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Luke Georgeson, the batting allrounder who played for New Zealand at the Under-19 World Cup four years ago, has signed a two-year central contract with Cricket Ireland.Georgeson, who turns 23 later this week, had a contract with Wellington in New Zealand’s recent domestic season but has taken the “big decision” to commit his future to Ireland after spending last summer playing for Northern Knights in the inter-provincial set-up.”Obviously I’m very pleased to have been offered a contract with Cricket Ireland,” he said. “It’s been a big decision to step away from the Wellington Firebirds and domestic cricket in New Zealand, but it’s an extremely exciting opportunity to get stuck-in with the Irish and Northern Knights lads and see if I can play a part in what I believe is an exciting time for Irish cricket.”Last year, I was so warmly welcomed into the Northern Knights set-up, and had an awesome time playing club cricket in the NCU [Northern Cricket Union] – and I felt like I became a better cricketer as a result.Related

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“Signing this contract will hopefully give me an opportunity to continue to do that, and test myself on the international stage if I’m fortunate enough to get the chance. I’ve had an awesome time with Wellington, within the Wellington system, and – for a brief time – within the New Zealand Under-19s set-up, but the opportunity to progress with a highly talented group of individuals here in Ireland, and test myself more consistently at a higher level, is an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.”Georgeson is an Irish passport-holder and will be eligible to play for the national team with immediate effect, if selected. He batted in the middle order for the Knights last year, but opened for Wellington throughout the New Zealand summer.”We’re obviously really disappointed to be losing a player of Luke’s calibre, especially a young player who has grown and developed through our pathway system,” said Cam Mitchell, Cricket Wellington’s CEO.”We know this has been a difficult decision for Luke to make, but we wish him all the best in Ireland and look forward to seeing him develop further as a cricketer.”Ireland’s home summer includes fixtures against India, New Zealand, South Africa and Afghanistan. Andrew White, their chairman of selectors, said Georgeson would “bring further competition within our batting group” and “push standards within the group”.”Luke spent last summer in Ireland playing club cricket for CSNI and representing the Northern Knights,” he said. “What stood out wasn’t just his talent as a left-handed top-order batter, but the way in which he conducted himself on and off the field. His commitment and dedication to being the best he can be really struck the coaches that he worked under.”Batters Stephen Doheny and Murray Commins – who was born in South Africa – have also signed central contracts with Ireland, both on 12-month retainer deals.

The wicketkeeper-batter played 96 Tests and was then hugely influential as a coach

AAP04-Mar-2022

Rod Marsh was a legendary figure•Getty Images

At the peak of his powers, Rod Marsh was the best wicketkeeper in the world. He was also a more-than-handy batter, a villain, a rebel, irreverent, insubordinate – and loved and admired as one half of an Australian cricket partnership of uncanny proportions.Marsh, who died Friday aged 74, was also a coach, mentor and administrator who guided the game’s youth through national and international cricket academies.Born in Armadale, Western Australia, on November 4, 1947, Rodney William Marsh had his introduction to cricket in the backyard of his family home, along with his elder brother, Graham, who went on to become a successful professional golfer.The Marsh brothers represented their state in cricket at schoolboy level before pursuing their chosen sports. By the age of eight he was playing competitively with the Armadale under-16 side.”I kept wicket right from the start, but batting was my main strength,” he recalled.The balance between batting and keeping wicket eventually tipped in favour of the latter, although it was probably the former that ensured his selection in the Australian team for the first Test of the 1970-71 series against England at the Gabba.His Sheffield Shield form for WA had put Marsh in contention for the wicketkeeper’s job after the retirement of Brian Taber, although Queensland’s John McLean also had selection claims.Marsh got the job because he was considered the better batter and quickly rewarded the selectors’ faith with an innings of 44 in the drawn second Test and an unbeaten 92 in the fifth. Australia’s new keeper also justified his place behind the stumps holding 10 catches and making three stumpings for the series.But it was a routine entry in the scorebook of the seventh, and final, Test of that series in Sydney that was to prove portentous. On the first morning, Dennis Lillee, who had made his debut for Australia in the previous Test in Adelaide, had English batsman John Hampshire caught behind the wicket.As a result, a simple notation entered the scorebook and the Test cricket lexicon for the first time: c Marsh b Lillee. The same detail was to appear on Test match scorecards a further 94 times, its regularity prompting Marsh to explain an almost psychic relationship with Lillee.”I’ve played with him so much now that most of the time I know what he is going to do before he has bowled. I know from the way he runs up; the angle, the speed, where he hits the crease, where the ball is going to be,” Marsh said.Rod Marsh takes a brilliant catch to remove Tony Greig•PA Photos/Getty Images

