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Chelsea transfer chiefs are reportedly prepared to offer three players in exchange for a prolific striker, coming after Todd Boehly and BlueCo failed to bring in a new number nine during the summer window.

Chelsea fall short in deadline day bid for Victor Osimhen

The Blues spent around £200 million on no less than 13 new signings this summer, 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 agreeing moves to west London.

£62m Chelsea ace now "desperate" to leave with January exit "very possible"

He’s very eager to quit west London.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 19, 2024

New head coach Enzo Maresca, backed by the club’s co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, was also after a prolific new centre-forward to come in and complement his star-studded squad further.

On transfer deadline day, Chelsea made an eleventh-hour bid to sign Victor Osimhen from Napoli but were unable to agree terms with the Nigerian. Osimhen also had an offer to join Al-Ahli, with Chelsea and the Saudi Pro League side both competing for the 25-year-old in a last-gasp blockbuster transfer attempt.

Appearances

25

Goals

15

Assists

3

Shots Per 90

3.86

Key Passes Per 90

1.05

Successful Take-Ons Per 90

0.73

However, neither side could strike a full deal for Osimhen, who instead had to settle for a loan move to Turkish Süper Lig giants Galatasaray after the UK window closed. Al-Ahli ended up signing Ivan Toney from Brentford after Chelsea also made an enquiry for Toney earlier that week.

Missing out on Osimhen was a bitter blow for Maresca and Chelsea, who were pretty close to striking a last-minute agreement according to ex-midfielder and Nigeria star John Obi-Mikel.

“I know what Victor wanted, I know what the club offered him, I know where we got to, we finally got to a compromise, both sides had to compromise, I was just some little things here and there, paperwork, medical, and a few issues we just couldn’t get over the line and we didn’t have much time,” said Obi-Mikel on Osimhen’s failed Chelsea move.

“Both sides really played their part in terms of getting the deal done, and I commend Chelsea for that because I can see their ambition of where they want to take this club now and also on Victor’s side, how much he really wanted to come to the club.

“He was disappointed it didn’t happen. I spoke to him when the transfer window shut, I gave him a call, we spent 20 minutes talking, I said, ‘listen, I’m always here for you, you need to keep your head down, you need to keep working hard, keep training, I know it’s not the best situation right now but I know you’re strong’.

There is a widely-reported break clause in Osimhen’s loan deal at Galatasaray, meaning clubs could swoop in and sign him in January. Since they missed out on the African, some media sources suggest Chelsea could have a free run over signing Osimhen in 2025, but it is perhaps wise to have alternatives.

Chelsea ready to offer £144m trio in swap deal for Lautaro Martinez

According to Doble Amarilla, that man could be Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez.

The South American news outlet state that Chelsea are ready to offer a trio of players in exchange for Martinez, with Benoit Badiashile, Carney Chukwuemeka and Mykhailo Mudryk the three in question.

Badiashile (£35m), Mudryk (£89m) and Chukwuemeka (£20m) cost around £144 million combined, but it appears the club are ready to ship out all three to bring in Martinez, following a prolific few years with the Nerazzurri.

The £270,000-per-week Argentine international, who helped Inter to a Serie A title last season with 24 goals and three assists in the league alone, has also been called “sensational” by Man City boss Pep Guardiola and tipped for the Ballon d’Or.

It hasn't been the start to the Premier League season that fans of Tottenham Hotspur would have been hoping for over the summer.

Ange Postecoglou's side have played some brilliant football in their three games thus far, but a lack of clinical finishing has seen them draw away to Leicester City, win at home to Everton and then lose away to Newcastle United.

The Australian coach will need his attacking players to find their shooting boots ahead of this weekend's North London Derby, and while the team's defence was quite porous last season, there is undeniable quality there.

The main starters across the backline are some of the club's most valuable players, especially one of them who has seen his valuation soar in the last year or so.

Spurs' defensive stars

Okay, so the first thing to point out is that yes, Spurs did concede 61 times last season, and while that would suggest that their defence is subpar, most fans will tell you that's not the case.

