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Liverpool so often wrap up all their business nice and early, so prudent are FSG. But not this time, deals have dragged over to the eleventh hour, but Red fans won’t care a jot.

After weeks of posturing, Newcastle United have finally opened the door for Liverpool to sign Alexander Isak in what will prove a British-record £130m deal, including £5m in solidarity figures.

Isak is one of the best strikers in the world, but Liverpool may yet seal a signature considered even more important for the fluency and stability of Arne Slot’s project.

Liverpool confident they will sign Premier League star

As per transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, Liverpool are growing in confidence that a deal can be pulled off for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, who has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

Though Liverpool have agreed personal terms with the England international and have the blessing of Palace chairman Steve Parish, Eagles first-team manager Oliver Glasner has been loath to let the star centre-back leave, and everything hinges on sufficient replacements being welcomed through the gates.

Liverpool have offices in London, and thus a medical will take place in the capital if the Merseysiders get the green light at this late hour. Palace are holding out for £40m and a deal is “expected to happen”.

Why Marc Guehi could make a bigger impact than Isak

Guehi, 25, has been at Crystal Palace for four years after leaving Chelsea for an £18m fee, failing to break into the Stamford Bridge senior side.

But no matter, he’s only gone from strength to strength since, captaining Palace to an incredible FA Cup triumph last year before beating Liverpool in last month’s Community Shield clash.

Hailed as a “monster in defence” by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, the £50k-per-week Guehi has so much quality, and he might even prove to be a better deal at this stage than Isak, who is going to cost FSG a pretty penny indeed.

Liverpool have started the current campaign imperiously from an attacking standpoint, and they were rather good in front of goal last term too.

The thought of adding Isak to the fold is frightening, to be sure, but given the fragilities of Ibrahima Konate over Liverpool’s opening fixtures in August, and then the Frenchman’s injury scare and ever-looming contractual expiry date at the end of the term, signing Guehi might actually prove to be the most important of the two deadline-day deals for Liverpool.

The England international showcased against Aston Villa on Sunday his aptitude on the ball, scoring a looping finish with the skill of a seasoned attacking midfielder.

And Sofascore record that he has also won 75% of his duels across his opening three matches of the Premier League term. Without a doubt, he has what it takes to become a superstar in Liverpool’s ranks, potentially succeeding Virgil van Dijk as the club’s standout defender over the coming years.

Liverpool have completed the most incredible of transfer windows, but despite all the flashy business at the front end of the field, Guehi might just prove to be the shrewdest and most impactful of the lot.

Van Dijk-esque: Liverpool can forget Guehi with D-day bid for £23m "leader"

Liverpool are looking to sign a centre-back before the transfer window slams shut at 7pm.

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 1, 2025

She displayed all the qualities that India thought they would miss with the new ball in the post-Jhulan-Goswami era

Shashank Kishore29-Jul-2022In India’s first outing at a global event in the post-Jhulan-Goswami era, Renuka Singh, 26, displayed all the qualities that India thought they would miss with the new ball: swing, seam, accuracy, large heart.The four Australia batters she nipped out weren’t ordinary wickets. They were of world-beaters who have made a mockery of bowling attacks the world over. Alyssa Healy: one of the hardest hitters of a cricket ball in the women’s game. Beth Mooney: one of the most versatile batters. Meg Lanning: scorer of more white-ball hundreds than any other woman batter, and owner of the most ferocious cut in the game. Tahlia McGrath: among the best young talents in the game currently.Related

