Evening Standard journalist Jack Rosser has reiterated the possibility of West Ham signing a striker before the window closes.
Michail Antonio has made a fine start to the new Premier League season by scoring three goals in his opening two games, including a clinical brace against Leicester City on Monday night.
However, Antonio, who has a history of muscle injuries, remains David Moyes’ only senior frontman, which is a risky move heading into a season with European football for the Hammers.
West Ham were very keen on signing Tammy Abraham, but weren’t willing to meet Chelsea’s asking-price, which allowed Roma to pounce and sign the young striker.
Victory against Crystal Palace this afternoon could see Moyes’ side head into the first international break sitting top of the Premier League, which would mark an outstanding achievement for a side that were battling relegation some 14 months ago.
But the striker situation has left a black cloud hanging over the club, although Rosser told Football FanCast that he remains optimistic:
“They would like to get a striker in before the end of the window. Not based on any information, but I always have a sneaky suspicion that they might just pull something out late.
“But Moyes thinks he can use Bowen or Benrahma through the middle.”
أعلن الكرواتي كرونسلاف يورتشيتش المدير الفني لفريق نادي بيراميدز، قائمة مباراة الإسماعيلي في إطار بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز بنسخته الجديدة.
ويحل الإسماعيلي ضيفًا على بيراميدز في التاسعة مساء الخميس على استاد الدفاع الجوي، في إطار الجولة الثانية من بطولة الدوري.
طالع | قائمة الإسماعيلي لمباراة بيراميدز في الدوري المصري
ويحتل بيراميدز المركز السادس عشر في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد نقطة، بينما الإسماعيلي الرابع عشر بنفس الرصيد.
ويرغب بيراميدز في تحقيق الفوز بعد التعادل مع وادي دجلة، كما يسعى الإسماعيلي لتحقيق أول ثلاث نقاط بعد التعادل مع بتروجيت. قائمة بيراميدز لمباراة الإسماعيلي في الدوري المصري
حراسة المرمى: أحمد الشناوي – محمود جاد – زياد هيثم
خط الدفاع: محمود مرعي – أحمد سامي – أسامة جلال – طارق علاء – كريم حافظ – محمد الشيبي
خط الوسط: بلاتي توريه – مصطفى فتحي – أحمد توفيق – محمود عبد العاطي دونجا – مهند لاشين – عبد الرحمن مجدي – أحمد عاطف قطة – مصطفى زيكو – إيفرتون داسيلفا – محمد رضا بوبو – محمود زلاكة.
خط الهجوم: دودو الجباس – يوسف أوباما – فيستون ماييلي – مروان حمدي. غيابات بيراميدز أمام الإسماعيلي في الدوري المصري
ويغيب 4 لاعبين عن المشاركة مع بيراميدز أمام الإسماعيلي، حيث يستمر محمد حمدي خارج الحسابات بسبب الإيقاف، فيما يغيب وليد الكرتي لتنفيذ عقوبة الإيقاف لمدة مباراتين.
كما يواصل عبد الرحمن جودة ورمضان صبحي برنامج التأهيل الخاص بهما، تمهيدًا لعودتهما إلى المشاركة في المباريات.
Chelsea are now readying an offer to add another Brazilian teenage talent to their ranks as they look to corner the South American market for their benefit, according to a report.
Chelsea turn to youth under Maresca
Enzo Maresca has quietly made a very impressive start to his Premier League career with Chelsea, and has done so with the youngest side in the division.
With an average age of just 23.4 across their squad, the Blues have put out the youngest starting XI in the division in each of their Premier League games so far.
The likes of Levi Colwill (21), Moises Caicedo (22), Cole Palmer (22) and Nicolas Jackson (23) have begun the season in excellent form, and of the 22 players used by the Chelsea boss this season so far, only six have been older than 24, with just one older than 26.
The youngest squads in the Premier League 24/25
Club
Average age
Chelsea
23.4
Tottenham Hotspur
24.2
Brighton and Hove Albion
24.9
Bournemouth
25
Brentford
25.1
That is only likely to continue in future transfer windows, with the Blues interested in signing a pair of young defenders in the coming months to compete with Colwill, while they have also invested heavily in the South American market.
They announced the seismic signing of Estevao Willian, nicknamed Messinho, earlier in 2024. The Brazilian is set to join up with the west London side in 2025 when he turns 18, and it is reported that Maresca will immediately integrate him into the first team, adding another young talent to his ranks.
Now, Chelsea are reportedly keen to sign another impressive talent from Brazil.
