Aston Villa scouts are being put through their paces ahead of the January window and may now have found a player worth pursuing in PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ismael Saibari.
The Villans struggled for goals in the early part of the campaign, and it is fair to say that their efforts to hit the target need to improve, given they are one of the lowest-scoring sides in the Premier League table.
Yet to hit double figures on that front, at the time of writing, much has been made of Ollie Watkins’ poor form at Aston Villa this season. The England international has hit the target in just one of 13 this campaign, failing to repeat the stellar form he showed in 2024/25.
Undoubtedly, January will be a time where finding potency will be prioritised. Hoffenheim striker Fisnik Asllani is on the Villans’ radar and may be pursued, with Unai Emery set on achieving even loftier goals than the accomplishments he has met during his three years in the West Midlands.
He said before the clash with Liverpool: “Still work to do, still objectives to set and work hard to achieve those objectives – collectively and myself as well, individually.
“One of them is some titles, but of course the title only is winning one, Premier League, the cups in England, and Europe, is the target we can set through to achieve some titles, and we are in this way.”
PSR may force Aston Villa’s hand as Liverpool plot a move for Ezri Konsa. Even then, there will be room to recruit more additions to offer Emery a greater sense of potency in his side’s hunt for continental qualification, something he may now find in his latest target.
Aston Villa scouts blown away by Ismael Saibari
According to TBR in conversation with Graeme Bailey, Aston Villa scouts were blown away by PSV midfielder Ismael Saibari after watching him in action against Feyenoord last weekend, where he scored a hat-trick.
Bailey said: “Saibari is attracting a lot of attention and his treble last week was special. He is one to keep an eye on for January, getting goals in January is something Premier League clubs especially are looking for and he could offer that.”
With ten goals and an assist to his name this term, the engine room operator is also wanted by Leeds United, West Ham United, Everton, Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Aston Villa eyeing Joshua Zirkzee to fill attacking void
Versatility is a key part of his game, something that could potentially signal several arrivals are imminent, given Saibari can feature as a ten, in central midfield or in a role shielding the back four.
Nevertheless, PSV hold the cards in negotiations due to having the Morocco international under contract until 2029. Aston Villa may need to shell out a premium to land his services, though could now be tempted by the prospect of a January bid.
KL Rahul says he has learned the lesson of not linking preparation with results
ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-20253:12
Rahul: ‘I’ve forgotten what my batting position actually is’
Not many will know better than KL Rahul that outcomes in cricket – Test batting in particular – are not always proportional to your skill, preparation, fitness and application.Rahul has had an anomalous Test career to back it up. He came into this Test having scored hundreds in some of the most difficult conditions during his career – seven out of eight away from home – but never having become the dominant Test batter his game suggests he should be. He averaged 33.57 before Headingley, which is quite underwhelming for a player of so many great innings.”The sooner you learn that there is no connection [of your game, preparation, etc] with the outcome and the results that you get, the calmer you can be,” Rahul said after scoring 137 in an India third innings that threatened to go off the rails in the morning session of the final day. “And I feel like that’s the only thing that gives you the best chance to play at this level for a long period of time. And that’s something that I’ve consciously done as well.Related
Rahul rides his luck to set India up with statement century
Stats – Rishabh Pant breaks records with twin tons
Tongue mops up again to highlight lower-order disparity
Pant, Rahul centuries set England 371 to win at Headingley
“Having learned this from the seniors that I looked up to, it’s something that I’ve understood and try and do, not just in Test cricket, but in cricket overall. Just all you can do is your best in terms of preparation and giving yourself the best chance to succeed. But again, there’s no guarantees. When you have a good day, you are happy. When you have a bad day, you’re still happy that you had the opportunity. That’s how I look at the game.”The latest in Rahul’s career was the Australia tour where he was called upon to open in Rohit Sharma’s absence and scored 26 and 77 in Perth followed by 84 in Brisbane. At the end of the series, though, his average read 30.66. It left him bitterly disappointed.”It’s always disappointing for a batter when you get starts and don’t convert it and get a big score for the team,” Rahul said. “I was happy with the way I was batting in Australia, but very disappointed at the end of the series that I couldn’t convert. I think I had opportunities in every game, I got starts in every game, and in an ideal world, I would’ve wanted to convert all of those innings into big knocks.”But, unfortunately, I couldn’t do that. And that’s how the game goes sometimes. Sometimes you get a good ball, sometimes you play a bad shot. It’s part of the game, so you learn from the mistakes, and that’s something that I learned from that series, just to make sure that once I get a start, try and make it count and transfer as many runs as I can.”1:32
Draw off the table? – Tongue and Rahul on day five possibilties
This has been a trend in Rahul’s career. He has never had a series in which he has scored 400 runs. That is part of the reason why he has never nailed a position in the batting order.On his last tour of England, he got to play only because of an injury in the nets to his good friend Mayank Agarwal. Then he got the opportunity to open in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy because Rohit was on paternity leave for the first Test.Rahul has taken batting in different positions in his stride. “The last couple of years I’ve forgotten what my position is and what I’m comfortable doing,” Rahul said. “I’m happy to be given different responsibilities and different roles. Makes the game exciting and makes me want to challenge myself and train that much harder and work on my game a little bit more. So I’ve quite enjoyed doing that.”And the last couple of series, my role has been to open the batting, and I’ve enjoyed doing that as well. Yeah, I mean that’s something that I did growing up and all my early years as a cricketer was me opening the batting. So yeah, I’m happy that I’m back doing that, and I’m happy that I’m doing the job for the team.”
