Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared some Tottenham Hotspur transfer news as Spurs cast their eyes on an "interesting" £39m star
Spurs striker targets
The departure of star forward and club-record goalscorer Harry Kane has scarcely been noticed so far. Instead of suffering without their former talisman, Spurs have reinvented themselves as a more fluid attacking team, with new captain Son Heung-min thriving in a more central role. Tottenham, after their latest 2-1 win on Friday night, have extended their unbeaten run to 10 games; winning eight of them in a real statement to the rest of the Premier League.
New manager Ange Postecoglou is seemingly transforming the club, and things haven't looked better than this for quite a long time. However, despite thriving without a traditional number nine of Kane's ilk, there have been suggestions that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and incoming new transfer chief Johan Lange could still sign a new striker next year.
Tottenham are interested in Brentford's Ivan Toney, for instance, who looks set to become one of the hottest commodities in English football once he returns from his ban for alleged gambling breaches. Spurs are eyeing Feyenoord forward Santiago Gimenez as well, according to recent reports, with one agent even saying this week that Spurs are among the "closest" sides to getting him.
Gimenez really "interesting" Tottenham
Now, a very reliable transfer source in Romano has shared his own update on the matter. While he confirms that Gimenez is being watched by Spurs, things don't appear as advanced as previously suggested. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the journalis backs that he's a player really "interesting" Postecoglou's side. Romano also says that Gimenez could leave for just £39 million.
Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez.
“We know very well that many top clubs around Europe are keeping an eye on the boy,” said Romano.
“From what I’m hearing, something around €45million (£39million) could be the right fee to make it happen. Let’s see if (it’s) in the January window or in the summer window it depends on Feyenoord, more than on the player. The interest of many clubs is there. I think we saw Tottenham linked, because from what I’m told, Tottenham scouts have been following the player already last year.
“While they were following the manager (Slot) they saw that Santi Gimenez is absolutely a very good striker. So Santi Gimenez for sure is a player interesting for Tottenham, but also for many other clubs around Europe, and this is why decisions will be made in the next months. But at the moment, no statement from people close to the player and the only person (handling his transfer business) is the father.”
The 22-year-old has stood out as one of Europe's most in-form strikers this season. Scoring 13 goals and notching a further three assists, his tender age and pedigree could make his reported £39 million valuation a price really worth paying. Gimenez's departure from the Netherlands is surely one to watch as we head into 2024.
Saha, who hurt his thumb during the IPL, is likely to miss at least part of India’s five-Test series in England, with Karthik likely to replace him in the team
Nagraj Gollapudi15-Jul-2018Wriddhiman Saha is understood to not have fully recovered from his thumb injury and hence is likely to miss at least part of India’s five-Test series in England beginning in August. Saha, who hurt his left thumb while playing in the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad, not only missed majority of the second leg of the tournament including the final but also the one-off Test against Afghanistan in June.Dinesh Karthik, who took Saha’s spot and kept wicket against Afghanistan, is likely to retain the spot. Karthik is already part of India’s limited-overs squad for the UK tour and should play as the wicketkeeper-batsman for the first Test starting at Edgbaston from August 1.Rahane, Vijay to play against English Lions
Some of the India Test players who are expected to be part of the squad have already arrived in England this week. ESPNcricinfo understands vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and opener M Vijay will feature in the India A match against England Lions, which begins at New Road (Worcester) from July 16. Meanwhile, the England selectors have named a strong Lions XI, featuring six international players: Alastair Cook, Dawid Malan, Chris Woakes, Dom Bess, Jack Leach and Sam Curran, to take on India A.
While ruling out Saha for the Afghanistan Test, the BCCI had said that his recovery would take five-six weeks. The Afghanistan Test started on June 14, and by the BCCI estimate Saha would be fit by the end of July. Although the BCCI has not issued any fitness update on Saha, the selectors as well as the India team management will want him to not just test his fitness but also his match-readiness.The only chance Saha would have had to do that would come during the four-day warm-up match against Essex, which starts on July 25 in Chelmsford. In all probability, Karthik will test himself in that game, which is likely to feature all the Test specialists.It is not clear who would be the back-up keeper for Karthik in case Saha is ruled out. If Saha does recover and misses only a match or two, then he could even come in as the reserve keeper. Otherwise that spot is likely to go to Parthiv Patel, who played in the Test series earlier this year in South Africa.India started their UK tour with the limited-overs series against Ireland and England, the last game of which, the final ODI, will be played in Leeds on July 17. It is understood that the BCCI will announce the India Test squad after ODI series against England.
