Chelsea has experienced a very bumpy Club World Campaign to date, as an opening victory against LAFC was then rudely met by a shock 3-1 defeat at the hands of Flamengo.

It was far from the most convincing or eye-catching win against LAFC, but it was a win nonetheless for Enzo Maresca’s men to get up and running in the tournament.

However, from a Blues point of view, any slight grievances that were kept under wraps after the underwhelming victory in Atlanta have now come to the surface, with Maresca worrying already that his current squad might not be cut out for a higher finish than fourth position next time out in the Premier League.

Indeed, a sprinkling of upgrades is now desperately needed all across the pitch, with Robert Sanchez alarmingly conceding three goals to Filipe Luis’ men.

Moreover, Nicolas Jackson would only find himself battling in the Philadelphia heat for a matter of minutes before he was sent off, with it being well known that Chelsea are chasing after the services of Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike this summer.

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Jackson certainly didn’t boost his chances of a long-term Blues future by getting involved in this moment of madness, as the ex-Villarreal man begins to stare the exit door more and more in the face after a challenging few seasons in the English game.

Chelsea are no strangers to high-profile flops taking place in the striker department; however, with Romelu Lukaku failing to ever settle in West London himself over two mostly unmemorable stints.

What went wrong for Lukaku at Chelsea

In total, the Belgian – who was purchased for a mighty £97.5m to begin his second spell – would only go on to score just a slim 15 total goals for Chelsea from 59 games.

There was a lot of notable fanfare surrounding Lukaku on his return to England in 2021, with that mammoth price tag not helping matters whatsoever, on top of his then bumper 64-goal tally for Inter Milan meaning the world was anticipated of him.

Instead, only eight more strikes were added to his already weak Blues back catalogue, with the 6-foot-3 flop also not helping matters on his end when publicly declaring a desire to return back to Inter just a matter of months into his cursed Chelsea stay.

Their patience wore very thin, therefore, with it being a big relief at Stamford Bridge when the long-standing Belgian international moved back to Italy after years of inconsistent form and that infamous interview.

Chelsea's new Lukaku

Lukaku isn’t the only notable striker flop at Stamford Bridge or the last, with recent years seeing the Blues buy Timo Werner and Fernando Torres, among other costly slip-ups.

However, in the case of Jackson, there are certainly some similarities here. The 24-year-old does actually boast seven more strikes than the wasteful Werner at a respectable 30, with the Senegalese attacker only 15 shy of Torres’ total, too.

Incredibly, Jackson has even doubled Lukaku’s slim amount too, despite receiving notable pelters for his off-performances.

He’s not quite tainted his Chelsea stay in a similar fashion just yet – minus his recent dismissal irking Blues fans – but it’s clear that the ex-Villarreal man might be on borrowed time himself and could be put out of his misery shortly, much like Lukaku last summer.

After all, when Jackson entered Stamford Bridge back in the summer of 2023 for £30m, there would have been the same buzz in the air that was around when Lukaku first relocated to West London from Anderlecht.

Indeed, he had just moved to England off the back of bagging a promising 12 La Liga strikes for Villarreal. But, for as much as he has gone on to score that aforementioned tally of 30 goals for the Blues, other numbers away from just this output alone are worrying to read.

Jackson’s league numbers for Chelsea

Stat

Jackson (23/24)

Jackson (24/25)

Games played

35

30

Goals scored

14

10

Assists

5

5

Big chances missed

24

19

Big chances created

8

6

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the numbers above, Jackson has staggeringly spurned 43 big chances over his two Chelsea seasons, meaning his goal tally could well be even heftier now if he possessed more accuracy.

He could well be more suited to hone his craft where the spotlight isn’t so intensely focused on him, with Chelsea maybe having another Lukaku on their hands in terms of a striker being able to set other European leagues alight, whilst never being able to fully settle in West London, frustratingly.

After all, it has now been reported that Jackson could follow Lukaku’s footsteps very closely by moving out to Italy.

Indeed, a report from Sky Italia – which has been relayed by Sky Sports – indicates that Jackson might be on the move in the coming weeks or months.