The spiritual connection continued to the end with the pair who began their Test careers in the same 1970-71 series announcing their retirement during the same match against Pakistan in Sydney in 1984, Marsh finishing his career with a then world record 355 dismissals and Lillee with the same number of wickets, also then a world record.Marsh began his Test career immediately following Australia’s 4-0 drubbing by South Africa in 1969-70 and was joined in the subsequent home series against England by fellow debutants Lillee and Greg Chappell, a triumvirate that was instrumental in Australia’s resurgence.Little more than a year later, Australia drew the 1972 series in England 2-2 and then won all three Test matches against Pakistan in 1972-73 before a 2-0 away defeat of the West Indies and successive Ashes series wins over England.Australia’s run ended in England in 1977, in a series played against a backdrop of rumblings about World Series Cricket. The home team’s 2-0 success heralded a tumultuous period in which Marsh, Lillee and Chappell, who been the cornerstone of success, were now leaders of the WSC defection. With the disbanding of World Series Cricket the three returned in 1979-80 for home series against the West Indies and England, but hostility accompanied them. An on-again-off-again captaincy imbroglio involving Kim Hughes and Chappell was fuelled by Lillee’s view that Marsh should have been made captain, a belief with which the latter concurred.Marsh never backed away from accusations he and Lillee disapproved of Hughes, insisting later it was a matter of his fellow West Australian not being ready for the job.The names Marsh and Lillee were again mentioned on the same line when the pair bet, at 500-1, that England would come from a seemingly impossible position to win the third Test at Headingley in 1981. Marsh had £5 and Lillee £10 on their rivals who duly blasted their way to victory on the back of Ian Botham’s second innings of 149 not out.On his retirement in 1984, Marsh had played in 96 Tests, taken a record 355 dismissals and scored 3633 runs with a top score of 132 at an average of 26.5. He was also the first Australian wicketkeeper to make a Test century, and played in the first one-day international, against England in Melbourne in 1971.Marsh later headed the cricket academies of Australia and England, and was inaugural head of an ICC world coaching academy in Dubai. He also became Australian chairman of selectors. Although a tough competitor and mentor, he was respected worldwide for his fairness and knowledge of the game.His sportsmanship was exemplified when Greg Chappell directed his brother Trevor to bowl an underarm delivery against New Zealand in a one-day international in 1981 – Marsh shook his head in disapproval, trying to dissuade his captain.”Respect,” said Marsh “is part of my non-negotiables.”Marsh became a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1982 and was elected to the Sport Australia Hall Of Fame in 1985 and the Cricket Hall Of Fame in 2005.Marsh leaves his wife Ros and sons Dan, who captained Tasmania to their first Sheffield Shield win, Paul, a former CEO of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, and Jamie.

Michael Owen believes Jack Grealish won't return to Aston Villa as the ex-Liverpool forward discussed a "really sad" situation for the Man City star.

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Grealish made £100m switch to Man CityWas jeered by supporters upon Villa returnOwen believes City midfielder won't go backFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Grealish, who rose through the Villa academy, spent eight years at the club before making a record-breaking £100 million ($125m) transfer to City in 2021. Since his move, the England international has won multiple major trophies, including three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and the Champions League but has fallen out of favour this season.

