With Storm Darragh bringing winds of up to 90mph across the UK, how have the Premier League and EFL been impacted?
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Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou is personally eyeing a £35 million forward for Spurs this summer, who are thought to be in ongoing negotiations with both the player's camp and his club.
The early summer addition of Timo Werner, who extended his loan from RB Leipzig till the end of next season, is by no means the only attacking signing Daniel Levy is expected to make.
£100,000-a-week Tottenham ace who played in 39 games last term wants to quit
He has interest from Germany.
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Emilio Galantini
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Indeed, reports suggest that technical director Johan Lange and the wider recruitment team are targeting both another winger and striker to replace club-record goalscorer Harry Kane, who departed for Bayern Munich last summer.
Tottenham are believed to be interested in Nico Williams, who's starred for Spain at Euro 2024 and registered 19 assists in all competitions for Athletic Bilbao last season. As well as Williams, Spurs are targeting Wolves winger Pedro Neto and Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, as Lange compiles a shortlist of options for out-wide.
|
Tottenham's best-performing players last season |
Average match rating per 90 (WhoScored) |
|---|---|
|
Son Heung-min |
7.30 |
|
James Maddison |
7.17 |
|
Pedro Porro |
7.04 |
|
Cristian Romero |
7.03 |
|
Dejan Kulusevski |
6.96 |
Meanwhile, Tottenham also want a prolific new number nine who can be the focal point of their team going forward next season, as Postecoglou seeks to transform the Lilywhites into an elite English side after promising flashes last season.
So far, Levy has green-lit deals for Werner and former Leeds United sensation Archie Gray, who arrived from Elland Road to the tune of £40 million. Attacking players like Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon are expected to be sold by Spurs as well, which could free up space for potential attacking additions.
One very highly-rated forward who is on Tottenham's radar is Rennes starlet Desire Doue, who could well follow a similar pathway to Man City star Jeremy Doku with a switch to the Premier League.
The 19-year-old, who made 43 appearances across all competitions for the Ligue 1 side last season, bagged four goals and six assists in all competitions. Doue's teammate, Baptiste Santamaria, has already tipped the teenager to be "unplayable".
"He's a player who aspires to go to the biggest clubs," said Santamaria. "He's one of a kind. He likes to hit the ball but he's solid on his feet. Desire's technical, percussive and physical qualities are quite incredible. When he becomes more consistent, he'll be unplayable. For his age, he's the most gifted youngster I've seen in my career."
According to The Sun, Postecoglou is "especially big" on signing Doue for Tottenham, and the north Londoners are thought to be in ongoing negotiations with the player's camp and Rennes themselves.
They do face stiff competition from London rivals Chelsea, though, who are in the same situation – so it appears there's a growing clamor for Doue's services from the English capital.
Other reports have claimed that Rennes could let him leave for around £35 million, which would be quite a coup given just how highly-rated he already is.
The Australian was part of the ICC Elite Panel since 2012
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2021
Bruce Oxenford wears an arm shield for protection•BCCI
Bruce Oxenford, 60, has decided to retire from all formats of the game, thereby bringing an end to a 15-year international umpiring career.The last of his 62 Tests was the recently-concluded Australia vs India match in Brisbane. He will, however, continue to officiate in domestic fixtures in Australia.Oxenford, who was inducted into the ICC’s International Panel of umpires in 2007-08, was promoted to the Elite Panel in 2012. He pioneered the use of the arm shield as protective gear for umpires in international cricket.”I had a wonderful time as a match official and will miss the camaraderie that comes with being a part of such a professional group,” he said in a statement. “I shall particularly miss seeing and interacting with the magnificent people who are part of the support structure of our game around the world.”Oxenford is one of six Australians, after Daryl Harper, Darelll Hair, Simon Taufel, Rod Tucker and Steve Davies, to stand in at least 50 Tests. Overall, only 16 umpires have officiated in 50 or more Tests. He stood in three 50-over men’s World Cups and three T20 World Cups, apart from officiating in two global women’s tournaments.”I look back with pride at my international career as an umpire,” he said. “It is still hard to believe that I officiated in close to 200 international matches. Such a long career was not really something that I had hoped for before commencing on this journey.”Most importantly, I want to thank my wife Jo, son James and daughter Kristen for all their love and support over the years. It would not have been possible for me to have such a long career without their sacrifices and for this I am eternally grateful.”During his playing days, he featured in eight first-class matches for Queensland as a lower-order batsman and legspinner.
Manchester United are now ready to part ways with a member of their first team squad and replace him with two new faces, it has been reported.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's influence at Manchester United has been slower than initially anticipated at Old Trafford since the INEOS chief took charge of proceedings at the beginning of the year.
