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After failing to sign a replacement for Max Kilman in the summer transfer window and paying the price ever since, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly made their first move in the race to sign a young central defender.

Wolves transfer news

Whilst they’ve been able to fall back on the excuse of the toughest set of fixtures to open the Premier League campaign, Wolves have more than enough quality to avoid the winless run that they found themselves in after eight games. It’s been the most frustrating start for Gary O’Neil, who has seen his side pushed aside by Brentford and Chelsea but narrowly beaten by Liverpool and Manchester City.

Their defensive struggle is something that those in the Midlands should have seen coming after sanctioning Kilman’s exit to West Ham United and then failing to replace their star centre-back. Left short on options ever since Yerson Mosquera’s long-term injury to compile their misery, Wolves simply must act in 2025 if they are to avoid shock Premier League relegation.

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Wolves have sent scouts to watch Nathan Zeze ahead of joining the race to sign the Nantes centre-back in 2025. One for the future at just 19 years old, O’Neil could offer the defender the ultimate learning curve in England’s top flight with promise of game time Wolves’ only selling point ahead of clubs like Aston Villa, Liverpool and Chelsea.

O'Neil must sell Wolves dud who earns 400% more than Ait Nouri

Wolves must sell a player who is earning more than some of their best performer stars this season…

ByRoss Kilvington Oct 24, 2024

Standing at 6 foot 3, Zeze has enjoyed an excellent start to the Ligue 1 campaign despite his age, keeping three clean sheets in just six starts. Such interest in his signature should come as no surprise, especially given the success that William Saliba has enjoyed since swapping French football for the Premier League.

"Strong" Zeze can replace Kilman

In the long term, signing Zeze to replace Kilman would prove to be excellent business. Zeze is a far younger and cheaper option who may eventually make Wolves even more profit than the £40m fee they received for Kilman in the summer. The Frenchman wouldn’t be coming in to sit on the bench necessarily either, perhaps instead stepping in ahead of the ageing Craig Dawson.

Starts

6

8

Progressive Passes

19

38

Tackles Won

10

5

Ball Recoveries

23

39

Although the numbers show that Zeze has improvements to make on the ball, his defensive ability off the ball is there in abundance. Also described as “strong” in the air by analyst Ben Mattinson, the teenager certainly ticks plenty of boxes for Wolves.

By the time 2025 arrives of course, the hope from a Wolves perspective will be that their incredibly slow start has well and truly been forgotten and they’ve pushed back to the level that they showed under O’Neil in the last campaign. Whether that’s when they decide to target Zeze or they wait until the summer remains to be seen, however.

They say never go back, but Brendan Rodgers has eased any concerns amid what has been another dominant spell in charge at Celtic, having claimed the domestic double in 2023/24.

That first campaign back at Parkhead wasn’t perfect for the Northern Irishman, with the Hoops crashing out of the League Cup to Kilmarnock, although triumphs in the Premiership and the Scottish Cup ensured that the club’s Old Firm superiority continued, following the days of Ange Postecoglou.

Excluding his time south of the border – where he claimed the FA Cup and Community Shield at Leicester City – the experienced coach has now chalked up nine domestic trophies in Glasgow, with the early signs this season suggesting that haul could well be bolstered, amid a seven-game winning running in the league.

Excitement will also be brewing among the fanbase at the promising youngsters who are part of the current crop at Celtic Park – namely 21-year-old Arne Engels and 22-year-old Paulo Bernardo – with Rodgers, for the most part, having proven himself to be particularly adept at nurturing young talent.

Brendan Rodgers' development of young talent

In truth, the former Liverpool boss has never been afraid to throw youngsters in at the deep end, with his first stint in Scotland notably seeing him snap up a 19-year-old Moussa Dembele for a compensation fee of only £500k. The Frenchman would later be sold for £20m.

Equally, Rodgers was also pivotal in the development of academy sensation, Kieran Tierney, with the homegrown full-back making 127 appearances under the one-time Swansea City coach, after previously making his debut under Ronny Deila.

Like with the example of Dembele, Tierney would later go on to secure the Bhoys a handsome profit amid his £25m switch to Arsenal in 2019, having credited Rodgers for helping him “become a much better player and professional”.

That knack for nurturing rising stars was also the case during Rodgers’ stint at Anfield, having handed a regular role to a 17-year-old Raheem Sterling, while also prising Philippe Coutinho from Inter Milan at the age of 20 – two players who would later rake in £49m and £142m, respectively, for the Merseysiders.

For all those success stories, there were, however, the odd occasion were the Carnlough native made a mistake in the market, having been proven wrong after snapping up what he believed to be his next Sterling or Coutinho while at Celtic.

