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Three days on from the World Test Championship final, the Ageas Bowl (as it is once again allowed to be known) plays host to a final of a rather less epochal variety. The final T20I between England and Sri Lanka will be a daylight-hours dead rubber after England’s comprehensive victories in Cardiff earlier this week, and if that prospect fails to set your pulse racing then never fear – at least you’ll be able to flick over to Wales versus Denmark during the second innings if the going gets too stodgy.Perhaps that’s unfair. Thursday night’s rain-interrupted second encounter had its moments, perhaps most notably Sam Curran’s sublime side-foot into the stumps to run out Danushka Gunathilaka. But for all that England’s bowlers have been excellent in both contests, the grim truth is that Sri Lanka have limped along to consecutive totals of 129 and 111 in their 20 overs – a series run-rate of precisely one a ball. And impressive though their initial defence of that second total may have been, the jeopardy was short-lived once England’s middle-order pair of Liam Livingstone and Sam Billings had calibrated the appropriate tempo for their chase.It is, as Sri Lanka’s coach Mickey Arthur acknowledged, a case of No. 1 versus No. 9 in the ICC T20I rankings, and the gulf has been plain for all to see. Even the continued absence of England’s most accomplished white-ball batter is unlikely to close up the gap between the sides. Jos Buttler has been ruled out for the remainder of the Sri Lanka tour with a minor calf tear, but Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy – reunited at the top of the order – aren’t exactly a second-best option among white-ball opening partnerships.It’s hard to see exactly where Sri Lanka can hope to catch a break in this contest. Wanindu Hasaranga has impressed once again with his legspin, while their new-ball pairing of Dushmantha Chameera and Binura Fernando bowled with heart and fire in the Powerplay. But Adil Rashid goes from strength to strength, rising to every new role that Eoin Morgan seeks to audition him for, while Mark Wood’s lavish loosener-free pace is a bruising option to bomb the middle overs. When you’re barely stretching the ability of a player with as much star billing as Sam Curran, you know you’ve got your bases covered.Related

• Sam Billings primed to seize his chance after life on England's fringes

• Mickey Arthur: They're No. 1, we're No. 9, and you can see the difference

• Liam Livingstone makes virtue of versatility in pitch for England World Cup role

• Jos Buttler ruled out of Sri Lanka white-ball series with calf injury

Sri Lanka may be tempted to make changes to their line-up, particularly in the batting, but such is the volatility of their current team, at some stage too they will need simply to opt for continuity and trust their chosen players to come out of their shells. That said, it took until the eighth over on Thursday for Sri Lanka to post their first boundary, and nonsensically only two players all night managed so much as hit a four. Kusal Mendis top-scored with a run-a-ball 39; Isuru Udana ruined Chris Jordan’s figures with some belated intent in the 20th over of their innings. Without that, they might not even have scraped past 100.Who knows what England can learn from these contests, although the state of the wickets in Cardiff suggest that they are focused on used-pitch practice given the likelihood of the T20 World Cup taking place in the UAE, straight after the IPL has swiped what little juice the surfaces may have had. That is, after all, the real end-game. This is just another staging post in the quest for further ICC silverware.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)England WWLLWSri Lanka LLLWL

In the spotlight

Dawid Malan has been drafted into England’s ODI squad as a replacement for Buttler, which may help to reassure him that he is still a hugely valued part of the white-ball set-up. But there’s no question he’ll be feeling the heat as the focus intensifies on his place at No. 3. In six T20s this summer – two for England, four for Yorkshire – he has a highest score of 23, while his consecutive scores of 7 and 4 in Cardiff were, incredibly, only his second and third single-digit returns in 26 T20Is. A truer surface in Southampton may be what he needs to get back to his dominant best, although quite how much of a pointer that would be for the T20 World Cup’s conditions is anyone’s guess.Wanindu Hasaranga has been a flicker of hope in a rough period for Sri Lankan cricket. His three-card trick to bamboozle Sam Billings on Thursday capped another fine display of legspin – 2 for 20 in four overs on this occasion – and he is now ranked in the top ten T20I bowlers in the world, according to the ICC. With his combination of accuracy and variety, including a superb googly, if any one player is likely to put in the sort of performance that can earn Sri Lanka a consolation win, it is him.

