After being bowled out for 64, New South Wales fought back into a lead on the second day
Alex Malcolm09-Nov-2020
Nick Larkin made his fourth first-class century•Getty Images
Nick Larkin’s fourth Sheffield Shield century helped dig New South Wales out of a huge hole against Tasmania after a fine hundred from Jordan Silk had given the Tigers a sizeable first-innings lead.New South Wales began their second innings on the second day 175 runs behind after Silk ground out his seventh first-class hundred against a quality Blues attack, with Sean Abbott continuing to make a case for a call-up to the Test squad taking 4 for 33.Larkin lost his opening partner Daniel Hughes in the first over with Jackson Bird claiming his fifth wicket of the match. Bird broke through again in the ninth over of his opening spell to remove Kurtis Patterson, also caught behind, to leave the Blues staring at an innings defeat inside two days.But Larkin and Moises Henriques dug in producing an unbeaten 172-run partnership to guide New South Wales to stumps with a lead of 40 and eight wickets still intact.Larkin scored freely throughout the day making his fastest first-class century. Henriques continued the excellent form that has seen him called up to Australia’s ODI and T20 squads, reaching 75 not out.Earlier, Silk was the only Tasmanian batsman to pass 25 in an innings of typical doggedness and grit. He lost partners at regular intervals including Test captain Tim Paine, who fell to a loose shot off Nathan Lyon. Silk was the second last man out for 106, with 15 boundaries, having absorbed 264 balls.
Liverpool have submitted a bid in the region of £42m for one of their summer transfer targets, according to reports over the weekend.
Liverpool transfer rumours
A new era at Liverpool begins this summer with Jurgen Klopp having been replaced in the Anfield dugout by Arne Slot. The Reds ended 2023/24 as League Cup winners, but their Premier League form at the back end of the campaign saw their title hopes fade away, with Manchester City and Arsenal the two most dominant sides in the division for a second successive season.
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Slot is now expected to have a busy summer on his hands as he looks to strengthen the Reds and put his own stamp on a squad that has been moulded in Klopp's vision for the last nine years. It was recently claimed that five Premier League sides, including Liverpool, have made contact to ask about the availability of Japan international Takefusa Kubo.
Elsewhere, recent reports have suggested that Newcastle United’s Yankuba Minteh, who spent last season on loan at Slot's Feyenoord, is a target for Liverpool, with the Magpies potentially needing to sell to keep in line with the PSR guidelines. The Meresysiders have also received a big boost in their long-time pursuit of Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopemeiners as they look to freshen up their midfield once more.
Yankuba Minteh on loan at Feyenoord
Liverpool make £42m bid for defensive target
It was also reported earlier this month that Liverpool have an active interest in Lille defender Leny Yoro. And now, a fresh update on the Reds' pursuit of the centre-back has been provided.
Yoro is a product of the French outfit's academy and made 44 appearances this past season as they secured a 4th-place finish. After an impressive 2023/24 campaign from the 18-year-old, Lille boss Paulo Fonseca was recently full of praise for Yoro and the ability the defender has at such a young age.
Lille's Leny Yoro in action
"To me the players don't have age, they have quality," he told BBC Sport in April. "Because here we don't have the possibility to buy very expensive players, we find a way to make the young players grow.
"I believe Leny [Yoro] in the next year will be at one of the best clubs in Europe. He started here at 16 with us. He is very ambitious, but very disciplined. He grew a lot but he is a kid with a big maturity, with big quality. He's very focused, very concentrated, he wants to learn every day and I have no doubt in modern football he will be one of the best central defenders in the world."
Now, however, Lille look set to have a fight on their hands when it comes to keeping hold of the teenager. This comes with reports on the continent [via Caught Offside] claiming that Liverpool have seen a £42m bid rejected by Lille for the stopper, with the Ligue 1 side holding out for a figure closer to £50m.
In a further blow for the Reds, Real Madrid, Manchester United and PSG are credited with an interest in the young prodigy, whose preferred destination is believed to be the Spanish capital.