Rodgers' next Sterling & Coutinho at Celtic

Amid his first season at the helm back in 2016, Rodgers did notably acquire the likes of Dembele – alongside other significant names such as Scott Sinclair – although there was particular excitement regarding the addition of another up and comer midway through the campaign.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

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That man was Ivorian starlet, Kouassi Eboue, with the promising midfielder arriving from Krasnador in January 2017 for a reported fee of around £3m.

Described as a ‘Champions League signing’ by BBC Sport’s Tom English at the time – who pointed out Rodgers’ success with the likes of Coutinho and Dembele etc – Kouassi was also lauded by his new manager:

“He is one of those young players I look at with the same feeling I had as when I saw a young Coutinho or a young Sterling. Within 10 seconds you see his talent.

‘He is one, obviously, the scouting team have been aware of. Most coaches see something in a player that suits their way of working. But there are certain attributes in a young player you can see and you get a good feeling. This boy has that.”

High praise indeed for a player who had made just 19 senior appearances during his time in Russia prior to that, although it’s fair to say he never lived up to those lofty expectations.

Kouassi Eboue's time at Celtic

From the get go it looked like it could be a tricky time in Scottish football for the then 19-year-old, with the teenager enduring a shaky first start against Partick Thistle in April 2017.

Speaking after that full league debut, Rodgers even joked that “after the first five minutes I thought we had signed his brother”, albeit while going on to admit that Eboue had “grew into the game” before being replaced on the hour mark.

The defensive midfielder ultimately ended that first six months at the club with just five appearances to his name, before going on to make just 12 outings in all competitions in the following season. His 2018/19 campaign was also cruelly cut short due to an ACL injury.

Despite struggling to oust skipper Scott Brown in the centre of the park – alongside those injury woes – Rodgers believed that his rough diamond would “certainly fulfil that role” when Brown eventually moved on. In the end, it was Eboue who departed first.

After racking up just 22 appearances in total in three years – a record that yielded no goals and only a solitary assist – the 6 foot 1 asset was then shipped on loan to Belgian side Genk in January 2020, prior to eventually joining the club permanently later that summer.

Kouassi Eboue’s career record

Club

Games

Goals

Assists

Arouca

53

4

0

Genk

22

0

0

Celtic

22

0

1

Krasnador

19

1

2

Krasnador II

5

0

1

Jong Genk

2

0

0

Total

123

5

4

Stats via Transfermarkt

Now 26, the former Celtic man is on the books at Portuguese outfit Arouca – whom he joined in 2023 – with his transfer value deemed to be around just £900k, as per Transfermarkt.

Perhaps he was merely doomed to fail from the start amid such notable comparisons to the likes of Sterling and Coutinho, although it’s fair to say that Eboue does not fall into the category of transfer success stories that Rodgers has enjoyed during his two stints at Parkhead.

Related Celtic thought they had their new Tierney, now he's already left Parkhead

Celtic wasted millions on the left-back after they look to replace the Scottish defender.

Posts ByDan Emery Oct 17, 2024

Manchester City have reportedly reached a full agreement with Lens to sign centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov.

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• Man City tracking Lens' Khusanov
• Deal struck with French team
• Set to be City's first signing in January

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  A full agreement has been struck between both teams and only a few details need to be sorted over the weekend before the transfer is sealed, Julien Laurens reports. City will pay €40 million (£34m/$41m) for the centre-back, Fabrizio Romano reports, with Khusanov to undergo a medical in the coming days.

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  City boss Pep Guardiola has demanded January signings following a string of defensive injuries and now he appears to have got his man in the talented 20-year-old. The struggling Premier League defending champions have been shipping more goals this season than in campaigns gone by and perhaps Khusanov can help with that issue.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Khusanov, who joined Lens from Belarusian Premier League team Energetik-BGU in 2023, has already racked up 18 caps for Uzbekistan. He has also only played 31 times for the Ligue 1 outfit but looks set for a big-money move.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  It remains to be seen if Khusanov has played his last game for Lens and if he makes his City debut next week, with games against Brentford and Ipswich Town to come in the Premier League.

