More PSR manoeuvres? Chelsea sell youngster Omari Hutchinson to Ipswich before June 30 deadline as newly-promoted side shell out club-record fee

Newly promoted Premier League side Ipswich Town have confirmed the signing of Omari Hutchinson.

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  • Chelsea make Hutchinson sale
  • Ipswich make club-record purchase
  • Chelsea safe with PSR regulations
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Chelsea had been worried about their compliance with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules ahead of their June 30 deadline, and they were desperate to make sales to avoid any possibility of a points deduction for a potential breach. As such, they completed the sale of Hutchinson to Ipswich on the PSR deadline.

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  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    As per the BBC, Ipswich made the signing of Hutchinson for a reported club-record fee of £20 million ($25.3m) along with performance-based add-ons of £2.5m ($3.1m). Hutchinson was the main transfer target for the Tractor Boys following his outstanding season of 10 goals and 6 assists while on loan with Kieran McKenna's side.

  • (C)GettyImages

    WHAT MCKENNA SAID

    Speaking to club media, McKenna said: "We’re so pleased to bring Omari back on a permanent basis.

    "We think Omari is a fantastic player and person to have at the club for the long-term future. He has a hunger to improve and show that he can compete and thrive in the Premier League."

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  • WHAT NEXT FOR HUTCHINSON?

    The youngster will now join up with Ipswich during their pre-season camp as he will look forward to making his mark in the Premier League this season.

Southampton now eyeing move to sign "quick" in-demand player for Martin

After a historic unbeaten run, Southampton's form has taken a disappointing turn in recent weeks with their most recent 3-0 defeat against a weakened Liverpool side in the FA Cup summing things up. Nonetheless, perhaps still with Championship promotion in mind, the Saints have reportedly turned their attention towards summer reinforcements.

Southampton transfer news

As things stand, Southampton sit five points adrift of Leeds United and Ipswich Town in the race to secure automatic promotion. This comes after back-to-back defeats against Hull City and Millwall in the Championship, before crashing out of the FA Cup at Anfield. Having enjoyed such an impressive run earlier in the season, Russell Martin will be incredibly disappointed if his side's current blip ends with promotion failure this season.

That said, whether they fail in their pursuit of promotion or, indeed, make it to the Premier League this season, it looks as though the Saints are in the race to sign Festy Ebosele. According to Udinese Blog, Southampton are eyeing a move to sign Ebosele alongside Everton, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Watford and Leeds United in a busy race for his signature.

Given the Premier League clubs interested in the Udinese winger, Southampton would certainly benefit from earning promotion this season, particularly over fellow interested party and promotion-hopefuls Leeds. As the summer transfer window approaches, it looks as though Ebosele will have a crucial decision to make.

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Having previously played for Derby County before leaving for the Serie A back in the summer of 2022, Ebosele has the chance to make his return to English football this summer.

"Quick" Ebosele can replace David Brooks

As impressive as David Brooks has been on loan from Bournemouth – recording three goal involvements in six Championship games – Southampton will be without the Welshman come the start of the summer, as he returns to the Cherries. And that creates the need for a replacement in the form of Ebosele.

David Brooks

The 21-year-old Irishman, a wing-back who can play further forward, already has Championship experience to his name, having featured 38 times in the competition for Derby during his time at Pride Park.

It was during that spell that Ebosele earned the praise of former manager Wayne Rooney, who said via The Irish Sun: "He has got so much. He has still, obviously, got a lot more to learn and a lot of improvement to make but you can see his development since the start of the season. Not just technically – he is raw and quick and can beat a player – but his fitness levels have improved massively as well. It is a credit to how he has been training."

Still a young talent with plenty of time to improve, Southampton will hope to beat the likes of Everton and Leeds United to Ebosele's signature this summer, with or without promotion.

Ten Hag could be forced to unleash 122-touch Man Utd star over Luke Shaw

Last weekend, Manchester United picked up a very impressive 2-1 away victory over top-four rivals Aston Villa.