Daniel Farke said Leeds United were “blessed” to have Sean Longstaff after the midfielder’s man-of-the-match display in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Bournemouth.
Longstaff, on £80,000-a-week, volleyed in off a post to put Leeds in front early in the second half at Elland Road after Joe Rodon’s header before the interval had cancelled out Antoine Semenyo’s free-kick for the visitors.
Farke hails Longstaff after Leeds draw vs Bournemouth
The £12million summer signing from Newcastle’s first Leeds goal – he also provided the corner for Rodon’s equaliser – looked to have sealed it for Farke’s side before Bournemouth’s teenage substitute Eli Kroupi struck at the far post in the third minute of stoppage time.
Farke said of Longstaff’s display:
Leeds sit mid-table in the Premier League after taking eight points from their first six games following promotion, while Bournemouth remain in the top six, three points better off.
Cherries skipper Ryan Christie admitted his side were pleased to leave Elland Road with a point, having trailed in time added on, and hailed their resilience. Christie told AFCB TV: “The way it went, we are probably happy with a point to be honest.
“The game went as we thought it would in terms of their physicality and in a high-energy stadium, they feed off that.
“But with this squad, even though you’re away from home, you never feel like you’re out of the game
“There is a resilience throughout the whole squad, which is a credit to the boys, especially when we have had the turnaround of players we’ve had this summer.
“I think everyone is feeding into this mindset of pulling together, the whole squad as one.
“It’s not just the starters and the bench and that’s it – there’s a real togetherness.”
Next up for Leeds is another home game against Tottenham in a lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, while Bournemouth face Fulham on Friday night at the Vitality Stadium.
RCB were reduced to 42 for 7 in the ninth over at one stage, but David smoked an unbeaten 26-ball 50
ESPNcricinfo staff18-Apr-2025Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had to wait close to two hours for the weather to clear in Bengaluru, but when it did, they were caught in a Punjab Kings (PBKS) storm.At one stage, it seemed the hosts would get bowled out for their lowest total, but Tim David ensured that they nearly doubled 49 and weren’t all-out in an innings shortened to 14 overs by rain.For PBKS, the dream evening started with Shreyas Iyer winning the toss and electing to bowl. Arshdeep came into the game with two powerplay wickets in the season and he doubled that tally, dismissing both RCB openers on the pull.Phil Salt went after a length ball and top-edged it towards square leg; Josh Inglis ran across to take the catch. Virat Kohli walked down to Arshdeep, who pulled his length short, to induce a splice to Marco Jansen over mid-on.Rajat Patidar whipped Arshdeep and Xavier Bartlett for a four and a six over the leg side. Liam Livingstone tried to end the four-over powerplay on a high. He charged Bartlett and tried to slap a length ball over point, but skied it to Priyansh Arya just past the in-field.RCB’s batters continued to miscue big shots. Jitesh Sharma swung at Marco Jansen but was beaten both times. In the following over, Patidar top-edged a pull off Yuzvendra Chahal, which fell safely around the midwicket region. Jitesh was less lucky next ball as he found deep-backward square with a slog sweep.Two balls later, Krunal Pandya was the third batter out on the pull. He couldn’t extend his arms fully and feathered a shortish ball from Jansen onto his helmet and it popped right up. PBKS used a DRS to reduce RCB to 33 for 5.Chahal, who was back to slowing his speeds and teasing the batter, struck again by looping the ball wide of Patidar’s off stump and having him caught at long-off. RCB’s ploy to send in Manoj Bhandage as the Impact Player didn’t work as he was beaten on the flick by Jansen and dismissed lbw.Bhuvneshwar Kumar and David stitched a 21-run stand, which took RCB past fifty. Harpreet Brar dismissed Bhuvneshwar and Yash Dayal off successive balls, and the hosts were nine down in 11.5 overs, with the score on 63. David managed to find the boundary regularly though, first off Bartlett and then off Brar to reach fifty and lift RCB to 95 for 9.
