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England batsman suffers recurrence of injury that caused three-month absence in 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2020Ollie Pope has been ruled out for up to four months after dislocating his left shoulder during last week’s third Test against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl.The injury occurred on the fourth day of the match, when Pope slid to save a boundary off the second ball of Stuart Broad’s first over of the day and left the pitch immediately.He underwent an MRI scan in London on Wednesday and was reviewed by a consultant on Thursday. He will now have surgery on the injured shoulder in the next couple of weeks before commencing a rehabilitation programme with the Surrey and England medical teams.The injury is a cruel recurrence for Pope, given that he injured the same shoulder while playing for Surrey last summer. He was out of action for three months on that occasion, and was unavailable for selection during England’s Ashes campaign.It is possible, however, that Pope will not miss any Test cricket on this occasion, with England’s next engagements coming against Sri Lanka and India in early 2021, by which stage it is hoped that he will have recovered full fitness.Despite a tailing-off in form during the Pakistan series, Pope has been one of England’s breakthrough players of the past few months. He scored a matchwinning 135 not out against South Africa in Port Elizabeth in January, then made a crucial 91 in the series decider against West Indies in Manchester.He was also England’s top scorer in the first innings of the first Test against Pakistan, making 62 out of a total of 219, a performance that would prove vital in the team’s fightback to win on the fourth afternoon.After his previous shoulder injury, Pope told Wisden Cricket Monthly that the time away from the game had been a “blessing in disguise”, allowing him the chance to take stock and make changes to his technique.

Chelsea’s recent 4-3 win over Manchester United basically summed up their campaign in a nutshell, winning games they shouldn’t be winning while suffering defeats in matches they should be taking all three points from.

The result leaves the club occupying tenth position in the Premier League table, just five points off sixth spot.

If Mauricio Pochettino can inspire his side to a solid finish over their remaining nine matches, they could perhaps steal a European place.

Cole Palmer has been in sensational form this season, having joined from Manchester City last summer, scoring 19 goals and registering 12 assists, proving to be arguably Pochettino’s finest player throughout the campaign.

Another standout has been Conor Gallagher. The Englishman has been outstanding at times this season and this sort of form has not gone unnoticed…

Conor Gallagher is attracting interest

Gallagher has a contract until 2025 at Chelsea, yet it looks as though an extension has not been discussed as yet for the midfielder.

Tottenham Hotspur are a club who have shown plenty of interest in the 24-year-old over the previous 12 months, and they could be set to make a move this summer if no new deal is agreed by then.

According to 90min, the Stamford Bridge side will place a £50m price tag on Gallagher’s head this summer, which is lower than the £60m that they were previously seeking.

Securing this type of fee for the player will allow the club to comply with financial fair play regulations as Pochettino looks to balance his books ahead of next season. The Argentinean has a tough decision to make, however, especially considering how influential Gallagher has become.

Conor Gallagher’s statistics for Chelsea this season

Gallagher returned from his loan spell at Crystal Palace looking to make inroads into securing a regular place in the starting XI last season. He featured 45 times in all competitions for the club and has used this as a platform for further success on a personal level this term.

So far during the 2023/24 campaign, the midfielder has played 40 matches, scoring five goals and registering seven assists in all competitions.

Among his teammates in the Premier League, Gallagher ranks second with regards to overall Sofascore rating (7.31), along with ranking second for big chances created (eight), key passes per game (1.5) and for tackles per game (2.5), showcasing his abilities across both attacking and defensive metrics this season.

When compared to his positional peers in the top five European leagues, Gallagher ranks in the top 1% for pass success rate per 90 (87.8%) and the top 2% for both tackles (2.5) and interceptions (1.3) per 90 across the previous 365 days.

These statistics clearly show how important Gallagher is to this Chelsea team. That being said, receiving a transfer fee of around £50m would give Pochettino a licence to manoeuvre in the transfer window, while he perhaps already has an ideal replacement just waiting to be unleashed in the first-team squad next season – Andrey Santos.

