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Pakistan are ahead of Australia on the points table, but can they bounce back from the severe defeat they suffered against India?

Danyal Rasool19-Oct-20232:10

Cummins says batting could decide game in Bengaluru

Big picture: Advantage whom?It’s that strange time in the long group stage of the World Cup where the nebulous concept of momentum appears to matter more than a side’s actual position on the points table. Pakistan are ahead of Australia every way you slice it – on points, on net run rate. But given Pakistan’s penchant for panic the moment anything goes wrong, and Australia’s ability to strike when they most need it, this is a contest between a team primed to make a charge, and one that can feel their opponent’s breath on their necks. As any Pakistan supporter will tell you, the one team they don’t want to play when they really need a win is the one in yellow.After hidings against India and South Africa, Australia demonstrated they weren’t about to give up on their campaign with a whimper. A complete performance with bat, ball and in the field sank Sri Lanka, earning them their first points and improving their negative net run rate. Mitchell Marsh fired after two failures, while Adam Zampa’s impressive haul and control through the middle overs marks a point of difference to the Pakistan spin department, who are especially short of form at present.Australia’s failure to keep the opposition openers on a leash two games in a row might be a concern, especially since the Bengaluru pitch is expected to be flat. But the way they pulled Sri Lanka back, taking the last nine wickets for 52 runs, will encourage them, not least because Pakistan crumbled in similar fashion in their most recent encounter.Despite playing lots of ODIs over the past eight weeks, the jury remains out on the merits of this Pakistan side. The concomitant hysteria that follows a defeat to India has dragged the debate to the extremes, but are not so much as a blank canvas as an abstract portrait, one which can be interpreted in a variety of ways without quite being able to extract any objective truth out of.They’ve got an amazing bowling attack, though much of it is either injured or out of form. They possess a sensational top three but refer again to the previous sentence for the caveat. Their middle order has finally begun to perform, though they did lose their last eight for 36 against India. They have a generational allrounder in Shadab Khan, but he’s so woefully out of form his place in the starting XI isn’t guaranteed. They’ve notched up two wins in three, though they came against an Associate nation and the only winless side at this tournament.Perhaps this early in the tournament though, only broad brushstrokes have been committed to canvas, and the full picture is still to emerge. But Australia vs Pakistan has historically always mattered in the World Cup. As both sides try to reinvigorate a campaign that hasn’t got off to the best of starts, it’s worth remembering there has never been a World Cup where at least one of these two don’t make the final four. In Bengaluru, one will take another step to holding up their end of that bargain.Australia scored their first win of the World Cup in their third game against Sri Lanka•AFP/Getty ImagesForm guideAustralia WLLWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan LWWLLIn the spotlight: Maxwell and BabarGlenn Maxwell’s ability to muscle the ball in the middle and death overs is well known, though – aside from a cameo against Sri Lanka – he hasn’t lit up this World Cup. Pakistan, however, will be under no illusions about the damage he can do, and not least because he scored a 71-ball 77 in the warm-up game between these sides. Pakistan is Maxwell’s favourite ODI side: in 16 innings against them, he has never been dismissed in single figures and averages 52.50 as opposed to a career average of 33.43.Will the real Babar Azam please stand up? While it may seem unfair to spotlight the highest scorer in Pakistan’s dismal batting performance against India, the expectations on Pakistan’s captain are disproportionate. As the best batter in the side – and according to ICC rankings – in the world, Babar’s campaign began with two soft and cheap dismissals. Against India he fell, uncharacteristically, the next ball after reaching his half-century and Pakistan’s foundation was shown to have been built on quicksand. His value to this side extends beyond his mere wicket, and for a man who has dealt with that kind of pressure in this format especially well, this recent dry run is ill-timed.Team newsThere was a bit of uncertainty about the condition of Adam Zampa’s back, but Pat Cummins confirmed he was fully fit. Australia should field an unchanged side.Australia (likely) 1 David Warner 2 Mitchell Marsh 3 Steven Smith 4 Marnus Labuschagne 5 Josh Inglis (wk) 6 Glenn Maxwell 7 Marcus Stoinis 8 Mitchell Starc 9 Pat Cummins (capt) 10 Adam Zampa 11 Josh HazlewoodShadab Khan may not make it to Pakistan’s XI against Australia•AFP/Getty ImagesA viral infection swept through the Pakistan camp over the past week, though almost everyone is on the mend now. Fakhar Zaman, dropped earlier in the tournament, is unavailable for at least two games due to a knee injury. Pakistan’s middle-over struggles with the ball, combined with a flat wicket, mean they are contemplating ringing the changes. One of Shadab Khan or Mohammad Nawaz may miss out, with legspinner Usama Mir primed to play his first World Cup game.Pakistan (likely) 1 Abdullah Shafique 2 Imam-ul-Haq 3 Babar Azam (capt) 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 5 Saud Shakeel 6 Mohammad Nawaz/Shadab Khan 7 Iftikhar Ahmed 8 Usama Mir 9 Hasan Ali 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi 11 Haris RaufPitch and conditionsThe pitch at the Chinnaswamy Stadium is expected to be flat and the boundaries short. Expect a run-fest, one which rain has no chance of interrupting.Stats and trivia Zampa requires three wickets to reach 150 ODI scalps; the only other Australian legspinner to manage that is Shane Warne. The 10 ODI World Cup encounters between Australia and Pakistan have been split 6-4 in favour of Australia. The five-time champions have dominated the head-to-head of late, winning four of their last five World Cup matches stretching back to the 1999 final. Each of the last six ODI World Cup matches between these two have been won by the side that lost the toss. Quotes”Pakistan are a side that always seem to be right up there. Pretty well structured. They’re a really strong side pretty much in all facets”