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Grealish returned to Villa Park in December with City but the midfielder had a harrowing experience. The crowd booed him throughout the match, leading Owen to believe he would not now consider any future transfer back to Unai Emery's side.

WHAT OWEN SAID

Speaking to BoyleSports, who offer , Owen said: "Jack Grealish could’ve done four or five years at Manchester City and gone back to Aston Villa for an incredible story and a lovely career, I’m not sure he’ll want to do that now and that’s really sad."

Owen went on to criticise the booing culture in football, stating that while it has been a long-standing part of the sport, it is something he has never agreed with.

"I think booing individuals has always been part of the game, but it's not a part of the game I've ever enjoyed. 99.9% of people are good, honest, genuine people that are trying their best," he added.

“No one deserves to go to work and get booed and go home feeling however it would make you feel. It's not a part of the game and especially when it comes from your own. You don't know how you're going to get through it, to be honest. You feel as if your family, your loved one. Your local fans are an extension of that. Jack Grealish was at the academy since he was a child and he has more to do with the club than anyone."

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WHAT ELSE DID OWEN SAY?

Owen found it particularly shocking that the backlash came from supporters who used to adore Grealish, given his long association with Villa.

"He's been exemplary in terms of his behavior, his performances, making his team a hundred million quid. Just for one person to boo is unacceptable for there to be a couple of thousand is sad," the former Liverpool striker opined.

“I know it's not all Aston Villa fans and I've had loads of Aston Villa fans message me and say that I was dead right and that it’s an absolute disgrace. Most fans agree but the loud ones will always ruin it for everybody else I guess. I spoke out because I had to get it off my chest, I thought it was a disgrace.”

West Indies crumbled in their chase after the home side had put up a massive 200 for 6

Shashank Kishore13-Dec-2021

Haider Ali goes square•PCB

Pakistan were provided a peek into their middle order future in the absence of Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik. Haider Ali showed why he’s the next big thing, overcoming a slow start before springing the innings to life with a robust 39-ball 68 to set the tone for a dominant batting display. Pakistan’s 200 for 6 was more than sufficient as West Indies unravelled easily against spin. The Karachi faithful went home perhaps wishing for a more even contest.An eventful start
Babar Azam was out second ball after West Indies elected to bowl. Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein got one to spin sharply to take the edge to Shai Hope, the wicketkeeper. Then, Fakhar Zaman fell to Romario Shepherd’s change of pace as he toe-ended a slog to long-on. Inside the powerplay, Pakistan were two down and sputtering like a two-stroke engine running on kerosene.Rizwan and Haider’s recovery
Mohammad Rizwan kept the runs ticking along with timely boundaries, extremely quick on the pull. His picking of lengths against pace was immaculate as he raised a 34-ball half-century. However, he had to hold his end of the bargain against spin, especially off Hosein, who finished his four overs with 1 for 19 by the 11th over. At that stage, Haider was on 12 off 14, looking for the big hits without being able to hit them clean. Then, like a flick of a switch, it all turned around.Off the 12th over, he climbed into Odean Smith’s medium pace, hitting him for three fours and six to get his innings going. It proved to be the trigger for a run-surge from there. Under his bus were debutant Dominic Drakes, who also struggled for consistency, as Haider raised his half-century with an 83-metre six. It had come off just 28 balls, with Pakistan at 140 for 2 at the 15-over mark. Off the first ball of the 16th, Rizwan was out as Odean’s running catch around the ropes at deep midwicket sent him back for 78. A 105-run third-wicket stand had been broken.Nawaz’s finish
Rizwan’s exit gave six-hitter Asif Ali the platform to launch into an inexperienced attack, but he managed just 1. With Iftikhar Ahmed too failing, Pakistan needed someone to side with Haider. As it turned out, Mohammad Nawaz did more. His three fours and two sixes blindsided the visitors, who until then were hoping to restrict Pakistan to 180. That was to change, however, as the 19th over by Romario Shepherd went for 21, thereby allowing for a massive finish.Wasim’s rip-roaring spell
First ball: a glorious cover drive on the up. Third ball: a short-arm jab for six. Enough to demoralise a rookie 20-year old wanting to impress the team management? Not Mohammad Wasim. He responded with pin-point yorker to flatten Nicholas Pooran’s off-stump as he was late on the shot. Perhaps he underestimated Wasim’s pace. Then, off the second legitimate delivery off his next over, the sixth of the innings, he struck comeback man Devon Thomas flush on his boot. Gone, he didn’t even bother reviewing. West Indies were 46 for 3 inside the Powerplay.Nawaz, Shadab apply the choke
With the target already looking beyond reach and the asking rate spiralling by the minute, Nawaz and Shadab Khan spun a web around the batters, using the crease and variations in length superbly to tie the batters down. Hope was out lbw sweeping, Shamarh Brooks bowled trying to heave into the leg side and Rovman Powell caught brilliantly by a diving Nawaz at long-on. At 88 for 7, West Indies were in danger of being bowled out well inside 20 overs. However, Odean (24 off 16) and Shepherd (21 off 16) got together to swing their bats for some powerful blows. although they merely served to reduce the margin of defeat.

