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Chelsea have had a very interesting week in the transfer market, as proceedings with Atlético Madrid hit a stumbling block, stopping Samu Omorodion joining the Blues, and Conor Gallagher from going in the opposite direction.

The Blues have now pivoted to long-term target, Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen, as their number one target. However, it is believed they are watching multiple striker situations develop as they assess their next move.

Osimhen made 32 appearances in all competitions last season for Napoli, scoring 17 goals, providing four assists, and totalling 2,476 minutes played.

Chelsea transfer news

According to reports from The Independent, Chelsea could look to test the resolve of Brentford and make an offer for striker Ivan Toney late in the window. This could be as a loan with an obligation to buy of around £60m.

Manchester United are another club stated in the reports that could make a move for the 28-year-old late in the window. Any sale would be a massive decrease on the asking price in January, which was close to £100m.

Toney made 17 Premier League appearances last season, scoring four goals, providing two assists, and totalling 1,449 minutes played.

Toney vs Osimhen comparison

The "remarkable" forward, as manager Thomas Frank described him, has shown his quality in the Premier League already, scoring 20 in the league last season in 33 appearances.

A 20+ goal a-season striker is something that is not easy to come by in the Premier League, and getting your hands on one, especially at Chelsea, who have failed in this department since Diego Costa, is a hard task.

Goals

0.25

0.62

0.61

Assists

0.12

0.11

0.15

xG

0.37

0.65

0.57

Shots Total

3.17

3.69

2.77

Shots on Target

1.30

1.53

1.05

Shot-Creating Actions

2.42

2.47

2.01

Progressive Carries

1.43

1.59

0.43

Progressive Passes

2.48

0.96

2.41

Touches (Att Pen)

4.16

6.83

4.76

Aerials Won

3.35

1.81

3.32

For these metrics, we have decided to compare Toney's 2022/23 season too alongside the Osimhen and Toney 2023/24 campaigns. This is due to the minute differential in the two seasons, managing 3,090 in the 2022/23 season, compared to 1,450 in the 2023/24 season.

You can instantly see from the numbers, Toney produced 0.61 goals per 90 in his 22/23 season, over double his production level this season (in fewer games). Despite accumulating 0.08 less xG per 90 than Osimhen, Toney only averaged 0.01 goals per 90 less than Osimhen.

This shows the lethal nature of the England international during that season, as he took a lower volume of shots, managed less on target, but still scored at a 0.16 goals/shot ratio. He overachieved his xG in that season by 0.04 G-xG per 90.

A reliable marksman is exactly what Chelsea need, one that can offer a significant box threat improvement too, which is certainly another asset the Bees star can bring, winning 3.35 aerials per 90. This would give Chelsea a focal point in the box, especially when facing low-block sides.

So at a cheaper fee and potentially much lower wages too, Toney could prove to be an astute move for Chelsea late in the window, especially if their Osimhen hopes slowly diminish.

Better than Sterling: Chelsea could forget Felix by signing £25m target

The Blues could sign a better alternative than the former loanee…

ByEthan Lamb Aug 14, 2024

Leeds United are a matter of days away from kicking off their 2024/25 Championship season as they prepare to face off against Portsmouth at Elland Road on Saturday.

The Whites will be looking for a fast start to the new campaign after they narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League back in May, losing 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley.

Daniel Farke is now hoping that it is second time lucky for his side as the German goes in search of his third promotion out of the second tier, having won the title twice during his time with Norwich City.

The West Yorkshire outfit's hopes of promotion have been dealt a blow by the exit of winger Crysencio Summerville, though, as the forward has joined West Ham United on a permanent deal this month.

Starts

41

Goals

19

Conversion rate

15%

Assists

9

Dribbles completed per game

2.3

The former Feyenoord youngster, as shown in the table above, was a constant menace to opposition defences in the league last term and Leeds are looking to dip into the market to secure his services.

Leeds eyeing up Premier League winger

According to journalist Alan Nixon, the Whites could pursue a deal to sign Crystal Palace wide man Jesurun Rak-Sakyi before the end of the window.

The reporter claims that fellow Championship sides Sheffield United and Hull City are both trying to secure his services on loan for the 2024/25 campaign, whilst Queens Park Rangers have also been linked.

Nixon adds that Leeds could come in with a move for the 21-year-old whiz if they do not sign Jonathan Rowe from divisional rivals Norwich City.

