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Northamptonshire’s seamers shared the spoils as they helped rout Essex’s batting line-up and hold the visitors to 220 for 8 on a rain-affected opening day of this LV= County Championship clash at Wantage Road.But despite wickets falling in clumps, a captain’s knock of 55 from Tom Westley helped keep Essex in the contest in a ninth-wicket stand of 68 in 20 overs with Ben Allison (37).Earlier, Ben Sanderson struck twice in two balls to arrest a lightning Essex start to the day which saw Nick Browne and Sir Alastair Cook plunder 68 runs off the first 13 overs.But when Cook fell for 31, it precipitated the first mini collapse of the day as four wickets went down in 45 balls, two of them to Sanderson and Essex went into lunch on 107 for 4 before rain prevented any play in the afternoon session.When play resumed after tea, Westley and Feroze Khushi looked fluent as they rebuilt in a stand of 47 before Essex collapsed again losing four wickets for nine runs in 32 balls. Tom Taylor picked up three wickets amid the carnage before Westley and Allison made sure honours were even at close of play.In the morning, Northamptonshire’s decision to insert Essex after winning the toss was called into question as opening pair Browne and Cook unfurled a string of boundaries.Cook found the ropes three times in Jack White’s fifth over, playing some trademark backfoot punches and cuts. Meanwhile Browne also hit a trio of boundaries off Tom Taylor’s first over, driving sweetly through the covers.Both batters had their share of luck though when Emilio Gay shelled two chances at second slip denying Gareth Berg a pair of wickets. First Gay put down a straightforward chance offered by Browne before missing a more difficult one to his left when Cook edged wide of the cordon.Taylor finally accounted for Cook when he got one to nip back and hit the stumps. The former England captain now needs 44 in the second innings to reach 1,000 runs for the season.Sanderson’s return to the attack soon reaped dividends when Browne chipped to midwicket and Dan Lawrence was bowled through the gate first ball. Gay could finally breathe a sigh of relief when he pouched a chance offered by Critchley who edged to the slips to give White his first wicket.In the evening session Khushi who hit 118 against Northamptonshire in the Royal London Cup last month looked to pick up where he had left off, driving pleasantly through extra cover and down the ground. His departure for 26, when he edged Taylor behind to keeper Ricardo Vasconcelos, sparked a further clatter of wickets.Michael Pepper was next to go when he played an extravagant shot to Berg which flew at a comfortable height to Will Young at first slip. Next Simon Harmer prodded at one from Taylor and was caught behind before White got one to nip back and castle Shane Snater to leave Essex reeling at 152 for 8.Westley though was in defiant mood, reaching his half-century off 122 balls and finding a willing partner in Allison. The Essex skipper struck six boundaries, slapping White through cover and whipping Sanderson and Berg through midwicket.Allison had a reprieve on 17 when he hooked Berg and was dropped in the deep by Sanderson but he and Westley have given Essex renewed hope after it seemed they would be bowled out well short of 200.

Sheffield Wednesday have now submitted an increased offer to sign a “brilliant” midfielder, moving into pole position for his signature, according to reporter Alan Nixon.

Wednesday faring well in the Championship

After flirting with relegation and finishing just three points above the relegation places in the previous campaign, Wednesday have really kicked on in the Championship this season, sitting in 11th place, just four points adrift of the play-offs.

As such, a push for the top six is not out of the question in the second half of the season, and manager Danny Rohl is now running the rule over players to improve his squad.

The Owls are in the race to sign Aston Villa forward Louie Barry, who is attracting the attention of a whole host of second-tier clubs this month, while earlier in the month they made contact over Rangers’ Rabbi Matondo, who now looks set to join Coventry City.

Sheffield Wednesday could sign "incredible" Gassama upgrade this month

Sheffield Wednesday would surely rise up the Championship table with this stunning January buy.