The biggest story of the transfer window was undoubtedly Alexander Isak’s move to Liverpool, but West Ham United had their own saga going on.
For a moment in time, it looked like Lucas Paqueta might have been leaving the club, with Aston Villa reportedly keen to sign him.
However, to the delight of the fans, the Brazilian maestro made it abundantly clear in his celebration against Nottingham Forest that he had no intention of leaving.
The former Lyon ace has been a brilliant player for the Hammers, although they did once come close to signing an upgrade who is now worth more than Isak.
Paqueta's West Ham career
It would be fair to say that since joining the club for around £51m in the summer of 2022, Paqueta hasn’t always had the easiest time of it at West Ham.
However, when you discount the off-pitch issues, it’s impossible to deny that he’s been more than worth the investment the Hammers initially made in him.
For example, despite playing under several different managers and in various systems, the 28-year-old has amassed an impressive tally of 21 goals and 14 assists in 124 games.
That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.54 games, and, crucially, he produced five goal involvements in the club’s historic Conference League winning campaign.
In all, Paqueta remains one of the most talented players in West Ham’s squad, and someone who could make all the difference for them in what could still be a tough season.
Lucas Paqueta in action for West Ham.
Yet, things could have been very different, as just a couple of years ago, the club came close to signing someone who would have been a significant upgrade, someone now worth more than Isak.
The Paqueta upgrade West Ham almost signed
All clubs have their own list of star players they’ve missed out on over the years, and West Ham is obviously no different.
One that got away
The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast’s One That Got Away series.
However, there are some players who are worse to miss out on than others, and that is certainly the case for Cole Palmer.
Yes, according to David Moyes, the Hammers were very “close” to getting the former Manchester City gem before his move to Chelsea, but the deal broke down, in part because Paqueta’s potential move to City fell apart.
It would have been an utterly sensational signing for the East Londoners, for good as the Brazilian is, the Englishman would be an upgrade.
For example, since moving to Stamford Bridge, the “world-class” superstar, as dubbed by Pat Nevin, has scored 43 goals and provided 29 assists in 98 appearances, totalling 7950 minutes.
Appearances
98
124
Minutes
7950′
9340′
Goals
43
21
Assists
29
14
Goal Involvements per Match
0.73
0.28
Minutes per Goal Involvement
110.41′
266.85′
That means he’s averaged a goal involvement every 1.36 games, or every 110.41 minutes, with the West Londoners, which is an outrageous rate of return.
Unsurprisingly, his out-of-this-world ability has seen his valuation skyrocket over the last couple of years, and according to the CIES Football Observatory, he is now worth up to 164m, which is about £142m, or £18m more than Liverpool paid for Isak.
Ultimately, there is no point crying over spilt milk, but we can’t help but think West Ham would be in a better position today had they secured a deal for Palmer two years ago.
West Ham now join the race to sign £60m star who was a major Spurs target
The Hammers are keen to bring in a “sensational” player, who was a key summer target for Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal’s performance against Liverpool was a strange one.
As Arne Slot mused at full time, if you played the same match another ten times, eight results would see a draw, the Reds would win once and the Gunners would win the other.
It was a tight game. Arguably neither side really deserved to take all three points home.
Yet, in title races, you need moments of magic. Dominik Szoboszlai was the man who provided it for Slot and Co in the Premier League on Sunday, striking home a sweet free kick.
Arsenal were craving a moment of similar spice but despite spending nearly £300m, they lacked that moment. It’s safe to say it’ll take time for everything to come together with so many new faces vying for a place in the team.