How much Chelsea paid for Andrey Santos

During the January 2023 transfer window – where Chelsea spent £320m – the Blues secured the signature of Brazilian youngster Santos from Vasco da Gama, costing the club around £18m, and he was certainly earmarked as a player who could have a solid future.

"He's a strong, box-to-box midfielder – I don't think Vasco would have been promoted without him,” said South American football expert Tim Vickery upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge.

"But it's a big step up. He's not a player who will be ready for Premier League football yet. He's only 18 – this is one for the future.”

Santos failed to make an appearance for the Chelsea first team during the second half of last season and joined Nottingham Forest on a loan deal at the start of 2023/24. The 19-year-old played just twice for the club before moving abroad on another temporary deal, sealing a move to French side Strasbourg.

Andrey Santos’ statistics at Strasbourg

Finding his feet at Forest proved to be more difficult than first anticipated, yet the teenager is beginning to flourish in France, already making four appearances since joining a couple of months ago.

Analyst Ben Mattinson praised the move to send him out on a temporary move, saying: “This loan will do him the world of good in building confidence after not being used at Forest.

“This type of signing is exactly the one they should be doing. [£]10m on a prospect who could become [£]60m. Value for money.”

Across his four Ligue 1 games, Santos has averaged a pass success rate of 87%, won 5.5 total duels per game, made two tackles per game along with losing possession just 5.5 times on average per match, showcasing his many talents in the French top flight.

He is clearly still developing, but playing for a club like Strasbourg where there isn’t as much pressure as trying to keep Forest in the Premier League, could be highly beneficial for the youngster.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig praised him after Santos shone for Brazil U20s last year, lauding the player as a “one-man war machine in midfield” and, given the chance, he could showcase these abilities at Chelsea in the foreseeable future.

Gallagher’s future is still uncertain heading into the summer transfer window and if he continues this excellent form, there will be interest from more clubs than just Spurs, that’s for sure.

Instead of splashing the cash on a replacement in the transfer market, Pochettino should be taking a closer look at Santos and perhaps giving him a chance to show exactly what he could do.

Chelsea could land an ideal Caicedo upgrade in £86m-rated "machine"

The most expensive player in Premier League history could already be in danger of losing his place in the team.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 6, 2024

The 19-year-old is a special talent indeed, but it isn’t the first time that Chelsea have signed a player with all the promise in the world, only for them to struggle and move on after a few underwhelming years.

Santos is seemingly the ideal Gallagher replacement but Pochettino will have to handle his progress with care.

Cristiano Ronaldo is finally engaged to his long-time girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez, as his finacee posted the news on social media. Georgina showed her huge engagement ring to confirm she has said yes to the Al-Nassr star's proposal. Ronaldo and Georgina have been dating for nearly a decade and together they have four children.

• Ronaldo got engaged to Georgina
• Georgina showed off engagement ring
• The couple have been dating for nine years

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  A week ago, Georgina shared some photographs on Instagram, showcasing a grand arrangement as the couple hosted close friends at an intimate party on the occasion of Friendship Day. The images fuelled speculation of Ronaldo getting engaged to his girlfriend.

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• WHAT GEORGINA SAID

  Now, the 31-year-old model has finally made the news official by sharing an image of her huge engagement ring. In the caption, Georgina wrote: "Yes I do. In this and in all my lives."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  40-year-old Ronaldo is looking forward to a successful season with Al-Nassr where he will aim to finally win the coveted Saudi Pro League title, a trophy that has eluded him since his move to the Middle East as a free agent in January 2023. Al-Nassr have strengthened their squad by signing Ronaldo's national team-mate Joao Felix, while Kingsley Coman is on his way to join the Saudi giants.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR AL-NASSR?

  Jorge Jesus' side will formally kick off the 2025-26 campaign with a clash against Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final on August 19.