They tested positive for a banned recreational drug, and will appear for a disciplinary hearing soon

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Dec-2023Allrounders Wessly Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta have been suspended with immediate effect by Zimbabwe Cricket for “allegedly breaching anti-doping rules”. They have been suspended from all cricket activities, pending a hearing, after they tested positive for a banned recreational drug in an out-of-competition case during a in-house dope test recently.They have been charged under the ZC Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials, and will appear for a disciplinary hearing soon, which will likely decide the length of their suspension.Both Madhevere and Mavuta were part of the Zimbabwe side that faced Ireland in a home series until last week. Madhevere played all three T20Is while Mavuta played just the third T20I and the three ODIs after that.Mavuta made his international debut in 2018, and has so far played four Tests, 12 ODIs and 10 T20Is, while Madhevere, who first represented Zimbabwe in 2020, has featured in two Tests, 36 ODIs and 60 T20Is.While Mavuta didn’t play any competitive cricket after the Ireland series, Madhevere featured for Mashonaland Eagles in the ongoing Logan Cup, Zimbabwe’s first-class competition, to score 4 and bag 2 for 34.Madhevere’s and Mavuta’s suspensions come a day after Zimbabwe’s head coach Dave Houghton resigned from his post, as they failed to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup after also missing out on the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Jamie Vardy’s next chapter could unfold in Spain, with reports suggesting that La Liga side Valencia are weighing up a move for the former Leicester City talisman. The 37-year-old, who brought an end to his 13-year spell at the King Power Stadium this summer, has attracted interest from several clubs across Europe, including Rangers and Wrexham.

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Vardy is currently a free agentValencia eager to bring him inRangers & Wrexham are also in the raceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Carlos Corberan, currently managing the Spanish outfit, is keen to explore the possibility of bringing the experienced forward to the Mestalla. While he doesn’t envision Vardy as a regular starter, he believes the striker’s instinctive eye for goal could still make a difference from the bench. The manager is reportedly in discussions with Valencia’s technical director about how Vardy might fit into their plans and whether the club can stretch their budget to accommodate his wage demands.

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Scottish giants Rangers have also been linked with Vardy, and while manager Russell Martin hasn’t confirmed formal interest, he hasn’t dismissed the possibility either. Instead, he has acknowledged the rumours when asked and left the door open for a potential deal, should the right circumstances arise.

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Elsewhere, League One champions Wrexham, now preparing for life in the Championship, have also expressed interest. The club’s Hollywood-backed project has seen them target experienced players from higher divisions, and Vardy is reportedly on their radar as manager Phil Parkinson looks to bolster his attack for a more competitive league campaign.