Sky Italia alleges that both Juventus and Napoli are intrigued by the prospect of landing the hit-and-miss 24-year-old at some point this summer, although his wages and transfer fee might well be a problem to cough up.

On the contrary, opposing information coming out of Stamford Bridge itself seems to indicate that Chelsea do want to keep their £100k-per-week hotshot around, even as suitors from Saudi Arabia and the Premier League circle.

If Jackson does up and leave – for as much as he has irritated and irked Chelsea supporters over his hot-and-cold stint to date – he could go on to be a rip-roaring success elsewhere like the much-talked-about Belgian.

After all, it’s not as if Jackson isn’t getting into worthwhile goalscoring positions for Chelsea, with the 24-year-old’s barrage of missed chances coming off the back of him being able to find space.

Lukaku also spurned many a big chance when failing to get going in the Premier League, as seen in his tally of 15 big chances being missed during the 2018/19 season.

Therefore, in an environment that isn’t so intense, Jackson could go on to find his goalscoring groove even more, much like Lukaku has managed when plying his trade in Italy.

Lukaku record by season after second Chelsea stint

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

24/25

38

14

11

23/24

47

21

4

22/23

37

14

7

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Lukaku has certainly lived up to the “world-class” billing thrust his way by England manager Thomas Tuchel playing for Napoli, AS Roma, and Inter Milan since his disastrous Blues goodbye, with 49 goals powered home by the long-standing Belgian international across 122 clashes.

Jackson would hope for similar rich veins of form if he soon swapped West London for either Juventus or Napoli, with the 6-foot-2 striker also praised in a glowing manner to Lukaku in the past, having been heralded as “special” by football analyst Rahman Osman when previously shining at Stamford Bridge.

It would be a sad ending for Jackson if he were to shortly head to a new club, with his reckless red card against Flamengo stealing all the headlines, over his prior goalscoring exploits in West London.

But, as has been shown in Lukaku’s own up-and-down story, a move out to Europe could be his best possible next step if he is to depart.

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Liverpool are firing on all cylinders in the transfer market this summer, but as is becoming frustratingly habitual, Real Madrid’s encroaching shadow has loomed above Anfield.

It didn’t come as much of a surprise when Trent Alexander-Arnold announced he would leave at the end of his contract and join Los Blancos.

And neither did it shock the Premier League when Spain international Dean Huijsen opted to reject the crowd of interest in England last month, instead moving to the Santiago Bernabeu when Florentino Perez activated his £50m release clause at Bournemouth.

Liverpool had a vested interest in Huijsen, whose breakout year has been a special thing. The archetypal modern defender, Huijsen, who is two-footed, would have been the perfect long-term heir for captain Virgil van Dijk, who turns 34 next month.

As it is, Liverpool will need to turn their attention elsewhere, not least because Real Madrid are now sniffing around for Ibrahima Konate.

The latest on Ibrahima Konate's Liverpool future

Arne Slot has created a hothouse for sustained success at Liverpool, but if Konate is tempted by the pull of Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid, it might be that he’s played his last in a Liverpool shirt.

Indeed, the French defender is entering the final year of his contract, and while he’s one of the best centre-backs in England, FSG might need to cash in if he attempts to run his contract down, with Madrid looking to snap him up on a Bosman in 12 months.

Konate, 26, has come off the back of his best campaign in a Liverpool shirt, winning the Premier League and starting 30 times, notably completing 90% of his passes and winning 66% of his duels, as per Sofascore.

Some at Liverpool maintain it would be a good idea to sell the hulking star this summer, with a figure of around €60m (£51m) settled as a fair price.

If this is the case, Liverpool will need to find an alternative to Huijsen and bring him over to Slot’s brood.

Liverpool chasing new centre-back

As per Reds insider DaveOCKOP, Liverpool are interested in signing Marc Guehi this summer, with the Crystal Palace defender’s homegrown status appealing given Jarell Quansah may leave the club for Bayer Leverkusen.

Guehi, who is wanted by a host of teams including Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, the latter of whom saw a £70m offer rejected in February.

With one year left on his deal, it feels like Eagles owner Steve Parish’s resolve will waver at some stage this summer, and a pathway will be cleared for a club such as Liverpool to swoop.

