Seven from Asian teams figure in a well-balanced XI, complete with three top allrounders

Sreshth Shah in Potchefstroom11-Feb-2020Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)
Five 50-plus scores in the tournament – including a hundred in India’s semi-final win over Pakistan – Jaiswal was by far the most consistent batsman going around. He displayed a solid defence and showed that he becomes more and more fluent the longer he stays in the middle. As a useful add-on, he can bowl a few quick overs too.Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan)
The 73* against South Africa in the seventh-place playoff was his best innings, but even outside of it, the Afghanistan Test opener was the rock that almost always led the way in giving the bowlers something to play with. Afghanistan were at their best when Zadran batted long and became the pivot around which the others did their stuff.ESPNcricinfo LtdMahmudul Hasan Joy (Bangladesh)
He really made it count in the semi-final against New Zealand, where his 100 took Bangladesh to their maiden final, which they went on to win. Quite often, he played the role of the anchor, holding the middle-order together, after starting the tournament slowly.Akhil Kumar (Canada)
Kumar finished joint second on the list of highest wicket-takers, his medium-pace bowling accounting for 16 wickets, but he was also Canada’s dependable top-order batsman. In the tournament’s official fantasy cricket system, he had the most points entering the final, before being overtaken by Jaiswal and Ravi Bishnoi. His four-for rocked South Africa in the group stage while his three-for created a flutter in the Zimbabwe ranks in the playoffs, and his 3 for 37 and 37 with the bat helped Canada finish 13th with a win over UAE.Akbar Ali (Bangladesh – captain, wicketkeeper)
He didn’t need to do much with the bat before the final, but when the onus was on him, he delivered, and how. His captaincy and wicketkeeping had been impressive already, and in the final against India, with his team in a hole at 65 for 4, Ali showed the way, and led Bangladesh to the title with an unbeaten 43.Dan Mousley showed off his range of shots•ICC via GettyDan Mousley (England)
The team’s floater, Mousley first struck a 44-ball 51 from No. 7 against Australia, in a game they lost in a thrilling finish. He then opened the batting against Sri Lanka in the Plate final and scored a fluent 111. In between, he crunched a 36-ball 57 against Japan. If he had opened from the start of the tournament, England’s tournament might have been different.Nyeem Young (West Indies)
Two Player-of-the-Match awards in two tough group games made everyone sit up and take notice of Young. Against Australia, the allrounder struck a patient 61 during a testing period to win his team a close game. Then, against England, he hammered a quick 66, leaving a few windows broken in Kimberley while doing so, and followed it up with 5 for 45 – perhaps the best all-round effort of the competition. He played a big role in his team staying unbeaten all the way to the quarter-finals, where they lost.Kristian Clarke (New Zealand)
Clarke took seven wickets in four games, including a four-for against West Indies in the quarter-final, but what he did with the bat in that game stood out more. His unbeaten 46* from No. 10 rescued New Zealand from certain defeat as they eked out a two-wicket win. Earlier, in what was a crucial group-stage game against Sri Lanka, he was the man of the moment again, hitting a six in the final over to knock their opponents out.Shafiqullah Ghafari takes off in celebration•Getty ImagesShafiqullah Ghafari (Afghanistan)
Ten of his 16 wickets came against one team. In the tournament opener, Ghafari lit up the stage with 4 for 15 to defeat South Africa. After that, South Africa won every game, until they met Afghanistan in the seventh-place playoff. There he ran through South Africa again, conceding 15 runs again but this time for six wickets. In between, his 5 for 23 floored UAE in the group stage.Ravi Bishnoi (India)
The tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 17 strikes, and a close contender for Player of the Tournament, Bishnoi certainly made a big splash. Even if you take the legspinner’s 4 for 5 against Japan out of the equation, every time he came in to bowl, you felt a wicket was around the corner. Importantly, he did well in high-pressure matches: four crucial wickets in the middle overs against New Zealand to help India finish group toppers, 2 for 46 in the win over Pakistan in the semi-final, and then, when he nearly won India the final with 4 for 30 against Bangladesh. In between, there was the crucial 30 with the bat against Australia in the quarter-final.Kartik Tyagi (India)
Tyagi was among the wickets in each India game except the final, when he was wayward. But, whenever he had the ball in his hands, you had to save your toes because his yorkers were so accurate. One of the tournament’s fastest bowlers – he hurt Japan with 3 for 10 and was on the money against Pakistan in the semi-final where he collected two important wickets for only 32 runs. But he will remember the Australia game the best – his three wickets in his first two overs pretty much set up India’s victory.

