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Wolverhampton Wanderers have enjoyed some joy in the transfer market so far this summer, managing to sign talents such as Pedro Lima and Rodrigo Gomes, while making Tommy Doyle’s loan move from Manchester City a permanent one.

Things are gearing up nicely for Gary O’Neil and his side as they look to crack the top half of the Premier League table next season.

The main question is, can he prevent his prized assets from departing the club this summer?

Wolves could lose one of their best players this summer

Joao Gomes is the man who is in high demand as of late, with several teams showing interest in signing the Old Gold midfielder.

According to Brazilian journalist Valentin Furlan, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are all showing plenty of admiration for the former Flamengo midfielder.

He states that Wolves are not opposed to letting him leave during the current window, and they could demand a transfer fee in the region of £50m to do so.

If O’Neil did sell Gomes in the next few weeks, it wouldn’t be the first time they have lost one of their finest players to a member of the Premier League elite, as Matheus Nunes joined Manchester City last summer after a single season in the Midlands.

Wolves could face another Matheus Nunes situation

The Old Gold signed the Portuguese midfielder from Sporting Club in 2022 for a club-record fee, and he went on to make 41 appearances for the Midlands side before being lured to City in the summer of 2023.

Goals

0

Assists

2

Accurate passes per game

23.7

Total duels won per game

3.3

Big chances created

2

Key passes per game

0.6

Possession lost per game

7.8

While they made a profit on the player, it is not something which the club will want to undergo again, losing talented youngsters the moment they start to perform and showcase their true potential.

Gomes only cost the Molineux outfit £15m in January 2023 and has since gone on to make a total of 49 appearances since then, emerging as a key player throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

Among his teammates, Gomes ranked sixth for key passes per game (0.6) along with ranking first for tackles per game (3.8) in the Premier League last term.

His defensive skills were impressive, and he even ranks in the top 1% when compared to his positional peers for tackles per 90 (4.35) among those in the top five European leagues, showcasing how effective he can be in the middle of the pitch.

It is perhaps no surprise to hear him being described as a “warrior” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in 2021, as he emerged as a prodigious talent for Flamengo.

Losing him would be a big blow for the club as they seek to improve on a solid debut season under O’Neil.

While they would most certainly receive a substantial fee for the Brazilian, O’Neil’s preference will surely be to keep the midfield dynamo ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, especially if he seeks to break into the top half of the league table.

Could be Jota 2.0: O'Neil at risk of losing "different" Wolves star

He is wanted by a European giant this summer.

ByJoe Nuttall Jul 6, 2024

Arsenal fans have been left distraught after seeing their Premier League title hopes hit again by a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle.

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Alexander Isak downs Arsenal at St James' ParkSecond Premier League defeat in three gamesFans react to disappointmentFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Newcastle enjoyed another home win over Arsenal on Saturday, taking all three points thanks to Alexander Isak's 12th-minute header. The result means it's two Premier League defeats in three games for the Gunners and a massive dent to their title hopes already. Fans were quick to react to the dismal loss on social media and are convinced their hopes of being crowned champions are already over for another season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Arsenal supporter @HassanGooner10 posted on X: "Unacceptable performance, the title is officially gone."

And @bradjrr urged the Gunners to focus on other targets: "We are not yet at the level required of winning the PL title. Let's focus on top four and cup titles."

There was also criticism directed at the manager, with @slowfee9 posting: "Honestly. Its obvious. If we dont win any trophy this season then Arteta time is up," while @nawaswa1 wrote: "Arteta is just a scam two seasons we bottled the league when had clear chances, failed to get us a clinical 9."

And @StanSylvester felt the club has made the wrong signings: "This is what happens when u buy a DM and a defender instead of a striker. We were bad at the back before Arteta came, now we’re terrible upfront."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Arsenal went into the match already five points behind leaders Manchester City, and four off Liverpool, and will lose further ground at the top of the table if both sides gain positive results this weekend. Champions City are at Bournemouth, while Liverpool take on Brighton at Anfield.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL

Arsenal will need to bounce back quickly as they have big games up next. The Gunners take on Inter in the Champions League midweek and then face Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday at Stamford Bridge.

