أشاد خافيير تيباس، رئيس رابطة أندية الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا” بمبادرة نادي برشلونة تجاه رابطة الأندية الأوروبية وابتعاده الواضح عن مشروع دوري السوبر الأوروبي.
وتحدث رئيس رابطة الدوري الإسباني، الذي تمت دعوته لحضور حفل توزيع جوائز الرابطة لأحد الصحفيين الإسبانيين.
وقال تيباس، في تصريحات نقلتها “موندو ديبورتيفو”: “قال الرئيس لابورتا إن المشروع يجعله غير آمن، وسأكون سعيدًا جدًا إذا ترك مشروع كرة القدم الأوروبية، أنا أيضًا لا أحب رابطة الأندية الأوروبية لكنني أفضل بقاءها في رابطة الأندية الأوروبية بدلًا من دوري السوبر الأوروبي”.
اقرأ أيضًا | رئيس الاتحاد الإسباني يعلق على أزمة لامين يامال مع المنتخب
فيما يتعلق بصعوبات برشلونة في افتتاح ملعب كامب نو الجديد لخدمة سبوتيفاي أكمل: “لم أتحدث عن هذه المشكلة، قرأت عنها فقط، إنهم حريصون على اللعب في كامب نو في أقرب وقت ممكن لكنهم يواجهون مشاكل في الترخيص”.
وأتم: “كنت أتمنى لو كانوا يلعبون على أرضهم لكن هذا هو الواقع، إذا اضطررنا لذكر هذه المشاكل للعب على ملعب عالي المستوى كما يفعلون، فسيكون الأمر يستحق العناء، الأمر يستحق الانتظار وعدم الشكوى من كل شيء”.
يُذكر أن نادي برشلونة ينتظر ترخيص مجلس المدينة من أجل بدء اللعب مجددًا على ملعب “كامب نو” بعد الانتهاء من كافة الإصلاحات والتجديدات التي بدأها الموسم الماضي.
Nottingham Forest are set to hold talks with the agents of an “amazing” player this week, in order to try and hash out a deal, according to a report.
Forest looking to achieve "big things" next season
Forest continued their preparations for the new Premier League campaign with a 0-0 draw against Fiorentina on Tuesday evening, and Nikola Milenkovic was happy with the team’s performance.
Milenkovic said: “We played against a very good team, from Serie A, and drew so we can continue to bring our condition and be ready for the first game.”
The defender also added that new signings Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus have the ability to help the Tricky Trees have a successful 2025-26 campaign, saying: “They need also to adapt, it’s a change in the type of game from where they came,”
“I think they’re two very big players who can give us a big hand this season and help us to achieve big things.”
Nuno has strengthened his attack, following the departure of Anthony Elanga, while Jair Cunha has been brought in to bolster the backline, but the manager is yet to make any new additions to his midfield.
However, earlier this week, it was revealed that Nottingham Forest are leading the race for Juventus’ Douglas Luiz, with Edu driving the deal, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of the midfielder.
According to a report from Italy (via The Daily Mail), Forest are set to hold talks with Luiz’s agents this week, in order to try and hash out a deal.
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Nuno’s side have the ‘priority’ in the race for the central midfielder’s signature, despite interest from rival Premier League clubs and a Saudi Pro League side.
Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz.
The plan is to sign the Juventus maestro on an initial loan deal, which would include an obligation to buy for a fee of around £26m, although previous reports suggest the Italian club are keen to hold out for £35m.
Luiz could be "amazing" signing for Forest
Forest will once again be looking to challenge for a European spot next season, meaning it will be important for Nuno to bring in players with experience of doing exactly that, and the Brazilian was a real difference-maker for Aston Villa in the 2023-24 season.
Roy Keane lauded the former Aston Villa man as “amazing” during that campaign, with the Rio de Janeiro-born maestro collecting 14 goal contributions in the Premier League, while he is also a very impressive dribbler of the ball.
Statistic
Average per 90 (past year)
Successful take-ons
1.40 (95th percentile)
Progressive carries
2.15 (86th percentile)
Passes attempted
71.27 (91st percentile)
Shot-creating actions
3.98 (93rd percentile)
Luiz has failed to establish himself as a regular starter for Juventus since moving to Italy, making just 19 Serie A appearances last season, but his previous exploits in England suggest he could be a fantastic signing for Forest.
