All posts by h716a5.icu

While it wasn’t a disaster, it’s hard to deny that last season was a disappointment for Arsenal.

Instead of finally getting over the line and winning the Premier League at the third time of asking, Mikel Arteta’s side had to make do with another second-place finish.

However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom, as the North Londoners made it to the Champions League semi-finals for just the third time in their history, and when fit, Bukayo Saka was once again one of the best players in the country.

Appearances

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30

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2619′

Goals

12

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14

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.73

Even though he missed almost four months of action, the Hale Ender managed to amass a sensational tally of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games.

Yet, to reach yet another level next year, the 23-year-old may need some more assistance, which is why fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal to a world-class winger who’d be a dream teammate for Saka.

Arsenal's winger search

With the need for attacking reinforcements undeniable, it’s not been much of a surprise to see that, alongside the strikers, Arsenal have been linked with a host of dangerous wingers this summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

One of the names that has been heavily linked with the Gunners has been Chelsea ace Noni Madueke.

The Englishman was good enough for the Blues last season, racking up a tally of 16 goal involvements in 41 games, but with a price tag of up to £50m, it’s easy to understand why some fans would be hesitant.

Moreover, it’s hard to see the former PSV Eindhoven ace being a dream winger addition for Saka, which isn’t the case when it comes to Rodrygo.

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal remain very interested in the Real Madrid star.

The report has revealed that even though fellow Premier League sides Liverpool and Chelsea are also keen on the Brazilian international, the Gunners are in ‘a favourable position’ to secure his services, and have expressed a willingness to meet the financial demands of Los Blancos to make it happen.

According to stories from earlier this summer, the fee needed to bring the winger to North London is likely to be around £78m.

That’s certainly a lot of money to spend on one player, but Rodrygo would be worth it, and Saka’s dream winger signing.

Why Rodrygo would be a dream signing for Saka

As things stand, Saka is the only world-class attacker at Arsenal, and the fact that he was the club’s most productive player despite missing over three months of action last season only reinforces this point.

So, the first reason Rodrygo would be the Hale Ender’s dream winger signing is that the Brazilian’s output would help alleviate some of the immense pressure on him.

For example, since the start of the 23/24 campaign, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has scored 32 goals and provided 20 assists in 106 appearances, totalling 7229 minutes.

That works out to a goal involvement every 2.03 games, or every 139.01 minutes, which is impressive enough in isolation, but is made all the more so when you take into account the fact he was played out of his preferred left-wing position for most of that period.

Moreover, the former Santos gem has shown himself to be capable of scoring massive goals in season-defining games – think back to the game against Manchester City – and so he’d be able to help the Gunners’ number seven realise his ambitions of winning major honours.

However, it’s not all down to what he can do on the pitch alongside the Ealing-born monster.

The second reason he’d be a dream addition for the 23-year-old is that, thanks to his versatility, he’d be able to fill in on the right when needed and, in turn, allow the Englishman to rest when needed.

This could help the talismanic international avoid fatigue-related injuries and prolong his career at the highest level.

Ultimately, from his output and big game experience to the ability to play off the right when needed, Rodrygo would be the dream winger signing for Saka.

Therefore, while it won’t be cheap, Arsenal should do everything possible to bring him to the Emirates this summer.

Eze & Gyokeres will love him: Arsenal explore signing £65m "mini Salah"

Just imagine this player alongside Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 8, 2025

