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Chelsea chiefs now want a Premier League defender, who Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has publicly praised, with Todd Boehly and BlueCo already continuing transfer plans despite a very eventful summer window.

Chelsea spend nearly £300 million on 13 summer signings

The Blues spent close to £300 million (£271 million) on 13 new summer signings, with Joao Felix, Mike Penders, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Renato Veiga, Estevao Willian, Filip Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Aaron Anselmino, Caleb Wiley, Omari Kellyman, Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho all making the move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea offer 3 clubs out-of-window chance to sign "really talented" player

The Blues are eager to find him a landing spot.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 6, 2024

Chelsea also attempted a deadline day move for Victor Osimhen, but they ultimately failed to reach an agreement with the Nigerian, who was then forced to join Turkish Süper Lig side Galatasaray on loan.

Appearances

25

Goals

15

Assists

3

Shots Per 90

3.86

Key Passes Per 90

1.05

Successful Take-Ons Per 90

0.73

WhoScored

They were successful with one deadline day transfer, though, as Sancho joined Chelsea on loan at the eleventh hour. Their deal for the English winger includes an option to buy him next summer, set at around £20-£25 million, and it will be interesting to see if the Man United outcast can resurrect his career in west London.

Chelsea were also linked with a last-gasp move to sign a centre-back, with Benfica starlet Tomas Araujo entering their radar late in the window. It was rumoured that Enzo Maresca wanted another centre-half to replace Trevoh Chalobah, but given the latter's switch to Crystal Palace came in rather last-minute fashion, there was little time for a transfer to be done.

January could represent an opportunity to rectify that and provide Maresca with another astute option for his backline. There could be a few solid options available to them mid-season and when the winter window opens, including Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior.

Chelsea now interested in Jakub Kiwior

According to journalist Graeme Bailey and The Boot Room, Kiwior is considering an Arsenal exit in January, having pledged to help Arteta's side until the winter – where he will then ponder his options.

The former Spezia starlet, who commanded a £13 million price tag in the summer, made 20 Premier League appearances under Arteta last season – bagging three assists as a makeshift left-back, but centre-half is his natural position.

Chelsea are believed to be interested in signing Kiwior as they look at bringing in another central defender, as are other top-flight sides, so this could be worth monitoring heading into January.

“Very good!”, said Arteta on Kiwior and his versatility.

"Especially because obviously he had not a lot of moments before. We had some injuries, and we are asking him to play in a position that he hasn't played, and he's adapting very fast and his performances, they've been really consistent.

“And that's why you need the players that when you call on them, they step in and they get the job done.”

West Ham United have agreed a £20 million-plus deal to sign a striker, but the deal hinges on terms with the player being struck, according to a new report.

The Hammers have been extremely busy this summer with nine new arrivals and that has meant expectations are high on the club, as they try to compete for a place back in Europe.

Related West Ham advanced in deal for "great" star; Hammers happy to meet valuation

The Hammers have just four days to complete the deal…

Posts 1 ByTom Cunningham Aug 26, 2024 West Ham transfer news

Julen Lopetegui has been very much backed in his first transfer window at the club and with three days remaining, it appears as though the club’s business may be about to continue after the club picked up their first league win of the season on Saturday afternoon.

West Ham appear to be working on a few transfers before the close of the window on Friday, with it already being reported that the London side are “locked in negotiations” with French side PSG over a deal for midfielder Carlos Soler. The Hammers are said to have been leading the race to sign the player for some time now, but talks over the structure of the deal continue, as PSG want around £20 million for the midfielder, but are willing to sanction a loan deal.

West Ham's summer signings

Signed from

Max Kilman

Wolves

Crysencio Summerville

Leeds United

Niclas Füllkrug

Borussia Dortmund

Luis Guilherme

Palmeiras

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Manchester United

Guido Rodriguez

Real Betis

Wes Foderingham

Sheffield United

Jean-Clair Todibo

Nice

Mohamadou Kante

Paris FC

As well as looking at Soler, West Ham are also said to be among the clubs potentially interested in signing Newcastle United defender Kieran Trippier. This comes as a surprise as the Hammers have only just brought Aaron Wan-Bissaka to the club from Manchester United, but according to The Telegraph, West Ham are monitoring the situation.