تحدث فوتشيك تشيزني، حارس مرمى برشلونة عن مستقبله، بعد نهاية مباراة فريقه ضد نيوكاسل يونايتد في الجولة الأولى بمرحلة الدوري لدوري أبطال أوروبا.
وكان برشلونة قد تغلب ضد نيوكاسل يونايتد بهدفين لهدف واحد، خلال اللقاء الذي جمع الفريقين على ملعب سانت جيمس بارك.
ويحرس مرمى برشلونة حالياً خوان جارسيا الذي تعاقد معه النادي من صفوف إسبانيول، ليحل محل الحارس الألماني تير شتيجن الذي فقد الثقة من جانب المدرب الألماني هانز فليك.
وكان خوان جارسيا قد تألق في مباراة أمس وعلى الرغم من أنه قد سكن شباكه هدف من أنتوني جوردون جناح نيوكاسل، إلا أنه منع أكثر من فرصة هدف محقق ليساعد برشلونة على الفوز.
أقرأ أيضاً.. رسمياً.. برشلونة يحدد ملعب مباراة باريس سان جيرمان في دوري أبطال أوروبا
وقال تشيزني حارس مرمى برشلونة البديل حالياً عن مستقبله في تصريحات نشرها صحفي سكاي سبورت “فابريزيو رومانو” :”أنا الحارس الاحتياطي لخوان جارسيا وسأبقى كذلك”.
وأضاف الحارس البولندي موضحاً حقيقة استيائه في برشلونة: “دوري هو إعداد جارسيا للمباريات الكبرى، إنه بالفعل أحد أفضل حراس المرمى في أوروبا لكنني أريد إعداده لأعلى المستويات، سأحاول مساعدته”.
جدير بالذكر أن برشلونة أعلن في يوليو بعد نهاية الموسم الماضي عن تجديد عقد حارس مرماه فوتشيك تشيزني لمدة موسمين حتى عام 2027.
Manchester United are now in talks to sign an “incredible” striker who Ruben Amorim thinks is a perfect fit, according to a report.
Man Utd's striker pursuit takes new twist
Man United have set out to sign a new striker this summer, with Viktor Gyokeres being identified as a potential target, having recently made calls in an attempt to lure the Sweden international to Old Trafford.
The 27-year-old is determined to leave Sporting this summer, even threatening to speak to the media himself if the Portuguese club continue to stand in his way.
The Sporting star is worried that the £68m asking price could deter potential suitors from making a move, with the forward dreaming of making a move to Arsenal, and there has now been a new update on his future.
Sporting Club's Viktor Gyokeres.
According to a report from The Mirror, United have now accepted defeat in the race for Gyokeres, as they are convinced he would rather sign for Mikel Arteta’s side, meaning they have now moved on to alternative targets.
The Red Devils are now stepping up their interest in Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, having held tentative talks over a deal for the England international, with Amorim of the belief he would be the ideal player to lead the line.
A deal will not be cheap, however, with Villa set to hold out for a fee of £60m, which Man United are unwilling to pay, considering he is now 29-years-old, which means there is a lack of re-sale value.
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There had been a willingness to use Marcus Rashford in a swap deal, but Unai Emery’s side are no longer interested in signing their former loanee.
Watkins could be "incredible" Gyokeres alternative
Of course, Amorim knows all about Gyokeres from their time working together at Sporting, and his goal record last season speaks for itself, but there are plenty of signs that Watkins could be a solid alternative.
Unlike Gyokeres, the Torquay-born forward has already proven himself over a number of years in the Premier League, picking up 75 goals and 36 assists in 184 appearances in the competition.
The Englishman also has experience at the highest level, most notably scoring a dramatic late winner to send the Three Lions to the Euro 2024 final.
Man United have made the mistake of signing players without Premier League experience in the past, with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee failing to adapt to life in England, while Watkins has already proven himself to be a reliable source of goals.
Celtic won the Scottish Premiership title and the League Cup trophy during the 2025/26 campaign, but missed out on the treble with a loss to Aberdeen on penalties in the SFA Cup final.
It was a successful season for Brendan Rodgers and his men, despite the final loss at Hampden Park in the final game of the campaign, and that was owed, in part, to the quality of the squad.
Nicolas Kuhn was one of the stars who propelled Celtic to two trophies with his contributions at the top end of the pitch, with 21 goals and 15 assists in all competitions this term.