What Marc Guehi would bring to Liverpool

Guehi has been an instrumental part of Crystal Palace’s progress in recent years, reaching his crescendo in May as he helped Oliver Glasner’s side defeat Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

Joining Selhurst Park from Chelsea in a £18m package back in 2021, Guehi has only gone from strength to strength, playing 155 matches across all competitions and bringing major silverware to the south Londoners for the first time in their history.

Also proven on the international stage, the 24-year-old was even regarded by one content creator last year to be “England’s best centre-back”, indeed having been one of the better performers under Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024.

Liverpool would only improve with such a refined and established Premier League defender in their mix. His combative and composed defensive qualities have been elevated by an ever-improving passing game that would allow him to potentially even outgrow Konate.

Rarely hit with injuries, Guehi is sturdier on the fitness front than his Les Bleus counterpart, and, moreover, has a more dangerous attacking element to his skill set that would help Liverpool find firmer footing in regard to their set-piece efficiency.

When looking at how the defenders ranked up in the Premier League last season, you begin to see why Slot is so keen on bringing Guehi over to Merseyside, with his rounded performances bespeaking a level which will only shoot upwards playing in a team competing at the forefront of domestic and European football.

Matches (starts)

34 (34)

31 (30)

Goals

3

1

Assists

2

2

Touches*

64.9

71.6

Pass completion

84%

90%

Key passes*

0.5

0.3

Dribbles*

0.4

0.1

Ball recoveries*

4.3

3.2

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

1.8

Clearances*

4.6

4.0

Duels won*

4.9 (59%)

4.4 (66%)

There’s a reason why so many top English outfits want to bring Guehi into their mix, and if Liverpool to find themselves cashing in on Konate this summer, the Palace man could prove to not only be a fitting replacement but actually an upgrade, making the necessary tweaks to his skill set that playing at Liverpool would hand to him.

Described as “one of those versatile CBs who can play both sides equally as comfortably” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the Englishman could even succeed Van Dijk later down the line, playing on that left-hand side in a role that was envisaged just a few months ago for Huijsen.

His ball-carrying and -playing skills proved he would has the capacity to become one of the best, that and his dynamism.

Ultimately, Liverpool know that losing Konate will prove a big blow: he’s settled into the Anfield side as one of the most impressive and rounded centre-halves out there. He works so well as Van Dijk’s foil.

But Guehi has his best years ahead of him and could absorb the fruits of Liverpool’s skipper’s final labours over the next two years, before taking the prize as Liverpool’s star man in the rearguard in just a few years.

Could Konate achieve that too? Of course. However, Guehi’s incremental growth suggests he might just take the cake.

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Where would Arsenal be without Declan Rice? During the 2024/25 campaign, if it was ever possible, he made his £105m price tag look like a bargain.

Send West Ham another £100m, the Emirates faithful cried. Quite. Rice put in some extraordinary performances throughout the back end of the campaign.

Who can forget those free-kicks against Real Madrid? The Gunners will be keen to erase their semi-final exit at the hands of PSG from their minds but no one will be forgetting his stunning displays in a hurry.

Once all was said and done, Rice ended the campaign with his best haul of goals and assists in a single season, netting nine times and registering ten assists throughout all competitions.

It was hardly a surprise, therefore, to see him crowned the Fans’ Player of the Season for his efforts.

This summer, they will hope to replicate that deal with Andrea Berta now guiding the transfer ship.

The latest on Arsenal's transfer plans

This has certainly been a busy few weeks for Berta since entering the club but he’s already getting his hands dirty, notably tying Gabriel down to a new contract.

Elsewhere, it’s all about how he can add to the current group with talks reportedly progressing well over a move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.

How Arsenal's striker targets compare in 2024/25.

However, as David Ornstein of The Athletic has reported, Arsenal could be in the market for as many as three forwards with a centre forward, a left winger and a right-winger to play second fiddle to Bukayo Saka.

On the left, it could be Real Madrid’s Rodrygo who arrives. Reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Gunners have a keen interest in the Brazilian and now they are set to ramp up their interest in the coming week.