1

Arsenal

29

2

Manchester City

34

3

Liverpool

41

4

Manchester United

58

5

Chelsea

63

6

Tottenham Hotspur

61

Instead, the North Londoners' tendency to concede is more down to the ultra-attacking style of football employed by Postecoglou and his determination to play a high-line as well, and while that's caused issues at the back, it has also made Tottenham one of the most entertaining sides to watch in the country.

So, let's look at the value of some of the club's primary defenders, starting with Pedro Porro, who, after joining the club for around £40m in January 2023, has established himself as one of the best attacking fullbacks in the league.

In his 57 matches for the club, he has already racked up eight goals and ten assists, equating to a seriously impressive average – for a fullback – of a goal involvement once every 3.16 games.

Moving onto the Lilywhites' starting centre-back pairing, while Radu Dragusin is a talented player, he's firmly behind Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

The former cost Daniel Levy and Co a cool £43m just last summer, and while he has suffered from a worrying number of injuries in his career, his rapid pace makes him an essential component to Postecoglou's ultra-aggressive style of play.

Romero, on the other hand, cost Spurs just a fraction less at £42m, and made the move from Serie A side Atalanta in August 2021. While the World Cup winner isn't quite as fast as his defensive partner, he is the team's leader at the back and is co-vice captain alongside James Maddison.

Moreover, with Lionel Messi describing the Córdoba-born titan as the "best defender in the world", it would be fair to say that he might just be the most crucial member of Tottenham's back four.

However, the last player in this group is currently worth considerably more than the club paid for any of his defensive teammates, and it's not even close.

Destiny Udogie's valuation in 2024

Yes, the final key member of Tottenham's talented back four is, of course, Destiny Udogie, who was signed from Serie A outfit Udinese by Antonio Conte's Spurs in the summer of 2022 for just £15m plus add-ons.

The Verona-born star then remained in his home country for another season on loan before joining the North Londoners just as Postecoglou was doing the same.

The Australian took a liking to the 21-year-old's fearless style of play and attacking attributes and, even though he was a relative unknown to most football fans in England at the time, opted to make him his first-choice left-back – and what a decision that was.

In all, Conte's "masterclass signing," as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, made 30 appearances last season. In those appearances, he scored two goals, provided three assists, and became Tottenham's first player ever to be nominated for the Premier League's Young Player of the Season Award.

Unsurprisingly, such a rapid development from an obscure name to one of the best full-backs in the league has seen his valuation soar. According to the CIES Football Observatory, he is now worth up to €83m, which converts to about £70m, or a 366% increase on the fee paid by the club two years ago.

Ultimately, Spurs are blessed with a seriously talented back four, and while they are all worth a considerable sum of money, the explosion in Udogie's value is a testament to his importance to the club.

Spurs flop who Poch sold for just £8m is now outscoring Richarlison

The international striker has rediscovered his goalscoring touch away from North London.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 10, 2024

Jobe Bellingham may get the chance to grace the Premier League before brother Jude, with the Sunderland midfielder attracting top-flight interest.

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Teenager starring for Black CatsLinked with January moves elsewhereFollowing in famous brother's footstepsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

At just 19 years of age, highly-rated playmaker Bellingham continues to see his stock rise at the Stadium of Light. There has already been talk of him potentially following in Jude’s footsteps by linking up with Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund.

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With another transfer window now open, claims that Jobe is also registering on Crystal Palace's radar. Any deal there would not come cheap, with Bellingham said to be carrying a £20 million ($25m) price tag.

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Palace, though, do have history when it comes to prising talent out of the EFL. They splashed out £22m ($28m) when luring Adam Wharton away from Blackburn in January 2024 and have previously invested in the potential of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise – who were on the books at QPR and Reading respectively before heading to south London.

WHAT NEXT?

Jobe has recorded four goals and three assists through 23 appearances this season. He is helping to keep Sunderland in the hunt for promotion back into the Premier League – as they sit fourth in the Championship – and is tied to a contract through to the summer of 2028.