Byars signed a three-year deal with San Diego Wave, as first college player to take advantage in post-draft NWSL

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Byars signed three-year deal with San Diego WaveFirst player to move directly to NWSL team out of collegeCollective Bargaining Agreement eliminated college draftWHAT HAPPENED?

Byars made history this week, becoming the first college athlete to sign directly for an NWSL team – less than six months after the professional women's soccer league eliminated the college draft.

The Texas forward, who scored 52 goals for the Longhorns, signed a three-year deal with the San Diego Wave, with an option for a fourth year, the club announced.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Byars is among the more highly-rated forwards in the NCAA. She scored 17 game-winning goals, bagged five hat-tricks, and was named Big 12 forward of the year in 2023. She has represented the USYNT throughout her career, appearing from the U14 through the U23 level.

Before that, she trained with Manchester City and Atletico Madrid at the youth level.

WHAT CAMILLE ASHTON SAID

Camille Ashton, the Wave's sporting director, expressed her excitement at Byars' arrival: "We are thrilled to welcome Trinity to the San Diego Wave. Trinity has proven to be one of the most dynamic and exciting forwards at the collegiate level. Her ability to play between the lines and threaten in behind is special and we believe she will be an incredible addition to our team."

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Imagn ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BYARS?

The forward will be eligible to join the Wave in January after the NWSL roster freeze ends. Byars sustained a torn ACL on Sept. 1, and will resume her rehab with the NWSL side.

Arsenal are reluctantly prepared to sell a player who manager Mikel Arteta ideally wants to keep, with the Gunners boss also having lavished him with praise.

Players who could still leave Arsenal this summer

This week, striker Eddie Nketiah and defender Jakub Kiwior have been the two players most heavily linked with the Arsenal exit door.

£24 million forward targeted by Ten Hag now set for talks to join Arsenal

His agent will sit down with Gunners officials.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 23, 2024

Nketiah has reportedly agreed terms with Marseille as the Ligue 1 giants and Arsenal negotiate over price, while Fabrizio Romano has backed that Kiwior could depart Arsenal now that defender Riccardo Calafiori has been signed.

The duo form just a couple of the many players who Arsenal could listen to offers for, and they're part of a long list including Thomas Partey, Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe.

Arsenal chiefs expect Partey to be sold in the coming weeks, and the same could be said for goalkeeper Ramsdale after the Englishman lost his number one spot to David Raya last season.

Appearances

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5

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4

Bookings

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Red cards

1

Minutes played

7,794

Smith Rowe, meanwhile, suffered from precious few opportunities to impress at the Emirates over 23/24 – making just 13 Premier League appearances with 10 of them coming off the substitute's bench.

Arsenal will reluctantly sell Smith Rowe who Arteta ideally wants to keep

Speaking to CaughtOffside, reliable reporter Charles Watts has shared an intriguing update on the Englishman's future. He says that Arsenal will reluctantly sell Smith Rowe in the event of a good offer, despite Arteta actually ideally wanting to keep the 23-year-old.

“There has been a bid from Fulham for Smith Rowe, but that has been rejected. A second bid is expected, but Crystal Palace are also expected to make an offer soon having made their interest in the playmaker known,” Watts said.

“In an ideal world, Mikel Arteta would keep Smith Rowe. This time last year he made it clear that he would not be sold and I think his stance would be the same this time around if it was just down to a footballing decision. But Smith Rowe now has just two years left on his contract and has a strong desire to be playing regular football having sat on the bench for much of the last two seasons.

“So Arsenal would reluctantly let him leave should a good offer arrive from Fulham, Palace or anyone else. But at the moment that offer has not arrived and that is why Smith Rowe has flown with the squad to the United States. It’s certainly not a case that Arsenal will be forcing him out of the door.”

Smith Rowe's best season came during the 2021/2022 campaign, where he scored 10 goals and bagged a further two assists in an impressive breakout year.

However, a combination of fitness issues and more competition for places in the squad has limited his opportunities in the last two years. It will be interesting to see what Arsenal deem a reasonable fee for the £40,000-per-week ace, who Arteta described as a "joy to watch".

Kohli affirmed that their “lack of execution is acceptable”, as long as the mindset was in the right place

Varun Shetty09-Feb-20212:14

Where did India lose the first Test?