Rio Ferdinand has expressed his belief that Cristiano Ronaldo is “disrespected on a regular basis” while defending the Al-Nassr star’s GOAT claim.

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• Ronaldo considers himself to be more 'complete'
• Still going strong at 40 years of age
• Achievements talked up by ex-United colleague

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As someone that has never lacked self confidence, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo has billed himself as the greatest player of all-time. He considers himself to be more “complete” than fellow icons such as Lionel Messi, Pele and Diego Maradona.

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  Ronaldo boasts the numbers to support those claims, with countless major honours and entries in the history books to his name, but has faced criticism from some for giving himself top billing. Former team-mate Ferdinand cannot understand why anyone would question CR7.

• WHAT RIO FERDINAND SAID

  Using enigmatic Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic as an example of how bold statements can often be applauded, the ex-United defender has told his podcast: “Everyone champions Zlatan for saying stuff like that and goes, ‘oh what a guy, I love his personality and character’. When Cristiano says it, they’re like, ‘oh he’s so arrogant. How could he say that?’

  “If anyone is in a position to talk like that, it’s him. You know what’s crazy, he’s been top scorer of his team for the last 18 years. Since 2007 probably, he’s been top scorer for every team he played in. Just let that sink in. It’s unbelievable. Ronaldo is disrespected on a regular basis.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Ronaldo helped United to Premier League and Champions League titles during his first stint at Old Trafford, while also claiming his first Ballon d’Or. He is now Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer, a Serie A champion with Juventus and a man maintaining remarkable standards at 40 years of age with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

Chelsea have one of the best academy systems in world football, with Cobham notably producing a plethora of talent either shining at Chelsea or for a host of other clubs both in and outside of England.

The likes of Reece James and Levi Colwill are two currently at the club, seen as key first-team figures. James is now the club captain and Colwill has become a consistent starter, making 40 appearances for the Blues now.

Some others who have left the club in recent years include Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Tammy Abraham, Lewis Hall, and Ian Maatsen. But who are some of the others that got away?

Cobham stars that got away

Two players who left at very young ages, never made an appearance for the Chelsea first team, and have gone on to play big parts for their respective Premier League clubs after earning big money moves are Declan Rice and Michael Olise.

Rice was part of Chelsea’s academy from 2006-2013, being released by the club at 14 years old. He then joined West Ham, breaking through their academy into the first team, playing 245 games for the club, scoring 15 goals and providing 13 assists, subsequently earning a £105m move to Arsenal.