Pitch and conditions

This will be the first T20 at the Ageas Bowl this season – Hampshire have played a glut of away games in the Blast while the ground was being used as India’s base ahead of the WTC final. To judge by that contest, there should be plenty of carry for the quicks on offer, but most importantly the weather is set fair after the nonsense of this time last week. A pleasant summer’s afternoon is in prospect, come what may.

Team news

As a rule, England are loath to make too many changes to their XIs, although the continued absence of Buttler has caused a degree of upheaval in their ranks. Bairstow is set to open with Jason Roy once more, and probably retain the gloves too, even though Billings was on standby to make his Test debut as a keeper against New Zealand earlier this month. After two blistering displays, Wood may be due a rest – compared to Chris Woakes, his recent workload has been whip-crackingly brutal. Woakes ought to return – otherwise, what did England hope to learn from his recall after a six-year gap? – but then there’s Moeen Ali, absent for ten T20Is and counting.England: (possible) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Sam Billings, 7 Sam Curran, 8 David Willey, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Adil RashidThere’s a chance that Sri Lanka may choose to blood their latest all-round prospect, the 22-year-old Dhananjaya Lakshan, whose lusty hitting and variety-laden seam bowling shot to prominence at the recent Lanka Premier League, where he claimed at least one wicket in each of his outings, and thumped Galle Gladiators into the final with some timely hitting in their semi-final victory over Colombo Kings.Sri Lanka: (possible) 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Avishka Fernando, 3 Kusal Perera (capt/wk), 4 Kusal Mendis, 5 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Dhananjaya Lakshan, 9 Akila Dananjaya, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Binura Fernando

Stats and trivia

• England have won five of their previous eight T20Is at Southampton, including the very first such contest they ever played – and only the second globally – by 100 runs against Australia in 2005.
• Sri Lanka have placed two T20Is at the ground, winning the first by two runs in 2006, but losing the second, ten years later, by eight wickets
• Sri Lanka are yet to score a boundary off Adil Rashid in the series, who has combined figures of 4 for 41 from his eight overs.

  Quotes

  “It’s something I’ve worked hard on for this sort of opportunity, to push my way into a team as someone that can offer something in all three facets of the game.”
  Allrounder Liam Livingstone believes he’s got the skills to enhance England’s T20I line-up“We’re consistently talking about freedom, about taking the handbrake off as a batting unit. But you can only bat as well as you’re allowed to and I thought England were world-class with the lengths they hit.”
  Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur praises the discipline and skill of England’s attack.

أعلن أحمد خطاب المدير الفني لفريق الكرة الأول بنادي فاركو عن تشكيل لاعبيه لمباراة الزمالك المقرر انطلاقها بعد قليل ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري “النيل” 2024-2025.

يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك لمواجهة نظيره فاركو ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ13 من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، في لقاء يسعى خلاله الأبيض لاستعادة الانتصارات وتقليص الفارق مع فرق الصدارة.

ويحتل الزمالك المركز الثالث في جدول ترتيب الدوري برصيد 23 نقطة، بعدما حقق 7 انتصارات وتعادلين وتلقى 3 هزائم، بينما يأتي فاركو في المركز السابع برصيد 18 نقطة، بعد فوزه في 5 مباريات وتعادله في 3 مواجهات وخسارته 4 مرات.

طالع | حكم مباراة الزمالك وفاركو في الدوري المصري

ويدخل الزمالك المباراة بطموح تحقيق الفوز لتعزيز موقفه في جدول الترتيب والمنافسة على اللقب، لا سيما بعد تدعيم صفوفه بعدة صفقات خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية، من بينها التونسي أحمد الجفالي والمغربي صلاح الدين مصدق، إلى جانب الثنائي المصري أحمد حسام ومحمود جهاد.