Football Insider recently reported that the Whites have already had an offer of £7m quickly rejected by the Canaries for the England U21 international.

The outlet added that the Yellows are set to demand a fee of at least £15m for their academy graduate, who has one year left on his current contract at Carrow Road – with an option to extend that by a further year.

This means that Leeds offered less than half what Norwich want for the impressive winger and it could, therefore, be a difficult deal for Farke and his recruitment team to get over the line.

However, the German boss could forget all about raiding his former club for Rowe by securing a deal to sign Rak-Sakyi from Palace instead.

Jonathan Rowe's form for Norwich

Firstly, it is easy to see why Leeds are interested in signing the Canaries youngster to bolster their options on the flanks in the wake of Summerville's move to the London Stadium.

He's a young and proven Championship performer who could come in and hit the ground running at Elland Road, whilst also having the potential to improve and develop over the years to come – at the age of 21.

Rowe is someone Farke could work with on the training pitch to help him fulfill his potential but he is also an excellent player who could make an instant impact on the pitch.

Appearances

32

xG

5.36

Goals

12

Big chances created

1

Assists

2

Key passes per game

0.8

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old dynamo was a goal threat for the Canaries in the second tier last term, in his first full season at senior level.

12 goals from an xG tally of just 5.36 also shows that Rowe's finishing was exemplary. He rarely wasted a high-quality chance to find the back of the net, scoring almost seven more goals than expected based on the quality of opportunities that were created for him.

However, the English gem did not provide much in the way of creativity. The Norwich youngster made less than one key pass per game and only created one 'big chance' in 32 outings during the regular season.

This suggests that Rowe would be unlikely to replace the creativity Summerville displayed on the flank, with his nine assists in the Championship.

Whereas, Rak-Sakyi is a player who could come through the doors at Elland Road with the potential to make an impact as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Why Leeds should forget about Rowe

Instead of splashing out a staggering £15m to sign a player from one of their Championship rivals, the West Yorkshire side could save their money and land a loan deal for the Palace youngster as a potentially better alternative.

Rak-Sakyi is coming off the back of a frustrating season where he was used as a squad player for the Eagles – making just eight first-team appearances.

He did, though, fire in four goals and provide one assist in three U21 matches for the Premier League 2 side, which offered a glimpse at the quality he can offer.

His form at academy level for Palace has always been strong. Rak-Sayki has scored 24 goals and assisted eight in 40 U21 games for the club, along with eight goals and eight assists in 17 U18 matches.

The left-footed ace, who was described as "remarkable" by Roy Hodgson, has also showcased his attacking quality in senior football with Charlton on loan in the 2022/23 campaign.

Appearances

43

32

Goals

15

12

Assists

8

2

Big chances created

5

1

Key passes per game

1.3

0.8

Completed dribbles per game

1.8

1.1

As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sayki was a star for the Addicks with his ability to score and create goals, with 23 direct goal contributions in 43 matches.

Albeit at a lower level, the Palace youngster outscored Rowe and provided far more creativity for Charlton than the Norwich whiz did in the Championship last season.

Rak-Sakyi's statistics at academy level and in League One suggest that the potential is there for him to offer more than the £15m-rated Leeds target at the top end of the pitch, due to his goalscoring prowess and creative quality.

Imagine him & Gnonto: Leeds in the race to sign "exciting" star

The Whites are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League defender.

ByDan Emery Aug 6, 2024

Therefore, Farek could forget all about a move for Rowe this summer by winning the race to sign the former Charlton loanee to bolster the squad.

MatériaMais Notícias

A semana começou e o Vasco terá partidas importantes para as suas pretensões em diversas categorias. No profissional, o time receberá o líder Coritiba, no sábado, às 16h30, em São Januário. A vitória é essencial para recuperar a confiança e tentar iniciar uma arrancada rumo ao acesso à elite do futebol brasileiro.

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Antes disso, nesta terça, a equipe Sub-20 terá um duelo decisivo, no CT Rei Pelé, às 15h15. O time enfrenta o Santos e necessita de uma combinação de resultados para garantir a vaga na próxima fase do Campeonato Brasileiro da categoria. Confira o que os Meninos da Colina têm que fazer para conseguir a classificação.