Olise was part of the Chelsea academy system from 2009-2016, leaving the club aged 14 (just like Rice), before joining Manchester City for one year, and then joining Reading in 2017.

From this point, the Frenchman made 73 appearances for Reading, before earning his move to Palace, where he spent two seasons. He then headed to Germany in a £50.8m move to Bayern Munich.

Two players that did make it at Chelsea, before being sold for big fees as they entered the last year of their Chelsea deals, were Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher. The former played a massive part in the Blues’ Champions League success in 2021, and the latter captained the club for much of the 2023/24 season in the absence of skipper James, and vice-captain Ben Chilwell.

Mount made 195 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 33 goals, providing 35 assists, and totalling 13,959 minutes played, before leaving to join Manchester United in 2023 for around £55m. Gallagher made 95 appearances for the Blues, finding the net ten times and registering ten assists before leaving this summer to join Atlético Madrid for around £33m.

Yet, they aren’t worth quite as much as another of Chelsea’s amazing Cobham stars…

Dominic Solanke's meteoric rise after Chelsea

Dominic Solanke is another name who falls into the category discussed above; a Chelsea academy prospect who left the club and has gone on to achieve things elsewhere.

However, whilst Rice and Olise exited before ever breaking through, and Mount and Gallagher were sold for decent fees, Solanke was let go for a tiny £3m fee, joining Liverpool in 2017.

The Englishman made 45 appearances for various Chelsea youth teams, bagging 35 goals and providing six assists. Scout Jacek Kulig described Solanke as “simply superb” during his teenage years, referencing his 2014/15 season, where he scored 31 goals in 33 games, and was awarded Chelsea’s Academy Player of the Year.

After heading to Anfield, Solanke only made 27 appearances in his two years there, often turned to from the bench, scoring just once in 727 minutes played. However, Bournemouth saw enough in the talisman to spend £19m on him back in 2019, where he went on to make a real name for himself.

In his time for the Cherries, Solanke made 216 appearances, netting 77 goals, providing 31 assists, and totalling 16,746 minutes played. It was this five-year period that shaped his career, with his best campaign coming in the 2023/24 season, racking up 19 Premier League goals and earning him a mega £65m move to Tottenham this summer.

The 27-year-old has now made nine appearances for Spurs this season, scoring three goals, providing two assists, and totalling 685 minutes played.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

How Solanke compares to Chelsea's current strikers

The two players that have played up front for Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea this season are Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku. The former has made nine appearances, scoring five goals, while, Nkunku has made 12 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring seven goals in 444 minutes played.

But, how do they compare to Tottenham’s new star signing?

Goals

0.38

0.74

1.36

Assists

0.38

0.44

0.00

xG

0.65

0.81

0.68

Progressive Carries

2.03

2.35

1.60

Progressive Passes

2.46

1.62

2.80

Shots Total

2.05

3.09

2.73

Shots on Target

1.28

1.62

1.82

Goals/Shot

0.19

0.24

0.50

Key Passes

0.72

1.03

1.60

Shot-Creating Actions

2.46

2.21

4.40

Aerials Won

1.74

0.44

0.80

Chelsea have a good mixture of traits with their two striking options currently. Jackson produces the most assists, generates the most xG, completes the most progressive carries, and takes the most shots, whilst Nkunku has the best goals per 90, the best conversion rate, the most progressive and key passes per 90, the most shots on target, and the most shot-creating actions.

However, Solanke clearly offers something the other two do not, winning 1.74 aerial duels per 90 minutes. Standing at 6 foot 2, the English striker uses his body well to attack the ball, bully opposition defenders, and carve out opportunities for himself and others by doing so.

Whilst Chelsea will be happy with their investment in Jackson and Nkunku, they are continuously looking to bring in another striking option, one who can offer more box threat and aerial prowess to the side, and Solanke could have become just that for the Blues, had he never left.