Liverpool are reportedly close to reaching an agreement with Mohamed Salah over an extension with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2025.

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• Salah close to Liverpool contract extension
• Offered two-year deal
• Money 'never been problem' in talks

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Salah has been the best forward to grace Liverpool's attacking line since the departure of Luis Suarez in 2014, and could be considered their best player in the Premier League era. However, the Egyptian's contract is set to end in the summer of 2025 and there has been much speculation over his future.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As per , Liverpool are now 'on the brink' of tying Salah down to an extension. The club's top brass were initially only willing to extend Salah's contract by one year, but his representative, Rammy Abbas, informed Liverpool he wanted his client to have a three-year deal. A compromise has seemingly been reached over a two-year contract, with money never thought to be the sticking point in negotiations.

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Salah remains as a important player for Liverpool as ever, best evidenced by his 13 goals and eight assists in 14 Premier League games this season. In 370 games for the Reds, he has scored 226 goals and won two League Cups, the FA Cup, the Premier League, and the Champions League.

• WHAT NEXT FOR SALAH?

  Salah is expected to be in action next when the Reds take on Girona in the Champions League on Tuesday, December 10 as Arne Slot's men look to keep up their winning run in Europe.

حرص لاعب فريق ليفربول، داروين نونيز، على تجاهل جماهير النادي الإنجليزي في ظل الانتقادات المواجهة ضده، خاصة خلال الموسم الحالي.

ويُعد داروين نونيز أكثر لاعبي فريق ليفربول تعرضًا للانتقادات من جانب جماهير النادي، في ظل سوء مستواه وإهداره الكثير من الفرص السهلة للتسجيل.

واشتدت حدة الانتقادات ضد نونيز بعدما أهدر ركلة ترجيح خلال مباراة ليفربول وباريس سان جيرمان، في إياب دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا.

واكتفى نونيز بتسجيل 7 أهداف وصناعة مثلهم في 42 مباراة في مختلف المسابقات ذلك الموسم.

اقرأ أيضًا.. بن فوستر لـ محمد صلاح وفان دايك وأرنولد: لا تكذبوا بشأن مستقبلكم مع ليفربول

وارتبط نونيز أكثر من مرة بخطوة الرحيل عن صفوف ليفربول، وانتقاله إلى نادِ آخر، خاصة الدوري السعودي.

ورغم كثرة انتقادات جماهير ليفربول ضد نونيز، إلا أن الأخير تجاهل كل ذلك من خلال تغريدته عبر حسابه الشخصي بموقع تويتر.

ونشر نونيز مقطع فيديو عبر حسابه الشخصي بموقع إكس يضم أبرز لقطاته مع ليفربول ومنتخب أوروجواي.

وكتب ونيز: “ليس المهم عدد مرات سقوطي، بل عدد مرات نهوضي”.

“It’s not about how many times I fall. It’s about how many times I rise” pic.twitter.com/FWAG7tN9Tf — Darwin Núñez (@Darwinn99) April 8, 2025

 

Reece James has been subjected to cruel insults by fans after Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca confirmed his latest injury setback.

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• James sidelined with hamstring injury
• Has played just four times this season
• Fans urge James to hang boots up

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Maresca has revealed that James will miss this weekend's clash against Leicester after sustaining a hamstring issue in training. As a result, the ex-Foxes boss says that he is unwilling to risk the right-back, who has only made four appearances this season. He was initially suspended for the first three fixtures of the campaign but was also battling a hamstring injury, and only returned in October. Last season, he made just 11 appearances as he again struggled with hamstring issues, and was forced to undergo surgery.

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• Getty
  

  WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  @EiiScanty said: "It's sad. Great talent gone."

  @Iamhbozz added: "He needs to retire."

  @LullabyWeb3 said: "At this point, he should just retire, he won't be able to walk."

  @TheMahleek added: "Nah, he's so done. This is sad."

  @WillReyner joked: "He'll be back in April 2025 then. Seen this a million times."