Erik ten Hag, who many expected to leave the club following his eighth placed finish in the Premier League, is now staying and in talks to sign a new contract with the Red Devils, while the only departures so far this summer have been Anthony Martial and Raphael Varane, both of whom are out of contract this month, and Sofyan Amrabat, whose loan from Fiorentina expires at the end of the month.
Major interest: Man Utd keen on "superstar" who's a Wirtz & Musiala hybrid
The Man Utd target got 19 G/A last season.
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Tom Lever
Jun 18, 2024
Meanwhile, reports continue to suggest that almost everyone is up for sale as they target a refresh, though the club are on the verge of agreeing an extension to Jonny Evans one year deal at Old Trafford in a bizzare turn of events.
No bids have yet come in for players, which has slowed down potential changes to the squad, though a centre-back and a left-back are on the club's wishlist alongside a central midfielder and a backup striker to provide cover and competition for Dane Rasmus Hojlund. Now, their transfer window could finally spark into life with one player potentially on his way out.
That comes courtesy of Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, who claims that the Red Devils "would be open" to selling Victor Lindelof this summer amid interest from Fenerbahce. The Swede is down to the final 12 months of his £120,000 a week deal at Old Trafford and was a clear second choice option for Ten Hag on the rare occasion when everyone was fit.
He appeared 19 times in the Premier League last season, and was asked to cover at left-back as well as in central defence when fit, but has never really looked likely to nail down a starting berth following the arrival of Lisandro Martinez.
Now, he is wanted by former Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho, who took charge of the Turkish giants at the beginning of the month. No fee is mentioned in the potential deal, but the defender is valued at £13m by transfermarkt and such a fee would not be an unreasonable expectation.
And the club have a succession plan. Should Lindelof leave, Plettenberg reports United would look to sign two defenders instead of one this summer, having seen an opening bid for Jarrad Branthwaite rejected last week.
|
United's centre-back options if Lindelof leaves |
|
|
Player |
Contract until |
|
Harry Maguire |
2025 |
|
Jonny Evans |
? |
|
Lisandro Martinez |
2027 |
|
Willy Kambwala |
2025 |
They are also keen on Leny Yoro, who is a target for Real Madrid and Liverpool, while Matthijs de Ligt "remains a transfer target" after falling down the pecking order at the Allianz Arena.
It is unlikely that two of those three would arrive at Old Trafford though, with Lindelof's secondary role likely to be filled by a lower-cost option should he ultimately leave for pastures new this summer.
Lionel Messi and wife Antonela Roccuzzo have shared more trophy delight at Inter Miami with their three sons and the family of Luis Suarez.
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Herons have broken records in 2024Superstar forwards have led the wayMore silverware to be chased downFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
The Herons have enjoyed a memorable, and historic, 2024 campaign. Tata Martino’s side have claimed the Supporters’ Shield, meaning that they will enter the MLS play-offs as No.1 seeds. The record books have been rewritten there, with a new single-season points high posted.
Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowAdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Messi has been a talismanic presence for Inter Miami when fit, registering 22 goals across all competitions. His fellow former Barcelona superstar Suarez has also broken through the 20-goal barrier, with the expectation being that he will agree an extension to his one-year contract in Florida.
DID YOU KNOW?
For now, Messi and Suarez are basking in another trophy win – with their respective families being invited to join in with celebrations as Inter Miami paraded the Supporters’ Shield on home soil. Antonela was on the pitch alongside sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro. Suarez was joined by his partner Sofia Balbi and their three children Dolores, Benjamin and Laia.
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WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI & INTER MIAMI?
While Inter Miami have enjoyed hoisting more major silverware aloft, collective focus at Chase Stadium is about to turn towards the pursuit of ultimate MLS Cup glory. Their play-off campaign is due to get underway on October 25 against either Montreal or Atlanta United.
Despite leaving in 2018, Chelsea have still not replaced the brilliance of Diego Costa up front.
Many centre forwards have tried to replicate what he provided, including Alvaro Morata and Romelu Lukaku, but neither of those were anywhere near as impactful.
In his 120 appearances for the Blues, the Spain international netted 59 times and provided 21 assists, while also lifting the Premier League trophy twice.
With Todd Boehly’s aim being to achieve that feat once again, it’s no surprise to see that he’s attempting to sign Chelsea’s next Costa this summer.
Chelsea’s hunt for a new centre forward
According to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Chelsea are extremely keen on signing Samuel Omorodion.
After failing to secure the signature of Benjamin Sesko, it’s said that the centre forward is now their ‘first-choice’ target.