Manchester United have stepped up their interest in RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko, who is reportedly 'impressed' with the Red Devils’ project under Ruben Amorim. Newcastle United remain firmly in the race, with both Premier League sides vying for the striker’s signature. Leipzig, meanwhile, are holding firm on an €80 million asking price for Sesko this summer.

• Man Utd impress Sesko with clear transfer proposal
• Newcastle ready to meet Leipzig’s €80m asking price
• RB Leipzig open to deal if bonuses and fee are right

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United have reignited their pursuit of Sesko after missing out on Liam Delap earlier this summer and Viktor Gyokeres. The Slovenian striker is now said to be impressed by the proposal presented by the Red Devils, as per Florian Plettenberg. However, Newcastle United are also keen and are preparing a bid that meets Leipzig’s valuation.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  RB Leipzig are said to be demanding at least €80 milion (£69.4m/$92.7m) for the 21-year-old, with additional bonuses worth €5-10 million (£4.3-8.7m/$5.8-11.5m) on top. Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has reported Newcastle have made quicker progress and already outlined their project, while United are trying to play catch-up. With Alexander Isak’s future uncertain at St. James’ Park, the Magpies are keen to secure attacking reinforcements.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Sesko has long been on United’s radar, dating back to his days at RB Salzburg. Since his move to Leipzig in 2023, the Slovenian striker has scored 39 goals in 87 games and is considered one of the best striker prospects in the game.

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR SESKO?

  Both Manchester United and Newcastle are expected to make formal offers soon, with RB Leipzig waiting for the right package. Sesko will take time to weigh up the sporting and personal aspects of each project, and a decision on his future could arrive before the end of the month.

Boult’s No. 300, Latham and Fleming’s exclusive club and more

Sampath Bandarupalli10-Jan-20222 – Number of 250-plus scores by Tom Latham in Tests. He joins Stephen Fleming as the only two New Zealand batters with multiple 250-plus Test scores. Latham’s 252 at the Hagley Oval is now the ninth-highest individual score for New Zealand in Tests.1 – Only one opener has more 250-plus scores in Tests than Latham – Virender Sehwag (four). Sanath Jayasuriya, Graeme Smith, Chris Gayle, Alastair Cook and David Warner – all have two 250-plus scores in this format as openers.3 – Three individuals have racked up scores more than Latham’s 252 against Bangladesh. Kumar Sangakkara is the only triple centurion against Bangladesh, with the 319 he scored in Chattogram in 2014. Ramnaresh Sarwan scored an unbeaten 261 in Kingston in 2004, while Marlon Samuels made 260 in Khulna in 2012.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 – Latham’s 252 is the highest individual score for a New Zealand skipper while opening the batting in Test cricket, eclipsing Graham Dowling’s 239 against India in 1968. It is the fifth-highest score by a New Zealand captain in Tests. Latham is also one of six captains with 250-plus Test scores as an opener.12 – All of Latham’s 12 Test tons have come as an opener. These are the joint-most Test hundreds by a New Zealand opener alongside John Wright. Latham’s 12 hundreds are also the joint-fourth most by New Zealander.Most Test hundreds for New Zealand•ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 – Devon Conway became the first player in Test cricket with fifty-plus scores in the first innings of his first five Tests. Six batters before Conway had at least one fifty-plus score in their first five Tests, among which Bert Sutcliffe was the only New Zealander.623 – Runs Conway has racked up in Tests so far. Only two others – Sunil Gavaskar (831) and George Headley (714) – have made more runs in their first five Tests.363 Runs aggregated by New Zealand before the fall of the second wicket, the third-most by them in a Test innings. New Zealand lost their second wicket at 482 against West Indies in 1972 in Georgetown and 382 runs against India in Mohali in 2003.301 – The number of wickets Trent Boult has in Tests currently. He is the fourth New Zealander to take 300-plus Test wickets. Boult is also one of the seven left-arm bowlers and the fifth left-arm pacer with 300 Test wickets.19 – Runs by Bangladesh’s top five batters, the joint-fewest runs they have scored in a Test innings. Bangladesh’s top five aggregated 19 runs in the first innings of the 2001 Dhaka Test against Zimbabwe.