ByKelan Sarson Jan 22, 2025

It has been a relatively quiet month for Wednesday, with one of the only major developments coming in the form of Shea Charles being recalled by parent club Southampton.

Since then, rumours the midfielder could cross the Sheffield divide have emerged, with United boss Chris Wilder confirming the Blades’ interest is very real.

However, a promising update has now been dropped by reliable reporter Alan Nixon (via Football League World), who states Sheffield Wednesday have submitted a new and improved loan offer for Charles.

The Saints are willing to sanction the 21-year-old’s departure on loan if they receive a significant offer, and the Owls’ latest proposal is believed to be worth more than the Blades’.

As such, a return to Hillsborough is the more likely scenario as things stand, with Wednesday moving ahead of their rivals in the race for the youngster’s signature.

Sheffield Wednesday’s upcoming Championship fixtures

Date

Queens Park Rangers (a)

January 25th

Luton Town (h)

February 1st

West Bromwich Albion (a)

February 8th

Swansea City (a)

February 12th

Coventry City (h)

February 15th

Shea Charles is needed back at Hillsborough

The Northern Ireland international has emerged as a vital player for the Owls this season, picking up one goal and four assists in 25 Championship outings, so it will be a real boost if Rohl is able to bring him back to Hillsborough this month.

The £6k-per-week Southampton ace could be poised to go on and achieve great things, having also received high praise for his performances at international level, being lauded as “brilliant” by members of the media.

The idea of Charles going to Bramall Lane to aid the Blades’ promotion push doesn’t bare thinking about, so it is promising news that Wednesday are better-placed to get a deal done this month.

Everything you need to know about Ronald Araujo's salary playing for Barcelona

Ronald Araujo has been a loyal servant for Barcelona after making his debut in 2019, establishing himself as a strong option at the centre-back position for the Blaugrana.

However, his recent injury issues and Inigo Martinez’s resurgence as the main defender under Hansi Flick have affected his status as an undisputed starter.

Nevertheless, he has remained an important option, coming off the bench and even starting games at times, giving Flick the flexibility to rotate key players amid a tough run of fixtures.

The Uruguayan star signed a new deal with the club in 2025, making him one of the highest-paid defenders in the dressing room.

But exactly how much does he earn playing at Camp Nou?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

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• Ronald Araujo's wages at Barcelona in numbers

  Araujo currently stands as the second-highest paid defender at Barcelona after French fullback Jules Kounde.

  The Uruguayan earns £160,818 ($210,521) per week playing for the Blaugrana, while his annual salary amounts to £8.3 million ($10.9m).

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Ronald Araujo	Uruguayan	£160,818	$210,521	£8,362,523	$10,947,106

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• Getty Images
  

  Top earners at Barcelona

  Despite being the second highest-paid defender, Araujo fails to make it to the top five highest-paid players at the club overall.

  Taking the top spot is Polish goal-scoring machine Robert Lewandowski, who is not only the highest-paid player at the club but also in the league.

  Meanwhile, Frenkie de Jong appears in second position, followed by forgotten wonderkid Ansu Fati.

  Finally, rounding off the list in fourth and fifth positions are French full-back Jules Kounde and Brazilian forward Raphinha, respectively.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Robert Lewandowski	Polish	£536,006	$701,667	£27,872,290	$36,486,704
  Frenkie de Jong	Dutch	£305,554	$399,990	£15,888,794	$20,799,501
  Ansu Fati	Spanish	£224,341	$293,677	£11,665,720	$15,271,213
  Jules Kounde	French	£217,908	$285,256	£11,331,219	$14,833,329
  Raphinha	Brazilian	£201,022	$263,152	£10,453,154	$13,683,882

• Top earners in La Liga

  Lewandowski leads the list of the highest-paid players in the league, while Kylian Mbappe makes his appearance at second position, followed by David Alaba.

  Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid's only entrant in the list is goalkeeper Jan Oblak, followed by Jude Bellingham who is on equal wages with Vinicius at number five.