Chelsea to battle Arsenal for new Brazilian gem
That comes as Caught Offside report that Chelsea are preparing an offer to sign Brazilian right back Joao Pedro Chermont, who currently plies his trade at Santos.
Right back has been a problem position for the Blues in recent seasons, with Reece James spending much of the last two years on the treatment table, where he is frequently joined by his supposed understudy Malo Gusto, a misfortune that has seen all of Wesley Fofana, Moises Caicedo and Axel Disasi forced to play on the right-hand side of defence.
Chelsea chiefs now battling to sign "clever" in-demand gem for Maresca
The Blues have their eye on yet another future star…
ByTom Cunningham Oct 6, 2024
Now, they are looking to solve that with another young talent, with Chermont described as a “very complete” right back on X and tipped to become the “next superstar” out of Santos.
As per the report, Santos are now “open to offers” for the defender despite his £58m release clause, and that Chelsea and Arsenal are both “preparing to make” opening bids after holding informal discussions with his representatives.
The duo, alongside a whole host of sides, have been “closely monitoring” the defender as a potential signing, and now look set to make a move in the near future. With Chelsea’s recent luck in South America, they may be keen to repeat that to bring Clermont to Europe before any other sides join the long queue for his services.
Playing for the first time since the pandemic, the side will look to tune up for the 50-over World Cup qualifiers this December
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Aug-2021
Thailand women will play their first competitive game in 17 months•Getty Images
Thailand will get some much-needed match-time, ahead of the 50-overs World Cup qualifiers later in the year, when they tour Zimbabwe and South Africa for a spread of limited-overs games starting August 15.The Zimbabwe leg consists of four one-dayers and three T20Is against the national team, all in Harare, before they proceed to South Africa to play five one-dayers and three T20s against the Emerging XI in Potchefstroom.Thailand will have a first-time captain in Naruemol Chaiwai. The top-order batter takes over from Sornnarin Tippoch, who led Thailand to their maiden T20 World Cup in Australia in February-March 2020. Thailand is one of only two teams from that competition that hasn’t had international games since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.Nannapat Khoncharoenkrai, the wicketkeeper, will be Chaiwai’s deputy, replacing senior batter Nattaya Boochatham. As such, there are only two changes from the squad that featured in Australia 17 months ago: medium-pacer Aphisara Suwanchonrathi and offspinner Sunida Chaturongrattana replace wicketkeeper Suwanan Khiaoto and left-arm spinner Soraya Lateh.”It’s going to be our first tour to Africa and also our first after the World Cup, so it’s going to be interesting to see how we fare in a new continent and adapt to foreign conditions,” said Shan Kader, Thailand’s cricket development manager. “Everyone in the squad is quite excited and looks really good in training so let’s see how it translates on this tour.”The global qualifier will identify three teams that will join the top seven for next year’s 50-over World Cup in New Zealand. The qualifier was originally scheduled to be hosted by Sri Lanka in July 2020, but has now been pushed back to November-December 2021, with Zimbabwe, one of the participants, slated to host the event.Squad: Naruemol Chaiwai (captain), Nannapat Khoncharoenkrai (vice-captain), Nattaya Boochatham, Ratanaporn Padunglerd, Chanida Sutthiruang, Natthakan Chantham, Suleeporn Laomi, Sornnarin Tippoch, Rosenanee Kanoh, Wongpaka Liengprasert, Phannita Maya, Onnicha Kampchomphu, Thipatcha Putthawong, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi, Sunida Chaturongrattana
Chelsea have started the season far brighter than they did last term, winning three of their opening five Premier League games, drawing once, and only losing once, that loss coming against last season’s champions Manchester City on the opening day.
Enzo Maresca’s Blues sit fifth in the Premier League on ten points after beating West Ham 3-0 at the London Stadium, making it back-to-back clean sheets for Chelsea.
Chelsea have generated the fifth-highest xG in the league after five games, with 9.73 xG, scoring 11 goals, which is the joint highest in the division with Manchester City, and this comes with a huge improvement from Chelsea’s man leading the line.
Nicolas Jackson's debut season at Chelsea
In his debut season, Nicolas Jackson made 44 appearances in all competitions, scoring 17 goals, providing six assists, and totalling 3,534 minutes played.
But it was the strikers’ finishing ability that had many talking, as Chelsea legend, Frank Lampard, even spoke on the forwards’ lack of “technical detail” costing the Blues against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final.
Despite scoring 14 Premier League goals in his debut year, Jackson was often criticised for his composure in the box, missing a whopping 23 big chances, which were often scutinised as key turning points in a match. This saw Chelsea fans calling for a striker this summer, but the Senegal international has struck back.