• Gardner 52* trumps Renuka's 4 for 18 as Australia come back from the brink

It was meant to be a trial by spin, but Australia’s top order was undone by seam, quite spectacularly, by a rookie, all of seven games old in T20Is, who simply stuck to the very basics coaches impress upon. Of bowling to your strengths, being accurate, and allowing the surface to do the rest.Healy was out nibbling at a delivery she could have either left alone or cut. Mooney played down the wrong line. Lanning was in two minds of whether to bring out her trademark cut or simply steer the ball behind square, only to be caught at point. McGrath didn’t perhaps know that inswing is Renuka’s most potent delivery, and was in no position to drive one that bent in wickedly to beat the inside edge and flatten leg stump.Last year, Renuka had burst through against the same team in Australia. Back then, she was slightly slower, giving batters a little more time to make adjustments against her. Between last October and now, Renuka has worked on becoming fitter and stronger, and has added a couple more yards of pace.Prior to the Commonwealth Games, India had two 10-day camps either side of a tour of Sri Lanka, where she picked up seven wickets in three ODIs, including a career-best 4 for 28.The camps were intense, with a set daily agenda. The fast bowlers were divided into different groups. Each group was put under a dedicated trainer, who logged in their workloads, their bowling speeds, their spells. A dietician worked through their food charts; every gram consumed was meticulously charted. Every evening’s recovery session was planned to the T.Then there were simulations and video analysis of every practice session. This extra emphasis on developing a young fast-bowling group had been in the works for two years, from when WV Raman took over as head coach in 2019.Renuka Singh Thakur (L) celebrates after dismissing Tahlia McGrath•Associated Press”I’ve been working on my fitness for the past month,” Renuka said after picking up her T20I career-best 4 for 18. “We had a dedicated fitness camp, and I’ve worked on speed, agility and endurance; I’m a fast bowler so those are really important skills. That has helped me a lot. I try and hit hard lengths, so that you can get help from the pitch. That has worked for me. I’m predominantly a swing bowler. The more I swing the ball, that much more help I’ll get.”Renuka hails from Himachal Pradesh, a state known for its hilly terrain and adventure sport. Until 2008, there was not a single academy in the state dedicated for girls. That changed after Anurag Thakur, the former BCCI president, developed a state-of-the-art facility in Dharamsala the following year.At 15, Renuka, who was at an age where she had to decide between pursuing academics or trying her hand at sport, was among the first batch of trainees at the academy. At 17, she broke through into the HP senior team.Now, HP is far from a champion team in the women’s circuit. Most players say landing a Railways gig is their ultimate aim. It offers them a competitive environment apart from guaranteeing several perks such as paid leave, government accommodation, a pension scheme, a monthly salary, and training equipment.Renuka too had a similar dream, and it came true in 2021 when she got a job in the Railways. Within eight months of her playing in the set-up, she made her T20I debut in Australia last year, and has since become a regular member of the Indian team.The debut came on the back of an impressive Senior One-Day Trophy, where Renuka picked up nine wickets in five games. But it wasn’t until she picked up four wickets in her first spell against Karnataka in the final, like she did against Australia, that word spread of this seamer with excellent control and the skillset India had been on the lookout for.If the 50-over World Cup in New Zealand gave Renuka an opportunity to apprentice under Goswami, the safety jacket has come off at the CWG. The start has been promising, and India will hope Renuka continues to thrive.

Bangladesh’s short history has been full of near upsets and the one in Dehradun will be particularly difficult to swallow

Sidharth Monga in Dehradun08-Jun-2018This defeat will be a difficult pill for Bangladesh to swallow. They did so many things that were admirable. They showed the courage to end their bowling innings with two overs of spin, conceding just 10 runs. Their two senior batsmen batted with responsibility, taking the game deep, not playing loose shots under pressure of the rising asking rate. They targeted Afghanistan bowler, young paceman Karim Janat, got 21 off him and were within nine runs of a win that clearly would have meant so much to them that Mahmudullah animatedly applauded each of the five boundaries Mushfiqur Rahim hit in the 19th over.But yet again, Bangladesh failed to finish the job. Admittedly not favourites in T20I cricket, Bangladesh’s short history has been full of near upsets. They hadn’t prepared well for the World T20 in 2016 but they played the perfect game for 39.2 overs to push India to the brink of elimination. Then, heartbreak. It seemed there might be some redemption when they beat Sri Lanka in a close game in Colombo earlier this year but a familiar tale in a close finish repeated itself when Dinesh Karthik beat them again in the final of that tournament.Now, after having lost another series and under fire from the BCB bosses, the players were so close to salvaging something from this tour when Mushfiqur mistimed the last ball and Shafiqullah pulled of a sensational stop at long-on to deny them. Losing close matches again and again has got to take a mental toll on the side, and, the captain, Shakib Al Hasan, agreed.”It will be hard for me to answer,” he said. “I have never batted or bowled in those situations. I think the batsmen or bowlers will describe it better. I think it is a mental block, which we have not been able to overcome till now.”Bangladesh needed nine runs off the last over, bowled by the great Rashid Khan, but had two set batsmen at the wicket. Shakib agreed that you should pull games off when you have fought your way into such situations, but he also knew the last over was not where the game or the series was really lost. He was harsh on his side. “We haven’t played well in any of the three departments,” he said.When asked what they had to do to improve, Shakib said, “We need to bat, bowl and field better. I think we failed in all three departments. We didn’t bat to our potential. We could have bowled better except for today’s match. Body language and fielding, we were struggling. I have seen our team when we fielded really well, but that body language and effort wasn’t there.An addition to Bangladesh’s problems was two run-outs in one over when two different strikers failed to respect the non-striker’s call. On both occasions the ball was hit to short fine leg. First Liton Das sent back Soumya Sarkar, whose call it was, and then Mushfiqur gave the same treatment to Das.”One run-out is often enough to derail an innings so to have two in three balls was a huge setback,” Shakib said. “I think credit is due for Mushfiqur and [Mahmudullah] Riyad . We’d have felt better had we won this game. It is always harder to lose a close game. But we didn’t play well throughout the series as a team.”Bangladesh now need to find a way to close out these tight finishes or improve in other fields so that they don’t often find themselves in such tight spots.