ويسعى الفريق الأبيض، بقيادة جهازه الفني، إلى الاستمرار في تقديم أداء قوي وتحقيق الفوز لمواصلة الضغط على بيراميدز المتصدر والأهلي الوصيف، في إطار سعيه للعودة إلى منصات التتويج المحلية.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، يحتل فريق فاركو، المركز السابع بترتيب جدول الدوري المصري الممتاز، برصيد 18 نقطة، حيث انتصر في 5 مباريات وتعادل في 3 وخسر في 4. تشكيل فاركو لمباراة الزمالك

حراسة المرمى: محمد سعيد شيكا.

خط الدفاع: ياسين مرعي- انكادا- أحمد جمال- عزمي غوما.

خط الوسط: محمد فخري- بنجامين- ياسين الملاح.

خط الهجوم: عمرو ناصر- أحمد شريف – عمر رضا.

Kevin De Bruyne has made a stark revelation about his Manchester City contract situation with just six months remaining on his current deal.

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KDB's contract set to expire in summerCan sign pre-contract with another club in JanuaryBelgian admitted talks with City remain stalledFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

De Bruyne disclosed that initial discussions regarding a contract renewal had begun before the season started but were paused after he suffered an injury in September. This setback sidelined him for two months, during which all negotiations were put on hold.

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With his contract expiring in June, De Bruyne will be free to engage in talks with foreign clubs starting from January 1. The midfielder, who has previously been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League and MLS, admitted there has been no progress in renewing his deal.

WHAT DE BRUYNE SAID

When asked about the current state of talks with Manchester City, De Bruyne stated plainly: “No. Nothing yet.”

De Bruyne has faced significant challenges this season due to an abdominal injury that disrupted his campaign. Explaining the nature of his ailment, he said: “It’s pubis. It’s a bit of everything. It’s not nice, but there’s not a lot you can do about it, just wait. I hope to get better now.”

When quizzed about his recovery, De Bruyne said: "I don’t know. It’s hard to say. With the injury I had, I took a while and then I had four games in ten days which was hard. I’m happy for today.”

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR DE BRUYNE?

As one of Manchester City’s most decorated players, De Bruyne’s potential departure would mark the end of an era at the Etihad Stadium. His contract impasse, coupled with interest from clubs abroad, has fuelled speculation about his next move. Despite the off-field uncertainty, the midfielder is preparing for the next Premier League fixture against West Ham on Saturday.

Australia batter’s 44 is highest score as Group Three leaders shade madcap opening day

ECB Reporters Network03-Jun-2021

Marnus Labuschagne made his highest score of the season to date•Getty Images

The bowlers held sway in the LV=Insurance County Championship match between Glamorgan and Lancashire in Cardiff with 19 wickets falling on the opening day.Lancashire were put into bat and managed 173 all out with the highest partnership of the innings being the 36 put on between Luke Wood and Danny Lamb for the seventh wicket. Michael Neser returned the best figures for the hosts with 3 for 46, with the other Glamorgan seamers all chipping in.Glamorgan started solidly in reply with an opening stand of 39 between David Lloyd and Joe Cooke but from that point on, the wickets continued to tumble with Tom Bailey – who had top-scored with 31 – claiming 3 for 40 for Lancashire.Related

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Glamorgan reached the close on 150 for 9, still trailing by 23 and in danger of conceding what could be a telling first-innings lead.Having won the toss and elected to field, they had started well in the first session with James Weighell the pick of the bowlers, but it was the ever-reliable Michael Hogan who made the first breakthrough from a ball that moved in sharply to the left-handed Keaton Jennings, clattering into his stumps.Weighell took the two next wickets to fall, the first from an inswinger that Luke Wells left alone and he was given out lbw. Alex Davies had looked to be finding his feet when he attempted to cut a ball that was too close to him for the shot and he spooned a catch to Andrew Salter at point for 21.It was Dan Douthwaite who claimed the final two wickets of the Lancashire innings with both Saqib Mahmood and Bailey chopping the ball on to their stumps.The wickets also fell at regular intervals in the Glamorgan innings, the first being Lloyd for a punchy 21, bowled when he left a ball from Mahmood that clipped his off stump.Bailey claimed two wickets in two balls when he had Joe Cooke bowled and Billy Root trapped lbw to leave Glamorgan 74 for 3.Marnus Labuschagne was the one player who looked well set but he also fell on this madcap day, dismissed lbw to Lamb. His 44 in this innings doubled his run tally for Glamorgan this season with the Australian yet to rediscover the outstanding form of his 2019 county campaign. With him gone there was little further resistance, as Lancashire made their way through the lower order.”There was some good bowling there, shot selection was a bit of an issue at times… there is the odd ball that nips around a bit but it is a nice wicket,” Hogan said. “After that first hour, I thought that we were in for a long old day, and it seemed like a nice wicket. 19 in the day is interesting but I suppose the game goes like that sometimes.”