So, fresh off that 1-0 defeat at Anfield, is there anything for Arsenal to wrap up on deadline day?
Arsenal's transfer deadline day plans
As far as incomings are concerned, it’s unlikely Arsenal will be too busy during Monday’s deadline day.
That said, we are still awaiting official communication that Piero Hincapie will sign from Bayer Leverkusen.
The Gunners have been in talks to sign the defender over the last few week and it was widely reported that he was undergoing a medical on Sunday.
That move will pave the way for Jakub Kiwior to depart the Emirates Stadium and he could be followed out the door by Oleksandr Zinchenko – linked with Marseille – and Reiss Nelson who, is wanted by Fulham.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Eberechi Eze may well have signed but there is still a craving for a left winger and that was rubber-stamped on Sunday.
Gabriel Martinelli began the game on the left flank but was hauled off on the 70th-minute mark having had one of his poorest games for the club.
The Brazilian was dominated by makeshift right back Szoboszlai, notably failing to register a shot, a key pass or complete a dribble.
So, how can Arsenal solve that issue?
How Arsenal can solve their Martinelli problem
Cast your minds back to the 2022/23 campaign. The Gunners are at their free-flowing best. Grant Xhaka is patrolling things from the middle of the park, Gabriel Jesus is dazzling up top and Oleksandr Zinchenko is inverting from left-back.
Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Martinelli were also combining to create one of the best attacks in the division. All three of them scored 15 goals throughout the campaign.
Since then, it’s been a tale of woe for him with the Gunners. He’s really struggled to replicate that form and the start to 2025/26 has been no better.
FFC handed the Brazilian a 3/10 rating for his efforts in Merseyside and it was justified for a complete lack of involvement. The forward is full of energy and pace but lacks end product, largely due to his indecisiveness when he gets the ball in and around the penalty area.
Minutes played
70
Touches
15
Accurate passes
6/7 (86%)
Key passes
0
Shots
0
Dribble attempts
0
Crosses
0
Duels won
2
What Arsenal need is something different on that side of the pitch. Eze came on for the last 20 minutes and immediately looked a better asset, very nearly scoring.
But, if Arteta wanted to axe Martinelli for good, then signing a new winger would certainly go down a treat on deadline day.
Much of the summer’s chatter has been about Real Madrid’s Rodrygo but another player who could be on the market late on is Rafael Leao, valued at £86m.
Reports on Sunday suggested that Tottenham Hotspur were actually looking at doing a deal for the Portuguese, albeit it would be a very challenging deal to do this late in the window. Arsenal have previously been linked but it’s not known whether they still retain an interest.
So, why would he be a good signing? Well, the 26-year-old has notably been described as “one of the best left wingers in the world” by analyst Ben Mattinson.
The Milan winger has cultivated a reputation as one of the most exciting forwards in the game, scoring 12 times and also providing 13 assists in all competitions throughout last season. One year prior, the electric speedster scored 15 and managed 14 assists, showcasing why he’s so highly rated.
His style of play would also captivate the masses at the Emirates. Back in 2022, Milan coach Stefano Pioli said that “Leao reminds me a lot of the early Thierry Henry.”
Like the Arsenal legend, Leao boasts a quick and long stride pattern. He favours the left channel and he’s a monster if you allow him to cut inside.
Over the last year, the Milan attacker ranks among the best 4% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons, via FBref. To put that into context, Martinelli ranks among the best 25%, lagging behind Leao by some distance.
To put it simply, the Portugal international is better than Martinelli.
He has a level of incisiveness, a level of directness that simply isn’t there with the Brazilian. Signing him late in the window, particularly if they beat Spurs to his signature, would be one quick way to move on from their troubled number 11.
Shades of Xhaka: Big-money target to sign for Arsenal in the next 24 hours
Arsenal could conclude their summer business with the signing of a player who’s like Granit Xhaka.
Newcastle United’s search for a striker has dominated the final weeks of the transfer window, as Eddie Howe looks to reshape his attack following a turbulent summer.
At the heart of the saga is Alexander Isak, who has made clear he has no intention of playing for the club again.
The Swede has not trained with the squad, did not feature in Newcastle’s opening Premier League fixture away at Aston Villa, and issued a statement on Instagram this week citing a belief that change was in everyone’s best interests.
