Chelsea are a club synonymous with transfer failures and several misguided decisions have racked up overtime, draining the club of its resources without having the success to show for it.

Following their Champions League triumph in 2021, which feels like an eternity ago now, the Blues have endured a dramatic tumble from the summit of Europe's elite and have been made to swallow the bitter pill that comes with constantly sacking managers and misfiring in the transfer window.

Chelsea are widely recognised for handing out P45s like hotcakes and a remarkable three managers have taken to the helm since Thomas Tuchel was sacked in September 2022, including Graham Potter, Frank Lampard and Mauricio Pochettino.

Whilst managerial mistakes have proven to be detrimental to their progress on the pitch, their ventures into the transfer market have hardly proven more fruitful.

With the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga marking two of their most lucrative failures, Nicolas Jackson is the latest arrival to be met with adulation and criticism in equal measure.

What was said about Jackson when he signed for Chelsea?

Chelsea signed Jackson from Villarreal for £32m this summer and the media instantly latched onto the towering marksman, drawing comparisons to Blues legend, Didier Drogba.

The Frenchman had starred across a glittering career, enjoying spells in Ligue 1, the Turkish Super Lig and the MLS but it would be in the Premier League where he'd truly set the world alight.

Calling time on his period playing, the now 45-year-old finished having scored a staggering 302 goals, 164 of which came at Chelsea, and won all manner of trophies, including the memorable Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich in 2012, four FA Cups and four Premier League titles.

Lavished by his Blues teammates for being "irreplaceable", Drogba was unstoppable in his heyday and was widely recognised for bullying opposition defenders with his strength, rising to the occasion in big game moments and being unbelievably clinical in the final third.

During his time at Stamford Bridge, the former Ivory Coast international truly reached the pinnacle of his powers with Jose Mourinho formerly praising him as "the best striker in the world" in 2007.

Whilst it is too early to say whether Jackson will come close to reaching Drogba's level, sections of the media are planting a heavy weight on the youngster's shoulders and former Blues striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink tends to agree.

He told Sky Sports [via Daily Mail]: "If you talk about Didier Drogba that’s not fair on the boy."

Irrespective of comparisons to Drogba, the sky is the limit for Jackson's potential and he can become a top striker for Chelsea in his own right.

How has Nicolas Jackson performed this season?

Despite struggling in the early stages of his Blues career, media outlets have still lavished praise on Jackson's talents.

Speaking to talkSPORT, former Chelsea defender Scott Minto said: "I really like Nicolas Jackson, and I think if you give him time, he will be a top Premier League striker.

"I look at him and his strong, he is fast, he has defenders hanging off him, he's sharp, and wants to work back for the team. The only thing he is lacking at the moment, is sticking the ball in the back of the net."

Whilst the Senegal international has shown glimpses of Drogba-like talents, namely his strength up against defenders, electric pace and clever movement, the bread and butter of any striker is finishing – and that is where the £65k per-week dynamo has fallen short.

In seven appearances for Chelsea, he's scored twice, although his attacking metrics suggest he could have had many more, missing an astonishing seven big chances, accumulating an xG of 4.09 and a goal conversion rate of 10%, as per Sofascore.

The early stages of Jackson's Premier League career have been marred by lacklustre finishing but considering the physical components of his game are already there, he isn't far away from becoming a very good striker as he attempts to follow in the footsteps of Drogba's near untouchable legacy.

Leeds United saw a six-match unbeaten run come to a screeching halt earlier today, as a trip to the St Mary's proved too much. Facing up against Southampton for the first time since both sides were relegated from the Premier League, the hosts ran out comfortable 3-1 winners, with Daniel Farke left with plenty of thinking to do.

How did Leeds United play vs Southampton?

Although hardly a game in which they will feel they deserved to win, in the end, it was the Saints' cutting edge which proved to be the difference, scoring three from the five shots on target they mustered whilst only amassing an expected goals tally of just 1.03.

However, the Whites will feel disappointed that they could not make their 53% possession pay, as the 13 shots they took were largely unproblematic for Gavin Bazunu, who was only undone in the end by Pascal Struijk's cultured finish earlier in the second half.