+ Confira e simule a tabela da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro

O Sub-17 entra em campo em duas oportunidades nesta semana. Na terça, enfrenta a Portuguesa, em jogo atrasado terceira rodada da Taça Guanabara. No sábado, encara o Fluminense, às 11h, no CT Vale das Laranjeiras. Duas horas antes, será a vez do Sub-15 jogar o clássico, também em Xerém, pela competição estadual.

+Vasco pode ter reforço para o duelo contra o líder Coritiba, em São Januário, pela 30ª rodada da Série B

O futebol feminino também terá duas rodadas da Taça Guanabara ao longo da semana. Na quarta, as Meninas da Colina medem forças com o Boavista, no CT Artsul, às 15h. No domingo, pela quarta rodada, o compromisso será contra a Portuguesa, também no CT Artsul, às 15h. As meninas estão na liderança da competição e fizeram 23 gols nas duas primeiras partidas.

CALENDÁRIO DO VASCO NESTA SEMANA

TERÇA-FEIRA (12/10)
Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-20 – 19ª rodada
Santos x Vasco
Local: CT Rei Pelé – 15h15
Onde assistir: elevensports.com

Taça Guanabara Sub-17 – 3ª rodada
Portuguesa x Vasco
Local: CT Tigres do Brasil – 13h

QUARTA-FEIRA (13/10)
Campeonato Carioca Feminino – 3ª rodada
Vasco x Boavista
Local: CT Artsul – 15h

QUINTA-FEIRA (14/10)
Copa Rio Sub 20 / OPG – 2ª fase (primeiro jogo Vasco 2×0 Artsul)
Vasco da Gama x Artsul
Local: CT Artsul – 10h

SÁBADO (16/10)

Campeonato Brasileiro Série B – 30ª rodada
Vasco x Coritiba
Local: São Januário- 16h30
Onde assistir: Premiere e tempo real pelo LANCE!

Taça Guanabara Sub-17 – 10ª rodada
Fluminense x Vasco
Local: CT Vale das Laranjeiras – 11h

Taça Guanabara – Sub-15 – 10ª rodada
Fluminense x Vasco
Local: CT Vale das Laranjeiras – 9h

Campeonato Carioca Feminino – 4ª rodada
Vasco x Portuguesa
Local: CT Artsul – 15h

Lionel Messi is “three times happier” at Inter Miami than he was at Barcelona because he “plays when he wants to”, says Argentina icon Mario Kempes.

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• Moved to the United States in 2023
• Has added more trophies to his collection
• Can influence games as & when he chooses

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner bid farewell to Camp Nou back in 2021 after shattering countless records in Catalunya. He headed to Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent, but did not enjoy the best of times alongside the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in France.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Another new challenge was taken on in the summer of 2023, with Messi deciding to chase the American dream. He has savoured Leagues Cup and Supporters’ Shield success in the United States, but is still waiting on MLS Cup glory.

• WHAT KEMPES SAID

  Messi’s desire to collect major honours continues to burn bright, but he is more relaxed in Florida after already achieving everything that he set out to do. With that in mind, fellow World Cup winner Kempes has told : “Messi is three times happier playing in Inter Miami than in Barcelona.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  That is said to be because Inter Miami have a “very good team” and Messi can pick and choose his moments to contribute. Kempes added: “It's not about coming in and having to be focused for the whole 90 minutes. He plays when he wants to.”

Pep Guardiola had his say on the GOAT debate as he called Lionel Messi "the father" of "monster" Cristiano Ronaldo as Ballon d'Or controversy rages.

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Rodri edged out Vinicius for Ballon d'OrGuardiola commented on the resultsHailed Messi as the GOAT over RonaldoFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

Manchester City's Rodri edged out Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr to the Ballon d'Or at a ceremony in Paris on Monday. However, the spectacle wasn't without drama as Los Blancos, bitter over the result, declined to attend. Meanwhile, City’s party extended well into the night, with club officials and players such as Ferran Soriano, Txiki Begiristain, Rodri, Ruben Dias, and Savinho enjoying the victory before returning to Manchester early on Tuesday.

AdvertisementWHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, City manager Pep Guardiola addressed Rodri's Ballon d'Or win, taking the opportunity to discuss the under-appreciated impact of Spanish players on international football.

"I think Spanish football in the last decade made an incredible thing, with different national trainers, with incredible players in the past, with winning the World Cup, the Euros Cup, and never, never were able to win this award," Guardiola said.

