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Clear and sunny weather awaits the teams in Dublin after the first T20I was cut short by rain

Srinidhi Ramanujam19-Aug-20232:01

Takeaways: Is Bumrah World Cup ready?

Big picture – India batters will want a proper hitJasprit Bumrah’s comeback was the main talking point in the rain-hit opening T20I in Malahide, but now the focus quickly shifts to the batters from the two sides.India batted 41 balls with openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal consuming 39 of those before rain stopped play. The likes of Gaikwad, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson will be keen to make noteworthy performances, if they get a chance, with an eye on the next T20 World Cup that is less than a year away. Among them, Samson – who is also in contention for the Asia Cup – will want to impress the selectors with the squad to be announced on Monday.Related

Bumrah and Prasidh's promising comebacks good news for India's World Cup plans

Jasprit Bumrah strikes twice in first over on his comeback

India finish just ahead of Ireland in rain-hit contest

For Ireland, it was the lower order that helped them to a modest 139 in the first T20I. The top six, which scored just 64 runs between them with Curtis Campher scoring 39 of them, will have to step up against the quality Indian bowling on Sunday if they want to level the series. Andrew Balbirnie, Paul Stirling and Lorcan Tucker were all among runs in the T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier in July and will be expected to put up a fight here.Form guideIreland LLWWW
India WLWWLIn the spotlight – Gaikwad and McCarthyRuturaj Gaikwad survived a mix-up with Jaiswal in the second over of the chase to remain unbeaten on 19 before rain stopped play. He had a successful IPL season where he scored 590 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 147. With the team management making him the captain for the Asian Games, scheduled for September end, Gaikwad will be hoping to get some big scores before heading to the tournament.1:16

Bishnoi: Can’t take Ireland lightly in T20s

Barry McCarthy provided a reminder of his batting prowess in the opener, scoring an unbeaten 51 off 33 from No. 8 to lift Ireland from 59 for 6. The allrounder had also finished as the joint-second-highest wicket-taker for Ireland with nine wickets from five matches in the recent T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier.Team news – will India continue with Arshdeep?Ireland are unlikely to make changes to their playing XI despite the loss in the first game.Ireland (possible XI): 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Andrew Balbirnie, 3 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 4 Harry Tector, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Mark Adair, 8 Barry McCarthy, 9 Craig Young, 10 Josh Little, 11 Ben WhiteArshdeep Singh hasn’t been as effective of late as he had been in the first bit of his international career, though there was the 3 for 38 in the win over West Indies in the fourth T20I. But he returned 1 for 35 in the first T20I against Ireland – and gave away 22 in the final over as McCarthy smashed two sixes and a four – and India do have Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar in their line up.India (possible XI): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Rinku Singh, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Arshdeep Singh/Avesh Khan, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Jasprit Bumrah (capt), 11 Prasidh Krishna.Pitch and conditionsThe average first-innings score in T20Is in Malahide is 161. Teams batting first have lost 10 out of 17 T20Is here. It is expected to be sunny and pleasant throughout the day.Stats and trivia Balbirnie has scored 286 runs in 13 T20Is at a strike rate of 138.8 in Dublin, the most for a batter at this venue. Only six times have India won a men’s T20I by a margin of fewer than five runs. Two of those have come against Ireland in their previous two meetings.Quotes”Ireland have been playing well, you can’t say that any team is big or small in T20 cricket. In this format, in one over everything can change, just like the last over in this game. If those two wickets didn’t fall, there would be a difference of 10-12 runs. It was because of Sanju and Ruturaj we finished the match. So Ireland have been doing well in this format.”

The father of one Celtic transfer target has launched a jab at Scottish football, labelling it an “intermediate” step for his son.

Celtic miss out on late deals

Brendan Rodgers side may well be well clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership, but they remained active in the January transfer window.

Kyogo Furuhashi departed to join Rennes, which left the Scottish giants needing to replace the forward before the window slammed shut. After failing with several offers to sign a new forward, they ultimately opted to re-sign Jota, with the 25-year-old joining from the same side that Kyogo joined.

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Feb 14, 2025

He has already marked his return with two goals and an assist in three Scottish Premiership outings, hitting the ground running at his former stomping ground and beginning to pay back his transfer fee at Celtic Park. But that move hasn’t gone down well in all quarters.

