a post on Twitter on Friday, Radrizzani gave an honest assessment of the way he sees the future and also revealed he put up £100m of his own money to get the club promoted:

“100 mil precisely, lot of work and time sacrificed to my family. I always try and work hard for the best of the club. The moment I realise I won’t be able to deliver I will let someone else to do a better job.”

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The Verdict: Will leave a legacy

Like any football club owner, Radrizzani is always going to have some fans who criticise his tenure, but there is no denying that he has been a success at Elland Road.

As mentioned, he has helped guide the Whites back into the top-flight of English football after nearly 20 years away, though some supporters will of course point to the lack of backing for Bielsa this past January.

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There will come a point when the need for change arises – it may even happen if Leeds get relegated this season – and it appears as though Radrizzani will do what is right for both himself and the club.

In other news, a key update has emerged regarding Raphinha’s Leeds future. Read more here.

Aston Villa have been one of the most proactive clubs in the Premier League when it comes to signing new players over the past few years.

However, not every transfer deal which gets mentioned with the Villans ends up coming to fruition.

One example of this which will now be seen as a lucky escape for the club is when they were linked with a move for Milot Rashica before he joined Norwich City from Werder Bremen in a deal worth a reported £9.4m last summer.

Since joining the Norfolk club, the Kosovan – who was praised for taking a “massive leap” in terms of his progression on the pitch by his former boss Florian Kohfeldt – has made 23 appearances for the Canaries in the league but has only scored one goal and provided two assists along the way.

In addition to his lack of consistent goal contributions, the attacker – who is currently picking up £34k-p/w according to Salary Sport, has earned himself an overall performance rating of just 6.48/10, making him the ninth-highest rated player in Norwich’s squad according to WhoScored.

Back in December 2019, Transfermarkt had the winger’s market value listed at £31.5m, the highest it has been throughout his career so far. It now stands at just £7.2m, showing a massive decrease of 77% in little over two years.

With reports suggesting that the Norwich dud actually rejected a move to Villa due to concerns about their ability to remain in the Premier League, it seems this may have come back to bite him as the Canaries are currently rock bottom of the table with just 17 points from 29 league games.

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that the Villans and Johan Lange had a lucky escape by not fully pursuing Rashica’s signature when they were linked with him. Based on what he’s done for Norwich this season, it’s hard to see what the 25-year-old would have had to offer at Villa Park if he had made the move there instead.

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Also, with January recruit Philippe Coutinho scoring four goals and providing three assists in just nine league games since his arrival, it’s hard to think that anyone at the Midlands club will since have had too many thoughts about the former Werder Bremen ace, who could well be spending the next campaign in the Championship.

In other news: Lange could seal his next Coutinho as Villa eye up “relentless” £22.5m-rated “machine”

A major update has emerged on Rangers and their attempts to retain Ryan Kent at Ibrox this summer…

What’s the talk?

Football Insider has revealed via a Gers source that they have prepared a lucrative contract offer for the attacker after internal talks to discuss his situation.

The source claims that the club wants to tie him down to a new deal, with Ross Wilson now set to make his move to secure Kent’s future.

They are willing to cash in on the winger if he refuses to put pen to paper as his contract runs out in 2023, with this attempt to extend his current terms their last chance to avoid a sale.

Delight

This update will surely leave the Ibrox faithful bouncing as they will surely want to see Kent playing for the Light Blues for many more years to come.

He is an integral member of Gio van Bronckhorst’s squad as he has been in excellent form across multiple competitions this season. The forward has caught the eye in the Premiership and in Europe as he has consistently delivered in the final third.

Kent has produced three goals and 13 assists in 30 appearances in the Scottish top-flight and the Europa League combined. This shows that he has been sublime with the ball at his feet for Rangers as he has been a menace to opposing defences with his skill and creativity.

Whilst he may not have as many goals as he, or the fans, would like, his assist numbers are extremely impressive. He has shown that he can regularly provide his teammates with the ammunition they need to score and this means that he is crucial to the club because of his own performances and what his play means for the likes of James Tavernier and Alfredo Morelos – who profit from his chance creation.

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This means that other players could regress and struggle if Kent leaves because they may not get the same level of service from out wide. There is no guarantee that Rangers would be able to sign a replacement of the requisite quality to take up the Englishman’s spot in the team either.

