Celtic are now targeting a move to sign Wessam Abou Ali from Columbus Crew, according to reports, with Wilfried Nancy looking to bring one of his star men to Scotland.

At long last, the Bhoys are closing in on a managerial appointment. The Scottish giants have taken their time, waiting for the right appointment, with Martin O’Neill doing an impressive job as interim boss in the meantime.

The 73-year-old has reiterated every week that he will happily step aside once Celtic have found their next permanent option and that looks set to happen sooner rather than later amid recent reports.

The Columbus Crew manager looks set to take his first job in European football and has the task of bridging the gap on Hearts in a shock Scottish Premiership title race.

O’Neill, meanwhile, will bow out of his second stint in charge after steadying the ship. Whether he’s still in charge by the time that Celtic travel to face Feyenoord this Thursday is the big question.

Speaking to reporters, the veteran manager said: “The answer is this: the game is on Thursday so the plane leaves on Wednesday. They better make their minds up very quickly.”

Of course, if Nancy doesn’t arrive in time, then O’Neill will have the opportunity to win his first European game of his second stint in charge to cap off a small tenure full of nostalgia.

The ball will then be in the new manager’s court, who has already reportedly identified the need for a new striker at Celtic Park and set his sights on exactly who that new striker should be.

Celtic now lining up January move for Columbus Crew star

According to the Scottish Sun, Celtic are now targeting a move to sign Abou Ali from Columbus Crew in the January transfer window. The 26-year-old Palestinian striker has been one of Nancy’s best players in the MLS and quickly won the faith of his manager after arriving from Ahly SC.

Celtic chiefs learn Nancy arrival date as personal terms update emerges

The Hoops are closing in…

ByTom Cunningham Nov 20, 2025

Described as “clinical” by Columbus Crew general manager Issa Tall, Abou Ali first grabbed the headlines when he scored a perfect hat-trick against Porto at the Club World Cup as the MLS side watched on, waiting to secure his signature.

Since then, the 26-year-old has only impressed even more in America and may yet be on his way to Scotland to strike an instant reunion with Nancy.

Games

5

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With four goal involvements in five games under Nancy, Celtic would be wise to go all out to sign the 6’1 forward, who could solve their own striker problem in January.

Whether Columbus Crew will allow their star striker to leave with their manager is another question, however. Losing Nancy is already set to deal them a blow in its own right, let alone their top star alongside him.

Celtic set to make quadruple backroom appointment to Nancy's staff

West Indies quick Shamar Joseph was in line for a return to international cricket this weekend after missing the Test tour of India, but he has been set back by “some discomfort in his shoulder.” The 26-year-old, who was with the ODI squad in Dhaka, has now been sidelined from the three-match series against Bangladesh as well.Joseph had been picked for the T20I leg of the tour too. A Cricket West Indies (CWI) release on Monday said “he has been recommended for consultation with a specialist in England to start the rehabilitation process.”Before the Bangladesh series, Joseph had missed the two Test matches in India with an unspecified injury. He hasn’t played any cricket since the CPL ended in September. There he represented Guyana Amazon Warriors for five of their 12 matches.Left-arm seamer Jediah Blades also joined Joseph on the sidelines. The 23-year-old, who has played nine white-ball internationals for West Indies, was ruled out of the Bangladesh tour and the following New Zealand tour with a stress fracture of the lower back. Blades will return home for his rehab.Allrounder Akeal Hosein and left-arm seamer Ramon Simmonds have been added to West Indies’ squad for the remaining two ODIs against Bangladesh. Hosein and Simmonds were already scheduled to play the three-match T20I series, which will conclude West Indies’ tour of Bangladesh.West Indies lost the first ODI to Bangladesh by 74 runs on an unusually dark Dhaka pitch on October 18. Their next two ODIs are on October 21 and 23.

As the MLB regular season winds down, the races for a playoff spot in both the AL and NL are heating up.

So, here at SI Betting, we are going to share a detailed look at the playoff picture every week so fans can see where their teams stand and bettors can potentially find some value in a team that is just outside the wild card race.

Last week, it was pretty clear where each division leader stood, but a huge winning streak by the Seattle Mariners has flipped some things in the American League.

Meanwhile, the New York Mets and New York Yankees are struggling, and the teams trailing them in the wild card picture are starting to make a real push to enter the top three.

Let’s break down the odds for every team that still has a shot to make the playoffs at this point in the MLB season. 

American League Playoff Odds

Division Leaders

• Toronto Blue Jays: -3000
• Detroit Tigers: -3000
• Houston Astros: -1400

The AL division leaders have remained the same week over week, but the Seattle Mariners are making a real push in the AL West.