"And I think Rodri represents perfectly, of course City because we are so proud, but Spanish football – their influence in world football in the last 10, 15 years, it has been massively important. Not just winning trophies, the way they play, the generations of managers, generations of players. And I think maybe in that time I remember three players from the Barcelona Academy, La Masia, were nominated all three to win the Ballon d’Or, and Xavi and Iniesta could not win because there was a monster there."

AFPGUARDIOLA'S TAKE ON THE GOAT DEBATE

Xavi and Iniesta's midfield mastery set new standards in football, yet individual awards eluded them due to the simultaneous dominance of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who won the Ballon d'Or 10 times collectively between 2008 and 2017.

Reflecting on their misfortune, Guardiola commented, "And Messi, nobody could beat him. Just Cristiano. Cristiano was a monster, and the father of the monster is Messi. And both have done something incredible in the last 15 or 20 years. And maybe in that moment, Xavi and Iniesta deserved the Ballon d’Or as well. So I think Rodri, yesterday, got what Spanish football deserved worldwide."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Messi and Ronaldo, both regarded as two of the most prolific scorers in football history, continue to dazzle fans across the globe. Together, they have amassed over 1,700 goals in club and international play, with Ronaldo scoring 907 and Messi close behind at 849. Ronaldo first took home the Ballon d'Or in 2008, before Messi captured four consecutive awards. Ronaldo later reclaimed the title in 2013 and 2014 before Messi’s fifth win in 2015. As the years passed, the two continued to dominate, with Messi securing three more Ballon d'Or wins in 2019, 2021, and 2023.

One of the most enticing discussions in English football is which club, including Newcastle United, have the best academy. Newcastle have produced some impressive players in recent years, most recently young Lewis Miley who broke into the Magpies' starting eleven last season and has since become a prominent feature in their team.

Manchester United and Arsenal are two of the favourites to take this particular crown. The Red Devils have produced some legendary players over the years, from the Busby Babes to the Class of ‘92. Nowadays, the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo are representing Carrington at the moment.

For Arsenal, their famous Hale End academy is represented by the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe., with the likes of Reiss Nelson also involved in the Gunners squad last season.

Chelsea are another side who have a prominent academy in England. Cobham has produced some iconic players too, and they had several academy graduates in their Champions League-winning side of 2021, including Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount.

Now, with the transfer window here, one of those players in that famous Chelsea side has been linked with Newcastle in recent days, and they could look to bring him in to strengthen their side ahead of next season.

Newcastle target Serie A defender

The Cobham academy graduate in question here is Fikayo Tomori, who is now playing at Italian giants AC Milan. The England international left Chelsea in 2021 for Milan, but could now make a return to the Premier League by joining Newcastle.

According to a report from The Guardian, 'contact has been made with Milan' for a potential deal to bring Tomori to St James’ Park this summer, but it is not yet clear if a deal will be struck between the two sides.

The report stats that Milan are looking for a fee of more than £40m to consider selling the English centre-back. They explain that, at this stage, it is 'unclear whether a compromise can be reached', although interest from Newcastle is certainly there.

That £40m figure would be one Milan are no doubt keen to hit to ensure they make a profit on any potential deal for Tomori. They paid Chelsea £25m to acquire his services three years ago, after a loan spell, meaning that they would make a healthy profit on the player if they make £40m or more on him.

How Tomori would fit in at Newcastle

Despite missing a fair chunk of the season due to a hamstring injury, Tomori featured 26 times in Serie A for Milan last season, chipping in with four goals. He helped to keep an impressive seven clean sheets out of Milan’s 13 in that time, too, as per Sofascore.

Number of clean sheets

Club

21

Inter

18

Torino

17

Juventus, Bologna

15

Atalanta

13

Milan, Lazio

Football journalist Matteo Bonetti described Tomori as “masterful” in December 2023, praising him for the way he was seen “commanding the back line” for the Rossoneri, and this is certainly reflected in his stats.

One thing that stands out about Tomori’s game is his ball-carrying ability. The 26-year-old was statistically one of the best ball-carrying defenders in Serie A last season as per FBref, averaging 1.50 progressive carries per 90 minutes, which ranked him in the top 16%. The defender also averaged 3.00 final third carries, elite numbers which place him in the top 1% of Serie A defenders.

Not only that, the Canadian-born defender is very imposing in the air, standing at 6 foot. On average last season, Tomori won three aerial duels per 90 minutes, which gave him an average win rate of 75%.