The England international is said to be on a weekly wage of £120,000 at St James’ Park, so should he join West Ham, he could be on significantly more than new arrival Wan-Bissaka. But as well as West Ham looking to sign these two players, the Irons are also in the market to add to their forward line.

West Ham agree £20m+ deal for striker as talks over salary begin

According to Calciomercato’s Daniele Longo, relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham have agreed a deal with Italian side AS Roma to sign striker Tammy Abraham. The report states that the Hammers have agreed to an initial loan deal worth €2 million and an obligation to buy at €22 million, which is over £20 million.

This comes after it was reported on Monday that West Ham had made a bid for Abraham, and it was close to the asking price that Roma wanted.

Abraham is said to be open to the idea of joining the Premier League side, but the concern is that West Ham cannot reach the forward’s current salary of €6 million (£5 million) per season. However, the report states that talks are ongoing over his salary, as Roma are keen for the player to join West Ham so they can bring in Danso.

Abraham has been with Roma since August 2021 and has been a prominent figure when fit and available, but last season he fell down the pecking order, playing just eight times in Serie A. Overall, the forward has played 120 times for the club, scoring 37 goals and chipping in with 13 assists.

Before the game, Rameez Raja asked Pakistan captain Babar Azam why Fakhar Zaman wasn’t slated to open the batting for Pakistan. But in 18 record-breaking overs, Azam and Mohammad Rizwan provided the perfect answer, pummelling South Africa into submission as they chased down 204 at a canter in winning the third T20I in Centurion by nine wickets.Azam got to his first T20I hundred off just 49 balls, two days after he took 50 balls to score as many runs, smashing 15 boundaries and four sixes along the way. It was a shame he would be dismissed seven runs shy of the target, but by then, Azam had romped to 122 off just 59 deliveries in one of the all-time great T20 innings. Rizwan, usually the aggressor among the pair, was the anchor by comparison, but by no means dawdled his way through, finishing with an unbeaten 47-ball 73.Little South Africa did seemed to make a difference, though the hosts will feel they didn’t nearly hit the bowling heights of their performance from the second T20I. They didn’t find their lengths often enough, but in truth, even when they did, Rizwan and Azam were masterful at manipulating the field and finding runs where they seemingly weren’t to be had. The pressure told, especially on Beuran Hendricks, who was carted around for 55 in his four overs.Even Tabraiz Shamsi, South Africa’s trump card in many ways, was oddly ineffectual, with Pakistan negotiating him adroitly without ever allowing him to stifle the scoring rate. Despite what had seemed a steep chase, when Pakistan finally did get there, it almost appeared as if South Africa were being put out of their misery.It seemed ages ago, but the same destruction was playing out in the first innings, though in reverse. On that occasion, it was the pair of Janneman Malan and Aiden Markram, with the latter’s 31-ball 63 being his third successive T20I half-century. Markram bossed the show, with South Africa speeding along to 140 inside 13 overs. In a crucial passage of play, Pakistan began to reign them in during the final seven, a period during which the hosts managed just 63. It still meant they had inflicted upon Pakistan the first total in excess of 200 since 2013, but Azam and Rizwan ensured it was extremely scant consolation.Aiden Markram hit 63 off only 31 deliveries, but South Africa lost momentum at the death•AFP/Getty Images