Plays of the Day for the second day of the second Test at the SSC

Sidharth Monga at the SSC27-Jul-2010Great partnership, part I
During the course of their 193-run stand, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene overtook the combination of Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting to become the second-most prolific partnership between non-openers. By the time they were separated, they took their tally to 4798, behind only the 5993 that the Sachin Tendulkar-Rahul Dravid combination has added, in 42 more innings and at an average which is 12 runs lesser.Great partnership, part II
That great minds think alike was manifested when Sangakkara and Jayawardene thought of running on the same part of the pitch in the 111th over. They ran into each other, but a major collision was avoided. Not sure if the Indians had any energy left to laugh at it, though.Harper and his body parts
During Sri Lanka’s chase in the first Test, Daryl Harper copped one smack on the chest when he couldn’t get out of the way of a pull from Tillakaratne Dilshan. During the second Test, he was spotted showing his badly bruised chest to a Sri Lankan batsman. It wasn’t a pretty sight. Today, a throw from M Vijay got the umpire on the back side. Spare us the details this time, Daryl.Dhoni gets Jayawardene, finally
India needed something out of the ordinary to unsettle Jayawardene and get his wicket. That had not happened until MS Dhoni lobbed a throw back to the bowler, and managed to hit Jayawardene, softly, on his head. That did the trick, and soon Jayawardene lobbed one to midwicket. That also earned the Indian fielders a mercy declaration.Harbhajan gets a wicket
Stop the press. That Jayawardene wicket was also Harbhajan’s first of the series, in 449 deliveries spread over three innings.The SSC stats dossier
Jayawardene extended his own record for most runs at a venue, taking his tally at the SSC to 2641 runs at 82.53. He also broke Sir Don Bradman’s record of nine centuries at the MCG the most at a venue – with his 10th at the SSC. Sangakkara who made 219, took his tally to 1822 at 72.88, also scoring his seventh century here. Thilan Samaraweera was not to be left behind; by virtue of staying unbeaten, he took his average here to 81.93, and the runs-tally to 1229 in just 14 Tests.Welcome to Test cricket, son
If you are a spinner on debut, you don’t want to be bowling your first delivery to Virender Sehwag, who has scant respect for the breed. Suraj Randiv’s first act in Test cricket was to be cut away for a four, first ball, and then go for another four through the off side in the same over. As soon as he put a fielder deep on the off side, Sehwag dropped it into the off side and took another single.

The Sri Lanka captain had been suspended from the third and final Test of Sri Lanka’s tour of the West Indies