Reports from Spain reveal that ‘Arsenal have decided to go all out’ to sign the 24-year-old and are now ‘willing to submit’ a €70m (£59m) bid in order to close a deal.

The coaching staff and Berta are both aligned on the fact that Rodrygo would be the ‘ideal’ profile to bring to north London this summer.

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Arsenal fended off competition, largely from title rivals Manchester City, to bring Rice from east to north London in a remarkable deal totalling £105m. It took a while to get across the line, but it’s all been worth it.

Unsurprisingly, Arteta and Co haven’t gone near that fee since with their business in the transfer market leaving plenty to be desired.

Last summer was decent on the surface but it didn’t get Arsenal any closer to winning the league. In fact, they had a poorer season, certainly at domestic level.

David Raya signed permanently last summer and shone, notably sharing the Golden Glove with Mats Selz, but Riccardo Calafiori endured an injury-hit season, and Mikel Merino, bizarrely, didn’t show what he was truly capable of until becoming a makeshift striker.

David Raya

£27m

Brentford

Riccardo Calafiori

£42m

Bologna

Mikel Merino

£31.6m

Real Sociedad

Neto

Loan

Bournemouth

Raheem Sterling

Loan

Chelsea

The Spaniard has quickly become a fan favourite after a pretty torrid first few months back in England, but he ended the season with six goals in 12 games as a striker. Not what he was signed for, sure, but he’s coming into his own, even scoring for Spain this weekend.

So, this summer, Arsenal need to make a splash. They need that Rice-esque deal to bring them closer to the Premier League title and Rodrygo could be just that.

Sure, a centre forward is needed, but their output on the left-hand side, notably when Bukayo Saka was out injured, simply wasn’t good enough in 2024/25.

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are great players to have in your squad but their end product hasn’t reached dizzy heights yet.

Martinelli did score in the Bernabeu this season but that was just one of ten goals in 51 matches, a goal every 5.1 games. As for Trossard, he also scored ten but did so in 56 matches, meaning the Belgian found the net once every 5.6 games.

In Rodrygo, they would secure an instant upgrade, someone with the capabilities to break games open.

The Madrid star, who is in the shadow of Vini Jr and Kylian Mbappe in Spain, still found a way to score 14 times last season across 51 matches, once every 3.6 games. In 2023/24, he was even better, netting on 17 occasions and the year before that, he scored 19 times. He’s a goalscorer and a better one than Martinelli at that.

Martinelli’s finest campaign in England saw him beat the goalkeeper on 15 occasions back in 2022/23 and while he’s still young, he is actually just a year Rodrygo’s junior.

Described as “one of the best in the world” by his former boss, Carlo Ancelotti, this would be a sublime signing. His impact on this team could certainly be akin to Rice if he finds a way to replace Martinelli and Trossard.

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Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, David Warner and Mohammad Amir are among the 69 players retained by their respective ILT20 franchises ahead of the third season.Captain Pooran, Dwayne Bravo, Akeal Hosein, Kieron Pollard and Fazalhaq Farooqi are also among defending champions MI Emirates’ retainees. Trent Boult, who was part of Emirates last season, has not been retained. Captain Narine and Russell are among the 11 players retained by Abu Dhabi Knight Riders along with the likes of David Willey, Charith Asalanka and USA’s Ali Khan and Andries Gous.Apart from Amir, the likes of Wanindu Hasaranga, Alex Hales and Azam Khan have also been retained by Desert Vipers. The notable absentees from the retention list are fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Matheesha Pathirana, and Colin Munro, who captained the Vipers last season.Captain Warner aside, Dubai Capitals have retained big names such as Rovman Powell, Sam Billings and Jake Fraser-McGurk. England’s Joe Root and Mark Wood, who were part of the squad last year, have been left out. Shimron Hetmyer headlines Gulf Giants’ retention list, along with captain James Vince. USA’s Saurabh Netravalkar and Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rehman haven’t made the list. The likes of Kusal Mendis, captain Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Johnson Charles are among the eight players retained by Sharjah Warriors.Each franchise has also retained two UAE players each, and there was no limit on retention of international players. Teams can now sign new players in the ongoing player acquisition window which will stay open till 15 September. The franchises will also need to complete their quota of four UAE signings after the completion of the ILT20 development tournament which will be held in October.The third season of the ILT20 is scheduled to be played in 2025 from January 11 to February 9 in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