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Vardy, who turns 39 in January, remains confident in his ability to deliver. Regardless of where he lands, the next move for Vardy could be the final act of his remarkable career. With the 2024/25 season around the corner and most clubs returning to pre-season training, the veteran forward must stay in peak physical condition if he is to secure one last contract.

Something brewing in the Caribbean as Windies win third T20I series under Rovman Powell’s captaincy

Matt Roller21-Dec-2023The final game of England’s tour ended much like the first: with Shai Hope clinching victory for West Indies with a match-winning six. His unbeaten, run-a-ball 43 was the highest score of a tense low-scorer in Tarouba, and his clean strike over cover off Chris Woakes sealed the series decider with four balls remaining.Something is brewing in the Caribbean. Since their ignominious first-round exit at last year’s T20 World Cup in Australia, West Indies have won three T20I series out of three under Rovman Powell’s captaincy. In August, they beat India 3-2 in Daren Sammy’s first T20I series as white-ball coach; in December, they beat the defending world champions by the same margin.Related

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This finale was played on the same strip at Trinidad’s Brian Lara Cricket Academy as the one used in England’s 75-run win 48 hours previously, but the games could hardly have been more different: after 459 runs in 35.3 overs on Tuesday evening, Thursday’s game saw just 265 in 38.5, culminating in a scrap for the finish line.In pursuit of 133, Hope soaked up 31 balls for his first 23 runs before finally shifting up a gear when he squeezed Rehan Ahmed away for his first boundary. West Indies made things difficult for themselves, but England’s late collapse after being sent in – they lost their last six wickets for just 22 runs – proved decisive. They will fly home empty-handed on Friday, after losing both the ODI and T20I legs of this tour.A pinch of Salt
Phil Salt hit centuries in both the third and fourth games of this series, and looked in pristine touch in the Powerplay. Oshane Thomas, who replaced Matthew Forde for West Indies, saw his first ball of the night crunched through the covers, then conceded back-to-back boundaries in his second over: the first through point, the second straight back down the ground.Jos Buttler fell early, scooping Jason Holder to short fine leg for 11 in the fourth over, while Will Jacks’ innings summed up his series: a glimmer of promise, crunching Akeal Hosein over long-on for a straight six, then brought back down to earth when cramped for room by an arm ball which scuttled into his stumps.By the time Salt launched Gudakesh Motie over long-off for six to take England to 60 for 2 after three balls of the seventh over, he had broken Mohammad Rizwan’s record for the most runs in a men’s bilateral T20I series. But he fell to the next one he faced, which angled in then spun past his outside edge – a sign of what was to come through the middle overs.Spin smothers England
Buttler bemoaned the time it took England to realise that this was not the belter of two nights previously, which allowed Motie and Hosein to thrive. Harry Brook fell to his sixth ball, gloving Motie behind as he shaped to scoop; only once more, when Moeen Ali dragged one over midwicket, did he concede a boundary.Moeen fell for 23 to an excellent relay catch between Andre Russell and Powell at long-on and long-off, having added 40 in 6.2 overs for the fifth wicket. Liam Livingstone hit two towering leg-side sixes – one off Thomas, the other off Holder – but chipped a catch back to Motie to give him his third wicket.England’s lower order offered little resistance: Russell cleaned Chris Woakes up with an inch-perfect yorker, then reacted quickly to take a fine catch off his own bowling when Rehan hit a full toss back at him. Adil Rashid ran himself out while getting Curran back on strike, but Curran could only pick out long-on. From 267 for 3, England were bowled out for just 132.Hope drops anchor
Johnson Charles, replacing Kyle Mayers at the top of the order, made an early dent in the target, swinging Woakes over square leg for six before steering him away through point. But England’s bowlers picked up the early wickets they craved: Brandon King swung Reece Topley straight to mid-on, and Nicholas Pooran chopped Woakes onto his own stumps.England tried to replicate West Indies’ spin squeeze, and Rashid – celebrating his ascent to the top of the ICC’s rankings in this format – struck in his first over. The breakthrough came thanks to the worst ball he bowled, a loopy full toss outside off stump that Charles slapped straight to short cover.Sherfane Rutherford provided a vital cameo of 30 off 21 balls, slugging Rashid down the ground for six and pulling Curran over long leg, as Hope steadied the ship from the other end. They added 41 off 38 balls for the fourth wicket before Rutherford crunched Rashid’s googly to Curran at short extra cover, breaking the game back open.As the game went deep, the chase became frantic. Powell dumped Rehan down the ground for six to take the required rate below six but then steered Topley to short third, and Russell swung like a rusty gate before heaving Curran’s full toss down long-on’s throat as West Indies managed one run off the first five balls of the 19th over.Holder was nearly run out off the final ball of the over, but Curran’s close-range attempt to deflect Rashid’s throw onto the stumps went wide. When Holder’s inside-edge off Woakes’ first ball of the 20th left six required off five balls, Hope decided to finish it with a single blow: he crashed Woakes over the off side, prompting celebrations that would continue long into the night.