Manchester United will be hoping their season can finally get off the ground following the international break as they welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to Old Trafford this afternoon.
Erik ten Hag isn’t under pressure yet, but if his team carry on in the same fashion which has seen them secure just two wins from four Premier League matches, the Dutchman will soon start to feel the heat.
Summer signing Rasmus Hojlund made his first appearance for the club against Arsenal two weeks ago, and he could well be in line for his first start today.
Will Rasmus Hojlund start for Manchester United vs Brighton?
Having joined the Red Devils for a fee of £72m from Atalanta, the Danish striker took a few weeks to make his debut due to a back injury, but the United faithful will be hoping he is ready to hit the ground running from now on.
The 20-year-old netted 16 goals throughout the 2022/23 campaign and emerged as one of the most highly-rated young talents on the continent.
Rasmus Hojlund
He did play just 23 minutes against the Gunners, yet the club clearly need a change up front and there is no doubt he could offer more than Anthony Martial – who has scored just 11 league goals across the last three seasons combined.
The key question for Ten Hag is, who will he deploy on the right wing alongside him, especially with Antony missing the tie.
Could Alejandro Garnacho replace Antony?
The talented Argentinian first began to make an impression for the Old Trafford side last season, enjoying a breakthrough campaign in which he made 34 appearances across all competitions, registering ten goal contributions – five goals and five assists – all before he turned 19 years of age.
The youngster primarily operates on the left wing yet is capable of performing on the opposite flank when required, and it’s clear that Ten Hag may need him to step in for Antony for the foreseeable future.
Hailed as a “game-changer” by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst back in January, the 19-year-old could give the United attack something different and a partnership of him and Hojlund could be the catalyst that kick-starts their season.
The winger has started two out of their four games this term and has averaged 51 minutes per game, impressing in flashes, particularly against Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite suffering a 2-0 defeat to Ange Postecoglou’s men, Garnacho attempted three shots at goal, made one key pass and succeeded with 50% of his dribble attempts as he sought to create something for United during the tie.
He started on the bench against the Gunners, yet after coming on with just six minutes left, it looked as though he had netted the winner, running onto a Marcus Rashford pass and slotting the ball past Aaron Ramsdale.
The £50k-per-week teenager had strayed just offside however and the effort was ruled out, with Arsenal subsequently going on to score two late goals of their own, but it’s evident that the youngster offers a major attacking threat.
Ten Hag has no choice but to deploy him today and if he performs well, he could very well prove the long-term solution in that right-wing berth.