England legend falls short of century in final first-class appearance against Glamorgan

ECB Reporters Network08-Sep-2020The third day of Warwickshire’s Bob Willis Trophy match against Glamorgan at Cardiff will be remembered as the day when Ian Bell left the batting crease for the final time at the end of an illustrious 20-year career, signing off with an ever-impressive 90 to put his side in a match-winning position going into the final day.Bell finished with a career aggregate of 20,440 runs, and an average of 43.58, having scored just 66 in six innings this season prior to his tally of 140 in this match.It was also a memorable day for Dan Mousley. The 19-year-old wasn’t born when Bell made his debut in 1999 and having shared a partnership of 70 with the retiring stalwart in the first innings, the youngster struck his maiden Championship half-century in the second before being caught for 71 late in the day.In the morning session, Bell had strode to the wicket to a standing ovation from the gathered coaching staff and media, and was deserving of the guard of honour by Glamorgan on his final walk to the middle.Glamorgan had had an early breakthrough when Timm van der Gugten had Rob Yates caught impressively in the slips by Nick Selman and after switching ends, Michael Hogan struck to remove Will Rhodes, also caught by Selman, to end the batsman’s campaign with an average of 53.Bell and Hain then looked to move the game beyond Glamorgan’s reach, the scoring rate increasing rapidly as they put on 76 by lunch, adding a further 67 in the afternoon session.He and Hain had frustrated Glamorgan with a partnership of 143 as Warwickshire extended their second innings lead to 210 runs at tea. Unbeaten on 46 at lunch, Bell reached his half-century from 63 balls shortly after the resumption, with the eighth boundary of his innings when he struck Hogan through the off-side.He followed up his 50 in the first innings with an another impressive knock in the second as he shared in a third-wicket stand with Hain, who brought up his second half-century in successive matches, in 106 deliveries with seven fours. It was their first century stand since facing Glamorgan at Colwyn Bay in 2018 at a time when Bell struck a double century there, along with two unbeaten centuries at Edgbaston amassing 425 in those three innings against Glamorgan.Dan Douthwaite finally removed Hain for 65, the batsman edging behind to Cullen as Bell, ultimately unsuccessfully, continued to search for one last century before playing on.Michael Burgess and Mousley resumed after tea with their side 227 for 4, but having turned to spin after Lukas Carey’s side injury, Glamorgan had a further breakthrough when slow left-arm bowler Owen Morgan removed Burgess, playing across the line, to claim his first wicket of the season and give Cullen the simplest of catches behind the stumps.Mousley continued to pile the pressure on Glamorgan, and reached his half-century in Championship cricket in 62 deliveries. His partner Alex Thomson was then caught at long-on with a heave off spinner Callum Taylor.A brief shower brought proceedings to a halt at 335 for 6, with one over lost, and Mousley was caught on the cover boundary off Douthwaite soon after the resumption. The declaration came at 347 for 7, setting Glamorgan a target of 331 with five overs remaining in the day, which openers Nick Selman and Joe Cooke safely negotiated, despite a last ball shout for LBW against Cooke by Liam Norwell.

The Red Devils' captain has demanded more signings before the season begins, and we've picked out some of those they should be looking to recruit

Bruno Fernandes had just picked up a trophy, but he was in no mood for celebration. Manchester United had sealed the Premier League Summer Series title after beating West Ham, Bournemouth and drawing with Everton, but the performance in Sunday's 2-2 draw with the Toffees had deflated the initial excitement that surrounded the Red Devils' pre-season tour, and Fernandes was not interested in beating around the bush.

He called out the attitude of some of his team-mates and made a call to United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to make more signings before the real action begins, despite the club splashing out £133 million ($176m) on Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha while failing to make any money back on player sales. 

"Our performance wasn’t the best and we were a little bit lazy today. We want to avoid that because with laziness you can pay at any moment," the United captain told .  [The squad] is improving. But it’s not the place it needs to be. I don’t want to take a dig at anyone, but the club is doing the best they can in terms of the financial situation they talk about. 