Jackson's red-hot start in 2024/25
The Blues attacker has started this campaign really strong, scoring four goals in his opening five games, including a lovely brace in Chelsea’s most recent victory against West Ham, in which he also provided an assist.
If the forward continues at this rate, the likes of Christopher Nkunku will no doubt struggle to get into the team, as he is becoming more undroppable each and every week.
Jackson (23/24) vs Jackson (24/25 so far)
Stats (per 90 mins)
23/24
24/25
Goals
0.43
1.00
Assists
0.15
0.50
xG
0.60
0.82
Progressive Carries
2.25
2.50
Progressive Passes
2.15
1.75
Shots Total
2.58
3.25
Goals/Shot
0.17
0.31
G-xG
-0.15
+0.17
Touches (Att Pen)
4.86
5.25
Stats taken from FBref
These metrics show just how much Jackson’s finishing has improved from last season to the start of this season, outscoring his xG (generating 0.82 per 90) by +0.17, compared to last campaign, where he underperformed in relation to his xG, with a -0.15 goals minus expected goals (G-xG) ratio.
Jackson is still providing just as much in other areas too, dropping to link up play, carrying the ball forwards for his team in transition (shown with higher progressive carrying metrics), and providing assists for his teammates too with 0.50 per 90 so far.
The 22-year-old is perfect for Maresca’s system, as he can play in all phases of play, run the channels effectively, work hard out of possession, and add goals and assists for the team.
His relentless willingness to run in behind and track opponents is a nightmare for defenders, and makes for a long afternoon when playing against him.
More touches than Jackson & Palmer: 8/10 Chelsea star is undroppable
Chelsea’s 8/10 man is becoming undroppable after another stellar performance
Former Australia batsman Dean Jones said that while he is all for sportsmen being able to say what they want, Glenn Maxwell did not pick the right forum for his comments on Matthew Wade
Daniel Brettig05-Dec-2016
Dean Jones on Glenn Maxwell: ‘At the top of his game, he’s in our team, first pick, and I think he’s going to India’•Getty Images
Former Australia batsman Dean Jones believes that Glenn Maxwell needs to find a mentor he can trust in order to make better decisions about what he says and also how he bats.Left out of the Australia ODI team that defeated New Zealand in the first ODI in Sydney on Sunday, Maxwell has been fined and publicly criticised by the coach Darren Lehmann and captain Steven Smith for his frank words about batting behind Victoria captain Matthew Wade in the Bushrangers’ Sheffield Shield line-up.Jones, no stranger to differences with officialdom, including his Australia coach Bob Simpson, stated that Maxwell’s struggles suggested a lack of good advice around him. He paralleled Maxwell with his earlier days when Jones’ father Barney – a stalwart of the Carlton Cricket Club – and Keith Stackpole, the former Australia opening batsman, served as confidantes.”I think he really needs a mentor,” he said while launching at the MCG. “I don’t want my sportsmen to come out of cookie moulds. I want them to have a personality and be able to say what they want, but I don’t think that was the right forum for him to do it. He’s got enough charisma in the way he plays. At the top of his game, he’s in our team, first pick, and I think he’s going to India.”But the fact remains that I think he needs a mentor, whether that be Chris Rogers, or Michael Hussey or Mark Taylor or someone like that, who he could speak to and vent. I often did with Stacky or my dad, get it off your chest and then say ‘okay, this is what we need to do’.”I don’t think you can be successful in international cricket without having someone you can speak honestly and candidly to. He’s a bit of a repeat offender and that’s hurting people. Now, is he worth working for? Yep, I think he is, he’s got a lot to offer. [R] Ashwin hates bowling to him, that’s a fact… but he needs to get some runs.”Jones expressed his surprise at Maxwell’s absence from the team at the SCG, and questioned the wisdom of batting Mitchell Marsh as high as No. 5, above Travis Head. “I would’ve had him in,” he said. “I can’t for the life of me work out how Mitchell Marsh is batting at No. 5, are you telling me Travis Head’s not as good a batsman as [Marsh]? What Travis Head did was terrific, but he still lacks a bit of polish.”Cricket’s economy now affords handsome wages to international cricketers as well as globetrotting Twenty20 specialists. Jones argued that this now meant players could be taking the opportunity to have their own personal coaches and mentors with them on tours around the world, thereby providing greater consistency of advice. That, in turn, could reduce the need for copious numbers of support staff on a tour.”I’m starting to think now, they get paid so much money, are we getting like golf and tennis where I’d have had Stacky in my hip pocket on a contract and flying around wherever I need him?” Jones said. “The money’s there and it’s a tax deduction for the players.”The selectors pick you because they like you as a player. Then, you go to a different coach, a different batting coach… how many coaches do they go through before they play for Australia? You want consistency in people around you to help get you where you want to go and protect you as much as you can. I think it’s going to get that way.”Can I go to Darren Lehmann as coach and say ‘I can’t hit the ball off the square, I’m struggling’, well, do this, go do that. But then, he takes the coach’s hat off, puts the selector’s on and says, ‘can’t pick him because he’s struggling’. Is that the environment we want? It happened with me.”Looking back at Maxwell’s ill-fated attempt to move from Victoria to New South Wales on the eve of the season, Jones said that it was symptomatic of a system where players were encouraged to think the pathway system – also criticised by former Test batsman Paul Sheahan in launching the book – was there purely to develop them. He wondered how much the current generation was encouraged to have a strong sense of affinity with any one team or state.”What type of player do we want coming through our system?” Jones said. “We’re getting a system now where if you don’t play for Victoria, you’ll play for the CA XI, and you’re just creating a pathway for players worrying about themselves instead of worrying about their state cap.”Guys move from the Stars to the Renegades to the Adelaide Strikers, because of a difference in their pay structure. We’re creating that environment to get players thinking that way instead of worrying about the team enough.”