Azam’s masterclass
Earlier in the day, Azam had officially supplanted Virat Kohli as the No. 1-ranked ODI batsman. Later on, he would celebrate that milestone by reminding everyone that he had his eyes on that prize in T20Is too.To many, the simple fact that the Pakistan captain had insisted upon opening once more by pulling rank over the returning Fakhar Zaman was an outrage in itself, and a throwback to a brand of T20 cricket Pakistan stubbornly continued to play with little success. That point was further emboldened by his struggles in the second T20I, perhaps his weakest T20 performance to date. He had managed just 50, taking as many balls to get there, and Pakistan registered 140 on a pitch every bit as good as today before South Africa cruised to victory inside 14 overs.But Azam was keen to show during a devastatingly effective hour of delightful T20 batting that it was only an exception. He was scoring with the strike rate of a power-hitter while seemingly taking as few risks as a middle-order batsman on day one of a Test match – the best of two worlds which has always seemed impossible to merge. One could sense the critics’ knives sharpening as Pakistan took just eight off the first two overs, but from the moment Azam carved George Linde for two boundaries in his third over, he found himself in a zone so intense that it was almost spooky. Every ball found the middle of the bat, every tiny gap in the field was geometrically exploited and every roll of the wrists was executed to perfection. South Africa were not so much blown away as surgically removed from a contest they felt they were well on top of.The half-century came in 27 balls, but Azam would barely notice. Sisanda Magala went for six, and Lizaad Williams and Hendricks for further more sixes, as Azam simply hurtled along, indifferent even to the asking rate. His only ceiling appeared to be the limitations he was setting himself, and for the most part of a beguiling hour, there were none. Had he not nicked off to the wicketkeeper with seven runs to get, he might almost have been sorry to see the target achieved – so easy did he find T20 batting.In truth, most days won’t be this easy. But for a batsman who can hit those heights, it becomes easy to understand why he felt he needed to face as many deliveries as possible.Seven crucial overs
There will be few games where bat dominates ball quite as comprehensively as this, but when sides find themselves in one of them, any passage of supremacy for the bowling side is likely to be magnified. And while Azam and Rizwan seemed to have enough confidence to chase down just about anything, they were given a vital helping hand by the way Pakistan finished the South Africa innings with the ball.Until the end of the 13th over, South Africa sat pretty at 140 for 1, well set for a total over 220. But Pakistan managed to do something South Africa were never able to achieve; they halted the hosts in their tracks with a couple of quick wickets. Linde and Malan were removed within five balls of each other, and Heinrich Klaasen couldn’t quite find the fluency of the previous two games. The South Africa innings would peter out somewhat, with only 63 scored in the last seven. That doesn’t quite get noticed when the team total exceeds 200, but Azam and Rizwan were astute enough to pick up on it and exploit it.

With Nottingham Forest’s new campaign getting underway later on today, Nuno Espírito Santo will be looking to build on the impressive end to last season that saw the Reds win two of their last three outings.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss has already bolstered his side with various additions across the board, with winger Ramon Sosa the latest to arrive on Trentside after the club completed a deal for his services on Friday night.

The deal with Argentinian side Tallares will see the Reds pay an initial £10m plus a 15% sell-on fee for his services, with Sosa penning a five-year deal at the City Ground.

Sosa will provide added firepower in wide areas, whilst also challenging the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga for a starting role on Trentside.

He could potentially form a deadly partnership with one player who has also been on the club’s radar over the last couple of weeks.

Nottingham Forest could land £35m talent this summer

In an attempt to avoid a battle with relegation this season, owner Evangelos Marinakis has once again splashed the cash to allow his club to compete in the Premier League.

The Reds have already spent around £57m on additions, with Porto forward Galeno potentially the next in line for a move to the club.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed earlier this month that Forest had an approach rejected for the Brazilian, with the Portuguese side demanding €40m (£35m) to part ways with the 26-year-old.

He’s already hit the ground running in 2024/25, scoring in the first league outing of the season against Gil Vincente alongside a double in the Portuguese Super Cup final against Sporting CP.

However, it’s his stats from the previous campaign that caught the eye, ranking similarly to one star who’s taken the Premier League by storm in recent times.

Why Galeno could be Forest’s own Foden

Manchester City forward Phil Foden has been a crucial part of Pep Guardiola’s side in recent years, being a pivotal part of the squad that made it four Premier League titles in five years after their triumph last season.

The 24-year-old registered 27 goal contributions in his 35 league appearances – finishing behind Erling Haaland as the club’s top scorer.

He’s also excelled in Europe for City, helping them win their maiden Champions League trophy, with his displays in the competition in 2023/24 seeing him noted as a similar player to Galeno, as per FBref.

The “imperious” Brazilian, as dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy, matched the Englishman for combined goals and assists, whilst averaging more progressive carries – showcasing his ability to take the ball into attacking areas before finding a teammate or the back of the net.

Games played

7

8

Goals + assists

9

9

Goal per shot taken

0.31

0.15

Progressive carries

3.5

3

Shot-on-target accuracy

69%

36%

Take-ons attempted

3.9

2.1

He also attempted more take-ons and averaged a higher goal-per-shot rate than Foden, handing Forest that added attacking edge that Nuno and Marinakis have been searching for this summer.

The Reds were too wasteful in the final third last season, missing 51 big chances – with the club desperately trying to rectify such a record ahead of the new campaign.