Leeds' past five results against Southampton	Result	Competition
Southampton vs Leeds United 30/09/23	3-1 L	Championship
Leeds United vs Southampton 25/02/23	1-0 W	Premier League
Southampton vs Leeds United 13/08/22	2-2 D	Premier League
Southampton vs Leeds United 02/04/22	1-1 D	Premier League
Southampton vs Leeds United 16/10/21	1-0 L	Premier League

It was, as journalist Phil Hay put it, "flat from start to finish", and in the end the visitors got what they deserved.

However, there was one standout disappointment who let his manager down, with Joel Piroe abandoning his recent good form to drop a true disaster.

How did Joel Piroe play vs Southampton?

Starting once again in the number ten role, often intertwining with Georginio Rutter up front, Russell Martin's game plan was executed to perfection to keep the proficient Dutchman silent.

In fact, such was their cut-throat precision, the former Swansea City man, who had scored four in five Championship games in the run-up to today's match for Leeds, was limited to just 32 touches. Even Illan Mesler in the Leeds net recorded more (48), although his afternoon was hardly one to write home about either.

Not only was his lack of influence catastrophic, but even the few opportunities he had on the ball were squandered, actually losing possession 14 times. This suggests that, for every 2.2 touches the 24-year-old had, the Saints would snatch the ball back from him.

A true weak point, the one key pass he managed papers over the cracks of an abysmal 63% pass accuracy, with the usually creative marksman completely wide of the mark this afternoon. To make matters worse, their £10m summer acquisition also lost four of the six duels he competed in, thus emphasising a lack of work ethic to go alongside his general tough day at the office, via Sofascore.

Whilst the German manager can likely excuse performances where things don't go a player's way, what he will not afford is those who do not try. It was a surprise to see him last the full 90 minutes, with Patrick Bamford instead brought on for Daniel James.

Journalist Beren Cross would compound his misery by handing Piroe an abysmal 3/10 rating in his post-match piece, writing: "One of the perils of playing a nine in the 10 role when your two midfielders are overrun in the centre. Did not help in any way, shape or form, but is that what he was on the pitch for? Even when the ball did come his way in the box, his finishes were fluffed, tame or non-existent."

A searing indictment on a performance he and the fanbase will hope to forget in a hurry, especially with a chance to redeem themselves on Wednesday as they welcome QPR to Elland Road.

A female referee, Katia Itzel, will take charge of a men's first division match in Mexico for the first time in 20 years, it has been confirmed.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Katia Itzel to take charge of Pachua v Queretaro
• First female appointed since 2004
• Has worked at Women's World Cup

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  reports that a female referee will take charge of a Mexican top-flight match for the first time in two decades in the 11th round of the Clausura tournament when Pachuca face Queretaro on Sunday. She will become the first female referee in Mexico's top-flight since Virginia Tovar in 2004.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Itzel has years of experience and has been working as recently as this week. She took charge of the Concacaf W Gold Cup clash between the United States women's national team and Canada on Wednesday, and will now travel back to Mexico.

• Getty Images
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Itzel has been a referee since 2016 and officiated matches at the 2023 Women's World Cup. At the tournament, she took charge of New Zealand's loss to the Philippines, as well as the draw between the Republic of Ireland and Nigeria.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Itzel will end a two-decade long absence for women referees in the Mexican top-flight. Pachuca are third in the Liga MX while Queretaro are 10th heading into Sunday's encounter.

كشفت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الكتالونية عن حالة واحدة لحصول نادي برشلونة على تعويض من إصابة لاعب الوسط، بيدري، الذي أصيب في مباراة إسبانيا وألمانيا ببطولة كأس أمم أوروبا، يورو 2024.

وتعرض بيدري لإصابة مبكرة في مباراة ألمانيا يوم أمس الجمعة، بعد مرور 8 دقائق فقط بعد تدخل قوي من توني كروس.

ولم يُعلن بعد التشخيص النهائي لإصابة بيدري ولكن الفحوصات الأولية تشير إلى احتمال وجود التواء جانبي في الركبة اليسرى والغياب المتوقع لمدة شهر ونصف تقريبًا.

اقرأ أيضًا.. دي يونج: مررت بأسوأ ليلة في مسيرتي مع برشلونة بسبب فليك

ولكن الحالة الوحيدة التي يحصل فيها برشلونة على تعويض مادي من قبل الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم “يويفا” على إصابة بيدري هي أن تطول إصابته لأكثر من 28 يومًا.