Strelec's father reacts to failed transfer

Before they signed Jota, one player that Celtic made a move for was Slovan Bratislava talent David Strelec, who has found the net 11 times in 19 games so far this season and who had caught the eye of Rodgers’ side.

They made an offer to sign the forward, but it was knocked back by the Slovakian side as it was deemed to be too low, and Celtic ultimately moved onto other targets before landing Jota.

Appearances

19

Goals

11

Assists

3

Minutes per goal involvement

83.5

And now Strelec’s father has revealed just what happened, and how it left both him and his son fuming.

“You know, when I heard about Celtic’s interest, I was thrilled”, he explained. “I was there at Slovan’s first match in the Champions League, whole families were sitting there, old and young, amazing atmosphere. I would have loved to see him there. He has made great progress since the Euro, he is doing well, he is scoring goals. But the decision about his transfer was made higher up.

“Celtic’s bid of 9.5m Euros? [£7.9m] That didn’t help either. Unfortunately, that’s how it is. But none of us knows the exact details of the contract or how the installments or bonuses were set. Maybe Slovan wanted to get it all at once, that’s why the club decided against it. It’s probably pointless to get into it.”

However, his further comments will not go down well with fans either side of the Old Firm divide, with Strelec adding that Scotland was just a two-team league and an “intermediate step” for his son.

“I watched the Celtic game over the weekend, everyone knows that the Scottish competition is about two clubs, but it could have been a good intermediate step for David. But there are things you simply can’t influence. It turned out the way it turned out. We’ll see what happens in the summer. My son will continue to perform well, I’m sure of that.

“It was beyond my control. They have invested a lot in David over the years, although some would say he’s already paid it back. I guess they know what they’re doing. My son will continue to perform well and be professional and in the summer… who knows?”

If Celtic go back in for the Slovakian, he will have some work to do to win over the Parkhead faithful.

da stake casino： Chelsea have endured somewhat of a drop-off in recent weeks under Enzo Maresca, failing to live up to the early standards he set for himself in the early stages of his time at Stamford Bridge.

da spicy bet： The Italian only lost two of his first 10 Premier League matches at the helm, looking as though they could be in an unexpected title battle at one stage.

However, their form has taken a turn for the worse over the last few weeks, losing four of the last eight matches, seeing them slip to sixth place and sitting behind Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.

Injuries have undoubtedly contributed to the recent decline, with seven first-team members currently sitting on the sidelines and unable to aid the manager in his attempts to secure Champions League football.

Maresca has still been able to rely on one player who’s been the shining light in West London since his big money to the club a couple of years ago.

Cole Palmer’s stats for Chelsea in 2024/25

After his £40m move from Manchester City in the summer of 2023, Cole Palmer had an immediate impact for the Blues, registering 25 goals and 15 assists in his debut year in West London.

Such a record has made the Englishman’s task of matching such a tally this time around that little bit harder, but he’s already produced numerous moments of magic that have taken the division by storm once again.

The 22-year-old has already scored 14 times during the ongoing campaign, whilst also registering six assists for his teammates – with his combined tally the highest in the first-team squad.

His best performance undoubtedly came in the 4-2 thrashing of Brighton and Hove Albion, with Palmer scoring all four in the first half, becoming the first player in the division’s history to achieve such a feat.

Despite his excellent form under Maresca, the club may have allowed the next version of the superstar to slip through their net – making a mistake in allowing him to depart the club.

The player who could’ve been Chelsea’s next Palmer

Living up to the high standards set by Palmer is no easy feat, something which no player currently at the Bridge has managed this season given his tally of contributions.

However, the thought of having another version of the England international is a scary prospect, but one that unfortunately won’t come to reality after letting Tyler Dibling slip through their net.

The 18-year-old, who is currently starring for Southampton in the Premier League, was brought for £1.5m by the Blues back in the summer of 2022 – but it would be a move that was short-lived.

After making just two appearances for the academy, he would return to the Saints after failing to settle, with the Blues potentially living to regret their decision not to make the teenager more at home when they had the opportunity.

He’s since developed into a key member of their first team in 2024/25, making 21 appearances in the league and scoring twice – leading to journalist Eduardo Hagn labelling the talent as “outrageous”.

Dibling possesses very similar traits to Palmer, with the pair both left-footed and operating off the right-hand side and cutting onto their stronger foot after gliding past the opposition.