Whilst he would be an expensive addition, the playmaker would provide the added goal threat the club have been looking for, while also handing the likes of Sosa – who scored seven goals in 203/24 – more frequent chances to increase their own goalscoring records.

This campaign is the club’s third successive season in the Premier League after a 23-year absence, with Galeno potentially linking up with Sosa and providing more quality in attacking areas that would hugely increase Forest's chance of securing survival once more in 2024/25.

After Sosa: Nottingham Forest's £30m target can make Danilo unplayable

The Reds are aiming to improve their forward line this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 14, 2024

In pursuit of their fourth signing of the summer, West Ham United are now reportedly considering a £40m bid to sign a Michail Antonio upgrade who has already made his feelings known about the Hammers.

West Ham transfer news

So far this summer, Julen Lopetegui has welcomed just three fresh faces in the form of Luis Guilherme, Wes Foderingham, and Max Kilman from the manager's former Premier League club, Wolverhampton Wanderers. The central defender has been the unlikely highlight of West Ham's summer, but there's still plenty of time for another arrival to steal the spotlight from the Englishman.

Related Mazraoui alternative: West Ham could bag £30m Zouma upgrade

The Hammers are ‘seriously considering’ making a move this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 26, 2024

Recent reports have linked those at the London Stadium with moves for the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Sergi Roberto. The latter recently became a free agent following the expiration of his Barcelona contract and West Ham are now one of three clubs best positioned to sign the veteran right-back this summer. However, aside from Sergi Roberto and Summerville, one name that has been consistently mentioned is that of Jhon Duran.

The striker has reportedly been the subject of a rejected bid for £32m plus academy star Lewis Orford, leaving the Hammers to weigh up another attempt to secure the Colombian's signature. According to the Daily Mail, West Ham are now considering a £40m bid to match Aston Villa's price tag for Duran this summer in what may seal the deal once and for all.

Duran has hardly hidden his desire to complete a move to the London Stadium, holding up the famous Hammers sign during an Instagram live-stream yesterday, despite still being an Aston Villa player.

Making his feelings clear, Duran must hope that his move to West Ham goes through this summer or he could face some awkward questions back at Villa Park.

"Special" Duran needs West Ham move

Duran struggled for starts at Aston Villa last season, so openly pushing for a move to another club on social media is hardly likely to help his cause under Unai Emery. Without a West Ham move, the 20-year-old could be quickly cast aside in the Midlands, which means that he arguably needs the summer switch to reach completion as soon as possible. Recent antics aside, it is a move that certainly makes sense for the right price as West Ham look to replace Antonio.

Premier League stats 23/24 (via FBref)

Jhon Duran

Michail Antonio

Goals

5

6

Assists

0

2

Expected Goals

2

5.8

Minutes

475

1,695

In just 475 minutes – the equivalent of around five games – Duran managed to find the back of the net five times to average out at a goal every 95 minutes. Now, for £40m, West Ham could hand the 20-year-old the consistent opportunities he has been craving in what should only improve his record if the last campaign is anything to go by.

Described as "special" by Emery despite his lack of starts at Aston Villa last season, the Duran saga is one that is only likely to heat up after recent updates.

Fabio Capello has urged Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to consider retirement after Barcelona's 4-1 win over the Bavarians.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Neuer told to retire by Fabio Capello
• Bayern captain struggling for form
• Neuer a no-show in Barcelona loss

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Neuer is considered one of the best goalkeepers of this generation, if not all time, thanks to his exploits over the last two decades. However, since a skiing incident which saw him sustain a serious leg injury, the German has seemed unable to reach his previous peaks with age also becoming an issue for the 38-year-old.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Neuer's goalkeeping standards have been declining over the last year, Bayern Munich's 4-1 loss to Barcelona may have been his lowest point this season. The German faced four shots on target and conceded four times, and was also the reason for a number of mistakes in the backline. Capello has now advised Neuer to consider retirement.

• WHAT CAPELLO SAID

  Speaking on Sky Sports, Capello said: "When some goalkeepers reach a certain age, they should have the courage to retire."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Former Germany star Lothar Mattaus also urged Neuer to consider hanging up his boots before he hurts his legacy as a Bayern Munich legend. He told BILD: "I don’t mean Manuel any harm, but he is not the support for the team at the moment that he was in the past.