Rasmus Hojlund netted for the fifth consecutive game, taking his overall tally this season to 11 goals across all competitions, while Scott McTominay scored his seventh of the campaign to steal the three points.

This time around, Erik ten Hag's team will look to win their fourth Premier League game in a row this afternoon, as they travel to Kenilworth Road, where a motivated Luton Town will be waiting.

The reverse fixture was a frustarting and marginal 1-0 win over the Hatters at Old Trafford, but one player stood out on the day. In truth, the Red Devils faithful will hope for a much more convincing performance today.

Victor Lindelof's performance vs Luton

Over his 251-match United career, Victor Lindelof's game against Rob Edwards' side in November was arguably one of his finest, with the Red Devils badge on his chest.

Manchester United's Victor Lindelof andCasemirolook dejected after Brighton & Hove Albion's first goal

The iceman was positive on the ball throughout the game and ensured that his side remained in control, which is vital when playing against a team that is solely looking for the overturn of possession to attack.

Lindelof's performance can be summed up via his 8/10 match rating by the Manchester Evening News, however, let's have a closer look at his stats from the first game against the Hatters in 2023.

Lindelof vs Luton Stats

Stats

Lindelof

Minutes

98

Goals

1

Passes completed

107/113

Touches

122

Possesion lost

6

Clearances

3

Duels won

4/6

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see by the stats, the Sweden defender was simply superb on the ball throughout, having 122 touches and making an incredible 107 passes, which was by far the most on the field.

The fact that the number two was so heavily involved throughout and still only gave the ball away six times proves how much of an influence he had.

The 29-year-old was also switched on defensively and dealt with the Luton attack with composure, as highlighted by his three clearances and four out of six duels won.

To top it off, he scored the only goal of the game after reacting first in the box to smash it home on the penalty spot. Without Lindelof on that day, it's fair to say that United may not have gotten over the line.

Why Lindelof must start again vs Luton

Despite Lindelof's incredible game against Luton in November, Ten Hag is still much more likely to opt for a centre-back pairing of Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane, who both stood strong against Villa.

However, there is the possibility that the Swede starts in a left-back role due to the potential absence of Luke Shaw, who Lindelof recently replaced at Villa Park after the break, with the left-back being withdrawn as a precaution.

Although this role is far from tailored to the centre-back's strengths, he has already featured in it in this campaign when United faced Brentford. During that game, Lindelof was once again excellent in possession, having 94% pass accuracy, making one key pass, and only losing possession six times.

Ten Hag may tweak his in-possession tactic against Luton today, to allow Lindelof to tuck inside as a third centre-back due to the Swede's lof's lack of attacking threat as an overlapping full-back.

Indeed, if Shaw is absent, then Lindelof is United's best replacement, and therefore, the boss must start him against the opponent he has already thrived against this season.

Rest and rotation will be 'crucial' for England claims selector Ed Smith

Smith hints at route back for Jonny Bairstow in Sunday Times interview

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2019

Jonny Bairstow with national team selector Ed Smith•Getty Images

England’s national selector Ed Smith has said it is “crucial” to prioritise players’ wellbeing, and suggested that “rest and rotation will be a central part” of his selection process going forward as cricket catches up with other sports.In an interview with , Smith said that the senior players rested for the T20 tour of New Zealand – including Jason Roy, Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes – were told, rather than asked, to rest after a draining home summer.”With the T20s in New Zealand, it wasn’t a case of, ‘What do you think about resting?’ It was, ‘You’re rested.’ It’s crucial we attend to players’ wellbeing,” Smith said. “We’re fortunate that Eoin Morgan, having won the World Cup, saw an opportunity to look at new challenges and that we have a lot of depth in white-ball cricket.”I work closely with people who are intimately involved with the pastoral care of the England team. They respect confidences, however there are times when people have said that this person might benefit from a break. Moving forward, rest and rotation will be a central part of good selection. Players must be well mentally and physically, and capable of performing at their best when we need them to.”Smith, who became England’s national selector in April 2018, used the example of the Rugby World Cup to show that other sports were ahead of cricket in their attitude towards resting players. England coach Eddie Jones used fly-half George Ford off the bench rather than starting in his team’s quarter-final win against Australia, and in his press conference after the game said that he had “changed his role” rather than dropping him. “Come into modern rugby – join us,” Jones said. “Rugby has changed, it’s a 23-man game.”Smith drew parallels with Eddie Jones’ decision to leave George Ford out of England’s starting XV at the Rugby World Cup•Getty Images