  Nationality	Nationality	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual Wages USD
  Robert Lewandowski	Polish	£536,006	$701,667	£27,872,290	$36,486,704
  Kylian Mbappe	French	£502,556	$657,879	£26,132,886	$34,209,706
  David Alaba	Austrian	£361,840	$473,673	£18,815,678	$24,630,988
  Jan Oblak	Slovenian	£334,983	$438,516	£17,419,136	$22,802,822
  Jude Bellingham	English	£334,983	$438,516	£17,419,136	$22,802,822

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• AFP
  

  Highest paid players in the world

  Despite the appealing wages in the league, none of the top LaLiga earners make it to the top-five earners list globally as Saudi Pro League players heavily dominate the list.

  Leading the charts are former Real Madrid forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema at first and second spot, respectively.

  Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez comes in at number three, followed by Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	£3,216,155	$4,210,425	£167,250,468	$218,942,120
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	£1,608,178	$2,105,213	£83,625,234	$109,471,060
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	£839,469	$1,098,921	£45,652,372	$57,43,893
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£643,271	$842,085	£33,450,094	$43,788,424
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£558,038	$730,509	£29,017,956	$37,986,458

Harry Kane was on target as Bayern Munich earned three points against Augsburg to go nine points clear of Bayer Leverkusen.

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Bayern beat Augsburg 3-1Move nine points clear of LeverkusenKane got Bundesliga leaders' secondFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱TELL ME MORE

Kane scored his 23rd goal of the Bundesliga season as Bayern beat Augsburg 3-1 to go nine points clear of Bayer Leverkusen ahead of their rivals' game at Heidenheim tomorrow.

Kane headed in Michael Olise's wicked cross on the hour mark to give his side the lead on what looked set to be a frustrating evening for the leaders.

The hosts had gone in front after 30 minutes when a quick free-kick caught Bayern off guard, Dimitri Giannoulis taking advantage to chest the ball inside and thrash it into the roof of the net.

Jamal Musiala converted after Leroy Sane's fine run and cross just before the break, but the game changed in the 59th minute when Cedric Zesiger received a second yellow for a challenge on Kane.

The England captain scored from the resulting attack and his side were largely comfortable from there, Sane adding gloss to the scoreline when he drilled in an injury-time third.

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Kane's strike was also a notable one for the assister, Olise. The former Crystal Palace winger has now set up 10 goals in the Bundesliga this season, more than any other player, while he also hit the crossbar in what was another impressive display.

THE MVP

The honours go to Kane, though, who once again was the decisive figure for Bayern. The striker drew the foul from Zesiger that opened up the game for the visitors before heading into the net just a couple of minutes later, a moment from which they never looked back. Kane was even central to Bayern's efforts in seeing out the game from there, keeping the ball from Augsburg with a series of clever touches and passes.

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Getty Images SportTHE BIG LOSER

Musiala had earlier bagged the leveller but his night came to an early end in worrying circumstances. The German international stretched to close down a clearance before going down off the ball, holding his hamstring and eventually hobbling off with the support of two physios. With a Champions league quarter-final against Inter Milan and crucial Bundesliga run-in to come, any injury to Bayern's key attacking midfielder would be a major blow.

Coleen Rooney has reportedly agreed a £10m documentary deal, but has been warned that said series could lead to “hatred or mockery towards Wayne”.

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Streaming giants battled for 'At Home With' showI'm A Celeb star happy to let cameras into her worldHusband has found coaching career difficultFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty/ITVWHAT HAPPENED?

After seeing her stock soar on the back of a runner-up finish in the 2024 edition of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, Coleen is said to have been inundated with offers when it comes to media work. Disney+ have battled it out with streaming rivals Amazon Prime for the right to give fans a fly-on-the-wall look at life in the Rooney household.