How Dibling compares to Palmer in the Premier League (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Dibling

Palmer

Games played

21

25

Goals & assists

2

20

Shot-on-target accuracy

39%

39%

Progressive carries

3.8

3.3

Carries into final third

2.8

2.1

Pass accuracy

78%

75%

Take-ons completed

2.1

1.3

Stats via FBref

As seen by their figures from 2024/25, the Saints star has matched or bettered Palmer in numerous key areas, highlighting the quality he brings, possessing the ability to become even better given his tender age.

Whilst there was not much the club could’ve done to stand in his way at such a young age, his development away from the Bridge appears to have rubbed salt into the wounds – demonstrating what they could’ve had.

Unfortunately for the fans and Maresca, Dibling will always remain a case of what could’ve been, with the hierarchy now having to pay a fee in the region of £55m if they were to bring him back to West London in the coming months.

Related Chelsea must rue selling "Messi of goalkeepers" who’s better than Sanchez

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Posts 2 ByConnor Holden Feb 20, 2025

A stunning onslaught from captain Leus du Plooy lifted Derbyshire Falcons to a thrilling six-wicket Vitality Blast win over Birmingham Bears at Edgbaston.After the Bears piled up 203 for 7, du Plooy smashed an unbeaten 66 from 25 balls to see his side to 207 for 4 with three balls to spare.Sam Hain’s unbeaten 79 from 36 balls in the Bears innings contained some breathtaking hitting but was trumped by du Plooy’s masterclass.After openers Luis Reece (57) and Haider Ali (48) added 96 in ten overs to set the perfect foundation for the big run chase, du Plooy built a memorable victory on it with an exhilarating display of hitting which brought him five sixes and four fours.England all-rounder Chris Woakes was socked for 51 in his four overs as the Falcons side completed a quickfire double over the Bears and handed them their third successive defeat.The first half of the Bears innings did not go to their plan after they chose to bat. Rob Yates made a perky 21 but leg-spinner Mattie McKiernan bowled potential big-hitters Moeen Ali and Glenn Maxwell through indeterminate shots before they could inflict any damage and also castled Alex Davies for a sketchy 26.Hain batted beautifully but needed support and found it from Dan Mousley and, after Mousley was bowled through a lap by Zak Chappell, from Woakes, who transformed the innings with 23 from 11 balls in a dazzling stand of 48 in 18 balls with Hain.Woakes was yorked by Zaman Khan but Hain was at his most destructive in the closing overs, thumping 36 from his last eight balls faced.The Falcons faced a testing target but, after riding their luck early on, Reece and Haider Ali played sweetly to raise 50 from 33 balls. They set down the perfect platform before being parted in scruffy fashion when Haider Ali charged and missed at Danny Briggs. Davies missed the stumping at the first attempt but, with the batter down the track, had time to complete it second time round.Moeen, playing his penultimate game for the Bears before he departs on Ashes duty, applied a brake with an astute spell which brought the wicket of Reece, bowled through a slog sweep. As the required rate escalated, and Wayne Madsen suffered a rare failure when he holed out to Mousley, the pressure increased on the Falcons.Du Plooy went to the crease with that pressure at its height. He needed to hit brilliantly from his first ball – and did so to take his side to a victory which tightens the North Group table right up.

Big picture: Rematch of T20 World Cup final

In one way, Friday’s T20I between South Africa and India is a grudge match. The last time these two sides met was in Barbados, in the 2024 T20 World Cup final. India had no business winning that match when South Africa needed 30 off 30 balls with six wickets in hand. But Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Co snatched the win, and the trophy, from South Africa’s grasp, leaving them heartbroken.In another way, it is not. Many protagonists of that final will not be in action in this series. From India’s XI for the final, only four – Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh – are part of the current squad. South Africa, too, are without Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi.Therefore, this four-match series might look inconsequential. But don’t forget, the next T20 World Cup is only 15 months away, and the teams have already started preparing for it.Related

• Sanju Samson century, spinners hand India big win in T20I series opener

• Suryakumar: 'If Test comeback has to happen, it will happen'

• Stage set for another Abhishek-Samson audition

India recently faced a shock whitewash at home at the hands of New Zealand, but that was in Test cricket. Their T20I side, which has never been more different from their Test team, is coming on the back of a thumping 3-0 series win against Bangladesh. Continuing their attacking template from the World Cup, they posted a gigantic 297 for 6 in their most recent T20I.South Africa are yet to recover from their defeat in the final. Since then, they have lost 3-0 to West Indies and drew 1-1 against Ireland in the format. Playing at home now, can they bounce back?