  "Manuel Neuer is not Manuel Neuer at the moment. Because he doesn’t save the unstoppable balls, his goalkeeping has changed.

  "He used to anticipate every situation, he had a 360-degree view, and he could initiate attacks with a build-up pass. At the moment he can’t give the defense any security.

  "This is also demonstrated by the rate of just over 40 per cent of balls saved in the Bundesliga. I hope that he will soon find his way back to his old game and confidence."

Injuries decimate tourists’ attack, having already hit their batting stocks

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Dec-2020

Faf du Plessis raised his 10th Test century•Associated Press

Day three was the day in which South Africa claimed an iron-grip on the Test.This was partly through Faf du Plessis’ sparkling 199, and the big partnerships he racked up alongside the lower middle order. But also, due to the injuries to Sri Lanka’s attack, which now have decimated their main bowling resources, in addition to having depleted their batting.With the hosts having established a 225-run first-innings lead, Sri Lanka are attempting to claw their way back, finishing 160 runs in the red, with only eight wickets in hand.They don’t have the services of their most fluent batsman in the first innings – Dhananjaya de Silva – and if they manage to make South Africa bat again, they are also now missing three bowlers. Kasun Rajitha, it is perhaps safe to say, is out of the match. Lahiru Kumara, who aborted his 22nd over and went off the field in the morning, seemingly with a groin complaint, may not bowl again in the game either. de Silva’s offspin is also unavailable.Although the injuries can be at least partially be attributed to Sri Lanka’s less-than-ideal lead-up to the Test series – a result of the pandemic, mainly – South Africa batted long in addition to scoring their runs quickly, and ensured the physical toll on Sri Lanka’s attack was substantial.du Plessis began the day on 55 and worked himself gradually back into the groove, collecting singles and twos while the old ball was in operation, before climbing into a more aggressive mode against the second new ball. He also fought through a sustained bouncer-barrage from Kumara in the morning session, during which he reached his 10th century, and will feel he earned the right to face the much worse bowling that came his way in the afternoon and evening sessions.Related

'I've batted better' – Faf du Plessis on 199 against injury-hit Sri Lanka

Once he had warmed up for the day, du Plessis was severe on anything overpitched, driving confidently through the offside, though he also played the pull shot to good effect. At no stage did he back away from a challenge. When Kumara was bouncing him, he continued to play the ball, occasionally getting lucky with edges that fell into space, but largely playing controlled and productive strokes.He got to his hundred off 151 balls, and went at almost a run-a-ball to his 150, which he reached off the 205th delivery he faced.In the morning he had mostly been partnered by Temba Bavuma, who hit 71 and had been part of a 179-run fifth-wicket stand, that wrested decisive control of the match.Bavuma’s dismissal though, was strange. He played at a wide-ish Dasun Shanaka ball and began walking almost as soon as the ball hit the wicketkeeper’s gloves. Replays and snicko strongly suggested he had not edged that ball.Later, du Plessis also put on 77 with Wiaan Mulder, who made 36, and then the partnership that really winded Sri Lanka (if there was any wind to be taken following all those injuries) – a 134-run stand with Keshav Maharaj, who made his own career-best score of 73.The afternoon session was truly calamitous for Sri Lanka, who also lost legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga for part of it, after Hasaranga dived on to the ball while attempting a boundary save, and sustained what seemed to be a minor injury to his left leg.Through this period, captain Dimuth Karunaratne had to resort to getting seven overs out of Kusal Mendis who was a wicketkeeper in his younger years and bowls… lets call it legspin. Karunaratne also bowled 6.5 overs of trenchantly innocuous seam-up himself.du Plessis was playing by far the most productive innings of his Test career (his previous best was 137), and was facing the kind of bowling that might have struggled to trouble a second-division club batsman hungover from the night before.du Plessis seemed almost certain to reach a double century – the first for South Africa since 2016 – but somehow managed to blow the chance.Lungi Ngidi struck twice late in the day•Associated Press