Tomori could pair well with one of Eddie Howe’s first-choice defenders, Sven Botman. The Dutchman has been out injured with an anterior cruciate ligament injury twice, and will not return until October 2024. However, the 24-year-old could strike a good partnership with Tomori when he is fit from his injury.

Firstly, the pair would complement each other well given Botman is left-footed and Tomori right-footed. On the ball, as per Sofascore, the Dutchman is very composed, and averages a 91% pass accuracy per game, completing 54.1 passes. Having two defenders who are very composed on the ball, with different strengths, would really enhance the quality of Newcastle’s back four.

He is also a great recovery defender, with his large stride helping him to cover ground quickly. Botman averages 4.1 ball recoveries per game, as well as averaging 3.1 clearances. He also excels in the air winning two aerial duels each game on average last season.

There is little doubt that Tomori would be a good addition to the squad at St James’ Park. In the modern market, £40m is not too unreasonable, and he would bring great quality to Newcastle’s defence.

Newcastle plotting offer for £25m "hero" who can unlock Bruno

He could leave his current club this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 27, 2024

Travis Head batted throughout the final day against Tasmania, in front of his Test captain Tim Paine, to salvage a draw for South Australia after they were in danger of starting their Sheffield Shield season to back-to-back heavy defeats.Head finished unbeaten on 171 when he shook hands with Paine in the final session having taken his team to safety alongside young allrounder Liam Scott. Jackson Bird had put life back into Tasmania’s victory push with two wickets in an over when South Australia still trailed by 40 in mid-afternoon.However Head, who was among the more culpable of batsmen on the final day against Western Australia when South Australia could not save the game, flashing a top edge after reaching a half-century, stood firm as new Redbacks coach Jason Gillespie watched on having completed his quarantine earlier in the match.South Australia lost just one wicket in the first half of the day as Head resumed his rescue mission which had begun the previous evening. Peter Siddle produced an excellent delivery to clip Henry Hunt’s off stump before the experienced duo of Head and Callum Ferguson joined forces in a fourth-wicket stand of 129 which spanned 40 overs during which Head reached his century from 120 deliveries – a good clip given the match-saving scenario.Then, however, Ferguson played around a full delivery from Bird who followed up in a lively over by having Harry Nielsen caught behind to leave South Australia on 5 for 258. Head and Scott, who is highly regarded, got through to tea and the Redbacks’ tensions started to ease when they wiped out the deficit. Nathan Ellis produced a sharp late spell to try and crack things open for Tasmania but it was not to be.

Big picture

It was last in 2015, the year before their two-year ban, that Rajasthan Royals won their first three games in a season. Having started the 2020 season with two wins, including a record-breaking highest successful IPL chase on Sunday courtesy Rahul Tewatia and Sanju Samson, they go in to Wednesday’s clash with a chance to emulate this.Having played their opening two games in Sharjah, where they made scores of 216 and 226, they will now play on a bigger ground and on perhaps a more challenging surface in Dubai. This could mean a slight recaliberation of their plans. Their spinners will come into play a lot more and their batsmen may not find hitting through the line as effortless as they may have in Sharjah.Royals, however, have concerns in their bowling even though Sharjah may not be an ideal barometer to base their performance on. Jaydev Unadkat, their lead Indian bowler, has proved expensive in both his outings. The highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy season is yet to strike. He also didn’t complete his quota of overs against Kings XI Punjab. His potential replacement Varun Aaron has also been expensive in the past. They have two rookies in Kartik Tyagi and Akash Singh waiting on the bench. Should they call up one of them on a bigger ground?Knight Riders, meanwhile, rebounded strongly after a pounding at the hands of Mumbai Indians in their opener. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Eoin Morgan, their finisher, sewed up a regulation chase. Shubman Gill, who they see as a future star, set it up for them upfront along with Nitish Rana, another talent they’ve invested heavily in. Questions over Sunil Narine’s form and his effectiveness against the short ball continue to persist, but the upside to his patchy form is that he doesn’t eat up too many balls in the powerplay.Kuldeep Yadav’s form, however, continues to be a real concern. The team’s strike bowler until 2018, Kuldeep averages a wicket every 55 balls since IPL 2018. Last season, nine games yielded a mere four wickets. In their second game, after going for 39 runs in four wicketless overs, he didn’t even bowl his full quota of overs.Varun Chakravarthy, their second spinner – more in the Narine mould – helped get through the middle overs economically on his debut for the franchise. Over the years, Knight Riders have had the reputation of backing their players – both Indian and overseas. Russell, who had to serve a year-long doping ban, and Narine, whose action had been under scrutiny on and off, being prime examples. Can Kuldeep repay that faith?