In his assessment of India’s efforts during their 227-run defeat to England, captain Virat Kohli said the struggles of supporting spinners Shahbaz Nadeem and Washington Sundar during England’s first innings affected India’s control of the game, and eventually the result. Nadeem and Sundar, who were both playing their second Tests for India, went at close to four runs per over and took two wickets in 70 overs between them. On the other hand, senior bowlers R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ishant Sharma went at a collective rate of 2.6 as England batted into the seventh session of the match for their 578.”You need to understand two things in this situation – as a bowling unit, we didn’t bowl well collectively,” Kohli said. “If you consider the fast bowlers and Ashwin, then yes, we bowled consistently and in good areas. But if Washi and Shahbaz had also bowled such economical spells, then you create more pressure, you cut out 80-90 runs from the opposition. Plus if you see from the batting point of view in the first innings, if you add about 80 runs more, then the match becomes almost equal. So there’s no need to overthink it. We just have to continuously build pressure on them. And if we do that, then I have full belief that we’ll get the results that we’ve achieved as a side on many occasions.”In an earlier conversation after the match with broadcaster , Kohli affirmed that their “lack of execution is acceptable”, as long as the mindset was in the right place; that, Kohli said, was visible in the second innings and that the pressure applied from the bowling unit was good enough, albeit not enough to win the Test.Nadeem was with India’s squad as a standby bowler, and replaced allrounder Axar Patel, who was believed to be a frontrunner for a debut in this Test until he was injured on the eve of the Test. Patel was slated to play a role similar to that of the injured Ravindra Jadeja, and his inclusion might have given India the chance to play wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav. That is, if they would be inclined to drop Sundar, who was one of their heroes in the famous Gabba win on debut and contributed valuable runs in this Test as well. From Kohli, there were no doubts about the bowling line-up India eventually went with, saying Nadeem was the man they had penciled in for the role.Virat Kohli waged a lone battle in India’s final-innings chase•BCCI”Not really. Not at all. Because when you’re playing two off-spinners, Kuldeep more or less becomes a similar kind of spinner taking the ball away [from the left-handers],” Kohli said. “So you need variety in the bowling attack. We were quite clear on what combination we wanted to play and there are no regrets whatsoever on that decision. And moving forward, we will think of combinations that will bring us variety as a bowling attack and not one-dimensional where the ball is only turning away from the bat. These things are really important to understand.”With the exception of Ashwin, and Jadeja to an extent, India have had to chop and change their bowling attack to a huge degree over their last few Tests. At the moment, injuries are keeping Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Shami out of the squad. But India aren’t being bogged down by hypotheticals.”Well they’re not here, so whether they could have or would have is irrelevant,” Kohli said in response to a question about the benefits Shami or Yadav might have brought to a Test replete with reverse swing. “Look, we are not a side that goes into what-ifs and what could have been and what should have been. If you’re adding to what could have been, then we’re talking about someone like Jaddu playing this Test as well – then you’re talking about a totally different situation. So let’s not go there. Let’s be aware of the fact that we have a strong team. We have individuals in front of us who we believe will do the job for the team. And, in one game where the execution hasn’t happened, does not mean that it won’t happen again.”So we have to keep believing in our process. We have had a lot of success as a team and we have to believe that as a side if you play good cricket, more good things are gonna happen in the future and not think of what if this payer was here and that player was here. All three of them are injured, so we have bench strength. You saw a true example of that in Australia and we totally believe in the players that we have in the team and we’re confident that we’re going to bounce back strong. We’re really looking forward to being on the field again.”