Ashley Young is reportedly set to join Ipswich Town on a free transfer after a potential return to Watford collapsed due to wage issues. The 40-year-old former Manchester United and Everton star was released by the Toffees in May and is now preparing for one final campaign in the Championship under Kieran McKenna as the Tractor Boys eye a return to the Premier League.

Ashley Young set to sign for Ipswich Town on free dealWatford reunion collapsed due to wage disagreementsYoung reunites with ex-Man Utd coach Kieran McKennaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Young had been in talks with Watford for a potential reunion with his boyhood club, but the deal fell through over the former England international's salary demands. Ipswich have now swooped in to offer the veteran defender a deal, as per talkSPORT. The switch will mark Young’s return to the Championship, nearly two decades after his last stint in the English second-tier.

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Young's move comes as Ipswich Town look to rebuild after their relegation from the Premier League last season. With 485 top-flight appearances and trophies in England and Italy, his experience could be vital for the Tractor Boys. It’s also a reunion of sorts with McKenna, who worked with Young during his time at Manchester United.

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Watford reportedly wanted Young to be a leader and even considered him for the captaincy. However, the Hornets were unable to meet his wage demands, paving the way for Ipswich Town to strike a deal with the 40-year-old.

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The Manchester United legend is now expected to complete his move to Ipswich Town in the coming days and join pre-season training with Ipswich. The Tractor Boys will be counting on his leadership to help push for promotion. An official announcement is likely to follow once final terms are agreed.

The Argentine's trusted muscle was involved in a postgame incident after a win over Atlas

Messi's bodyguard suspendedStems from incident against AtlasHad previously been moved away from Miami sidelines in MLSGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Lionel Messi's bodyguard has reportedly been suspended for the remainder of the Leagues Cup after an incident during Inter Miami's tournament-opener against Atlas.

The Leagues Cup disciplinary committee has announced that a member of Inter Miami's club delegation has been suspended from technical areas for the remainder of the tournament. According to ESPN, the person suspended is Yassine Cheuko, Messi's longtime bodyguard.

Cheuko was seen entering the pitch after Wednesday's match to break up a coming-together between the two teams. The incident was addressed postgame by Atlas' Matehus Doria.

"I understand that Messi's bodyguard is there to protect Messi from a possible entry by a fan, I don't know, but between players, he doesn't have that permission," Doria said. 

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The Leagues Cup disciplinary committee explained the reasoning behind the decision. 

"After the July 30 Inter Miami CF vs. Club Atlas match, a member of Inter Miami's club delegation displayed improper conduct by entering restricted areas without an official event credential," it said. "In accordance with the Leagues Cup 2025 Tournament Regulations, the Disciplinary Committee has suspended the individual involved from all technical areas for the remainder of Leagues Cup 2025 and issued an undisclosed fine to Inter Miami CF."

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Since Messi's arrival in Miami, Cheuko has become something of a celebrity in his own right. The bodyguard has worked with Messi since his time at Paris Saint-Germain, establishing himself as part of the Argentine's inner circle. His work alongside Messi hasn't been without controversy, though, as Cheuko revealed in April that he was banned from the sidelines at Inter Miami matches.

