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New Zealand have barely had the time to process their loss to Australia in the T20 World Cup final in Dubai on Sunday night, and yet, less than 24 hours later, they arrived in Jaipur for a tour of three T20Is and two Tests. The T20I leg of the series will start less than 72 hours after their defeat in the world tournament’s final.New Zealand’s stand-in T20I captain Tim Southee, in the absence of Kane Williamson who opted out of the T20Is, said the packed scheduling, quarantine and bubble life do take a “toll” and make “things a lot tougher” for the players but it’s something they “just have to adapt to and get used to” as they can’t control it. He hopes they don’t have to play in biosecure environments for too much longer.Related

• Road to 2022 T20 World Cup begins as new-look India host weary New Zealand

• Williamson to sit out India T20Is, will join team for Tests

• Stead admits NZ are facing a 'tough and challenging' schedule

“It’s obviously a pretty busy schedule, we knew this was going to be the case even leading into the T20 World Cup, we had a series in Bangladesh and Pakistan,” Southee said while interacting with the media online from Jaipur on Tuesday. “[Some of] the guys were at the IPL so something over last couple of years have made scheduling a lot tougher. Sides have to do quarantine and what not, it’s been a bit of a challenge but as players you just have to crack on and play what’s in front of you.”With what’s happened in the world in the last couple of years, it’s made things a lot tougher with bubbles, quarantine, and it does take its toll. After a while we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, whether we’re going to have to continue to play in bubbles and schedules having more pressure on with quarantine time thrown in as well. It’s something we can’t control and something we just have to adapt to and get used to but it does take its toll. A few players have been in a number of bubbles for long periods of time so it does weigh you down after a while. So, hopefully, we don’t have to deal with bubbles for too much longer.”With what’s happened in the world in the last couple of years, it’s made things a lot tougher with bubbles, quarantine, and it does take its toll” – Tim Southee•ICC via Getty

“It’s busy and we haven’t really had a chance to stop and think after the disappointment in the way things finished there (in Dubai) but we have to shift our focus to this series and then obviously for the Test series. To represent your country is a great honour so that’s gets me up and going.”In the lead up to their T20 World Cup campaign that started on October 18, New Zealand toured Bangladesh for five T20Is in September and then Pakistan for an original tour of three ODIs and five T20Is, which they eventually pulled out of. Now, they play three T20Is in India within five days and two more Tests before they head back to New Zealand for their home summer.Southee said New Zealand could be looking at rotating their T20I squad in India, which was the same group of 15 that played in the World Cup in the UAE.”It’s something we have to look at throughout this series of three games in five days, with travel days in between and then a couple of days and then go into a Test series,” Southee said. “The guys have to be managed throughout the series and we’ve got a squad of 15 here that were involved in the T20 World Cup which I’m sure we’ll use throughout the T20 series.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Em busca de uma vaga nas semifinais da Copinha, o Santos encara o Mirassol nesta terça-feira, às 21h30min, na Arena da Fonte Luminosa, em Araraquara, em duelo de dois invictos na competição.

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O Peixe garantiu a classificação ao vencer o Fluminense por 2 a 1, com dois gols de Lucas Barbosa. O jogador, aliás, correu o risco de desfalcar o Santos na partida desta terça-feira, mas o Santos conseguiu comprovar que um cartão amarelo aplicado a ele deveria, de fato, ser mostrado ao atacante Fernandinho e Lucas está liberado para o confronto.

Vice-campeão paulista Sub-20 em 2021, o Mirassol se classificou com uma vitória de 5 a 1 sobre o Bahia no último domingo. A equipe venceu todos os jogos que disputou na Copinha e marcou 21 gols em seis partidas, média superior a três gols por jogo.

FICHA TÉCNICA
SANTOS X MIRASSOL

Data e hora: 18 de janeiro de 2022, às 21h30 (horário de Brasília)
Local: Arena da Fonte Luminosa, em Araraquara (SP)
Árbitro: Paulo Cesar Francisco
Árbitros assistentes: Rafael Tadeu Alves de Souza e Isabele de Oliveira
Onde assistir: SporTV

Provável Santos: Diógenes, Sandro, Jair Paula, Derick e Lucas Pires; Jhonnathan, João Victor e Ed Carlos; Weslley Patati, Rwan Seco e Lucas Barbosa. Técnico: Elder Campos