ILT20 retention list

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Aditya Shetty, Ali Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Andries Gous, Charith Asalanka, David Willey, Joe Clarke, Laurie Evans, Micheal Pepper and Sunil Narine.Desert Vipers: Adam Hose, Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Luke Wood, Micheal Jones, Mohammad Amir, Nathan Sowter, Sherfane Rutherford, Tanish Suri and Wanindu Hasaranga.Dubai Capitals: Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Dushmantha Chameera, Haider Ali, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell, Sam Billings, Sikandar Raza, Zahir Khan, Jake Fraser McGurk and Oliver Stone.Gulf Giants: Aayan Afzal Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Jordan, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gerhard Erasmus, Jamie Overton, James Vince, Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, Mohammad Zohaib Zubair, Rehan Ahmed, Richard Gleeson and Shimron Hetmyer.MI Emirates: Akeal Hosein, Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Nosthush Kenjige, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Waqar Salamkheil.Sharjah Warriors: Dilshan Madushanka, Johnson Charles, Junaid Siddique, Muhamad Jawadullah, Kusal Mendis, Luke Wells, Peter Hatzoglou and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.

Clubs can sign one player outside of the draft on a multi-year deal and up to four overall

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jun-2024Hobart Hurricanes will have pick one in the WBBL draft later this year after coming out first during the weighted lottery that was not in their favour.The first four picks involved those sides who did not make finals in the 2023-24 season – Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers, Melbourne Renegades and Melbourne Stars – followed by the four sides that reached the playoffs. The Melbourne teams finished in the bottom two places last season so had a greater chance of earning the first pick, but will have to wait behind Hurricanes and Sixers.Hurricanes finished sixth last season having taken Shabnim Ismail and Bryony Smith in the draft alongside Lizelle Lee as a direct nomination.Perth Scorchers, who were knocked out in the Challenger, will have the last pick in rounds one, two and four of the draft – in round three, the order is reversed. Picks can be traded between clubs so the order could change. The draft is expected to take place in September.Last season’s first pick went to Sydney Thunder who took South Africa allrounder Marizanne Kapp as a platinum player with Scorchers opting not to use their retention option.Cricket AustraliaThis year clubs can sign up to four overseas players which would include anyone who joins under the new multi-year pre-draft option. New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr was the first player confirmed under that part of the system after being lured away from Brisbane Heat and signing a deal with Sixers.The pre-draft route in the WBBL essentially replaces the direct nominations option that was in place last year and which most clubs made use of. If clubs opt to sign a fourth player, they would become the first overseas replacement.The draft will again include four price bands: platinum (AU$110,000), gold (AU$90,000), silver (AU$65,000) and bronze (AU$40,000).Next season’s WBBL has been reduced to a 40-game regular season in a bid to manage the workload of the game’s leading players and boost attendances. The tournament is expected to start shortly after the conclusion of the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, which will finish on October 20.Given the proximity of the World Cup to the WBBL season, it remains to be seen how many of the world’s leading players commit to the tournament in Australia.

Bangladesh’s Hridoy says he should’ve finished the game off after putting his side in a strong position

Sidharth Monga11-Jun-20241:01

Manjrekar: Maharaj’s final over was poor, but Bangladesh’s batting was poorer

South Africa’s decision to bat first in New York on Monday, at a ground that they have won two matches chasing at the T20 World Cup 2024, was actually a tribute to Bangladesh’s bowling.”Third game on the wicket,” Player of the Match Heinrich Klaasen said about the decision. “These guys are incredible when the wicket becomes slow. So that was the biggest reason why we didn’t want to chase 120. Because the wicket was definitely better than other games. But given Bangladesh, when pressure is on, and they have to go into cutters, they’ve got some of the world’s best cutter bowlers and their spinners are high quality. So that was the biggest reason why we chose to bat first.”Then South Africa found themselves in trouble at 23 for 4, but chose to pull out of it like you would in the middle overs of an ODI. They went into a T20I knowing aiming for just a run a ball, not minding staying even below six per over as long as they were just a boundary away.Related

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“I think David [Miller] showed us in the previous game [against Netherlands] how to bat on this wicket and it’s almost a similar way that we bat in the middle overs in a one-day game,” Klaasen said. “So, our mindset is not even close to T20 cricket. You just want to get in and find a way to bat at a run a ball. And we know you’re one or two hits away just for going over the run-a-ball strike-rate.”2:25

Should cricket revisit the leg-bye rule on a referral?