“Baseball got there in 1880, football in 1990, rugby in the 2010s, and cricket’s moving in that direction,” Smith said. “You have a strong core based around a strong leader, but there’s got to be room for people taking time out when they need a physical and mental – or technical – recharge. Then there’s always a way back.”Perhaps Smith’s most high-profile recent selection decision was to drop Jonny Bairstow from England’s Test squad for their tour of New Zealand, but he suggested that the wicketkeeper/batsman will be back in contention very soon.ALSO READ: Challenge clear for Bairstow as axing marks start of England’s new Test focus”I remember sitting with Jonny when he’d missed a game in Sri Lanka [in last year’s Test series] and I said, ‘it won’t be long, not because I’m predicting somebody will get dropped but because you’re a very good player and very good players come back’. A week later he was raising his bat having scored a Test hundred.”That will be one way selectors can really contribute to successful teams – thinking about the person and having a strong sense of care, supporting them emotionally and psychologically, so if a crunch point is coming you manage it the best way.”He’s a key player who has played well in all formats. Jonny was selected in 2012 as an outstanding young batsman and since then his first-class average outside Tests is 57. That’s how good he is and Jonny at his best would be a huge asset.”Smith also revealed that he will give new head coach Chris Silverwood the final say regarding England’s final XI. Smith’s official role is to pick the squad from which the coach and captain pick the team, but he admitted he has “been involved in discussions around final XIs on tour”.”Chris [Silverwood] is very organised and likes to have a clear process that happens every time,” he said. “So we will have a call two days out before every Test match between me and Chris, or James [Taylor] and Chris.”We’ll look at the options … if it’s these conditions that guy [plays], in those conditions that guy [plays]. Two days out you have that discussion, so everyone is in the loop. I’m very comfortable with that.”If the question is who should have the final say on the final XI, it should be the captain and coach, because you’ve got to go with what you want. That’s as it should be.”

Chelsea have done a tonne of leg work to convince star to join them

Chelsea are said to have done a "tonne of leg work" to convince a star player to join them this summer, as they seek to fix a major problem.

Pochettino under pressure at Chelsea

It hasn't quite been the dream first season in charge for manager Mauricio Pochettino, who has overseen a disappointing debut campaign despite being backed with £400 million worth of signings in the summer.

Manager receives Chelsea offer as Stamford Bridge chiefs travel for meeting

Pochettino’s future is still uncertain.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 12, 2024

There have been some suggestions that Pochettino could even be replaced by Chelsea if results take a turn for the worst, with rumours surrounding his future emerging on a consistent basis as results remain inconsistent.

The Blues lost their Carabao Cup final to Liverpool and look very unlikely to be contending for a European spot come the end of 2023/2024. A lot appears to be riding on their FA Cup run and whether they can make a success of their bid to win one of football's oldest competitions.

Pochettino isn't exactly helped by Chelsea's lack of a consistent 20-plus goal per season striker, and a lot of reports are claiming that a new centre-forward is top priority for Stamford Bridge chiefs.

Chelsea's links with Osimhen

One of the major names linked in that regard is Napoli star Victor Osimhen. The Nigeria international, who's been one of Serie A's most prolific goalscorers for a few years now, is thought to be top of the agenda for Chelsea right now.