Captain’s 80 not out sets up 121-run thrashing as Glamorgan crash out

ECB Reporters Network14-Jul-2024Jack Taylor blitzed his way to a brilliant unbeaten 80 as Gloucestershire beat neighbours Glamorgan by 121 runs in a one-sided Vitality Blast encounter at Cheltenham.Leading by example, Gloucestershire’s captain smashed 80 from 35 balls with seven sixes and four fours to lift his side to a substantial 206 for 6 in front of a packed crowd at the College Ground. Cameron Bancroft hit 44 and James Bracey 31 in a second-wicket partnership of 64, while Beau Webster contributed 33 in a blistering stand of 63 in 6.3 overs with Taylor for the fourth wicket as the home side achieved their record winning margin in a T20 game.It was altogether too big an ask for Glamorgan, who were bowled out for 85 in 15.5 overs, five of their top six batters failing to make it into double figures and only Colin Ingram offering top-order resistance in an innings of 20. Continuing his good form in the short format, David Payne returned figures of 3 for 7 from three overs, while Tom Smith and Josh Shaw weighed in with 3 for 33 and 2 for 7 respectively as Gloucestershire won inside the distance.Still occupying fifth place in the South Group, Gloucestershire remain in with a chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals after Essex lost their penultimate match to Surrey. Gloucestershire must now win their final game against Middlesex at Chelmsford on Wednesday and hope Essex lose to Hampshire at Southampton.”It was a great way to finish the Cheltenham Festival,” Taylor said. “It was really nice to get some runs, get the win and keep the campaign alive going into the final round of matches. Cameron Bancroft and James Bracey laid really good foundations at the top of the order, and that enabled Beau Webster and myself to come in and strike the ball through the middle during the later stages.”I really enjoyed batting here and it was good to get a good score. Any score of 200 or more is a good score in T20 and we knew we could defend it. We were never going to risk sitting on our laurels and all five of our bowlers hit their lengths and did an awesome job in setting the tone. After taking those early wickets, we just had to keep it going.”This win will help with our run rate and we’re pleased to be able to take it into the last game. We have to do our bit by beating Middlesex and then see what happens elsewhere.”Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson’ decision to field was justified when Timm van der Gugten opened up with a wicket maiden from the Chapel end, Miles Hammond driving the fourth delivery straight to mid-on. But Bracey wasted no time in changing the mood, twice pulling van der Gugten to the mid-wicket boundary and then helping himself to a trio of fours in a Dan Douthwaite over that yielded 13 runs, while Bancroft ramped Jamie McIlroy for four to afford the innings crucial early momentum.Bancroft then took McIlroy for 23 runs in one over, including six off a no-ball, as Gloucestershire advanced their score to a useful 61 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. When Bracey hoisted van der Gugten high over cow corner for an imposing six, it took him to 1,000 runs in T20 cricket.Cameron Bancroft gets low to scoop over fine leg•Dan Istitene/Getty ImagesAndy Gorvin afforded the visitors much-needed relief, having Bracey held at long-on in the seventh for a 20-ball 31, and then removing Bancroft for a a 25-ball 44, the Australian held in the deep as Gloucestershire reached halfway on 92-3.Taylor hit the ground running, raising two boundaries in one Mason Crane over and then smashing Gorvin for six over mid-wicket to put the home side back in credit. Having played himself in, Webster provided acceleration at the other end, hitting three fours in one van der Gugten over to exert additional pressure. Taylor then hit Crane down the ground for six to bring up the 50 partnership in 31 balls as the fourth-wicket pair raised the tempo.Douthwaite had Webster caught at the wicket for a 36-ball 33, Marnus Labuschagne accounted for Ben Charlesworth and Ollie Price fell to Gorvin, who finished with 3 for 26 from four overs. But Taylor kept his foot to the floor, raising an exhilarating 24-ball 50 by smiting McIlroy for six over long-off before finishing with a flourish, taking 19 off the final over to further spoil Douthwaite’s figures and lift his side to an imposing total.Gloucestershire further improved their position when Payne dismissed Will Smale and Carlson in the space of three deliveries with the new ball from the College Lawn end. Shaw then had Tom Bevan held at short third man and Matt Taylor took a return catch to send back Labuschagne as Glamorgan slipped to 18 for 4 in a lacklustre powerplay that yielded just two boundaries.Worse followed, with slow left-armer Smith removing Chris Cooke and Ingram in quick succession and van der Gugten succumbing lbw to Webster as the visitors lurched to 48 for 7 in the tenth. Douthwaite became the seventh batsman to be out in single figures when he hoisted Shaw to deep midwicket, Payne returned to remove Gorvin and Smith wrapped up the innings with 4.1 overs unused.

Liverpool won the Premier League last season, but Arne Slot doesn’t seem like one to rest on his laurels, and is set on making the forthcoming campaign one of an even more significant triumph.

While the Reds were incredible across the league term, they left plenty to be desired through the season’s offshoots, losing an FA Cup tie to Plymouth Argyle, who were ultimately relegated from the Championship, and falling against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final and eventual Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.

Not too shabby, all told. Premier League rivals Arsenal finished ten points behind Liverpool in second, after all. But there’s little question that Slot lacked depth, for the Dutch coach was hesitant in enforcing rotation to a fault, though this illustrates his frustrations regarding some of Anfield’s wider members of the first-team squad.

At the front of his issue was Darwin Nunez, who, as Liverpool’s star striker, only scored seven goals across all competitions, with Slot even stating he “can’t accept” the Uruguayan’s work-rate across a string of matches.

Though a move to Napoli fell through this week, FSG still expect to cash in on Nunez this summer, having already moved to sign his replacement.

Why Liverpool are signing Hugo Ekitike

Liverpool have stolen ahead of Newcastle in the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, with the French forward having submitted a transfer request to push negotiations closer toward the finish line.

Ekitike is only 23, but he’s established himself as one of Europe’s top young forwards, with journalist Graeme Bailey even coining him “the next Mbappe” for his blend of pace, physicality and potency in the final third.

However, the dynamic talent wasn’t Liverpool’s first choice. That would be Newcastle’s Alexander Isak. However, FSG’s formal efforts to prise him away from St. James’ Park proved fruitless.

It’s a shame, but Ekitike’s arrival would cushion the blow and then some, for he has the makings of a truly world-class superstar.

With suitors in the Saudi Pro League eager to snap Nunez up in the coming weeks, Ekitike’s prospective arrival will be an elating thing, having notched 40 goal involvements across a season-and-a-half with Frankfurt.

His silky, fleet-footed movements and dogged approach in the final third have led FBref to record him as one of Isak’s most comparable players, so you can certainly see the vision.

And for a cheaper sum too. Isak would have cost upwards of £120m to bring over to Merseyside, and would that truly be tenable? With a central defender still required and maybe a winger too, perhaps not.

Though Isak would have been an incredible addition, Liverpool fans have already been bestowed one earth-shattering acquisition by the ambitious owners this summer.

And Florian Wirtz might even prove the cream of a crop that, hypothetically, contained Isak in a Liverpool shirt too.

Liverpool have already struck gold on Florian Wirtz

Wirtz doesn’t need to kick a ball in a competitive setting for Liverpool fans to know that Slot has struck gold with this signing, owing to the diligence and perseverance of sporting director Richard Hughes.

Wirtz, 22, joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £100m last month. If potential add-ons are met, this fee will stretch higher still and extend to £116m, past Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo, the current record holder at £115m.

