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Chelsea endured an incredibly disappointing 2022/23 campaign as they finished in the bottom half of the Premier League and will not be competing in any European competition next term.

Owner Todd Boehly parted ways with Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter during the season and Frank Lampard landed the gig on an interim basis.

Mauricio Pochettino has now taken over and should be looking to bolster his squad this summer with a view to returning to, at least, the top six next term.

One reported transfer target who could be an exceptional addition to the team is Manchester City central defender Aymeric Laporte.

Where would Aymeric Laporte fit in at Chelsea?

Kalidou Koulibaly has completed a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal after just one year at Stamford Bridge and the Citizens outcast could be the dream replacement for the Senegal international.

The 29-year-old enforcer would be an ideal signing as he is a proven Premier League performer who would be able to hit the ground running. Whereas, a defender from abroad with no experience in the country may need an adaptation period and there is no guarantee that they would be able to perform at that level.

Laporte – once described as a “beast” by writer Muhammad Butt – is a player with a history of playing at a high standard on a regular basis and would, therefore, have a great chance of being a success for Chelsea.

The £120k-per-week defender, who was named in the 2018/19 PFA Premier League Team of the Year, has made 120 appearances in the English top flight and won the title an incredible five times.

He has also averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.94 or higher in all six of his league seasons with City, whilst Koulibaly averaged a rating of 7.07 in his only campaign with Chelsea.

However, the big difference between the two defenders comes is what they do in possession. Laporte ranks in the top 1% of players in his position over the last 365 days in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90, outlining him as an elite centre-back when the ball is on the deck.

Koulibaly, on the other hand, does not rank higher than the top 24% in either statistic, indicating that the City colossus would offer more on the ball as he has been one of the best on the continent at playing out from the back.

Guardiola's centre-back has proven himself capable of consistently progressing play by either breaking lines with his passes or by driving forward with the ball at his feet and this could help Chelsea's attackers to thrive as they would gain possession in better positions on the pitch.

Therefore, Laporte could be a dream replacement for the Senegal international as his Premier League experience and quality means that the 6 foot 2 man stands a good chance of being able to make an instant impact at Stamford Bridge.

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be leading the summer transfer pursuit for the Leicester City England midfielder James Maddison.

How much is James Maddison worth?

This summer will potentially see a lot of change unfold in north London with the recent appointment of Ange Postecoglou promising a fresh start.

Indeed, speaking following his appointment, the Australian has told Spurs fans he hopes to provide them with a brand of football which will excite them:

"I think it’s an exciting opportunity for us to now set off in a new direction, play football and create an environment that embodies the values and traditions of this fantastic football club," he said.

However, whether he currently has the players at his disposal to instil his attacking style of play which comes amid the transfer links to Maddison.

The attacking midfielder has been heavily linked with a move away from the King Power Stadium this summer with the likes of Newcastle United also believed to be interested.

There have been some suggestions that Maddison will be made available for sale this summer but it will cost clubs up to £60m to secure his services.

As a result of the hefty price tag, insider Graeme Bailey has said on the Talking Transfers podcast that Spurs are the more likely suitors for the 26-year-old star:

"What we're getting out of Newcastle, they're not willing to go over £40m, let alone over £50m which is what it's going to take to get Maddison. It's going to be close to a £60m deal. We think at least £50m with add-ons taking it to £60m.

"So as it stands, Newcastle are not willing to go to that price. And if you do believe Newcastle are not going to go there. I make Spurs quite strong favourites to get him, at this moment in time."

Who does James Maddison want to join?

The £110k-per-week star enjoyed an exceptional individual campaign in the Premier League despite the Foxes suffering relegation to the Championship.

Hailed a "magician" by some in the media, the England international was able to return a stunning 10 goals and nine assists in the league alone (via Transfermarkt).

In the not-so-distant past, it has been reported that the 26-year-old would be keen to make a move to London when his time at Leicester comes to an end.

However, reports over the last week have claimed he is being tempted by the prospect of potentially playing on Tyneside amid their believed interest.

Given the Toon are believed to only have £75m made available for Eddie Howe to spend this summer, it has to be questioned whether Maddison is a viable option.

Newcastle were not believed to be willing to match Leicester's £60m valuation last summer and now he only has one year remaining on his deal, which feels even less likely.

This could well open the door for Spurs to come in and snap up the midfielder who is thought to have been given the thumbs-up by their new boss, Postecoglou.