Visitors, 1-0 up in the two-Test series, are 154 runs in front with seven second-innings wickets left

Sreshth Shah13-Feb-2021Stumps Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan starred with the bat for Bangladesh, while Rahkeem Cornwall earned his second Test five-wicket haul as the third day of the Dhaka Test see-sawed right until the close of play. At stumps, West Indies were 41 for 3 in their second innings, leading by 154 runs. While they do hold the advantage, Bangladesh have enjoyed the greater success in the last two sessions of the day.Starting the day on 105 for 4 in their first innings, well behind West Indies’ 409, Bangladesh’s overnight batsmen Mohammad Mithun and Mushfiqur Rahim had to survive a barrage of short balls from Shannon Gabriel first up. But when Gabriel – who overstepped thrice in his first three overs – went fuller, he was put away by the two for fours through the covers. Jomel Warrican, the left-arm spinner, had his opening spell cut short as he drifted too often to the leg, allowing easy runs on the on side.Cornwall then replaced Warrican and created the first chance of the morning when Mithun mistimed a whip off his toes that went just beyond midwicket. But, in his next over, Cornwall got Mithun’s wicket with an unorthodox field placement. Trying to flick off his boots, Mithun – on 15 – was through his shot too early and the ball went in the air. Kraigg Brathwaite – lurking at short midwicket, where he had placed himself for that very shot – dived to his right to take the catch at full length.Related

Rahkeem Cornwall: 'I fed off the extra bounce in Dhaka'

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Joshua Da Silva, the glue that has kept West Indies together

Mehidy Hasan Miraz becomes fastest Bangladesh bowler to 100 Test wickets

Mushfiqur Rahim, meanwhile, reached his 22nd half-century in Cornwall’s first over. He tried not to let the offspinner settle in from the first ball he faced, but was almost caught at short leg soon after his half-century. He then survived a close lbw call off Cornwall after missing a sweep, but soon paid the price of being overly aggressive – on 54, he tried a reverse sweep, only to toe-end a simple catch to cover.At 155 for 6, and still over fifty short of avoiding the follow-on, Das and Mehidy got together for 12 overs before lunch. After the session break – and against the older ball – they displayed exemplary concentration to block, leave and duck. The balls that were wide on either side of the stumps were punished for the occasional boundary.While Cornwall’s turn from the rough outside off kept both batsmen in two minds, Warrican failed to build pressure like his partner. Mehidy often rocked back against Warrican to cut – with the turn – while Das eyed the midwicket boundary. That period of play took the stand past fifty and ensured Bangladesh had avoided following-on, which had seemed like a distinct possibility at the start of the session.When Alzarri Joseph came into the attack, he preferred the shorter lengths. Both Das and Mehidy were happy to duck through that challenge and when Joseph bowled full, they punished him down the V. With Joseph and Gabriel failing to get any purchase with the older ball, Brathwaite went to part-time spin to count the overs down so that the pacers could return fresh with the new ball. But that’s when Das and Mehidy pounced. Nkrumah Bonner’s legspin was struck by Das for consecutive fours to reach his seventh Test fifty. Brathwaite’s offbreak, too, allowed easy singles. And when the new ball was taken, both Das and Mehidy looked to go on the offensive.The first over with the new ball, from Gabriel, was wayward, conceding six including four byes, and brought up the hundred stand. They went for their shots, often successfully, which made Gabriel impatient. The fast bowler showed it too, by saying a few words to the batsmen on his follow through, which forced the umpires to have a chat with him. Mehidy then got his own fifty, to back up the century in Chattogram. Having lost no wickets in the session, the period after lunch belonged completely to Bangladesh. It was the first session – since the first one on the first day – that they could call theirs, as they added 91 for no loss.Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan kept Bangladesh in the game with a century stand•AFP via Getty ImagesThe post-tea session started with both batsmen looking to attack the tired West Indian bowling attack that had not gone wicketless for over 40 overs. But Cornwall put the brakes on soon after, when he removed Das for 71 for his fourth scalp after the batsman got an edge off a paddle sweep.Trying to play fine, Das went across the stumps to sweep, but Jermaine Blackwood – at first slip – anticipated the shot and ran around behind the wicketkeeper. The ball took an inside edge, hit the back leg and popped in the air for Blackwood to take a simple catch. A few balls later, Cornwall removed No. 9 Nayeem Hasan after the batsman edged a defensive shot to Blackwood at slip, earning him the five-wicket haul.From the other end, Gabriel had the last laugh over Mehidy. The allrounder fell for 57 when his attempt to drive through the off side went straight to cover for a catch. Gabriel earned another wicket to end the Bangladesh innings on 296 when he rapped No. 11 Abu Jayed on the glove, for a simple catch to gully. Bangladesh lost their last four wickets for only 15 runs in under six overs.With 21 overs to go in the day, Bangladesh started with spin and struck thrice before stumps. Brathwaite was first to go, when he tried to flick Nayeem, only for it to go to wicketkeeper Das off the gloves. Mehidy then entered the record books when he became the fastest (and youngest) Bangladesh bowler to 100 Test wickets with Shayne Moseley edging to second slip. Mehidy reached the mark in 24 Tests, beating the previous record of 25, set by Taijul Islam.Islam then removed the other opener, John Campbell, late in the day in an unusual manner. As Campbell played defensively, the ball appeared to spin back after dropping on the pitch and turned back to hit the stumps.The final few minutes saw Bonner and nightwatchman Warrican trying to survive with soft hands. Bangladesh surrounded the batsmen with as many players as they could, but there was no further damage.