وبالتالي، سيحصل برشلونة على تعويض إذا ما طالت مدة إصابة بيدري لما بعد يوم 2 أغسطس المقبل وهذا وفقًا لبرنامج حماية الأندية التابعة للاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم بإشراف من “فيفا”.

من حق برشلونة أن يطلب من يويفا التعويض بعد هذا اليوم وإلا سيتم رفضه.

ويدفع برنامج حماية الأندية مبلغًا قد يصل إلى 7.5 مليون يورو كحد أقصى لكل لاعب وإصابة، كتعويض يومي يصل إلى 20.548 يورو بحد أقصى 365 يومًا.

Following the turbulence of 2022/23, things appear to be looking up as far as Leeds United are concerned, with the promotion hopefuls currently enjoying a six-game unbeaten run in the Championship to put themselves in playoff contention.

Having overseen a major squad overhaul during the summer, new boss Daniel Farke is beginning to reap the rewards of the alterations he has made during his brief tenure thus far, with the "high-quality performance" against Watford last time out – as per The Athletic's Phil Hay – an indication that things are moving in the right direction.

One notable decision that has already proved fruitful is the signing of former Swansea City man, Joel Piroe, with the 24-year-old looking capable of reproducing the prolific form that he showcased over the previous few years at the Liberty Stadium.

The one-time PSV Eindhoven asset had caught the attention of those in Yorkshire after bagging 41 league goals across the last two campaigns behind, with Farke and co eventually splashing out a reported fee of around £12m in order to prise the forward from south Wales.

While it is still early days with regard to his time at Elland Road, Piroe has certainly made his presence felt with four goals in just five league appearances thus far, already placing him as the club's top scorer this term.

Leeds supporters are likely to be delighted with the impact that the new addition has made to date, yet it may still sting that the club could have signed arguably an even better Dutchman last summer, in the form of current Liverpool star, Cody Gakpo.

Why didn't Leeds sign Cody Gakpo?

With Jesse Marsch having steered the Whites to top-flight safety at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, the American coach then embarked on something of a spending spree in an attempt to avoid another relegation scrap the following season, forking out for the likes of Tyler Adams (£20m), Luis Sinisterra (£25.4m) and Brenden Aaronson (£24.7m) – as per Sky Sports.

There was one man missing from that raft of incomings, however, with Marsch and co having been intent on signing Gakpo from his native Holland right up until the end of the window, with the aim of bolstering their attacking ranks.

The suggestion at the time was that with both Leeds and Southampton chasing the then-PSV man, the 6 foot 4 hotshot was set to command a fee of around £25m – a rather reasonable figure in relation to their other spending.

Despite having been "so close" to getting a deal done for the emerging superstar – as Marsch revealed last season – and with personal terms believed to have been agreed, Gakpo ultimately stayed put with the Eredivisie side for the 2022/23 campaign.

As per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the suggestion at the time was that Leeds were intent on bidding again for the versatile forward in the upcoming January window, albeit with the Italian journalist subsequently stating that such a move looked "unlikely", with top European clubs sniffing around.

How much did Liverpool pay for Gakpo?

Heading into that winter window, the suggestion was that rivals Manchester United were set to make a move for the towering marksman, with Erik ten Hag looking to tempt his compatriot into making the switch to Old Trafford.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Crossing

(No obvious weaknesses)

Taking set-pieces

Key passes

Finishing

Direct free-kicks

Aerial duels

Passing

Defensive contribution

Somewhat surprisingly, with Leeds out of the picture, it was Liverpool who came out of the blue to ultimately get their man for a fee believed to be between £35m and £45m, with that figure again looking rather minimal such is his "super talent" – as described by Reds boss Jurgen Klopp.

The in-demand forward had warranted such attention following his standout displays in Eindhoven in the previous campaigns, having contributed 21 goals and assists in just 14 league games in the first half of last season.

With 105 goal involvements under his belt in just 159 games for the Dutch giants – far more than Piroe achieved for PSV (three goals in just 14 senior games) – Gakpo's talent was obvious amid his eventual arrival on Merseyside, having since begun to replicate that form at Anfield over the past six months or so.

How much is Cody Gakpo worth now?

Unlike Piroe – who is yet to enjoy a taste of Premier League football – his compatriot is now flourishing in England's top tier, having ended last season with seven goals and three assists to his name for Klopp's men in the league.