Batsman expects the side to make up for the absence of Ravi Bopara, last season’s hero

Matt Roller26-Aug-2020It’s easy to glamourise the life of a T20 freelancer, jumping from team to team in idyllic locations and picking up a hefty paycheque – some of the time, at least. But for five months, the short-form economy ground to a halt: the PSL was called off on the day of the semi-finals, and until the CPL started last week, players who rely on leagues have been struggling.But things are slowly beginning to fall back in place. Nobody has represented as many T20 teams (11) as Cameron Delport since the start of 2018, and after he raced back to South Africa just in time to beat border closures following the PSL, he is back in Chelmsford ready to help Essex defend their Vitality Blast title.”I was back home after the PSL got called off on semi-final day,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “South Africa was on quite a strict lockdown, so I was just trying to keep myself busy. It gave me a bit of an opportunity to work on my fitness and shed some kilos: I managed to lose about 12kg, mainly from running up and down a 400m driveway.”Delport was based in Natal, living on the same estate as Hampshire seamer and his “running partner” Kyle Abbott. He found himself running charity half-marathons to keep in shape, but once the ECB had confirmed that the Blast would take place from the end of August, it was all hands on deck to get him back to the UK.”I’m lucky that my ancestral visa [which allows him to play as a local player] has a few more years on it, so unlike some other guys I would be able to get back,” he said. “But looking for flights was a real mission – I had a fair few people trying to help me find one. Airlines would put out an itinerary, and then cancel it at the last minute.”Delport ran a half-marathon for CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation during lockdown, and lost 12kg•Cameron DelportHe eventually made it back, with a lightning-fast turnaround time for his connecting flight in Doha, and after spending two weeks quarantining at a school friend’s house in London, hopped up to his flat in Chelmsford with his partner. Since then, he has been training at the County Ground and playing for Buckhurst Hill CC: “I’ve got a few runs [221 runs in four innings] but I must admit I’ve found it tricky on club wickets.”ALSO READ: Essex ride their luck to make off with T20 spoilsNow, attention turns to the Blast. Essex won their maiden title last year, going on a five-game winning streak after starting the tournament with two wins from their first ten. They are without the star of that triumph this year after Ravi Bopara’s departure to Sussex: he scored 219 runs for once out in their final five games, vindicating captain Simon Harmer’s decision to use him as a finisher.”We had to win our game against Hampshire, which ended up as a tie,” Delport recalled. “We beat Kent at home, and the Glamorgan result had to go our way. I remember the guy on the intercom saying we’d qualified, and there was this massive roar where nobody knew what had been going on. In the quarter, Lancs were banking on a pitch to suit their spinners, but we were clicking so well – there wasn’t a team that could have beaten us. It was a cold night up at Durham, but the toss went our way which was crucial and Ravi and Tendo [Ryan ten Doeschate] finished it for us.”We had a good win against Derbyshire first up on Finals Day – it suited us playing the second game to get the feeling of the day. We knew Worcestershire were champions and had a few world-class players, but things went our way and the rest is history.”Essex lift the Vitality Blast trophy•Getty ImagesEssex were one of several sides in 2019 to win a T20 league after starting poorly, alongside Melbourne Renegades and Barbados Tridents. In all three cases, there were early defeats while teams worked out their best combinations, followed by winning streaks at the back end as teams got onto a roll.”When you play so many group games, you want to play your best cricket towards the end, and then peak during the knockouts,” said Delport. “In most T20 leagues, guys only have a few days to get together, and there’s no guarantee the squad will mix well. You don’t want to panic too early: you want to play your best cricket towards the back end.”ALSO READ: I needed to prove Bopara wrong – HarmerDelport was Essex’s top-scorer last year with 409 runs at a strike rate of 167.62, and in Bopara’s absence, there will be an additional burden on him this year. He insists he is not feeling any added responsibility, and is confident that the squad will cope without last season’s key man.”There were tough decisions last year, but it was about Essex winning, not individuals,” he said. “Harmy is a flipping great leader, and he’s a very strong character. The boys really backed him last year. Ravi eventually did buy into it, and you saw the dividends on Finals Day.”It gives another youngster an opportunity this year. We’ve got great depth with a lot of local boys, and there will be a few guys who are given the chance to showcase their skills: Ravi is a world-class player, but someone else gets a go to fill his role.”