Phil Parkinson has confirmed that Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo could be out for "a minimum of six weeks" in a bitter injury blow.

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Okonkwo suffered a wrist injury against MansfieldScans show that the wrist is brokenLuke Bolton and Will Boyle join him in the treatment roomFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 22-year-old keeper was instrumental in preserving Wrexham’s 1-0 lead over Mansfield last weekend but ended the match with pain in his wrist. Subsequently, he was sent for scans and the results have revealed a fracture which will keep him out of action for over a month.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT PARKINSON SAID

Speaking to reporters, Parkinson revealed: "We had some bad news when we had to send Arthur Okonkwo for a scan after he damaged his wrist on Saturday. Unfortunately, he has broken his wrist and is going to be out for a minimum of six weeks."

During their last outing against Port Vale in the EFL Trophy, Parkinson opted for a heavily rotated lineup, fielding a team distinctly different from the one that clinched the weekend victory over Mansfield. And in the absence of Okonkwo, he alternated between two goalkeepers during the match: Callum Burton took charge in the first half, while Mark Howard filled in during the second.

“Our fans might have found it unusual that we split the game time between two keepers on Tuesday,” Parkinson explained, “but this was pre-planned, in terms of giving them both some gametime, but also to protect Callum a little bit as well. I feel for Arthur, he’s in good form, but we’ve got two experienced goalkeepers ready and waiting.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

In Tuesday’s match, Will Boyle, who was initially selected as captain, had to be replaced just before kickoff after he injured his calf during the warm-up. Max Cleworth took over both Boyle’s position and captaincy for the game. Adding to Wrexham’s misfortune, wing-back Luke Bolton, who recently returned from a foot injury, exited the match just 12 minutes in with another calf problem.

Asked about about their latest status, Parkinson said: "Unfortunately, we picked up two injuries on the night – Luke Bolton and Will Boyle – and both look like 4-5 week lay-offs, which is obviously frustrating."

The manager also provided an update on other players dealing with injuries, including George Evans, James Jones, Steven Fletcher, and Jack Marriott. He added: "George Evans is making good progress, James Jones is still a couple of weeks away from joining in training with a foot injury, and Steven Fletcher trained last week but has had a slight setback and he’s seeing a specialist today so we’ll know more after that. Jack Marriott has been with the group, but as everyone knows that’s going to take time. It’s good to have him back in and around the ground with the lads though.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

With Okonkwo and several others sidelined Wrexham now face the challenge of regrouping ahead of their upcoming League One match against Stockport on Saturday.

Manchester City's 2024/25 campaign kicks off next weekend as they face off against local rivals Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley.

The Cityzens will be looking for payback after the Red Devils beat them in the FA Cup final back in May, a defeat that set up this rematch in the capital.

Pep Guardiola could start the season as he means to go on by lifting a trophy and then aiming for more success across all competitions next term.

City only picked up one major trophy in the 2023/24 campaign – the Premier League title – and could want to do better in the two domestic cup competitions and the Champions League this time around.

The summer transfer window still has around four weeks left to go before it slams shut and this means that there is still time for the club to make additions.

Brazil international Savinho has been the only signing of the window, so far, on a permanent deal to bolster the manager's options in the wide areas.

There could yet be some change in the middle of the park for the Premier League champions, as players have been linked with exits and the club have been touted with interest in stars from elsewhere.