Victoria and New South Wales are hoping they will be able to travel to South Australia to quarantine for two weeks in an attempt to begin their domestic seasons.With the Covid-19 situation in the two states and the associated travel restrictions various options have been on the table, but there is yet to be confirmation that the South Australia option will be viable and on Thursday evening the reported that talks between Cricket Australia and the state government had stalled.If it does come together, the squads would likely be free of quarantine by late October. They would then need at least week to prepare for matches which could involve them traveling to the other open states of Western Australia and Tasmania with the hope of playing up to four Sheffield Shield and five Marsh Cup games before the Big Bash starts in early December.”I think the plan is still for us to quarantine somewhere, and once we’re ‘clean’ so to speak, we’ll travel around and play in different places. But that’s not set in stone,” Victoria head coach Chris Rogers told radio earlier on Thursday. “It looks like we’ll be going to Adelaide, and from there we’ll wait to see when the fixtures come out.Related

• Queensland Tasmania Shield clash moved to Adelaide

• Eye on the Ashes (hopefully): who could push their Test claims in the Sheffield Shield?

• Sheffield Shield clash postponed due to Covid-19 cases in Queensland

• Growing anger at Tasmania pulling out of Sheffield Shield fixture

“I think we’re hoping that we go into quarantine not this weekend, the weekend after and then have we’ll have two weeks of quarantine. We’ll probably need another six to seven days of getting the bowlers back up and prepared. We’re probably looking at about four weeks from now.”Victoria had to quarantine before last season’s Sheffield Shield hub in Adelaide and ended up trimming their fixture list due to concern over player workload after the difficult build-up.Speaking to Fox Cricket, New South Wales and Australia offspinner Nathan Lyon said he expected to be heading to Adelaide on Monday.So far there has only been one Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup match played with South Australia facing Western Australia last week. The scheduled Queensland-Tasmania fixture, which had been due to start in Brisbane on Tuesday, was called off shortly before the toss when Tasmania made the swift decision to return home due to Covid cases emerging in the city and concerns of being caught in border closures.There is a significant impact on those players hoping to push their claims for a Test spot. Victoria have Marcus Harris, Will Pucovski and James Pattinson in their ranks while Lyon would hope for plenty of overs for New South Wales. The Queensland postponement means that Marnus Labuschagne and Michael Neser are yet to start their season.The original domestic fixture lists had to be torn up after the Covid outbreaks in Victoria and New South Wales. The WNCL has been pushed back to start after the WBBL which itself has had the first 20 matches shifted entirely to Tasmania.

The Champions League returns to Anfield for the first time in 19 months, and Liverpool will be confident that they can overcome Serie A side Bologna.

Arne Slot’s Reds have already defeated Italian opposition this season, dispatching AC Milan at the San Siro in the competition’s opener two weeks ago.

Bologna have only lost one of their seven matches in all competitions, though they have drawn five times including a goalless match against Shakhtar Donetsk in their Champions League opening.

Harvey Elliott is still sidelined for the hosts – annoying, as he’d be getting plenty of game time with the games coming thick and fast – while Andy Robertson was forced off during last weekend’s win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Darwin Nunez also missed out due to illness but could return.

Slot will have one eye on Saturday’s trip to Selhurst Park in the Premier League to face Crystal Palace, and could ring four changes for this one.

1 GK – Alisson Becker

Alisson Becker returned to the starting line-up as Liverpool won at Molineux, but he was culpable of a lapse in communication with Ibrahima Konate, allowing the hosts to restore parity.

Luckily, Liverpool regained their lead, but he’ll need to sharpen the senses for this one.

2 RB – Trent Alexander-Arnold

Contractual uncertainties rumble on but Trent Alexander-Arnold is enjoying an excellent campaign all the same. His influence is unmatched, his creativity unparalleled, his confidence growing and his roundedness getting more… round.

Bologna had better watch out: they have recorded the fourth-highest possession in Serie A (58%) this season, but a defence-splitting pass could topple their defensive bulwark, and Trent knows his way around one of those.

3 CB – Jarell Quansah

Surprise inclusion? Jarell Quansah, hailed as an “absolute monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, returned to the starting line-up as Liverpool dispatched West Ham United in the Carabao Cup third round last week, and though he scored an own goal in the 5-1 win, it was an assured display.

Konate is playing a lot of football and looks at the top of his game, but he’s prone to an injury, so balancing his workload will stop him from falling from the wagon.