The opener’s series in the Caribbean has been characterised by a number of starts but no major score
Daniel Brettig in Port-of-Spain18-Apr-2012Ed Cowan is learning the hard lesson that international cricket requires an international method. Over six Tests, Cowan is yet to play in anything other than a winning Australian team, and has contributed a series of middling scores that have neither defined him as a “walking wicket”, nor gone on to the kinds of totals that won him a place in the Test XI in the first place. To his frustration, he has found it difficult to go on from his carefully compiled starts, and is also wrestling with the fact that two of his most productive shots down under – the pull and the cut – are seldom able to be used with confidence on the low, slow pitches of the Caribbean.On the fourth day of the Trinidad Test Cowan had a dose of good fortune, dropped at slip early from the bowling of Fidel Edwards. He looked safe against the spin of Shane Shillingford, employing the sweep to decent effect. But he was again undone by the speed and line of Kemar Roach, burning his second referral of the match before again departing lbw, and left with some chastening thoughts about how he must improve. The question of whether the national selectors give him the chance to improve is an open one, with eight months separating this series from the home matches against South Africa.”It’s very different to batting back home,” Cowan said of the Caribbean. “It’s been a great experience I guess to play in such foreign conditions. You build your game up to play a certain way back home and I’ve played my entire career playing in Australian conditions so I’ve had to make a few minor adjustments to try to grind out runs however I best see fit over here.”I feel like certain aspects of my game already have improved, for example, playing against off-spin. I feel like I’ve found a way that can now work here and in the sub-continent and you don’t have to do that back home because there aren’t that many wickets that turn. At the same time, my go-to shots, the cut shot and the pull shot, aren’t really in the game either so I’ve got to find a way to score runs elsewhere.”As for the starts, Cowan said he was doubly frustrated by the fact that he has continually played himself in only to be out before breaking into more meaningful scoring territory. He said he had felt clear-headed at the crease and was not filled with dread the moment he reached 20 – though his sequence of scores across this series and at times against India would suggest otherwise.”It’s frustrating, to state the obvious. It’s something I’ve prided myself on in first class cricket – If I get a start, I tend to go on with it; if I get to 30, I get a hundred, so it’s been very frustrating,” Cowan said. “On the flip side, it feels that it’s nice to know you can consistently get in. And if your worse days are 20s and 30s and you start turning them into really good days, you start turning into a really good player.”So I don’t feel like I’m going out there as a walking wicket and that I’m going to get knocked over. So that’s good. I feel like I’m not only good enough to be playing at this level but contributing. And dominating on my good days, it hasn’t quite worked out yet. You need slices of luck and coming up today against a guy who was bowling pretty well. So that’s the game of cricket.”It’s frustrating to get through what’s the hardest time of batting and then to get out when the ball is getting softer. I think in these conditions to ground out 40 or 50 is a bloody good day. To grind out 20 doesn’t look but it still feels like you’ve given some contribution to the team, not just taken the shine off the ball for the other blokes. I’m probably more frustrated about getting in and then getting out that anything else. I feel like my game is in good order. There’s a big difference between being out of runs and out of form and I feel a little bit out of runs.”Cowan’s use of two referrals for the match has not been at any great cost to Australia so far, but it has raised the question of who is best placed to judge them on the batting side. The batsman himself must fight conflicting notions of reason and self-preservation, while the non-striker, however helpful he wants to be, is not in line with the wickets so can be wide of the mark in his estimation of lbw decisions in particular. Cowan suggested the narrow margins for error provided by the DRS had encouraged batsmen to second-guess decisions they had previously considered to be out on instinct.”It felt pretty close, as it turned out,” Cowan said of the second innings. “We’ve seen on the referrals sometimes it felt like it would have been slipping down leg. Even seeing the replay, until that ball straightened from the angle he was on, it probably was missing leg. It’s a great skill to be able to bowl from wide on the crease, around the wicket. It just felt like it was missing leg. I can’t really see the last half a foot of what the ball does but it certainly hit the seam and straightened down the line but if it didn’t it would have been missing leg.”Everyone’s played enough cricket to know if you’re hit on the pad you have that feeling deep inside ‘gee that’s pretty close’. Even from my own experience in the first innings it felt pretty adjacent but it’s half a ball width and the umpire to say not out initially and it’s not out. I think we’re finding with the review system that the margin for error what we consider to be out – even Michael Clarke to Shillingford in the first innings, he just said it felt out. That feeling of ‘I’m out’, I think the DRS is showing that not always is it out. With that in mind if you think you’re out, review it.”
The 2024 Olympics in Paris are right around the corner, and the world eagerly await the games. Football now takes centre stage, with many nations vying for that famous gold medal.
While it is technically an u23s tournament, each nation is allowed three ‘wildcards’ who are older, think Neymar in 2016 during the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
The tournament has become an opportunity for younger players to show what they’re made of.
The qualifiers aren’t over just yet, with South America and Asia yet to find out which countries will be attending. Despite that, we at Football Fancast wanted to take a look at the top 15 players who could feature at the 2024 Olympics.
Mo Salah (Egypt)
Forward, 31
Mo Salah needs no introduction, he’s the biggest thing to happen to Egypt since the Sues Canal. With his country’s qualification for the 2024 Olympics, he is no doubt rubbing his hands together at the opportunity of winning that gold medal.