Form guide

South Africa LWLLL (last five T20Is, most recent first)
India WWWWW

In the spotlight: Aiden Markram and Tilak Varma

Aiden Markram has crossed 25 only once in 14 T20I innings this year. His tally in the format is 201, at an average of 16.75 and a strike rate of 118.23. This is in complete contrast to his career numbers: average 32.17, strike rate 144.62. On the eve of the first T20I against India, he said he was in a good space mentally. Both he and South Africa would want that to be converted into runs.Can Aiden Markram turn his form around?•Getty Images

A couple of freak hand injuries earlier this year had put Tilak Varma’s career on hold. While he is back in the mix now, the competition has got intense. He was drafted in for the Bangladesh T20Is as an injury replacement for Shivam Dube but did not get a match. After that, he led India at the Emerging Asia Cup in Oman where his returns were unglamorous: 117 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 120.61. Can he step up against a much tougher opponent?

Team news: Debuts for Simelane and Ramandeep?

South Africa could hand a debut to allrounder Andile Simelane. Simelane plays his domestic cricket at Kingsmead, which could come in handy.South Africa (probable): 1 Reeza Hendricks, 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen/Gerald Coetzee, 8 Andile Simelane, 9 Nqabayomzi Peter, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 Ottneil BaartmanIndia are likely to hand batting allrounder Ramandeep Singh his T20I cap. Axar Patel should also get a chance after warming the bench during the New Zealand Test series.India (probable): 1 Sanju Samson (wk), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Ramandeep Singh, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

Pitch and conditions: Runs ‘n Rains

South Africa do not have happy memories of Durban. Last year, Australia whitewashed them in a series of three T20Is, all played at this venue. It’s a high-scoring venue; the average first-innings total in the last seven T20Is here is 184. However, the weather could spoil things – there is a 40% chance of rain on Friday. The last time India were supposed to play a T20I here, in December 2023, rain did not allow even the toss.

Stats and trivia: Suryakumar’s strike rate

• India have a strong head-to-head record against South Africa in South Africa: six wins and three losses in nine T20Is.
• Among those who have scored at least 1000 T20I runs, Suryakumar has the highest strike rate (169.48).
• Arshdeep Singh is India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is this year, with 28 scalps in 14 games.
• In nine T20I innings against India, Heinrich Klaasen has three half-centuries and a strike rate of 168.09.

Quotes

“It has been a testing few months now. Obviously, we have addressed the reasons behind it, growth opportunities, things that are going to make cricketers better in South Africa over a long period of time. But as a captain, it hurts your pride and I have got a lot of pride wearing this badge and want to carry it forward and want to win games and win series for South Africa. But you lock into the bigger picture, you lock into how much it is going to help cricket in South Africa moving forward. Sometimes you have to go through these tough times and hopefully there will be some light at the end of the tunnel.”
“It has always been challenging playing against South Africa, be it in the T20 World Cup or any bilateral. The last time when we were here, we had a good series. Hopefully, we will have a game [tomorrow]; last time we missed out on the game here. But yeah, it’s always fun and challenging and both sides enjoy having that great competition.”

Alexander Isak has been ruled out of Newcastle’s pre-season tour of Asia as the Swedish striker continues to generate transfer talk.

• Striker seeing move speculated on
• Will not make trip to the Far East
• Recovering from minor thigh injury

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Magpies are preparing to face north London giants Arsenal and Tottenham while in the Far East, as well as a K-League XI. Eddie Howe has pieced together his travelling party, with the countdown on to the 2025-26 campaign.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He is hoping that prolific frontman Isak will be part of his plans for a season that includes Champions League action, but questions continue to be asked of how much longer the talented 25-year-old will be spending on Tyneside.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Premier League champions Liverpool – who may have moved on after landing Hugo Ekitike – and Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal have been credited with interest in Isak. He will not form part of Newcastle’s upcoming fixtures.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEWCASTLE SAID

  The Magpies said in an update on their , with their Sweden international No.14 having been training by himself of late: “Eddie Howe has an almost fully-fit squad to choose from, however Alexander Isak misses out with a minor thigh injury.”

AC Milan have confirmed interest in Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund after he was dropped by manager Ruben Amorim for Sunday's clash with Arsenal.