He moved largely unperturbed through the 190s, as Maharaj struck boundaries at the other end. And then, with one to get, he skipped down the track to Hasaranga (a ploy he hadn’t used much), and tried to launch him down the ground. He didn’t get to the pitch of the ball though. The catch went to mid-on, and du Plessis was left to trudge off the field, to a dressing room that seemed devastated on his behalf. That Sri Lanka’s players congratulated him on his way off would have seemed like mild consolation.Sri Lanka’s two remaining frontline bowlers wrapped up the tail quickly enough – Hasaranga taking 4 for 171 and Vishwa Fernando claiming 3 for 129, but the damage had already been done.For Sri Lanka, the day worsened, not least because there could be yet another injury (yes, you’re reading that right, another injury).Karunaratne was bowled for six by a Lungi Ngidi ball that kept deviously low, before Kusal Mendis edged Ngidi to slip to be out for zero. Any mild comfort that Sri Lanka gained from Kusal Perera and Dinesh Chandimal batting confidently until the close was sapped when Chandimal appeared to pull up lame while completing a single off the last ball of the day.Will he be able to bat on Tuesday? Who knows. The way this is going, someone is also going to bust a hamstring by sitting down too fast on the team bus in the morning.

Daniel Farke, whether it was on the sidelines with Norwich City or now in the dug-out at Leeds United, has always found shopping for new talents from his native Germany as a fruitful way to operate.

The likes of Marco Vrancic, Josh Sargent and countless others were purchased as a result for the Canaries, whilst that method – even without Farke being at the helm at Elland Road for the signing taking place – has proven to be an effective one for the Whites, seen in the capture of Georginio Rutter from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim last year.

Knowing that you can pick up some exceptional talents from the Bundesliga and lower down the German football pyramid, Leeds look likely to go after another gem to satisfy Farke's preferences, according to reports.

Leeds looking at £12m-rated Leverkusen gem

According to a report earlier this week from German football outlet BILD, Leeds are eyeing up Bayer Leverkusen hotshot Adam Hlozek this summer, to bolster their attacking options, ahead of another Championship season to come.

With the site stating that the Czech Republic youngster has fallen out of favour when it comes to the pecking order at Xabi Alonso's champions, Leeds could win his services now for as cheap as £12m, to add more firepower to their lacklustre striker ranks.

The player is currently participating at Euro 2024 for Czechia.

What Hlozek could offer Leeds

The former Sparta Prague man could even end up displacing the likes of Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe up top if signed, with the 21-year-old capable of also playing as a second striker option, similar to Rutter, who he will try and replicate moving from Germany to then terrorise the Championship.

This could end up being a statement buy from the West Yorkshire titans if pulled off, mirroring the £35.5m Leeds once splashed out on for Rutter, with West Ham United from the league above also keen.

Away from Rutter being a creative force for Farke's men, with a staggering 18 assists last season in all competitions for the failed promotion hopefuls, Hlozek would arrive onto the scene and be expected to be a prolific goalscorer, if he can recapture his best form from his days playing in Prague.

The 21-year-old, who was described as being "extraordinary" by agent Pavel Pavska before moving on to Leverkusen, had almost a second nature when it came to finishing off chances for his former employers, with 15 goals managed from just 19 league games during the 20/21 season.

Non-penalty goals

0.40

0.48

Shots total

3.88

3.19

Assists

0.40

0.06

Shot-creating actions

3.09

1.69

Progressive passes

3.09

1.45

Progressive carries

2.89

1.02

Touches in attacking penalty area

5.08

6.09

Progrssive passes received

5.77

4.94

Despite Bamford bettering Hlozek's goal return last season from all competitions, with the Englishman netting nine times compared to the Czech attacker's seven, the table above would suggest that the Leverkusen forward could fit in well at Leeds alongside the likes of Rutter, Wilfried Gnonto and many others, offering a creative spark as well as an ability to finish off chances.

Farke will just pray this is a gamble from his native Germany that pays off again if everything slots into place for a move to happen.

Ilia Gruev is another notable example of a gem from the Bundesliga working wonders, purchased from Werder Bremen just last transfer window, and is now being touted for a major switch to Borussia Dortmund.

Adding in promising attackers such as Hlozek could also raise the optimism levels in West Yorkshire that promotion can be achieved this time around, even if other entertaining forward players depart.

Leeds can hit the jackpot with "exciting" swoop who could be Gray 2.0

The Whites have been credited with an interest in the exciting young talent this summer.