"They don't allow me to be on the field anymore," the bodyguard said in an interview with House of Highlights. "I was in Europe for seven years, working for Ligue 1 and the Champions League, and only six people invaded the pitch. I came to the USA, and in just 20 months, 16 people have already done so. There's a huge problem here. I'm not the problem. Let me help Messi."

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Following Saturday's Leagues Cup match against Necaxa, Miami will look ahead to their third and final group match against Pumas. It might come without Messi, though, as the star Argentine suffered an injury early into Saturday's game.

“The game is moving forward and so fast these days from the batters, so when you are not on top of your game [as a bowler], it’s hard,” says RCB captain

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Apr-20242:28

Why did RCB open the bowling with Will Jacks?

After losing their fifth game in a row, this time out-hit at the Chinnaswamy as Sunrisers Hyderabad’s smashed a record 287 for 3, Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Faf du Plessis admitted that such results could take a mental toll.Even though RCB scored an impressive 262 for 7 in response, the runs conceded in the first innings were simply too many to overhaul, and he put it down to a lack of confidence in the bowling group. RCB came into this match having leaked 199 in 15.3 overs against Mumbai Indians in their last outing but started the match with only five bowlers, with Mohammed Siraj on the bench.”It’s tough, we tried quite a few things, a few different things, and they weren’t quite working,” du Plessis said after the match. “So it’s a sign of confidence in the other group. When your confidence is low, there’s nowhere to hide in the game.Related

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“The game is moving forward and so fast these days from the batters, so when you are not on top of your game [as a bowler], it’s hard. Obviously, with five bowlers, it’s tough on a wicket like that. We are going to keep trying different things.”Du Plessis said taking a break to reset might be the best thing for his side before their next game on Sunday against Kolkata Knight Riders. As it stands, RCB have very slim qualification chances; even if they win each of their remaining seven games, it may not be enough.”One thing really important is you need to go away and freshen your mind, it’s such a mental game,” he said. “Sometimes when we have a couple of back-to-back defeats, it feels like your mind is going to explode.”It’s important to stay away from it and make sure that we do get back to the next challenge – which is obviously a little bit of an uphill task for us at the moment – but when we do get back to the contest, we show full commitment 100%.”Faf du Plessis made 62•BCCI’Proud to see the boys fought tonight’After being stunned into silence by Sunrisers’ assault, the home fans at the Chinnaswamy did get to enjoy their own side putting up the season’s fourth-highest score of 262.It was set up by du Plessis’ 28-ball 62, Virat Kohli’s 20-ball 42 and a 35-ball 83 from Dinesh Karthik, who together took RCB to a score only one short of the franchise’s highest IPL score of 263 for 5 from IPL 2013. Du Plessis said he was most pleased with how the team did not “fall like a deck of cards” in the chase.”Great effort from the team to get closer to the target,” he said. “Similarly from the batting perspective, we need to work on a few areas. There were some errors we need to address as a batting unit, there was a little bit of dip after the powerplay, [that] is something we want to work on. Need to make sure the run rate doesn’t go down and we keep going because the game has evolved and changed with the scores the teams are putting now.”But really proud to see the boys fought tonight and put up their hand and never gave up. In a big chase like this, you often see teams falling like a deck of cards. Great to see the fight tonight. But from a bowling perspective, 30-40 runs too much.”

Bayern Munich are set to tie two players down to new contracts, with extensions for Dayot Upamecano and rising star Lennart Karl close to completion.

Upamecano and Karl close to new Bayern contractsCentre-back states his intention to stayContract extensions expected to be completed imminentlyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Bayern are close to securing contract extensions for two key players: centre-back Upamecano and attacking prospect Karl. Negotiations with Upamecano have been ongoing for months, with both the player and Bayern hierarchy keen to finalise an agreement that would see him remain beyond his current deal, which is set to expire in June 2026. Meanwhile, talks with 17-year-old Karl are at an advanced stage with Bayern “very confident” of securing his signature for the long term following his impressive form in youth and first-team pre-season matches.