Milan confirm interest in HojlundStriker dropped for Arsenal clashCould now be heading back to ItalyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Hojlund appears to be surplus to requirements at Old Trafford after the Red Devils splashed out to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig. Amorim then dropped Hojlund for his team's Premier League opener against Arsenal, suggesting he will have to move if he wants regular minutes in the 2025-26 season.

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Serie A giants AC Milan have been linked with a move for Hojlund, with the striker's father reportedly claiming his son is now open to a move to San Siro. Hojlund shone previously in Serie A with Atalanta, and Milan sporting director Igli Tare has admitted the Rossoneri are keen on the Denmark international.

WHAT AC MILAN SAID

Tare told Mediaset: "Højlund is a good option for us. We are thinking about him, but in the transfer market, you never know what could happen."

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Amorim also spoke about Hojlund after Sunday's defeat at Arsenal. He told reporters: "He is our player — we have to make choices. We have players that have to stay helping the team from the outside. He has to fight for his place. We will see what's going to happen. Rasmus has the same characteristics as Sesko, so sometimes we need to choose."

Which players currently hold the orange and purple caps in the 2023 IPL?

ESPNcricinfo staffUpdated on 27-May-2023Who is the orange cap holder in the 2023 IPL?Gujarat Titans opener Shubman Gill may not have ended up winning the title, but he finished as the highest scorer of the tournament, with 890 runs. Gill overtook Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis late in the season to take the orange cap. Du Plessis finished on 830 runs, in second place. Devon Conway of title winners Chennai Super Kings, who made 47 in the final, ended with 672 runs, which places him third, and Virat Kohli, also of RCB, is in fourth, with 639 runs. Gill is the only player with three hundreds this season; Kohli has two.The other seven century-makers of this season are Yashasvi Jaiswal of Rajasthan Royals, Suryakumar Yadav of Mumbai Indians, Cameron Green, also of MI; Prabhsimran Singh of Punjab Kings; Harry Brook and Heinrich Klaasen of Sunrisers Hyderabad; and Venkatesh Iyer of Kolkata Knight Riders.In addition to the top four run-makers, four other batters scored over 500 runs this season: Jaiswal; Suryakumar (605); Conway’s opening partner, Ruturaj Gaikwad (590); and Delhi Capitals captain David Warner (516). The top strike rate among batters to have scored at least 150 runs this season is 183, by Glenn Maxwell of RCB.Rinku Singh of KKR is at No. 9 on the run-makers’ list, with 474 runs. Ishan Kishan of MI rounds out the top ten with 454.Here’s the full list of the top scorers in the 2023 IPL.Who is the purple cap holder in the 2023 IPL?Gujarat Titans seamer Mohammed Shami finished the season as the leading wicket-taker, with 28 wickets at an economy of 8.03. His team-mates Rashid Khan and Mohit Sharma (who took three wickets in the final) follow, tied on 27 wickets apiece; Mohit has the better economy rate of the two, 8.17. The three bowlers accounted for 83 wickets among them.Mumbai Indians legspinner Piyush Chawla is in fourth place, with 22 wickets from 16 games. In fifth place, with 21 wickets each are Yuzvendra Chahal (Rajasthan Royals) and CSK fast bowler Tushar Deshpande.Varun Chakravarthy of KKR and Ravindra Jadeja of CSK follow with 20 each, and then come two bowlers tied on 19 – Matheesha Pathirana of CSK, who took 2 for 44 in the final, and seamer Mohammed Siraj of RCB. Siraj is the most economical bowler in the top ten, with 7.50 runs per over.Four five-fors have been taken this season – by LSG fast bowler Mark Wood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar of SRH, Akash Madhwal of Mumbai Indians, and Mohit Sharma of Titans in the Qualifier against Mumbai.Here’s the full list of the top wicket-takers in the 2023 IPL.

Chelsea suffered a disappointing defeat in their second group match of the Club World Cup, going down 3-1 against Brazilian side Flamengo.

Enzo Maresca had led the Blues to an opening victory against LAFC, but the loss now means he will need to secure all three points against ES Tunis to qualify for the knockout round.

Given how big the prize fund is, going as far as possible is certainly within the club’s best interests.

The Stamford Bridge side have already signed Liam Delap from Ipswich Town for a fee of £30m, while deals for Estevao, Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr, and Kendry Paez have also gone through so far this summer.

Maresca won’t be stopping there, that much is certain. With a move for Hugo Ekitike high on the priority list, it is clear the Blues want to sign another centre-forward this summer.