  @Half_cast01 concluded: "Bro might be made of glass."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Since the 2019-20 season, James has spent a remarkable amount of time in the treatment room, missing 129 games across the last six seasons. Now, that tally is set to reach at least 130.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  After facing Leicester, Chelsea play Heidenheim in the Europa Conference League and then meet Aston Villa in the Premier League. It remains to be seen if James will be able to play in either of those fixtures.

Celtic kick off their 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign next week as they prepare to take on Kilmarnock in Glasgow on the opening day of the season.

The Hoops have had plenty of time to make additions to their squad during the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business last month, but have done little work to the group.

Brendan Rodgers has swooped to add two new goalkeepers to his options, with Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo brought in on permanent deals, after Joe Hart retired at the end of last term.

The Scottish giants are also reportedly set to complete a deal to sign Portuguese central midfielder Paulo Bernardo, after his loan spell at Parkhead last season.

Celtic have been linked with swoops for Royal Antwerp forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Burnley defender Dara O'Shea on top of their deal for Bernardo.

This suggests that there is plenty of work going on behind the scenes to get more deals over the line before the summer transfer window slams shut at the end of next month.

Further to this, the Bhoys are now reportedly interested in adding another defender to their ranks to compete for a spot in the team next season.

Celtic's interest in Premier League starlet

According to BBC Sport's Nick Mashiter, Celtic are eyeing up a swoop to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Hugo Bueno this summer.

The reporter claims that the Hoops are pushing to secure a deal for the Spanish dynamo to bolster their options at the back and provide Greg Taylor with serious competition for his place in the side.

He adds that the two clubs are now in discussions over a potential deal to take the full-back to Glasgow before the end of the window, but they have yet to reach an agreement.

Mashiter states that Celtic were also interested in signing Bueno on loan during the January transfer window earlier this year, as they failed to convince the Premier League side to part ways with him.

The Premiership champions are now hoping that it is second time lucky in their pursuit of the Spain U21 international as they look to make outfield additions before the clash with Kilmarnock next week.

However, it still remains to be seen whether or not Wolves are prepared to send the 21-year-old defender out on loan for the upcoming season, despite being the second-choice left-back to Rayan Ait-Nouri at the Molineux.

Celtic could land a dream partner for current winger Luis Palma down the left flank if they can get a deal for Bueno finalised in the coming weeks.

Luis Palma's mixed success at Celtic

The Honduras international was signed from Greek side Aris FC last summer and endured a frustrating first season in Glasgow, as his early-campaign form derailed in the second half of the term.

Palma caught the eye with five goals and nine assists in his first 16 outings in the Premiership for the Hoops, which may have got supporters excited about what the rest of the season had in store for him.

Unfortunately, though, the left winger's form fell off a cliff as he followed that up with two goals and zero assists in 12 appearances in the Scottish top-flight after the turn of the year.

His lack of natural athleticism let him down at times as the forward did not have the pace or power to sustain his form and provide a constant threat down the flank.

Despite that, Palma still ended the 2023/24 campaign with a respectable return of 16 direct goal contributions in 28 league appearances for the Hoops.

Appearances

28

Starts

18

Goals

7

Big chances created

14

Chances created

67

Assists

9

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old star does have the quality to provide a threat as a scorer and a creator of goals when at his best.

Cutting in on his favoured right foot from the left wing, Palma can fire in shots from distance to test opposition goalkeepers or put teasing deliveries in for his teammates to have efforts on goal.

It is now down to Rodgers and his coaching team to get the best out of Palma once again and the signing of Bueno could help to do just that.

Why Hugo Bueno could help Luis Palma

The 21-year-old dynamo could help the Honduras international on the wing due to his energetic and athletic displays from a left-back position.

Bueno likes to burst forward from a defensive position to drive his team up the pitch by using his power, speed, and carrying ability to be a progressive force for his side.

The £10k-per-week whiz, who Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs hailed as "exciting", ranked within the top 24% of full-backs in the Premier League for progressive carries per 90 (2.67) and the top 22% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.97) last season.