Where they finished in 2019: Fourth. Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab had 12 points each at the end of the group stage, but a superior net run-rate saw the Sunrisers through to the Eliminator, where they lost to the Delhi Capitals.Potential XI:David Warner (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, Abdul Samad, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, Khaleel AhmedBatting: As always, the Sunrisers’ batting will revolve around David Warner, who has topped 500 runs every season he has played for the franchise. Warner will open the innings with Jonny Bairstow – both were exceptional as an opening pair last year, their average stand being 79 in just eight overs.The middle order, though, once again appears a bit shaky. In the absence of a proven anchor, Manish Pandey may have to bat at No. 4 instead of No. 3, with Vijay Shankar slotting in after him. For the No. 3 position, the Sunrisers may start with Wriddhiman Saha. Their other options are Priyam Garg, who was India’s captain at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup, and Virat Singh, who scored 343 runs at 57.16 with a strike rate of 142.32 in the last Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Kane Williamson can also come in for Bairstow, with Saha opening the innings in that case.Abdul Samad and Fabian Allen are in the side as finishers. Then there is Mohammad Nabi, who had a fantastic CPL both with bat and ball. With Warner and Rashid Khan taking up two overseas slots, the Sunrisers will have to leave Bairstow out if they want to fit both Allen and Nabi into their XI.Sunrisers Hyderabad full squad•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Bowling: Rashid is arguably the world’s best T20 bowler. Even though teams have started playing out his four overs of late, he remains a wicket-taking option. His compatriot Nabi will have a bigger role to play this year given the slow nature of the UAE pitches. If a third spinner is required, the Sunrisers can turn to Shahbaz Nadeem.Still, a lot will depend on how Bhuvneshwar Kumar fares. Kumar was the leading wicket-taker for the Sunrisers for four successive years, from 2014 to 2017. However, he has struggled with injuries in the past two years and last played a representative game in December 2019. His form in the tournament could be the difference between a top-four finish and a title win.In the supporting cast, the Sunrisers have a left-arm seamer in Khaleel Ahmed, a swing bowler in Sandeep Sharma and a hit-the-deck bowler in Siddarth Kaul. They also have the option of playing the tall Australian pacer Billy Stanlake in place of one of the overseas players.Young player to watch out for: The spotlight will be on the 18-year-old Abdul Samad. In India’s last domestic season, the Jammu & Kashmir batsman was the most prolific six-hitter across formats (61 sixes). Moreover, he hit a six every 13 balls, the best rate among those with a minimum of 25 sixes. In March, just before India went into lockdown, Samad worked with Milap Mewada and Irfan Pathan to further sharpen his game and add shots like the uppercut to his repertoire. Apart from Samad, there is Priyam Garg who has a more all-round game. But it needs to be seen how many matches he gets.Coaching staff: Trevor Bayliss (head coach), Brad Haddin (assistant coach), Muttiah Muralitharan (bowling coach), Biju George (fielding coach), VVS Laxman (mentor)
Todd Boehly and co are set to move and activate the release clause of a top Chelsea transfer target in the coming weeks, with director of football Joe Shields driving the move as new head coach Enzo Maresca hopes a deal can be done.
Chelsea working to back Maresca as arrival confirmed this week
The Blues, after officially announcing Maresca as Mauricio Pochettino's replacement on Monday, are now working to back their head coach with the additions of fresh faces to his star-studded squad.
£115 million attacking duo want to join Chelsea as their agents open talks
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The Italian is set to have a say in some of Chelsea's transfer plans, according to some reports. Indeed, Maresca has apparently asked Chelsea to consider signing Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez, while it is believed that the club are set for a busy summer following his arrival.
“Maresca believes in the Chelsea project around young players with a big future, he thinks it is a really exciting project," wrote transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano in a recent piece for CaughtOffside.
"Meanwhile, Chelsea are convinced he’s a super talented coach and that’s why he’s a name appreciated by both directors and owners, all convinced he can be the man for present and future.
Enzo Maresca's record at Leicester City last season
The numbers (via Transfermarkt)
Games managed
53
Wins
36
Draws
4
Losses
13
Points per game
2.11
"It will continue to be a busy summer at Chelsea. It won’t be completely crazy but they will try to make smart things happen, including a new goalkeeper and I expect them to try for at least one new centre-back, but it could be two. I also expect Chelsea to be busy with the striker position, and I mentioned many times Benjamin Sesko, who is highly rated at Chelsea but also by others like Arsenal and Manchester United.”