Hridoy: ‘I should have finished the game’Three teams have been involved in close chases in these conditions. South Africa, under Miller’s stewardship, won despite never getting ahead of the chase. Pakistan lost using the same approach. Bangladesh lost an early wicket, but never did – or were never allowed to – get ahead of the chase. Their best batter on the day, Towhid Hridoy, said there wasn’t much wrong with going at around a run a ball, just that he should have gone on for longer.”From that position I should have finished the match,” Hridoy said when asked if Bangladesh could have perhaps tried to get ahead of the rate sooner. “It’s difficult for new batsmen to adjust to the conditions. In that position, I should have finished the match.”Hridoy fell in the 18th over, leaving Bangladesh 21 to get off 17 with five wickets in hand. One would back the chasing side in most conditions, but this pitch has been difficult and the outfield slow.When you lose by just four runs, you do tend to assign greater significance to otherwise smaller events. Hridoy was left looking at some umpiring calls without complaining about them. One of them was an lbw that was given out but they got it reversed only to lose out on possible leg-byes.”See, ICC rule is not in my hands, but at that time those four runs were very important for us,” Hridoy said. “The umpires are also human beings, and they could have made a mistake. But we had two-three more wides, which were not given. So, in a match like this, where hardly a run is being made in a low-scoring match, one or two runs are a big factor. So, I think those four runs or two wide runs were close calls. Even my out was the umpire’s call.”

Still on the hunt for incomings even with Bryan Mbeumo seemingly on the way, Manchester United are now reportedly battling against clubs in the Saudi Pro League to sign a midfield ace.

Mbeumo waiting to undergo Man Utd medical

After going back and forth in negotiations with Brentford, it looks as though Manchester United have finally taken a step closer to signing Mbeumo this summer. The Red Devils are now reportedly finalising any add-ons in an offer that will exceed the £60m mark, while Mbeumo is now waiting for approval to undergo a medical at the club.

The forward is on course to become United’s second arrival of the window, but he’s unlikely to be the last. If recent reports are anything to go by then INEOS are still on the hunt for a goalkeeper and a striker this summer.

The big question on that front has been just who will arrive to fill that quota. The likes of Emiliano Martinez have been among the headlines on the goalkeeper front, but whether Aston Villa sell one of their star men to a rival even in the face of PSR troubles remains to be seen.

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Manchester United look set to complete their second signing of the summer after Matheus Cunha.

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Meanwhile, when it comes to strikers, it did look as though Ruben Amorim could get a shock reunion with Viktor Gyokeres. United were certainly in the race, reportedly making the Swede their No.1 target, but ultimately he set his sights on Arsenal with negotiations still ongoing.

That may not be the last time that the Red Devils interact with his representatives, however. Reports are now suggesting that another one of their clients are on United’s radar this summer.

Man Utd now battling to sign Ndidi

According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Manchester United are now battling to sign Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City this summer. The experienced midfielder is attracting plenty of interest following the Foxes’ relegation, including from the Saudi Pro League, and is now free to leave the King Power Stadium if his £9m release clause is triggered this summer.

Represented by the same agent as Gyokeres, United shouldn’t find it too complicated to open discussions for a midfielder who could provide Amorim with a bargain solution to his Casemiro problem.

Starts

28

18

Progressive Carries

0.70

0.24

Interceptions

1.20

0.84

Ball Recoveries

4.92

6.20

While Ndidi’s arrival wouldn’t steal the same headlines as Cunha or Mbeumo, it would have importance in its own right. Carrying the ball at a far better standard while proving more effective off the ball, Ndidi is more athletic than the ageing Casemiro and could crucially offer the quality in depth that Amorim requires.