The ICC’s trophy tour of the Champions Trophy will begin on Saturday from Islamabad in Pakistan but will not go to Muzaffarabad in the first leg of its journey. The BCCI had objected to the trophy’s original route, which included Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan administered Kashmir, a territory disputed by the two countries.The objection caused the delay in finalising a new route, raising the prospects of the tour being delayed altogether. The PCB had announced the launch and route of the tour on its social media channels on Thursday, catching the ICC by surprise; as it is an ICC event, the protocol is that the global body announces those details.But an alternative route was finalised late on Friday, allowing the tour to begin, as originally planned and announced by the PCB, from Saturday. Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will accompany the trophy on the first day as it is displayed at well-known landmarks in the capital, including Daman-e-Koh, Faisal Mosque and the Pakistan Monument.From Islamabad the trophy will go to schools, colleges and landmarks in Abbottabad, Murree and Karachi in the opening leg before heading off on an international tour, taking in the seven other countries who are part of the Champions Trophy.The trophy then returns to Pakistan on January 27, three weeks before the scheduled start of the tournament, with another tour of venues around Pakistan.Less than a 100 days before the start of the tournament, however, there remains no clarity about how much of the event will be played in Pakistan. The BCCI has told the ICC its government will not allow the team to play in Pakistan, raising the possibility of a hybrid model tournament that sees India playing its games outside of Pakistan. The PCB has stood firm against that possibility, however, and insists the entire tournament is played in Pakistan.The PCB has written to the ICC asking the BCCI to put down in writing the exact reasons for its inability to visit, as well as asking the ICC when they were informed of the BCCI’s decision.

When Eddie Howe reflected on Newcastle United’s form at the start of the November international break, he would have felt the weight of back-to-back Premier League defeats against Brentford and West Ham United.

He also would have known the significance of a big performance against Manchester City at St. James’ Park when club football returned, and so it was momentous to have battled to victory against Manchester City on Saturday evening, recovering ground in the race for European football.

The season’s still young, and there is optimism regarding the Magpies’ hopes of finding success once again this year, but Howe and technical director Ross Wilson will already be looking toward the future, and they have earmarked Elliot Anderson as the perfect player to take this project to the next level.

The latest on Anderson to Newcastle

As far as Newcastle are concerned, the Anderson situation is twofold: they will absolutely be in the thick of any upcoming battles to bring their academy graduate back home, and they will surely need to make concessions of some description, given the Tricky Trees are set to demand in excess of £100m for their prized player, who is also being chased by Manchester United

Anderson, 23, was sold to Forest in 2024 for a fee in the region of £35m. This was signed off by PIF officials bearing gritted teeth, having felt forced into cashing in for the homegrown talent in order to balance the books and placate PSR.

Ruefulness has since shifted to regret. Anderson has been described as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League” by England manager Thomas Tuchel, who has designated the star as a regular starter alongside Declan Rice as the 2026 World Cup looms large.

While Newcastle’s vested interest could lead to an exciting and concerted bid – Howe said at the start of October that he “would love him to” come back home – but it’s not as if the Toon engine room is lacking without him.

That said, Joelinton appears to be winding down after years of tireless and robust service. Anderson would surely dovetail into a trio with Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

If Newcastle have to shuffle a few things, so be it, and there’s one rather brazen sale PIF could permit to ensure the club have the finances to pull a bid off next year.

The Newcastle superstar PIF could sell

It may well be a controversial move, but Newcastle have floated the possibility of selling Anthony Gordon about for some time, with Liverpool interest in their one-time academy talent in 2024, before United opted instead to cash in on Anderson.