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jun-20181:40

Arnold: Chandimal’s was a genuine mistake

Dinesh Chandimal has appealed against ICC match referee Javagal Srinath’s decision to find him guilty of ball-tampering during the second Test against West Indies in St Lucia. Chandimal was suspended from the third and final Test of the series.*Later on Thursday, the ICC appointed chairman of the ICC Code of Conduct Commission, Michael Beloff QC, as the judicial commissioner to hear Chandimal’s appeal. The ICC release said, the “hearing will take place on June 22, and, legal counsel for both parties and Chandimal will join via telephone or videoconference.” It gives Chandimal a chance of participating in the third Test that begins on June 23 in Bridgetown, if the punishment is overturned.Chandimal had been charged by the ICC after video evidence indicated that he applied saliva to the ball shortly after putting what the ICC suggested was a sweet into his mouth. He pleaded not guilty, before attending the hearing where Srinath handed Chandimal the maximum punishment available under the code – two suspension points and a fine of 100% of his match fee.Chandimal’s appeal is likely to hinge on what he put in his mouth. One of the probable contentions is that Chandimal had a number of things in his pocket during the day, including cough lozenges (which you cannot apply to the ball) but also almonds, and he does not remember which of those things he put into his mouth in this particular clip.This, the Sri Lankan team feels, is different from the ICC’s framing of Chandimal’s defence. Upon suspending Chandimal for a Test, Srinath had said in the ICC release: “Dinesh admitted to putting something in his mouth but couldn’t remember what it was, which I found unconvincing as a defence and the fact remains it was an artificial substance.”Chandimal’s defence is likely to contend that there was no way the ICC could possibly know that it was a substance capable of altering the condition of the ball, because the video evidence does not make it clear what the substance was.The argument, essentially, is that the ICC does not have sufficient evidence to find Chandimal guilty of tampering. This has been one of Sri Lanka’s assertions from the beginning.*1600hrs The story was updated after the ICC appointed a judicial commissioner for Chandimal’s appeal

Arsenal did not need the services of Bukayo Saka as they beat Ipswich to close the gap on Liverpool at the top of the Premier League on Friday night.

The Gunners recorded a comfortable 1-0 win over the Tractor Boys, dominating proceedings at the Emirates.

It was a classic case of attack vs defence for the most part in North London. Aside from an instant Ipswich chance, Arsenal kept their opponents at bay, drawing them in before playing around them and creating several chances.

The first half saw the Suffolk side camped in their own box, withstanding wave after wave from Mikel Arteta's men.

Their resilience lasted until the 23rd minute when Kai Havertz netted the opener, firing in from a Leandro Trossard cross on the left-hand side.

Arsenal thought they had a second in the 34th minute after Gabriel Jesus scored from an impossible angle, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

The second half was a much closer affair, with Ipswich coming out and having a go at the Gunners.

Declan Rice and Havertz both went close while Gabriel missed a sitter from point-blank range after getting on the end of a corner.

After a few changes from Arteta, the hosts regained total control in the latter stages and were more than deserving of the three points which will see them go six points behind leaders Liverpool.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (8/10):

  Rarely had to touch the ball but was composed when he did have it at his feet, playing around the Ipswich press inside his own box.

  Jurrien Timber (8/10):

  Was aggressive going forward and added an extra man in attack for the Gunners as they looked to break down a deep Tractor Boys defence, had a couple of efforts well saved for good measure.

  William Saliba (8/10):

  Performed to his usual standard alongside Gabriel and was rarely called into defensive action at the Emirates.

  Gabriel (8/10):

  Proved to be a big threat from set pieces and found himself in the attacking third a few times as Arsenal asserted their dominance in North London.

  Myles Lewis-Skelly (9/10):

  Excelled at left-back and looked like a staple of Mikel Arteta's team. Proved once again why the Hale End Academy is one of the best in Europe.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Martin Odegaard (7/10):

  Showed a little bit of rust under the lights but still orchestrated most of Arsenal's attacks and ensured his side played at their usual tempo.

  Declan Rice (7/10):

  Aside from a few overhit diagonals, the England international was pretty tidy. He flashed a shot over the bar in the first half and swept up any chance Ipswich had of hitting the Gunners on the counter attack.

  Kai Havertz (8/10):

  Worked well back in a midfield role and played off the shoulder of Gabriel Jesus to good effect. Scored a well-deserved goal and proved why he is the club's top goalscorer this season.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Gabriel Martinelli (7/10):

  Covered in the right-hand side in the absence of Bukayo Saka and although he was not as effective as the Englishman, was still a handful for Leif Davis all night.

  Gabriel Jesus (8/10):

  Has been a revelation for Arsenal since returning to form and was unlucky to have a goal ruled out. Worked hard in both halves and helped lead the team to an important victory

  Leandro Trossard (7/10):

  Played the ball across the box for Havertz's goal and proved his worth in the starting XI.

• AFP
  

  Subs & Manager

  Mikel Merino (7/10):

  Arteta introduced him to regain control of the match in the second half which the Spaniard did to good effect.