His form was particularly impressive when you consider that his reported wage of £12k-per-week does not make him one of the top earners in the squad.
Noteworthy Celtic players who earn more than Nicolas Kuhn
As per Capology, James McCarthy (£14k), Anthony Ralston (£14k), Luis Palma (£16k), and James Forrest (£19k) earn, or earned in McCarthy’s case, more than Kuhn.
Chalkboard
They combined for 12 league starts between them, whilst Palma was sent out on loan to Olympiacos for the second half of the season, and the German winger managed 21 starts on his own.
Meanwhile, Maik Nawrocki, who played three times in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign, is also on a weekly wage of £12k at Parkhead, which suggests that Celtic are not getting value for money on their wages with several members of the squad.
Another centre-back who reportedly earns more than Kuhn is Gustaf Lagerbielke, who Lecce chief Pantaleo Corvino claimed is on £13k-per-week, and Rodgers must finally axe the flop this summer.
Why Celtic must sell Gustaf Lagerbielke this summer
The Hoops swooped to sign the Swedish central defender from Elfsborg for a reported fee of £3m in the summer of 2023, and it is fair to say that things have not gone to plan for him so far.
Celtic defenderGustaf Lagerbielke.
He only made ten appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants in all competitions during the 2023/24 campaign, as Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales established themselves as the first-choice pairing.
Speaking about Nawrocki and Lagerbielke’s lack of game time last season, pundit Ewan Cameron claimed that they were not Rodgers’ signings, saying: “He (Rodgers) doesn’t fancy them. He doesn’t rate them.”
23/24 Premiership
Gustaf Lagerbielke
Appearances
7
Starts
4
Pass accuracy
85%
Clean sheets
3
Error led to goal
0
Duel success rate
72%
Stats via Sofascore
The Swedish defender’s lack of game time in the Premiership that season, as evidenced in the table above, backs up that claim from Cameron, as Rodgers very rarely relied on him.
Celtic’s manager then opted to allow the 25-year-old flop to join FC Twente on loan for the 2024/25 campaign, and it has been another fairly frustrating year for the centre-back.
Gustaf Lagerbielke in action for Celtic against Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership.
Lagerbielke did start 15 Eredivisie matches, playing more than he did for the Hoops, but was also an unused substitute in five of the club’s last six regular season games.
This shows that he has failed to nail down a regular spot as a starter in the Dutch top-flight out on loan, which does not suggest that the £3m dud is coming back to Parkhead this summer in a position to push on and fight for a place in Rodgers’ starting line-up.
The Northern Irish boss decided to go with Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Scales, and Nawrocki ahead of him in the squad this season, and Lagerbielke’s struggles abroad indicate that the manager made the right call.
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Therefore, Rodgers must, now, finally ditch the defender on a permanent basis, if there is sufficient interest from elsewhere to facilitate a deal, because he does not appear to have a bright future in Glasgow and earns more than one of the team’s biggest stars in Kuhn.
A “very good” attacking manager remains in the mix to be named the next boss of Rangers this summer, according to a new update.
Rangers continue search for next manager
While new signings are clearly vital for the Scottish Premiership giants before next season gets underway, making sure they bring in the perfect next manager is even more important.
A recent claim has suggested that talks have been held with former Ajax boss Francesco Farioli, with the 36-year-old leaving the Dutch side after throwing away the Eredivisie title to PSV Eindhoven in the latter weeks of the campaign.
Steven Gerrard at Ettifaq.
Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard is still very much in the mix to take charge of Rangers for a second time, having famously won the title with them back in 2020/21. For that reason, a chunk of the fanbase may be happy to see the Liverpool legend return, and contact is said to have been made.
As things stand, though, Davide Ancelotti is arguably the front-runner to come in at Ibrox this summer, having left Real Madrid at the end of the season, and now possibly wanting to be a manager rather than an assistant.
"Very good" manager an option for Rangers
According to a new report from The Daily Mail, Farioli is definitely “in the running” to be Rangers’ next manager, following his departure from Ajax. Both he and Brian Priske are described as “outsiders” in the report, but it is clear the Gers have left him on their list after the reports of talks last week.
While Farioli isn’t among the favourites to take charge of Rangers, he should still be considered an interesting option for the club given his exciting resume.