In the news

• Royals don’t yet have the services of Ben Stokes, who is with family in New Zealand. However, he has started training and could return from compassionate leave early October.
• Over the last couple of seasons, Knight Riders have had to furiously seek replacements in the first half of the tournament because of injuries. This year, they look settled on that count and have all players available for selection.

BCCI

Likely XIs

Rajasthan Royals: 1 Jos Buttler (wk), 2 Steven Smith (capt), 3 Sanju Samson, 4 Robin Uthappa, 5 Riyan Parag, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Shreyas Gopal, 8 Tom Curran, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Ankit Rajpoot/Varun Aaron, 11 Jaydev Unadkat Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Kamlesh Nagarkoti, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Shivam Mavi, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

Strategy punts

• Sunil Narine has an excellent record against the Royals’ top three – Jos Buttler, Steven Smith and Sanju Samson. Narine has dismissed Samson thrice while ensuring he has only managed to strike at 87 off the 45 deliveries he has bowled. Smith, who has been out twice to Narine, only strikes at 115. Perhaps, there’s a case for Narine to bowl out with the new ball, given Knight Riders’ bowling depth.
• Dinesh Karthik has opted to bat at No. 3 in the first two games. Since IPL 2019, he’s been dismissed thrice by googlies, the most for a batsman. He’s been out to the delivery in each of his two previous knocks this season too – lbw to Rahul Chahar and Rashid Khan respectively. Royals could perhaps look to attack him with Shreyas Gopal, who has an excellent googly, and Rahul Tewatia.

Stats that matter

• Pat Cummins is two short of 100 T20 wickets.
• The last time these two sides played in the UAE, Royals beat Knight Riders on boundary count after the Super Over also ended in a tie. It was the second tied game between the two sides in IPL history. The first one happened at Cape Town in 2009, when Yusuf Pathan won the Super Over for the Royals.
• Buttler averages 57.2 as an opener since IPL 2018, the third best after David Warner and KL Rahul among all batsmen with 200-plus runs. In the 16 innings he has opened, he has just dismissed five times inside the powerplay. His strike rate of 160 in this period is second best in the IPL in this qualifying period.
• Prior to this season, Samson had managed just four half-centuries in 27 IPL innings; his form tailing away after strong starts somewhat becoming a trend. He’s so far managed 159 runs, including two half-centuries in his first two outings. Can he sustain his good run of form?

Silly season is right around the corner, and while their fans will still be getting over another hard-fought but ultimately failed Premier League title bid, Arsenal will be hard at work looking to secure the perfect transfers – just like last year.

Mikel Arteta welcomed Kai Havertz, David Raya, and Declan Rice to the club last summer, and based on the last ten months, it would be hard to describe their moves as anything other than successes.

However, in terms of bang for buck performance, a player they signed in January of last year takes the cake: Leandro Trossard.

The Belgian was unreal this season, racking up 19 goal involvements in all competitions, and based on recent reports, he could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of a big-money transfer that looks close to happening.

Arsenal's striker search

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal have maintained their interest in RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško, and in positive developments, the player is now 'favouring a move' to the Emirates.

The story revealed that cross-city rivals Chelsea had recently made the Slovenian their 'top priority' for new manager Enzo Maresca, but the long-term interest from the Gunners has led to the player preferring a move to North London.

However, the player's desire to don the red and white of Arsenal doesn't mean this will be a cheap deal to complete, as the report confirms that his release clause stands at £55m.

That said, for a 21-year-old forward who has shown genuine promise in one of Europe's top five leagues, that might prove to be a bargain in years to come, and his presence up top could supercharge Trossard.

How Šeško could supercharge Trossard

Last season, Trossard ended the campaign with one goal and ten assists for Arsenal in 22 games, whereas this year, his goal tally has skyrocketed to 17 in 46 games, but his haul of assists has come down to just two.

Leandro Trossard at Arsenal

Season

2022/23

2023/24

Appearances

22

46

Goals

1

17

Assists

10

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.41

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Now, this must be in part due to instructions from Arteta to take more shots himself, and in that regard, it's been a brilliant tactical change. However, according to Understat, the Belgian has underperformed his expected assists figure in the league by 2.25, and while that's not an enormous number, it is noticeable.