The Blues have already reportedly submitted a bid in the region of £34m, but it’s unfortunately been rejected by Atletico Madrid.
Nevertheless, Chelsea will continue to work on a deal to secure the 20-year-old, who enjoyed an excellent breakthrough campaign in La Liga last season.
Why Omorodion could be the next Diego Costa
Omorodion is a new name to have taken La Liga by storm recently while spending his debut season on loan at Alaves.
After only being promoted last campaign, the Spanish side exceeded all expectations, finishing tenth, with the Atletico loanee playing a huge role.
Across the season, the number 32 made 35 appearances in La Liga, starting 22 of those as a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 system.
Over these appearances, the 6-foot-4 “monster,” as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig, netted an impressive nine goals, four more than Alaves’ next-highest scorer.
Omorodion's 23/24 La Liga Stats vs Costa's 16/17 PL Stats
Stats
Omorodion
Costa
Starts
22
35
Goals
9
20
Shots
1.9
3.2
Big chances missed
19
12
Passes completed
6.8
22.2
Duels won
3.5
5.9
Via Sofascore
As you can see by the stats, Omorodion is the definition of a true number nine; he’s a handful in the box due to his physicality, which sounds rather similar to the style of play Costa used to adopt, both winning a high-volume of duels.
The Atleti youngster has excellent movement, which often means he finds himself in brilliant positions, as shown in the clip below, but work has to be done on his finishing, as he missed 19 big chances last season.
For some, that statistic may be a huge concern, but it can also be viewed from the perspective that he knows how to get into great goalscoring positions, which, at his stage of development, is arguably more important.
Now, it’s quite clear that his overall statistics aren’t exactly eye-catching; in fact, they’re rather poor, but it’s important to include environmental context.
For example, Omorodion plays for a side that has just over 40% possession per game while also scoring less than one goal per match, which is a huge reason why his touches, passes completed, and overall involvement are low.
But how exactly could Omorodion become the Blues’ next Costa?
Well, on top of both the centre forwards being target men strikers from Spain, the ex-Alaves would also arrive at Chelsea from Atletico Madrid, just like Costa.
As shown by the statistics above, they’re both dangerous strikers who know where the back of the net is, and they won’t allow the opposition any rest.
Overall, it’s clear that signing Omorodion for such a huge fee is a massive risk, especially considering he’s had just one year of experience, but his goal tally indicates that in a more creative side like Chelsea, he has the potential to explode.
No Jackson, £226m trio sign: Enzo Maresca's dream lineup at Chelsea
Chelsea are set for a busy summer with plenty of signings expected.
ByTom Lever May 29, 2024
Dean Jones, who pioneered an energetic style of ODI batting, and the hero of Australia’s tied Test against India in Chennai, died on Thursday after a heart attack in Mumbai. He was 59.Jones, who was in India as a commentator for the IPL, is understood to have suffered a heart attack around noon IST. It is understood that Jones, who was part of the commentary panel for Wednesday’s match, had breakfast this morning and attended a pre-match briefing with his colleagues. He is believed to have returned to his room and taken ill there. Brett Lee administered CPR until the medics arrived but was unable to revive Jones.Remembered for his double-century in the famous tied Test between India and Australia in Chennai, Jones played 52 Tests and 164 ODIs. He was also part of Australia’s 1987 World Cup-winning team. He carved a career in coaching and cricket commentary after his retirement from all forms of cricket in 1997-98.A precocious talent for Victoria, gruffly mentored by his father and Carlton Cricket Club legend Barney, Jones was introduced to the Australian side in the aftermath of Greg Chappell and Dennis Lillee’s retirements at the tail end of the 1983-84 summer, and made a meritorious 48 opposite Allan Border on debut against the fiery West Indies in Trinidad.The selectors were careful with him thereafter, not wanting him to suffer too much at the hands of the same West Indian juggernaut, and it was not until the 1986 tour of India that he gained a solid opportunity to grasp.Dean Jones on his way to making 90 in a one-run win over India in the 1992 World Cup•Getty Images
Informed by Border that he would be thrust into the No. 3 spot in Chennai, Jones responded with the innings of his life – 210 in enervating heat that brought him to the brink of total physical collapse, setting Australia up for a memorable tie.He was more or less a fixture in the Test team from then until 1992, an integral part of its evolution from frequent humiliation to the cusp of global domination, peeling off another double century against Viv Richards’ tourists in Adelaide in 1989, then coshing twin tons against Pakistan at the same venue a year later.At the same time, Jones was a pioneer in limited-overs cricket, as both a batting technician and an entertainer for vast crowds, never more so than at his beloved MCG. Somewhere along the way his Test match returns began to lose consistency, leading the