Known for adopting an attack-minded 4-3-3 formation, the 36-year-old Italian has been lauded by Liverpool’s Premier League-winning manager Arne Slot.
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That is high praise from a prominent figure in the game currently, but in truth, Rangers may be wise to bring in a more experienced option, rather than taking a gamble on Farioli. Ancelotti would also be a risk for that reason, so one has to wonder if all roads lead back to Gerrard.
It’s set to be a very busy summer at Rangers. With 49ers Enterprises, spearheaded by Paraag Marathe, close to finalising their 51% takeover of the Ibrox side, they’ve got plenty of work to do before Champions League qualifying commences early on 22/23 July.
Rangers need a new manager and, after a trophyless campaign, the squad requires major surgery too, but could they land a “very talented” midfielder, who would suit the style of play of one of the front-runners to become the new boss?
The latest on Davide Ancelotti to Rangers
As reported by Spanish outlet AS, Carlo Ancelotti’s son, Davide Ancelotti, is one of the front-runners to become the new Rangers manager, claiming that the 35-year-old is excited by the ‘project’.
Mark Atkinson of the Scotsman notes that Ancelotti previously worked with Rangers’ new sporting director Kevin Thelwell at Everton, while Guillem Balague and Chris McLaughlin of BBC Sport are reporting that an official approach has now been made.
Ancelotti has been his father assistant at Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton and Real Madrid, but has never been a head coach in his own right, so it is difficult to forecast what a Davide team looks like, but one can only assume it would be similar to a Carlo side.
With that in mind, perhaps their latest transfer target might be perfect.
The first signing of the Ancelotti era?
According to a report by TEAMtalk earlier this week, Rangers are ‘plotting’ a move to sign midfielder Metinho, who they claim is valued at £4m.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Born in DR Congo, Abemly Meto Silu and his father Abel fled when he was just one-year-old, moving to Rio de Janeiro, earning the nickname Metinho during his time in Fluminense’s academy.
After turning pro, he was picked up by the City Football Group, officially attached to Troyes, although he’s never made a senior appearance for the Ligue 2 side, loaned out to Lommel in Belgium, another CFG-owned club, as well as Sparta Rotterdam and then, most-recently FC Basel.
The table below illustrates his globe-trotting career so far.
Fluminense
Campeonato Carioca
1
Troyes B
Championnat National 3
8
Lommel
Challenger Pro League
27
Sparta Rotterdam
Eredivisie
41
Jong Sparta Rotterdam
Tweede Divisie
1
FC Basel
Swiss Super League
11
Since leaving Brazil, he has played in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, so could Scotland be next on this list?
This weekend Basel were crowned Swiss champions for the first time since 2017 and, while Metinho has only made 11 appearances for the RotBlau, he’s quickly established himself as a key figure, dubbed ‘the Brazilian Paul Pogba’ due to their stylistic similarities.
So, where would the 22-year-old fit in at Ibrox, and could he be the perfect first signing for an Ancelotti-led Rangers side?
Where Metinho would fit in at Rangers
Samuel Bannister of Team Talk notes that Metinho is ‘known for his versatility and composure’, adding that ‘he stands out for his ability at taking on opponents… but he’s also good at stopping opponents getting past him’.
Meanwhile, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout describes the 22-year-old as “very talented”, while adding in a separate player profile that the Brazilian is a ‘defensive midfielder…. best suited’ to playing at the base of a 4-3-3.
So, could this make him the perfect signing for Rangers’ player of the season Nicolas Raskin who, as noted by Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, has been ‘one of few silver linings’ in an otherwise miserable campaign for the Gers?
Scott Bradley of Breaking the Lines believes the now Belgian international ‘has the potential to be something special’, with Brandon Liss of Total Football Analysis describing him as a ‘deep-lying playmaker’ who likes to ‘spray passes’ and ‘roam vertically from touchline to touchline’, suggesting Metinho’s tactical discipline could certainly help to get the best out of him.
Thus, Raskin and Metinho’s skill sets appear to perfectly complement one another, and one can totally envisage the duo operating in a Real Madrid-esque 4-3-3, should Ancelotti arrive at Ibrox.
Raskin
Of course, neither are quite as good as Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde or Luka Modrić, which is a pretty high bar in fairness, but, as a pair, they could form the building blocks as Rangers look to rebuild a competitive team.