  Thomas Partey (N/A):

  Was used as fresh legs to replace Rice for the final few minutes.

  Mikel Arteta (8/10):

  Recognised that he needed to make changes at 1-0 in the second half and both substitutions had an impact as Arsenal held out for the win.

Bangladesh team director feels that the players shouldn’t be allowed to pick and choose the formats as they wish

Mohammad Isam07-May-2022Khaled Mahmud, the Bangladesh team director, feels Mustafizur Rahman should not have been allowed to pick and choose the formats he wished to play, as it has led to a fast-bowling vacuum in the Test side. Mustafizur is currently playing in the IPL for Delhi Capitals, having taken eight wickets in as many matches this season.Ahead of this year’s IPL, the BCB gave Mustafizur the clearance to play in the tournament even when Bangladesh were playing Tests in South Africa.It wasn’t a topic of particular interest at the time because Bangladesh had already won the ODI series, and they still had Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam around. While there has been debate about who decides on the format, the BCB president Nazmul Hassan has been saying since mid-2021 that the centrally contracted Bangladesh players will be allowed to pick and choose their formats, regardless of their experience.It started as a verbal promise last year, and the players have since signed the 2022 contracts by providing their choice of format in some cases. Mustafizur was given the IPL No Objection Certificate (NOC) this season after the Bangladesh selectors didn’t pick him in the squads for the South Africa and Sri Lanka Tests. Mustafizur has not played a Test since February last year, having taken just four wickets in the last four years.”(BCB president Nazmul Hassan) Papon said that the players can discuss which format they want to play but this was only applicable to the senior players, not all players,” Mahmud said in a press briefing at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.”Would it be okay if (Mahmudul Hasan) Joy said that he doesn’t want to play Tests? How old is Mustafiz? How long has he been playing for? He is not Shakib, Tamim, Mashrafe or Mushfiq. These players have provided service for many years. I don’t know why Mustafiz doesn’t want to play Tests. The board should decide which format a player plays.”Shakib and Tamim are 34-35 years old. They deserve breaks. But Litton Das doesn’t need breaks. When he becomes Shakib or Tamim, I will say that he deserves rest. Mustafiz must play Tests. It is his peak time. I am not saying he should play all the Tests but he should definitely be available for six to eight matches per year. I used to hear that he doesn’t want to play due to bio-bubbles, but now things have changed so that can’t be an excuse anymore. If Taskin and Shoriful can play (Tests), he should too.”Capitals are currently just outside the top four with four games remaining in the league stage, so Mustafizur will be available for them till May 21 at the very least. There’s still no movement from the BCB or the selectors to bring him into the Test side, but Mahmud said that with Taskin Ahmed already out of the Sri Lanka series due to a shoulder injury and Shoriful Islam’s availability still subject to a fitness test, the home side are missing out on their best bowler, regardless of the format.”With Taskin injured, one of our main bowlers is out. Shoriful could be injured any time soon. Both Taskin and Shoriful are injury-prone bowlers. In that case we need Mustafiz who, when you consider his experience, skills, technique and tactics, is Bangladesh’s best fast bowler. Mustafiz would have provided balance to the side.”There’s a lot of cricket in the three formats so everyone needs time off. Taskin and Shoriful also deserve rest. When we have enough bowlers, we probably won’t need Mustafiz in this format but till then he should provide support. He is dangerous in white-ball cricket but I also know that he can be a handful with the red ball too.”Mahmud came down strongly on Mustafizur’s commitment towards red-ball cricket and Bangladesh, but also felt that someone should have gotten in touch with him to clarify the situation.”He might get two or four crores in the IPL, but isn’t cricket bigger than the money? Isn’t the country bigger than money? We never played for money. Now a cricketer needs the BCB’s help when he is dying. (Mustafizur) won’t need the BCB (in that situation). They can themselves help others (financially). Why won’t I want to play for Bangladesh?”Cricket board means Mustafiz, and Mustafiz means the cricket board. They are both in the same place. There’s no distance. Maybe nobody spoke to him.”

Liverpool have opened negotiations with Napoli over a possible loan deal for struggling winger Federico Chiesa.