Seattle, which is -1100 to make the playoffs, has won seven games in a row and nine of its last 10 to pull within half a game of the Astros in the standings. Houston still has the inside track to a playoff spot (-1400), but it could end up in the wild card picture if it loses its early-week series with another wild card team – the Boston Red Sox.

Meanwhile, Detroit (six-game lead in the AL Central) and Toronto (four-game lead in the AL East) both have pretty comfortable margins – for now – atop their divisions. An 8-2 stretch by the Cleveland Guardians has tightened things for Detroit, which has a worse record than Toronto in the 2025 season. 

Wild Card Race

• Seattle Mariners: -1100
• Boston Red Sox: -370
• New York Yankees: -330
• Cleveland Guardians: +200
• Texas Rangers: +275
• Kansas City Royals: +700
• Tampa Bay Rays: +1800
• Minnesota Twins: +1800
• Los Angeles Angels: +5000

Last week, I wrote about the Yankees fading in the AL playoff picture, and they’ve continued to do so by losing a weekend series to the Astros.

New York has a half-game cushion on the surging Guardians and just a 2.5-game cushion on the Texas Rangers in the standings. So, it’s very possible the Yankees could find themselves behind multiple teams if they don’t turn things around sooner rather than later.

Texas has lost four in a row, allowing the Guardians to leapfrog it in the standings. Cleveland may be the team to bet on right now, as it’s peaking at the right time and has a shot at both a wild card spot and the division lead. 

New York and Texas are both third in their respective divisions. 

National League Playoff Odds

Division Leaders

• Milwaukee Brewers: N/A
• Los Angeles Dodgers: -20000
• Philadelphia Phillies: -10000

The Milwaukee Brewers have been so good, winning nine games in a row, that their odds to make the playoffs are off the board, a sign that oddsmakers expect them to be in the playoffs no matter what.

Milwaukee could move to 30 games over .500 with a win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night. 

Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ lead in the NL West is just two games, as the San Diego Padres (7-3 in their last 10 games) are making a serious push. As of now, it seems like the team with the best record in MLB will come out of the NL, but a lot could change over the final weeks of the regular season.

Wild Card Race

• Chicago Cubs: -2500
• San Diego Padres: -1200
• New York Mets: -280
• Cincinnati Reds: +320
• San Francisco Giants: +550
• St. Louis Cardinals: +650
• Arizona Diamondbacks: +3000
• Miami Marlins: +50000

The Chicago Cubs have the best odds to make the playoffs of any wild card team, but I think the Padres may be the safest team here since they are still within striking distance of their division lead.

Chicago is six games back in the NL Central, while the Mets, who have lost seven in a row, are 5.5 games back in the NL East.

If New York continues to struggle, there is a real path for the Cincinnati Reds (1.5 games back in the wild card) to make the playoffs.

Cincy doesn’t have as talented a roster as the Mets, but it did go all in at the trade deadline by adding Ke’Bryan Hayes, Zack Littell, and others. The Reds are +320 to make the playoffs, which is good for an implied probability of 23.81 percent.

However, with the Reds just 1.5 games out of a playoff spot, they may be undervalued at this price.

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Abel Ferreira voltou a defender o campo do Allianz Parque. Em entrevista após o empate sem gols do Palmeiras contra o Flamengo, pela terceira rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, o técnico português foi questionado a respeito do gramado sintético da casa alviverde.

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Na visão do comandante, existem gramados artificiais “muito piores” que o do Verdão. Na sequência, Abel cobrou maior fiscalização da Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF), responsável pelo controle de qualidade, e elogiou a Neo Química Arena.

– Não é o gramado. Para ser sincero, existem gramados naturais muito piores do que os nossos sintéticos. Quando a CBF conseguir manter a qualidade dos campos, como esta por exemplo a do Corinthians, ai nos podemos reclamar dos sintéticos – afirmou Abel Ferreira.

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Agora, o Palmeiras muda o foca e passa a se preparar para o duelo contra o Independiente del Valle, fora de casa, pela terceira rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Libertadores. Pelo Brasileirão, a equipe comandada por Abel volta a campo apenas na segunda-feira (29), contra o São Paulo, no Morumbis.

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Mookie Betts has been in one of the worst slumps of his MLB career as of late, going 0-for-22, that was until Tuesday night when the Dodgers star hit a leadoff double in the third inning against the Cardinals.

The Dodger crowd has remained on Betts's side throughout his slump, but Dodger Stadium erupted in cheers on Tuesday night as Betts ran to second base. The stadium was extremely loud, and Betts fed off the fans' energy by doing a little celebration dance when he stood on second base. The Dodgers' bullpen and dugout both cheered for their teammate. Phew, that slump is officially over.