Fabian Allen took an astonishing catch in the deep to halt Australia’s chase

Peter Della Penna16-Jul-2021A fiery half-century from Evin Lewis laid the platform for a 200 target set by West Indies, which seemed well within reach for Australia until a slew of dynamic fielding efforts during the chase turned the tide back the way of the hosts as West Indies clinched a 16-run victory to complete a 4-1 series win at Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia.Lewis attacked pace and spin in equal measure to blaze a 23-ball fifty and ultimately finished with 79 off 34 balls, including four fours and nine sixes, to pace West Indies through the first half of their innings after winning the toss and choosing to bat first. The hosts looked on track for well in excess of 200 while Lewis was still at the crease but after his departure Australia’s medium pacers, highlighted by Andrew Tye in his first match of the tour, bowled superbly at the death to rein back the West Indies line-up and give themselves a chance at a consolation win.Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh put Australia well ahead of the required run rate in the Powerplay portion of the reply. But a trio of sensational fielding efforts, first by Russell off his own bowling in the fifth and then by Fabian Allen and stand-in captain Nicholas Pooran in the space of three balls in the 10th, sucked the air out of the Australia chase at a pivotal stage from which they never recovered.Lewis fireworksAfter a blazing 31 off 14-ball cameo in his previous knock two days earlier, Lewis stayed a bit longer at the crease on this occasion and enacted double the damage. His first victim of the night was Jason Behrendorff. After ending the first over by flicking the left-armer over square leg for six, Lewis seized on a free hit in the third to belt a full toss for another six over midwicket before ending the over with another over backward square. A switch of ends made little difference for Behrendorff in the sixth as Lewis clattered him for another pair of boundaries and sixes.The start of a four, six, six sequence in the eighth over against Tye helped Lewis to his ninth T20I half-century. At one stage, David Miller’s fastest T20I century off just 35 balls looked in peril when Lewis heaved Mitchell Swepson for back-to-back sixes over the leg side in the ninth to move to 75 off 28 balls. But the left-hander finally ran out of steam collecting four singles in the next two overs before holing out to Marsh at the end of the 11th.Fabian Allen celebrates his astonishing catch•AFPWest Indies Tye’d down at the death by slower ballsWith five overs remaining, West Indies were still sitting pretty at 169 for 4. But Tye’s wide array of knuckleballs and other off-speed deliveries kept the West Indies middle-order in check as they could only add 30 off the final 30 balls of the innings. Tye bowled three of the final five overs in the sequence and conceded 19 runs while claiming three wickets, not to mention two other dropped chances he created.He began his haul removing the dangerous Russell for 1, picking out Alex Carey at deep cover in the 16th. Two overs later, Pooran pulled to Carey again this time fielding at deep midwicket for the left-hander. His final wicket on the night was a sliced skier by Darren Bravo to Finch at short third man. The only boundary he conceded in the three death overs came off the final ball of the innings when Hayden Walsh Jr drove him over the rope at wide long-off, but that did little to spoil the marvelous work he did to keep West Indies a hair under 200.Fielding magicIn spite of the early loss of Josh Philippe to end the first over, Australia were humming in the Powerplay behind another brisk knock from Marsh at No. 3, who motored to 30 off 14 balls as Australia ended the fourth over at 46 for 1. Russell arrived in the fifth and struck first ball with a brilliant reaction catch as a half-volley was smoked straight back to the allrounder, who pocketed a hip height catch in his follow-through.But Russell’s catch was child’s play compared to what occurred in the 10th over. Player of the Series Walsh Jr claimed his series best 12th wicket off the second ball of the over, but it was Allen who made the moment possible through sheer effort and athleticism. A knee high full toss was slapped flat down the ground by Finch, but Allen reprised some of the boundary catching heroics from years gone by in the CPL, that put him on the map early in his career, by sprinting to his left at long-on before flinging his body to claim a stunner laid out full extension with his left hand.Two balls later, new batter Carey tried to tap and run into short midwicket to get a well set Moises Henriques back on strike. But Pooran continued his side’s merciless display in the field by hustling out from behind the stumps, picking up the ball and firing back into the striker’s end stumps from short range with Henriques still inches short of making his ground to be out for 21. From 95 for 2, Australia were suddenly 100 for 4.Despite being ahead of the required run rate, their thin middle-order depth meant the target became increasingly distant. Russell helped cement the win by dismissing Carey and Matthew Wade in consecutive overs. With 63 off 27 required for the tail, some late hitting made the final margin seem more flattering to the visitors than it was as the hosts completed yet another convincing win.

MatériaMais Notícias

O grito de “bicampeão” ecoou entre os cerca de 60 mil torcedores do Atlético-MG no Mineirão. Com dois gols de Hulk, o Galo bateu o Fluminense por 2 a 1 (Manoel fez o gol tricolor) neste domingo (28) em jogo marcado por decisão discutível no VAR e chegou a 78 pontos na 36ª rodada do Brasileirão. A equipe de Cuca só depende de suas forças e pode ser campeã caso o Flamengo tropece na terça-feira (30), diante do Ceará. A expectativa de um fim de jejum de longos 50 anos ficou claríssima ao apito final.