He also ranked within the top 8% for progressive carries per 90 (3.57) and the top 19% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.96) in the top-flight during the 2022/23 campaign for Wolves.

This suggests that he could drive Celtic up the pitch from a left-back position and provide athleticism and speed down the wing, which would take the pressure off Palma in that respect – freeing up the forward to focus on his talent in the final third.

Appearances

15

49

48

Goals

1

4

1

Assists

3

10

1

As you can see in the table above, Bueno also has the potential to provide an attacking threat as a creative ace based on his form at youth level for Wolves.

He has yet to translate his ability to chip in with assists to first-team level but a move to the Premiership with Celtic in a dominant side could help him to do just that.

This could then cause opposition defences to be wary of his threat at the top end of the pitch and pay extra attention to him out wide, which could then open up more space for Palma to cut in and do damage on his right foot.

Celtic once released "world-class" star who's now worth as much as O'Riley

The Hoops had a howler when they allowed the talented youngster to move on from Parkhead.

ByDan Emery Jul 25, 2024

Therefore, Bueno could be an ideal signing to come in and play alongside the former Aris forward in the Premiership for the Hoops next season.

Avesh Khan, Umran Malik, Harshal Patel, Lukman Meriwala, Venkatesh Iyer, Karn Sharma, Shahbaz Ahmed and K Gowtham to join team bubble too

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2021Shardul Thakur has replaced Axar Patel in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2021. Axar, meanwhile, joins the list of stand-by players for the squad, along with Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar. The BCCI also said eight players would additionally be joining the team’s bubble in Dubai to “assist Team India in their preparations” for the tournament. These are: Avesh Khan, Umran Malik, Harshal Patel, Lukman Meriwala, Venkatesh Iyer, Karn Sharma, Shahbaz Ahmed and K Gowtham.Related

• Can MS Dhoni help Virat Kohli clinch elusive global title in T20I captaincy swansong?

• Bhuvneshwar's form a concern? 'Not at all, his experience will be priceless' says Kohli

• Avesh Khan wants to be a bowler who can produce what his captain wants

• T20 World Cup prize money: Title winners to get $1.6 million

• Why Rahul Chahar and not Chahal in T20 WC squad?

The T20 World Cup will be played primarily in the UAE – where IPL 2021 is also currently in progress – with some games of the preliminary stage in Oman.Thakur has had a good IPL season with Chennai Super Kings, who finished second in the league and the won the first qualifier against Delhi Capitals to reach the final. He has picked up 13 wickets in the UAE leg of the tournament, joint third in the period. His strikes have been at key moments, which is reflected in a Smart Wickets tally of 17.5, narrowly behind Yuzvendra Chahal’s chart-topping 17.62. He hasn’t had much opportunity to bat, but he was sent up the order at No. 4 in the qualifier against Capitals, with a view to utilising his ball-striking capacity. He, however, fell for a first-ball duck.Thakur could slot into the seam-bowling allrounder role for the Indian team, currently with Hardik Pandya. However, Hardik didn’t bowl during the IPL, and if he’s unable to do so in the T20 World Cup too, Thakur could be in line to fill that void.Axar has also had a good IPL overall and in the UAE leg, being particularly impressive with his economy rate. He has likely been moved to the reserves since Ravindra Jadeja would be the first-choice pick for left-arm fingerspinning allrounder in the team, and Axar provides an almost like-for-like option. Should Jadeja be injured or unavailable, Axar will come into the main squad.Umran Malik is currently at the top of the list for the fastest ball bowled in IPL 2021, clocking one at 153kph•BCCI