4 CB – Virgil van Dijk

Oh, Virgil van Dijk. Please stay. The Liverpool captain has been in fine fettle this season for the Premier League table-toppers, conceding three goals across seven matches in all competitions, winning six.

He scored against Milan last time out in the Champions League and will be tasked with stopping young striker Santiago Castro, who has scored in each of his last three league games, adding an assist to boot.

5 LB – Kostas Tsimikas

Robertson hobbled off with a suspected knock as Liverpool secured victory against Wolves, and it’s likely that Kostas Tsimikas will reprise his starting berth in the Champions League for this one.

He’s not perfect, but the Greek defender does know his way around a pass, ranking among the top 2% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for passes attempted and the top 7% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

6 DM – Ryan Gravenberch

Not really much to say. Well, there is, but we’d be here all evening. Let’s say one thing, though – Ryan Gravenberch is a sensational footballer, and he’s only just getting started.

7 CM – Curtis Jones

Curtis Jones earned his first start of the season against West Ham and claimed an assist for his labours. Look, he’s a player of fantastic ability but unfortunately jockeys for position with some of the Premier League’s finest midfielders.

Minutes played

90′

Assists

1

Touches

60

Shots (on target)

4 (1)

Big chances missed

2

Accurate passes

42/44 (95%)

Key passes

1

Dribbles (completed)

2 (2)

Total duels (won)

7 (2)

Injury has frustrated the early stage of his season, but the homegrown talent now has the chance to shine, replacing Dominik Szoboszlai, who has looked a bit off the pace, and taking on more of a hybrid and industrious role to keep Bologna at bay.

8 CM – Alexis Mac Allister

Ever-resent and always brilliant, Alexis Mac Allister is the unseen lifeblood of Liverpool’s midfield, not always catching the eye, so to speak, but invariably dictating, dominating and influencing.

9 RW – Mohamed Salah

He might have blanked at the San Siro, but Mohamed Salah will be confident that he can score his first Champions League goal of the campaign against Bologna, with five goals from three games against the Italians, who he battled when plying his craft for Fiorentina and Roma.

1.

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

41

2.

Didier Drogba

Chelsea

36

3.

Sergio Aguero

Manchester City

36

4.

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Manchester United

35

5.

Thierry Henry

Arsenal

35

10 LW – Cody Gakpo

Slot’s driving a fluent modus operandi that sees Luis Diaz start in the league and Cody Gakpo replace him for cup competitions.

Of course, it won’t be so rigidly structured throughout the term but there’s a high chance Gakpo will be back in the mix for this one, having carved AC Milan apart two weeks ago, praised for his “outstanding” performance by The Athletic’s James Pearce.

Chelsea Football Club have become known in the past for their ability to employ numerous top-level centre-forwards who have supplied the goods in front of goal.

Didier Drogba, Diego Costa, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Nicolas Anelka are just a handful of players who captured the hearts of the supporters during their respective periods at Stamford Bridge.

Spaniard Costa was arguably the last striker who dominated during his time in West London, scoring 59 times in his 120 appearances for the Londoners during his three-year spell in the Premier League.

His all-round ability to score goals, whilst being able to pin a centre-back providing a focal point, or even play off the shoulder made him a real handful – playing a crucial in the club’s last league triumph back in 2016/17.

In 2024, Nicolas Jackson is the man tasked with leading the line for the Blues under new boss Enzo Maresca, scoring 16 goals in his last 39 league appearances after joining from Villarreal last summer.

Whilst the fanbase are still crying out for an upgrade on the Senegal international, he’s proven to be a solid talisman, undoubtedly better than one player who disappointed during his second spell at the Bridge.

Romelu Lukaku’s time at Chelsea

Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku first joined the Blues way back in 2011/12 from Anderlecht, arriving at the club as one for the future.

He enjoyed multiple successful spells at West Brom and Everton, before departing Chelsea in a £28m deal in the summer of 2014 – ending his three-year stay in the capital.

However, despite seeming a good fee at the time, it would be a deal the club would regret, re-signing the striker seven years later for a reported £97.5m as the club looked to build on their Champions League winning campaign the season prior under Thomas Tuchel.

Despite registering 15 goals in his first campaign back at Stamford Bridge, he would leave on loan to rejoin Inter Milan on loan after a fallout with the Chelsea boss.