"It was crystal clear we needed more competition for the players that were here, more quality to get everyone to step up a little more to get to the XI, and I think that is what the club are trying to do. Hopefully we can get one or two players more to help with that."

Fernandes comments will probably not have gone down well with Ratcliffe and United's other directors, but the midfielder, who resisted a hugely tempting offer from Al-Hilal earlier in the summer, was speaking the truth. His team still looked vulnerable in defence, in goal and in central midfield, and with no further investment in the squad it would be difficult to see how they can gatecrash the Premier League's top four next season and qualify for the Champions League, which should be the main objective.

So here, then, are the players United should be looking to sign before the transfer window shuts on September 1, if not before they kick-off their campaign against Arsenal on August 17:

• Getty Images
  

  Benjamin Sesko

  United lined up against Everton without a recognised centre-forward, and though they produced some thrilling attacking play in transition, they lacked a focal point in the middle. It is no secret, either, that the club want to sign another striker after Rasmus Hojlund only scored four Premier League goals last season, and that Benjamin Sesko is their top target. 

  United will face fierce competition from Newcastle for the Slovenian's signature, and he is set to cost in excess of £70m ($93m). Then again, there is little point in United investing so much in their attack without having a reliable striker leading it, and RB Leipzig hitman Sesko is the highest scoring player under the age of 23 in Europe's top five leagues.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Gianluigi Donnarumma

  There have been a lot of questions about Andre Onana's suitability to remain United goalkeeper, even before he got injured in the first week of training and became a doubt for when the season begins. The Cameroon international is, though, still easily the best 'keeper within the squad, as Altay Bayindir looked shaky in the draw against Everton and Tom Heaton, who turns 40 next April, is unquestionably the third choice. 

  United were linked with Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez earlier in the summer, but he has been deemed to be too expensive to pursue. In the meantime, however, another renowned international goalkeeper has appeared in the shop window: Gianluigi Donnarumma is about to enter the last year of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain and has seen his status as Luis Enrique's No.1 challenged by the imminent arrival of Lucas Chevalier from Lille.

  The gigantic Italian is the type of proven, serial-winning 'keeper Amorim appears to favour, and if his price drops further in the final weeks of the window, United would be advised to pounce.

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  Morten Hjulmand

  While United have spent big on their attack, they have neglected their midfield, and the Everton match underlined how lightweight they still are in the middle of the pitch. Kobbie Mainoo is a wonderfully gifted footballer, but he lacks the physical steel of some of his counterparts, whileManuel Ugarte, who gave the ball away for the Toffees' first goal, did not really convince in his first season in the Premier League. Indeed, Amorim left him out of the team for the Europa League final against Tottenham.

  And there is a face very familiar to the coach who is shaping up as a tempting option. Morten Hjulmand was the player Amorim signed to replace Ugarte at Sporting CP in 2023 when the Uruguayan left for PSG, and Hjulmand helped the Lisbon side win back-to-back Portuguese league titles.

  The Denmark international would have no trouble fitting into the coach's system and would be available for around £40m ($53m). The only concern is that his passing statistics were far lower during Sporting's games in the Champions League and that he could struggle to adapt to the intensity of Premier League, just as Ugarte has done.

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  Carlos Baleba

  Given Amorim's preference for signing Premier League-ready players such as Mbeumo and Cunha, a move for Carlos Baleba of Brighton would present a lower risk than Hjulmand. The Cameroon international schooled Mainoo and Ugarte in the Seagulls' 3-1 win at Old Trafford last season, the same game which led Amorim to smash a television in the dressing room in anger afterwards.

  Baleba would cost in the region of £70m ($93m), but former United defender Rio Ferdinand believes it is a price worth paying, even at the expense of signing a centre-forward like Sesko.

  "Would I get a number nine I'm not sure about, who's a bit young, inexperienced, or would I get Baleba with Premier League experience and know what he can do here? I'm going Baleba, sorry," Ferdinand said on his Youtube channel. "I think he'll have a huge impact on this squad, on this team. You free up a few people in that midfield area as well to have a little less responsibility defensively because I think he's all-action. He can do it all."