Unfortunately, he’s not as young as he used to be, and Liverpool may not be too happy to let him go to the tournament, it would of course disrupt his pre-season, but don’t be surprised if you see him there are one of Egypt’s ‘wildcards’.
Christian Pulisic (USA)
Winger, 25
Captain America himself has been in terrific form since he swapped London for Milan last summer. He’s re-established himself as America’s great hope, the man that could finally lead the men’s team to some semblance of glory.
Pulisic is one of those players that feels like they’ve been around forever. He’s 25 now, so he would be classed as a ‘wildcard’, but the USA take the Olympics seriously. If they have any interest in getting their hands on a gold medal, Pulisic is a must.
Pedri (Spain)
Midfielder, 20
This one might be a little unlikely, especially given his injury woes so far this season, but Barcelona midfielder Pedri might be the man to take Spain all the way.
His talent is undeniable, the Catalan club have a real diamond on their hands, and since he’s only 20, Spain would still have plenty of options for a wildcard.
His club will likely be the priority however, and he’s already played a lot of football since he burst onto the scene a few years ago. If he’s fit, and Barcelona are willing to let him go, Spain would have to be considered one of the favourites.
Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)
Winger, 30
Much like their North African counterparts Egypt, the 2024 Olympics are a huge opportunity for Morocco to show the world that their a force to be reckoned with. There is no better man than Ziyech to help them with that mission.
He’s had his ups and downs with the national team, even retiring from international football at one point after falling out with then manager Vahid Halihodzic, but he’s back and raring to go.
Another player free from the shackles of Chelsea’s bench, we’re sure he’d want to remind people what he can do.
Mykhailo Mudryk (Ukraine)
Winger, 22
When the 2024 Olympics kick off, Chelsea’s Ukrainian winger Mudryk will be 23 years old, meaning he would have to be considered a ‘wildcard’, but they’d be crazy not to take him if they can.
It’s fair to say he’s had a slow start to his career at Chelsea since moving for a reported £88.5 million in January 2023, but his talent is undeniable. He is rapid beyond belief, and on his day can cause any defender immense trouble.
His time with the Ukrainian national team has recently been a happy distraction from club life. He’s playing well for them. Let’s hope for their sake Chelsea will let him join.
Kylian Mbappe (France)
Forward, 24
The 2024 Olympics are of course being held in Paris. It would be crazy if Mbappe wasn’t there, right? He would undoubtedly be the biggest name at the tournament, and his involvement will give the games a crazy amount of publicity.
Mbappe himself has said that it’s “a child’s dream” to play at the Olympic games. His club future in Paris might be up in the air, but it feels like a certainty that he’ll be at the Olympics.
Whether he’s at Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain once it kicks off, Mbappe should be one of France’s wildcards.
Enzo Fernandez (Argentina)
Midfielder, 22
The 2022 World Cup was a defining moment for Fernandez. He was integral to their system, and helped Lionel Messi finally get his hands on that coveted trophy. A role he was more than happy to play.
He has since moved to Chelsea for a reported £107 million, and has been a rare shining light in what has been a rough year for the London side. Both Chelsea and Argentina are better with him in the side.
Playing in the Olympics would hinder his pre-season at a very important time for the club, but his ability and leadership are exactly what this Argentina side need to win a gold medal.
Lee Kang-Inn (South Korea)
Midfielder, 22
Of course Son Heung-Min is still the golden boy, and he could too feature for South Korea at the Olympics, but we wanted to shine a light on the man who could become his heir.
We wouldn’t blame you if you weren’t aware of who Lee Kang-Inn was before he made his move to Paris Saint Germain from Mallorca in the summer, but since that big transfer, he’s become South Korea’s next big thing.
He’s featured heavily for his new club under manager Luis Henrique and has quickly built an on-field rapport with Mbappe. He’ll be hoping to beat his club mate to the gold medal in the summer.