Not only did that include a brace in the 7-0 thrashing of his former admirers, Man United, but the £120k-per-week dynamo also rubbed salt into the wounds of those at Elland Road, after scoring and assisting in the 6-1 victory for Liverpool back in April.

That influential display simply laid bare what the Whites had missed out on just months earlier, emphasised by the fact that Gakpo is now said to be worth as much as €80m (£70m), according to CIES Football Observatory – far beyond Piroe's valuation of €15m (£13m).

How has Gakpo performed this season?

With two goals already under his belt so far this term it looks as if the 19-cap international is set to continue his meteoric rise, with it right to question what might have been had Marsch got his man last summer.

As it proved, only the recently departed Rodrigo reached double figures for goals in all competitions last season as Leeds limply slipped to relegation, with the addition of a menacing attacking threat, like Gakpo, no doubt set to have altered the club's fortunes.

Now enduring life in the Championship, Farke and co do have another PSV youth product to rely upon in the form of Piroe, with the former Netherlands U20 international already showing encouraging signs in recent weeks.

Quite whether the one-time Sparta Rotterdam man – who is yet to earn a senior cap for his country – can reach the same heights as his compatriot remains to be seen, however, with Gakpo looking like the archetypal case of 'one that got away' for the Yorkshire outfit.

Chelsea are potentially willing to pay around £70 million for a club's "lightning" star striker, but it isn't Ivan Toney.

Will Chelsea sign anyone in January?

As widely reported, Mauricio Pochettino's side are weighing up the possibility of signing a centre-forward for 2024 amid a lack of confidence in their current attacking options. Despite spending nearly £400 million in the summer on an array of new signings, Chelsea didn't bring in a world-class striker to lead the line. Nicolas Jackson has arguably struggled since joining from Villarreal, while Armando Broja is unlikely to notch Chelsea a considerable amount goals in the same vain as some of world football's best.

As a result, it has been reported that the likes of Brentford star Ivan Toney and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen are being considered as marquee options to strengthen Pochettino's attacking ranks. A report from TEAMtalk this week even claimed Osimhen is seen as a very realistic potential signing for Chelsea, coming after Pochettino expressly request the club bring in a new forward.

Speaking earlier this year in April, pundit Michael Owen urged the club to bring in an experienced goal-getter.

“The most incredible thing is that you can spend £500-something million or whatever they've spent in recent times and the most important position on the pitch they've not even touched,” Owen said.

“That they can get all these great players and spend a fortune and the one position really that you to be investing the most money in and making sure is an absolute perfect fit is a centre forward.

“I think they've scored 29 goals in 29 games this season. It's unbelievably poor. I know Lukaku will be coming back at the end of the season, it'll be interesting to see what happens there, but my suggestion would be that they're going to have to go into the transfer market one more time."

Dusan Vlahovic news

Now, according to Italian news outlet Tutto Juve and journalist Massimo Pavan, sharing the latest Dusan Vlahovic transfer update, it is believed that Chelsea may now be "willing" to fork out around £70 million to sign the Juventus striker. That is the Serbia international's market value, but the same report says his club are set to demand much more than this. Vlahovic's price tag may even come in at around £90m.

The former Fiorentina star has scored four goals and registered an assist in six Serie A matches alone this season; rediscovering his past form at La Viola. Vlahovic, to further highlight his quality, has also been praised by former Man City defender Micah Richards – who called him a "lightning" striker.

Finishing

Long shots

Direct free-kicks

“I have watched him a couple of times now,” Richards told BBC Radio Five Live (via The Independent) in 2021.

“He is lightning. It’s ridiculous. He has got 16 in 18 this season. His left foot is like a wand. I am telling you now, he is everything, he is everything you need.”

After scoring his first hundreds of the summer, England’s Test captain can approach the challenge of India with faith in his game restored