Imagine him & Palmer: Chelsea make contact to sign £50m striker

Chelsea are reportedly eyeing up a potential transfer for the Juventus star.

ByDan Emery Oct 22, 2024

Leeds United took another step towards the top two places in the Championship with a convincing 3-0 win over Coventry City at Elland Road on Saturday.

The Whites have now recorded successive wins without conceding a goal, having beaten Cardiff City 2-0 in their previous match, and are one point behind Blackburn Rovers in second place.

Daniel Farke is looking to plot a promotion to the Premier League for the third time in his career, having won the division twice with Norwich City, after his side failed to get out of the second tier last season.

The West Yorkshire outfit finished third in the Championship, just behind Ipswich Town and Leicester City, and went on to lose 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley in May.

That was in their first year back in the league after they were relegated from the Premier League in the 2022/23 campaign, under Sam Allardyce, who had arrived in the dugout after Javi Gracia and Jesse Marsch were both dismissed.

That relegation from the top-flight came after a number of pieces of poor recruitment by former sporting director Victor Orta but things could have gone differently for him, had he signed the centre-back Leeds reportedly wanted before they landed Diego Llorente.

Diego Llorente's Leeds career

In the summer of 2020, the Whites reportedly splashed out a fee of around £18m to sign the Spanish central defender from Real Sociedad to bolster Marcelo Bielsa’s backline.

At the age of 27, Leeds ended up signing an experienced centre-back who did not have much room left to develop and grow in value during his time at Elland Road.

His first season with the club was disrupted by multiple injuries. The former LaLiga ace missed 23 matches in all competitions for club and country with groin and hamstring issues, which limited his involvement on the pitch for Bielsa.

He only made 15 appearances in the Premier League in the 2020/21 campaign, winning 57% of his defensive duels, as Leeds avoided relegation back to the Championship.

Llorente did avoid any major injury blows in his second season at Elland Road, however, as the Spanish defender went on to play 28 games in the division under Bielsa and Marsch.

22/23 Premier League

Diego Llorente

Appearances

8

Sofascore rating

6.68

Dribbled past

4x

Error led to goal

2

Clean sheets

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the former Real Sociedad star endured a dreadful start to the 2022/23 campaign under Marsch in the first half of the season.

He made more errors that directly led to goals for the opposition than clean sheets won in his eight appearances, which led to a loan move to Roma during the second half of the season – as Leeds were relegated from the division.

Llorente spent 18 months on loan with the Italian giants before Real Betis swooped to sign him for a reported fee of £2.5m this summer – a significant loss on the £18m Leeds paid for him.

Whilst the Whites made a huge loss on the Spanish flop, things could have been so different for the club if they had landed Josko Gvardiol instead.

Leeds United's pursuit of Josko Gvardiol

Following on from the promotion from the Championship under Bielsa in the 2019/20 campaign, Orta looked to bolster the squad with a host of new signings.

The likes of Raphinha and Robin Koch arrived, alongside Llorente, but the West Yorkshire outfit were also reportedly eyeing up a deal for Gvardiol that summer.

At the start of September in 2020, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed that Leeds were close to reaching an agreement with Dinamo Zagreb to sign the versatile central defender.

The Daily Mail then went as far as to say that the club were ‘set to sign’ the 18-year-old starlet from the Croatian outfit for a fee of around £17.6m.

Unfortunately, however, the Whites were unable to get a deal over the line for the centre-back and he went on to sign for RB Leipzig in Germany a year later instead.

Gvardiol later revealed, in an interview with The Athletic, that Leeds sent representatives to map out a plan for him at Elland Road but he decided that it was not the right time for him to make the move to the Premier League, which is why he joined Leipzig instead.

Josko Gvardiol's current market value

The left-footed star, who was described as the “Haaland of defenders” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is one that got away for Leeds because his value has soared since Orta attempted to sign him for less than £18m in 2020.