His torrid second spell with the Blues would end this summer, joining Napoli in a £30m deal – reuniting him with former boss Antonio Conte, resulting in the club losing a staggering £67.5m in just a three-year period.

The transfer was a disaster all round, with his lack of goals coupled with his off-field antics tarnishing his time at the club despite the excitement around his return in 2021.

Lukaku’s big-money transfer would be made even more frustrating, especially considering the club were targeting another European talent before making the move for the Belgian that summer.

The man who Chelsea wanted alongside Lukaku

Chelsea’s hunt for a new striker in 2021 saw them land Lukaku, but they could’ve landed another top-level talent for around the same fee during the same transfer window.

A report from The Athletic states that the Blues were also interested in signing Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, with the Bundesliga side demanding £100m for his services that summer.

The Norwegian would eventually move to Manchester City the following summer for a reported £51m due to a release clause in his deal with the German side.

The 24-year-old, who’s now valued at £152m as per Transfermarkt, has taken his career to the next level after his Premier League move, scoring 99 times in 103 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, breaking the record for the most goals in a 38-game league season back in 2022/23.

Most valuable players in the Premier League (2024/25)

Player

Market value

Erling Haaland

£152m

Phil Foden

£126m

Bukayo Saka

£118m

Rodri

£110m

Declan Rice

£102m

Stats via Transfermarkt

He helped propel the club to their first-ever Champions League title in the same season, winning the treble in a truly remarkable campaign for City.

Haaland’s incredible goal record would have massively improved the Blues squad and aided their attempts to secure a first league title in eight years – but instead, they’re left looking down the barrel of their woeful investment in Lukaku.

Undoubtedly, the club must wish that they could turn back time and secure a deal for the prolific goalscorer, but now they have to sit back and watch the machine constantly find the back of the net for Guardiola’s side as they look to win a fifth league title in six years.

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Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Sep 17, 2024

Nottingham Forest are reportedly on the cusp of completing another deal this summer following their latest capture of Ramon Sosa.

Nottingham Forest eye late additions

After picking up their first point of the season on the Premier League opening weekend, Nuno Espírito Santo's side remain active in the transfer market as it heads towards the end of the window. The Garibaldi are eyeing up a move for fresh blood in attack, and have already seen one bid turned down for Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez, who scored 23 goals in last season's Eredivisie.

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He could be a valuable addition in the final stages of the summer.

By
Ben Browning

Aug 18, 2024

Meanwhile, they are also understood to be chasing defensive reinforcements and a goalkeeper, with the arrivals of Jota Silva and Ramon Sosa having already bolstered their frontline.

But it is a far cry from recent transfer windows, which have seen them cram the arrivals lounge at a rate only matched by Todd Boehly at Stamford Bridge, a series of events which led to them sailing too close to the wind with financial fair play.

Despite their more settled nature this time around, they are always on the hunt for upgrades, and they may be ready to revisit a player they know well before the end of the transfer window.

Montiel on verge of Forest return

That comes as one journalist claims that Forest have agreed a deal to re-sign right-back Gonzalo Montiel ahead of the transfer deadline in what would be a bizarre move.

The Argentine, who featured six times as they lifted the Copa América over the summer, spent the 2023-24 campaign at the City Ground but appeared to fall out of favour towards the back end of the campaign, failing to feature in games between February and April, though he did start the final four games of the season.

But despite Montiel's loan move having an option to buy the defender included, the club chose not to activate it, sending him back to Seville instead. Now, it is reported they are set to buy him this summer after all, with the initial decision perhaps influenced by potential financial fair play repurcussions ahead of the June 30th PSR deadline.

Montiel's first Nottingham Forest stint
Appearances	19
Starts	12
Goals	0
Assists	3
Yellow Cards	6
Appearances under Espírito Santo	14

As per Spanish journalist Fernando Serrano, the defender is "very close" to signing for Forest once more, with the Argentine having agreed personal terms on a four-year deal at the City Ground. Meanwhile, Forest have tabled a 12m euros (£10.2m) offer to sign him, comprising 9m euros up front (£7.7m) plus a further 3m euros (£2.5m) in add-ons.

There is no mention of whether Sevilla have accepted the offer, but given that it is likely of a similar value to the option to buy Montiel in the initial loan and the Argentine is down to the final two years of his £23,000 a week deal, it could well be enough to bring the World Cup winner back to the City Ground permanently.

Chelsea are three Premier League games into the reign of new manager, Enzo Maresca, having won one, lost one, and drawn one so far.