Possible midfield changes for Manchester City

Firstly, The Sun recently reported that Turkish giants Fenerbahce are keen on a deal to sign central midfielder Mateo Kovacic from Manchester City.

The outlet claimed that Jose Mourinho would like to snap up the Croatia international to bolster his midfield options but will have to splash a club-record £25m in order to do so.

It stated that City are looking to recoup the £25m that they paid to sign the Croatian star from Chelsea, as they would be open to cashing in on him for the right price.

Guardiola could ruthlessly ditch the former Inter ace from his squad by securing a deal for Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich, who could take up his place in the group – freeing up Kovacic to move on.

The Mirror reported earlier this summer that the Germany international is eager to reunite with the Spanish boss, who he worked with in Bavaria, after City joined the race for his services.

It was claimed that Liverpool and Arsenal are also eyeing up a possible swoop for the central midfielder, who only has 12 months left to run on his current contract.

The outlet stated that it will take a fee of around £30m to secure his services and City must snap him up in order to cash in on Kovacic for £25m this summer.

Mateo Kovacic's debut season with Manchester City

The 30-year-old maestro arrived at The Etihad from Chelsea last summer to provide Guardiola with an experienced and quality midfield option for the 2023/24 campaign.

Kovacic provided a steady but unspectacular presence in the middle of the park in the Premier League for the Cityzens, starting 16 of his 30 appearances in the division.

The central midfielder did provide some progression in possession with 5.80 progressive passes and 2.15 progressive carries per 90, which placed him within the top 24% or higher of midfielders in the Premier League, respectively.

However, Kovacic also ranked within the bottom 50% or lower for tackles (2.09), interceptions (0.58), and clearances (0.58) per 90, which suggests that his defensive work was not particularly impressive in comparison to his positional peers.

The former Real Madrid talent also struggled when it came to making a direct impact at the top end of the pitch as a creator for his teammates.

Appearances

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Goals

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Assists

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Key passes per game

0.7

Pass accuracy

94%

As you can see in the table above, Kovacic only chipped in with one goal and failed to provide a single assist in the top-flight, with less than one key pass made per game on average.

This suggests that, despite a decent number of progressive passes, the Croatian's passes were not incisive enough to create chances for the attackers on a regular basis.

Kimmich could come in and allow City to cash in on Kovacic by being an upgrade on the £25m target for Fenerbahce, due to his quality in and out of possession.

Why Man City should sign Joshua Kimmich

The 29-year-old star is an experienced operator who has proven himself to be able to compete at the top level, with 91 caps for Germany and 390 appearances for Bayern in all competitions.

Kimmich's form from the 2023/24 campaign also suggests that he would come in and provide more quality than Kovacic in the middle of the park.

The German maestro, who was once hailed as "phenomenal" by Mourinho, ranked within the top 3% of Bundesliga midfielders for progressive passes per 90 (9.57) – almost four more per 90 than Kovacic.

He also ranked within the top 6% for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.29) and this shows that the midfield whiz created high-quality chances for his teammates at an impressive rate in comparison to his positional peers.

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1

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6

0

Big chances created

11

3

Key passes per game

2.6

0.7

As you can see in the table above, Kimmich's chance creation numbers back that up as he significantly outperformed the City man when it came to opening up opposition defences.

These statistics suggest that Guardiola's team would improve their level of chance creation by bringing the £30m-rated wizard into the group to replace Kovacic, who does not offer much in that regard.

The Bayern battler also made 5.0 ball recoveries per game and won 56% of his duels in the Bundesliga, compared to the Croatian's 2.4 ball recoveries per match and 55% duel success rate in the Premier League.

This indicates that Kimmich could also recover possession more frequently for City, by winning his duels and cutting out opposition attacks, and that means that he could offer more than the Fenerbahce target on and off the ball.

Pep could cash in on Grealish with Man City swoop for £60m PL star

The Cityzens forward has been linked with a move away from The Etihad this summer.

ByDan Emery Aug 2, 2024

Therefore, Guardiola must ruthlessly cash in on Kovacic by swooping to sign the German sensation as his replacement, freeing him up to leave.