At some stage, all those overs, all those miles, all those long spells are going to show

George Dobell05-Aug-2020Life is difficult when you’re 38 and making your living as a fast bowler.It’s not just that you ache where you used to play that’s the problem. It’s that bad days are no longer classified as bad days; they’re classified as a sign that you’re finished. Washed up. Broken. Ready for retirement.James Anderson certainly didn’t enjoy his happiest day in cricket on the first day at Emirates Old Trafford. At one stage, he conceded six boundaries in 24 legitimate deliveries. He also bowled a no-ball; only his fourth in Test cricket since 2013. His second spell – three overs for 16 runs – was, by the high standards he has set, uncharacteristically modest.Usually so accurate, he struggled to maintain that probing line and length that has been the hallmark of English summers since… well, since the dawn of time, in cricket terms. When Anderson made his Test debut (May 2003), there had never been a professional T20 match, Concord was still in operation, Saddam Hussein was on the run and Lance Armstrong was dominating cycling. Naseem Shah, one of his counterparts in this match, was four months old.At some stage, all those overs, all those miles, all those long spells to push for victory, to turn games that were slipping away, to offer his side control when nobody else could or just because every captain he’s had in 10 years or more always relied on him, are going to start to show. He’s bowled more deliveries than any other seamer in the history of Test cricket, after all.Is it possible that moment was on the first day of this game?Well, of course it’s possible. It’s worth repeating: he’s 38. That’s 10 years older than Mohammad Amir (at least, it’s 10 years older than Amir’s official birthdate) who has already decided to retire from Test cricket. At some stage, presumably some stage fairly soon, Anderson’s magnificent career is going to come to an end.But to conclude, on the basis of one modest spell, that Anderson is finished would be absurdly premature. For it was only one spell and it did contain only three boundaries. To make decisions on Anderson’s future on such meagre evidence would be rash.ALSO READ: Masood in no mood to dwell on past England failingsThere were, it is true, another four fours in Anderson’s first spell (5-2-16-0). But two of them were off the edge and, with just a little fortune, he could have taken a couple of wickets. Shan Masood played and missed three times against Anderson in that spell. On another occasion, he edged a boundary through the slips as he tried to withdraw his bat.But there’s never been much doubt about Anderson with the new ball. It’s later, when he has to come back for second, third and fourth spells that the doubts are starting to grow. He didn’t take a wicket in either of the second innings in which he bowled in the series against West Indies. He hasn’t taken a second-innings five-for since December 2017 and twice in the last year he’s been forced to pull out of games somewhere through injury. There’s growing evidence to suggest he’s finding it takes longer to recover between stints in the field. Even before this game started, it seemed unlikely he would play in the second Test and England look to utilise their depth to rest and rotate. It was a key point of difference between the sides in the victory over West Indies.Babar Azam is relevant here, too. After weathering a hostile spell from Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer before lunch, Babar had settled and grown accustomed to the pace of the pitch when Anderson returned after lunch. And Babar really is very, very good. He provides no margin for error and can punish any semblance of looseness. He’ll damage plenty more bowlers in his career. He took Anderson for three boundaries but, had Anderson bowled the same deliveries against, for example, Kraigg Brathwaite, he might well have conceded only four runs instead of 12.Masood deserves some praise, too. He looked all at sea against Anderson the last time he played Test cricket in England. But he has worked hard – not least with Gary Palmer, the freelance batting coach who has also worked with England opener, Dom Sibley – and reinvented himself as a much improved batsman. Yes, he was beaten a few times. But he didn’t follow or push at the ball. Instead he looked compact, patient and calm. However many runs Pakistan’s middle-order contribute, they may well owe a few of them to Masood.So, yes, there are, of course, legitimate questions to ask about Anderson’s on-going selection. England are blessed with unusual depth in their seam bowling ranks at present and there are fine players – the likes of Craig Overton and Ollie Robinson – who would, in another age, be in the team. Right now, they can’t even get in the squad. Neither Anderson or any of the other bowlers can afford a prolonged dip in performance. That’s no bad thing.And yes, it’s possible Anderson concludes, in the coming days, weeks or months, he can no longer sustain the standards he has for so long and decides to call it a day. He looked frustrated here; chuntering, muttering and cursing his way through that second spell. It’s entirely possible he was wondering why his body could no longer do what his mind told it. It happens to the best of them. Anyone who appreciates the craftsman he is should savour every moment of him in action at this stage. It can’t go on forever.But let’s not rush to conclusions on one modest three-over spell. Batsmen are allowed poor games; keepers are allowed poor games; most other bowlers are allowed the odd off-colour game. Let’s not use Anderson’s impeccable record against him. He’s earned the right to be judged on more than one three-over spell.