Moreover, his reluctance to play creator this season could also indicate his lack of trust in his teammates' abilities to finish gilt-edge chances, which is borne out in their goals-to-expected goals figures, also per Understat.

For example, while Havertz's return of 13 league goals from an expected figure of 13.47 isn't bad, it isn't outstanding either, and Gabriel Jesus' haul of four league goals from 7.29 is simply not good enough – which is where Šeško comes in.

In his 42 games for Leipzig this season, he scored 18 goals, 14 of which came in the Bundesliga, and according to Understat, from an expected goals figure of just 8.60.

Šeško vs Havertz vs Jesus

Player

Expected Goals

Goals

Šeško

8.60

14

Havertz

13.47

13

Jesus

7.29

4

All Stats via Understat

This means the Slovenian "machine man", as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, overperformed his xG by a massive 5.4 goals this year, and while it would be surprising to see him maintain such an enormous overperformance in the long term, it's a clear indicator of his finishing ability.

So, it's quite simple, really: if Arteta signs and starts the former Salzburg ace next season as the team's number nine, Trossard and the other creators on the side can reliably expect their assist tallies to rise. He might not be the finished product overall, but Šeško's ability to put away chances cannot be questioned after this season.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 31, 2024

England name 13-man squad including Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, with nine players staying on in reserve

Alan Gardner04-Jul-2020

Joe Denly nudges one past short leg•Stu Forster/Getty Images

England have opted for continuity ahead of the first Test against West Indies, with every member of their 13-man squad having featured on the tour of South Africa earlier this year. That means Joe Denly is set to retain his place in the batting line-up, while the main decisions will revolve around the make-up of the pace attack.Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, both of whom impressed during England’s warm-up game this week, may be vying for one place, while Chris Woakes is the allrounder option in support of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Sam Curran, who tested negative for Covid-19 after feeling unwell during the match, is among the nine reserves who will remain with the squad at the Ageas Bowl.Most noteworthy among those missing out were Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali, senior members of England’s white-ball squads but overlooked for the Tests. Bairstow had been a contender to come into the side in the absence of Joe Root, England’s Test captain who is missing the game in order to attend the birth of his child, but only managed scores of 11 and 39 in the three-day warm-up; James Bracey and Dan Lawrence, who both caught the eye with half-centuries, have been retained as the back-up batsmen.Dom Bess remains at the head of the pack among England’s spinners, keeping out Jack Leach, who is among the reserves, and Moeen. Bess claimed 3 for 72 in his outings for Team Buttler, while Leach and Moeen went wicketless for Team Stokes in the first innings and then conceded runs at six an over in the second.With Root having already left the camp, and Ben Stokes in line to become England’s 81st Test captain, the selectors have stuck with familiar names for the first of three matches in three weeks against West Indies. Rory Burns returns, having suffered ankle-ligament damage while playing football in South Africa, and seems set to open alongside Dom Sibley, with Denly and Zak Crawley the options to cover for Root’s absence at No. 4.Ollie Pope and Stokes will complete the batting line-up, while Jos Buttler retains the gloves, as head coach Chris Silverwood hinted during the week, with Ben Foakes retained as back-up keeper.In the fast-bowling department, England have Archer and Wood available to provide extra pace – but while there may be a temptation to deploy them together in Test cricket for the first time, Silverwood has previously hinted that they will likely be rotated in order to protect both from wear and tear. Archer has only recently recovered from an elbow stress fracture, having missed three Tests in South Africa and been omitted from the touring party for Sri Lanka in March.Although Broad went wicketless in the Ageas Bowl warm-up, he has been the automatic pick to partner Anderson with the new ball – currently on a run of 51 consecutive Test appearances at home – but Woakes will also have the chance to press his case.With the likelihood that England will have to rotate their seamers in order to keep them fresh – there are only three-day gaps between the Tests – the reserves include two uncapped quicks in Saqib Mahmood and Ollie Robinson, alongside Craig Overton and Olly Stone, who stays on despite not being fit enough to bowl in the warm-up game because of hamstring trouble.England squad for first Test: Ben Stokes (capt), James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Dominic Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Chris Woakes, Mark WoodReserves: James Bracey, Sam Curran, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Ollie Robinson, Olly Stone