Sassuolo 1-6 Napoli

9.90

Frosinone 1-3 Napoli

8.46

Napoli 2-0 Sassuolo

7.62

Napoli 2-1 Cagliari

7.60

Napoli 4-1 Udinese

7.36

"I think they will sign Victor Osimhen in the summer," said former Arsenal defender William Gallas. "I don’t know Victor that well as a person but he’s similar to Drogba. Didier was so strong but with Osimhen, he is also very quick. I’m sure he’ll do a lot of damage in the Premier League.

"Chelsea have so many players and that is a problem. They need to sell players because it’s a mess at Chelsea at the moment. I don’t know a lot about their financial situation but they need to figure out which players should stay and which players should leave.

‘In the Premier League, some clubs loan in players to replace players they have sold for more money but when you look at the situation with Enzo [Fernandez] and [Moises] Caicedo, they bought them for £100m, how much can they sell them for? Not much!."

Chelsea have done a tonne of leg work to sign Osimhen

According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea have done a ton of leg work to sign Osimhen and convince him to join.

Sources have also been clear that the Blues have been at the front of the queue for him, but there are now real fears that Chelsea could miss out on the African, as both Arsenal and PSG could meet his wage demands of around £200,000-per-week.

Napoli star Victor Osimhen

Pochettino's may not be so keen to meet that, as they don't wish to break their wage structure, so it's believed to be offering their competitors a glimmer of hope.

The race for Osimhen appears to be intensifying as we slowly approach this summer, and it will be interesting to see where this goes.

Pundit says Southampton now have “problem” after update on “fantastic” star

Southampton may be forced to sell a "fantastic" player during the summer transfer window for one key reason, according to pundit Carlton Palmer.

Southampton transfer news

The Saints have been in and around the automatic promotion picture in the Championship all season, but things have been threatening to peter out in recent weeks.

Russell Martin's side have lost three of their last four league matches, seeing them drop to fourth place in the division and now five points adrift of Leeds United in second.

There are so many huge incentives for Southampton to return to the Premier League, from a boost in finances to the ability to sign better players, but it would also increase their hopes of retaining the services of some of their most important current stars.

Now, a key update has emerged regarding an individual who falls into that bracket, with his future still looking very much up in the air.

Kyle Walker-Peters could leave Southampton

Speaking to Football League World, Palmer said that Southampton could be forced to sell Kyle Walker-Peters this summer in order to receive a fee for him before his contract expires, reacting to the "rumours" on Tottenham having a buyback option and looking at a move.

Kyle Walker-Peters

"Rumours are circulating that Spurs might be looking to activate their buy-back clause for Kyle Walker-Peters. The buy-back clause is for £30 million. Southampton paid £12 million for Walker-Peters in 2020 after a successful loan. He's done absolutely fantastic at Southampton – he's had a brilliant season this season, and there are several other clubs interested in him.

"The Saints have a problem because his contract with the club expires in the summer of 2025. So, assuming that Southampton don't make it back to the Premier League, he (likely) won't sign a new deal, because he will want to play in the Premier League, and therefore, they may be forced to sell him. It remains to be seen whether they (Spurs) will activate that clause, or any of the other big clubs will go in for him. I could definitely see him moving in the summer, if Southampton don't get back to the Premier League."

Kyle Walker-Peters' Championship stats this season

Total

Appearances

34

Goals

2

Assists

2

Dribbles per game

2.2

Tackles per game

1.5

Interceptions per game

1.3

Pass completion rate

90.6%

In truth, there could be an inevitability about Walker-Peters moving on at the end of the season if Southampton fail to come straight back up from the Championship, with the right-back possibly unlikely to want to spend another year in the second tier of English football.

The fact that his contract is up in the summer of 2025 also means Saints may have to cash in on him, too, considering he could earn the club plenty of money, instead of leaving on a free transfer 12 months later.

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Henry Jackson

Feb 25, 2024

The hope is that Martin is able to turn things around and inspire his side back into the Premier League, however, which feels like the only realistic chance of keeping hold of Walker-Peters beyond the summer.