Despite his relative youth, the German midfielder has already established quite the résumé, having been awarded the Bundesliga Player of the Year for 2023/24, when Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen dethroned Bayern Munich as invincibles, previously rebounding with vigour from an ACL injury.

Last season yielded nothing on the trophy front, but Wirtz still maintained his world-class level, hailed as a “truly generational talent” by sports media professional Cristian Nyari, who believed the creative star was performing at a level higher even than Harry Kane in Germany’s top flight.

What about across Europe’s top five leagues? Well, as per FBref, Wirtz ranked among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers last season for goal involvements, the top 2% for passes attempted, the top 7% for progressive passes and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

He’s a rather efficient playmaker, and with Liverpool having parted with Trent Alexander-Arnold, now Real Madrid property, it’s vital that Slot and co maintain the squad’s peerless creative levels. Wirtz has been picked as the man for that task, it appears.

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You get the picture; Liverpool have signed a sensation. This marquee man’s ability is better defined, perhaps, through the lens of CIES Football Observatory’s player-valuing system.

Indeed, according to the renowned research site, Liverpool’s record signing is actually worth £150m, a stratospheric figure. Pundit Paul Robinson felt previously that this was an accurate figure when considering the player’s worth.

Isak, however, comes in at a ‘lowly’ £95m.

Of course, that is not a fair reflection of Isak’s value in the modern market, but it does serve to illustrate exactly how incredible a signing Liverpool have pulled off by signing Wirtz without breaking the British transfer record (yet).

Already, Liverpool fans have been gifted a glimpse into the playmaker’s winger footwork, seemingly fitting right in as pre-season preparations get underway.

Slot’s side is replete with high-level quality, and though Isak would have been a wonderful addition this summer, those of a Reds persuasion can take more than a measure of solace in having sealed a signing already, which may break the English transfer record.

In any case, given that Wirtz is considered to be the more valuable player, have Liverpool not hit the jackpot?

New Van Dijk: "Unreal" talent hands in transfer request to join Liverpool

Liverpool are making things happen in the summer transfer market.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 18, 2025

Hampshire’s top order score 40 in 28 overs to leave game heading for a draw

ECB Reporters Network24-Aug-2024Hampshire 40 for 1 trail Essex 438 for 8 dec (Cox 141, Elgar 136, Westley 64) by 398 runs Toby Albert and the rain frustrated Vitality County Championship title-chasing Essex against Hampshire at Utilita Bowl.Only 34 overs were bowled after a rain-soaked morning and afternoon, but after Sam Cook and Shane Snater had taken their partnership to 49 and Essex to 438 for 8, Tom Westley declared.Hampshire lost Fletcha Middleton, but Albert dropped anchor with 18 from 69 balls, with Nick Gubbins even more defensive in his 8 off 58. They ended the day on 40 for 1, 398 runs in arrears, with the likelihood this will turn into a final-day bonus-point match, unless the hosts fail to avoid the follow-on.But Storm Lilian deposited a significant amount of rain on Saturday morning, but the hard work of Simon Lee and his groundstaff made sure action got under way after tea. The first part of the session was a battle for bonus points before a declaration. Hampshire needed one wicket for another point, Essex needed 46 runs.Neither of which came to pass, but Snater and Cook had a good go at the runs part of the equation in putting on an unbroken 49. Hampshire had one massive chance to claim maximum bowling points, but Cook was put down by Tom Prest at first slip with what became the penultimate delivery before Westley called his side in.The blue skies suggested batting might be relatively simple, but Cook and Jamie Porter initially put Hampshire’s young opening batters Middleton and Albert under the microscope.There wasn’t significant movement but the odd late ball tailed in and super-disciplined bowling made scoring runs almost impossible early on. It took 23 balls before Albert scored the first run of the innings, and when Snater entered the attack in the ninth over, only five runs had been scored.The Dutchman may have offered up a half-volley for Albert to strike the first boundary of the innings, but he made the breakthrough.He found movement into Middleton, and helped by some low bounce, caught the outside edge, before Michael Pepper brilliantly caught on the forward dive.From then on, Albert and Gubbins battened down the hatches and simply refused to get out – which never looked like happening as the ball aged.In the 28 overs Hampshire batted, there were 150 dot balls.

Former Arsenal man Jermaine Pennant has told Football FanCast that the Gunners should be prioritising the signing of another high-profile forward, if a deal for Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres falls flat.

Latest on Arsenal's pursuit of Viktor Gyokeres

Will he, won’t he? There’s been more twists and turns in this transfer saga than a Formula 1 race.

At one stage having seemingly been behind RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko on the north Londoners’ striker shortlist, Gyokeres has emerged as the leading target for Andrea Berta and co in recent weeks, amid the need to end the club’s lengthy wait for a new number nine.

After netting 97 goals in just 102 games in Lisbon, the 27-year-old Swede appears to be edging ever closer to moving to the Emirates, albeit with the situation having dragged on of late.

Indeed, while a £63.5m agreement with the Portuguese outfit is nearing completion, following Gyokeres’ public dispute with his current side, the final details have yet to be resolved.

There had even been whispers in Portugal that rival suitors Manchester United were keen to hijack the deal, amid Ruben Amorim’s desire for a reunion, although that reported interest from the Red Devils has seemingly been overblown.