+ Veja a tabela do Brasileirão e simule os resultados dos jogos

BATALHA DE ESTRATÉGIAS
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Mesmo atuando como visitante, o Fluminense não demorou a se lançar à frente. André arriscou um chute de longe e obrigou Everson a se esticar para encaixar. Os comandados de Marcão ocupavam espaços e tinham uma postura aguerrida e fechavam os espaços para as investidas do Atlético-MG.

O Atlético-MG, aos poucos, tentou soltar as amarras em investidas com Guilherme Arana e Keno. A primeira oportunidade mais nítida veio pela direita, quando Jair aproveitou um clarão na zaga tricolor e encontrou Diego Costa. O atacante fez o giro, mas a bola passou rente à trave.

BOBEOU, MANOEL MARCOU!

A bola aérea trouxe novo destino para o Fluminense. Marlon cobrou falta com precisão e, enquanto a zaga atleticana ficou parada, Manoel encontrou uma brecha para desviar de cabeça. Em vantagem, o Tricolor das Laranjeiras quase ampliou minutos depois. Fred abriu espaço e bateu forte, exigindo Everson.

GALO SE REENCONTRA

Pouco a pouco, o Atlético retomomu as rédeas, apostando em investidas com Guilherme Arana e Keno. Hulk desvencilhou-se da marcação e encheu o pé, obrigando Marcos Felipe a saltar para defender.

VAR, CONFUSÃO E… GOL DO ATLÉTICO!

A partida continuava bastante acirrada quando a polêmica voltou a rondar a área. Em bola alçada para a área, os atleticanos reclamaram que o lateral tricolor Marlon interceptou com a mão uma jogada envolvendo Diego Costa.

O árbitro Marielson Alves Silva atendeu à solicitação do árbitro de vídeo e foi rever a jogada. Contudo, sua caminhada foi interrompida por uma confusão envolvendo jogadores de Atlético-MG e Fluminense. Após os ânimos ficarem arrefecidos, o juiz reviu o lance e apontou pênalti para o Galo. Hulk partiu para a bola e cobrou no cantinho.

Empurrado por sua torcida, o time da casa se lançou de vez ao ataque. Keno desviou cabeçada rente à trave. Allan passou como quis pelo lado esquerdo e sua tentativa foi abafada por Marcos Felipe. O Fluminense, por sua vez, mostrava-se afoito. David Braz se enrolou ao recuar uma bola e obrigou o goleiro tricolor a sair para evitar a chegada de Zaracho. Em seguida, Jair esticou e Diego Costa encheu o pé, mas a bola foi para fora.

JOGO ACIRRADO

A partida continuou truncada na volta do intervalo. Os comandados de Cuca penavam para furar o bloqueio adversário em lançamentos de Arana e Keno, enquanto o Tricolor das Laranjeiras se atrapalhava ao buscar contra-ataques. Com isto, as faltas predominavam no Mineirão.

INCRÍVEL, HULK!

Só que o Atlético voltou a contar com o poderio de Hulk e garantiu a virada. O atacante encheu o pé em cobrança de falta da direita. A bola desviou na cabeça de Wellington e “traiu” Marcos Felipe.

FLUMINENSE ENSAIA REAÇÃO

Em desvantagem, a equipe das Laranjeiras chegou a dar esperança de reação. Yago Felipe finalizou e Everson fez uma defesa. Em seguida, Bobadilla recebeu bola e encheu o pé, mas a bola foi por cima.

CANTOU DE GALO!
​
O Atlético logo voltou a dominar as ações e empilhou chances. Nacho cobrou falta e Vargas cabeceou. Os donos da casa ainda tentaram jogadas com Eduardo Sasha e Nacho, mas não tiveram sucesso. Aos poucos, a equipe passou a cadenciar o jogo e fechou os espaços para o Fluminense. Ao apito final, a Massa soltou o grito de “bicampeão”, como se dissesse um “que se dane” para a matemática. Mas ainda há um pouco mais a esperar.

FICHA TÉCNICA

ATLÉTICO-MG 2×1 FLUMINENSE

Data/Hora: 28-11-21 – 16h
​Estádio: Mineirão (MG)
Árbitro: Marielson Alves Silva (BA)
Assistentes: Alessandro Alvaro Rocha de Matos (BA) e Elicarlos Franco de Oliveira (BA)
VAR: José Claudio Rocha Filho (Fifa-SP)
Renda / Público: 7.145.226,00/59.896 presentes

Cartões amarelos: Nathan Silva, Allan, Jair, Keno, Diego Costa (ATL), Samuel Xavier, David Braz, Matheus Martins (FLU)
Cartões vermelhos: não houve
Gols: Marlon, 13/1T (0-1), Hulk, 37/1T (1-1), Hulk, 14/2T (2-1)