Steve O’Keefe’s nightmarish start to the season has escalated further, with a broken finger ruling the New South Wales and Australia left-arm spinner out of the Matador Cup

Daniel Brettig06-Oct-2016

Steve O’Keefe’s nightmarish start to the season has escalated further, with a broken finger ruling the New South Wales and Australia left-arm spinner out of the Matador Cup.The injury took place in a Sydney grade match before the domestic limited-overs tournament began, when O’Keefe went for a catch while playing for Manly-Warringah. O’Keefe had only recently returned to playing after a hamstring injury had ruled him out of the Test tour of Sri Lanka midway through the first match of the series at Pallekele.On his return home, O’Keefe was fined $10,000 by NSW after being handed an infringement notice by NSW police for offensive behaviour and refusing to leave the premises of a Manly pub. The NSW coach Trent Johnston summed up a tough period for O’Keefe, who remains in the forefront of the national selectors’ minds for next year’s Test tour of India.”It’s hugely disappointing for him,” Johnston said. “He had overcome the injury that ruled him out of the Sri Lanka tour and was back to full fitness and enjoying his cricket. Sokkie will come back, he’ll keep working on his fitness and be in and around our group as an experienced player.”Ben Rohrer, the left-handed batsman who initially missed selection for the Blues’ squad, has replaced O’Keefe for the tournament after some impressive displays in recent weeks.”Rohrs had a slow start to preseason with a couple of injuries,” Johnston said. “He never got a chance to bat in the middle and missed out on our Maroochydore pre-season camp. It was a difficult decision to leave him out, especially with his experience.”He came back though, as the true professional that he is, and got a double-century in a 50-over Premier Cricket game and a 90 in an intra-squad trial so he just proved to us that he hasn’t gone anywhere.”Another man who may benefit from O’Keefe’s absence is Chris Green, the young offspinner who may now find himself bowling in tandem with Nathan Lyon.

Arsenal's stature in the game has taken a dramatic upturn after this season's progress, however, they could be set to repeat the failures of the past this summer transfer window.

What's the latest on Malcolm to Arsenal?

That is, if the claims from 90min are true, who suggests that sporting director Edu Gaspar holds an interest in signing Malcolm from Russian outfit Zenit Saint Petersburg.

Among the other clubs interested are Manchester City, Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain, all of whom have been alerted to his availability after a stellar personal campaign.

Given his contract at the club is set to keep him there until 2027, they have unsurpisingly slapped a mouth-watering £40m price tag on the Brazilian. Such a fee for a player from the Russian league understandably draws reservations regarding his adaptability upon returning to Europe's top five divisions.

How good is Malcolm?

Having first made a name for himself in Bordeaux, recording 19 goal contributions from the right flank in his final year in Ligue 1, the free-spending Barcelona were willing recipients of the mercurial attacker who seemed set to offer sensational backup to Lionel Messi.

However, it quickly became clear that the 26-year-old was far more accustomed to being the big fish in a small pond, and across just 24 games for the Catalan giants he would manage four goals.

His manager at the time, Ernesto Valverde, attempted to retain his faith in the trickster despite such poor form. He noted: "He's a strong player to find solutions for the team and he obviously has a lot of speed on his shot. His shots are also a good weapon for us."

Despite this glowing praise, an upturn in form never came. Zenit were the club to rescue him from this failed dream move, and he has since rewarded them with 26 goals and nine assists in all competitions this term.

Whilst these kinds of figures might be alluring for Edu and Mikel Arteta, it is easy to be fooled by fine performances in leagues far weaker than the Premier League.

The £72m club-record signing of Nicolas Pepe, who too was a left-footed right winger who starred in France, should act as a cautionary tale for such an outlandish swoop.

During his final year before moving to the Emirates, the Ivory Coast international scored 23 goals and assisted a further 12 in all competitions. Despite this, north London proved a step too far for the 27-year-old, who has since been branded a "shocking signing" by talkSPORT pundit Jamie O'Hara.

His 27 goals in 112 appearances serve to support this, with the trickster having since been sent out on loan and deemed surplus to requirements by Arteta.

Although valid cover for Bukayo Saka is needed in this upcoming window, for such a mouth-watering price the club will want reliable, tangible and immediate results.

Malcolm, for all his fine form this campaign, would not offer this. It'd be a Pepe repeat; something which Edu would be wise to steer well clear of.