Alan Gardner18-Jul-20180:48

Overcoming challenges a good World Cup preparation – Morgan

For a batsman as gifted as Joe Root, scoring a first century of the English summer in mid-July must constitute an unusually long wait. After 18 unsuccessful attempts across all formats, Root finally registered three figures in an innings at Lord’s on Saturday, and then promptly followed it up with another in the third ODI against India to seal England’s come-from-behind series victory.Both hundreds were unbeaten efforts in winning causes, and they could prove timely for another reason. England are set to embark on a demanding Test series against India, with five matches scheduled over six weeks from August 1, and to have their captain’s faith in his batting reaffirmed – albeit against the white ball rather than red – cannot do any harm. Root’s conversion issues have been even more acute in the longest format, but he will hope that a first Test hundred in 12 months is on the horizon.”It’s been a weird one really, I’ve not felt like I’ve been playing poorly or there’s been any sort of glaring mistakes in my game,” he said. “I think that’s why it was more frustrating but, ultimately, I had a think about how I wanted to go about things this series and I just went back to what has held me in really good stead for such a long time – trying to keep focusing on playing the situation, letting the guys bat around me and giving them the freedom to go and play. Over the course of the last two games, obviously it worked nicely.”Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of England’s eight-wicket stroll at Headingley was the fact that India’s spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, were kept wicketless on a surface that had aided Moeen Ali and, in particular, Adil Rashid. Kuldeep started the T20I and ODI series with a five-for and a six-for respectively, and has been included in the Test squad; however, after being dismissed twice off the first three balls he had faced from the left-arm wristspinner, Root found a way to adapt.In an exceptionally dry English summer, India’s spinners – which include Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin, third and fifth on the ICC Test rankings – will pose a major threat, but Root said he had focused on the basics of footwork rather than using the spin-bowling machine Merlyn to practise against.”One thing that’s very easy to do is over-analyse things, over-think things,” Root said. “I felt like I was picking him [Kuldeep] fine and when you look at it for what it actually was, both games my movements weren’t quick enough and I wasn’t getting close enough to the ball, either going forward or back. The best players of spin in the world, their footwork is always sharp and when that contact point is there, you’re as still as possible. Under-arm feeds, trying to get close to the ball, [it is as] simple as that and the mindset of either giving myself as much time as possible or smothering the spin.”Joe Root’s ‘bat drop’ celebration provoked a ribbing from his team-mates•Getty ImagesThe question of England’s mental approach was at the forefront of Root’s thinking as he turned his focus to the Test series. Asked if he thought overcoming India in the ODIs gave England an edge, he suggested that their performance in beating Pakistan by an innings at Headingley last month – following a chastening defeat at Lord’s – was more significant as he seeks a steadier footing for the Test team after an up-and-down start to his captaincy.”Maybe slightly for the guys that have been involved in it [the one-day series] but it’s a completely different format and I think more importantly take all the good stuff we did in that last Test here, against Pakistan and try to replicate as much of that as possible – the way we went about it, the things that we did throughout that game, it left us a good benchmark,” Root said.”There will obviously be different surfaces, different challenges throughout but the way we approached it as a group, the mindset and attitude was really good. It was a good starting point for this team to kick-on after what’s been a difficult winter. That’s how I am going to judge it and that’s what I am going to put to the guys: how can we take that forward now?”There’s going to be a few challenges. We’ve not played Test cricket for quite a long time throughout this summer, which is quite strange really – it’s been a strange order to the way things have gone – but we’ve got an opportunity to play a round of county games now and get really ready for it, a few guys are obviously playing in that Lions game as well and I think it’s really important we look to start strong.”As for his most recent hundred, there was one moment Root wanted to quickly forget. After reaching his 13th ton in ODIs, surpassing Marcus Trescothick’s record for England, with a pulled four from the final ball of the chase, Root dropped his bat in MC style; but despite England Cricket tweeting approvingly, his team-mates were less impressed with such a sign-off.”It was something that I immediately regretted,” he said. “I’ve not heard the end of it, it was literally the most embarrassing thing I’ve done on a cricket field. I don’t think it will be the last I hear of it from the group – they’ve been hammering me.”You’d think if you were going to do a celebration like that, you’d have smacked it 30 yards out of the ground… it was just an absolute car crash.”

Everton recruited five new players over the summer, but a reliable journalist has claimed that one of them is not quite performing to the level expected in the Premier League.

Who are Everton's new signings?

At Goodison Park, Beto and Youssef Chermiti arrived on a permanent basis before the transfer deadline on September 1st, whilst Jack Harrison joined on a season-long loan from Leeds United, followed by Ashley Young who put pen to paper for free from Aston Villa, as per Transfermarkt.

Another player to walk through the doors temporarily following a failed move in January is Villarreal’s Arnaut Danjuma, with the left-winger having so far only made three starts in the top-flight.