Their only loss came against last year's champions, Manchester City, losing 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on the opening day.

In their most recent game, the Blues drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace, despite creating five "big chances", and only converting one of them. Their lack of clinical finishing in the box cost them two points on this occasion.

However, Cole Palmer is one of the players who has started as they mean to go on, already providing four assists, and one goal, in his opening three Premier League appearances.

You do have to wonder how they'd be faring with the remarkable Victor Osimhen up top, though.

Osimhen failed move to Chelsea

Fabrizio Romano broke the news on deadline day that Osimhen's possible move to Chelsea was totally "OFF" in the final hours of the window, having failed to find an agreement.

After a move to Saudi Arabia also didn't work out, Osimhen is now on his way to Galatasaray in a loan deal as reported by Romano. He's agreed a new £63m release clause with Napoli but the Turkish side have no option to buy the Nigerian striker.

Osimhen made 32 appearances for Napoli last season, scoring 17 goals, providing four assists, and totalling 2,476 minutes played, but he's still not worth quite as much as either Cole Palmer or another Chelsea talent, who, let's be honest left too early.

Jamal Musiala's transfer value in 2024

Once upon a time, Chelsea actually let go of one of their best prospects for a mere £170k compensation package in the shape of Jamal Musiala.

Last season, Musiala made 38 appearances in all competitions for Bayern, scoring 12 goals and providing eight assists.

Despite being sold for so cheap, Musiala is now valued at a whopping £110m by Transfermarkt. The 21-year-old value is at an all-time high, having recently been a mainstay in the German national team, during Euro 2024, winning the Golden Boot award alongside a host of other names.

Compare this to Chelsea's current superstar, Cole Palmer, who joined from Manchester City for an initial fee of £40m, the 22-year-old made 45 appearances for Chelsea last season, scoring 27 goals, and providing 15 assists.

Like Musiala, he has seen his value and performances improve astronomically in recent years.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

That said, even after such a superb season, Palmer's value, according to Transfermarkt is only £67m, which is £42.5m less than Musiala.

So, we've compared their values, now how do they stack up from a performance point of view?

Stats (per 90 mins)

Musiala

Palmer

Goals

0.38

0.65

Assists

0.19

0.36

xG

0.34

0.63

xAG

0.27

0.38

Progressive Carries

5.31

4.02

Progressive Passes

5.10

6.77

Progressive Passes Received

7.74

6.70

Total Shots

2.82

3.50

Goals/Shot

0.13

0.12

Key Passes

2.05

2.47

Shot-Creating Actions

5.03

5.57

Touches (Att Pen)

6.03

4.33

Successful Take-Ons

4.08

1.79

The metrics mostly show Palmer to be the higher output player, averaging more goals and assists per 90, as well as higher expected goals and assists per 90. This is likely due to his higher level of creative passing, and higher volume of shots taken.

Musiala, on the other hand, averages more successful take-ons per 90, and more progressive carries, showing he is the better carrier between the two. Surprisingly, the Bayern Munich star is also slightly more clinical with his shot/goal ratio, averaging 0.13 goals per shot, compared to Palmer's 0.12.

Musiala is currently ahead in his value, likely due to being slightly younger, but also being on the scene and in the limelight longer.

Though, if Palmer can produce a similar season this year, his value could skyrocket even more, and even surpass Chelsea's former academy man.

Chelsea flop who left in 2024 is about to have his career saved by Osimhen

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ByConnor Holden Sep 3, 2024

Liverpool are among a "host of clubs" interested in signing an exciting young midfielder in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Graeme Bailey.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds have had a frustratingly quiet summer in the transfer market, with not a single player added to Arne Slot's squad, much to the chagrin of many supporters. It looked as though Martin Zubimendi was going to come in as a superb midfield addition, but he has ended up committing his future to Real Sociedad, acting as a big disappointment at Anfield.

Time is now running out for Liverpool to make signings this summer, but they are at least still being backed to make some important additions to the squad. Wolves left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri is one such figure, potentially being seen as a long-term replacement for Andy Robertson.

Meanwhile, the Reds are reportedly among the clubs who have been offered legendary Italian midfielder Marco Verratti, but given his age and the type of player Slot likes, in terms of an ability to press and cover ground, it would be a huge surprise if he sealed a move to Anfield.