They have also been linked with moves to sign Tyler Dibling, Murillo, and Mohamed Kudus in recent weeks as Maresca prepares to take Chelsea into the Champions League.

With so many potential transfer links, the manager will surely be looking to offload a player or two. Not only to free up space in the first-team squad, but also to balance the books.

Several names have been touted as departing the club, but could Noni Madueke be the most high-profile sale this summer?

What the future holds for Noni Madueke at Chelsea

Last season saw Madueke come of age at Chelsea. Across 43 appearances in all competitions, the English winger scored 11 goals and provided five assists for the Blues.

He helped them win the Conference League in the process, and this campaign surely gave him plenty of confidence heading into the Club World Cup.

According to The Telegraph, Arsenal are seemingly keen on making a move to sign the former PSV Eindhoven starlet this summer in a bid to improve their attacking options.

With Maresca continuing his heavy recruitment drive at Stamford Bridge, Madueke’s space in the starting XI is certainly not guaranteed heading into the 2024/25 campaign.

The report goes on to state that the winger is not up for sale, but should things change in the coming weeks, he could be obtainable in the transfer window.

Metric

Premier League

Conference League

Goals

7

3

Assists

3

1

Big chances created

6

0

Successful dribbles per game

1.4

1.6

Key passes per game

1.1

1

He would be a fine signing for any club in the top flight, as evidenced by his statistics when compared to peers across Europe’s top five leagues.

Not only did he rank in the top 1% for progressive carries (6.82) per 90, but the winger also ranked in the top 4% for touches in the opposition penalty area (8.15) per 90 and in the top 7% for total shots per 90 (3.54), proving just how big an impact he had at Chelsea.

Should an offer come in that is too good to turn down, Maresca will surely accept it. This could allow him to make a move for a player who is on his wish list of late.

Chelsea eyeing move for Lyon sensation

According to football.london, Chelsea are interested in signing Lyon starlet Malick Fofana this summer.

As per the report, the club have already initiated contact with the Ligue 1 side regarding a move.

Any deal for the Belgian international will likely cost around £45m, which shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for the Blues, that’s for sure.

Given how many players are set to make the move to Stamford Bridge, however, moving for a first-team star or two looks like the best bet, hence the interest in Madueke.

Swapping the current Chelsea winger for Fofana has the potential to be an excellent deal for all parties involved.

But just what would the 20-year-old bring to Chelsea next season?

Why Chelsea must sign Malick Fofana

Just a couple of months ago, football talent scout Jacek Kulig lavished praise on the young attacking talent, saying: “Malick Fofana – 17 G/A in around 2000 minutes for Lyon this season. 20 years of age.

“Still a bit inconsistent, but already showing flashes of his enormous potential.

“Big future ahead.”

If he continues on this recent upwards trajectory following a stunning breakthrough season with Lyon, then he could become one of the finest attacking talents on the continent.

With the Blues returning to the Champions League for the first time since the 2022/23 campaign, Fofana could be a dangerous weapon in their quest for glory. Especially taking his Europa League displays from last term into account.

Across ten games in the competition for Lyon, the young dynamo scored six goals while providing two assists.

In addition, when compared to his peers in Europe’s secondary competition, Fofana ranked in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (1.05), progressive carries (7.88) and touches in the opposition penalty area (8.23) per 90 last term.

Of course, this wasn’t in the Champions League, but performing as well as this at such a young age, what is stopping him from shining on the biggest stage?

Fofana is a right-footed winger who prefers to operate on the left so he can cut in on a regular basis. Last season, however, Fofana did play a couple of matches on the right flank, scoring twice in the process.

Could he, then, be an ideal replacement for Madueke should the English starlet move on from the club this summer? It would be interesting to see exactly what position Maresca would utilise Fofana in, especially as he does appear rather flexible.

Given Madueke still has a few years left on his contract, the Blues should be able to demand a decent fee for the player, who only joined in January 2023.

If his sale can free up space for Fofana coming in, a player who appears to have a brighter future, then it would be a shrewd piece of business. For now, Maresca will just be looking to see his team defeat ES Tunis in order to seal a place in the last-16 of the Club World Cup.

Not just Jackson: 5/10 flop must never play for Chelsea again after the CWC

Chelsea were beaten 3-1 by Flamengo in their second game of the Club World Cup.

ByMatt Dawson Jun 21, 2025

Leeds United won the Championship title with a whopping 100-point haul in the 2024/25 campaign to earn promotion back up to the Premier League.