ATLÉTICO-MG: Everson; Mariano, Nathan Silva, Alonso e Guilherme Arana; Allan (Tchê Tchê,24/2T)), Jair e Zaracho; Keno (Nacho, 29/2T), Diego Costa e Hulk (Sasha, 42/2T). Técnico: Cuca

FLUMINENSE: Marcos Felipe; Samuel Xavier, Manoel, David Braz e Marlon; Wellington (Alexandre Jesus, 42/2T), André (Cazares,)24/2T) e Yago Felipe; Luiz Henrique (Matheus Martins, 33/2T), Caio Paulista (Arías, 24/2T) e Fred (Bobadilla,24/2T). Técnico: Marcão

Macario was introduced at halftime and scored two penalties as the Blues came from behind to secure three points against Las Blancas

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Chelsea defeat Real Madrid in UWCLCatarina Macario scores twiceUSWNT striker in fine formFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

USWNT striker Catarina Macario continued her impressive form since her return from significant injury, scoring a brace as a halftime substitute on penalties to help Chelsea came from behind to defeat Real Madrid 2-1 in the UEFA Women's Champions League Tuesday.

The gained momentum from her substitution, with both goals coming off her boot, but her introduction truly changed the match — eventually handing Chelsea a crucial three points in their Group Stage finale.

Sonia Bompastor's perfect record in London was in serious jeopardy until Macario's heroics, and as a result, the end their Group Stage campaign atop the standings in the first place spot. Now, they'll now face a Group Stage runner-up in the quarterfinals in 2025 instead of a Group winner.

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Macario's return to form with Chelsea has been nothing short of brilliant in 2024-25, after two-plus seasons riddled with injuries on the sideline.

On Dec. 11, the striker scored her first UWCL goal since 2022 with Lyon, and it arrived after 641 days on the sideline due to a gruesome ACL tear that sidelined her through March, 2024. A few lingering injuries followed after her return last Spring, including a minor one that forced her out of Emma Hayes' USWNT roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, she's returned back to her best in recent months since the start of the WSL season, and looks to be finding her nose for goal once again, too.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MACARIO?

The don't return to the pitch until the new year, with their next appearances being Jan. 12 in the FA Cup. Their next WSL match arrives on Sunday, Jan. 19 against West Ham United while their next UWCL opponent remains to be determined until the knockout stage draw.

Macario, meanwhile, has three goals in her last two UWCL matches and looks to break out into the XI come 2025.

Nottingham Forest, after opening their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, are reportedly set to sign a Premier League defender with a medical already booked.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

The Reds have already had a busy transfer window, welcoming Nikolo Milenkovic, Elliot Anderson, Jota Silva and, most recently, Ramon Sosa among others. Handing Nuno Espirito Santo quite the boost in his first full season in charge, Forest will hope to see their side move away from any relegation concerns and into the comforts of the Premier League's mid-table.

Welcoming Sosa, the club's Chief Football Officer Ross Wilson told Forest's official website: "Ramón has been coveted by many clubs but was so clear in his desire to join Nottingham Forest.

“We could all feel his energy, emotion, pride and excitement to be here from the first minute he arrived. He can’t wait to get started and we are delighted that he is here with us.”

Romano: Nottingham Forest bid to sign £100k-p/w "beast" instead of Gimenez

It could prove an excellent move for the City Ground side.

ByBen Browning Aug 20, 2024

Even after signing the winger, however, those at the City Ground are not done there it seems. According to Fabrizio Romano, Nottingham Forest have now reached an agreement to sign Alex Moreno from Aston Villa after initial talks, with a medical already booked for the left-back.

Falling out of favour under Unai Emery amid competition from Lucas Digne and Ian Maatsen, a switch to fellow Midlands side Forest certainly makes sense for Moreno before the summer transfer window comes to a close on August 30.

Moreno could instantly compete with Aina

Adding depth may well be the key to unlocking survival for Forest once again this season. Of course, they've already done that by adding Sosa to an already-exciting frontline, but now they look set to follow that up by reinforcing their backline with the addition of Moreno. The experienced left-back, who earns a reported £35k-a-week, will undoubtedly give Ola Aina plenty to think about.

Progressive Carries

2.78

2.82

Key Passes

0.96

0.59

Tackles Won

1.04

1.65

Ball Recoveries

3.48

5.16

Minutes

1,031

1,692

Matching Aina on the ball last season, despite struggling for similar minutes, Moreno's know-how should quickly prove to be an invaluable trait for Forest in search of turning their Bournemouth draw into a solid start to their Premier League campaign.

The Spaniard is now 31 years old, so although it's unlikely that he'll have the chance to feature week in week out, he could find himself at the centre of Forest's most important moments.

Reportedly sealing their seventh signing of a busy summer transfer window, Forest should be well positioned to navigate their way towards Premier League survival and potentially more under Espirito Santo this season.