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• Chiesa wanted back home in Italy
• Liverpool tipped to sanction loan
• Winger could still have Anfield future

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Napoli are keen on Chiesa are are expected to make an offer to take the Italian winger on loan for the remainder of the season. Liverpool are claimed to have already agreed to letting him go temporarily, with the idea of taking him back ahead of 2025-26, following a meeting between the club and agent Fali Ramadani. Contact has since been established with coach Antonio Conte and president Aurelio De Laurentiis at Napoli.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chiesa was Liverpool's only signing of the summer following Jurgen Klopp's departure, joining from Juventus for an initial £10 million ($12.4m). He had previously been one of the stars of Italy's Euro 2020 triumph, but suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the start of 2022 and has continued to struggle with fitness issues. That may explain why Juventus were willing to take such a substantial loss only two years after signing him permanently.

  A muscle injury that ruled the 27-year-old out for two months earlier in the campaign has been primarily responsible for limiting him to just 123 minutes spanning four appearances in Liverpool colours.

• WHAT ARNE SLOT SAID

  "With Federico, I've said it many times already, we are working on two things," Liverpool boss Arne Slot reasoned when Chiesa was left out of the machday squad to face West Ham last weekend. "We are working on his match fitness and whenever we can we try to bring him with the team. He was on the bench during the week and we thought it was better for him to have some extra training sessions instead of joining us. It's the constant balance we have to find between getting him fitter and letting him join the team."

• Getty/GOAL
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Liverpool wouldn't miss Chiesa in the second half of the season given how little he has played for the club so far and how well they have done across multiple competitions. But in a scenario where Mohamed Salah could feasibly leave Anfield at the end of the season, it makes sense to put Chiesa into an environment where he he regain fitness and confidence so that he can return to Liverpool next season a different player.

Chelsea only have four points from a possible nine to start their Premier League campaign under Enzo Maresca, but the Blues have shown glimpses of a prosperous future.

Spirited in defeat against Manchester City on the opening day, dazzling in victory at Molineux, winning 6-2 amid masterclasses from Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke, and unlucky during last weekend’s draw against Crystal Palace, fizzling out after a blistering start, there are signs of a promising project in development.

Maresca will be displeased with his side’s loss of control during the second half against the Eagles, but the frontline continues to purr, and Madueke looks like he’s shaping into a real menace on the right flank.

Noni Madueke's start to the season

Chelsea signed Madueke from Dutch team PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, welcoming the one-time Tottenham Hotspur youngster for a £29m fee.

He might have burst into life this term but Madueke hasn’t had it easy since his arrival, joining at a turbulent time and failing to quite hit the ground, with Spanish media musing that he was seeking a way out of the club in December 2023.

Last season, he grew in stature under Mauricio Pochettino’s leadership and was once hailed as a “mentality monster” by personal coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, something that has served him well in biding his time and rising to the fore at Stamford Bridge.

As per FBref, his newfound goalscoring quality has seen him rise to rank among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored, at a rate of 0.53 per 90.

Moreover, he also ranks among the top 7% for pass completion, the top 4% for progressive carries and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90, emphasising the technical and progressive properties that have won Maresca over, convinced the Italian to entrust him with a crucial role.

It’s indeed quite the show of faith for Maresca to have pushed Sterling toward the exit while continuing to promote Madueke’s skillset, with the 29-year-old joining Arsenal on a season-long loan.

Of course, Jadon Sancho was brought in soon after, with the fleet-footed winger hoping for a big resurgence after falling by the wayside with Manchester United.

Why Chelsea signed Jadon Sancho

With Sterling gone, Chelsea wanted to complete their bulging frontline with something of a like-for-like change, and while some have questioned the necessity of the deal, a long move with an option to buy for just £25m could prove to be a masterful piece of business from the Blues.

The England international, aged 24, is only three years on from signing for Man United in a £73m transfer, but he’s only scored nine times in the Premier League and spent the latter half of last season back on loan with Dortmund given his fractured relationship with Erik ten Hag.

So why did Chelsea sign him? And does Maresca believe that he can rekindle the dynamic player’s qualities, recapture the prodigious potential that had led to him being lauded as a “phenomenon” by talent scout Jacek Kulig?

Chelsea’s first team would have been just fine without the ace, but bosses viewed the possible venture as an opportunistic move. After all, Sancho has scored 53 goals and claimed 67 assists across 158 matches for the Yellow Wall.