ByDan Emery Jun 26, 2024

Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma will continue to open along with Quinton de Kock for the upcoming IPL, head coach Mahela Jayawardene confirmed on Thursday. Mumbai also have Australia’s Chris Lynn in the squad this season but given record of the Sharma-de Kock combination, Jayawardene said there was no need to “fix something that wasn’t broken”.”Lynn is a great addition to the squad, but the combination of Rohit and Quinton did a phenomenal job for us last season,” Jayawardene said in a virtual press conference from Abu Dhabi. “They complement each other well, they’re consistent and both of them are experienced. They’re good leaders as well, so why would you want to fix something that isn’t broken? We will continue to go with that.”Lynn as an option gives us flexibility in the squad and that’s what we’ve always done. We try and add more value to the team, give more options so that we can be unpredictable when it comes to tournaments and big matches. Quinton and Rohit as a combination have been brilliant.Sharma, who has also batted at Nos. 3 and 4 for Mumbai in the past, said he enjoys batting “at the top of the order” and would continue to do so, but the team would also keep the batting line-up flexible.”I opened for the entire tournament last year and will continue to do that,” Sharma said. “As a team, we keep all options open. I’m happy to do what the team wants. I enjoy batting at the top of the order and I’ve been doing it for a while. But even when I play for India, the message to the management is to not close any door and keep all the options open, so I’ll do the same here.”Sharma and de Kock had opened in 15 of Mumbai’s 16 games last season as the team won the record fourth title. Their tally of 565 runs including five half-century stands at an average of 37.66 was behind only David Warner and Jonny Bairstow’s 791 for Sunrisers Hyderabad.Lynn, on the other hand, managed only 138 runs while opening for the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in CPL 2020. He averaged a mere 17.25 from nine innings, with a highest score of 34.Sharma, however, hasn’t played any cricket since early February when he injured his left calf during the T20I series in New Zealand. He later said in an interview to PTI that coming back to cricket without having held a bat for over six months would be “a bit challenging”. de Kock, Mumbai’s leading run-scorer last season, will also be playing his first game since March.With the IPL being played in the UAE this time, Sharma emphasised on how conditions – including the heat and the expected slowness of pitches – would play a crucial role as he expects pitches to “tire down” as the tournament progresses. Along with international experience of some of their players in the UAE, Mumbai also have Lynn, Kieron Pollard and Mitchell McClenaghan in the squad who have featured in the PSL across Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.”It’s about understanding pitches and conditions, that is crucial so we are putting a lot of emphasis on that,” Sharma said. “Eventually the pitches will play a big part, so understanding and adapting quickly is important.”The weather is so hot and humid, the wickets will tire down. Having played the Asia Cup couple of years ago here, I certainly experienced that between the first game and the final there was a lot of difference in how the pitch was behaving. We will certainly expect the same here. It’s going to be a long tournament, we know how many matches are being played at each venue so the wickets will definitely tire down, and the slowness of the pitch will be a big factor. For us, all the talks happening in our group are based on all of that: we need to adapt how to play cricket on those kinds of pitches, what lengths to bowl, which shots to pick, what will be the percentage shot and ball.”It’s not just the spinners but I think even the seamers will have a lot of assistance. Not the seam or swing movement, but there will be some reverse swing that we’re expecting. The way I look at it, we’ve got good balance and variety in our bowling attack. And same goes for the batting as well, you need to understand shots that will give you runs on this pitch. It’s not just about hitting boundaries and sixes, it’s also about the other option that you can take to make sure you reach an effective score.”Mumbai lack a bit of experience in their spin department, though, compared to the other IPL teams. Krunal Pandya is their most experienced spinner with 55 IPL caps but the others in the squad – Rahul Chahar, Jayant Yadav and Anukul Roy – have a combined IPL experience of only 29 games. Jayawardene said spinners would be “more effective” in the UAE conditions, and both he and Sharma sounded excited about the uncapped 21-year-old Punjab legspinner Prince Balwant Rai, whom they bought in the auction last year.”We’ve got a youngster in the auction this year – Prince Balwant Rai, he looks quite exciting,” Sharma said. “Anukul has been part of the team for a while so we have a few options. We’ve got some quality spinners in our group. Hopefully they can explore conditions if need be and all these guys have experience playing domestic cricket in India.”The Mumbai camp is based out of Abu Dhabi, where they are scheduled to play eight of their 14 league games including the IPL opener against the Chennai Super Kings on Saturday.