At the 14th attempt, the unthinkable happened: the team asked to bat first managed to win a match

Matt Roller03-Mar-2021

Usman Khan blasted 10 fours and three sixes during his 50-ball 81•AFP

At the 14th attempt, the unthinkable happened: the team that lost the toss and were asked to bat first managed to win a match in the 2021 Pakistan Super League.Winless in their first four games of the season, Quetta Gladiators were unlikely candidates to break the infamous chasing streak, and it was an unlikely contender who fired them to a defendable total. Usman Khan, making his official T20 debut at the age of 25, hit 81 off 50 balls to lead them to 176 for 7, a total which could and should have been significantly higher but for a stumble in the middle overs.Related

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With the ball, the wizardry of their two main spinners, Qais Ahmad and Mohammad Nawaz, was key, as Multan Sultans became the first side to fall short in a chase despite yet another half-century from Mohammad Rizwan – his third in five innings to date in this tournament.Usman Khan’s debut fireworksAll of the talk about Quetta Gladiators coming into this season revolved around their top-order batting, and specifically their two platinum picks at January’s draft. In Chris Gayle and Tom Banton, they had a ready-made opening partnership between the one of the GOATs in the shortest format and one of its brightest young talents.Things have not played out as planned. Gayle played two innings at No. 3 before departing for Antigua, winning a recall to West Indies’ T20I set-up at the age of 41, while Banton was dropped after making nine runs in two innings and watched Wednesday night’s game from self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19.In their absence, the unknown Usman was plucked from obscurity and played one of the innings of the season to date. He was last seen playing in the D20 tournament in the UAE in December, having made a couple of first-class appearances for Karachi Whites in October 2017, but was thrown in at the deep end alongside the 18-year-old Saim Ayub and got the Gladiators off to a flying start.Usman was strong all around the ground, but particularly square of the wicket, with a preference for the leg side. He was particularly punishing against Carlos Brathwaite, whom he hit for 27 in 11 balls including a four and two sixes at the end of the 13th, but his best shot was a clean strike over long-on against Imran Tahir.Sultans fight backTahir was making his first appearance of the season, coming into the side alongside Imran Khan and Shan Masood as Usman Qadir, Shahid Afridi and Chris Lynn were left out. It was an emotional night for him, as he dedicated his first wicket to his close friend Tahir Mughal, who passed away in January following a battle with cancer.And Tahir’s second wicket, which saw him trap Usman lbw when reverse-sweeping on 81, sparked a mini-collapse. Faf du Plessis had struggled for timing, making a run-a-ball 17 and playing on off Sohail Khan the ball after Usman’s dismissal, and it took a pair of cameos from Azam Khan and Mohammad Nawaz to drag the Gladiators to 176 for 7 after their 20 overs.Shahnawaz Dhani bowled some superb yorkers at the death, managing to extract movement from the old ball at high pace, but struggled for consistency and ended up conceding 44 from his four overs.Rizwan’s strong startRizwan and James Vince started the chase well, racing to 53 for 0 inside the powerplay to stay level with the required rate as they took advantage of a loose start from the Gladiators’ seamers and feasted on the legspinner Zahid Mahmood. Sarfaraz Ahmed also burned both of his side’s reviews early on.But Qais and Nawaz came on after the powerplay and immediately put the brakes on. Qais removed Vince in his first over, feathering an edge through to Sarfaraz, and pinned Shan Masood lbw trying to sweep in his second. The four overs immediately after the powerplay brought only 16 runs, leaving the required rate up at 10.8.Rizwan led the rebuilding job, surviving an optimistic stumping shout from Sarfaraz on 49 but batting with the fluency that has defined his tournament, but Qais struck for a third time as Rilee Rossouw spooned a catch to fine leg. Sohaib Maqsood holed out to long-on, leaving Khushdil Shah as the only real support for Rizwan, and despite an expensive third over from Dale Steyn, the rate continued to look beyond them.The curse is brokenMohammad Hasnain made two breakthroughs bowling at high pace in his third over, removing both Shah and Brathwaite, leaving Rizwan as the last man standing. He holed out off Mahmood, who had Sohail caught at long-on a ball later, and should have had a hat-trick but for Ben Cutting’s drop at mid-off. Tahir whacked a six over the covers off Hasnain, but the Gladiators managed to close the game out regardless.The Gladiators are still bottom of the pile on net run-rate, level on points with the Sultans. Both sides have identical records, having lost four games out of five, and are already in real danger of missing out on the play-offs.

Newcastle United will get their Premier League campaign underway in two weeks as they hope to achieve better than their seventh-place finish last term. Indeed, the Magpies will not have European football to get in the way next time out, after failing to qualify following their memorable season back in the Champions League in 2023/24.