Earning around £75,000-a-week at Leicester, Ndidi wouldn’t exactly disrupt United’s wage bill either. That, alongside his £9m release clause, makes him a viable option for INEOS and the Red Devils in the coming months.

Cheltenham acclaims double-century stand that slams door on Glamorgan

ECB Reporters Network01-Jul-2024

Miles Hammond rattled off a 94-ball hundred•Getty Images

Miles Hammond and Cameron Bancroft both scored brilliant hundreds to illuminate the Cheltenham Festival as Gloucestershire assumed control on the second day of the Vitality County Championship Division Two match against Glamorgan.Having been shot out for 179 on the opening day and conceded a first-innings deficit of 18 after dismissing Glamorgan for 197, the home side found themselves under pressure when Timm van der Gugten reduced them to 17 for 2 second time around. But Hammond and Bancroft turned the tables by staging a mammoth third-wicket stand of 201 in 36.1 overs as the pitch flattened out and overhead conditions improved, in the process slamming the door shut on Welsh ambition.Hammond raised an enterprising 121, while Bancroft finished unbeaten on 159 from 221 balls and helped add 170 for the fourth wicket with James Bracey, who posted 90 not out from 117 balls as Gloucestershire reached the close on 388 for 3, a commanding lead of 370 with two days still to play.Cheltenham-born Hammond has a special affinity with the festival, having registered his maiden hundred at the College Ground in only his fourth first-class match in 2018. His fifth Championship hundred was a classy affair indeed, the elegant left hander adopting a positive approach to provide delighted festival devotees with rich pickings the like of which they dared not imagine when 17 wickets fell on the first day.Driving fluently almost from the get-go, Hammond saw off the threat posed by van der Gugten and flourished, going to a 53-ball 50 with his ninth four, a flowing drive through long-on at the expense of Marnus Labuschagne. As he grew in confidence and conditions improved, so he expanded his repertoire, a trio of audacious slog-sweeps netting him three sixes at the expense of Mason Crane and Dan Douthwaite, who suffered horribly and were withdrawn from the attack.Hammond’s second 50 occupied just 41 balls and, as the crowd rose to acclaim his second hundred of the season, he sank to one knee and delivered a fist pump before raising his bat in acknowledgment and receiving a heartfelt hug of congratulation from Bancroft.Cast in the role of chief support, the Australian also played with assurance, timing the ball beautifully and going to a 70-ball half century in the grand manner, pulling Douthwaite over the square leg boundary for six, a shot that also brought up the 100 partnership.Adept at finding the gaps and rotating the strike, Bancroft proved the perfect foil to Hammond, who was in his pomp as the 200 partnership came up off 216 balls. All good things come to an end though, and Kiran Carlson, the seventh bowler deployed by Glamorgan skipper Sam Northeast, broke the partnership in his first over from the Chapel End, Hammond skying a catch to mid-on, having accrued 17 fours and a quartet of sixes in a sparkling innings spanning 110 deliveries.Although Bancroft’s advance to three figures was a rather more sedate affair, his contribution was every bit as important, confirming as it did the dominance of bat over ball for the first time in the contest. His hundred occupied 143 balls, included a six and 10 fours, and was greeted with much glee by Gloucestershire supporters.Aware of the need to bat on and put the game beyond Glamorgan’s reach, Bracey played responsibly, reaching 50 from 68 balls, while Bancroft went to 150 via 211 balls as Gloucestershire stamped their authority in a final session that yielded 165 runs without loss.Resuming on 133 for 7 in the morning, Glamorgan were 46 behind and with plenty of work still to be done if they were to achieve the minimum requirement of first-innings parity. In the event, they were indebted to Crane who, when it was needed most, staged a forthright innings of 44 from 56 balls and dominated a progressive stand of 52 in 10.1 overs with Andy Gorvin for the ninth wicket to put his team in credit.Marchant de Lange struck an early blow for the home side, wicketkeeper Bracey claiming his fifth catch to remove van der Gugten, before Beau Webster hastened a swift termination, having Gorvin held at point via a leading edge and then enticing Crane to hole out to Ajeet Singh Dale at long-on. The Australian finished with impressive figures of 5 for 17 from 10.1 overs with four maidens, while de Lange backed him up with 3 for 44.