AdvertisementTHE GOSSIP

Coleen is excited by that project, but questions have been asked of whether husband Wayne is quite so enthralled, with the Manchester United legend currently back on punditry duty after enduring another flop in the coaching game at Plymouth.

GettyWHAT AN INSIDER SAID

An insider has told : “Coleen is really excited at the idea of having her own reality show, but some people are worried that it could cause tension between her and Wayne. Having kept a low-profile for so many years, stepping back into the limelight has renewed Coleen’s self-confidence. The only problem is Wayne is at a crossroads in his career and his friends worry being eclipsed by his wife could knock his self-esteem.”

DID YOU KNOW?

The source went on to say: “Her and Wayne’s mutual friends are worried that the producers might want to show Coleen as the one calling the shots at home, while Wayne could be portrayed as this kind of dithering background presence. But that’s more because he can be camera shy – reality TV just isn’t his thing. Coleen has had more experience – she’s a real natural.”

Allrounder’s 60 lifted Punjab Kings to 180, and Super Kings fell apart in the chase

Alan Gardner03-Apr-20224:27

Curran: Livingstone’s mindset is to hit a six every ball

Chennai Super Kings’ winless start to the 2022 IPL continued into a third game as the defending champions this time fell apart after opting to chase. Punjab Kings claimed the spoils in the royal rumble at Brabourne Stadium, their second victory set up by Liam Livingstone’s boundary-fuelled 60 from 32 balls, and then a sparkling start with the ball from debutant seamer Vaibhav Arora, who claimed figures of 2 for 21 as Super Kings tumbled to 23 for 4 inside the powerplay.Despite an early trend for sides winning while chasing, this was the third game in a row in which a total was successfully defended. Super Kings were perhaps the happier side at the halfway mark, after dragging Kings back from a score of 109 for 2 with one ball of the tenth over to go, but the signs that their innings might not be the expected stroll were when Chris Jordan, who claimed 2 for 23 with an excellent death-bowling display, noted with surprise the lack of evening dew.Needing to go at nine an over on a Brabourne surface that had looked good for batting, Super Kings were quickly in trouble as the Kings seam attack punched holes in their top order. Kagiso Rabada, Arora and Arshdeep Singh all struck in the powerplay, and when Ambati Rayudu was acrobatically caught by another debutant, wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma, off a vicious Odean Smith lifter in the eighth over, the game was all but over as a contest.From 36 for 5, Super Kings were indebted to Shivam Dube’s 30-ball 57 for keeping them clinging to the tails of the asking rate. But Livingstone struck twice in two balls to continue a fine night’s work and when MS Dhoni was ninth out at the start of the 18th over, caught behind for a laboured 23 off 28, the jig really was up.Livi lets fly
Picked up for a price of 11.5 crore INR (USD 1.53 million) in February’s auction, following a stellar year in T20 competitions around the world, Livingstone was still waiting for a performance to match his billing at the IPL. He finally produced under the lights in Mumbai, taking the attack back to Super Kings after wickets in each of the first two overs had left Kings 14 for 2.Livingstone’s aggression was the chief reason for Kings posting the second-highest powerplay score of the season so far (Super Kings have conceded the top two). Left-arm swing bowler Mukesh Choudhary bore the brunt of it, conceding 34 runs from the 12 balls delivered to Livingstone – his third over alone costing 26. Three times Livingstone made room to thrashes sixes to the short leg-side boundary – one of them a 108-metre monster – while also crashing Choudhary for fours down the ground, over cover (twice) and past short third.With Shikhar Dhawan finding his groove by taking three boundaries off Dwayne Bravo’s introductory over, Kings were up and running at 72 for 2 after six.Livingstone’s lives
Super Kings should have removed Livingstone in the first over after the powerplay, however. Having danced down to crash Jadeja’s first ball into the sightscreen for his fourth six, he sliced the final ball of the over straight to short third – but Rayudu, despite having time to settle under it, shelled a simple chance. In the next over, a thin edge down the leg side off Dwaine Pretorius was held by Dhoni, only for the keeper to ground the ball in his glove tips as he dived to his left.Livingstone duly brought up his first IPL half-century, from 27 balls, a couple of overs later, via a top-edged swat at Bravo that sailed over fine leg. The Englishman’s previous highest score in the competition was 44 off 26 balls, made in his second match for Rajasthan Royals in 2019, and he had gone nine innings without passing 25 since then.CSK tighten up