Eddie Howe admitted in a press conference that he had been aware of Isak’s desire to leave since the end of last season, and while Liverpool remains the forward’s preferred destination, the deal will not happen until Newcastle have found a replacement.
That need has grown increasingly pressing.
Over the course of the summer, Newcastle have already missed out on a succession of striker targets. Liam Delap, Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro and Benjamin Sesko all moved elsewhere, leaving the Magpies short of options.
The club have also registered interest in Wolves’ Jørgen Strand Larsen, though any move there would prove expensive.
While Howe has strengthened in other areas – signing Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa, Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, Malick Thiaw from AC Milan, and Aaron Ramsdale on loan from Southampton – the striker issue continues to define Newcastle’s summer.
Newcastle hold talks over Chelsea forward
According to Fabrizio Romano, in the “last 48 hours”, Newcastle have opened conversations regarding a move for Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson.
However, the reporter claims that both Bayern Munich and Aston Villa are also in the mix, which means that there is plenty of competition to sign the Senegal international.
Villa are pushing hard for Jackson’s signature, with Unai Emery keen to reunite with the striker he coached during their time together at Villarreal.
The news of Jackson’s exit comes after falling down the pecking order at Chelsea, with new arrivals Joao Pedro and Liam Delap deemed more credible options by manager Enzo Marseca.
Chelsea have placed a price tag of £80m on the 24-year-old, but any potential suitor will hope that figure comes closer to £70m as the window draws to a close.
Why Newcastle should sign Nicolas Jackson
Jackson has enjoyed strong levels of returns since his arrival from Villarreal, scoring 24 goals and providing 10 assists in 65 Premier League appearances, per Transfermarkt. He also netted in the Conference League final against Real Betis in May, but discipline has occasionally been an issue.
The Blues forward was sent off against Newcastle in a 2-0 defeat at St James’ Park last season and again at the Club World Cup against Flamengo.
At 1.87m tall and just 24 years of age, Jackson fits the recruitment model Newcastle have tried to maintain under Howe, targeting young players with room to develop into long-term assets.
Yoane Wissa of Brentford is another forward who has been the subject of interest from Newcastle this summer. The Congolese striker has just enjoyed the most productive season of his career, scoring 19 goals and supplying five assists in 35 appearances.
Only Mohamed Salah scored more non-penalty goals in the Premier League last term, underlining Wissa’s consistency in front of goal.
Since joining Brentford, he has registered 45 goals in 137 league appearances overall and has openly expressed a desire to join Newcastle in order to play Champions League football. The Bees, however, have rejected Newcastle’s bids, including an offer worth £40m, and are said to value Wissa closer to £60m.
The forward, who turns 29 in September, is older than the preferred age profile for recruits at St James’ Park, which is said to focus on players aged 24 and under.
He may also be absent in early 2026 due to AFCON commitments. With Brentford enduring a difficult summer that has already seen the departures of manager Thomas Frank, goalkeeper Mark Flekken, captain Christian Norgaard, and winger Bryan Mbeumo, they are reluctant to sanction another key exit.
The debate for Newcastle is whether to prioritise an immediate end product or invest in potential. Wissa’s case is built on proven returns.
Seasonal Returns – Yoane Wissa
2024/25 – Premier League
19 goals, 5 assists
2023/24 – Premier League
12 goals, 4 assists
2022/23 – Premier League
7 goals, 3 assists
2021/22 – Premier League
7 goals, 1 assist
2020/21 – Ligue 1
10 goals, 5 assists
Source: Transfermarkt
According to FBref, his 19 goals last season came with impressive underlying numbers: 2.77 shots per 90 minutes, 1.27 of those on target, and a progressive passing distance of 49.9 metres per 90, reflecting his ability to create and stretch play.
At 28, he is entering the peak years of his career and would represent a striker capable of delivering right away.
Jackson, by contrast, offers a younger, more malleable profile.
His 3.08 shots per 90 minutes, with 1.38 on target, show a player more inclined to get into scoring positions, even if his shot-on-target percentage of 44.7 is fractionally below Wissa’s 45.6.
Where Jackson stands out is in creative involvement: he averages 2.80 shot-creating actions per 90, compared to Wissa’s 2.13.
Though he lags behind Wissa in progressive passing numbers, Jackson’s ability to carry the ball – 1.90 progressive carries per 90 compared to Wissa’s 1.85 – highlights a player able to move defences through dribbling rather than distribution.