In the summer of 2023, Premier League champions Manchester City swooped to sign the versatile star for a reported fee of £77.6m, after an impressive time in Germany with Leipzig.

The central defender, who has operated in an inverted left-back role for the Cityzens, made huge progress during his spell in the Bundesliga, as shown by his rise in value from almost £18m to £77.6m.

This shows that Leeds missed out on potentially making a huge profit on Gvardiol, as they could have brought him in and helped the youngster to develop into a significant asset – as Leipzig did.

The Croatia international played 87 matches in two seasons with the German outfit. This shows that they offered the youngster plenty of opportunities to shine and thrive, which then allowed him to catch the eye of Manchester City ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Pep Guardiola has since used him in 51 matches in all competitions since the start of last season, including in all six Premier League matches this term, which shows that the Spanish head coach trusts the 22-year-old ace.

23/24 Premier League

Josko Gvardiol

Appearances

28

Goals

4

Pass accuracy

88%

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.0

Duel success rate

60%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Gvardiol enjoyed an impressive debut season in the English top-flight for City, scoring four goals in 28 matches and winning the majority of his physical duels.

It is a huge shame that the defender ultimately decided not to sign for Leeds for £17.6m as he has turned into an elite defender, whilst their alternative signing – Llorente – plummeted in value during his time in England.

Related £12m wasted: Farke must sell Leeds man who earns more than Gnonto

The Whites loanee must be ditched from the squad in one of the next two transfer windows.

Posts 1 ByDan Emery Sep 25, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Luiz Eduardo Baptista foi eleito, nesta quarta-feira, presidente do Conselho de Administração do Flamengo. Candidato único, Bap recebeu 66 votos. – seis votos foram em branco e cinco foram nulos. Foram 77 votos no total do pleito realizado na Sede da Gávea. O vice-presidente eleito é Theophilo Miguel.

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Aliado do atual mandatário do Flamengo, Rodolfo Landim, Bap, agora, deixará a vice-presidência de relações externas do clube. Na terça, a chapa de Landim já havia emplacado o seu candidato também na eleição do Conselho Deliberativo: Antônio Alcides da Silva foi reeleito para o cargo com 490 de 890 votos totais.

Glasgow Rangers were meant to overhaul the playing squad in the summer window by selling various first-team players while adding in high-quality replacements.

Philippe Clement did manage to offload high earners such as Sam Lammers, John Lundstram, Connor Goldson and Borna Barisic, but the reality is, the incomings have been fairly underwhelming as a whole.

Clement is certainly going for a youth-based transfer policy, as evidenced by the signings of Clinton Nsiala, Connor Barron, Hamza Igamane and Oscar Cortes.

A few experienced arrivals joined, with Vaclav Cerny proving, in the first few weeks of the season anyway, that he could be an inspired signing for the Light Blues.

Vaclav Cerny’s statistics for Rangers

The winger joined on a season-long loan deal from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg and has impressed so far.

In just six games this term, the Czech dynamo has scored once while grabbing two assists in the process. He has started just three of those matches, however. Once the 26-year-old manages to establish regular appearances in the starting XI, his output will only increase.

The player was only signed by FC Twente last summer for £6m, hence why the Light Blues opted for a loan move rather than a permanent one, as Wolfsburg would likely have held out for a fee in this region.

Clement does have a player he signed in the squad who is worth more than Cerny, however, in the form of Mohamed Diomande.

Mohamed Diomande’s market value at Rangers

The Ivorian initially joined the Ibrox side in January on a six-month loan, before making the move to Scotland permanently in the summer for a fee of £4.6m.

A tally of two goals across 19 appearances during the second half of last term showcased his talents early on in his spell and hopes were high for the current season.

Diomande may not have scored this season in the Premiership, but the dynamic midfielder has already grabbed an assist, created two big chances, averaged one key pass per game and succeeded with 1.3 dribbles per game – a success rate of 57% – which shows how effective he has been going forwards in the league this term.