They kick off their season against newly promoted Southampton at St James’ Park. The Saints will be looking to continue their impressive form shown in the Championship last term, having won the playoff final against Leeds United. It could be a tricky start for the Toon.

The first trip on the road for Newcastle this season is one of the league’s longest away trips. They travel to the Vitality Stadium to face AFC Bournemouth, before hosting Tottenham Hotspur on the 1st of September at St James’ Park once again. The first few weeks will certainly be tough for Eddie Howe's men.

To stand them in the best stead, the Magpies will no doubt need to dip into the transfer window to strengthen their squad. They have already made some moves in the market, and have recently been linked with another Premier League star who can add quality and experience in defence.

Newcastle target Premier League defender

The player in question here is Liverpool and England international defender Joe Gomez. The 27-year-old featured plenty of times in Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge at Anfield, but could now be one of the players sold by new manager Arne Slot.

According to a report from The Athletic, the Reds were in advanced negotiations with Newcastle to sell Gomez for £45m, with Anthony Gordon making the switch to Anfield in a separate deal but one dependent on the transfer of Gomez.

The report suggests that negotiations between the two clubs were so advanced that ‘payment terms were discussed’, and the England national team setup were asked if medicals could be conducted in Germany at Euro 2024, had the deals ended up going through.

At this stage, the deals are no longer imminent. However, ‘the landscape could soon shift’, with Liverpool still targeting Gordon and Gomez set to make a decision on his future in the coming days.

Why Gomez would be a good signing

There is no doubt that Gomez would add great experience and quality to a Newcastle backline that suffered badly from an injury crisis last season. He played 51 times in all competitions for the Reds last term, with 32 of those appearances coming in the Premier League.

Gomez could be an excellent alternative signing to Marc Guehi for the Magpies this summer. According to highly reputable journalist David Ornstein, Newcastle have opened talks for the Crystal Palace defender, who was one of the stars of the show for England at Euro 2024.

He is believed to be valued at £65m by the Eagles, £20m more than what Gomez would cost the Magpies this summer. However, the Liverpool man is on £85k-per-week, slightly more than the £50k-per-week that Guehi currently earns at Selhurst Park, as per Capology.

However, if a deal for Guehi falls through or is not possible for whatever reason, the Magpies could instead fully focus on bringing the 27-year-old Liverpool star to the club and maintain some of the quality they were looking to add at centre-back.

The pair are certainly comparable when looking at their FBref stats, and Gomez certainly comes out on top in plenty of different areas. Of course, a good place to begin looking is their defensive stats, and whilst they are not the be-all and end-all for defenders, you can still build a good picture.

Firstly, Gomez averages more tackles and interceptions than the Crystal Palace man per 90 minutes. The Liverpool defender averages 3.33, whereas Guehi lies a fair way below with 2.04 each game.

Not only that, Gomez is far superior in the air. He has an aerial duel win rate of 75%, yet Guehi averages slightly less, with just 50%. That is one area in which Gomez excels over the Palace defender. He is two inches taller, at 6 foot 2 compared to his England teammate who stands at around 6 foot.

Stat (per 90)

Gomez

Guehi

Ball recoveries

5.61

5.33

Aerial duel win %

75%

50%

Tackles and interceptions

3.33

2.04

Blocks

1.31

0.98

Clearances

2.53

3.96

The other aspect crucial to look at is their progressive play. In Howe’s direct system, being able to progress play quickly and efficiently is a huge benefit. The Liverpool man averages 5.05 progressive passes and 4.19 passes into the final third, compared to just 2.98 progressive passes and 4 final third passes for the Palace defender.

The final area Gomez excels in over Guehi is his progressive carrying. The former Charlton ace averages 2.22 per 90 minutes, as opposed to 0.67 for Guehi. Having the confidence to carry the ball out from the back, especially under pressure, could be important for Gomez to be able to do in Howe’s direct system.

Now, it is certainly important to take these stats on the ball with a pinch of salt. Last season, Gomez played in a side with far more average possession than Palace, with Liverpool averaging 61.3% as per Fbref, ranking third in the Premier League. In contrast, Palace ranked 15th in the top flight with just 42.3%.

All things considered, Gomez could perhaps be a better option for Newcastle to sign this summer than Guehi. His former manager Klopp highly rates him, calling him “exceptional”, and that is certainly reflected in his stats. It is fair to say Newcastle would be adding a top player to their squad.

Given he will cost £20m less than Guehi, and he brings plenty of experience and excellent progressive play in possession, it could be a superb deal for the Magpies to get over the line this summer.