Regardless, those of an Arsenal persuasion won’t rest until the former Coventry City man is signed, sealed and delivered, with it perhaps wise to still be considering alternatives – as Pennant suggested…

Pennant suggests "big-money" alternative to Gyokeres

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast on behalf of Adventure Gamers, the one-time Gunners academy graduate outlined that if his former club can’t get a deal done for Gyokeres, then a more fluid forward – in the mould of Gabriel Jesus – should well be considered, namely Real Madrid’s wantaway star, Rodrygo:

The 24-year-old wideman has been heavily linked with an exit from the Bernabeu this summer, having played a limited role at the recent Club World Cup under new boss Xabi Alonso, with Arsenal believed to be one of the clubs interested in capitalising on the uncertainty surrounding the £85m-rated talent.

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Rodrygo wouldn’t be the only option to consider, however, with Pennant also tipping the Emirates hierarchy to renew their approach for the aforementioned Sesko:

The Slovenian is fresh off the back of the campaign in which he scored 21 times in all competitions for Leipzig, while Rodrygo scored 14 times across all fronts for Los Blancos.

Those returns fall shy of Gyokeres’ mammoth 54-goal haul in 2024/25, although as Pennant suggested, any of that trio would be a worthy addition to Mikel Arteta’s ranks.

50% duels won, only 6 passes: 5/10 Arsenal star must now be axed for Eze

Arsenal started their pre-season with a 1-0 win over AC Milan.

ByMatt Dawson Jul 23, 2025

Test captain awaits scan on hamstring as he works his way back to full fitness for Pakistan tour

Andrew Miller24-Sep-20243:18

Matt Roller on the big challenges ahead for England coach Brendon McCullum

Ben Stokes says “it’s definitely going to be a yes” if Brendon McCullum asks him to come back to play for England’s rebooted white-ball teams, but insists that no such conversations have happened yet, as he focusses first on regaining full fitness in time to lead next month’s Test tour to Pakistan.Stokes, 33, famously played matchwinning innings in each of England’s World Cup final victories across formats, at Lord’s in 2019 and at Melbourne in 2022, but he has not featured in a white-ball international since the ODI team’s ignominious title defence in India in November last year. However, with the next major ICC event, the Champions Trophy, fast approaching in February, Luke Wright, England’s selector, recently admitted that both Stokes and Joe Root remained in consideration.Stokes had previously retired from ODI cricket in 2022, citing the risk of burn-out in an increasingly crowded international schedule, while he withdrew his availability from the most recent T20 World Cup in June, in order to focus on regaining full fitness following an operation on his long-standing knee issue.Now, however, with Stokes’ bond with McCullum well established by their captain-coach partnership in the Test team, he says he is open to a cross-format comeback, but only if it is in the best interests of the white-ball squad that has begun to pivot to a new generation, among them this month’s new cap Jacob Bethell, whom Stokes believes is going to be a “superstar”.”It’s an amazing opportunity for the white-ball team to experience what Baz has brought to the Test team,” Stokes told Sky Sports during the third ODI at Chester-le-Street. “He’s an incredible coach who speaks with utter commitment, and it’s nice to have all three teams now with the same messaging and the same philosophies towards playing cricket.Stokes tore his hamstring while batting during the Hundred•Gareth Copley/Getty Images”If I get the call and [Baz] says, ‘do you want to come and play?’ Then obviously, it’s definitely going to be a yes, but I’m not going to be too disappointed if I don’t, because I can just sit back and watch everyone else go out and smack it.”I’ve played a lot of white-ball cricket for England, and I’m very happy with what I’ve achieved in that form of the game,” he added. “But to be honest, we’ve not even spoken about anything like that whatsoever. I think he’s just letting me concentrate on what I need to concentrate on, especially around the Test team.”The next challenge for Stokes’ Test team is fast approaching next week, when they embark on another three-Test tour of Pakistan – a venue where they famously won 3-0 in December 2022, in one of the most notable triumphs of the Stokes-McCullum regime to date.After some weeks of uncertainty, Multan has now been confirmed as the venue for the first Test, beginning October 7. And while Stokes expects to be fit enough to lead his team in that match, having missed the Sri Lanka series following a hamstring tear in August, he says he will be cautious about fulfilling his bowling duties after a lengthy period on the sidelines.Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum celebrate England’s series win on their last tour of Pakistan in 2022•Matthew Lewis/Getty ImagesSpeaking ahead of a six-and-a-half week scan, which confirmed on Wednesday that his recovery is on track, Stokes said that he was feeling optimistic about the prognosis. “It was a hamstring tear that just sneaked into my tendon, so that’s why it’s taken a week or two longer, but my rehab has gone really well, so hopefully tomorrow everything gets the all-clear, and we can start pushing it a bit more.”There’s a lot more than just my hamstrings that I need to get back firing again, in terms of bowling, because you use everything,” he added. “So I need to get that all right to make sure that I don’t do any more damage to any other parts of my body.”Although England’s experience from the 2022 tour will stand them in good stead on this visit, Stokes admits that there are plenty of unknowns about the conditions they will face in Pakistan, and not simply because it has taken so long for the venues to be confirmed.”It’s probably not until we get out there that we’ll have a real understanding of it,” he said. “I know that Shan Masood [Pakistan’s captain] has been asking for quicker, more lively wickets for their fast bowlers. Obviously, last time we were there, they were slow, dry and spun a bit. So, we’ve got to go there with an open mind about what we’re going to get.”This story was updated at 5.53pm BST on Wednesday, September 25, following the results of Stokes’ scan