Liverpool also appear to be pushing hard for the signing of Valencia and Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who could be seen as the heir to Alisson between the sticks. The 23-year-old may be loaned out immediately, in order to be a regular elsewhere, before eventually coming in as first-choice.

Liverpool in the race to sign midfielder

Writing on X, Bailey claimed that Liverpool are in the mix to sign young Tromso midfielder Jens Hjerto-Dahl this summer, but are far from alone in tracking him.

In Bailey's report for HITC, he goes on to say that the 18-year-old's 6 foot 4 frame "makes him stand-out as he features in central midfield but can also play a holding role", adding that Liverpool "have been aware of Hjerto-Dahl for more than 12-months". The likes of Aston Villa, Tottenham, Everton, Fulham, Sheffield United and Coventry City are "all watching him".

Even the most knowledgeable Reds supporter could be forgiven for not having heard of the teenage midfielder, but it is always encouraging to see highly-rated young players linked with moves to Anfield. Hjerto-Dahl has already won 17 caps for Norway across four different youth age groups, suggesting that he has been a prominent international performer throughout his fledgling career to date.

Norway Under-19s

4

0

Norway Under-18s

10

2

Norway Under-17s

1

0

Norway Under-16s

2

0

Not only that, but he now already has 44 appearances to his name for Tromso, despite his tender years, scoring eight goals and registering two assists in the process. To have made such an impact already says so much about his maturity and ability, and Slot could view him as one for the future if Liverpool get a deal over the line.

Liverpool can repeat Jota masterclass by signing "one of the best PL players"

A correspondent has confirmed the Reds’ interest this summer…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 15, 2024

Manchester City will be hoping to repeat their treble heroics of the 2022/23 campaign, after what was ultimately a disappointing last term for Pep Guardiola’s men. They won just the one trophy on this occasion and failed to defend their crowns in either of the other competitions they won two seasons prior.

The Citizens were once again victorious in the Premier League and sealed their fourth consecutive league title on the final day. That is the first time in the competition’s history that any side has managed to achieve such a feat.

However, the defence of their FA Cup crown failed at the hands of their biggest rivals, Manchester United. Guardiola's side also struggled in the Champions League. The Blues were eliminated at the hands of Real Madrid on penalties, who went on to lift the trophy once again.

Next season, City will be hoping to bounce back and reclaim all three of their titles. They will no doubt need to strengthen their squad over the summer and have already been linked with one player who could add excellent depth to their side.

Man City target Premier League attacker

The player in question here is Crystal Palace and England international attacker Eberechi Eze. It was once again another very impressive season for the 26-year-old, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Selhurst Palk this summer.

At least, that is according to a report from journalist Ben Jacobs, who claimed earlier this week that Guardiola and his staff “like this player”, and could decide to make an offer over the course of the summer transfer window.

However, there are other sides aiming to bring Eze to their club this summer. Jacobs believes that North London duo Tottenham and Arsenal are also interested in the player. However, he does note that Spurs are slightly ahead in the race when it comes to agreeing a deal with Palace.

In terms of price, City will have to pay a fairly hefty fee in order to bring Eze to the club. The 26-year-old has a £60m release clause, and it seems unlikely Palace will negotiate any less, given they have already sold Michael Olise to Bayern Munich this summer.

How Eze could benefit Erling Haaland

Eze has been one of the most important players for the Eagles. The attacker, who can play in a multitude of positions across the frontline, played some of his best football under Oliver Glasner.

He scored 11 goals and grabbed four assists in the Premier League in 27 games last season, with six goals and three assists coming in just 11 games under the Austrian.

Eze career record by manager
Manager	Games	Goals	Assists	Average G/A per game
Roy Hodgson	66	15	10	0.37
Mark Warburton	48	14	10	0.5
Patrick Vieira	46	5	4	0.19
Steve McClaren	40	4	4	0.2
Gareth Ainsworth	22	5	0	0.22
Ian Holloway	18	2	1	0.16
Oliver Glasner	11	6	3	0.81
John Eustace	6	0	0	0
Patrick McCarthy	3	0	0	0
Stats from Transfermarkt

The England international’s teammate at Palace, Joel Ward described him as “mesmerising”, and when watching him, it is easy to see why. He glides with the ball at his feet, slaloming in and out of opposition defenders with ease. Eze loves to operate in the half-spaces, getting on the ball between the lines and driving forward.