Maresca's put pen to paper on a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge, making the move from Leicester to west London, and Chelsea chiefs are now working to back the 44-year-old. Chelsea have already sealed a deal for Tosin Adarabioyo, who joins on a free transfer from Fulham.
There is a belief that RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko is wanted by Chelsea after the centre-back, and the same can be said for Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise. Both Sesko and Olise are keen on joining Maresca at Chelsea this summer, according to some reports, and there have been discussions held between intermediaries.
Chelsea chief Boehly set to trigger Olise's release clause
As per TEAMtalk, there has been quite a significant update on Chelsea's pursuit of Olise in particular. Their director of football, Shields, is the main "cheerleader" behind a move for the Eagles star and is in constant contact with his camp. Maresca is also hoping a deal can be reached to sign the 22-year-old, with Man United also firmly in the race.
Chelsea and Boehly are ready to activate Olise's release clause in the coming weeks, though, and it looks like they have no issue paying it. The only roadblock appears to be personal terms, but Palace are fully expecting their £100,000-per-week star player to leave when the window reopens.
Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared a fresh update out of Stamford Bridge, with another player expected to leave Chelsea this summer.
Chelsea tipped for fire-sale to comply with Profit and Sustainability rules
Blues transfer chiefs, spearheaded by chairman Todd Boehly, have invested heavily in the Chelsea squad over the last two years.
Todd Boehly in pole position to sign £56 million forward with Chelsea bid made
The Blues are working despite their PSR limitations.
ByEmilio Galantini May 7, 2024
Their total outlay exceeds £1 billion since Clearlake Capital and BlueCo's takeover of the west London club in 2022, with Mauricio Pochettino backed to the tune of over £400m just last summer.
This has led to some concerns over Chelsea's ability to comply with Profit and Sustainability rules set out by the Premier League, which only allow clubs to make a loss no greater than £105 million across a rolling three-year period.
Moises Caicedo
£115 million
Enzo Fernandez
£107 million
Mykhalo Mudryk
£88 million
Wesley Fofana
£72 million
Marc Cucurella
£58 million
Chelsea are currently far above this limit, and respected journalists like The Telegraph's Matt Law have claimed that Chelsea could have to raise £100m through a fire-sale of players before the financial deadline on June 30 – or risk sanctions akin to those of Everton, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City.
There are many who could be offloaded in a bid to balance the books, with Chelsea considering selling both Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah as two options. Winger Raheem Sterling has also been linked with a Chelsea exit in this regard, but there are many others currently out on loan who don't appear to have a future there.
"We also thought that before June 30th 2024, they're going to have to make sales as well," said Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth last month.
"So you would think decisions, particularly on some of their homegrown players and their academy players, will have to be made before June 30th. So keep an eye on the likes of Conor Gallagher, keep an eye on the likes of Trevoh Chalobah as well, because selling those players would represent pure profit for Chelsea, which is probably what they need going into the next financial year from July 1st onwards."
Indeed, Romelu Lukaku is attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, while the likes of Hakim Ziyech, Ian Maatsen and others may well be entering their final summer at Chelsea. One exit has already been confirmed, though, with Chelsea waving goodbye to Thiago Silva and saving some cash on his £110,000-per-week wages.
Fabrizio Romano says Broja is "planning" summer Chelsea exit
Now, Romano has an update on striker Armando Broja, who looks set to follow Silva out the door on a permanent basis.
Armando Broja celebrating a goal for Chelsea.
Chelsea's latest valuation of the Albania international is recorded as £50 million, but they let him join Fulham on loan in January for more game time, where he hasn't exactly pulled up trees.
Taking to X, Romano claims Broja is planning to leave Chelsea for good this summer and many clubs across Europe are interested.
The 22-year-old's potential and past form, with an excellent spell at Southampton coming to mind, highlight his true quality – but it remains to be seen just how much suitors would be willing to fork out.
O presidente do São Paulo, Julio Casares, postou uma homenagem nas suas redes sociais ao volante Hernanes, que está de saída do São Paulo.O presidente do Tricolor postou uma foto com a taça do Campeonato Paulista nos braços ao lado do volante e ídolo da torcida.
São Paulo comemorou 16 anos do tri da Libertadores: veja onde estão os principais jogadores daquela conquista
Casares fez questão de elogiar o jogador, tanto em campo quanto nas questões fora dele e ressaltou que a rescisão de contrato vem sendo feita de forma amigável entre as partes.
VEJA A TABELA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO!
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– SP 23.05.2021! #tbt de um dia muito especial. São Paulo F.C. Campeão Paulista depois de 16 anos e ao lado de um grande ser humano, indiscutível talento da história do Tricolor: Hernanes, Profeta! Uma honra ter acompanhado sua linda trajetória desde a base até o profissional. Sempre estivemos #juntospelosaopaulo – escreveu Casares.
Bicampeão brasileiro pelo Tricolor – 2007 e 2008 -, o Profeta – como é chamado carinhosamente pelo torcedor – é também um dos maiores artilheiros da equipe neste século. Mesmo atuando muitas vezes como volante, Hernanes acumula 56 gols em 330 partidas pelo time do Morumbi.
Recebendo poucos minutos no São Paulo, Hernanes foi relacionado para o jogo contra o Bahia, no sábado (10), mas pediu para não ir e não treina desde segunda-feira. Contra o Racing, o jogador ficou novamente de fora.
Perguntado sobre a situação do meia, o treinador Hernán Crespo afirmou que não falaria sobre por ‘respeito’ ao atleta e que a diretoria ou o próprio jogador deveriam falar sobre.
South Africa went 1-0 up in the series after recovering from trouble to post a 74-run win
The Report by Firdose Moonda29-Feb-2020
Heinrich Klaasen celebrates his maiden hundred•Associated Press
Heinrich Klaasen’s maiden ODI century, David Miller’s second successive half-century in this format and a collectively impressive South African performance in the field, led by Lungi Ngidi, earned the hosts a big win in their opening ODI against Australia. After two blow-out batting performances in the T20Is, South Africa put partnerships together to post a competitive total and held their composure to keep a strong Australia line-up largely quiet.Steven Smith’s 76 and his 84-run partnership with Marnus Labuschagne was Australia’s best hope of chasing down 292, but it was not enough. They needed at least another stand of significance, as South Africa had on a surface where run-scoring was hard work. After slipping to 48 for 3, Klaasen and debutant Kyle Verreynne laid the foundation with a partnership of 78, before Klaasen and Miller built on it with a 149-run stand that allowed South Africa to aim for 300. They did not manage that, but posted a decent enough score for their bowlers to have something to defend, and they did so with good discipline.None of South Africa’s attack conceded at more than six runs to the over, while both Josh Hazlewood and Australia’s fifth-bowler, made up of D’Arcy Short and Mitchell Marsh did. South Africa opted for a combination of three seamers and two spinners, all frontline bowlers, which worked better than the four seamers, one spinner and maybe a part-timer that they have tried in the past.Keshav Maharaj was recalled for his first ODI since 2018 and was entrusted with bowling the first over of the defence with a view to burrowing through Aaron Finch’s apparent weakness against left-arm spin. The experiment didn’t work and after two overs, Maharaj was replaced by Ngidi, who had Finch throwing his bat at a back-of-a-length ball and feathering an edge through to Quinton de Kock. But it was only four overs later, when David Warner was caught low down by Verreynne in the covers, that both Ngidi and South Africa seemed to believe, despite the pair they were up against next.Smith and Labuschagne have enjoyed a golden summer together – since October, their partnership has averaged nearly 100 across formats – and they added the latest chapter in Paarl. Labuschagne was playing international cricket in the land for this birth for the first time and immediately showed what he is capable of. He hit Andile Phehlukwayo for back-to-back fours, taking advantage of width to cut and drive off the back foot. But he could not continue in that vein as South Africa used pace off the ball to slow the scoring rate.Between the 11th and 27th over, South Africa did not concede a single boundary as they rotated between Phehlukwayo, Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi. In that period, South Africa were anxious for a breakthrough, so much so that they reviewed an lbw appeal against Smith, when he was on 14 off Phehlukwayo, that was clearly going down leg.The required run rate was creeping towards seven an over when Labuschagne tried to launch Maharaj over long-on, but picked out Ngidi. Mitchell Marsh broke the boundary-drought with a four off Shamsi but breaching the rope was still a rarity. Smith managed two more – over mid-off off Anrich Nortje and through midwicket off Ngidi – before a twin strike that left Australia in trouble.In the space of four balls, Ngidi bowled Marsh with a delivery that seamed back in to him and took off the top of off and Nortje had Smith pinned on the front pad and given out lbw. Australia were 177 for 5 after 35 overs, South Africa were 169 for 4 and it was all set for a thriller. But Australia managed only 18 runs in the 27 balls that followed before Alex Carey’s frustration bubbled over. He tried to hit Shamsi over long-off but Verreynne was stationed on the rope and took the catch that all but ended Australia’s hopes. Shamsi struck once more when he had D’Arcy Short stumped but left it to Verreynne’s catching to finish Australia off. He took a second stunner running in from long-on to cap off a fine debut.Janneman Malan could not say the same. He became the first man to be dismissed by the opening (legitimate) ball of an ODI on debut and left the field with an injured hamstring in the 44th over of Australia’s innings. Malan had no clue when Mitchell Starc delivered a full, fast inswinger which hit him on the boot and was confirmed out on review. De Kock fell soon after, stuck in his crease trying to run a Hazlewood delivery behind square and nicking off.Bavuma should have been gone two overs later when he lofted Hazlewood over mid-on but Starc, running backwards, managed to get both hands to the ball but could not hold on. It was not an expensive mistake. Five balls later, Bavuma played on as he tried to cut Pat Cummins but misjudged the bounce. South Africa ended the first PowerPlay on 50 for 3 and with a lot for their middle order to do.Though known for their aggression, Verreynne and Klaasen only found the boundary four times in the 105 balls they faced together as Australia tightened the noose. Klaasen was on four when Short appealed for an lbw and Australia reviewed but replays showed the ball was missing leg stump. Adam Zampa, as he has done throughout the white-ball series, orchestrated the squeeze with tight lines as pressure built.Eventually, it told and Verreynne became Cummins’ 100th ODI wicket when he pulled a short ball straight to Marsh at square leg two runs short of a maiden fifty. But Klaasen had grown in confidence through that stand and started to play more expansively, especially against anything short. He brought up 50 off 65 balls with a pull off Zampa.South Africa were 145 for 4 after 30 overs, with Klaasen well set and Miller due some runs. Much like the previous pair, they could not bat with freedom though Klaasen nailed a straight drive off Hazlewood that was the shot of the innings until he tonked Cummins for six after reaching his century. Between those two points, there was a lot of hard work with Zampa and Starc proving difficult to get away.Miller held his nerve well and made good decisions about which balls to hit. A touch of width from Starc went for four and he walked down the pitch to meet a Hazlewood delivery and cream it through the covers. Miller scored only two fours and a six in his 54-ball fifty and Klaasen seemed to think the century would evade him. He was on 87 when he tried to pull Starc over backward square, where a fielder was lurking, but top-edged him for six over fine leg instead. His hundred came with a single to square leg and was celebrated silently at first, with a prayer, before he acknowledged the crowd’s applause.The milestone opened Klaasen up, as South Africa scored 29 runs off the last three overs to set them up for a convincing win. However, they will be careful not get too carried away. Three times before in this summer, in the Test, ODI and T20I series against England, South Africa won the first match of the series only to fall away as the fixtures progress. They have one more chance to claim a trophy before the season is up and it will come next week, in the last two ODIs of the 2019-20 season.
Chelsea outcast Romelu Lukaku has reportedly been left in limbo over his future amid links with Antonio Conte's Napoli.
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Lukaku and Chelsea eye parting of waysStriker keen on Napoli transferBelgium international currently in limboWHAT HAPPENED?
Chelsea have been looking to sell £97.5 million ($118m) flop Lukaku permanently for the best part of two years but are yet to do so. Loan spells at Inter and Roma followed but he is still a Blues player. Despite being wanted by former manager and Napoli boss Conte, the 31-year-old faces an uncertain future.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE EXPLANATION
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Napoli don't know who their number nine will be for the new season. Despite their efforts to sell striker Victor Osimhen, who has a £110 million ($141m) release clause, the Nigerian remains at the Italian side and Lukaku's arrival is only possible if the 25-year-old leaves the club.
DID YOU KNOW?
The report adds Lukaku is very keen to reunite with former Inter boss Conte at Napoli but at present, the only team with a realistic chance of signing Osimhen is Paris Saint-Germain. Meanwhile, the Belgian forward is reportedly training on his own as he tries to prepare for the new season.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
Gazzetta adds Lukaku is set to head to Cobham, Chelsea's headquarters, next week and will resume individual training. Chelsea are understood to be keen to move him on before the squad return from their pre-season tour of the United States on August 7.
Liverpool are going to see a lot of change in the months to come. Michael Edwards has returned as FSG’s new CEO of Football, with Richard Hughes in tow as Anfield’s new sporting director, but that is only the tip of the iceberg.
Jurgen Klopp, revered, adored, is leaving the club after over eight years of service, bringing the eminence back to the red half of Merseyside and winning major honours such as the Champions League and Premier League; the latter could yet be gleaned for a second time before the current campaign is over.
The future is painted in obscurity but Klopp is leaving Liverpool in a fantastic position, having replenished the first-team ranks and built up the academy to churn out teenage talent at a prodigious rate.
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ByTom Coates Mar 18, 2024
Of course, replacing an iconic and irreplaceable manager might seem an impossible task, but there is cause for optimism heading into the unknown, with the rotating of the cogs behind the scenes paving a new road. Expect one or two exciting player acquisitions.
Liverpool's summer transfer targets
According to football correspondent Artur Petrosyan, Liverpool are showing “keen interest” in signing creative midfielder Heorhiy Sudakov from Shakhtar Donetsk, with Juventus and Arsenal also hot on the trail of the 21-year-old.
Considered one of Ukraine’s brightest talents, Sudakov was the subject of a failed €40m (£34m) offer from Serie A champions Napoli in January, and while Liverpool will be tentative to overpay for a relatively untested commodity, Reds scouts have been dazzled by his qualities over the past year.
Who Liverpool welcome to the dugout may well determine whether intrigue becomes something more in the months to come, but the interest is long-standing and he could be shaped into a world-class talent down the line. That £128m release clause may well be problematic, however.
Heorhiy Sudakov's style of play
Sudakov is young but he has already cultivated a weight of expectation after some stellar showings in his homeland. He operates in midfield pockets but bends and contorts opposition lines and wreaks havoc with a multi-functioning, many-faceted attacking tool kit.
This season, the dynamic midfielder has scored five goals and created two assists for his teammates across all competitions, including scoring a fine strike against Barcelona in the Champions League.
In the Ukrainian Premier League this term, he’s been spellbinding. Breathtaking. If midfield creativity was an art, he’d be Picasso. As per Sofascore, he has posted three goals and one assist from 14 matches, but this is not a skill set constrained by goals, by assists. No. This is a player of elite calibre, recognised for the glittering diamond within, entombed in rock.
His 87% passing accuracy denotes his crisp and composed distribution, his 1.5 key passes per game highlight a flow of supplementation for the forwards.
Moreover, Sudakov averages four ball recoveries, 6.7 successful duels and 3.1 successful dribbles per game, the latter coming in at a staggering 80% success rate.
Liverpool is the perfect club to nurture his talents to the fore, currently guiding a rich crop of midfield players and an exciting wave of academy potential.
Heorhiy Sudakov for Ukraine.
As per FBref, based on Champions League performance only, Sudakov ranks among the top 21% of midfielders for shot-creating actions and the top 18% for progressive carries per 90, showcasing his energetic and creative quality against the continent’s best.
He’s not the most combative of players, but then that’s not his role. Harvey Elliott is not the most combative of midfielders either but that does not negate the 20-year-old’s pedigree as a high-class prospect.
Sudakov is two-footed but tends to roam toward the left attacking side, infrequently deployed as a left winger. While there is little doubt that his attributes shine brightest when playing centrally, pushing and prodding toward the final third, Edwards could find that he repeats his brilliant Mohamed Salah acquisition by snapping up this talented player.
Why Edwards could repeat Mohamed Salah deal
To be clear: Sudakov is not cut from the same cloth as Salah. They are actually positionally opposed, but there’s no doubt that there are similarities and Sudakov could be a signing to lift Liverpool in the early phase of a new era, much like Salah did way back when.
Mohamed Salah for Liverpool
Liverpool, with Edwards as the sporting director, signed Salah from Roma for £34m back in 2017 in the early years of Klopp’s reign, with the transfer raising a few eyebrows within the Premier League after the Egyptian failed to succeed at Chelsea.