Leeds United tasted defeat for the first time in the Championship during the 2024/25 campaign as they were beaten 1-0 by Burnley at Elland Road on Saturday.

Luca Koleosho scored the only goal of the game in the first half, after Manor Solomon’s slip, by running down the right flank before firing into the bottom corner of Illan Meslier’s net.

It was a bitterly disappointing afternoon in West Yorkshire for Daniel Farke because his side created enough chances and had enough of the ball to win the match.

They ended the game with 71% of the ball and two ‘big chances’ created, to Burnley’s zero, but were not clinical enough with the opportunities that they created, whilst the Clarets were ruthless with the one decent chance that came their way.

Leeds have only won two of their first five matches in the Championship and their wasteful finishing has played a part in that, as they have only scored seven goals from 8.77 xG in the division so far.

This was also an issue for the Whites in the 2023/24 campaign, as their strikers spurned too many chances, and it was not an issue that was resolved in the summer transfer window.

Leeds United's striker woes

Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter, who has since moved on to join Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, were the main centre-forward options for the bulk of last season for Farke.

The former did not cover himself in glory in front of goal, with a return of eight goals from 9.52 xG in 33 appearances in the Championship, and did not prove that he still has what it takes to be the starting number nine for Leeds.

Rutter, meanwhile, missed a staggering 17 ‘big chances’ and only scored six goals from 12.34 xG across 45 outings during the regular season for the Whites.

This shows that Farke’s first-choice number nines were both incredibly wasteful in front of goal last season as they underperformed their xG by a whopping 7.86 goals combined.

Mateo Joseph has started the current campaign as the main centre-forward but the 20-year-old starlet has not been at his prolific best so far, missing a ‘big chance’ against Burnley with an early one-on-one opportunity that went wide of the post.

Mateo Joseph

1.88

1

-0.88

Wilfried Gnonto

1.35

1

-0.35

Joel Piroe

0.93

1

+0.07

Patrick Bamford

0.11

0

-0.11

Combined

4.27

3

-1.27

As you can see in the table above, Joseph, Gnonto, Piroe, and Bamford have underperformed their xG by 1.27 goals combined, with Piroe the only player overperforming/on par with his expected tally.

Joseph’s return of one goal from 1.88 xG, with two ‘big chances’ missed, suggests that Farke still has not solved his striker woes from the 2023/24 campaign.

The German head coach could solve that problem, however, by dipping into the market to find a free agent centre-forward who could provide his team with a boost in the final third.

Free agent striker options

There are a number of free agent strikers currently waiting to find new clubs after leaving their former teams ahead of the summer transfer window.

The most notable free agent number nine on the market is former Manchester United and Monaco star Anthony Martial, but he was reportedly on £247k-per-week at Old Trafford and played over 200 Premier League matches for the Red Devils.

This suggests that the France international is not a realistic target for a team in the Championship, with a Championship-sized budget, even as a free agent.

Anthony Martial

€10m

Wissam Ben Yedder

€8m

Joao Pedro

€3m

Robin Quaison

€2.8m

Aaron Connolly

€2.5m

As you can see in the table above, Martial and Aaron Connolly are the only two strikers in the top-five most valuable free agent forwards with previous experience in England.

Given the obvious reasons why the former Manchester United man is not a viable target, Farke should consider a swoop to sign Connolly on a free transfer to solve Leeds’ striker woes in the coming weeks and months.

Why Leeds should sign Aaron Connolly

The Ireland international left Hull City at the end of last season and is yet to find a new club, which means that he is available to sign and play straight away.