Forget Thiaw: Newcastle could land dream signing for Guehi in £40m ace

The club are still targeting a centre-back this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 3, 2024

Experience of helpful surfaces at Taunton may aid spin twins in first Test alongside one another

Andrew Miller13-Jan-2021Joe Root hopes that the know-how gleaned by his twin spinners, Jack Leach and Dom Bess, on conducive surfaces at Taunton will help England to overcome their lack of match preparation when the first Test against Sri Lanka gets underway in Galle on Thursday.With England’s match practice limited to two days of intra-squad warm-ups in Hambantota, and with their most experienced spinner, Moeen Ali, ruled out of the series after testing positive for Covid-19 on arrival, Root is relying on his players to lean on prior experience to overcome their unavoidable rustiness.”I think we’ve prepared the best we can,” Root said during the captain’s pre-match press conference on Wednesday. “That’s all you can do. We’ve obviously had a very short lead-in to this game but we have made the most of everything we’ve got.”I can’t ask any more of the guys, we’ve had some really good conversations about the conditions and what to expect and we’ve had guys with really good experiences here on the previous tour and some very exciting young players. When you put all that together it blends nicely and hopefully we can transfer that into the game tomorrow.”Jack Leach poses in front of a mural in Sri Lanka•Getty Images

Leach is one of those guys with Sri Lankan know-how, having played a significant role on England’s last completed tour in 2018-19 – he was the joint-leading wicket-taker alongside Moeen with 18 scalps in their 3-0 series win.However, Bess is the current incumbent in the Test team, having featured in all six home Tests against West Indies and Pakistan last summer, even though he has not yet played a Test in Asian conditions, with his only two overseas Tests coming against South Africa at Cape Town and Port Elizabeth last January.Nor have Leach and Bess yet played a Test alongside one another, despite having formed a potent alliance at Somerset for three seasons from 2016, with their success on Taunton’s habitually turning surfaces proving a major factor in their club’s bid for an elusive maiden County Championship title.Dom Bess bowls in training•Getty Images

However, Bess moved on to Yorkshire last season in search of more regular first-team opportunities, and at England level too, he and Leach have more often than not been rivals for the same single spinner’s berth. Bess made his debut against Pakistan in 2018 when Leach suffered a broken thumb in training, and reclaimed his place last winter after illness forced his team-mate to fly home early from the South Africa tour.But Thursday promises to be the first time that they take the field in the same Test for England, and while Root is mindful of putting them under pressure to thrive in the conditions, he is hopeful that their familiarity as a partnership will bear fruit for their country.”Of course they will be expected to take wickets if it starts turning,” Root said. “Leachy had great success here on the last tour, Dom had success when it turned in Port Elizabeth. They’ve got good experiences and they will gain a lot of confidence from knowing when the conditions are in their favour they’ve had success.”Nowhere has that been more the case than at Taunton, however, where Leach has claimed 164 wickets at 20.36 and Bess 60 at 23.93, with both men benefiting not only from the assistance offered by “Ciderabad’s” surfaces, but from the knowledge of how to exploit such assistance with attacking fields and aggressive lines. Last year, Bess also worked with one of the best in the business, the former Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath, during a spin camp in Mumbai.Related

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“I think that will hold him in really good stead,” Root said of Bess, who bowled 16 overs in England’s warm-up match earlier this week. “The fact that he’s experienced big-spinning conditions already at home in Somerset colours, and he also had success in Port Elizabeth where it did spin quite drastically. We know he has the ability and skills if it does start spinning quite quickly to take advantage of that. It’s a really good opportunity for him to show what he can do in these conditions.”Wherever you go in the world your role will change in different conditions,” Root added. “If you’re looking at rounding out the best all-round package as a player, you have to be able to experience that and understand what your role is in those given conditions. As someone right at the start of his career he’s still learning that and that’s exciting to see that he’s had success already, and coming into these conditions where they might be slightly more in his favour, he could potentially really make a mark on this tour.”Nevertheless, having indicated that England would opt for three seamers and two spinners in their Test line-up for this tour – a significant change of tack from the three-spin line-up that won here two years ago – Root reiterated the need for his quick bowlers to play their part too if England are to emulate their success on the last tour.”I ultimately think it’s how we operate as a whole bowling group,” he said. “It’s important we take our chances, something we did really well last time around. It’s important to build pressure for long periods of time. It’s something we’ve done well in our own conditions, can we do it out here as well?”Seam will play a big part, whether that is building pressure or roughing batsman up for a period of time so the spinners can come into the game. With the weather around, it’s quite tacky, so that might open the door for some of the seamers. Collectively, it’s really important that we look at trying to take 20 wickets as a whole bowling group and we don’t focus on one or two individuals to do all of the donkey work for us.”