Rayan Cherki (France)
Winger, 20
Lyon star Rayan Cherki
Lyon’s Cherki might be raw, but he has the potential to go very far. He has already been linked with a move away from France to the Premier League and was reportedly the subject of a bid from Chelsea in the summer.
The 2024 Olympics is the exact type of tournament Cherki should be looking to play in. Every iteration has that one player that blows people away, and Cherki could be that. Unfortunately for him, he plays in the same position as Mbappe, so it may depend on France’s tactics whether he makes the cut.
Gavi (Spain)
Midfielder, 19
Much like his Barcelona midfield partner, Pedri, Gavi has played a lot of football for someone so young. He’s been thrown in at the deep end at both club and country, but he’s proven time and time again he’s not scared of the water.
Not only does he have ridiculous technical ability, but he’s also not bothered about getting dirty, He’s the exact type of midfielder every team needs, and he would be a huge boost to Spain’s chances of getting gold.
Again, much like Pedri, Barcelona might be wary of letting him go.
Erik ten Hag will be pleased that his Manchester United side managed to secure just their second win of the season by a three-goal margin against Everton in the Premier League.
Despite a turbulent start to the season, the win has them currently sitting in sixth place in the table and just six points off the summit.
With a Champions League clash against Galatasaray on Wednesday, United know they need to win to stand any chance of progressing to the knockout stages.
This will be at the forefront of Ten Hag’s mind, but with the January transfer window fast approaching, he could be distracted by the numerous transfer links and interest that United have shown in a few players.
Another name has recently emerged as a potential new signing for the Dutchman, although this potential move may not occur until the end of the current campaign.
Man Utd transfer news
According to journalist Christian Falk from German news outlet BILD (via TEAMtalk), the Old Trafford side made an attempt to bring Bayern Munich star Thomas Müller to Manchester during the previous January transfer window, and could do so again in the next few weeks.
The 34-year-old is currently in the final year of his contract at Bayern, and it remains to be seen whether they extend this into the 2024/25 campaign.
The German has won everything there has to be won for his club, while also winning the World Cup for his country back in 2014 and there is no doubt he would bring a wealth of experience into the club, along with a serial winner mentality which is urgently required.
Is it really the sort of deal Sir Jim Ratcliffe wishes to be making, however? Indeed, according to the Guardian last month, Ratcliffe questioned United’s transfer policy during his visit to the club in March, and he was especially critical of the decision to bring Casemiro to the club for such a big fee, despite the player being in his 30s.
Muller is much older than the Brazilian and while he wouldn’t cost a transfer fee as such, he currently earns £340k-per-week at the Bundesliga side, and he would surely be expecting a similar weekly wage if he moved to the Premier League.
Muller is a wonderful player and was even dubbed “remarkable” by his then-coach for the German national side, Jurgen Klinsmann, during the 2014 World Cup, yet this move could have shades of Bastian Schweinsteiger about it from 2015…
Bastian Schweinsteiger’s statistics at Man United
Following a career laden with trophies at Bayern, the winger-turned-midfielder decided to try something new and joined the Red Devils in the summer of 2015 for a fee in the region of around £14.5m, which looked like a bargain at the time.
The German had made 500 appearances for the European superpower, winning the Champions League and eight Bundesliga titles since making his debut during the 2002/2003 season.
Over the next 13 years, he emerged as one of the best players in the league as he slowly moved from a naturally attacking position on the wing to a more central role and this worked well to his advantage, becoming a key player for club and country in this slot.
His move to England didn’t go well at all, however, as he struggled to make an impression in the starting XI. Indeed, he made only 35 appearances for the club with just 22 of them starts as he suffered numerous injury problems.
The midfielder missed 29 matches due to these issues and, less than two years since arriving in England, it was announced that the midfielder was moving to the MLS to join Chicago Fire.
It didn’t work out at all for the former midfielder and a move for Muller may just be a repeat of this disastrous move.
Thomas Müller’s statistics at Bayern Munich
It is difficult to really put a finger on just what position Muller is best at. The 34-year-old was dubbed the Raumdeuter a few years ago and this translates into the interpreter of space, meaning the German utilises his attacking skills and movement abilities to create plenty of space in and around the penalty area, making him so effective in an attacking sense.