Gujarat also make semis after captain Panchal’s ton flattens Andhra

Saurabh Somani08-Mar-2021Gujarat and Karnataka became the first teams to qualify for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2020-21 semi-finals, with convincing wins against Andhra and Kerala respectively on Monday. Both victories were fashioned by opening batsmen.While Priyank Panchal made 134 off 131 to power Gujarat to 299 for 7, Karnataka’s opening duo of R Samarth and Devdutt Padikkal continued their irresistible form during the tournament as the side piled on 338 for 3. Samarth, the new Karnataka captain, smashed a career-best 192 (off 158 balls), while Padikkal made a 119-ball 101. Kerala mounted a challenge of sorts but subsided to 258 all out in 43.4 overs with seamer Ronit More taking 5 for 36 in nine overs, as Karnataka wrapped up an 80-run win.Gujarat’s victory was even bigger, as Andhra were bowled out for 182 in 41.2 overs. Left-arm pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla took 4 for 28.Karnataka and Gujarat now await the winners of the quarter-finals between Mumbai-Saurashtra and Uttar Pradesh-Delhi, which will both take place on Tuesday.Related

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Panchal and Easwaran: Working together, fighting for same spot

Padikkal: 'Kohli makes your game easier'

Karnataka v KeralaSamarth and Padikkal have both piled on runs in the tournament, and they proved unstoppable once again. Padikkal made his fourth consecutive century – having hit 152 against Odisha, 126* against Kerala in the league game, and 145* against Railways coming into the game. He thus became the first Indian player to hit four consecutive List A centuries. Only two other players have hit four consecutive centuries in one-dayers: Kumar Sangakkara for Sri Lanka in the 2015 World Cup, and Alviro Petersen later that year in the Momentum One-Day Cup 2015-16 for the Lions.Samarth, meanwhile, pressed on, and was in sight of a double-hundred when he fell with ten balls remaining in the innings. He hit three sixes and 22 fours, while accelerating at pace during his innings. His first fifty took 59 balls, and he reached a century in 112 balls. He then plundered 91 runs off his last 46 balls. Samarth has been only marginally less prolific than Padikkal, having not scored below 60 in his last five innings, which include two scores of 150-plus.Both Padikkal (673 runs) and Samarth (605 runs) sit comfortably atop the run-getters list for the tournament, with no other batsman having crossed even 450 yet.All of Kerala’s bowlers came in for heavy punishment barring Jalaj Saxena, who took the new ball against Karnataka’s marauding openers but ended up conceding a mere 34 runs in ten overs, finishing the tournament with an economy rate below 3.75. Nedumankuzhy Basil, the right-arm medium pacer playing only his fifth List A game, took all the wickets to fall, ending with 3 for 57 in eight overs.ESPNcricinfo LtdKerala’s reply suffered an early jolt when the in-form Robin Uthappa was lbw for 2 against his home state, More making his first breakthrough. Vathsal Govind, the 21-year-old left-hand batsman playing his debut one-day season, made 92 off 96 while Mohammed Azharuddeen smashed 52 off 34, but with none of the rest of the top order crossing 30 and More striking regularly, Kerala’s task was always a difficult one. Saxena added to a good all-round day with a 23-ball 24 from No.8, until he was the last man out.More, who had not been picked in the XI for Karnataka’s last three games, got his opportunity due to a niggle to Abhimanyu Mithun, and made the most of it.Gujarat v AndhraPanchal joined Samarth in both captains being the top run-scorers in their matches, holding Gujarat’s innings together till he fell in the 49th over. Panchal maintained a brisk pace throughout his innings, accelerating after his century, which took 114 balls. He hit 10 fours and two sixes during his innings, and was the fulcrum around which Gujarat built their total. The rest of the top order all got into double figures, but Gujarat’s second highest score was 36, by No.3 Rahul Shah.Priyank Panchal’s 134 off 131 balls was too much for Andhra•PTI Ripal Patel, the hard-hitting pace-bowling allrounder who was signed by Delhi Capitals at the IPL 2021 auctions, provided some ballast in the second half with a 24-ball 35 that pushed Gujarat along, but it was Panchal who carried the innings on his bat.Andhra’s most successful bowler was right-arm medium pacer Harishankar Reddy, snapped up by Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2021 auctions, who took 3 for 60 in ten overs including the wicket of Panchal. KV Sasikanth and debutant Lalith Mohan both took 2 for 55, though Mohan bowled only nine overs.Andhra’s reply was derailed early by Nagwaswalla, who has now become the top wicket-taker in the competition. Nagwaswalla has 19 scalps from six games at an average of 12.00. He struck in the second, fourth and sixth overs – his third wicket being that of Hanuma Vihari for a duck.Ricky Bhui continued his good form with 67 off 76 from No.5, but with the rest of the top order falling cheaply, Andhra were always behind. Some lower-order runs meant they recovered briefly from 58 for 5 in the 16th over, but that only narrowed the margin of defeat.