He will not be overburdened by responsibility in west London and can focus on his football. He’s not the only Chelsea man in need of a resurgence this year, however, with Reece James the most lucrative name in Maresca’s ranks to be hoping for a return to the fore.

Why Reece James could still be Chelsea's main man

James joined Chelsea for a grand total of nothing, scoring on his debut against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup, as a 19-year-old, during a 7-1 romping.

He’s one of the club’s most talented players and was handed the captain’s armband in August 2023, having joined the club’s academy aged six. James’ fortunes since have not been auspicious, for he has been ravaged by injuries and pulled from his one-time position at the height of the game.

As you will see below, James is utterly mesmerising when fit and performing at his best, and Chelsea could certainly do with his skillset readily available throughout the campaign.

Not only is he a devastating attacking outlet, but James also enjoyed the defensive side of the game, wrecking his opponent’s offensive efforts, using his stocky frame and athleticism to outwrestle and dispossess.

According to Transfermarkt, James is still worth £34m despite his recent woes, meaning that he is actually worth more than both Madueke and Sancho, who are valued at £24m and £26m, respectively.

It’s worth noting that less than two years ago that value stood tall at £59m, and were it not for his injury misfortune, would perhaps stretch loftier still.

Malo Gusto, 21, is an excellent prospect and impresses when he takes to the pitch for Chelsea, but he’s no James, who offers a distinctive sheen to complement his leadership ability.

Trevoh Chalobah once called the 24-year-old “one of the best in the world”, and it’s clear to see why. Chelsea are at the foundational phase of a new era but need experience and true quality to complement the exciting potential filtering through.

One hailed as an “absolute superstar” by The Athletic’s Liam Twomey, James could be the difference-maker for Maresca this season, and if he can utilise the ongoing international break as a final period of convalescence ahead of a return to full fitness, Chelsea might just restore the talisman to inspire them to heights unseen in several years now.

Chelsea have a 16 y/o rising star who could become their answer to Osimhen

Chelsea have a young superstar striker already in their ranks.

By
Connor Holden

Sep 6, 2024

Leeds United are set to be busy in the final days of the transfer window as they target a whole host of new faces before the August 30th deadline, and now an update on their plans has emerged.

Farke working with a thin Leeds squad

After two games of the Championship season, few would have predicted Daniel Farke's side to be without a win, but after two draws they find themselves down in 16th and four points off the very early pace set by Burnley, Sunderland and Watford.

They also exited the Carabao Cup in the first round, falling to a tame 3-0 defeat to Middlesbrough in front of a restless Elland Road that threatens to turn sour if results don't pick up soon.

It comes off the back of a difficult summer, which has seen them lose over 10 players and take in more than £100m from sales, only to sign four as replacements.

That includes a trio of stars from last season in the shape of Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Archie Gray, all of whom have been snapped up by Premier League clubs.

It means that as things stand, Leeds have a squad of just 19 players for Farke to choose from. Those 19 consist of three centre-backs to cover two positions, one recognised right back, three midfielders to cover two positions, one attacking midfielder and no recognised left-winger, while there are question marks over several members of the squad.

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Farke outlined that he wanted at least four new faces following their draw with West Brom on Saturday. "We would need cover at full-back, in midfield and two offensive positions. Cannot guarantee we will get all of these, but four is roughly what I would like to see."

Now, one report has provided further insight into the 49ers Enterprises' plans for the final days of the window.

Three positions targeted for Leeds United

That comes courtesy of journalist Pete O'Rourke, who claims that Leeds are eyeing up three positions as a matter of urgency.

Writing for Football Insider, he revealed that a left-back is a priority at the club, with backup to Junior Firpo thin on the ground.

Farke is "prioritising a new signing on the left side of his defence", it is claimed, with the Leeds boss looking for a long-term replacement for Firpo, who is out of contract at the end of the current campaign.

Additionally, they are "also prioritising deals for a striker and winger to replace the output of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter," who contributed a combined 49 goals and assists last season.

That return will be hard for any new signings to match, but the Yorkshire side have been linked with moves for Sunderland's Jack Clarke and more recently Burnley forward Manuel Benson as they look to try and achieve it.

It will be a crucial few days for Leeds though, with their current squad depth arguably unlikely to be able to even challenge for the play-offs over the course of the season, let alone the automatic promotion spots that their fans expect to be battling for.