Gordon joined Newcastle from Everton for around £45m in January 2023 and, after a testing start to life on Tyneside, made significant progress across the 2023/24 campaign, winning the club’s Player of the Year after recording 21 goal contributions in the Premier League and serving as a talisman as Howe’s side battled through an injury-hit year.

But last season, as Newcastle went from strength to strength, returning to the Champions League and winning the Carabao Cup, Gordon regressed, only scoring six Premier League goals all year.

Though his playing style has put him in a promising position to beat the likes of Marcus Rashford to a regular starting berth at next year’s World Cup, more is needed from a player of his calibre, whose once untouchable place on Howe’s left wing is looking far more apt for replacement at this stage, especially with injuries and suspensions contributing toward his poor form this year.

Then, of course, we have Harvey Barnes, whose brace against City underscored his worth in this system. That’s three goals in two Premier League matches for the former Leicester winger, whose incisiveness from the wing works well against Nick Woltemade’s unique striking game, willing to drop deep and influence play while also playing the part of a powerful target man.

Gordon’s blistering speed and ability to stick to the flank or weave inside to wreak chaos are two brilliant aspects of his game, but he needs to offer more, and his inability to do this could see Howe sell him to fund a move for Anderson, perhaps making a shrewd winger signing to complement Barnes besides.

Because frankly, Gordon’s form in front of goal hasn’t been good enough for a while. The Three Lions star was said to have entered “Gabriel Obertan territory” after the loss at West Ham, which, for one of the most prominent wingers in England, self-proclaimed as a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, is not good enough.

25/26

7

0 (0)

24/25

34

6 (6)

23/24

35

11 (10)

22/23

16

1 (0)

Should Gordon fail to establish prolific form before the end of the season, there will be more than just a few questions placed by his name. Given that Liverpool have expressed an interest over the past couple of years, not dissuaded by Newcastle’s £100m valuation, could there be regret that he was not sold sooner?

Barnes, after all, is beginning to find goalscoring form, and Gordon has failed with 60% of his dribbles in the top flight this term, also missing big chances while failing to break his duck.

Gordon at full speed and potency in the final third and up and down the touchline is a dangerous adversary for even the finest of defenders. But his declaration of a nightmarish playing style can only go so far if he is unable to produce clinical results at the end.

We need only look at the Alexander Isak saga and the potential that Woltemade offers in the box to understand that selling Gordon for the right price would not be detrimental for Howe’s longer-term plans.

And if those funds are used to bring Anderson back home, thus completing what may well become the best central midfield in the whole country, then it would surely be a worthwhile move.

Newcastle have already got a bigger talent than Barnes who's "like Mbappe"

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West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady has explained why the club were willing to offload Mohammed Kudus to rivals Tottenham in the summer transfer window.

Kudus left West Ham to join SpursBrady speaks about summer transferNew signing already shining at TottenhamFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kudus swapped West Ham for Tottenham this summer in a transfer worth around £55 million ($75m). He has signed a six-year deal with Thomas Frank's side and is the first player to make the move from West Ham to Spurs since Scott Parker back in 2011.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Kudus has already made an impact in north London. He bagged two assists on Saturday as Tottenham opened up their campaign with a 3-0 win over Burnley. In contrast, West Ham slumped to a 3-0 defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland. Brady has now lifted the lid on West Ham's decision to let Kudus go and says he didn't particularly impress for her club last season.

WHAT BRADY SAID

She told Sunday Edition: "It's always difficult to lose players that you want to keep. But the financial restraints and the PSR and all the rules and regulations in football mean that you have to do some trading. That's just the way it is. All clubs are having to do it. You're either restricted on what you can buy because you have to be careful of the financial rules or you have to sell to try and buy. So that was the decision that was made. [Kudus] didn't have a particularly good season for West Ham last year by his own standards. So we looked to move on."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR KUDUS?

Kudus will be hoping to maintain his strong start to life on Spurs on Saturday against Manchester City. Tottenham then face Bournemouth before a clash with Kudus' former team West Ham on September 13.

Amid concerns that Tottenham Hotspur, led by Thomas Frank, could hijack their move to sign Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United are reportedly prioritising a deal to sign a £65m alternative if they miss out on their top target.