A player has told his representatives he wants to be a Tottenham player next season, and it's believed Spurs are equally keen to have him.

Spurs making plans to sign new forward this summer

While manager Ange Postecoglou focuses on the Spurs project and how best to finish the 2023/2024 campaign, preferably in the top four, his club are plotting ways to strengthen this summer.

Club determined to sign Tottenham player as chiefs already open talks

They’re making moves behind-the-scenes pre-summer.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 19, 2024

They're currently locked in a tense battle with Aston Villa in the race for Champions League qualification, and if they seal fourth, this could help to bolster Spurs' transfer kitty to no end as they set their sights on elite targets.

Tottenham are said to be in the race for Wolves winger Pedro Neto among others, with the Lilywhites keen to add another winger as one of their major signings of the next transfer window.

The likes of Barcelona star Raphinha and highly-rated talent Nico Williams are also on Spurs' radar, as explained by journalist Dean Jones to GiveMeSport late last month.

"Pedro Neto is somebody on their radar," said Jones.

"Raphinha has been mentioned as well. Nico Williams, at Athletic Bilbao, is another player that they're continuing to monitor. It will be interesting. Pedro Neto will be a very difficult one to get because of the competition that there will be to actually sign him.

"But Tottenham have signed a couple of players recently, that they've done well to get through the door, and they will believe that anything is possible."

Postecoglou could soon have an abundance of star wide players at his call if the club do end up bringing in one of the aforementioned. Tottenham currently have Son Heung-min, Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, Bryan Gil, Manor Solomon and Timo Werner in their squad – though the latter is only their temporarily as things stand.

The German has impressed over his appearances since joining Spurs, prompting reports that Postecoglou and co are keen to activate Werner's £15 buy-option clause.

Werner tells agents he wants to stay at Tottenham

Now, according to TEAMtalk, Werner is so happy at Tottenham that he's already told his entourage he wants to stay beyond this campaign – with Spurs equally keen.

This has resulted in the Lilywhites closing in on a permanent deal for the 28-year-old, who Postecoglou himself has already called "quality".

“He’s a quality player," said Postecoglou after one of Werner's stellar recent displays.

"I think he’s proven at this level, and as he gets stronger and fitter and understands our game a little bit better, I think he’ll become even more effective and I know there’s goals in him as well that will come for Tottenham, so I thought he was good.”

The attacker may have another chance to prove his worth in England indefinitely, coming after a regrettable spell at Chelsea.

Brighton & Hove Albion have been a club on the rise ever since winning promotion to the Premier League back in 2017.

The Seagulls have had plenty of success, with Fabian Hurzeler the current man in charge on the south coast and impressing in his debut campaign. But how much do the current Brighton squad earn? Football FanCast takes a look at what Brighton are paying their players, as per Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

Here are Brighton's top earners in more detail…

10

Joao Pedro

£50,000 per week

There are actually six Brighton players who pick up £50,000 a week, the first of whom being Joao Pedro.

The Brazilian joined in a then club-record transfer from Watford in 2023 and has been a regular in attack, scoring plenty of goals on the south coast. He’s under contract until 2028, so is set to pick up around £13m during his time at the club.

9

Pervis Estupinan

£50,000 per week

Next is left-back Pervis Estupinan, who was brought to Brighton after they sold Marc Cucurella to Chelsea.

Like a number of recent signings, Estupinan slotted straight into Brighton’s style of play, and he could be another who the club eventually sell to make a profit on. For now, he still has more than two years remaining on his contract.

8

Adam Webster

£55,000 per week

Signed from Bristol City in 2021, defender Adam Webster had featured heavily in the top flight for Brighton before struggling with injuries in recent times.

Born in Chichester, Webster has less than two years left on his Brighton deal worth just under £3m a year, so he could miss out on making 200 appearances for the club should he leave soon.

7

Danny Welbeck

£60,000 per week

Picking up £60,000 a week is Danny Welbeck, who actually joined on a free transfer in 2020 on an initial 12-month deal.

As we know, Welbeck ended up extending his stay with the Seagulls and has proven to be an influential experienced attacker for Brighton following his time at Manchester United and Arsenal. His current deal at the Amex expires next summer.

6

James Milner

£60,000 per week

James Milner’s Brighton contract expires at the end of the season. The midfielder is now 39 years of age and is actually closing in on the all-time Premier League appearance record.

He’s been with Brighton since 2023 after leaving Liverpool, so perhaps he could extend his stay for another year looking for that appearance record.

5

Mats Wieffer

£60,000 per week

Brighton splashed the cash to sign midfielder Mats Wieffer in 2024, with the player becoming Feyenoord’s most expensive departure of all time.

The Netherlands international signed a five-year deal at the Amex and looks set to be a regular under Hurzeler, picking up more than £15m until 2029.

4

Georginio Rutter

£75,000 per week

Georginio Rutter is Brighton’s most expensive signing of all time, triggering his Leeds United release clause with hours remaining in 2024.

A deal for the Frenchman cost around £40m, and Rutter has shown his quality in the final third in the Premier League. He’s under contract until 2028 but isn’t the top earner on the south coast.

3

Lewis Dunk

£80,000 per week

Lewis Dunk has seen it all with Brighton after first joining as a youngster. He has been a first-team player since 2010, helping the club win promotion to the Championship in 2011 and the Premier League six years later.

Now an England international, Dunk is closing in on 500 appearances for the Seagulls and has seen his wage sky-rocket over the past 15 years.

2

Kaoru Mitoma

£80,000 per week

Japan international Kaoru Mitoma has been a real success story at Brighton, catching the eye with his impressive displays out wide since 2021.

As a result, he was being linked with an exit but decided to sign a new contract with the Seagulls in 2023, increasing his wage to £80,000 a week in the process.

1

Ferdi Kadioglu

£87,500 per week

Brighton won the race to sign versatile full-back Ferdi Kadioglu from Fenerbahce in 2024, with the Turkey international signing a four-year deal.

He impressed at Euro 2024, helping his nation to the quarter-finals, and is picking up more than £4.5m per season at the Amex where he will be hoping to repay the £25m fee the Seagulls forked out.

Ashley Young has been tipped to be a "really good acquisition" by Stuart Pearce as the Premier League legend has hit free agency after ending his contract at Everton. The English defender finds himself on the lookout for a new club and Wrexham have been tipped as a potential destination, as he is not entertaining retirement just yet.

• Young is currently a free agent
• Wrexham could make move for full-back
• Could face competition from Watford

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Once known for his explosive pace and attacking flair as a winger, Young has gradually transitioned into a more defensive role over the years. His time at Manchester United and Aston Villa showcased his adaptability, and at Everton, he operated primarily as a full-back, often using his wealth of experience to good effect.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  One of the clubs reportedly showing serious interest in the free agent is Wrexham. Backed by Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the Welsh side has been on a meteoric rise, achieving three straight promotions and are now preparing to compete in the Championship. With an ambitious project underway and a clear desire to bring top-flight experience into the fold, Wrexham could represent an attractive option for Young.

• WHAT PEARCE SAID

  Pearce was speaking to , who offer the latest football odds, and said: “I worked with Ashley Young at Under-21 level. I know how valued he was. I've been at Everton with David Moyes this year just to watch training and I know the value that Ash had within the ranks."

  The former England Under-21 coach also praised Young’s fitness, positional flexibility and football IQ.

  "He's physically fit. He plays the games. I think he'd be a really good acquisition for someone like Wrexham," he claimed. "I really do, because he's got the ability to play either full-back or further up the pitch. He's got the intelligence as well to maybe even play in a central midfield role. So I think he'd be a really good acquisition.”

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  Young began his professional career at Watford and has reportedly caught the attention of his former club, who are now keen to bring him back to Vicarage Road. Despite his age, Watford are said to have no reservations about his ability to contribute, especially given his recent Premier League minutes. Talks are believed to be progressing between the two parties, with Young open to the possibility of closing out his illustrious career where it all began.

The two-tier system, of six franchise teams and 15 provincial affiliates, will remain in place with fewer matches

Firdose Moonda25-Mar-2020South African domestic cricket will face a slightly shorter 2020-21 season with a reduction of fixtures for the franchise competition as Cricket South Africa seeks to cut costs following a tough 12 months. The organisation is forecasting losses of millions of Rands after sponsor withdrawal, an inability to sell two editions’ worth of broadcast rights for the Mzansi Super League (MSL) and loss-making incoming tours in the 2018-19 summer and the pinch is being felt in the local game, which depends on CSA finances to operate.The two-tier system, of six franchise teams and 15 provincial affiliates, will remain in place with fewer matches and discussions on a possible restructure ahead of the 2021-22 season are ongoing while flagship T20 competition, the MSL is likely to continue, but may also see a curtailed fixture list.CSA, while still under suspended CEO Thabang Moroe, had initially planned to eliminate the franchise set-up for the 2020-21 season and create a domestic system of 12 teams. The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) challenged that motion in court, claiming they were not consulted about the changes and that around 70 players would lose their jobs.The matter dragged on for several months during which time Moroe was temporarily succeeded by Dr Jacques Faul, who was able to re-engage SACA. On agreement that the domestic structure would be retained for the coming summer, SCA withdrew legal action against CSA and the two parties remain in discussions about the best way to structure domestic cricket.For the 2020-21 season, the status quo largely remains. The six franchise will play a four-day first-class and fifty-over competition while the provincial teams will play three-day cricket, which will also be classified as first-class for all teams apart from Mpumalanga and Limpopo, and a fifty-over one-day competition.However, instead of each franchise playing 10 first-class and 10 fifty-over matches per season (home and away games against each of the other five teams) as was the case in previous seasons, they will be divided into two groups of three and will play seven matches each. This will include home and away matches against each of the teams in their own group, for a total of four matches, and only one match against the three teams in the other group.Both competitions will be decided by a playoff match between the top two teams in each group to decide the title. Previously, the first-class competition trophy was awarded to the team at the top of the points’ table after all 10 rounds of competition, or eight in the case of this season, with the final two rounds suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. The reduction of fixtures will enable CSA to save money on transport and accommodation costs, which is particularly important in the case of the first-class competition that has been without a sponsor for two seasons.The provincial teams remain divided into two groups of eight and seven teams and will play a single round of fixtures. They will also feature in a new 40-over knockout competition which will include the 15 provinces and the South African under-19 side. While there is no T20 competition at the provincial level, CSA will introduce a Super Club T20 competition which will be contested by the top six university teams and three teams from the community cup.South Africa’s domestic season is expected to start in September and squad and fixture lists are currently being planned. Although all cricket in the country was put on hold for 60 days last week as a response to Covid-19, CSA is hopeful that play will be possible when the summer starts, in about six months’ time. There have already been some significant player signings with Cobras’ quick Thando Ntini moving upcountry to the Titans and white-ball international Lutho Sipamla leaving the Warriors for the Lions. Final squads are expected to be released by the end of the month.