The 22-year-old is still learning and developing with every passing game, but the consensus is he will be sold for a substantial profit in the coming years if he manages to keep up these levels of performance.

Goals

0

Assists

1

Big chances created

2

Key passes per game

1

Shots per game

1

Total duels won per game

3.3

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the young gem is currently worth €12m (£10m) and this value will continue to rise if he continues to shine in Scotland.

Cerny has proven his worth thus far at Rangers, but Diomande is still worth far beyond the £6m-rated Czech wide man, indicating that the Belgian manager struck gold on signing the Ivorian midfielder at the start of the year.

He won't be at the club long, that’s for sure, as his ceiling appears to be limitless. Diomande will be one of the club’s key players this season, no doubt about that.

Rangers struck gold on "high quality" gem who's worth more than Propper

Philippe Clement has a player in his squad who is worth more than a new signing

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 3, 2024

It's been an interesting summer for Arsenal so far this year. While performances on the pitch have been impressive, the work off of it has left a lot to be desired.

At this point in time, the only new face added to the first team is Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori, and while he looks to be a quality addition, it doesn't feel like enough in the face of Manchester City.

What has made this lack of activity more frustrating for fans is the incredibly drawn-out saga around Mikel Merino, who has been touted for a move to the club for well over a month now.

The Real Sociedad star was first named as a player of interest during the Euros, and since then, there have been a number of updates about the potential deal, but it feels like little has actually happened.

However, there could be a reason for that, as based on recent reports, Edu Gaspar and Co could have their eyes on another superstar midfielder this summer.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Sam C, Arsenal are one of several "top clubs" still interested in Newcastle United's Bruno Guimarães.

Alongside the Gunners, the update names Manchester City as another interested club but does not mention how much the move could cost the club.

However, reports from earlier this month claimed that the Toon values the Brazilian international at around £100m, which could prove a stumbling block for any potential deal.

That said, Guimarães has proven himself to be one of the best midfielders in the Premier League over the last couple of seasons, and while it would be costly, bringing him to the Emirates this summer could help the Gunners get over the line come May.

This update could also explain why a move for Merino has taken such a long time to materialise, as Edu and Co may have been looking towards the Magpies star.

Why Guimarães would be a brilliant signing

There are several reasons why Guimarães would be an exceptional signing for Arsenal this summer, so it's not surprising that Newcastle value the midfielder highly.

The first reason is that, like Declan Rice, the former Lyon ace is reasonably versatile in that he can play as either a six or a central midfielder.

For example, across his career to date, he has started 160 games as a defensive midfielder and 63 in the eight position. However, while he has officially started more games at the base of midfield, he tends to play in more central positions once the game has started, as evidenced by his Premier League heatmap from last season.

This preference to operate slightly further up the pitch brings us to the second benefit of signing the 26-year-old, which is that he'd allow Rice to move back into defensive midfield.

The former West Ham United captain performed well in several areas of the pitch last season but admitted that the six was his "best position," which is easy to understand given that it's the area of the pitch he has started in for the majority of his career.

Lastly, while the Rio de Janeiro-born ace would bring some more solidity to the midfield thanks to his time playing slightly deeper, he is also a serious goal threat.

For example, in 50 appearances last season, the "world-class" dynamo, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored seven goals and provided ten assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 2.94 games, which is impressive for someone in his position.

Appearances

50

Goals

7

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per match

0.34

Ultimately, while he'd cost a king's ransom, Guimarães would be an incredible signing for Arsenal and undoubtedly improve their chances of winning the league this season.

Moreover, if the club have been looking at signing him in recent weeks, it's no wonder the Merino deal is taking an age to get done.

Imagine him & Toney: Arsenal could sign £22m "monster" who's like Martinelli

The impressive youngster shares a few similarities with the Brazilian talent.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 14, 2024