Tottenham meet Mbeumo asking price

Tottenham’s appointment of Frank has truly thrown a spanner in the works for Manchester United. It looked as though the Red Devils were alone in the race to sign Mbeumo with Newcastle United conceding defeat. Frank’s North London arrival has seemingly changed things, however. The former Brentford boss reportedly wants an instant reunion with his star man and the Lilywhites have already matched his hefty £70m price tag.

The ball could be left in Mbeumo’s court to decide, but Man United must first match Spurs’ reported offer for the impressive forward. It would undoubtedly be a major blow if they lost out on the Brentford star at this stage and it would be adding salt to their wounds if he chose the side that defeated United in the Europa League final not so long ago.

Mbeumo isn’t the only name on United’s radar, however. Ruben Amorim will be desperate to revamp a blunt frontline and a move for Viktor Gyokeres could be more realistic than ever now that he’s publically fallen out with Sporting Club.

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Whether he, like Mbeumo could do, decides to reject a move to Old Trafford is the big question, however. Without European football to offer, United may need to accept the prospect of missing out on their top targets and instead focus on alternatives.

Man Utd will turn to Antoine Semenyo

According to GiveMeSport, Manchester United will now prioritise a move to sign Antoine Semenyo if Tottenham successfully hijack their deal to sign Mbeumo this summer. The Bournemouth forward won’t come much cheaper, however, with the Cherries set to demand as much as £65m to sell their star man. Whether it’s Mbeumo or Semenyo in the coming months, INEOS must be prepared to spend big.

Whilst the numbers suggest that Semenyo would be a downgrade on Mbeumo, the Bournemouth forward would still be an improvement on Amorim’s current options at Old Trafford.

Having scored 11 Premier League goals, Semenyo earned plenty of praise from those at Bournemouth throughout the last campaign, including from teammate Lewis Cook.

The midfielder told reporters: “As a team, we knew the quality he has and we saw that last year. He’s got to just keep working hard – being aggressive and being clinical. He’s got a lot better at running back and helping out the team too. He’s a powerful lad and has all the ability in the world. Hopefully he can continue to show that.”

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

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Ireland also play three ODIs and three T20Is during their full tour of Zimbabwe starting on February 6

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-2025

Zimbabwe have picked two uncapped players – legspinner Vincent Masekesa and top-order batter Nicholas Welch – in their squad for the one-off Test against Ireland starting on February 6 in Bulawayo.Masekesa, 27, has played 15 first-class matches and taken 49 wickets, while Welch, nearly 27, has played 26 first-class games and scored 1216 runs at an average of 31.Dion Myers and Tadiwanashe Marumani were left out of the Test squad that lost the home series 1-0 to Afghanistan in the first week of January.Allrounder Sikandar Raza was also not selected because he is playing for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20, which ends on February 9. “He had already committed to franchise cricket before the [Ireland] tour schedule was confirmed,” Zimbabwe Cricket said in a release. Raza will return to captain Zimbabwe’s T20I squad for their three matches against Ireland.Sean Williams was passed fit after struggling with a back injury during the Tests against Afghanistan.Zimbabwe made two changes to their ODI squad, replacing Myers and Joylord Gumbie with Wessly Madhevere and Nyasha Mayavo. Myers, however, kept his place in the T20I squad while Faraz Akram and Takudzwanashe Kaitano missed out on selection.Ireland’s tour of Zimbabwe begins with the one-off Test in Bulawayo followed by the white-ball leg in Harare: three ODIs on February 14, 16 and 18 and three T20Is on February 22, 23 and 25.Zimbabwe Test squad vs IrelandCraig Ervine (capt), Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Ben Curran, Joylord Gumbie, Trevor Gwandu, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Vincent Masekesa, Nyasha Mayavo, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Victor Nyauchi, Nicholas Welch, Sean Williams.Zimbabwe ODI squad vs IrelandCraig Ervine (capt), Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Ben Curran, Trevor Gwandu, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Nyasha Mayavo, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams.Zimbabwe T20I squad vs IrelandSikandar Raza (capt), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Johnathan Campbell, Trevor Gwandu, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Nyasha Mayavo, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri.