AC Milan star Christian Pulisic laughed off playing everywhere but goalkeeper question when delivering a first post-match interview in Italian.
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Rossoneri reduced to 10 men vs UdineseAmerican forward forced to work hardSettled in Italy & producing impressive formFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The United States international made another decisive contribution for the Rossoneri as they claimed a battling 1-0 win over Udinese with 10 men. Pulisic teed up the match-winning strike for Samuel Chukwueze and has now delivered a goal contribution in seven successive Serie A matches.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT PULISIC SAID
Pulisic covered just about every blade of grass at San Siro, with the 26-year-old popping up in every position but between the sticks. Quizzed on that by at the end of a draining contest, Pulisic said: “I have to ask [Mike] Maignan! True, I played in every position, but I am happy because we deserved the victory.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Milan suffered back-to-back defeats in domestic and European competition heading into the last international break, but have now returned to winning ways and are looking to add greater consistency to their game. Pulisic added, while speaking fluent Italian: “We have to take this game and gain confidence, continuing like this we can win many games.”
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GettyWHAT NEXT?
Pulisic is clearly fully adjusted to life in Milan on and off the field, having recently been joined in Italy by his golf professional girlfriend Alexa Melton, and will believe that there is more to come from him during an impressive run of form.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has done a phenomenal job in charge of the Gunners, returning the club back to contention for a Premier League title after years of disappointment at the Emirates.
With the investment provided by the hierarchy, he’s conducted shrewd business in the transfer market, signing players such as Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard after unsuccessful spells elsewhere and transforming them into leading European talents.
Arteta has also been crucial in the development of numerous young players at the club, with the likes of William Saliba and Bukayo Saka thriving under his guidance and playing crucial roles under the Spaniard in recent years.
However, despite his excellent job conducted by the former Arsenal midfielder, he’s desperately lacking a focal point to lead the Gunners to a first Premier League title in a generation.
He will need to offload players in order to generate the money to invest in a clinical goalscorer, with one player seemingly edging closer to an exit from North London this summer.
The latest on Reiss Nelson's future
According to journalist David Ornstein, Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson has expressed his desire to depart the club this summer in a bid to find more consistent first-team minutes.
Arsenal forward Reiss Nelson.
The 24-year-old only made 15 Premier League appearances last season, with only one coming from a starting role, with the attacker failing to register a single goal or assist for the Gunners.
Nelson, who is a product of The Hale End academy, has attracted interest from various English sides such as West Ham United, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Nottingham Forest, with the club wanting £20m to part ways with the ace.
The player is currently on a £100k-per-week salary too, as much as Gabriel and even more than Leandro Trossard.
It would be a shame to see such a promising talent depart the Emirates, but with the club constantly on an upward trajectory, they must be brutal if they are to put an end to their two-decade wait for a league title.
Any fee raised in a move for Nelson would go a long way in the club’s efforts to secure the signature of one target who’s been on the Gunners’ radar for the last couple of years.
Where Arsenal could spend their money
It’s become pretty evident over the last six months that boss Arteta wants to sign a new centre-forward, with numerous names constantly being linked with a move to North London.
Benjamin Sesko seemed the most likely at one stage, but the Slovenian forward decided to stay put at RB Leipzig, signing a new deal with the Bundesliga outfit.
However, Sesko’s new contract could see Arteta reignite interest in Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, following multiple years of interest in the Swedish forward.
Arsenal were keen on a move for the 24-year-old during his time at Real Sociedad before his move to Tyneside, but his excellent campaign in the Premier League has sparked interest once more.
The Newcastle talisman scored 21 times in his 30 Premier League outings, leading to praise from Newcastle Chronicle editor Aaron Stokes dubbing the forward as “world-class”.
Games
30
Goals
21
Assists
2
Goals per 90
0.7
Pass accuracy
80%
Chances created
27
He wouldn’t be a cheap signing. Indeed, it's been claimed teams may need to pay between £80m-£100m for his signature, with the Magpies needing to raise funds to avoid breaching FFP rules next season.
However, he certainly would dramatically improve the Gunners’ already impressive frontline, who contributed to the club finding the back of the net on 91 occasions – the second most of any side in the Premier League.
If Arsenal are to finally get one over on rivals Manchester City next season, the signing of Isak is imperative, with his added goal threat key to Arteta’s bid to bring the Premier League trophy back to North London.
What Arsenal’s starting XI could look like after £300m spending spree
Arsenal could have a massive summer ahead of them if they are to finally overtake Manchester City.
Philippe Clement knows that in order to bring in his own transfer targets to Glasgow Rangers this summer, he will be expected to move on several first team players.
This may be easier said than done, especially as there appears to be interest in a player who spent the second half of last season out on loan in the Netherlands – Sam Lammers.
Beale signing could be set to leave Rangers
The Dutchman joined FC Utrecht in January and proceeded to score 11 goals in just 20 matches for the Eredivisie side between then and the end of the campaign, putting his dismal showings in Glasgow firmly behind him.
This led to links that they were going to make the move permanent when the summer came around, although Lammers would have to take a pay cut in order to make a move happen.
Now, according to Dutch outlet Voetbal international, Twente are now lining up a move for the former Atalanta forward in order to bolster their squad.
The Light Blues are seeking a fee of around £2.5m in order to part ways with Lammers, which means they will lose around £500k on the Dutchman, having spent £3m to sign him last summer.
Rangers forward Sam Lammers.
Selling the 26-year-old is the best for both parties this summer, allowing Lammers to continue his remarkable form while giving Clement a licence to go out and sign a more able replacement.
Sam Lammers' total cost at Rangers
The Ibrox side were in desperate need of some attacking reinforcements last summer as Michael Beale lost the likes of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos. This meant a move for Lammers, who joined in June, but it was a move which soon turned sour.
The former Eintracht Frankfurt gem was taking home around £18k-per-week, as per Salary Sport, with that figure notably more than both Abdallah Sima (£8.5k-per-week) and John Souttar (£8.1k-per-week) combined.
That is startling considering on-loan hero Sima netted 16 times in all competitions last season after cementing himself as a leading figure at Ibrox, while Souttar held the fort defensively after making 41 appearances in all competitions.
Metric
FC Utrecht
Rangers
Goals
10
2
Assists
3
1
Big chances created
5
1
Shots per game
3.4
2.5
Key passes per game
1.1
0.3
Lammers made 31 appearances for the Gers yet managed to find the back of the net on just two occasions, both coming in the Premiership.
Among his teammates, the forward ranked just 13th for goals and assists (three) in the league while also ranking in a lowly 18th position for big chances created (one), 28th for key passes per game (0.3) and sixth for successful dribbles per game (1.1), clearly proving that he wasn’t good enough succeed in Glasgow.
Rangers can fund rebuild by selling a flop who's worth more than Cantwell
Rangers must sell a player they only bought last summer to fund a summer rebuild
ByRoss Kilvington May 20, 2024
Additionally, Lammers cost Rangers £1.5m per goal scored, which is yet more evidence of just how poor a signing he turned out to be.
This doesn’t mean that he is a bad player, far from that. His form in the Netherlands has demonstrated that when Lammers is playing within his comfort zone, he can be excellent.
Clearly, Scottish football proved to be far too physical for him to really showcase his wonderful technical abilities and this was his downfall.
Recouping £2.5m for him might be one of the best pieces of transfer business Clement does this summer, especially considering how badly he performed at the Light Blues.
Along with data, “instinct comes in and ability to read the game, which Dhoni clearly has”, says Dravid
Deivarayan Muthu02-Aug-20201:17
Nehra: This IPL has nothing to do with Dhoni’s international career
T20 is a format that’s fickle and frantic, but MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings have somehow cracked consistency, reaching the IPL knockouts in each of the ten seasons they have been a part of. Rahul Dravid, who has come up against the Super Kings both as captain and coach, put down the team’s success to a combination of their use of data and Dhoni’s instincts.Dravid was speaking at a webinar hosted by the Great Lakes Institute of Management, where N Srinivasan, the former BCCI chief and head of India Cements, which owns Super Kings, was also present, and he labelled Dhoni a “pure instinct man”.”If you look at the success CSK has had, they’ve got really good access to data and they’ve got really good access to people behind the scenes and they’ve run cricket teams at the junior level,” Dravid said. “They understand talent and they’ve obviously got a good scouting process in place. But, what they also have is a captain who really understands instincts. So, I mean, look, I know Dhoni quite well and I hope he hasn’t changed, but I know Dhoni is probably not one to look at reams of data and statistics.”And he’s probably not going to get as involved in the auction process because when you’re looking at picking a squad of say 25 players or 28 players as CSK would, they need so much of information because there are so many players that they can pick from. They are probably not going to have the ability to see each and every one of the thousands of cricketers who play cricket in India and the overseas players, right?”So, you’re going to heavily rely on data and whatever metrics you put up. And, I think, the right metrics is critical because obviously CSK does that when assembling a squad. Then, what you do is once you’ve handed over the squad to the coach and to captain on the field, it’s critically important to have somebody with instincts and get the better of it, which obviously Dhoni is good at.”In the heat of the battle, you have your analysis, you got your coach and you’ve probably planned the game. But there are critical moments in a game, especially in a Twenty20 game, when every over matters. You can’t rely on data all the time… because you collect it from a past event. But, on that particular day, he (the player) might not be feeling very well or the captain might have noticed that his form is not good on that particular moment. That’s where instinct comes in and ability to read the game, which Dhoni clearly has.”Dhoni’s instinct and game-smarts came to the fore again during the 2010 IPL final, where he trapped Kieron Pollard with a funky field. Given Pollard’s propensity to hit the ball down the ground, Dhoni posted Matthew Hayden at straight mid-off and challenged Pollard to clear that fielder. However, Pollard only scooped Albie Morkel straight to Hayden as Super Kings went on to win their maiden IPL title.More recently, during the 2019 IPL final, Dhoni had one of his best fielders, Faf du Plessis, at straight long-off or straight long-on against Pollard. And when R Ashwin was at the Super Kings, Dhoni used the spinner as a powerplay option and often deployed a leg slip for him.During a Champions League T20 fixture in 2010 against Victoria in Port Elizabeth, Dhoni entrusted part-time offspinner Suresh Raina with the responsibility of defending 11 off the final over. Raina plucked two wickets and gave up two boundaries before Bryce McGain’s run-out off the last ball helped the Super Kings tie the game.Hindustan Times via Getty Images
Srinivasan agreed that Dhoni’s tactics and judgment had been central to Super Kings’ set-up. He also said that Dhoni didn’t really believe in team meetings, something Dwayne Bravo revealed last year.”We’re awash with data just now,” Srinivasan said. “To give you an example, there are bowling coaches and in a T20 game, they play videos of every batsman whom they’re going to come against and they see how he got out, what’s his strength, what’s his weakness etc. So, MS Dhoni doesn’t attend this, he’s a pure instinct man. The bowling coach, [head coach Stephen] Fleming will be there and everybody will be there, everyone is giving opinions, [but] he’ll get up and go.”In the context of instinct, he feels that he can assess a batsman or player on the field, that’s his judgement. On the other hand, there is so much of data that is available to help a person also analyse. It’s a very difficult line to draw [between data and instinct].”Srinivasan also outlined the challenges of bringing players from different cultures together and running an IPL franchise.”There was one outstanding player that we suggested to MS, he said: ‘no sir, he will spoil the team’. The cohesion within the team is important and see in America, franchise-based sport has been there for such a long time,” he said. “In India, we’re just starting and we’re new to it. But we at India Cements have had a lot of experience running teams at junior levels – Rahul has been part of us – [and] one aspect is that we understood from the beginning is when you manage and run a team, you own the franchise, not the player. You own the team, but not each and every player.”If we’re talking of competitive IPL or competitive T20, all of them are outstanding performers. To get 10-12 people together and to keep the peace between them itself is not an easy task.”
Lionel Messi sent a heartfelt message to Luis Suarez as his friend and Inter Miami team-mate called time on his Uruguay career.
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Suarez's international career comes to an end
Forward made 143 appearances for Uruguay
Messi paid tribute after final match
WHAT HAPPENED?
It was a day of celebration for Uruguay. Despite their underwhelming 0-0 draw with Paraguay, the fans inside the Estadio Centenario came to say goodbye to one of the country's greatest players, Luis Suarez, and the farewell included a message from his Inter Miami teammate and friend Lionel Messi.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
A goalless draw at home to Paraguay isn't the way Suarez envisioned his farewell. In 143 appearances he scored 69 goals and played a vital role in Uruguay's international tournaments, including in their 2011 Copa America triumph. That is all behind him now and his focus will be on Inter Miami, where his team-mate Messi recorded a message for him to be shown on the big screen after the game.
WHAT MESSI SAID
Messi said: "Hello fatty, I wanted to be present and record this video on such a meaningful day for you, for your family, for the people of Uruguay and for football fans in general because of who you are and everything you have given to the national team and your country. I was lucky to be by your side and I know how hard it was to make this decision because I know how much playing for the Uruguay national team means to you. I just hope you enjoy this tribute they are giving you, which you more than deserve, for everything I have mentioned before.
"For everything you gave to that team. You always gave your all, and until the very last day. You are leaving a great legacy for the people today and for the new generations to come. This is the end of a very important chapter in your career but hopefully there are many more years ahead in football. I am happy that those years will be here (Inter Miami) that we get to be together again on the same team and enjoy each day. I hope you enjoy this night with your loved ones and all the people you've had by your side and wanted close. Big hug, I love you very much, goodbye."
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Getty Images
WHAT NEXT FOR SUAREZ?
It was an emotional evening that saw a Uruguayan legend bow out, but he still plays at Inter Miami. The Florida-based side sit top of the Eastern Conference and he, along with Messi, could bring MLS glory to the Herons this year.
Wolverhampton Wanderers appear to have found some stability in the leadership of Gary O'Neil, who has the skills and the style to enjoy a successful tenure at Molineux for many years yet.
Having taken the reins at Bournemouth following the sacking of Scott Parker in 2022/23 – previously serving as the 43-year-old's understudy on the South Coast – O'Neil led the Cherries to unlikely survival on their return to the Premier League, though he was dismissed anyway for the progressive football of Andoni Iraola.
But Wolves know a gem when they see one, and after Julen Lopetegui's departure, O'Neil was brought in and he has worked wonders in guiding the Old Gold away from danger and securing a comfortable 13th-place top-flight finish – accruing five extra points (46 in total) to last season's 41-point haul.
Wolves: Record Sales
Rank
Player
Sold to
Date
Transfer Fee
1.
Matheus Nunes
Manchester City
01/09/2023
£53m
2.
Ruben Neves
Al Hilal
24/06/2023
£47m
3.
Diogo Jota
Liverpool
19/09/2020
£41m
4.
Morgan Gibbs-White
Nottingham Forest
19/08/2022
£25m (rising to £42.5m
5.
Nathan Collins
Brentford
04/07/2023
£23m
And that's despite last summer's mass exodus, with three of Wolves' record player sales occurring one year ago, leading to Lopetegui's frustrations boiling over and his eventual resignation.
This all bears testament to O'Neil's managerial wherewithal and his faculty for fashioning success from testing circumstances. On the plus, Wolves now enter this year's summer transfer window with little concern over meeting Premier League Profit and Sustainability rules.
Wolves manager Gary O'Neil
Though the Midlands club's best players are being targetted regardless…
The players that could leave Wolves this summer
The obvious one. Pedro Neto is in high demand despite spending half of the 2023/24 campaign on the sidelines nursing injuries, though there is good reason for this after the Portuguese racked up three goals and 11 assists from only 24 matches in all competitions.
The 24-year-old is an immense talent and it's little wonder that, as per The Telegraph, Manchester City and Newcastle United are snooping around with hopes of completing a deal in the coming months, though Wolves have stressed he will cost £60m.
He's not the only one attracting interest from Premier League rivals, however, with tough-tackling titan Joao Gomes on Arsenal and Manchester United's radar following his excellent performances in the Molineux midfield.
Again, Fosun won't let him go cheap and have set a £40m asking price on the Brazilian star, though recent rumours suggest that Thomas Partey might be leaving the Emirates this summer and Gomes could represent a shrewd buy for Mikel Arteta's trophy chasers.
To see such stars depart would be both poignant and concerning for Wolves supporters, who would see their team act to sign fitting replacements lest the club suffer a regression after promising work over the past months.
Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes celebrates
Especially when other high-cost players on the books must be shipped out first, with the time possibly right for Nelson Semedo to end his stay at Molineux.
Nelson Semedo's season in numbers
Wolves signed Semedo from Barcelona in a whopping £37m deal back in 2020, though this is including add-ons and it's unlikely that that initial figure has ever been reached in full.
The Portugal international has completed 145 appearances in total and has been a key part of O'Neil's season, starting 36 matches in the Premier League.
But he's now 30 years old and one of the club's highest earners, with journalist Liam Keen even suggesting that he is one of the most probable departees this summer.
Nelson Semedo: Premier League Stats 23/24
Stat
#
Matches played
36
Matches started
36
Goals
0
Assists
1
Clean sheets
4
Pass completion
81%
Key passes per game
0.7
Tackles per game
2.2
Clearances per game
2.2
Recoveries per game
5.2
Dribbles per game
1.4 (64%)
Duels won per game
5.1 (52%)
Penalties committed
2
Yellow cards
11
Red cards
1
Stats via Sofascore
The thing is, as the table above portrays, the 28-cap international has put up solid numbers throughout the campaign, entrusted by O'Neil to use his experience and athleticism to charge the squad down the right flank, but he must be sold regardless.
Let's dig into why.
Why Wolves must sell Nelson Semedo
Semedo is out of contract next summer and so will enter the final year of his deal aged 30 and off the back of a campaign that has not suggested that he is irreplaceable.
Wolves appear to be in the market for a right-back, with TEAMtalk reporting that West Ham United's soon-out-of-contract defender Ben Johnson is on their radar.
When considering that he actually takes home as much as the aforementioned Neto and Gomes. combined, it seems obvious that if there is a way to sell him first, this must be enforced to potentially save the sales of some high-importance pieces at Molineux.
Wolves: Highest Earners
Rank
Player
Salary
1.
Goncalo Guedes
£90k-per-week
1.
Pablo Sarabia
£90k-per-week
3.
Nelson Semedo
£80k-per-week
3.
Fabio Silva
£80k-per-week
5.
Hwang Hee-chan
£70k-per-week
6.
Matheus Cunha
£60k-per-week
7.
Boubacar Traore
£55k-per-week
8.
Pedro Neto
£50k-per-week
8.
Matt Doherty
£50k-per-week
8.
Max Kilman
£50k-per-week
*15.
Joao Gomes
£30k-per-week
Sourced via Capology
As you can see, only Pablo Sarabia and Goncalo Guedes take home heftier earnings than Semedo in the Wanderers squad and considering that the Portugal ace is now at the final stretch of his contract and has been criticised for his "frustrating" displays by journalist Nathan Judah, it may well be time to cash in.
According to Football Transfers' player valuation tool, Semedo still boasts a market value of around £13m, so this would appear the right time to tempt potential suitors into making an offer.
O'Neil has proven in the past his ability to make good with the tools at his disposal, but by freeing up the wage bill of Semedo and perhaps even recouping some of that initial outlay, he could even have the means to sign a young and eager new star to take his place.
Wolves may already have a perfect Kilman heir in "versatile" academy gem
Gary O’Neil’s star defender is attracting interest from a Premier League rival.
New Zealand’s stand-in captain keen for more opportunities after near-miss in T20 World Cup campaign
Annesha Ghosh in Melbourne02-Mar-2020
Sophie Devine leaves the field after her dismissal•Getty Images
World Cups have become an albatross around New Zealand women’s neck. For a third straight time, under three different captains and two coaches, have they now failed to make the knockouts of world tournaments. The most recent of those came down to a four-run defeat against hosts Australia at Melbourne that dashed their hopes of reaching the last four of the T20 World Cup.After exiting in the league stage at the 2017 ODI World Cup in the UK under former captain Suzie Bates, and the T20 equivalent the following year in the Caribbean under Amy Satterthwaite, a change in captaincy in light of Satterthwaite’s pregnancy break led to senior allrounder Sophie Devine taking over the role in mid-January.An overhaul in the coaching staff, meanwhile, lead to Bob Carter replacing Haidee Tiffen as head coach, the latter stepping down from the tour of Australia in 2019 following a review into New Zealand’s disappointing 2018 T20 World Cup, before she decided against reapplying for her position.With Carter’s contract running up to the 2021 ODI World Cup home in February-March, and Devine taking up the captaincy, New Zealand had hoped a restructuring in the domestic set-up – considered long overdue before the NZC finally carried it out in August last year – could help them turn their fortunes around in world tournaments. That, however, was not to be as a three-run defeat to India last week and Monday’s loss in Melbourne against their Trans-Tasman rivals shoved them into the bottom three in Group A, with India and Australia proceeding to the knockouts.”I think skill-wise we are there; everyone knows we are a really talented side and we’ve got the depth,” Devine said when asked to assess their inability to qualify for semi-finals. “We’ve seen today that despite me not firing, Suzie and Rachel [Priest] not firing, we came really close to chasing down a strong Australian side.”Whether it’s a mindset, whether it’s a mental thing, whether it’s game awareness, whether it’s just experience of playing in those pressure situations. We haven’t played too much international cricket together in the last 12 months, whether that’s something, but when we get back home, we’ll certainly go through everything and nitpick at it because it is a crappy feeling to miss out again. It’s really raw. But we certainly want to keep pushing and showing that we deserve to be there.”In the lead-up to the tournament, a 0-3 defeat to South Africa at home in the ICC Women’s Championship ODI series marked the start of Devine’s tenure as captain, although New Zealand produced an emphatic turnaround in the five-match T20I series that followed, winning 3-1 with the last game abandoned.Heading into the World Cup, the environment around the squad, Devine underlined, had been “positive”, with the coaching staff – including Carter, Jacob Oram (bowling coach), and Rob Nicol (spin bowling coach) – focused on helping the players to convert potential into performance.In addition, a wider pool of contracted players and a significant pay hike for centrally contracted New Zealand women assured by the Women’s Master Agreement, which was reached in principle by NZC and the New Zealand Cricket Players Association (NZCPA) last August, inspired hopes of a more promising performance at the T20 World Cup in Australia.”There was a big overhaul and it wasn’t just the top group at the White Ferns [New Zealand women]; it was the domestic stuff as well in New Zealand cricket,” Devine said. “And we have also seen in women’s cricket globally, it is coming up by leaps and bounds and we’re no different. To get Bob involved has been huge. [But] we’ve only played two series in that time with him at the helm. We still certainly are trying to figure each other out a little bit, me and Bob. But I think there have been really positive signs there.ALSO READ: The irresistible rise of Amelia Kerr, New Zealand’s ‘once-in-a-generation’ prospect”As I said, we were actually really close. The India game and now here [against Australia]; we were really close to [beating] sides with a lot more money, a lot more resources, a lot more player depth, and we took them within five or six runs. It shows that we are not far but we have got to do things maybe slightly differently in New Zealand because we don’t have the same amount of depth, resources; but we certainly have things in our favour and that’s what we keep working with.”With Satterthwaite expected to return to the side ahead of the ODI World Cup, for which New Zealand have gained automatic qualification by dint of being hosts, the team management must decide whether to persist with Devine or hand the captaincy back to Satterthwaite. Devine, whom Jacob Oram described as an “attacking captain”, though, is game for more.”Yes, certainly,” Devine said when asked if she would be keen on continuing in the role. “That’s another discussion that needs to be had when Amy returns and what it all looks like. At least for me, I have always been an aggressive player, and I sort of continue that with my captaincy. We’ve had a great role model in Brendon McCullum a couple of years ago, who always took the game on, and I don’t want to be any different with this bunch of female athletes.”We do want to be really attacking and aggressive and how we go about things – whether it be putting things under the lid or bouncing people out – whatever it might be. We’ve always talked about stepping forward rather than stepping back and that’s certainly what I am going to do with my leadership.”
The summer transfer window is guaranteed to be an extremely busy period for Manchester United, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe keen to complete a squad overhaul.
Every single department in the squad is expected to be improved, with the striker position looked at as a priority.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, new owner of Manchester United at a Premier League game
It’s been all but confirmed that Antony Martial will be on his way out of the club this summer, which leaves room for a new number nine alongside Rasmus Hojlund.
With that in mind, there is a transfer target who’s proven to be an even bigger talent than the Dane this season.
Man Utd’s search for a new striker
According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Man United are interested in signing the highly-rated Viktor Gyokeres.
The Sweden international has been absolutely immense since moving to Sporting from Coventry City in the summer, already becoming a vital player.
Sporting CP strikerViktor Gyokeres.
Talks have already begun between the two clubs for the forward this summer, but United are set to face competition from Premier League rivals such as Liverpool and Arsenal.
However, Gyokeres is reportedly keen to move on from the Portuguese giant at the end of the season after just one campaign in the Liga Portugal.
Ratcliffe eyes "mind-boggling" Man Utd signing who could replace Fernandes
He has a release clause in his contract
ByJoe Nuttall Apr 15, 2024 How Gyokeres compares to Hojlund
Man United’s 21-year-old star has led the line throughout the season after joining from Atalanta for £72m in the summer, but his time at the club so far hasn’t been helped by the inconsistency of the team as a whole.
Regardless, Hojlund has still been relatively impressive despite only scoring his first Premier League goal on Boxing Day, and he now has 13 strikes across all competitions, including five in the Champions League.
Additionally, it’s important to remember that any young striker is bound to go through spells of form, both excellent and poor, and that’s been the case this season already.
However, it’s clear that Ratcliffe wants to sign a player who puts the ball in the back of the net for fun while also having some experience, hence the potential move for Gyokeres, who’s been simply unstoppable this campaign.
Gyokeres vs Hojlund 23/24 League Stats
Stats (per game)
Gyokeres
Hojlund
Goals
0.82
0.35
Assists
0.37
0.10
Shots
3.39
1.55
Successful dribbles
2.20
0.70
Progressive carries
3.87
1.50
Key passes
1.71
1.20
Shot-creating actions
4.24
2.50
Via FBref
The 25-year-old wipes the floor with Hojlund in every single important statistic, which is no surprise considering he’s scored a whopping 36 goals in 43 matches across all competitions this season.
The dynamic forward has been truly instrumental to the way his side plays, ticking every box that a coach would look for in a modern number nine, in regards to his excellent movement, finishing, strength, and aerial dominance, as per analyst Ben Mattinson.
That said, what stands out above Hojlund is Gyokeres’ ability to create for his teammates and turn a minimal opportunity into a goal, with the assists and passing statistics proving that the Dane is way behind in that metric.
Furthermore, the former Coventry ace’s technical ability is incredible, with his dribbling and ball-carrying ability enabling him to thrive against any setup in any game state, unlike Hojlund, who has proven to be more dangerous in transition thus far in a United shirt.
Overall, the “clinical finisher,” as dubbed by Mattinson, would provide a consistent output as he serves as a reliable source of goals, and due to his complete profile, he would thrive at United either in place of or alongside Hojlund.
Uma classificação histórica. Assim ficou marcada a semana do CRB após superar o Palmeiras e conquistar uma vaga para as oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil. Após perder o jogo de ida por 1×0, em Maceió, a equipe devolveu o placar em São Paulo e foi mais competente que o adversário nas cobranças de pênaltis que garantiu a vaga na próxima fase do torneio.
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Desde 2019 no comando do futebol do CRB, o executivo Thiago Paes comemorou o feito e fez questão de lembrar do empenho de todos no clube até a classificação.
– O CRB está crescendo bastante como instituição e fortalecendo a sua gestão cada vez mais com profissionalismo e seriedade com o presidente Mário Marroquim e o presidente do comitê gestor Enaldo Marques. Já tínhamos alcançado a nossa melhor participação na história da Copa do Brasil no ano passado ao chegar na quarta fase e esse ano conseguimos chegar nas oitavas de final com muito empenho, trabalho e dedicação. É um grupo de atletas muito qualificado, unido e determinado a fazer história. A chegada de Alan Aal e sua comissão técnica também foi fundamental para que a gente tenha conseguido realizar dois grandes jogos contra o Palmeiras e sair com a classificação. Sem esquecer da vitória importantíssima sobre o Cruzeiro poucos dias atrás pela Série B – afirmou.
Um dos executivos mais jovens do futebol brasileiro, Thiago Paes é visto como gestor moderno, com ótimo trânsito no mercado da bola e sempre atento a boas oportunidades de contratações.
Campeão Alagoano em 2020, o dirigente acredita que o clube esteja no caminho certo da modernização e projeta um futuro de bons frutos para o CRB:
– A nova diretoria que assumiu o clube veio com ideias muito claras e disposta a colocar o CRB definitivamente no caminho certo. Infelizmente tivemos a perda do estadual esse ano, mas conseguimos tirar lições importantes que serão fundamentais para a nossa trajetória em 2021. Iniciamos bem a Série B e teremos ainda a Copa do Brasil pela frente. Temos que seguir trabalhando forte para dar totais condições aos atletas e comissão técnica de poderem dar o melhor deles no dia a dia. É muito prazeroso poder sair de um confronto contra um gigante do futebol brasileiro de maneira vencedora. Isso apenas comprova que realmente estamos na direção certa.
Legspin duo of Mayank Markande and Rahul Tewatia to move from Capitals to Royals
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2019
What is Ajinkya Rahane thinking?•BCCI
Rajasthan Royals have traded Ajinkya Rahane to Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2020. The move was confirmed by the IPL and both franchises on Thursday, the final day of the trading window. Rahane has become the second high-profile player to be acquired by the Capitals in the trading window after R Ashwin, and he’ll join a line-up that is already top-heavy, with the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer in the top order, with Rishabh Pant to follow.Rahane is the Royals’ most capped player, having played 106 matches for them, with 100 coming in the IPL and six in the Champions League T20. He represented them since 2011, with the exception of the 2016 and 2017 seasons when the team was suspended, and he played for Rising Pune Supergiant. He is also the Royals’ leading run-scorer, with 3098 runs for them overall, at an average of 35.60 and a strike rate of 122.30. In the IPL, he scored 2810 runs for them at an average of 34.26 and a strike rate of 122.65.He captained the Royals in 24 matches, winning nine and losing 15. Rahane had faced some criticism for his strike rate at the top of the order in IPL 2018, when he tallied 370 runs at 28.46 but at a rate of only 118.21. He improved those numbers significantly in IPL 2019, with 393 runs at 32.75 and a strike rate of 137.89, including a 58-ball century against the Capitals.As part of the trade, the legspinning duo of Mayank Markande and Rahul Tewatia will move from the Capitals to the Royals. That also makes Markande the first player to be traded twice between seasons – having gone to the Capitals from Mumbai Indians earlier.Markande played only three matches in IPL 2019, losing out on the legspinner’s spot to Rahul Chahar in the Mumbai side, taking one wicket and conceding runs at 9.83 per over. He had made his IPL debut with Mumbai in 2018, bursting onto the scene as an unknown and taking 15 wickets that year.Tewatia played five matches in IPL 2019, but bowled only 6.2 overs overall, picking up two wickets. This move will mark a return for Tewatia to the franchise he started his IPL career with, having been part of the Royals in 2014 and 2015. He was also part of Kings XI Punjab in 2017, before the Capitals secured his services in 2018.Their addition gives the Royals a surfeit of legspinners, with Shreyas Gopal already in the team.”Rahul and Mayank are both extremely talented cricketers with a bright future ahead of them. I am confident they will excel at Rajasthan Royals,” Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal said. “I am also extremely honoured to welcome one of India’s most stellar and consistent batsmen, Ajinkya Rahane, to the DC family. When the franchise underwent a revamp last year, a decision was made to keep Indian players at its core. The result was there for everyone to see, with the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma performing brilliantly for us, and complimenting the youth that DC has in Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Prithvi Shaw, among others.”That thought process has continued for us this time around as well, as is evident in the signing of Ravichandran Ashwin, followed by that of Ajinkya Rahane. I am sure Rahane’s wealth of experience, and familiarity with the conditions will help Delhi Capitals go a long way in IPL 2020.”The Royals had used one of their Right to Match cards to buy Rahane for INR 4 crore in the IPL 2018 auctions, following bidding between Kings XI and Mumbai, which Kings XI won. Tewatia had been bought by the Capitals, then Delhi Daredevils, for INR 3 crore, from a base price of INR 20 lakh. Mumbai had bought Markande for his base price of INR 20 lakh.IPL 2020 trades: R Ashwin: Kings XI Punjab to Delhi Capitals Ajinkya Rahane: Rajasthan Royals to Delhi Capitals Sherfane Rutherford: Delhi Capitals to Mumbai Indians K Gowtham: Rajasthan Royals to Kings XI Punjab Trent Boult: Delhi Capitals to Mumbai Indians Dhawal Kulkarni: Rajasthan Royals to Mumbai Indians Ankit Rajpoot: Kings XI Punjab to Rajasthan Royals Rahul Tewatia: Delhi Capitals to Rajasthan Royals Mayank Markande: Mumbai Indians to Delhi Capitals to Rajasthan Royals