Well, you don’t win the Golden Boot on your World Cup debut (five goals in 2010) without having some savvy in front of goal and Muller has been clinical throughout his whole career.
7
1
8
4
15
6
1.4
1.4
0.9
0.4
The 6 foot 1 dynamo has featured in nearly 700 matches for the German giants since making his debut way back in 2008, scoring 237 goals and registering 261 assists in the process, stunning figures.
Since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, however, his goalscoring antics have calmed down slightly, as he scored just eight times last term, while netting only twice in 14 matches during the current season.
In the German top flight this season, Muller ranks in a lowly 13th spot across the squad for shots on target per game (0.4) while also ranking seventh for key passes per game (1.7) and fifth for goals and assists (five), proving that he isn’t quite having the same impact as he has done in previous seasons.
Although Ten Hag is reportedly interested, what could Muller offer aside from that winner's mentality discussed previously?
He has been a wonderful player over the previous 15 years for both club and country, yet if he did sign for the Red Devils next summer, he would be turning 35 in September while also earning a staggering wage every week.
The Dutchman would be better off scouring the transfer market for young players who are yet to hit their peak and develop them into world-class talents, rather than sign an ageing gem who won't make as big an impact as desired.
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Schweinsteiger failed to really impress after moving from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, and he was two years younger than Muller.
Ratcliffe does look set to prioritise signing younger players over ones who are in their 30s, and it could well be one of the best things the club do with regard to improving their team.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have seen an abundance of talent grace Molineux over the years, with not many names as influential in recent times as those that contributed to Nuno Espirito Santo’s rise to glory as manager.
The Portuguese coach both unearthed and signed some star names in Wolverhampton during his four-year reign, including the dominating midfield duo of Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho.
The two midfielders, who were instrumental to the success of Nuno’s side, both bid farewell to the Midlands in the summer, with Moutinho’s contract expiring and former captain Neves opting to endeavour in a lucrative challenge in Saudi Arabia.
nuno-espirito-santo-wolves
Newly arriving manager Gary O’Neil has been handed the task, among a list of others, to seek the midfield pairing to encapsulate the quality of the duo before his tenure, with deadline day capture Jean-Ricner Bellegarde selected as one name to occupy the area.
This summer was a difficult climate for O’Neil, and Julen Lopetegui before him, to make the necessary transactions due to Wolves’ ongoing Financial Fair Play (FFP) restrictions, partly caused by the great expenditure in the 2022 window.
Bruno Lage smashed the Old Gold’s transfer record fee to welcome Matheus Nunes that year, in a deal worth £42m, however, the former Sporting CP star wasn’t the only midfield ace said to be on Lage’s radar at the time. Step forward, Enzo Fernandez.
Did Wolves nearly sign Enzo Fernandez?
According to reports in Argentina in June 2022, relayed by Express and Star, Wolves were linked with former River Plate sensation Fernandez, a player who would go on to steal the headlines in England in January 2023.
The report claimed that Mathew Hobbs, Wolves’ sporting director, had travelled to South America in the bid to explore a potential deal for the then 21-year-old talent.
enzo-fernandez-river-plate
It was added that the midfielder had a release clause at River Plate in the region of £17m, a slim price for the calibre of talent that the Old Gold could have acquired that window.
A separate report in Portugal even claimed that the Premier League side were close to signing the Argentine before he made the switch to Benfica the following month.
What happened to Enzo Fernandez?
As relayed by Molineux News, it was reportedly Jeff Shi who ‘decided against’ signing the midfielder, whose first choice was Benfica among the many interested clubs wanting to capture his signature.
Shi will forever regret not sealing a deal for Fernandez, if talks were as close as suggested by the media, with Benfica realising his worth instantaneously, slapping a €120m (£103m) release clause in his contract.
It was a well-thought decision to include a clause of such expense in the rising star’s deal, as the Eagles found out just six months after his arrival in Europe.
Enzo Fernandez Chelsea
Signed in July, and sold in January for a magnificent sum of profit, Fernandez finally made the move to England, as Chelsea coughed up a British-record fee at the time of £106.8m to welcome the Argentine to Stamford Bridge.