Perhaps in this situation, Raskin would act as the Modric-like midfielder while Mettinho would be more of a Tchouameni, sitting deeper and protecting the defence while the Belgian goes about creating play.
As referenced earlier, with Metinho valued at just £4m, this is exactly the sort of high-potential, low-cost transfer Rangers need to be targeting and need to get right, if they’re going to be able to compete with Celtic at the top of the table.
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Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy could soon green-light a move for a “fantastic” manager to replace Ange Postecoglou, according to a report.
Ange on thin ice at Tottenham after Chelsea defeat
Tottenham’s poor form continued against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last Thursday, suffering a 1-0 defeat against their London rivals, but in truth they have had little to play for in the Premier League for quite some time.
Winning the Europa League is the last remaining avenue for Spurs to have a successful season, with a triumph ending their long trophy drought, while also granting them access to next season’s Champions League.
As such, Postecoglou is on very thin ice, and Levy has now started to identify potential replacements for the Australian, with Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola one of the names on the shortlist, having enjoyed an impressive campaign with the Cherries.
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Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner is also of interest, alongside Fulham manager Marco Silva, and there has now been a new update on Tottenham’s pursuit of the Portuguese coach.
According to a report from Football Insider, Levy could green-light a move for Silva, with Postecoglou under serious pressure as we approach the business end of the season.
Former Everton chief Keith Wyness goes on to explain why appointing the Fulham boss could make perfect sense for Levy, saying: “Silva is probably more in the running than Iraola.
“I think he’s more of a Levy character, he’s got the London experience – performing well with Fulham.
“He’s been with Everton, Watford – he’s got the runs on the board.
“I think he would operate at Spurs quite well. He’s done well on a tight budget with Fulham, and that’s what Levy will be looking for.
“We’ve seen the numbers at Tottenham, they’re not spending much on wages or fees – it’s very low.”
"Fantastic" Silva has earned move to top club
The 47-year-old has had his fair share of setbacks, previously being sakced by Everton, but he has since done a stellar job with Fulham, having achieved promotion from the Championship before stabilising the Cottagers as a Premier League club.
In light of his accomplishments, the former Everton boss has been lauded as “fantastic” by journalist Konstantinos Lianos, and he is on course to record a top-half finish in the Premier League this season.
Should Postecoglou fail to win the Europa League, it is looking likely the 59-year-old will depart this summer, particularly with his relationship with the fans increasingly under strain.
Silva has proven he could be a solid replacement for Ange, but there also has to be questions asked of Levy, given that so many top managers have now failed to bring success to Spurs.
Everton are keen to bring in some fresh blood during the January window and could now be lining up a multi-layered deal to acquire a former star at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton left frustrated after heavy defeat against Newcastle United
Despite holding home advantage, Everton were beaten convincingly by Newcastle United at Goodison Park on Saturday and will feel a sense of frustration at their poor defensive display, a rarity under the stewardship of David Moyes.
After a joyous victory away at Manchester United on Monday, despite having ten men for much of the affair, the Toffees failed to show the same resilience against Eddie Howe’s men and paid the price under the lights at their new stadium.
Speaking post-match, the Scot had no excuses for his side being unable to trouble the Geordies and made it clear that their European experience was a factor that helped shape a difficult night for the hosts.
He said: “We were beaten by a far better team. We go again, you move on but Newcastle were much better than us. You can see the experience they are gaining from playing in European games. They were just much more powerful than us all night.”
Even with a decent start to the Premier League campaign under their belt, Everton are building for January and could target FC Midtjylland forward Franculino Dju to try and arrest Thierno Barry’s goal drought since arriving on Merseyside.
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Celtic’s Daizen Maeda is also a wanted man and may be attainable, though they could also be willing to strengthen further back on the left-hand side if recent developments were to come to fruition.
Everton could look to re-sign Antonee Robinson
According to Alan Nixon on Patreon, Everton are keen to re-sign Fulham captain Antonee Robinson and believe £25m could be enough to secure his signature in January.
Armed with several formulas to potentially complete a deal, Vitaly Mykolenko has been mentioned as a potential swap option, with the Toffees unlikely to meet the Cottagers’ £40m valuation of the United States international.
Lauded by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley last season as being “one of the best left-backs in the world”, Robinson has made just four appearances for Fulham this term and has struggled with knee problems, which have seen him miss six Premier League matches in a row as he looks to get back to fitness.