Market value also plays a role. Wissa is currently valued at £27m, while Jackson sits at £43m, but Chelsea’s asking price is substantially higher than that.
Brentford’s hardline stance means Wissa could cost close to £60m despite being older and closer to the end of his peak.
Jackson, at 24, is four years younger and represents the sort of asset Newcastle can build around and potentially resell at value in the future.
Wissa, while immediately reliable, may represent a shorter-term option with less scope for growth. For Howe, the decision will hinge on balancing short-term needs with long-term strategy.
Newcastle United manager EddieHowebefore the match
Isak’s refusal to return has left Newcastle desperately short, and with Champions League football on the horizon, the temptation to secure an experienced, proven finisher like Wissa is clear.
Yet the club’s transfer policy under its current ownership has been consistent in pursuing players who can grow with the project. In that regard, Jackson offers a player who, if developed properly, could become a central figure for Newcastle for years to come.
Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing a star who could be even better than Wissa and Strand Larsen.
1 ByWill Miller Aug 22, 2025
The urgency of the situation means Newcastle may have little time to deliberate. Every week without a replacement is a week where Howe is forced to field a side without a natural striker.
Wissa has shown he can deliver goals immediately, but Jackson represents the future. For a club determined to compete not only this season but in the seasons ahead, that future may prove more valuable than the present.
Michail Antonio will go down as one of West Ham United’s modern-day greats.
Earlier this week, the club confirmed that the Jamaican international had left the club following the expiration of his contact.
Thus, in need of a new striker, has Graham Potter identified his top target?
West Ham's search for a new striker
Antonio joined the Hammers from Nottingham Forest a decade ago for a reported fee of £7m, initially signed as a right-back, but ultimately transformed into their best centre-forward of the 21st century, scoring 83 goals in claret and blue, making him the club’s record scorer of all-time in the Premier League.
Michail Antonio.
His final appearance for West Ham came in December, suffering a life-threatening car crash soon after, stating himself “I was close to dying”, before returning to competitive football earlier this summer, featuring in all three of Jamaica’s matches at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in June.
Even at 35, Antonio will take some replacing, but have the Irons identified their man?
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, according to French outlet wiw Sports, West Ham have reached an agreement in principle on personal terms to sign Idrissa Gueye from Metz, adding that negotiations have reached the final stages.
Elsewhere, a report by Foot Mercato claims that the deal will cost €15m (around £13m), adding that both Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund had previously been interested in the youngster.
Well, if his West Ham career turns out to be even half as successful as the aforementioned Antonio, that’ll prove to be a bargain.
What Idrissa Gueye will bring to West Ham
Given that he is just 18 years old, not a lot is widely known about Gueye, so what do we know?
Well, he came through the famous Génération Foot academy in Senegal, before following the familiar pathway from there to Metz, a path trodden by Sadio Mané, Papiss Cissé, Ismaïla Sarr, Pape Matar Sarr and former hammer Diafra Sakho, as well as many others, in recent years.
What makes Gueye interesting is that he only made this jump in January, scoring five goals in 17 regular-season Ligue 2 games, thereby averaging a goal every 222 minutes.
West Ham forward Michail Antonio
This saw les Grenats finish third, subsequently beating both Dunkerque and then Stade Reims in the play-offs as they won promotion back to Ligue 1.
Speaking to French outlet Lesoleil, Metz sporting director Frédéric Arpinon stated that Gueye “reminds me a little” of Olivier Giroud, adding “I hope for him that he will have the same trajectory”.
Elsewhere, Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider labels him ‘one of the hottest properties’ in European football, while Sébastien Denis of Foot Mercato asserts that he is a “diamond” of a striker.
Gueye won Metz’s player of the month, as well as Ligue 2 young player of the month during an eye-catching February, so let’s assess his statistics.
Goals
0.41
14th
Shots
2.53
18th
Goals-per-shot on target
0.45
18th
Big chances missed
0.4
54th
Average Sofa Score rating
6.97
20th*
*amongst strikers only.
As the table emphasises, Gueye is a player of enormous talent, but one who is still very raw, which shouldn’t be too surprising considering, as recently as January, he was plying his trade in the Senegalese Premier League which, according to the CAF association rankings, is the 17th strongest league in Africa.
So why will he be the ideal Antonio replacement?
Michail Antonio.