Glasgow Rangers 2023/24 Premiership campaign rests on one final Old Firm derby match.

A win over Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday lunchtime could give them a major boost in their pursuit of the title, although they may still require a favour from other teams. A defeat, however, and a third straight title will be heading to the other side of Glasgow.

Philippe Clement knows exactly how his team should perform. The question is, can they execute a game plan and take the match to Celtic?

A 3-3 draw during the previous derby match saw plenty of ebbs and flows throughout the 90 minutes, but it was as dismal a first half as the Gers have had all season.

It took a late Rabbi Matondo stunner to secure a share of the spoils, yet he will miss out due to injury and the starting XI could look quite different from that game.

With this in mind, here's a look at the potential starting lineup that Clement could choose ahead of one of the most eagerly anticipated Old Firm clashes in quite some time – with three potential changes from the side that saw off Kilmarnock last time out.

1

GK – Jack Butland

Butland may have conceded three goals during the last meeting against Celtic, but considering one was a fluke effort in the first minute while the second was a penalty, it was only really the third goal that he should have done better with.

The Englishman was awarded both the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year and Men’s Player of the Year awards during the Rangers award ceremony a few weeks ago. Both well deserved after a stunning debut campaign.

2

RB – James Tavernier

The captain hasn’t scored since the 3-2 defeat to Ross County nearly a month ago, but how a goal or two on Saturday would help the Light Blues in their quest to defeat Celtic.

Already on 24 goals for the season, he could still hit 30 by the end of the term should he go on a scoring streak over the next four matches. Starting this streak this weekend would be ideal.

3

CB – John Souttar

The Scot got on the scoresheet during the win against Kilmarnock last weekend, netting the last goal to seal a 4-1 victory.

Against the Rugby Park side, the former Hearts' defender won ten of his 14 total duels contested, completed 89% of his passes and took 100 touches during a solid display which he hopes will carry into the Old Firm tie.

4

CB – Ben Davies

Souttar and Leon Balogun started the match last week, but the veteran defender had to come off at half-time, paving the way for Davies to make his first appearance since November.

The £4m signing from 2022 managed to get on the scoresheet too, and he should be in the starting XI at Parkhead on Saturday afternoon.

5

LB – Ridvan Yilmaz

Yilmaz enjoyed a brief cameo last week against Killie and this should give Clement the licence to ditch Borna Barisic and unleash the Turkish starlet.

The 22-year-old suffered an injury whilst on international duty back in March which ruled him out for six matches, and it was the Gers that missed his presence on the left side of the defence.

With some minutes in his legs, he should be the first choice at left-back to play Celtic, no doubt about it.

6

CM – John Lundstram

Lundstram is out of contract at the end of the season, and it appears as though he won't be extending his stay at Ibrox beyond the summer.

The midfielder has missed just one game since Clement took over in October, but he will have to improve on his recent form if he aims to make an impact during the derby clash.

7

CM – Mohamed Diomande

The youngster has a wonderfully high ceiling in terms of potential as he is set to join up with Rangers on a permanent deal at the end of the season.

In his first 15 matches for the Light Blues, he has found the back of the net twice and looks like a really wise signing.

8

RW – Dujon Sterling

The utility man has shone wherever Clement has deployed him this season and against Celtic, he will operate on the right wing.

This is a position in which he has played only twice during the current campaign, yet it saw him score his first senior goal, coming against Benfica in the Europa League back in March.

With wide options few and far between, Sterling will be up for the challenge.

9

AM – Tom Lawrence

Despite starting on the bench last week, Lawrence emerged with just 20 minutes left and scored one of the best goals of the season, curling a lovely effort past the Killie ‘keeper.

In a bold call, Clement could drop Cantwell to the bench in order to unleash the Welshman, as he certainly deserves it following an impressive cameo last week when he succeeded with 100% of his dribbles, made one key pass and lost possession just three times.

10

LW – Fabio Silva

Silva ended his dry spell in front of goal against Killie, scoring the equaliser on the stroke of halftime, yet his loan spell has largely been disappointing.

He won the penalty from which Tavernier scored Rangers first goal against Celtic last month, but the winger spent the rest of the time diving more times than Tom Daley in the Olympics.

Due to the lack of wide options, the on-loan youngster will have to start on the left flank.