Having come through the youth system at Everton before joining Wigan Athletic and then going on to move to West London, he is acutely aware of the club’s culture and would be a seamless fit, though it remains to be seen if the Blues can push a deal over the line.
India’s selectors are due to pick the squads for the white-ball tour of Australia on Saturday
Yash Jha03-Oct-2025India’s selection panel, which includes RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha for the first time, is meeting on Saturday to pick the squads for the ODI and T20I tour of Australia beginning on October 19. It is likely to mark the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who are retired from T20Is and Tests and haven’t represented India since the Champions Trophy victory in March.The tour begins with three ODIs on October 19, 23 and 25, followed by five T20Is between October 29 and November 8. Here are some of the key questions ahead of the selection.Should the all-format players get a break?After a rare break following the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, India have a packed calendar, with the Asia Cup followed by the ongoing two-Test series versus West Indies, and the first ODI in Australia scheduled five days after the end of the second Test. Less than a week after the fifth T20I in Australia, India host South Africa for a two-Test series followed by three ODIs and five T20Is.Three players appear to be certainties in all three formats: Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav. Given the workloads, the quick turnarounds between formats, and the fact that the next major ODI tournament is the World Cup in 2027, India might consider resting these players for the ODIs in Australia. If they are picked for the 50-overs games, they could be released midway through the T20I series to prepare for the Tests against South Africa.If Gill were to be rested for the ODIs, Yashasvi Jaiswal – who was withdrawn from the Champions Trophy squad after being named in the provisional squad – should be his replacement. He could also join Abhishek Sharma at the top in the T20Is.Will Jasprit Bumrah get a break?•Associated PressWhile Kuldeep does not have a like-for-like replacement, India might have to reconfigure the spin-heavy squads they picked for the ODI Champions Trophy and the T20 Asia Cup to suit Australian conditions.Who’s in for Hardik Pandya?Hardik Pandya missed the Asia Cup final with a left quadriceps injury and there are doubts over his availability for the tour of Australia too. Nitish Kumar Reddy is an option to join Shivam Dube as the seam-bowling allrounder in the T20I squad.The replacement for Hardik in ODIs is an interesting question: Dube played the last of his four ODIs in Sri Lanka last year, while Reddy is yet to feature in the format. The 2027 ODI World Cup is in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. India will want to explore their options for seam-bowling allrounders as back-up for Hardik, and Australia might be the right place to get started.Who are the specialist quicks?Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana are Nos. 1 and 2 in the line behind Bumrah – both were part of India’s squads at the Asia Cup as well as the Champions Trophy. But who is the third specialist fast bowler should Bumrah be rested in either, or both, formats in Australia?Mohammed Siraj could be in line for an ODI comeback, having last played in Sri Lanka over a year ago. Prasidh Krishna is an option too, should India prefer his hit-the-deck style as a middle-overs enforcer. Prasidh – the Purple Cap winner at IPL 2025 – is the likely third seamer in the T20I squad if Bumrah is rested.Will Tilak Varma make it to the ODI squad?•AFP/Getty ImagesSpin allrounders: who and how many?India’s most recent ODI and T20I squads have featured several spin allrounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar were at the Champions Trophy, while Axar played the Asia Cup where Washington, along with Riyan Parag, was a standby.A similar number of spin allrounders is unlikely given the conditions: it’s hard to see India picking both Jadeja and Axar in an ODI in Australia, and the series could be a good opportunity to blood some seam-bowling allrounders instead.Parag featured in both white-ball teams last year, and had scores of 67 and 58 in two List A games for India A against Australia A this week. Tilak Varma – who scored 94 in the second of those matches after his Asia Cup final heroics – could also be a contender for the ODI squad.No Pant – who’s back-up wicketkeeper in the ODI squad?Rishabh Pant is unlikely to make it to the squads for Australia as he is still recovering from the fractured foot he suffered in England. While he hasn’t played a T20I since August 2024, Pant was India’s back-up wicketkeeper to KL Rahul at the Champions Trophy.Sanju Samson’s last ODI was in December 2023 in South Africa, where he batted No. 3 and scored his maiden hundred. Jitesh Sharma and Dhruv Jurel are the other wicketkeepers to feature in India’s recent T20I squads, but neither has compelling List A credentials.