T20 captain plays down absence of England star names for Finals Day

Andrew Miller13-Sep-2024Less than 48 hours after the thrilling climax to their County Championship tussle down at Taunton, Surrey and Somerset are set to resume their rivalry up at Edgbaston on Saturday, with a rematch of their T20 Blast semi-final from 12 months ago.And despite his club’s disappointment on both occasions, Surrey’s T20 captain Chris Jordan insists there’ll be no hangovers from either, as they continue their quest towards what could yet be a glorious double-winning season.”Over the last few years especially, this fixture has produced some exciting, competitive results,” Jordan told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s ironic that in the week leading into Finals Day, we’ve been playing against the exact same team.”Any road to the final is never easy, and at some point you have to beat the best team. Obviously, they’re defending champions, and deservedly so, so we’ll need to be right on it. But it’s always hard-fought battles, and the team that plays best on the day normally wins this particular encounter, so we don’t see it being any different.”Related

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Tom Banton the hero for Somerset but ruled out of T20 Finals Day

It will, however, require a very different tempo from Surrey, and a swift transfer of mindset, after their attempts to park the bus at Taunton and block their way to a potentially title-sealing draw backfired in spectacular fashion. Despite Dom Sibley’s doughty 56 from 183 balls, their resistance was swept aside in a stunning collapse of 7 for 14 in 18.1 overs, by Somerset’s latest spin pairing, Jack Leach and Archie Vaughan.”It can be tough, but the best players just make the switch,” Jordan said. “The main thing is it’s a mindset shift, your technique is not going to change too much between formats. You just have to assess the situation and the conditions and decide what approach to take. I don’t see it as being too different. With the type of multi-format cricketers we have, they can do it quite effortlessly.”Sibley is perhaps the case in point for Surrey. Only days prior to his Taunton rearguard, he had been the toast of the Kia Oval after his scintillating 67 from 48 balls provided the impetus that Surrey needed to hunt down Durham’s target of 163 in their Blast quarter-final. It was an innings that defied the reputation he made for himself during his stint as an England Test opener, not least with an eye-catching reverse-scoop for six over deep third, but Jordan said it hadn’t come as a surprise to his team-mates.”It was an unbelievable knock, but well deserved, because he’s been working so hard on his power game since he came back to Surrey,” Jordan said. “He’s a lot more expansive, but his batting in the powerplay has been key, because this year the brand-new white ball has been doing a bit more than normal. He’s just played some good cricketing shots, with a good technique, and that quarter-final was a great template for him. His tempo was really good, and it helped us to control that chase.”

“We’ll have a few changes to the line-up but that’s been the theme of the season. We’re blessed with a squad where so many of our guys are internationals, so we’re trusting the team to get the job done”Chris Jordan on Surrey’s absent England quartet

Sibley’s poise could be all the more important to Surrey given the personnel they will be missing on Saturday. Despite the expected return of three of the four players who featured in the Sri Lanka Test series – with Gus Atkinson missing out after suffering a niggle during that match – Surrey’s line-up will be shorn of some serious firepower, with Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton and Reece Topley all out of the picture due to their involvement in England’s T20I series against Australia.It’s a situation that Tymal Mills, Sussex’s captain, last week described as “stupid”, as he faced up to the prospect of losing Jofra Archer for his team’s Finals Day campaign, while Alec Stewart – Surrey’s ongoing director of cricket – last year decried the ECB’s so-called Super September as “anything but”. However, Jordan took a more phlegmatic approach to the sport’s ongoing fixture congestion.”Obviously, we’ll have a few changes to the line-up but that’s been the theme of the entire season,” he said. “We’re blessed with a squad where so many of our guys are good enough to get international accolades, so we’re trusting all the guys to go and get the job done.”There’s a lot to take in as captain, but I always knew what I was getting myself into. It can be challenging, but my mindset is just to find solutions. Obviously Covid has set back a lot of schedules, so everyone is playing catch-up, and for me, personally, I know from being involved in an England set-up that country comes first.”International games are very high intensity, so to release players right in the middle of a T20 series, for a game the next day, would be quite tough, both mentality and on the body. It’s about that balance between giving the guys their best opportunity to perform in a England shirt, and having them available for one of the big days in our English calendar. It’s unfortunate, but we just leave it to the powers-that-be.”Surrey and Somerset met on Finals Day last year – but Sam Curran won’t be involved this time round•Surrey CCC/Getty ImagesIt’s not just the international game that is encroaching on the county season, however. One particularly notable absentee will be Jason Roy, who has committed himself to playing for Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL, having already missed much of the Blast group stage to play for Trinbago’s sister team, LA Knight Riders, in Major League Cricket.It continues Roy’s steady drift away from the English game, following his decision in May 2023 to negotiate an early release from his ECB contract in order to be a free agent, but Jordan had sympathy for his former England team-mate, whom he recognises as a first-mover in the shifting world of T20 cricket.”Obviously, it’s a little bit of an unusual scenario, but we’re in unusual territory as well, with so much franchise cricket and different opportunities popping up over the world.”The cricket community as a whole hasn’t fully come to grips with the moving times,” Jordan added. “[Roy’s] taken his own decision in terms of his own career. He’s been a great performer for us, we would have loved to have him, but we also wish him all the best in everything he does, because it’s such a big part of the dressing room.”On his own England ambitions, Jordan is realistic about the status quo. Despite a strong showing at the recent T20 World Cup – including a memorable hat-trick in front of his friends and family in Barbados – he recognises that, with his 36th birthday approaching next month, he is unlikely to be a part of the white-ball reboot under Brendon McCullum’s expanded remit as head coach.”I’m the kind of person that likes to take a day at a time and control what I can control,” he said. “The England team is in a bit of a transition period, and at some point, I knew that stage would come. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the door is shut, but all I can do is play the cricket that’s presented in front of me, and try to do as best as possible.”Coming off the World Cup, I was a little bit in and out of the team, so it was nice to come back and put in a few performances for Surrey and Southern Brave as well. But I’ll just try to do my job on Finals Day, which will be leading the team as best as possible, but also performing my role.”