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Sporting director Max Eberl confirmed following the 4-0 friendly win against Tottenham Hotspur, saying: “It’s definitely a goal that we want to extend,” referencing their intent over Upamecano during a recent mixed zone. 

Upamecano himself reiterated after the friendly win: “I’m happy here,” noting ongoing discussions between his agent, Eberl and sporting director Christoph Freund. Eberl further : “It’s looking very good,” highlighting Bayern’s optimism around the 17-year-old’s extension.

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Upamecano’s extension would represent another strong statement from Bayern as they continue to lock down their core squad, having already secured Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies to long-term deals this year. Under Vincent Kompany, Upamecano was a regular in the starting XI until his season was cut short by injury. Karl, meanwhile, has been prolific in scoring and assisting goals at youth level and made an impact in pre-season matches, notably scoring against Tottenham, after making an appearance at the Club World Cup.

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Bayern expect to finalise Upamecano’s extension within weeks, although exact salary terms remain under negotiation, with agreement anticipated to extend to at least 2029. Karl’s renewal could be announced before the end of the week, potentially running through to 2028. The pair are set to play a role in Bayern’s upcoming domestic and European fixtures as the Bundesliga champions prepare for another title challenge.

The ICC and CWI issued a joint statement after the Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister confirmed that security agencies were monitoring a terror threat to the event

ESPNcricinfo staff06-May-2024The ICC and Cricket West Indies have assured that a “comprehensive and robust security plan” is in place for the Men’s T20 World Cup after Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley confirmed that security agencies in the West Indies were monitoring a possible terror threat to the event.Rowley spoke to the after reports of the terror threat, which had circulated on social media, emerged over the weekend.”Unfortunately, the threat of terrorism in its many and varied expressions is an ever-present danger in the world of the 21st century,” Rowley said. “It is against this backdrop that all nations, like our region, when hosting large or vulnerable gatherings, make an extra effort in national security preparations and response readiness to take seriously, all threats, expressed or implied.”Given the fact that bad actors can choose to misbehave in any way possible it makes it virtually impossible to completely seal off all opportunities.”However, in order to ameliorate these dangers, we at the local and regional levels have remained alert to many threats and singularly or together have our intelligence and other security agencies working to protect the population in countries and at venues throughout the tournament.”The ICC and CWI responded with a joint statement assuring stakeholders of the security measures in place.”We work closely with authorities in the host countries and cities, and continually monitor and evaluate the global landscape to ensure appropriate plans are in place to mitigate any risks identified to our event,” the statement said. “We want to assure all stakeholders that safety and security of everyone at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is our number one priority and we have a comprehensive and robust security plan in place.”The 20-team T20 World Cup will be played in nine venues, six of them in the West Indies and three in the USA. The tournament runs from June 1 to 29, with Barbados scheduled to host the final.

Chelsea's valuation of transfer target Xavi Simons revealed as talks with RB Leipzig drag on. The Blues are confident of signing the Dutch midfielder, however, they are yet to submit a formal proposal to the Bundesliga club. Leipzig, on the other hand, ae busy with their negotiations with Manchester United and Newcastle over the transfer of their star striker Benjamin Sesko.

Chelsea's valuation of Simons revealedYet to submit a formal offer for Simons  Blues confident of signing Dutch international Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Sky Sports journalist , the Blues are not willing to pay more than £50 million ($66m), as they value the Dutch international between €50m and €55m. Chelsea have not placed a formal offer for Simons with RB Leipzig.    

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Football.London's , on the other hand, claims that while talks haven't progressed with RB Leipzig, the Blues remain confident that they will be able to secure the transfer. An insider told the journalist, "It’s not always easy, but it is nothing at all to worry about." Leipzig, meanwhile, are in talks with United and Magpies as both Premier League clubs are fighting for Sesko.  

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Another report from journalist claims that Chelsea have agreed to pay £60m ($80m) to RB Leipzig as they are on the verge of sealing Simons' transfer, who will sign a seven-year contract, valid until 2032.   

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While Simons' transfer talks drag on, RB Leipzig have already identified the midfielder's replacement as they eye a move for Liverpool star Harvey Elliott.