The Dutchman was Sean Dyche’s hero having scored the winning goal during the 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Doncaster Rovers back in August, but despite this, one reporter has admitted that he feels as if the 26-year-old isn’t fully showing what he’s capable of.

What has Paul Brown said about Arnaut Danjuma?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Paul Brown has suggested that Danjuma hasn't yet done enough to prove the Blues' long-time interest in him worthwhile:

“Yeah, I don't really know how much Everton were expecting from Danjuma. Obviously, they went for him before and he turned them down to go to Spurs. So they've looked at this guy for quite a long time and like what he does. Whether he's got enough to be a regular starter over the course of a season, I really don't know.

"I think he's going to need to show a lot more consistency to get in that team on a regular basis. I suspect that he's probably not in Dyche's mind as a regular starter and that he would prefer to use him more as a kind of impact player from the bench, which is really what he mostly did for Spurs. And in that role, he could be quite important this season.

"But yeah, I think if he wants to be playing every week, he needs to show a lot more than he has so far."

Is Arnaut Danjuma any good?

According to reliable journalist Josh Bunting, Danjuma is a “quality” forward, and whilst he’s yet to be given a consistent run in the side, the fact that he’s scored two goals in his opening eight appearances shows that he has bags of potential to offer at Everton.

The Lagos native, who earns £53k-per-week, has also recorded a total of 16 shots so far this season, which is actually more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, highlighting his constant desire to find the back of the net at Goodison (information correct prior to today's match vs Luton Town).

Furthermore, Danjuma is a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, so he is a fantastic option for the boss to have at his disposal if he can find some form and confidence.

Arsenal have enjoyed a near-faultless start to the campaign, starring across all competition, but more specifically in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta has his side joint-top after eight fixtures, having finally toppled Manchester City after years of trying. Such form is owed to numerous outstanding performers, with Declan Rice in particular shining.

How is Declan Rice playing?

The former West Ham United captain marked an astronomical acquisition when he was signed in the summer, raking in a £105m fee to briefly shatter the previous British transfer record.

As such huge expectations emerged on his shoulders, which he has taken in his stride with remarkable ease.

Already his Spanish boss has been rushing to praise his exploits which have earned him a 7.41 average match rating in the league, with the 41-year-old noting after their win over Crystal Palace: "I thought he was fantastic. He really dominated the game. He bossed the midfield and dominated the game. He was very influential, both attacking and defending."

Such a figure is buoyed by his exemplary figures in the key areas needed to thrive in midfield, as his 92% pass accuracy and 0.6 key passes per game denote an economical creator, whilst his 1.6 interceptions, 2.3 tackles and 4.4 ball recoveries outline his steelier side, via Sofascore.

However, having been forced to feature predominantly beside the likes of Fabio Vieira, or more recently Jorginho, perhaps there is another level for the England international to reach, should Thomas Partey soon return to the side.

How good is Thomas Partey?

After all, last season Rice would add nine goal contributions to his game in all competitions to outline him as the paramount all-around midfielder.

Should the Ghanaian enforcer return following his recent spell on the sidelines, with the same freshness and aggression that saw him shine last term, the two could strike up a partnership to allow the 24-year-old to retain what has helped him thrive thus far, but also push forward to add a few more goals and assists to his game.

This would be a possibility especially heightened were they to drop Jorginho, as whilst the Italian metronome can add some defensive structure, he is largely there as a stand-in, with his ability to drop a clanger always a huge possibility.

To compare him with other midfielders across Europe, and whilst he sits in the top 7% for passes attempted and the top 8% for progressive passes per 90, the 31-year-old only manages to reach the top 31% for tackles and 21% for interceptions, via FBref.

Meanwhile, their £45m "monster", as dubbed so by journalist Abdu Dilshan Wasike, sits in the top 4% for both passes attempted and progressive passes per 90 when compared against the same group, whilst also having managed 2.1 tackles and 1.2 clearances per game last season too.

It is clear that Partey adds much more security to the engine room than Jorginho, and the defensive foundation he would offer alongside an ability to dictate the tempo arguably makes the former Chelsea star obsolete.

Should he be fit after the international break, he and Rice might be poised to strike up a frightening partnership.