Through three at-bats on Tuesday, Betts already logged two hits and brought one run home. That's more like the Betts MLB fans know and love.

Dodgers fans truly love Betts, even when he is struggling. On Monday night, the fans prepared a sweet gesture for the eight-time All-Star by giving him a standing ovation when he came to the plate. He unfortunately went 0-for-4 on Monday night despite the strong encouragement from the fanbase.

Heading into Tuesday, Betts posted a career-low .657 OPS through 103 games. He has never finished a season with an OPS lower than .800. His current batting average (.231), on-base percentage (.302) and slugging percentage (.355) are all career-low numbers, too. Those averages will all go up slightly after Tuesday's outing.

Raphinha has admitted he is partly to blame for the two injury relapses that kept him sidelined for more than two months, but the Barcelona winger says he is finally ready to help the team again. The Brazilian revealed he endured a “very tough time” during his recovery but hopes to feature against Chelsea in a decisive Champions League clash, as he insists the team’s European ambitions remain intact.

Raphinha takes responsibility for relapses

The Brazilian international opened up about the injury setbacks that have kept him out for over two months, conceding that his own decisions contributed to a recovery process that took far longer than expected. The Brazilian forward is now pushing to make his full return against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a fixture he described as “special” and vital to Barca’s ambition of finishing in the Champions League top eight.

Barcelona will rely heavily on the renewed energy and creativity Raphinha can provide, especially after back-to-back European performances that placed their league-phase ambitions at risk. His target is clear: to contribute immediately and help stabilise a Barça team that has struggled too often in this year’s Champions League.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'I take responsibility' – Brazilian explains

The winger explained that eagerness to return too soon ultimately led to complications. "There may have been mistakes… or there may not have been," he told reporters. "The first relapse was partly my fault, and I can take responsibility for the second one as well. I wanted to be back as quickly as possible, and I made a mistake, hence the relapses.

"I can take responsibility for that, because in the end, I do things, and if I think they won't help me, I should be the first to say no. I take responsibility for both relapses because I wanted to be back on the field as soon as possible to help the team. I made a few mistakes, and that's why I had those two relapses.

“It was a difficult time. I'm someone who always wants to be with the team, and spending these two months without being able to play was tough, and I need to get back into match fitness. I hope to return to the form everyone knows."

Brazil star frustrated by lack of recognition

Raphinha also appeared visibly annoyed when discussing his absence from last season’s individual accolades, especially coming in fifth in the Ballon d'Or rankings. “The truth is I think I deserved much more. These are individual awards… I'm satisfied with having a spectacular season. Others are the ones who vote,” he added.

His mission, however, is immediate, to regain the form that made him one of Barca’s most decisive players last season. and to begin that resurgence in the Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge.

Raphinha’s return comes as Barca approach one of their most important matches of the season. Their 3-3 draw at Club Brugge left them in a difficult position in the league phase.

Chelsea, unbeaten in five matches, present a complex tactical challenge under Enzo Maresca. Barca, meanwhile, have shown signs of improvement domestically with three consecutive La Liga wins, but the gap between their league and Champions League performances remains stark. Their defensive instability in Europe has been particularly worrying.

Raphinha said he is ready to help restore belief. “Being able to play again is already something special for me. I've been out for two months. If the manager plays me, I'll give my best.” He also reaffirmed the club’s ambitions: “The main objective of this club is to win the Champions League."

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Barca travel to London knowing the stakes could not be higher as a win keeps them alive in the race for a top-eight finish. But, with key players still sidelined, including Pedri, Hansi Flick will hope Raphinha can deliver immediate impact off the bench or from the start. The winger is expected to receive more minutes after featuring as a substitute for just nine minutes against Athletic Club.

Following Chelsea, Barca face a demanding run of fixtures across La Liga and Europe as the calendar intensifies in December. Raphinha’s fitness, rhythm, and confidence will be pivotal in determining whether the Catalan side can rediscover the attacking consistency required to navigate this period successfully.

Which of two results surprised you more: Kusal Perera overcoming the greatest odds in Durban or Australia manufacturing a win out of nothing in Adelaide?