He’s long put any such doubts to bed, having scored 207 goals and added 89 assists for Liverpool over 337 fixtures, instrumental in the silver-laden success of many campaigns.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 1% for assists and the top 20% for progressive passes per 90.
Alan Shearer
260
0.59
Harry Kane
213
0.67
Wayne Rooney
208
0.42
Andy Cole
187
0.45
Sergio Aguero
184
0.67
Frank Lampard
177
0.29
Thierry Henry
175
0.68
Robbie Fowler
164
0.43
Jermain Defoe
162
0.33
Mohamed Salah
154
0.61
He is also endowed with elite athleticism and holds a mastery of the ambit of facets needed to succeed as a high-class winger.
He was purchased in the fledgling phase of his brilliance and so too could Sudakov be welcomed to Anfield with the raw attributes needed for a great career in the Premier League.
Sudakov is also, as mentioned, more than capable on the wing, with his relentless dribbles, fierce striking ability and expert creativity bearing semblance to Salah when he burst onto the scene, the 31-year-old averaging 2.2 key passes and dribbles apiece during his historic 2017/18 Premier League campaign, as per WhoScored.
Liverpool must take a punt on Sudakov; while there’s work to do until he’s operating at top level, he could be the club’s next “sensation” – as he has been called by talent scout Jacek Kulig – succeeding Salah.
Tottenham have been told they could make a "great" signing in one club's standout £50 million star, who they're believed to be chasing.
The positions Spurs could strengthen this summer
Manager Ange Postecoglou has already admitted that Spurs could look to bring in another centre-back after Radu Dragusin, but there are other areas of the squad which also need addressing.
£51m attacker confirms summer transfer wish after claim Tottenham want him
He’s spoke out about his future.
ByEmilio Galantini Mar 22, 2024
The Lilywhites wish to add another attacker who can provide that extra injection of goals and assists in the final third (Fabrizio Romano), while there are many suggestions that they could look to replace Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with a more dynamic midfield running man.
The Dane is out of contract next year, and he recently changed agents, which could be a sure-fire indicator that Hojbjerg is open to the possibility of seeking a new challenge away from Spurs.
Tottenham are said to be admirers of Atalanta star Ederson as a potential successor for Hojbjerg, but their eyes also firmly remain on Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher.
Rumours suggest that Chelsea could be forced to sell Gallagher this summer to comply with PSR rules and avoid breaches. The 24-year-old's contract also expires next year, meaning Mauricio Pochettino's side have precious little time to make a significant profit off his sale if he doesn't agree fresh terms.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Chelsea
8.78
Tottenham 1-4 Chelsea
8.22
Chelsea 3-0 Luton Town
7.90
Chelsea 2-0 Sheffield United
7.80
Burnley 1-4 Chelsea
7.72
Postecoglou is believed to be a real fan of Gallagher and has made him one of Tottenham's priority transfer targets (TEAMtalk), with Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson endorsing a move for the £50 million Englishman.
Conor Gallagher would be "great" signing for Tottenham
Speaking to Tottenham News, Robinson says Gallagher would be a "great acquisition" for Spurs, if they can sway Chelsea into doing a deal.
“I think the fact that the rumour is not going away and it’s growing legs as the weeks go by, I think from a Chelsea point of view I think a lot of Chelsea fans would be disappointed to lose him but I think a lot would be pragmatic and realise the situation the club’s in, it’s an easy way to recoup money isn’t it?," said Robinson.
“As far as Tottenham go, I’d love to see him come into the squad because he is a play who would improve the starting XI, would improve the squad, and with the way that Ange plays then next season the squad is thin in those areas.
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher celebrates.
“He could play as a holding midfielder alongside Bentancur, Bissouma or Sarr, he can play higher up the field, he can affect games up the field, and hopefully with Champions League football next season, the number of games that they’re going to have that could just draw him to Tottenham.
“But it’s players’ preference again, there will be no shortage of interest in him. he’s a homegrown Chelsea player there may be some personal dislike there. there’s no love lost, they don’t do deals with each other.
“The fans there’s a lot of animosity with each other and for his own future you wonder where the player would want to go but from a Tottenham point of view he’d be a great acquisition.”