England will play their 500th Test on home soil this week. Unsurprisingly they are the first nation to reach that milestone. Yet, the fact they do so against Pakistan, a team virtually homeless since 2009, makes for a striking contrast.Pakistan have played 151 Tests in their country but none since the Lahore Test in 2009, which was abandoned after the attack on the Sri Lanka team bus. Their nomadic lifestyle since has been much-storied not least earlier in this series after their stunning victory at Lord’s.Misbah-ul-Haq rarely gives much away the day before a Test. When asked if he knew his team for Edgbaston he said “we are sure, no doubts” but refused to elaborate further. “Keep them guessing,” he said with a grin.Yet when a question came about England’s milestone match at home and the stark difference in Pakistan’s situation he became very animated, almost impassioned as he spoke about the risks to cricket in his homeland.He fears for the next generation, with children being drawn away from the sport. That, of course, is not only a situation for Pakistan, but a vast number of countries trying to keep the young active. However, Pakistan has the added difficulty of so much international cricket being lost to the country. The players can be watched on television, but creating “heroes”, as Misbah termed it, is so much more difficult with the continual distance.”The interest of the youth is really losing out to other sports. It’s one area where you can say we are really unlucky and we want international cricket back in Pakistan, just to help our youngsters and just to help cricket in Pakistan,” he said.”If you are not watching the heroes and the top stars in the world in the grounds and you are not meeting them… That could be a big attraction for them to play cricket. Without that, it’s really difficult for the Pakistan Cricket Board and it can really hurt them financially also.”From a cricket point of view, there is talk of trying to bring the PSL finals to Pakistan and, as so often, Misbah was asked about the chances of touring sides returning. Sadly, that still feels a long way off for most opposition despite continual hopeful talk of tours resuming and Zimbabwe going for their limited-overs trip last year.The knock-on effect of the challenge of engaging younger generations is encouraging them to play the game. This current Pakistan team are doing their best to be a side to inspire, but Misbah is concerned about the game’s breeding ground.”It can really hurt your overall development as a cricketing nation. Your youth can really be inspired if you are playing internationally back at home,” Misbah said. “Obviously, you can build more infrastructure and people read more about cricket.”At school level, club level, the activity has just dropped a little bit because of that. You can see wherever the World Cups are, or international events, the whole scenario changes, it’s like a fever in that country for that sport. That’s what we have been really missing.”We need more sports atmosphere in Pakistan. We must understand that even in our schools, our colleges and our homes, how important sports is for a kid.”It was telling, also, that Misbah has been so enthused by the crowds that have watched this series. Even though Old Trafford was not a sellout, and the first two days at Edgbaston are not full, it is still a world away from the empty, rattling stadiums that often greet them in the UAE.”It’s always good to play in an atmosphere like that,” he said. “This is why you play cricket or any sport, that people are there to enjoy and cheer. Sometimes that really helps you to perform and show your skills to everyone.”As for the previous two Test matches, I’ve really enjoyed the atmosphere. It’s really good to play Test cricket here. We are not used to that, we normally have such huge crowds in the one-day and T20 games but not Tests. That’s really good to have in Test cricket.”One day, hopefully, fans in Pakistan will have a chance to cheer their team at home on a regular basis. Right now, all this side can do is try to inspire from afar by bouncing back from their heavy Old Trafford defeat and reprise the scenes of Lord’s.

أكد مدرب منتخب غانا، كريس هويتون، إنه يتحمل مسؤولية خروجهم من كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023 بعد تعادلهم المثير مع منتخب موزمبيق، مساء أمس الإثنين.

وتلاقى المنتخبان في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة من دور مجموعات البطولة، المُقامة حاليًا في كوت ديفوار.

وكان منتخب غانا متقدمًا في النتيجة بهدفين دون رد، حتى الدقيقة 91، قبل أن تقلب موزمبيق الطاولة وتسجيل هدفين، وتحقق التعادل (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وودع منتخب غانا منافسات البطولة بعد هذا التعادل، في حين استفاد منتخب مصر الذي تأهل إلى دور الـ16 عقب تعادله مع الرأس الأخضر في المجموعة نفسها.

وقال كريس هويتون في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “3news” الغانية: “أنا لا أفكر في إقالتي في الوقت الحالي، أنا أشعر بالغضب والإحباط مثل أي شخص آخر”.

وأضاف: “كانت لدينا أفضل فرصة في البطولة بالنظر إلى الفريق الذي نمتلكه، كانت لدينا فترة جيدة من الاستعدادات للبطولة، تقييمي هو أننا لم نقم بعمل جيد”.