At the age of 24, Connolly would not come in as a veteran free agent looking for a final payday with minimal availability and declining performances.

He is heading into, what should be, the peak years of his career and Leeds could unearth a gem by bringing him in and offering the forward a chance to shine in a team chasing promotion to the Premier League.

The right-footed whiz, whose movement was hailed as “top level” by former Tigers boss Liam Rosenior, joined Hull from Brighton after scoring five goals in 45 matches in the top-flight.

Connolly, who had plundered 31 goals in 42 matches for Brighton at U21 level, played 28 times for Hull in the Championship last term and showcased his finishing ability.

Appearances

28

Starts

13

xG

6.62

Goals

8

Big chances missed

7

As you can see in the table above, the free agent forward racked up eight goals from 6.62 xG, outperforming his expected tally, and only started 13 games.

His exceptional record at youth level for Brighton and his return of five goals in the Premier League suggests that the potential is there for him to be a top level forward, which was backed up by his impressive return in limited game time for the Tigers.

Connolly has shown that he has the ability to make the most of the chances that come his way at Championship level, as shown by his xG last term, and that is why he could solve Leeds’ striker woes.

Leeds forward who made 0 key passes was worse than Solomon

The Whites attacker endured a difficult afternoon at Elland Road against Burnley.

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Whilst the likes of Joseph and Bamford have struggled with the quality of chances that have come their way, the Irishman could come in and provide a boost in the final third with his ability in front of goal as a free agent signing for Farke.

Sheffield Wednesday’s deadline day plans have been revealed as they plot a double move before 11pm Friday, according to a recent report.

The Owls have been extremely busy this summer, as manager Danny Rohl tries to shape a team that can go from beating the drop last season to possibly mounting a playoff challenge. The Yorkshire side have made a steady start to this season, as they have won one and lost two of their opening three games of the season, looking strong in attack but susceptible at the back.

Sheffield Wednesday pushing to sign "crucial" star within next 48 hours

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ByTom Cunningham Aug 7, 2024 Sheffield Wednesday transfer news

Sheffield Wednesday have added 11 players to their squad over the course of this summer, as Rohl is keen to avoid a repeat of last season. The club’s latest addition is midfielder Shea Charles, who has joined the club on a season-long loan deal from Premier League side Southampton.

Ike Ugbo

Troyes

Olaf Kobacki

Arka Gdynia

Yan Valery

Angers SCO

Max Lowe

Sheffield United

Jamal Lowe

Bournemouth

Nathaniel Chalobah

West Brom

Svante Inglesson

Hansa Rostock

Ben Hamer

Watford

Charlie McNeill

Man United

Shea Charles (Loan)

Southampton

James Beadle (Loan)

Brighton

But Wednesday’s business might not be stopping there, as in the past month they have also been linked with a move for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Alfie Devine. It was claimed that the Owls were considering a move for the player, with the preference being a loan deal. The 20-year-old has been with Spurs since 2020, when he joined the club from Wigan Athletic, and has spent time on loan in the second tier before, as he joined Plymouth Argyle last January.

As well as looking to sign Devine, it has also been claimed this month that the Yorkshire side are interested in Brighton player Malick Yalcouye. Yalcouye is set to be loaned out by the Seagulls despite joining the club earlier this summer, and Wednesday are among the clubs interested in taking him on, but face competition from Austrian club Sturm Graz.

Wednesday only have a day left to complete any transfers they have in mind, and it appears that they are still in the market to add at least another two players.

Sheffield Wednesday plot double transfer move

According to The Star, Sheffield Wednesday are still in the market to do more transfer business, despite already adding 11 players to their squad this summer.

The report states that while no names have been mentioned, they are keen to sign another attacker while also adding a ball-playing defender to their squad, which ideally would be a left-footed player. Furthermore, it appears as though their search to fill these voids has taken them to the Premier League loan market, and they are intended to be starting level players, not additions simply for squad depth.

The report states: “The bulk of their work is already done, and it wouldn’t be a monumental shock if no further business were to be done – though in an ideal world The Star understands they would like to. It’s believed another attacker and a ball-playing defender – preferably a left-footed one – are options still being looked at. Specific names, at this stage, are on short supply.”