ESPNcricinfo staff24-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The SA-SL 2019 Durban Test moves into the quarter-finals.Kusal Perera’s one-man show, Durban 2019
Sri Lanka were coming off a 2-0 pummeling in Australia, their captain had just been sacked, and an inexperienced team, led by Dimuth Karunaratne, reached South Africa.Then, in what was one of the most dramatic Tests in history, Sri Lanka emerged victorious, chasing down 304 with one wicket to spare. They had lost their ninth wicket while still 78 runs off their target. Kusal Perera then scored 67 of them in an incredible finale on the fourth afternoon along with the No. 11 Vishwa Fernando, as they saw their team home. Towards the end, you knew where this was going, even if it was just a matter of one good delivery.At lunch on the day, Sri Lanka were 166 for 5, still 138 runs away, after which Keshav Maharaj ripped through the lower-middle order, leaving them at 226 for 9. That brought Vishwa to the middle, and he was entirely focused on survival. He faced 22 balls before he got off the mark.As Fernando clung on at one end, Perera defended with unreal calm and even took several blows to his body on his way to the target. Batting for 309 minutes, he farmed the strike, and picked his opportunities to attack and push the score forward. Along the way, he also made his career-best Test score of 153*.Manufacturing a win – Adelaide, 2006The final day of the Adelaide Test of 2006-07 started with 1123 runs already scored, and only 17 wickets having fallen. The ESPNcricinfo report after the fourth day’s play was headlined “Draw beckons after Clarke hundred” – Michael Clarke was the fourth century-getter in the Test, after Paul Collingwood, Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting.But within no time on the fifth morning, Shane Warne had broken through, and 54 overs into the day, England were done for 129. And Australia had a target: 168. In 36 overs. That meant an “asking rate” of 4.67.Australia had their own version of Bazball for the job, though.Matthew Hayden’s 18 came off 17 balls. Ponting’s 49 off 65. Mike Hussey remained unbeaten on 61 off 66. And Clarke, slow by comparison, scored 21 not out in 39 balls. And it was done. Australia victors by six wickets, with 3.1 overs in the bag, having gone at a scoring rate of 5.11.

Bukayo Saka is officially engaged, with the Arsenal and England star going “all out” on a romantic proposal to longtime girlfriend Tolami Benson at a top London hotel. After five years together, the 24-year-old surprised her with what insiders describe as an “absolutely enormous” ring, marking a huge personal milestone for the Gunners’ talisman as he continues to shine on the pitch.

• Saka proposes to long-term girlfriend Tolami Benson

  Saka has taken a major step in his personal life after proposing to his girlfriend of five years, Tolami, during a carefully planned evening at a luxury hotel in London. The Arsenal forward arranged the romantic setup privately, surprising Tolami with a proposal that insiders described to The Sun as stunning in both scale and sentiment. Saka presented her with what was called an “absolutely enormous” engagement ring, leaving her “totally blown away” by the gesture.

  The couple, both 24, have been together since 2020 but have largely kept their relationship out of the public eye, choosing to avoid spotlight attention during Saka’s rise to global stardom. They first confirmed their relationship publicly when Tolami was seen supporting him at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and she has since become a regular presence at major England fixtures. From cheering him on at Euro 2024 to wearing a jacket featuring his first Arsenal squad number, 87, Tolami has been a consistent figure behind the scenes during key moments in Saka’s career.

  Before the engagement, the pair had recently been photographed sharing a pitch-side kiss after England’s draw with Slovenia, signalling the strength of their long-term relationship. Tolami, originally from Hatfield and now a senior planning executive in London, has often attended Saka’s matches while balancing her own career in media and public relations.

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  Saka continues to shine under Arteta at Arsenal

  Saka’s engagement arrives during another hugely influential season for the winger, who continues to serve as Arsenal’s most important attacking outlet under Mikel Arteta. Despite dealing with a recurring hamstring issue that caused him to miss three early-season games, he has maintained elite output across domestic and European competitions. His goals, assists and overall attacking leadership have been central to Arsenal’s continued push on multiple fronts, including a standout Champions League campaign.

  Balancing personal and professional milestones has not affected his form, as he enters late November with six goals and one assist across 16 appearances in all competitions. His Premier League productivity remains high despite constant double-marking, while his Champions League contributions have been pivotal in Arsenal’s dominant run. Even with managed minutes, he continues to deliver match-defining moments, such as his role in the recent 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich.

  Beyond his statistics, Saka’s position within the squad has evolved further, representing the composure and maturity expected of a senior figure despite his young age.

• Saka continues to play major part in England's plans as well

  Behind the scenes, Saka and Tolami’s relationship has grown in tandem with his rise from Hale End graduate to one of the world’s leading wingers. Their decision to keep their romance private for years reflects an emphasis on stability amid the increasingly hectic demands of elite football. It wasn’t until Tolami appeared at the 2022 World Cup that their relationship entered the public eye, reinforcing how carefully they have navigated personal exposure.