وواصل: “لم أقم بعمل جيد في هذه البطولة كمدرب وأتحمل المسؤولية عن ذلك، أتحمل مسؤولية هذا الأداء وأعترف أن نتائجي مع النجوم السوداء لم تكن جيدة بما فيه الكفاية”.

Arsenal have made few blunders under Mikel Arteta, who has endured plenty of trials during his short spell as a head coach. Dealing with various issues born of previous regimes, the Spaniard was calm and calculated in his decision-making, which culminated in the success they hope to achieve.

However, no manager can get every decision right.

Whether it be a tactical blunder to lose a game, or the wrong substitution to surrender control, arguably few mistakes are as frustrating and long-lasting as selling a player and watching them go on to thrive.

That has certainly been the case with Matteo Guendouzi, who admittedly struggled to outline himself as a star central midfielder for the new boss. It seemed like the 24-year-old remained rash and often thoughtless in his displays, which led to his eventual exclusion from the team.

Former Gunners player Jeremie Aliadiere had suggested that his compatriot hadn't "grown and matured" enough to stake his claim. As was the case with Mesut Ozil and Piere-Emerick Aubameyang, if they did not fit the system, Arteta would let them go.

So, for a fee of just £9m, the Frenchman departed – after being banished from the squad by Arteta.

How much is Matteo Guendouzi worth now?

Having featured 82 times for the North London outfit, his 21 yellow cards during that period certainly support the earlier suggestion of a rash play style.

However, as a youngster joining, Guendouzi came with a big reputation and was expected to be the future of the club's midfield. When he made the final shortlist for the Golden Boy award, this was only further cemented.

Featuring heavily in his first full season, the £41k-per-week stopper acted as a steady presence at the base of midfield. This culminated in an unspectacular 6.79 rating, which would improve just slightly the year following to 6.84. Either way, it marked progression.

However, the eventual sale of such a promising talent was deemed a must to continue progressing as a club, even if journalist Aaron West had suggested there was "something special" about the young destroyer.

Since moving to Marseille, as performances have improved, so too has the valuation of the 6 foot 1 star. Boasting a 7.00 rating last campaign, in which the French international seemed to finally be growing into his potential, CIES Football Observatory clearly took note.

They suggested that Guendouzi's value had rocketed, and from that £9m initial sale the midfielder was now worth €35m (£31m).

At the tender age of just 24 too, this is a figure set to only increase with each passing year of improvement.

As aforementioned, Arteta has not made many errors during his reign. But this decision to offload their former star youngster might well be turning into a mistake.

Reliable journalist Christian Falk of Bild has shared what he knows on Julian Nagelsmann potentially joining either Tottenham or Chelsea.

What's the latest on Nagelsmann to Spurs?

The 35-year-old is reportedly a top managerial target for Spurs with chairman Daniel Levy holding a serious interest after he left Bayern last month. Indeed, Nagelsmann is apparently high on Tottenham's shortlist to succeed Antonio Conte, who parted company by mutual consent during the international break.

The former RB Leipzig boss joins Mauricio Pochettino, Luis Enrique and even Zinedine Zidane as the big-name out-of-work managers who Spurs could make a move for. However, a recent obstacle for the Premier League top-four chasers has emerged recently.

London rivals Chelsea, who recently sacked Graham Potter after just seven months in charge, are now thought to be seriously contending for Nagelsmann as a replacement – dealing a potential worry to Levy and co who are real admirers of the German.

Now, an update by reliable Bundesliga reporter Falk has shared some clarity on the situation, with the journalist sharing news on Nagelsmann's links to both Chelsea and Spurs. Falk has shared where Nagelsmann is currently leaning towards, and it is not good news for Lilywhites supporters. It is believed that the master tactician actually prefers a move to Stamford Bridge as things stand.

Falk explained (via Twitter):

"Understand that @ChelseaFC are the preferred solution of Julian Nagelsmann compared to Tottenham."

Who could Spurs appoint over Nagelsmann?

Unless things change, which can always be likely in the managerial merry-go-round, it appears Spurs are not the favourites to capture Nagelsmann as things stand.

Barring twists, it could be likely that Levy faces missing out on his top manager target, so who could the north Londoners turn too instead?

Well, we believe former boss and Ligue 1 title winner Pochettino stands out as the obvious solution. The South American has great experience overachieving with Spurs on a limited budget, even guiding them to a Champions League final in 2019.