When in full flow, the 26-year-old is electric, and this is also highlighted in his stats courtesy of FBRef. He attempts an average of 6.13 take-ons per 90 minutes and completes 3.02 of those. He ranks in the top 10% and 9% of positionally similar players in Europe or those metrics.

Should he join Guardiola’s side, the attacker could form a dream partnership with City’s talismanic striker, Erling Haaland. The Norwegian has taken to life in the Premier League like a duck to water, having already scored 63 goals in just 66 games in the competition.

Eze is a wonderful creator, averaging 2.37 key passes which ranks him in the top 17%, and 1.97 passes into the penalty box, placing him in the top 19%. Of course, given Haaland is deadly in the area, the amount of balls he could get on the end of from the Palace sensation could see them form a deadly partnership.

Football analyst Ben Mattinson called the 26-year-old an "entertainer", and adding Eze to the abundance of creative players City already have would be outrageous depth for Guardiola. Not only that, the partnership he could form with Haaland could take the Norway international’s goalscoring record to new heights, and help bring City back to the top of Europe.

The reported £60m fee is expensive, but for the quality of the player the Citizens would be adding it could be an excellent piece of business this summer.

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Dan Emery

Jul 15, 2024

Aston Villa may have been the busiest Premier League team this summer transfer window, with Unai Emery's side already acquiring Ross Barkley, Enzo Barrenechea, Lewis Dobbin, Samuel Iling-Junior, Jaden Philogene, Ian Maatsen, and Amadou Onana.

According to Transfermarkt, Villa have spent €176.2m (around £150m) so far this window and could be set to spend even more, with rumours continuing to circulate, linking them to another striker, especially if Jhon Duran leaves the club.

Sales of Moussa Diaby, Douglas Luiz, Tim Iroebunam, Morgan Sanson and Viljami Sinisalo have netted Villa €127.4m on sales (around £107m) according to Transfermarkt, and any sale of Duran would bring in another heap of money, with his valuation being set at around £40m.

Aston Villa transfer news

According to reports from The Standard, Aston Villa have made contact with Crystal Palace over striker, Jean-Philippe Mateta. However, Palace are insisting the Frenchman is not for sale, whilst potential new contract talks are beginning to "rumble".

The report suggests Palace were willing to listen to offers for Mateta in January. However, that stance has now changed, with new manager Oliver Glasner showing a liking to the striker since he joined the club.

Mateta made 39 appearances in all competitions for the Eagles last season, scoring 19 goals, providing five assists, and totalling 2,574 minutes of football played.

Mateta vs Watkins comparison

Mateta, hailed as a striker who "scores all types of goals" by writer Frankie Maguire, showed last season his ability to be one of the top scorers in the Premier League. FBref's "similar players" feature has even compared him to one of the league's other top scorers, Ollie Watkins.

Watkins made 53 appearances for Villa last season in all competitions, scoring 27 goals, providing 13 assists, and totalling 4,323 minutes of football, as an ever-present part of the team. The 28-year-old spearheaded Villa to their first Champions League qualification since the 1982/83 season.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Mateta

Watkins

Non-Penalty Goals

0.55

0.53

Assists

0.20

0.36

Shots Total

1.74

2.99

Shots on Target %

56.8%

43.9%

Goals/Shot

0.32

0.18

Goals – xG

+0.20

+0.06

Progressive Carries

1.14

1.73

Successful Take-Ons

0.99

0.73

Aerials Won

1.97

1.37

Mateta's metrics show he is a more clinical finisher than Watkins, taking fewer shots per 90 with 1.74, and scoring more Non-Penalty Goals per 90 with 0.55 – 0.02 more than Watkins manages. The French striker has a better shots on target percentage too, getting 56.8% of his shots on target per 90, compared to only 43.9% for Watkins.

This tells you Watkins is a higher volume shooter, which we can also tell from his total shots per 90, and is willing to take on typically more difficult shots. Mateta scores at a higher rate, scoring 0.32 goals/shot per 90, compared to Watkins' 0.18.

If Duran leaves Villa, Mateta could come in and offer them a more efficient goal scorer than Watkins, either pushing the England international to take another step up, or even providing the option of playing both of them up top together.

All of this, whilst offering better value for money too, as Mateta, according to Capology, only earns £50k-per-week at Palace, compared to the £130k-per-week Watkins is earning at Villa.

If the Olympic star can get anywhere close to matching the levels of the current Villa marksman, then Emery would be in for a treat.

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