Chelsea’s opening Premier League match is under three weeks away, yet it doesn’t appear as though Enzo Maresca is finished with his transfer business.

Despite adding plenty of talent to his already bloated squad, including the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens, the Italian is still on the hunt for more attacking players.

Over the previous few weeks, Tyler Dibling, Karim Adeyemi and even Real Madrid starlet Goncalo Garcia have all been linked with moves to Stamford Bridge.

While initial links have been established, nothing concrete has been made regarding any of these three players as of yet.

All of Maresca’s attention is being taken up by the potential transfer of Dutchman Xavi Simons.

The RB Leipzig starlet is edging close to a move to the Blues, and given his performances in the Bundesliga since the summer of 2023, could he be the final piece of the attacking jigsaw for the club?

Any move could potentially go through at some point this week, but what exactly will the former PSG sensation bring to Chelsea?

Why Chelsea are trying to sign Xavi Simons

On Sunday, journalist Ben Jacobs gave an update on X regarding the club’s pursuit of the attacking midfielder.

“Chelsea advancing talks with Xavi Simons. Terms now broadly in place,” said Jacobs. “Club-to-club talks ongoing. Chelsea expected to place a first formal offer soon after verbal discussions over numbers. Talks described as positive.”

If all goes to plan, Maresca could be welcoming Simons to Stamford Bridge sooner rather than later, and it will give him more firepower.

The playmaker could cost Chelsea a reported £70m, but on the surface, this could be money well spent by the London outfit.

The Blues return to the Champions League this season for the first time since 2022/23. As such, signing someone who can make a difference in this competition makes perfect sense.

Step forward, Simons. When compared to his positional peers in the Champions League last season, the Dutch starlet was sublime across a range of performance metrics.

Not only did he rank in the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.88), but the 22-year-old also ranked in the top 2% for shot-creating actions (5.91) and in the top 11% for progressive carries (3.22) in Europe’s premier club competition.

With ambitions heightened ahead of European competition next term due to the club’s success at the Club World Cup this summer, signing Simons would give Maresca a chance of taking his team deep in the tournament.

Given that João Félix seems to be moving on in the next few days, with Chelsea recouping the same fee that they paid for him a year ago, there is space for Simons to come in.

Despite his obvious strengths and his growth potential, do the Blues really need to make him a priority signing?

Indeed, it’s arguable that their defence needs more work ahead of the Premier League campaign.

Chelsea closing in on another signing

The links to attacking players seem to grow day by day, but there haven’t been as many defenders linked with a move to the club.

One player whom the club have shown plenty of interest in, however, is Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues “will be in direct contact” with Hato regarding a potential deal. Romano also went on to state that Hato “only wants Chelsea” which should pave the way for Maresca to wrap up this deal as soon as possible.

David Ornstein of The Athletic has further reported that personal terms have already been agreed with Chelsea closing in on a deal that may be worth around £40m.

The squad is heavily stacked from an attacking perspective, but there is no doubt that Chelsea needs another couple of defenders to freshen things up.

As such, could Hato turn out to be an even better signing than Simons ahead of the 2025/26 campaign?

Why Hato would be a better signing than Simons for Chelsea

One reason why Maresca is keen on adding the teenager to his squad is surely due to his positional flexibility.

Over the course of his embryonic career thus far, Hato has played 88 games at left-back and 70 matches as a centre-back.

Games played

11

33

31

Goals scored

0

1

2

Assists

0

2

6

Touches per game

57.4

94.8

67.2

Accurate passes per game

42.6 (91%)

72.8 (93%)

45.2 (90%)

Total duels won per game

3.1

5.5

4.1

Clean sheets

1

5

11

Last season, however, saw the 19-year-old operate on the left side of the defence and he showcased his talents, both going forward and defensively.

In the Eredivisie. The defender helped Ajax keep 11 clean sheets while he averaged 1.9 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and was dribbled past only 0.3 times per match.

Along with his eight goal contributions, Hato also managed to create six big chances in the top flight, while averaging 0.6 key passes per match, thus displaying plenty of attacking intent for his club.

Furthermore, when compared to his positional peers in leagues similar in reputation to the Dutch top-flight over the previous 365 days, Hato ranked in the top 5% for assists (0.21) per 90, along with ranking in the top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area (2.33) per 90.

On this evidence, Hato would offer plenty at both ends of the pitch for Chelsea, thus giving Maresca a major boost.

There was no doubt that the 2024/25 season was his major breakout campaign for the Dutch giants, one that was largely praised by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

“Jorrel Hato is having an excellent season,” said Kulig. A fantastic mix of complete full-back, playmaking full-back, and ball-playing centre-back. Over 100 games for Ajax and 6 caps for Oranje at 19. Immense quality and experience for such a young defender.”

Simons will bring something extra to the Chelsea attacking department; there is no doubt about that. Still only 22, he will only go from strength to strength in the next few years.

Hato, on the other hand, may well turn out to be the better signing for the Stamford Bridge outfit given that the Blues are already stacked in offensive areas.