Apart from the reserves, the eight players who are going to be part of the Indian team’s bubble and help with preparations are mostly pure bowlers. Venkatesh Iyer is the only one whose primary suit is not bowling, although he could well be an additional cover for the seam-bowling allrounder’s spot. Among the rest, Avesh, Malik, Harshal and Shahbaz have all been involved in the IPL and have achieved varying degrees of success.Avesh has had a sterling season with Capitals, being entrusted with the tough overs in the powerplay and at the death, and has picked up 23 wickets in 15 games. The value of those wickets has been extremely high, as a Smart Wickets tally of 30.08 for the season shows. Harshal has topped the wicket chart with a record-equalling 32 strikes, successfully donning the role of a death-overs bowler for Royal Challengers Bangalore.Malik turned heads with his ability to generate searing pace, and is currently at the top of the list for the fastest ball bowled in IPL 2021, clocking one at 153kph. Shahbaz was used as a utility player by Royal Challengers, chipping in with his left-arm spin and handy batting.The trio of Meriwala, Karn and Gowtham haven’t played a match in the UAE leg of IPL 2021. However, their teams – Capitals for Meriwala and Super Kings for Karn and Gowtham – finished in the top two of the league stages.

Striker in his element as he surpassed Neymar in the all-time scoring charts with his 43rd and 44th strikes in Europe's top competition

Erling Haaland lives for Champions League nights and he must have been licking his lips when he saw Sparta Prague were coming to town.

The Norwegian took full advantage of the opposition's lack of quality in a 5-0 thumping, scoring an outrageous backheeled volley after Phil Foden had given City an early lead.

John Stones used his head as a deadly weapon for the second game in a row before Haaland lashed home his second for his 44th goal in the Champions League, taking him ahead of Neymar in the all-time scoring charts and level with Didier Drogba.

Mathues Nunes completed the rout by slotting in a late penalty, piling more pain on the sorry Czechs. GOAL rates Man City's players from the Etihad Stadium…

• Goalkeeper & Defence

  Stefan Ortega (6/10):

  Only had one save to make but did well to tip away Veljko Birmancevic's strike when City were only 1-0 up.

  John Stones (7/10):

  Played in a very advanced position in a throwback to two seasons ago and showed his heading prowess for the second game in a row.

  Manuel Akanji (6/10):

  Pushed up high and was occasionally caught out but his positioning also saw him feed Foden.

  Nathan Ake (6/10):

  Used his strength effectively. Had a goal ruled out for handball.

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• Midfield

  Rico Lewis (7/10):

  Popped up all over the pitch, always making the right decision.

  Ilkay Gundogan (6/10):

  Did a lot of orchestrating but occasionally was too ponderous in possession.

  Matheus Nunes (7/10):

  Gave another demonstration of his steady improvement with a confident performance, setting up Stones' header with an arching cross before winning and converting a penalty.

  Bernardo Silva (7/10)

  His seamless passing ensured City had total control.

• Attack

  Savinho (8/10):

  Ran the visitors ragged down the right wing, destroying opponents while also slowing down in time for his team-mates to join the attack.

  Erling Haaland (9/10):

  Looked dangerous from start to finish, having eight goal attempts with just 12 touches when he scored his first goal in obscene fashion. His second wasn't bad either but will be disappointed he wasn't on the pitch when the penalty was awarded.

  Phil Foden (7/10):

  Approaching his best form after an injury-disrupted start to the season. Took his goal superbly and was a constant headache for the visitors between the lines.

• Subs & Manager

  James McAtee (6/10):

  Got on the ball a lot in his 21 minutes on the pitch.

  Mateo Kovacic (5/10):

  Had a very simple job to do when he came on with City 4-0 up.

  Josko Gvardiol (5/10):

  Didn't have to over exert himself.

  Ruben Dias (5/10):

  Enjoyed a 16-minute stroll.

  Nico O'Reilly (N/A):

  Made his Champions League debut in 81st minute and was a fraction too slow to mark it by scoring.

  Pep Guardiola (7/10):

  Looked furious with first half performance but must be pleased with the second-half blitz.