A 95-run stand between Livingstone and Dhawan had Kings on track for the 200-plus score that they possibly needed to feel safe. But after Dhawan miscued Bravo to the edge of the cover ring from the final ball of the tenth over, and Livingstone was this time taken by Rayudu at short third in Jadeja’s next, the innings stuttered towards an unsatisfactory conclusion in the face of some solid death bowling from Jordan, playing his first game for Super Kings, and Dwaine Pretorius.Jordan had started well, avoiding the early carnage to send down two powerplay overs at a cost of 13 runs. He then picked up 2 for 10 while bowling the 16th and 18th, repeatedly hitting a yorker length and forcing Shahrukh Khan and Smith to unsuccessfully take on the longer leg-side boundary. Sharma’s cameo aside, Kings lacked a batter to finish the innings off, managing to cobble 71 for 5 from their last ten overs.Gaikwad sets tone
Epitomising the champions’ struggles has been the form of Ruturaj Gaikwad, last season’s orange cap winner. For the third match in a row, Gaikwad lasted just four balls and didn’t manage to get past 1; here he might have been caught off both his second and third balls, before Rabada eventually coaxed a thick outside edge to slip from the final ball of the second over. With Robin Uthappa caught off a leading edge two balls later, Moeen Ali chopping on in the fifth and Jadeja also bowled off an inside edge, Super Kings had made the sort of horror start from which their chase could never recover.Kings debutants shine
Discussion before Kings’ third game had centered on how they might get Jonny Bairstow into their side. In the end, the experienced England batter wasn’t needed, and it was two men handed their IPL caps before the toss that stood out. Sharma made a confident start with the bat, swiping his second ball, from Moeen, for six and landing similar blows on Choudhary and Jadeja in a sparky 26 off 17; he later added a stunning grab to dismiss Rayudu, and was the prime mover in Kings reviewing to have Dhoni caught down the leg side off Rahul Chahar.Arora, meanwhile, shone during an opening spell in which he bowled his four overs off the reel. The 24-year-old made the new ball move both ways, having Rayudu taken at mid-off in his second over before inducing a drag-on from Moeen in his third, after which his figures read 2-0-12-2. Arora-ing success, you might say.

Fulham defender shares insights on world's best defensive talents with the list including PSG star Achraf Hakimi.

• Robinson highlights three standout fullbacks globally
• Provides an analysis of why he picked the trio
• Defender has been called up by USMNT for the CONCACAF Nations League finals

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Antonee Robinson, the Fulham and USMNT left back, shared his take on the world’s top three fullbacks in a recent interview.

  Rather than relying on simple stats, Robinson highlighted the nuanced qualities that define modern defensive excellence. The American international named AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez, Bayer Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo, and Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi, pointing to their standout performances last season as the reason for his picks.

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• WHAT ANTONEE ROBINSON SAID

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Robinson has been a standout performer for Fulham this season, playing a crucial role in the team's Premier League campaign. His attacking contributions from left-back have been particularly noteworthy and he sits second for most assists (10) in the league behind only Mohamed Salah. Not only that, he’s also seventh on the list for most tackles made this season, joint with Alexis Mac Allister at 77.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The American international has been called up by Mauricio Pochettino for the upcoming March international break where the USMNT will take on Panama in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals on March 21. Robinson then returns to Fulham to face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup quarter-finals on March 29 before their Premier League fixture against Arsenal on April 2.