Benfica captured the midfielder for around €18m (£15.5m) in total (€10m fee plus €8m add-ons), and sold him not even a year down the line for almost 10x the price, telling of what Wolves could have had both financially, and quality wise, if they had remained in the race.
What is Enzo Fernandez’s market value now?
Previously lauded as a “phenomenon” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the World Cup winner has seen his market value soar over the years, aligning with his level of performance following his move to Europe.
At the time of his move to Portugal, the midfielder had an expected transfer value (xTV) generated by Football Transfers in the region of €16m (£13.8m), which has risen dramatically to the region of €100m (£86.5m), via CIES Football Observatory.
How much does Enzo Fernandez earn?
Other figures that have multiplied alongside his market value are his wages, with the San Martin-born whiz seeing his weekly wage rocket from £4k at River Plate, to £41.2k at Benfica, to then reach a high of £180k at Chelsea, via Capology.
From £209k-per-year to a remarkable package of £9.3m-per-year in less than two years of development, Fernandez has seen a fast rise in world football, and one that he deserves to relish as his level of quality stands out in most games he features in.
Why is Fernandez worth so much?
Over the past year, Fernandez has established himself as one of the best midfielders in Europe, carrying himself as a player with an innate and assured presence in the engine room thanks to his passing ability.
Such praise is supported by his numbers, with his passing averages placing him within the top percentiles of those in his position in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year.
As per FBref, the Argentine averages 10.10 progressive passes per 90, with such decimals placing him in the top 2% of that area, with him scoring particularly high in his average rate of attempted passes per 90, in which he averages 81.06, ranking him in the best 3%.
Compared statistically to renowned world stars such as Toni Kroos for his level of performance, Fernandez’s price tag seems to become more and more understandable with every game he plays, showcasing a high calibre at the age of just 22.
What could Enzo Fernandez have offered Wolves?
When considering the impact that the World Cup winner has had both domestically, and internationally on the squads he is a part of, it’s almost incomprehensible to think that Wolves could have snatched the orchestrator last summer.
Now that the likes of Neves and Moutinho have moved on, the Old Gold are missing the passing quality of the pair, which could have been resolved by acquiring Fernandez before his rise.
When comparing the former Wolves skipper’s numbers to those recorded by Fernandez in the Premier League last season, it’s clear to see just how much of a rocket Lage could have signed with reference to the calibre those at Molineux had become accustomed to.
As per FBref, Neves averaged 6.50 progressive passes and 0.83 progressive carries per 90 for the Midlands side in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign, as well as recording an average of 0.95 key passes per 90.
Such figures were blown out of the water by the Chelsea maestro during his first taste of English football, where he averaged 9.77 progressive passes and 1.28 progressive carries per 90 for the Blues, totalling an average of 1.16 key passes per 90, via FBref.
Former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.
Another area that the 22-year-old could have helped Wolves with is the financial gain they could have obtained if they were to have sold the midfielder on, in the same method that Benfica opted for.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, however not so much for Fosun in this case, who will be wallowing at the club’s decision to not pursue their interest in the World Cup-winning superstar.