Napoli boss Antonio Conte has told the Serie A club's board he wants another Chelsea player alongside Romelu Lukaku, as talks continue over the Belgian joining them with Victor Osimhen potentially heading the other way.

Chelsea in talks with Napoli over Lukaku and Osimhen

Earllier this week, reliable journalists like The Athletic's David Ornstein and GiveMeSport's Ben Jacobs shared news that Chelsea are in talks with Napoli over a swap involving Lukaku and Osimhen.

£16.8 million man agrees to join Chelsea as Boehly seals another signing

He looks set to be their tenth addition of the window.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 1, 2024

Lukaku has already agreed a three-year contract to join Napoli from Chelsea, and the Belgian is willing to take a pay cut so the move can happen, but the west Londoners are yet to shake hands on a final fee with the Serie A side.

Meanwhile, Enzo Maresca's men are still in the market for a new striker, motivating them to discuss the possibility of Osimhen trading places with Lukaku. The Nigerian had agreed terms on a move to PSG but is believed to favour Chelsea if they can strike a deal with Napoli.

The transfer could even be done on loan with an obligation to buy next summer, as Todd Boehly and co are reluctant to pay the 25-year-old's £110 million release clause.

Competition

Games

Goals

Assists

Serie A

25

15

3

Champions League

6

2

1

Italy Cup

1

0

0

"Chelsea are in talks with Napoli over Victor Osimhen, whilst Romelu Lukaku has already agreed to a pay cut and a three-year contract to move to Naples," wrote Jacobs on X earlier this week.

"#CFC don't want to pay the €120m+ release clause but are keen on Osimhen should the structure change or price drop. Loan with option has been discussed, as David Ornstein called. Also understand Napoli have raised a loan-option into an obligation should Chelsea qualify for #UCL. Spoke about Osimhen yesterday on the London is Blue podcast. Door not shut. Osimhen also impatient to move, which has caused Napoli to re-assess their position.

"Osimhen has agreed terms with PSG but is understood to be in favour of Chelsea should a club-to-club agreement be reached. PSG talks over a fee/structure haven't progressed to date.

"Saudi offer for Osimhen won't be made unless the Nigerian striker gives a green light after rejected three offers from Al-Hilal 12 months ago. Napoli wanting Lukaku helps Chelsea, as does Osimhen putting pressure on Napoli to leave as soon as possible."

It appears Conte's desire to sign Lukaku will be key for Chelsea getting Osimhen over the line, but the ex-Stamford Bridge boss has now set his sights on another player at Cobham, who could also help to facilitate a deal.

Conte tells Napoli to sign Casadei alongside Lukaku in Osimhen swap talks

According to journalist Simon Phillips, Conte has told the Napoli board he likes Cesare Casadei, and Chelsea are willing to include the Italian in a deal for Osimhen alongside Lukaku.

"Something that has now come to light via SPTC sources that might help Chelsea’s chances is that Conte has also told the Napoli board that he likes Cesare Casadei, and Napoli have already had an interest in the Chelsea midfielder prior to Conte’s arrival," wrote Phillips on his Substack.

"Chelsea now know this and will be willing to add Casadei to the deal as well. Once again, it will be on Napoli though and the overall deal, and whether they will accept Casadei as ‘part’ of the deal. But Casadei has now been mentioned in talks as well as Lukaku."

Casadei signed for Chelsea from Inter Milan in 2022 for around £12 million, spending the first half of last season on loan at Leicester City under Maresca, before re-joining Mauricio Pochettino for the second half of 23/24.