  Saka and Tolami's engagement now marks a new stage in their partnership. The timing of the engagement aligns with a period of personal and professional stability for Saka, who has also become an increasingly central figure for England. He recently scored in World Cup qualifiers and continues to be a decisive figure in Thomas Tuchel's plans.

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  Saka prepares for Chelsea — wedding likely planned for the summer

  Saka will quickly shift focus back to the pitch as Arsenal prepare to face Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in a key Premier League encounter. With the Gunners competing strongly on multiple fronts, his fitness management and attacking influence will remain crucial throughout the busy winter period. Off the pitch, plans for the couple’s wedding are expected to unfold in the coming months, with the likeliest dates to be set for the summer, likely after the World Cup in North America.

Stats highlights from the fourth day between England and India at Edgbaston

Sampath Bandarupalli05-Jul-2025

Shubman Gill walks off after a majestic 161 in the second innings•Getty Images

430 Shubman Gill’s runs in the Edgbaston Test against England – the second-highest aggregate in a Test behind Graham Gooch’s 456 against India in 1990.2 Gill is the second batter to make two 150-plus scores in a Test, after Allan Border who scored 150* and 153 against Pakistan in Lahore in 1980.Gill is one of nine batters with a century and a double-century in a Test. Among Indians, only Gavaskar had done the double before Gill.2 Indian captains with hundreds in both innings of a Test before Gill. Gavaskar scored 107 and 182 not out against West Indies at Eden Gardens in 1978, and Virat Kohli scored 115 and 141 against Australia in Adelaide in 2014.Gill is also the second Indian with hundreds in both innings of a Test in England, after Rishabh Pant, who did it in the previous Test at Headingley.1014 India’s total runs at Edgbaston – their highest aggregate in a Test, beating the 916 against Australia at the SCG in 2004. It’s the fourth-highest aggregate overall and the sixth time a team has scored more than 1000 in a Test.1 Gill and Ravindra Jadeja are the first Indian pair with a hundred and double-hundred partnership in the same Test. They are also one of nine Indian pairs with two century partnerships in a men’s Test match.4 Number of century partnerships for India in the Edgbaston Test and all of them involved Gill. He is the first Indian and only the fifth batter to be part of four century stands in a Test. The others are: Hanif Mohammad (vs West Indies in 1958), Graham Gooch (vs India in 1990), Mark Taylor (vs Pakistan in 1998) and Joe Root (vs Pakistan in 2016).585 Gill’s runs in the first two Tests of the tour of England – the second-highest aggregate in the first two matches of a series, behind Graeme Smith’s 621 in England in 2003. Gill also has the highest tally in the first two Tests as captain, bettering Kohli, who scored 449 runs.24 Rishabh Pant’s sixes in Tests in England – the most by a visiting batter in a country. He went past Ben Stokes, who has hit 21 sixes in South Africa.

NZ fast bowler experienced side stiffness during training on Saturday

Alex Malcolm25-Oct-2025

Kyle Jamieson has side stiffness•Getty Images

New Zealand quick Kyle Jamieson has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against England with side stiffness.Jamieson, 30, experienced stiffness in his side during training at Bay Oval on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s series opener. Given Jamieson’s history with stress fractures, including one post back surgery, New Zealand made a precautionary decision to rule him out of the three-match series and is targeting a comeback against West Indies in November.”Kyle experienced some stiffness in his side after bowling today and we didn’t want to take any risks at this stage of the summer,” New Zealand coach Rob Walter said. “We felt it was best for him to sit out this one-day series and give himself the best chance of being ready for the West Indies tour which starts on November 5 in Auckland.”Related

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Jamieson: 'Screws and wire doesn't make you bulletproof'

Jamieson will return home to Christchurch for further assessment. Walter said New Zealand would name a replacement following the completion of the opening round of the Ford Trophy, New Zealand’s domestic One-Day tournament, on Saturday.Jamieson told ESPNcricinfo last month that he was being meticulous in the way he was managing his body on his return to competitive cricket in 2025 after the stress fracture last year. His bowling program has been managed by high performance coaches Chelsea Lane and Matt Dallow who are not formally part of New Zealand Cricket.”They’ve done a huge amount of work in rebuilding athletes and biomechanics and just how to stack up your body properly,” Jamieson said. “They advise on everything, right from how my body’s moving, what my gym program looks like, what the [bowling] load numbers look like.”I have reflection and review processes with them after pretty much every day that I bowl, my sort of weekly, monthly calendar is mapped out with them, my total load tracking is done through them. So I’m pretty much fully through them at the moment, and then apply it into the different cricket environments that I end up in.”