In the wake of Australia’s defeat to South Africa at the WACA, Steven Smith focused on the side’s need to build bigger first-innings totals
Daniel Brettig07-Nov-2016
Steven Smith: “We have to form some more partnerships and get big first-innings totals.”•Getty Images
Australia’s captain Steven Smith has refused to blame an unusual schedule for his side’s poor display in the first Test of the summer, a defeat that made it four in a row and the first opening loss of a home season for 28 years.In order to cater for a second day-night fixture in the summer in Brisbane, the traditional Gabba opening was swapped for a first Test in Perth, where South Africa have never lost a Test match.Additionally, the early November start meant that Australia’s players had only one Sheffield Shield match, with a pink ball, to prepare for the WACA ground. By contrast, South Africa’s squad had two warm-up matches before the first Test and will have another under lights before the third Test is played under flood lights in Adelaide.”Look I can’t comment on scheduling that is put in place pretty early,” Smith said. “So for me it’s about making sure that the guys prepare as well as they can and I think we all had a Shield game, all the batters who played, most of the batters scored runs in that Shield game and had some valuable time in the middle.”We were in a position to be able to drive the game having bowled South Africa out for 240 and then getting to 0 for 150. We had another big collapse of nine for 100, and we weren’t able to capitalise on what the openers did to put us in a great position.”Smith focused on the way Australia’s first innings unravelled virtually from the moment Dale Steyn was injured, meaning the hosts were unable to place any pressure on the South Africa’s bowling attack, led superbly by the man of the match, Kagiso Rabada. Such collapses have become troublingly commonplace for the Australians.”It has happened a little bit of late, which is disappointing and the batters really have to continue to work hard to try and rectify what they are doing out in the middle there,” Smith said. “We have to form some more partnerships and get big first-innings totals. And if I think if we were able to build quite a big lead on that wicket, it would have been a different story.”I guess for us it was just about trying to spend time out in the middle and I guess grind them down. When you have two fast bowlers, I guess the way they used them and the way we thought they’d use them, to use the quicks from one end and some spin at the other end. So, if you keep them out there for long periods of time they can’t continue to do that for a long period of time.”But we weren’t able to capitalise after Dale went down and we let them get back into the game and run away with it. So, credit to the way South Africa played, I think in their second innings the partnership between Duminy and Elgar really took the game away from us and we ween’t able to come back from there.”Looking ahead to Hobart, Smith said the team needed to find a lot of improvement in a short space of time. “When we get out in the middle we have to do things better. We haven’t been able to do that for a while and if we want to stay in this series we have to turn it around quickly in Hobart.””When you are playing international cricket you are always under some sort of pressure, the guys have prepared well, they were excited for this series, we know South Africa are formidable opponents and they outplayed us in this Test match. We are going to have to play a hell of a lot better if we want to compete with them in the next game.”
Manchester United are reportedly plotting a shock summer swoop for Leeds United defender Robin Koch, as manager Erik ten Hag seeks to strengthen his defensive ranks ahead of next season.
What's the latest on Koch to Man United?
According to Sky Sports Germany reporter, Florian Plettenberg, the Red Devils are said to have made contact regarding a move for the 26-year-old, with the German centre-back seemingly set for an exit from Elland Road following the club's recent relegation.
Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed: "News #Koch: He‘s on the shortlist of ManUtd! Loose talks took place. Confirmed. #MUFC."
While there has been some suggestion that the former Freiburg man – who has just 12 months to run on his existing deal – could be available on a free transfer due to a possible relegation clause in his contract, further reports have revealed that a fee would be required if a move is to occur.
Would Koch be a good signing for Man United?
There may be those among the Old Trafford faithful who are scratching their heads at that shocking transfer rumour, with it hard to see the benefit in signing a player who was no doubt culpable in Leeds' return to the Championship in 2022/23.
The £40k-per-week dud – who has previously been branded "horrible to watch" by journalist Beren Cross – was part of a backline in Yorkshire that shipped 78 Premier League goals in the most recent campaign, the worst record in the division.
On an individual basis, Koch was no shining light as he racked up an average match rating of just 6.63, as per Sofascore, with that figure ensuring he would rank just 21st among Ten Hag's current squad at the Theatre of Dreams.
Dan James for Man United
There also may be a concern at United at the prospect of snapping up another asset from the Championship, with the Red Devils having perhaps been stung by their signing of Daniel James from Swansea City back in 2019.
While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and co did ultimately make a profit on that £15m signing – having moved the Welshman on to Leeds, ironically, for £25m in the summer of 2021 – the wing wizard rarely looked of the quality required to make the grade in Manchester, scoring just nine goals and registering only nine assists in 74 games in all competitions.
Despite possessing something of an "X-Factor" due to his breathtaking speed – according to Solskjaer – James was simply just "not a Manchester United player", as per talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor.
Also described as "headless" by pundit Darren Bent, the 25-year-old has hardly set the world alight since his Old Trafford exit after scoring just four times in 40 games for Leeds, before enduring a bit-part role on loan at Fulham in 2022/23 in which he made just 23 outings across all fronts.
While that's not to suggest that any move for a newly-relegated or second-tier player will prove to be a mistake, United must question the wisdom in looking to the Championship to find new recruits – such as Koch – with a Champions League campaign and potential title challenge on the horizon.
With Tottenham Hotspur now plotting to strengthen following the appointment of Ange Postecoglou, one transfer rumour that has particularly caught the eye is the links to Manchester United winger, Jadon Sancho.
According to a recent report from the Daily Star, the Lilywhites are said to be interested in making a £50m move for the England international this summer, with the 23-year-old having initially made the switch to Old Trafford on a £73m deal back in 2021.
The former Borussia Dortmund ace looks likely to be moved on by the Red Devils this summer amid claims that Erik ten Hag is willing to cash in on the 5 foot 11 trickster, with an asking price of around £60m having been suggested.
The one-time Manchester City youth product is currently facing such uncertainty at the Theatre of Dreams having provided just 18 goals and assists in 79 games across all fronts over the last two seasons, although those at N17 may well be hoping that they can revive the £350k-per-week forward's fortunes if he is to make the move to the capital over the coming weeks and months.
Should Tottenham sign Jadon Sancho?
There is no denying that Sancho is not looking like the player who previously burst onto the scene at Dortmund, having notably racked up 114 goals and assists in just 137 games for the Bundesliga side, prior to making his return to England.
That stellar form had unsurprisingly earned the wide man rave reviews, with his compatriot and former teammate Jude Bellingham having dubbed him "frightening" and "scary" back in 2021 due to the sheer scale of his talent.
Tottenham's Harry Kane
That version of the London-born whiz would no doubt be a real bonus for Spurs if they could wrap up a deal, with there a potential for Sancho to form a devastating attacking partnership with his England colleague, Harry Kane, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With it looking as if Kane will not be sold by chairman Daniel Levy this summer, the club's record scorer is set to lead the line yet again next term, having only recently ended the 2022/23 campaign with a staggering haul of 30 league goals to his name.
As Sancho's assist record in Germany would illustrate – a total of 64 assists in all competitions – the playmaker could well help to provide quality service to the 29-year-old in attack, while the current United man has also shown a willingness to try and make things happen at the top end of the in recent times, as he ranks in the top 8% among his European peers for touches in the attacking penalty area.
Even amid his current woes, the fleet-footed ace still ranks in the top 20% for shot-creating actions as a further marker of his creative ability in the final third, again suggesting that he could be the man to deliver the goods to Kane on a regular basis.
Of course – as the most recent campaign has shown – the latter man is almost able to make the difference on his own, yet having a fit and firing Sancho alongside him in the attack could be a truly mouthwatering proposition.