The adjustment period for Pochettino would arguably be minimal, especially considering he is more than familiar with the club and a lot of Spurs players already. Stars like Harry Kane and Son Heung-min among others have already displayed their prowess in an attacking 4-3-3 Pochettino system, and while reunions don't always work, on this occasion Levy should certainly consider re-hiring his ex-head coach.

The South American's brand of forward-thinking, attack-minded football also has the potential to reinvigorate supporters who have long had to cope with the more pragmatic approaches of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Conte.

Leeds United could launch a sensational summer transfer move for their former midfielder Kalvin Phillips despite only selling him in the summer.

Will City sell Phillips in the summer?

There are growing concerns over whether Phillips has a spot in the plans of Pep Guardiola having barely played since signing for City in the summer.

Reports have suggested the Spanish manager has major doubts over the player's fitness as he labelled the 27-year-old "overweight" back in December.

This has led to the former Leeds midfielder playing more game time for England in the past week (90 minutes) than he has for City in the Premier League all season (56 minutes).

Speaking on the latest Talking Transfers podcast, journalist Toby Cudworth has hinted at a potential return to Elland Road as a number of clubs show an initial interest in the £150k-per-week midfielder:

"Leeds are looking at it, but we also understand that Newcastle, Leicester, Wolves are sniffing around and could potentially be in the mix if he's available. And the key thing is that Man City don't stand in the way of players who want to leave."

Should Leeds re-sign Phillips in the summer?

It has certainly been a difficult campaign for the 27-year-old, who earned his £45m move from Leeds on the back of a "sensational" Euro 2020 campaign.

However, it has simply not worked out for him at the Etihad Stadium to date, with just 342 minutes of action to show for his season across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

His struggles have seen a number of clubs show an initial interest in potentially signing him in the summer with numerous Premier League rivals credited with interest.

However, this is a position in which Leeds have invested heavily since Phillips' departure last summer, with the addition of three central midfielders.

Victor Orta oversaw the signings of Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Marc Roca in the summer – albeit with McKennie's switch only being on a loan basis.

But Leeds do have the option to purchase the American at the end of the campaign for a reported fee in the region of £30m.

During his final season at Elland Road, Phillips registered more tackles per 90 minutes than what McKennie has offered this season, as well as more shot-creating actions (via FBref).

Hailed a "machine" by journalist Jordan Campbell back in 2020, where Phillips registered 74 tackles across the 2020/21 campaign, a potential return to West Yorkshire could well be reliant on whether the Whites are able to pull themselves out of danger once again and avoid the drop.

A number of Leeds United supporters have been reacting to a contract update involving defender Robin Koch.

The Lowdown: Talks underway

Koch has made himself a regular at centre-back during the current Premier League campaign, turning out on 25 occasions in the top-flight and playing every minute under new manager Javi Gracia.

The defender’s current contract at Elland Road runs until 2024, however, the player himself has admitted that talks are underway over a new deal in Yorkshire. As relayed by The YEP, Koch said:

“During the season, I want to distract myself as little as possible with planning for the future.

“The first talks between the club and my advisor are currently underway. Towards the end of the season and during the summer break, I will deal with that. Now my focus is 100 per cent on our games and goals.”

The Latest: Fans react

YEP reporter Joe Donnohue shared the contract news regarding Koch on Twitter. His post received plenty of interaction, with a number of supporters hoping to see an agreement when it comes to new terms with Koch.

“We need to get this done.” – @ralph98bownas

“He is one of our better players. If we can keep hold of him after 2 relegation battles, that’s massive.” – @SamLocker1

“Been playing well this season. Wasn’t convinced but shows what staying fit and a run of games can do” – @WorsnopD

“I can totally get him not signing until safety is assured. Also his form has been a lot more solid since Wöber came into the side. Hopefully they can form a strong (Prem) base for next season.” – @aclr1972

“I hope he does. He’s been imperious this season.” – @whiterosedave

“Hes had a great season and if we stay up we should re-sign him. Defensively we have been much better this season….shame about the other end.” – @Jeffers0846

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Koch has made more appearances this season than his previous two thanks to remaining injury free and has seemingly caught the eye as a result.

Newcastle United are thought to be showing an interest in the 26-year-old, so securing him to a new long-term deal would be good news. It may put the Magpies off moving for the defender, or at worst, would keep his valuation at its maximum, meaning that Leeds could receive an eye-catching fee if they were to sell.

Hopefully, a new deal can be signed over the coming months and Koch can help the club remain in the Premier League, although he is ‘convinced’ the Whites won’t drop down to the Championship despite their current position.