By signing both players, it would signal yet another statement of intent by Maresca. Chelsea will surely be a force to be reckoned with this season if the squad can gel swiftly.

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The calamitous Cameroonian is set to depart for Turkey this week, and there won't be a single United fan who is sad to see the back of him

"You want to tell me in six months the best goalkeeper in the Champions League last season can become the worst in the world? Nah. Everything is temporary," Andre Onana told in December 2023 after an error-laden start to his Manchester United career. "I know it'll be alright. If not today, it will be tomorrow, if not tomorrow, the day after tomorrow."

Almost 21 months on from that interview, it's fair to say that Onana's confidence was misplaced. The former Inter Milan goalkeeper was not the "worst in the world" then, but that's a title he has seemingly done his best to earn since.

There was plenty of blame to go around for United's disastrous 2024-25 season, which saw them finish 15th in the Premier League table, but Onana was the symbol of their failure. He became an easy target for opposing teams and constantly undermined the efforts of his team-mates with his staggering ineptitude between the sticks.

As a result, Onana has lost the trust of head coach Ruben Amorim, who started the new campaign with Altay Bayindir in goal, before signing 23-year-old Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp on deadline day. It is expected that Lammens will be United's new No.1, despite his lack of experience, because Bayindir has also proven to be an unreliable pair of hands, while Onana is now being shipped off to Turkey.

The Cameroon international has agreed to join Trabzonspor on a season-long loan, which, remarkably, gives him the chance to almost double his current salary. But the move also effectively ends his time at the top level of the sport. Onana has been so terrible at Old Trafford that his once-proud reputation is in ruins, and he will go down as United's worst signing of the last 20 years, which is some achievement considering how many flops have passed through the club since the Glazer family's takeover in 2005.

Getty Images Sport'He makes the whole team nervous'

Onana has made countless mistakes across his 102 appearances in a United shirt, with not of them being punished. If they had, it's entirely possible that Amorim's side would have been in a genuine fight to avoid relegation last season. Officially, just 22 of his errors have led to goals being conceded, but that is still an insanely high number considering he's only been at Old Trafford for two years.

Many of those have come in extremely important matches, too. Indeed, Onana was almost single-handedly responsible for United's group stage exit from the Champions League in 2023-24, shipping 15 goals as the team finished bottom of a group containing Bayern Munich, Copenhagen and Galatasaray. He somehow let a tame Leroy Sane shot slip under him in a 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich on matchday one, before passing the ball straight to Dries Mertens when United were locked at 2-2 with Galatasaray in their second game at Old Trafford, which forced Casemiro into a red card tackle on the Belgian.

United ended up losing 3-2 that day, and could only manage a 3-3 draw in the return fixture in Turkey, which effectively sealed their early elimination. Onana was beaten by two Hakim Ziyech free-kicks, the second of which he pushed into the net from a central position despite being under no pressure. "I’m not sure what he’s actually trying to do, punch it away with his right hand? It’s weak," United legend Paul Scholes told after the game. "He makes people nervous, he makes the defence nervous, he makes the whole team nervous. He makes simple saves look really, really difficult."

AdvertisementAFPTen Hag's faith misplaced

As Scholes observed, Onana has never shown any kind of authority in the United net. During his second Premier League home game for United against Nottingham Forest, he famously stayed rooted to his six-yard box when Taiwo Awoniyi ran through, and then bizarrely collapsed to the ground so that the striker could roll the ball into the net.

Onana showed similar levels of fear when allowing Jarrod Bowen to knock the ball in off his leg in United's 2-0 defeat away at West Ham on December 23, 2023, and three days later, he neglected to go and claim a teasing touchline free-kick from Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn, and the ball crept past him at the far post. It was clear early on that Onana couldn't command his box or save simple shots, but then-United coach Erik ten Hag stuck by the Cameroonian, having previously worked with him at Ajax, and defended his "strong character" when facing up to the media.

The Red Devils fell to eighth in the Premier League table by the end of the 2023-24 campaign, but Ten Hag was given a new contract on the back of an unlikely run to FA Cup glory. That success was in no way down to Onana, who was largely poor in United's hugely unconvincing semi-final win over Coventry and gifted Manchester City a way back into the game late on in the final by fumbling a low Jeremy Doku strike in at his near post.

United have made signing a new goalkeeper a priority that summer, but instead, Ten Hag blew the best part of £100 million ($135m) on the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee, all of whom have struggled for consistency at Old Trafford. The Dutch coach was way out of his depth, and his misplaced faith in Onana led to his inevitable sacking just three months into the new season.

Getty Images Sport'Under-12s stuff'

United only won three of their first nine Premier League games in 2024-25, and drew their opening three Europa League fixtures against FC Twente, Porto and Fenerbahce. Onana didn't add to his reel of shame during that run, but he was still constantly guilty of woeful positioning and a distinct lack of courage with aerial balls, and his uncertainty continued to filter through to the rest of the backline.

Ten Hag was ousted after a 2-1 loss at West Ham on October 27, which left United down in 14th in the Premier League. United part-owners INEOS moved quickly to lure Amorim away from Sporting CP as Ten Hag's successor, but the Portuguese inherited the mother of all messes, and quickly learned that all of his best laid plans would count for little with Onana serving as the last line of defence.

Amorim started with a 1-1 draw against Ipswich, a 4-0 win over Everton, and a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal, before United played host to surprise top-four contenders Nottingham Forest. Onana was at fault for two goals as Forest picked up their first victory at Old Trafford in 30 years, first letting a Morgan Gibbs-White pea roller in before being caught at sea by a looping Chris Wood header.