Therefore, supporters will be delighted to read that the Gers are working hard to ensure that they are now forced to cash in on him in the summer. They will be delighted with the club’s efforts and can rest easy knowing that they are not letting his deal run down and leaving it until the last minute to keep him.

AND in other news, Left for £0: Allen had Rangers howler on “outstanding” 6ft4 gem whose value rose 700%…

Newcastle United have signed numerous players since being promoted back to the Premier League at the end of the 2016/17 season.

However, as tends to be the case with most clubs, not every player who made the move to St James’ Park ended up having a particularly successful time there.

One player who had a spell with the Toon but has ended up finding his feet elsewhere is Mikel Merino. Signed on loan during the 2017 summer transfer window from Borussia Dortmund, the Spaniard then put pen to paper on a permanent deal with the Magpies a few months later.

With 24 league appearances to his name throughout the 2017/18 Premier League campaign, the midfielder earned himself an overall performance rating of 6.85/10, making him the joint-seventh highest rated player in the Newcastle squad according to WhoScored.

Unfortunately for Newcastle, La Liga club Real Sociedad triggered his £10m release clause in the summer of 2018. Since then, the 25-year-old – who is currently picking up £53k-per-week according to Salary Sport – has scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in 145 appearances for the Spanish club.

Having played in 25 league games this season, the former Toon midfielder has scored three goals, provided two assists and earned an overall performance rating of 7.25/10 from WhoScored. That makes him the highest-rated player at Sociedad and the joint-fifth highest rated player in La Liga, alongside another former Newcastle man in Joselu.

In October 2017, shortly after arriving in England, Transfermarkt had Merino’s market value listed as £6.3m. It now stands at a massive £45m, highlighting a significant increase presumably based on his efforts in Spain.

This also backs up what journalist David Cartlidge had to say about the midfield gem when he tweeted that the 26-year-old’s progress on the pitch since joining Sociedad has been “immense.”

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to suggest that Newcastle had a howler in regards to having a release clause put into Merino’s contract at St James’ Park.

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Given how impressive the midfield maestro has been this season, this will certainly be haunting the Tyneside club, as the Spaniard could have been a standout figure for the team had he stayed.

In other news – Ashley howler: Newcastle will be having nightmares over “ridiculous” £90m-rated “monster”

Following reports that Tottenham Hotspur will listen to offers for Sergio Reguilon, former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson has urged Fabio Paratici not to sell the defender.

The Lowdown: Reguilon under Conte

The left-back has been in and out of Antonio Conte’s starting XI since November. As a result, it was recently revealed that the Italian has given the green light for Paratici to listen to offers for the Spaniard in the summer.

Having joined the Lilywhites for £32m in 2020, Reguilon has nearly maintained his market value, which is currently set at £25.2m by Transfermarkt.

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The Latest: Robinson doesn’t want Reguilon sold

Robinson believes that letting the defender go will be a mistake by Tottenham, as it would be too expensive for the club to replace him with someone of the same quality.

Speaking with Football Insider, the ex-England ‘keeper claimed: “If you are going to let him go, you are going to have to replace like for like.

“[Ryan] Sessegnon is a quality player but he’s young and injury prone. They cannot let Reguilon go without replacing him, no way.

“It would seem senseless to let him go and then try and find somebody who is very similar.

“He is a top player. I do like him. It would be a shame to see him go because he has improved a lot under Conte. He’s brilliant going forward and offers a lot more. It would be slightly naive to sell him I think.”

The Verdict: Bad move?

Going forward, Reguilon’s statistics as a left-back illustrates how much of an attacking threat he adds to Conte’s Tottenham side.

As per FB Ref, he ranks in the 95th percentile for non-penalty expected goals, the 87th percentile for expected assists and the 93rd percentile for non-penalty expected goals plus expected assists.

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Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan has praised Reguilon for a number of his “brilliant” performances, whilst pundit Micah Richards also used the same word to describe him.

With the 25-year-old earning £68,000 per week, it could be difficult for Spurs to secure a new left-back of the same quality for a similar wage packet. Therefore, they should potentially back-track on their decision to make Reguilon available for sale in the summer.

In other news: Pete O’Rourke makes Paulo Dybala to Spurs claim