Sheffield Wednesday have already added Ike Ugbo, Charlie McNeill, and Jamal Lowe to their ranks, who are all players that play in the forward line, but it appears Rohl still wants more in that area of the pitch. Meanwhile, the club have yet to add a centre-back, with the only defensive arrivals being full-backs.

Derbyshire lose five wickets in 47 overs’ of play, but arguably fared well in tough conditions

ECB Reporters' Network04-Jul-2021Derbyshire have work to do to post a competitive first-innings total after a rain-affected opening day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.Propping up the Group One table after failing to win any of their first eight matches, Derbyshire made 91 for 5 from the 47 overs that were possible, Matt Critchley making 23 and Luke Fletcher taking two wickets to draw level with Durham’s Chris Rushworth as the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 40 scalps.On a strip so green it needed three stumps at each end to identify it as the one in use, a Derbyshire side badly hit by injuries and failing form would have anticipated a difficult day after Nottinghamshire won the toss and chose to bowl first. In the circumstances, a scoreboard showing 44 for 3 at lunch felt like one that could have been worse.Fletcher soon had Luis Reece pushing at one that found a thin edge, and Brett Hutton trapped Tom Wood in the 12th overs with a full delivery but the home attack bowled too many balls that could be safely left alone in a twice-interrupted opening session and had to wait until the over before lunch to claim another breakthrough.This time Brooke Guest chased a widish ball from Lyndon James, giving a second catch to Ben Duckett, deputising with the gloves for Tom Moores who, in common with Joe Clarke, is self-isolating under Covid protocols.Critchley and Leus du Plooy began to rebuild after lunch before the next band of showers arrived, keeping the players off the field for two hours and 40 minutes. Derbyshire may have wished it had been longer as two more wickets fell in the first 17 balls after the resumption.Captaining in a first-class match for the first time in the absence of Billy Godleman, Critchley had taken three boundaries off Hutton before the stoppage and and was looking to continue in similar positive vein but perished via a sharp low catch at third slip off 19-year-old Joey Evison, in for the rested Jake Ball, whose first spell of the season comprised four maidens.Fletcher then picked up his 40th wicket of the season as Harvey Hosein was leg before to his second ball, leaving Derbyshire 76 for 5, but only 38 more minutes’ play was possible. The visitors will resume with Du Plooy, who was dropped by Duckett on 14, having faced 108 balls for his 21 not out.

MatériaMais Notícias

No encerramento da 34ª rodada do Brasileirão, neste domingo, Bahia e Cuiabá não tiraram o zero do marcador, na Arena Fonte Nova. Resultado pior para o Tricolor Baiano, que perdeu a oportunidade de sair da zona do rebaixamento e permanece em 17º, com 37 pontos, vivendo um drama na competição. O time de Mato Grosso é o 11º, com 43. Clique no player acima e veja os melhores lances do jogo.

>>> Confira a tabela de classificação do Brasileirão e simule os resultados

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Still searching for a solution for their goalscoring problem, Chelsea have reportedly turned their focus away from Victor Osimhen amid his eye-watering wage demands and towards a Premier League striker.

Chelsea transfer news

The Blues have once again been one of the busiest clubs in the summer transfer window, welcoming as many as 10 fresh faces. Yet, still, they remain without a clinical out-and-out goalscorer to lead the line for Enzo Maresca. Reports have linked those at Stamford Bridge to the likes of Jhon Duran and Samu Omorodion, who was seemingly close to a move before it suddenly collapsed, but remain without a rival to Nicolas Jackson.

After Felix: Chelsea in the race for the "next Eden Hazard"

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Ross Kilvington

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It's still a situation to keep an eye on, however, especially after Napoli reached an agreement to sign Romelu Lukaku on a permanent basis at long last according to Fabrizio Romano to open the door for Osimhen to complete his departure.

That door may not be open for a move to Stamford Bridge, however, despite Lukaku's pending departure. According to The Sun, Osimhen's staggering £500,000-a-week wage demands have forced the Blues to look elsewhere amid reluctance to make the forward their highest-paid player by almost £200,000-a-week.