Well, West Ham already boast Niclas Füllkrug and have also signed Callum Wilson on a free transfer, both of whom are vastly experienced, allowing Gueye to learn from them, and not demanding that he is a starter from day one.
According to Global Football Rankings, Ligue 2 is the 30th strongest league in the world, making it the fifth best second-tier on the planet, behind the EFL Championship (11th), the Zweite Bundesliga (17th), Serie B (19th) and the Segunda División (24th).
Thus, Gueye has already proven he can score goals at a relatively high level, Ligue 2 is one place above the Saudi Pro League interestingly, and he appears to have all the attributes to thrive in the Premier League.
Dream Ramsey alternative: West Ham plot late move for £50m "massive talent"
As West Ham search for a new midfielder, could they shelve their interest in Jacob Ramsey and move for a “massive talent” valued at £50m by his club?
Depois o triunfo do Botafogo sobre o São Paulo por 2 a 1, neste sábado, no Nilton Santos, John Textor falou na entrevista coletiva e explicou o momento da equipe comandada por Luís Castro. Com isso, o empresário assumiu a responsabilidade pelo fraco desempenho do time no início do ano, que resultou na eliminação no Campeonato Carioca.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBotafogoEduardo critica árbitro em vitória do Botafogo e fala sobre fase goleadora na temporada: ‘Quero só ajudar’Botafogo15/04/2023BotafogoATUAÇÕES: Tiquinho, Eduardo e Lucas Perri são destaques em vitória do BotafogoBotafogo15/04/2023BrasileirãoEm noite de Eduardo, Botafogo vence o São Paulo na primeira rodada do BrasileiroBrasileirão15/04/2023
Vale lembrar que a equipe não avançou às semifinais do Estadual e teve que disputar a Taça Rio para conseguir uma vaga na próxima edição da Copa do Brasil. Por outro lado, Textor ressaltou que a ideia era fazer um planejamento fora do país, o que não aconteceu, e que a temporada começou neste sábado para o Alvinegro.
– Obrigado por todos estarem aqui, hoje é o início da temporada real, com o Campeonato Brasileiro. O ponto-chave é que hoje é o início da temporada. Quando eu vim para o Brasil, vi muitas coisas sobre o Campeonato Carioca, federação e fãs levam muito a sério. Vim para o Brasil com mentalidade mais europeia, da duração da temporada, do que seria bom para os jogadores. São mais ou menos 16 jogos em uma pré-temporada, não é o adequado e ideal para os jogadores. Em outros países há uma pré-temporada de forma real, em que você consegue avaliar o elenco e entender as necessidades – disse, antes de completar:
continua após a publicidade
Para os nossos fãs que ficaram chateados com nossa performance no Carioca, a falha se inicia comigo. O plano não era esse, era fazer pré-temporada nos Estados Unidos, enfrentar times da MLS, mas não houve possibilidade de escalar o time B no Carioca. As regras mudaram, quase uma limitação de usar o time B, o Carioca se tornou mais relevante pela vaga na Copa do Brasil e não houve consenso entre os clubes – frisou:
– A responsabilidade é minha. Já tínhamos planos, estavam todos cientes, foi algo que teve que ser ajustado em curto espaço de tempo, foi difícil administrar, entender as forças e fraquezas, o Carioca foi a pré-temporada, sujeita aos resultados. A ideia é lógico desenvolver junto à Federação, aproximar, entender, discutir, de que forma o Carioca pode ajudar os times. Mas a mensagem desta noite é que a temporada iniciou hoje, com uma boa vitória sobre uma equipe muito importante. Temos esse início com equipe capaz de disputar bem a competição – concluiu.
continua após a publicidade
O Botafogo volta a campo na próxima quinta-feira para medir forças com o Universidad César Vallejo, do Peru, às 21h (de Brasília), também no Nilton Santos, pela Copa Sul-Americana. No Brasileirão, os comandados de Luís Castro entrarão em campo na segunda-feira, dia 24, às 21h, para encarar o Bahia, na Arena Fonte Nova, pela 2ª rodada.