Angel Di Maria goes out victorious: Winners and losers as Argentina survive Lionel Messi injury scare to see off Colombia in chaotic Copa final

The winger played a key role to help Argentina, despite an injured Lionel Messi, to a third straight major tournament trophy

So much of the talk around Copa America 2024, as with any international tournament, has been about Lionel Messi. Could the greatest of all time win yet another trophy? Could this competition be his last? Could Argentina even survive without him?

Two of those questions were answered in full on Sunday night in a raucous Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Yes, Messi won another trophy. And with Angel Di Maria pulling the strings, Argentina proved that they can very much operate without their legendary leader – his influence leading La Albiceleste to a 1-0 Copa America final win.

The hours leading up to the game were marred by the mass confusion that took place around the stadium. Fans, many without tickets, stormed the gates prior to kickoff, and the stadium was still just half full as the opening whistle approached.

And when the game did eventually start, more than an hour after the scheduled kickoff, the first half was a cagey affair, with Argentina nullifying every expansive Colombian attack. There were chances to be found – with Messi and Jhon Duran both coming close – but neither side offered a crucial moment of quality to seize control.

The game was changed in the second half, when Messi exited with an apparent leg injury. His departure sucked the energy out of the Albiceleste's attacking flow. But Di Maria remained, running up and down the wing, finding neat angles and cute passes. Even as Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni shuffled his pack in extra time – taking off three of his four midfielders – Di Maria created and sprinted, the oldest Argentine on the pitch squeezing every ounce of energy out of his tired legs in his last game in international football.

Lautaro Martinez may have buried the winning goal – with a Gio Lo Celso assist – but it was Di maria's smart movement that created it. The winger, 97 minutes in, made a clever run to drag the Colombia defense open, vacating a pocket of space that Lo Celso found. Martinez made no mistake.

And at the end of it all, Di Maria and Messi were hugging as the final whistle blew. Di Maria is done with the national team. Messi might be, too. If this was an ending, it was a fine one.

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Hard Rock Stadium.

  • Getty

    WINNER: Lautaro Martinez

    The forgotten fact about the famous 2022 World Cup final is that Argentina should have won the game in normal time. Indeed, for all of Kylian Mbappe's late heroics to tie things up, La Albiceleste created enough to put the game out of sight. Only, as the clock wore down, Martinez missed repeatedly.

    Such has been the story of his international career to date. Martinez has scored goals in bunches, but never provided a signature international moment to lift him to the pantheon of his country's greats. Finally, late on Sunday night, it happened. The chance was the kind of thing he would have fluffed in so many other big moments: a run into the channel, bearing down on goal, only the keeper to beat. This time, though, Martinez was the coolest man in a sweltering stadium, simply feeding the ball into the top corner. Game won. Tournament sealed. Hero status secured.

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  • Getty Images

    LOSER: CONMEBOL

    What. A. Mess.

    First of all, let's establish something here. The chaos pre-match was not just the fault of the thousands of fans who hurried to their seats. Nor can it be blamed on the children passing out, dehydrated and crying to their parents before a formative sporting event of their lives. This, on the face of it, should fall on CONMEBOL, who have spent the last month mismanaging what should be a massively important summer of soccer. The whole thing was poorly organized at so many levels. There was no perimeter to check tickets, no reliable staffing to control crowds. And, perhaps most damningly, fans were eventually just allowed to walk into the concourses – ticketed or otherwise.

    Yes, there is something to be said for self control, and individual actors doing their part. But a soccer organizing body of that size, used to dealing with such impassioned fans, should be able to handle it. There will likely be an investigation into the events of the day, one in which individual actors will take some blame. Either way, the organizing body failed to deliver on what should have been a memorable celebration of soccer in the U.S.

  • Getty Images

    WINNER: Lionel Scaloni

    Who says you need vast international coaching experience to win things? It is often forgotten, but Argentina is Scaloni's first job in senior management. His job history, aside from a brief spell as an assistant coach for Sevilla, doesn't make for remarkable reading.