ScorecardHampshire’s record total for an English domestic one-day final, built around Rilee Rossouw’s 125, proved more than enough for them to secure the Royal London Cup in what became a rather one-sided showpiece with Kent’s chasing failing to really ignite.Having been put into bat – Kent’s preference for chasing rather than conditions being the key factor – Hampshire’s top-order put in a commanding performance, set up by an opening stand of 136 in 22 overs between Rossouw and Tom Alsop. Sam Northeast, welcomed to the crease by loud boos from the Kent supporters – part of a crowd of over 20,000 – who hadn’t forgiven him for his acrimonious departure pre-season, finished unbeaten on 75 off 60 deliveries as Hampshire went past Warwickshire’s 322 (made from 60 overs) against Sussex in 1993.Still, it felt a little light given they had been 193 for 1 after 30 overs – modern expectations saying 350 was a minimum from that position – as Kent clawed the innings back well, largely through Joe Denly’s legspin which claimed 4 for 57 including a wicket maiden in the 44th over and two wickets in three balls in the 46th. Without Denly’s all-round capability, Kent would have had huge problems with Calum Haggett only entrusted with three overs in the innings after an expensive start.Kent had emphasised their chasing skills in the semi-final against Worcestershire and made a positive start through the prolific Heino Kuhn, but his run out – a direct hit by Gareth Berg as he underarmed into the stumps – was a significant blow. Daniel Bell-Drummond was shaping to play a similar role to Rossouw but couldn’t convert into the three-figure score needed and though Sam Billings’ 75 was timely on a personal level, it came too late. Liam Dawson was impressive with the ball and Hampshire had enough runs to soak up the difficulties faced by legspinner Mason Crane.Hampshire’s openers had started by hitting fielders with a little too much regularity for their liking, but the innings was kickstarted when Haggett’s opening over was taken for 18 including three boundaries for the left-handed Alsop.Through cult hero Darren Stevens (who else?) and Denly, Kent did manage to keep a lid on the scoring rate to a degree – it was rarely above six-an-over for the first 20. The stand was broken by Imran Qayyum’s second delivery when the left-arm spinner had Alsop stumped. Qayyum later added a second when he removed James Vince, who had eased along at a run-a-ball, with a catch to long-on.Rossouw, the former South Africa batsman who had one previous century in the competition this season, played a classy innings, scoring all round the wicket but slightly favouring the leg side where he collected his three sixes. He had made 201 of his 269 runs in the tournament leading into the final from two innings in late May – a century against Essex which followed 90 against Surrey – so it was a timely moment to find top form against the white ball again; a Championship hundred against Lancashire last week will have left him in good heart.His century came off 97 deliveries with the one significant alarm being when he was close to being run out, backing-up as a straight drive by Vince clipped Stevens’ fingers. He celebrated with gusto, a roar of emotion and a punch of his chest, and had plenty of time to make a huge individual score. He got as far as 125 when he fell to Denly at which point Hampshire’s innings stuttered.Northeast ensured there remained a direction – a six over extra cover off Harry Podmore the pick of his shots – and his half-century was marked with a mixture of applause from the supporters of his new county and further boos from those of his old. It was about as feisty as the reception at this ground could be. There is clearly no love lost.In all, the final ten overs of Hampshire’s innings brought just 68 runs but, even in an age where white-ball scores are only heading one way, the added pressure of a run chase in a final still made 330 formidable.After more than 650 runs to take Kent into the final, Kuhn’s departure – which almost brought a nasty collision between batsman and fielder – was a hammer blow but there were still others who could do his work. However, none could quite get going as was required to keep the hefty target within view.Denly top-edged a leg-side hoick against Berg and though Bell-Drummond played very nicely, he needed someone to score at a greater rate alongside him. Sean Dickson struggled to get going – save for one beautiful straight drive for six – and fell to a top-edged slog sweep against Crane. Then, when Bell-Drummond dragged on against Chris Wood the requirement was too much.For Crane, who had an injection in his back to play through the pain for this match and may not feature any further this season after a recurrence of his stress fracture, the day ended with much more celebration that it appeared it may when his first three overs went for 29. Vince had to get through a few fill-in overs, but having seen the asking rate touch nine-an-over gave his legspinner another chance. Consistency remained scarce, but the emotion when he claimed the wicket spoke volumes for a player who has had tough times since his Test debut in Sydney.Better, still, was to come when he produced a direct hit from the deep to run out Alex Blake. Blake had played a starring role in the semi-final run chase and if he had cut loose Kent would have had a glimmer. As he trudged back, Hampshire had one hand on the trophy.