Daniel Farke will now be aiming to guide the team clear of relegation, knowing that the last six teams promoted from the second tier have all been relegated at the first time of asking.

The Whites scored 95 goals in their 46 matches in the Championship, and they did so without a natural number ten type magician in the squad, as they had in the past with Pablo Hernandez, and as Farke had in the past with Emiliano Buendia.

Instead, old-school wingers like Manor Solomon and Dan James provided quality in the final third, whilst Brenden Aaronson was the main number ten and ended the season with just two assists in 43 league starts.

Bristol City (A)

0

0

Burnley (H)

0

0

Sunderland (A)

0

0

Sheffield United (H)

0

0

Coventry (H)

0

0

Coventry (A)

0

0

Burnley (A)

0

0

Sunderland (H)

0

0

Sheffield United (A)

0

0

Bristol City (H)

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the USA international did not deliver a single goal contribution in his ten appearances against the other teams in the top six, as he struggled badly against the better teams in the division.

Why Leeds needs to sign their next Pablo Hernandez

Aaronson’s lacklustre form in front of goal, despite being a regular starter in a dominant team, suggests that he will not be good enough to make the step up to the Premier League next season.

That thought is, of course, backed up by the fact that he only managed one goal in 36 games in the top-flight during his first year in England in the 2022/23 campaign, which shows that he has already failed to make the step up to that level.

Therefore, Leeds need to acquire a new number ten option to score and create goals in the Premier League, and they should target a traditional playmaker in the Pablo Hernandez mould to improve their options in the middle of the park.

The Spaniard delivered 36 goals and 41 assists in 175 appearances for the West Yorkshire outfit in all competitions, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals on a regular basis whilst playing on the wing or as an attacking midfielder.

Hernandez was a joy to watch during his time at Elland Road, as shown by some of the fantastic goals in the clips above, and Leeds do not have a similar kind of player in their current squad.

That is why the Whites should make signing their next version of the Spanish maestro a priority between now and the end of the summer transfer window ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Leeds have interest in Championship playmaker

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United are ‘believed’ to have a genuine interest in Sheffield United attacking midfielder Gustavo Hamer this summer.

The report claims that the Championship champions are one of the teams eyeing up the Dutch playmaker, although it reveals that he has fallen down the shortlist and is not the number one priority at this moment in time.

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It adds that the Whites were interested in a deal to sign the Blades star in the summer transfer window in 2024, and that they had an offer of £13m turned down by their rivals.

Given that he is not at the top of their wishlist for number tens, it remains to be seen if Leeds will snap the 28-year-old star up before the window slams shut at the start of September.

He is reportedly valued at a fee of around £18m by Sheffield United, but this latest report by the Yorkshire Evening Post does not reveal if they would be willing to pay that much for the midfielder.

Why Leeds should sign Gustavo Hamer

The Whites should press ahead with a swoop for the Championship star, despite him not being one of their top targets in that position, because he could be their next Pablo Hernandez.

Like the Spaniard, Hamer is a diminutive playmaker who can play out wide or in the middle as a number ten, having played off the left 33 times for Sheffield United this season.

The Dutch star, who was hailed as “outstanding” by former boss Chris Wilder, has showcased his quality in the Premier League and in the Championship with the Blades in the last two campaigns.

In the 2024/25 campaign, the former Coventry City magician scored nine goals, created 11 ‘big chances’, and delivered seven assists in the Championship, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Hamer’s performances for Sheffield United in the Premier League in the previous season, despite their relegation from the division, suggest that the potential is there for him to be a great addition for the Whites.

Goals

4

Top 16%

xG

2.98

Top 24%

xA

4.55

Top 12%

Assists

6

Top 10%

Chances created

70

Top 3%

Crosses completed

33

Top 5%

Dribbles completed

28

Top 13%

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman ranked highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a midfield position, as he was directly involved in ten goals in the top-flight.

This shows that he does have the ability to make an impact in front of goal in the Premier League. Whereas, as aforementioned, Aaronson flopped in his last season at that level.

Therefore, Hamer could arrive at Elland Road this summer as a long-term successor to Pablo Hernandez in West Yorkshire, as he is a natural playmaker who has shown that he can make a difference in the final third with goals and assists at an impressive rate.

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It is now down to the club to decide who their number one target is for the number ten position, but these statistics suggest that the Blades star would be an excellent choice.