Searching for cheaper alternatives, those in London are reportedly looking closer to home. According to The Sun, Chelsea are now eyeing a move to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin following Osimhen's demands late on in the the summer transfer window.

The Everton forward knows all about finding the back of the net at his best, but question marks over his injury history would undoubtedly come to the fore if he sealed a move to Chelsea this week.

"Excellent" Calvert-Lewin may not solve Chelsea's problems

If Chelsea were chasing Calvert-Lewin's signature fresh from the 2020/21 campaign, in which he scored 21 goals in all competitions, then they'd be receiving deserved applause for their transfer strategy. The truth is though, Calvert-Lewin is not that same, clinical striker three seasons later amid injury struggles and poor form, with just seven Premier League goals last time out.

Given their history of underperforming strikers – from Fernando Torres all the way to Alvaro Morata and Lukaku – Chelsea cannot afford to get things wrong once again; they're in no position to take a risk on Calvert-Lewin.

What's more, Everton boss Sean Dyche won't be keen to let the England international leave, even if he is yet to replicate his form of three seasons ago. Dyche was full of praise for Calvert-Lewin after he scored in a shock Merseyside derby victory over Liverpool in the last campaign, telling BBC Sport: "I thought he was excellent. His physical performance was outstanding."

"This season has not been too bad on the injury front. But it shows it does take time mentally and physically to clear your mind of that and start to play freely again."

Newcastle United will be hoping to have a better season this term compared to 2023/24, where they missed out on the top four in the Premier League while exiting Europe before Christmas.

Key to their success will be whether Alexander Isak can maintain the form he displayed last season, as his presence will be key for Eddie Howe if the club wishes to finish in the European spots.

Despite being only 24, Isak has scored 108 goals during his senior career, not a bad statistic at all.

Newcastle have had plenty of players in recent years who have managed to notch up a fair number of goals in their careers, some with the club and several elsewhere.

One player who has enjoyed an excellent career after leaving the Magpies is defender James Tavernier, who has even more goals than Isak.

How much Newcastle sold James Tavernier for

After making just ten appearances for the Toon during the early part of his career, Tavernier sought a club where first team opportunities would be at a premium.

Wigan Athletic came in for him during the summer of 2014, paying a fee in the region of just £90k to lure him to the club, although he would only play 13 times for the club.

While he clearly wasn’t in any future plans at Newcastle, it is evident the club have endured a howler by letting him go for so little, especially considering the impact he has had north of the border at Glasgow Rangers.

James Tavernier’s statistics at Rangers

The Light Blues signed Tavernier in 2015 as Mark Warburton was aiming to return the club to the top flight after a spell in the lower divisions.

It soon proved to be an inspirational signing, as the right-back registered 38 goal contributions in all competitions for the Gers, sealing a top-flight return and reaching the Scottish Cup final.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2023/24

58

24

12

2022/23

55

18

10

2021/22

58

18

17

2020/21

46

19

16

2019/20

46

3

16

2018/19

57

17

20

2017/18

46

9

9

2016/17

44

2

7

2015/16

50

15

23

The next few years would see the club struggle to acclimatise back in the Premiership, suffering back-to-back third-place finishes, before Steven Gerrard took the reins.

Under the former Liverpool captain, Tavernier would begin to accumulate more goals and assists, eventually helping his team win their first league title in a decade during the 2020/21 campaign.

While he may be struggling so far this season, overall, the 32-year-old has scored a remarkable 133 goals throughout his senior career, with 125 of those coming with Rangers.

Add in another 138 assists, and it is clear Tavernier has more than left his legacy at the Light Blues over the previous nine years, winning three major trophies and leading them to the 2022 Europa League final.

He has more club goals than Isak, which is no mean feat considering the Swede’s attacking prowess. While moving away from Newcastle was the right move back in 2014, it has become clear the Magpies messed up by ditching the defender too soon.

Sold for £500k: Newcastle must rue losing ace who's worth more than Tonali

The club certainly made a mistake in allowing him to leave.

1 ByEthan Lamb Sep 6, 2024