selectors to make a still contentious call to leave him out of the team for the first Test against the West Indies at the Gabba in November 1992, a place he was never to regain.Jones continued to be a vital part of the ODI set-up for another two years, but his enthusiasm for the task waned in direct correlation to the realisation that under no circumstances, not even as a reserve on the 1994 tour of South Africa, would he return to Test cricket. Jones retired, unhappily, from international cricket at the end of the tour, but in his typical jack-in-the-box style had rescinded the call by the time his memoir, , was on shelves the following summer.He continued to dominate domestic ranks for Victoria, pummeling his highest score of 324 against South Australia at the MCG in a day/night Sheffield Shield match, and was in the initial squad for the 1996 World Cup before missing the cut-back to the final group that would lose to Sri Lanka in the final.On their return, Mark Taylor’s side faced a World XI to celebrate 150 years of the Victoria Cricket Association, and Jones was on hand to compile one of his best knocks, a defiant century on a day far more suited to bowlers than batsmen.Before finishing up, Jones also played for Derbyshire, with one of his final acts being to miss a slips catch in an 1997 Ashes tour match that may well have caused Taylor to quit the captaincy amid his extended run of outs.Dean Jones strikes a pose at Durham’s Racecourse ground•Allsport/Getty Images/Hulton Archive
He was head coach of Pakistan Super League franchise Islamabad United from 2015 to 2019. He also served as interim head coach of the Afghanistan national team briefly in 2017.Though much-loved and highly regarded across the commentary world, his broadcast career was not without controversy. In 2006, he referred to Hashim Amla as “the terrorist” on live television – though he was not commentating at the time, his remark was picked up by the microphone. He was immediately sacked from the commentary team and, while waiting for his flight out of Colombo, issued a statement of regret.In a statement Earl Eddings, the Cricket Australia chairman, said: “Dean Jones was a hero to a generation of cricketers and will forever be remembered as a legend of this great game. Anyone who watched cricket in the 1980s and 1990s will fondly recall his cavalier approach at the crease and the incredible energy and passion he brought to every game he played.”Although many remember him for his brilliance in the 50-over game, arguably Jones’ finest moment in the national team came in scorching conditions in Chennai in 1986, where his selfless and courageous innings of 210 helped Australia to a famous tie against India.”Jones remained an immensely popular figure in Australian and Victorian cricket throughout his life and was a much-loved columnist and commentator in every corner of the cricketing world.”This is a truly sad day. Deano’s loss will be felt not just at home in Australia, but across the globe. Our thoughts and best wishes are with his wife Jane and daughters Isabella and Phoebe.”Australia’s current men’s head coach, Justin Langer, said: “What a great player and a great bloke. We are shocked and very sad to hear of his passing.”Deano was a true legend of Australian sport and world cricket, one of the great players and personalities in a golden time for the game. His role in the team’s World Cup win in 1987 and the 1989 Ashes under AB were a huge turning point for Australian cricket. His double century in Madras was one of the greatest and most courageous innings of all time.We can only hope to make Australians as proud of our team as they were of Deano. He will be missed by the game and millions of people around the world. Our love to Jane and the girls.”
The offspinner ended her international career late last year after being dropped by England
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2020
Laura Marsh celebrates a wicket•Getty Images
Former England allrounder Laura Marsh has announced her retirement from all forms of cricket.Marsh, 33, called an end to her international career late last year after being left out of the England squad and has now cited the postponed launch of the Hundred as one of the key reasons behind her full retirement. She had been due to play for Oval Invincibles in the new format but the Covid-19 pandemic forced the ECB to move the opening season to 2021.”I have made the decision to retire from all forms of cricket. With the cancellation of The Hundred competition this year, I feel that it is the right time to hang up the boots,” Marsh wrote on Twitter. “I want to say a huge thank you to all the teams and organisations I have represented over the years.”I owe a huge amount to both Kent & Sussex for the role they played in my development as a player.”Big thanks also to The Surrey Stars, Sydney Sixers, NSW Breakers and Otago Sparks. Every team I played for developed me as a player and a person and I am fortunate to have made some lifelong friends and memories over the years.”
علق كايل ووكر، لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي مانشستر سيتي، على خسارتهم ضد ليفربول في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، أمس الأحد.
وخسر مانشستر سيتي مباراته السادسة خلال آخر 7 لقاءات، من بينهم تعادل مع فينورد، في أسوأ سلسلة نتائج في تاريخ النادي تحت قيادة جوارديولا.