With the wicket of BJ Watling in Hamiton, James Anderson became England’s leading international wicket-taker and the ‘dream’ is still sinking in

Andrew McGlashan19-Feb-2013When James Anderson last played in New Zealand during the 2008 tour any talk of him becoming a record-breaking England bowler would have sounded extremely far-fetched. After a sparkling start to his international career in 2003 injury, lack of form and some misguided attempts to change his action had repeatedly interrupted his career.His Test match average stood at its highest point – 39.20 – and he had just come off the back of a one-day series against New Zealand where his four wickets cost 67.50 with an economy rate of over seven an over. Then, in Wellington, Matthew Hoggard’s Test career was ended with his omission and Anderson took his place.Five years later and he is part of a constant debate of where he sits among the world’s leading pace bowlers. The consensus is that Dale Steyn pips him – and watching Steyn on recent form does not leave much room for debate – but to be vying for second spot behind him is certainly a notable place to sit.On Sunday, in Hamilton, with his sixth ball in competitive cricket since the Test series against India before Christmas, Anderson became England’s leading international wicket-taker when he bowled BJ Watling with a wonderful inswinger – a worthy delivery to claim a record. It is a slightly contrived landmark, adding together all three formats, none the less one that highlights Anderson’s rise to one of England’s finest bowlers even if globally he remains some way down the list.”It’s a huge honour,” Anderson said. “Overtaking someone like Ian Botham is a massive achievement for me, and I’m very proud of it. It is hard to believe, and I also still can’t believe I’ve been playing for 10 years.”It’s still all a bit of a dream come true, and I’m delighted to be still here playing – and I hope I can keep taking wickets for years to come.”Anderson’s wickets have been more evenly spread than Botham’s between the two traditional formats – currently 288 in Tests and 223 in ODIs, with Twenty20 chipping in 18 – a sign of the volume of one-day cricket played during Anderson’s career and that his Test career went through that reasonably prolonged dip from 2004-2007.Anderson has Botham’s English Test record of 383 wickets in his sights. He needs another 96 to overtake the mark. There is a strong chance of him claiming the 12 he requires for 300 during the forthcoming series against New Zealand. If he averages four wickets per Test (marginally higher than his current ratio of 3.74, although that has risen to 3.96 since his recall in 2008) during the 22 matches scheduled from now until August 2014 he will be very close.”If I stay fit for long enough and play for long enough, I think I can,” was Anderson’s simple response. “I hope then the wickets will just tot up and I can look back at them fondly at the end of my career.”Of more immediate importance for Anderson is leading the attack in the remaining two one-day internationals and shaking off his winter rust ahead of the Test matches. It was a testament to Anderson’s skill that his first over in Hamilton, which brought the wicket of Watling, was of such high quality after a two-month lay-off and no warm-up matches.But his lack of recent bowling did show towards the end of the match as he dropped too short in his ninth over and Brendon McCullum latched onto him and carried his team to victory.”Obviously there are things we need to work on,” he admitted. “I thought we bowled well up front but were then probably a little bit rusty when it came down to the later overs. So that’s something we’re trying to brush up on. It’s tricky not having that match practice before a series. But we have to cope with that these days.”Anderson’s break during the India one-day series was part of the rotation system England are now using in an attempt to keep key players fresh ahead of a hectic 2013 and beyond. So far, unlike Australia, England’s management have largely kept rotation as part of the limited-overs formats although have used it occasionally in Tests.Anderson missed the 2010 tour of Bangladesh (along with Andrew Strauss) then Stuart Broad was given downtime for the return visit later that year with both decisions taken with a view to the 2010-11 Ashes. It worked for Anderson, who claimed 24 wickets down under, but less so for Broad who has battled frequent injuries over the last two years. Anderson and Broad were also pulled out of the final Test against West Indies, at Edgbaston, last year after England had wrapped up the series.With five matches across two series against New Zealand, followed by the Champions Trophy and back-to-back Ashes it is possible that someone, most likely one of the fast bowlers, could be rested again during the home visit of New Zealand.”I think it’s one way to prolong your career,” Anderson said. “The rotation system has worked pretty well so far; the players have been pretty happy with it. Obviously you want to play as much cricket as you can, because you’re not going to play forever. But the management, who make these decisions, have got our best interests at heart.”But with records in sight, and Anderson in the prime of his career, his phlegmatic attitude towards watching others claim wickets for England, particularly with the red ball, will be tested.