وجه مهاجم الأهلي السابق، رسالة لـ خالد الجوادي، المترجم الخاص بالسويسري مارسيل كولر، المدير الفني السابق للأحمر، بعد تصريحاته الأخيرة.

وتحدث الجوادي، في تصريحات خلال “بود كاست إيجبشن ليج” عن واحد من المهاجمين السابقين للأهلي، الذي خرج من حسابات كولر بسبب عدم الضغط في التدريبات.

وربط البعض عبر مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي المهاجم الذي لم يذكر الجوادي اسمه بـ شادي حسين، والذي كان تزامن رحيله عن الأهلي خلال تولي كولر.

طالع.. خالد الجوادي: كولر تخلص من لاعب الأهلي السابق بسبب “الخيانة”

وكتب شادي عبر حسابه على إنستجرام: “رسالة للدكتور خالد الجوادي قصة المهاجم اللى بيضغط دى لو أنت قصدك فيها أنا فالقصة مش كدة خالص”.

وتابع:” انا مش عارف أنت قاصد تحكى حاجة غلط و لا إية لأن دى يمكن خامس مرة تطلع تحكى نفس القصة”.

وواصل: “وهو في الآخر موضوع تافه جدا انا بس حبيت اقولك عشان متحكيش قصة غلط للمرة الـ ٦ شكراً”.

ولعب شادي حسين في الأهلي لمدة موسم واحد خاض خلاله 20 مباراة، سجل هدفا وصنع هدفين قبل الرحيل إلى صفوف زد.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has now personally requested the signing of an “incredible” goalkeeper as a replacement for Ederson, according to a report.

Guardiola left dissatisfied by shock Club World Cup exit

Few would have predicted the Blues’ shock Club World Cup exit at the hands of Al-Hilal, especially considering Guardiola’s side looked like the City of old in the 5-2 victory over Juventus in their final group game.

However, Al-Hilal ultimately progressed to the quarter-final courtesy of a 4-3 victory, with Ederson making just two saves throughout the match, following on from a 2024-25 campaign which fell below the Brazilian’s lofty standards.

Roy Keane was particularly critical of the goalkeeper last season, claiming he had been “getting away with murder”, before going on to suggest that Guardiola should consider dropping the six-time Premier League winner.

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Crucially, the City boss is also now growing tired of Ederson’s performances, according to a report from Spain, which states Guardiola has been left deeply dissatisfied by his side’s Club World Cup exit and wants to sign a new goalkeeper this summer.

As such, Pep has now personally requested the signing of FC Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who is protected by a €75m (£65m) release clause in his contract, which is not out of Man City’s budget.

Costa is open to leaving the Portuguese club this summer, despite his contract running until 2027, with the goalkeeper eager to test himself at an elite level prior to the 2026 World Cup.

Guardiola views the Portugal international as a complete player, who would be suited to his style of play, with the Blues now making moves to secure his signature, and the deal could accelerate in the coming weeks.

"Incredible" Costa impressing for club and country

International teammate Diogo Dalot has been left very impressed by the shot-stopper in the past, saying: “I think Portugal’s secret is Diogo Costa. Diogo Costa is the most hidden secret in European football and today he showed up.

“Today I think he reached a completely different level. The one-on-one situation was incredible. Then he had the focus to make three consecutive saves. We have to be very proud of him.”

Not only has the 25-year-old caught the eye for his country, but he has also performed at a high level for Porto over the past year, maintaining a very impressive clean sheet percentage, when compared to other goalkeepers.

Key goalkeeping metric

Average per 90

Clean sheet percentage

50% (95th percentile)

Goals against

0.84 (90th percentile)

Although Ederson’s performances have concerned Pep, it will be a difficult task to replace the Brazil international, given that he has played a major role in City’s recent success, but Costa has proven that he could be a worthy heir between the sticks.