Tom Moores, batting with a runner, struck 27 off one over from Simon Harmer as his do-or-die innings turned the match in Nottinghamshire’s favour
ECB Reporters Network22-Jun-2018
Tom Moores’ blitz changed the game•Getty Images
ScorecardA hobbling Tom Moores, batting with a runner, launched a blitz of sixes in a whirlwind 87 that enabled Nottinghamshire to set a beleaguered Essex a near-impossible target of 441 in 131 overs. Notts had four Essex batsmen back in the pavilion by the close.Moores, the 21-year-old son of head coach Peter, took a particular shine to Essex spinner Simon Harmer, who he deposited all around Chelmsford in an over that went for 27. In all, Moores hit seven fours and seven sixes in an 80-ball knock, and was the only contributor to a last-wicket stand of 58 from 52 balls with Harry Gurney, who was not out nought from 13 balls.With a series of pulls, straight drives, many lofted, and unorthodox shots out of the one-day repertoire, Moores followed up his maiden century in the last Specsavers County Championship match, at Taunton. He recorded his second highest first-class score despite turning his right ankle during wicketkeeping drills before the start of the third day.Notts assistant head coach Paul Franks said: “We’re not sure at the moment how serious it is. But we could see that he was in a bit of discomfort and would not be able to run between the wickets. He is in a bit of pain but these things can settle down overnight. He’s had a fantastic season and really made his mark on the team. He’s had to follow in some big footsteps.”He has a good range of shots, and sometimes it looks like he doesn’t always use them. But his ball-striking was outstanding and he managed the situation really well. Sometimes when you have a runner, batting with tail-enders chaos can ensue. But he handled it well.”Essex had agreed at lunchtime that Moores could bat with a runner, and Jake Libby duly walked out alongside him at the fall of the seventh wicket on 143. His efforts almost doubled Notts’ score and put the game far beyond Essex’s reach. Moores did not appear behind the stumps later with Riki Wessels taking the gloves briefly before young 2nd XI player Tom Keast arrived from Trent Bridge.Essex’s chase got off to the worse possible start as their top-order folded again. Alastair Cook went lbw in the second over without scoring, playing back to a ball from Matt Milnes that kept low, and Varun Chopra’s middle stump was knocked out of the ground in Milnes’s next over. To compound that, stand-in captain Tom Westley was beaten by one from Luke Fletcher that nipped back and struck off-stump.It was Cook’s second duck in nine innings for the county this summer, Westley’s fifth single-figure score in 11, while Chopra has totalled just 92 from eight Championship outings.Dan Lawrence and Ravi Bopara set about trying to save the game in the early evening, and their patient partnership reached 55 in 20 overs when Lawrence was caught and bowled by Samit Patel.But the day belonged to Moores. At the start of his innings, he was struck firmly on the boot by Neil Wagner. It did not discomfort Moores in the least as he was soon pulling Harmer for four and sweep-swiping his first six from the following ball. He went down on one knee to cart Jamie Porter over midwicket for his second six.But it was the return of Harmer, who went for 78 from his 15 overs, that sparked the fireworks. The first ball was thumped over long-off for six to reach a 63-ball fifty. The next was driven for a one-bounce boundary, followed by a swept four. There were further sixes, one on to the press-box roof and another to long-leg, before the over was completed with a single into the deep.Moores’s sixth six brought up the fifty partnership for the last wicket, and he added a second in the only over of the match bowled by Ravi Bopara. Moores finally departed, edging Porter behind.The day had not started so promising for Notts when they lost nightwatchman Milnes without addition. Patel pushed forward to Coles and sent Adam Wheater tumbling to his right to take the catch low down. Ross Taylor, centurion in the first innings, lasted just seven balls second time around, bowled trying to cut.Libby perished on 51 as Wagner found some exaggerated movement off the pitch. Switching around the wicket, the New Zealand pace bowler slanted one in to remove leg-stump.Wagner added his second straight after lunch when he got one to climb and take the edge of Wessels’s bat. Billy Root had just reverse-swept Harmer for four to reach 29 when he popped the next ball into Cook’s hands at third slip. But the Tom Moores show was about to begin.
Neeraj Kumar, the former police commissioner of Delhi, has been retained as Advisor for the unit till March 31, 2018
ESPNcricinfo staff31-Mar-2018
A portrait of Ajit Singh, the new head of BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit•BCCI
The BCCI has appointed Ajit Singh, a former DGP of Rajasthan, as the head of its Anti-Corruption Unit ahead of the 2018 IPL season. Neeraj Kumar, the former police commissioner of Delhi, has been retained as Advisor for the unit till May 31, 2018.According to a BCCI release, Singh retired from his role as DGP in the Rajasthan Police in November 2017 and has 36 years of experience with the Indian Police Service. He has worked in various anti-corruption operations apart from investigative work and field policing. Singh also headed Rajasthan’s anti-corruption bureau for four years.Apart from its own ACU, BCCI will also engage with the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit for the 2018 IPL season.
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.