Perhaps being dropped from England’s ODI squad was the wake-up call that Liam Livingstone needed. After flattering to deceive while battling a series of niggling injuries over the last three years, Livingstone marked his 50th T20I cap by clubbing 87 off 47 to square the series in Cardiff, having earlier helped to drag Australia back with 2 for 16 in his three overs.Chasing 194 to set up a decider in Manchester on Sunday, England slipped to 79 for 3 in the ninth over when Phil Salt miscued Matthew Short to long-on. But Livingstone combined with the precocious allrounder Jacob Bethell to add 90 in just 47 balls, and despite a major wobble against Short’s offbreaks, England got home with an over to spare.Related
Matthew Short makes his case to be Warner's successor
Liam Livingstone embraces veteran status and targets ODI comeback
Does England-Australia allrounder-fest point way to T20's future?
Bethell was handed his first England cap by Livingstone on Wednesday, having been mentored by him at Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred. They fed off one another: as Livingstone laid into Australia’s under-strength seam attack, Bethell took down their spinners – including four consecutive boundaries off Adam Zampa, which broke the back of the chase.Bethell fell with 25 still needed, losing his off stump while reverse-sweeping, but Livingstone took England home. Given the responsibility of batting at No. 4 in a young side, Livingstone was playing for his England future this week but has delivered, twice top-scoring and taking five wickets in six overs.It meant Livingstone addressed a long-standing charge against him: that he has often shown glimpses of his talent in international cricket, but has rarely won England a game. While he could not quite deliver the decisive blow – he was bowled trying to hit Short for six with scores tied – this was still a match-winning innings, featuring five sixes.He sent a raucous, sold-out Cardiff crowd home happy. “I’ve struck the ball better, but in terms of situations, scenarios, I don’t really care about scoring runs in loses,” Livingstone said. “It’s all about winning games: I want to win games for England and today I feel like I’ve done that.”Australia’s total of 193 owed much to Jake Fraser-McGurk’s maiden international half-century, with Josh Inglis adding 42. They were pegged back after another fast start, but looked short on bowling quality with Xavier Bartlett missing due to a side strain and Josh Hazlewood rested – and so it proved.Liam Livingstone raced to a half-century in his 50th T20I•Getty Images
The Rooster crows
Fraser-McGurk missed out on selection at the Utilita Bowl after scoring 0, 16 and 0 in his first three T20I innings in Scotland last week, with Short preferred at the top of the order. But Mitchell Marsh’s illness – which saw Travis Head captain Australia for the first time in any format – gave Fraser-McGurk an opportunity at No. 3.He came in after another fast start by Australia’s new opening pair: Short crunched Reece Topley for a six and two fours in the first over before Head raced to 31 off 13 balls, including two towering straight sixes. Brydon Carse’s extra pace made the difference: Head slapped his second ball, clocked at 91.3mph, straight to short cover.Fraser-McGurk made a flying start of his own, hitting three consecutive boundaries off Sam Curran as Australia reached 67 for 1 off the Powerplay. After initially struggling to pick Adil Rashid, he then lofted a floaty legbreak back down the ground for a straight six – though Rashid then cleaned Short up for 28 with a trademark googly.Livingstone kept things tight through the middle and had both Fraser-McGurk and Marcus Stoinis caught at wide long-on by Jamie Overton – though not before Fraser-McGurk had audaciously launched the profligate Topley over deep point for six.Carse was hit for consecutive fours by Inglis – who made 42 – but had Tim David caught behind with his last ball. He finished with 2 for 26 in his first international match since serving a ban for breaching anti-gambling regulations, having replaced the rested Jofra Archer. But Overton shelled Cameron Green at deep midwicket, and Aaron Hardie punished Curran in the final over to lift Australia to 193.Jake Fraser-McGurk launches down the ground•PA Photos/Getty Images
England’s late wobble
After Salt crunched Hardie for three consecutive sixes to get England moving, Will Jacks fell cheaply in the chase, picking out long leg for the second game in a row to extend an underwhelming start to his T20I career. Sean Abbott was the bowler, and had two in his first three balls when Jordan Cox lost his leg stump to a nip-backer.Salt and Livingstone ticked over but Zampa briefly put the brakes on, and Head was rewarded for a bowling change which defied convention: using Short’s offspin against two right-handers. But Livingstone and Bethell combined to stunning effect, starting steadily before shifting gears to take Stoinis and Zampa down respectively.England did their best to mess things up, with Short taking his first five-for of a 233-match professional career: Bethell was bowled reversing, Curran picked out extra cover, Livingstone ran past a straight one and Carse picked out mid-on. With Short on a hat-trick, Rashid steered the winning single away through point.