United then suffered a major Europa League scare when they fell behind away to Viktoria Plzen, as Onana was punished for a terrible pass out from the back once again. Of all Onana's weaknesses, his woeful distribution has been the most disappointing, because he was initially hailed as the finest ball-playing 'keeper on the continent after his initial arrival from Inter in 2023.

Amorim's men battled back to win that contest 2-1 and reach the knockout phase, but United lost three of their next four league outings, and Onana continued to be a complete liability. He even conceded directly from a Matheus Cunha corner in a 2-0 reversal at Wolves, which Premier League legend Chris Sutton described as "Under-12s stuff" in his BBC Sport column.

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Getty Images SportProving Matic right

Onana would grab more unwanted headlines after the turn of the year as United struggled to build any kind of momentum under Amorim. He even managed to ruin the rare moments of encouragement, including when the Red Devils fought to a 3-2 win against Ipswich at Old Trafford after playing the entire second half with 10 men. 

Jaden Philogene opened the scoring for the visitors because of a communication mix-up between Onana and Patrick Dorgu, and doubled his account with a cross that went all the way in because the United 'keeper kept to his usual scared statue routine. But the worst was still yet to come.

Ahead of a Europa League quarter-final clash with Lyon, Onana had the audacity to claim that United were "way better" than the French team, prompting a scathing response from Nemanja Matic. "If you are one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United's history, you need to take care what you're talking about," said the Lyon midfielder, who played for the Red Devils between 2017 and 2022.

Onana fired back with an ill-advised dig at Matic's trophyless spell at Old Trafford, only to then prove the Serbian right with a shocking performance in the first leg of the tie at the Groupama Stadium. The former Ajax stopper was hopelessly deceived by a Thiago Almada free-kick in the first half, and with United holding a 2-1 lead in the final minute of second-half injury time, he fumbled a Corentin Tolisso shot straight into the path of Rayan Cherki, who was then able to dink in a dramatic equaliser from close range.

The Red Devils won a crazy second leg 5-4 after extra time and saw off Athletic Club in the next round to set up an all-English final against Tottenham, but Onana did not complete his redemption arc. He was far too static for Brennan Johnson's decisive goal in Bilbao, which saw Tottenham clinch their first trophy in 17 years and compound the worst season in United's entire history.

Yes, they may have lost to Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday afternoon, but this summer is shaping up rather nicely for Arsenal so far.

On top of Mikel Arteta’s side looking impressive on the pitch, for the most part, Andera Berta and Co have been incredibly busy wheeling and dealing off of it.

In unusual fashion for the North Londoners, they’ve already made six first-team additions, and with a month left until the window shuts, it looks like they’ll make more.

One of those players who could be moving to the Emirates is Eberechi Eze, although reports are now touting a potential alternative for a move to N5, someone who could be another Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal eyeing move for Odegaard 2.0

So, as things stand, it does still appear that one of Arsenal’s key targets for the rest of the summer window is the sensationally talented Eze.

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In fact, reports from earlier this week were still claiming that the Englishman was the club’s number one target now, and that the player was incredibly interested in making the move north of the river.

Moreover, with the 27-year-old release clause now gone, there is a chance the Gunners could negotiate a more favourable deal, or at least a better payment plan.

Yet, even with the club clearly very keen on the former QPR gem, it now looks like they may have a chance to sign an alternative, someone who could be Arteta’s new Odegaard.

At least that is according to a recent report from Football Espana, which has claimed that Arsenal are in the mix for Brahim Diaz.

The report has revealed that Real Madrid may be looking to cash in on the talented attacker this summer, and that while three clubs from Saudi Arabia are willing to spend €40m on him – £34m – the Gunners are one of a few teams from Europe keeping an eye on the situation.

He might not be the marquee signing some fans are after at the moment, but Diaz is a seriously talented player and someone who could be an Odegaard repeat and be a useful addition to Arsenal’s squad.

Why Diaz could be an Odegaard repeat

Now, Odegaard might have had a bit of a rough campaign last season, but fans shouldn’t forget just how important he’s been to Arsenal over the last few years.

After all, he’s the captain and won the Player of the Year award for two seasons on the bounce when the team were playing their best football.

So, it’s certainly encouraging that Diaz shares some key similarities with him, with the first being the fact that he could follow his move from underappreciated talented at Real Madrid to an important member of the squad at the Emirates.

On top of that, the Moroccan is also someone who does his best work in the middle of the pitch, but is more than capable of playing off the right when his side needs him to and just for good measure, he can play off the left as well.

However, while a lot of these similarities are admittedly somewhat surface-level, we can get a better understanding of how statistically similar the pair are thanks to FBref.

According to them, the Norwegian international is the fourth most similar midfielder to the “messi-esque” star, as dubbed by Owen Hargreaves, in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League.

We can get a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by examining some of the underlying metrics in which they’ve ranked so closely, such as non-penalty goals plus assists, shots, goal-creating actions, interceptions, clearances and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.39

0.39

Shots

1.82

1.86

Goal-Creating Actions

0.78

0.70

Interceptions

0.26

0.23

Clearances

0.13

0.23

Ball Recoveries

3.51

3.76

Ultimately, Diaz might not be the player everyone wants at the moment, but he’s a versatile and experienced international who’d be an excellent addition to the squad, and someone who could follow in Odegaard’s footsteps at Arsenal.

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