وقال كايل ووكر في بيان نشره عبر حسابه على إنستجرام: “رسالتي إلى جماهيرنا. نحن نعلم أن أداء الفريق مؤخرًا لم يكن على المستوى الذي نتوقعه، وندرك أن الأمر كان صعبًا للغاية”.
طالع أيضًا | جوارديولا يشيد بلاعب ليفربول: كان مذهلاً ضدنا.. وما فعلناه في “آنفيلد” سيكون البداية
وأضاف: “لقد مررنا بهذه التحديات من قبل معًا، وسنتجاوزها أيضًا مثل ما فعلنا سابقًا، من المهم أن نبقى جميعًا معًا كنادٍ واحد، أن نبقى مانشستر سيتي الذي نعرفه”.
وواصل: “خلال هذه المرحلة الصعبة، دعمكم هو ما نحتاجه مثلما كان في الأوقات الجيدة، لأنه يعني الكثير بالنسبة لنا”.
وأردف: “لقد فزنا بالألقاب في المباريات الأخيرة للموسم أحيانًا، وحققنا التاريخ بوصولنا لـ 100 نقطة من قبل، لقد أظهرنا مرارًا وتكرارًا أننا قادرون على مواجهة التحديات”.
واختتم: “سنفعل ذلك مرة أخرى، ونعدكم جميعًا بأننا سنقاتل حتى النهاية”.
Newcastle United's forward line has once again caught the eye this season, with the Magpies finding the net on 69 occasions, a tally only beaten by the top three in the Premier League.
Alexander Isak has lit up the top flight under Eddie Howe during 2023/24, scoring 17 times in 24 appearances, with the Swede joint third in the top scorers chart this campaign.
Winger Anthony Gordon has also impressed within the final third, reaching double figures for goals in the league for the first time in his career – proving to be worth every penny of the £45m the club paid for his signature.
However, Miguel Almiron has failed to deliver once more under Howe, after suffering multiple injuries and producing disappointing performances which have seen him register just three Premier League goals, none of which have come in 2024.
Unsurprisingly, the Magpies are looking to replace the Paraguayan in the summer given his poor displays, with the club once again being linked with another top talent.
According to TuttoMercatoWeb, promising forward Matias Soule is the subject of interest from clubs across Europe, including in the Premier League, with the report claiming that the Argentinian winger is valued at £34m, ahead of the summer transfer window.
This comes amid prior reports from Calciomercato back in March which suggested that Newcastle were among the raft of clubs keen on signing the youngster, with Aston Villa – and now Arsenal – also in the picture.
The Juventus attacker, who's currently spending the campaign on loan at Frosinone, has featured 30 times in Serie A and scored ten goals, with his form catching the eye of the Magpies once again.
Soule joined Juventus back in 2021, but the club could be open to his departure after his excellent goalscoring season away from Turin.
With the summer window just around the corner, the youngster was quizzed about his ambitions, with Soule claiming that it is a "dream" to play in the Premier League, dubbing the league as one of the "best in the world".
The Argentinian winger has blown Newcastle's Almiron out of the water this season – with his record of 13 goal contributions nine more than the 30-year-old can muster.
Soule has averaged 2.9 successful take-ons per 90 in Serie A for Frosinone, whilst the Paraguayan could only manage one per game, with the youngster averaging 1.9 more – proving he's more direct than Almiron with the ball at his feet.
The "Messi-esque" 21-year-old, as described by scout Jacek Kulig, also trumps the 30-year-old for progressive passes per game, with the current Magpies forward trailing the youngster by 3.6 per 90 in their respective leagues during 2023/24.
|
Soule v Almiron 23/24 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Soule |
Almiron |
|
Progressive carries |
3.2 |
3.8 |
|
Successful take-ons |
2.9 |
1 |
|
Shots |
2.1 |
2 |
|
Shot creating actions |
5 |
2.4 |
|
Stats via FBref |
||
As seen in the table above, Soule also dominates when it comes to shot-creating actions, with his ability to create opportunities in the final third a useful asset to Howe, given the firepower his side already possesses with the likes of Isak and Gordon.
The right-hand side of Howe's attack has been the stumbling block since Almiron's drop in form, but the club may have found the perfect long-term replacement who could yield a huge return on investment.
Although the £34m price tag might seem expensive for a 21-year-old, he's clearly showcased his talents in Italy this season, with Soule more than capable of making the step-up to the Premier League and being a key part of Howe's forward line for the foreseeable future.
Newcastle could sign dream Botman partner who's like "prime Roberto Carlos"
The Magpies are one of several clubs monitoring him ahead of the summer.
By
Ethan Lamb
Apr 18, 2024