    But he gets something out of this Albiceleste side. Scaloni's tactics aren't particularly advanced, nor are they complex. There are no complicated pressing structures or consistent patterns of play to be found. Instead, Scaloni instills the right energy into this team. This is a selfless group that bonds around one central star, but proved on Sunday night that they can operate without him.

    Scaloni did everything right. He refreshed his midfield when their legs were gone, held Martinez until he knew Colombia could be stretched, and ensured that his side kept the attacking tempo up – even as fatigue set in. Tactical genius? No. One of Argentina's greats? Without a doubt.

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  • Getty Images

    LOSER: Lionel Messi

    Oh, Leo. No one wanted to see this. Messi picked up a knock in the first half, and after receiving treatment, was able to play on. But when he went down in the second, there was no hope. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner immediately signaled to the Argentina bench that something was seriously wrong, and hobbled hopelessly off the pitch, wearing just one boot.

    A few seconds later, he was pictured in tears on the bench, inconsolable as he was forced to watch the rest of the action unfold from the sidelines. It ultimately mattered little, of course. As has happened so often for this side, the rest of Argentina stood up. If this is Messi's last competitive international fixture, he will leave with a medal around his neck. Still, he deserved to be on the pitch for the key moments.

Notts move lays foundation for Haseeb Hameed to reinvigorate his faltering career

After bowling Gloucestershire out for 205 on the first day at Cheltenham in May 2019, Lancashire had 20 overs to bat out ahead of the close. It was the sort of situation in which an in-form opening batsman thrives: there was no pressure on them to score, simply to survive by leaving, ducking, weaving and blocking.But in May 2019, Haseeb Hameed was not an in-form opening batsman. He came into this game on the back of two tame dismissals to the unheralded Worcestershire seamer Charlie Morris: trapped lbw looking to work a straight ball to the leg side in the first innings, and caught in the slips playing an expansive drive in the second. His previous 32 first-class innings had brought one hundred and no fifties; his director of cricket Paul Allott had suggested that he was “hanging by a thread” at the club.One can only wonder what was going through his head at the non-striker’s end as Keaton Jennings clipped one off his pads out to straight midwicket, but on external evidence, it wasn’t a lot. He stared vacantly at the ball as Jennings called him through for a single, and looked up to see his partner bounding down the track towards him. Panicked, he put his head down and charged towards the keeper’s end but the throw was good, the keeper whipped off the bails, and Hameed’s miserable run had continued. He looked to the skies, dejected.Hameed played six more Championship games in the season and was dropped without ceremony. In November 2016, he had made a battling, unbeaten half-century with a broken finger in Mohali, an innings so dogged and resolute that Virat Kohli marked him out as a “future star”. Since then, he has averaged 20.55 in first-class cricket, passing 50 five times in 67 innings.Where did it all go so wrong?***The theories behind Hameed’s downturn in form are plentiful, though many of them rely on speculation. He played his first List A game at the start of 2017, and some suggest that playing 50-over cricket has made him lose his judgement outside his off stump.Others blame the influence of his father, who took it upon himself to become Hameed’s batting coach during his teenage years. One source suggests that Lancashire’s coaches were frustrated with the extent to which Hameed allowed his father to influence his game, though it is all too easy to pedal the pushy Asian father stereotype: when things were going his way, it didn’t seem to be such a problem.Justifiably, some feel he was hung out to dry by Allott. It is all too easily forgotten that Hameed is only 22 – that Lancashire’s director of cricket repeatedly expressed his disappointment to the press about Hameed’s form cannot have been helpful.And finally, there is the suggestion that he might not have been the player many hoped in the first place. Of course, nobody makes nearly 1200 Division One runs as a 19-year-old without a great deal of talent, and he has long been marked out as a superstar in the making.But, the theory goes, Hameed has always been a better player of spin than seam: 60 percent of the balls he faced in his only Test series were from spinners, and in the past three Championship seasons, only four of his 48 dismissals have been against spin. In three of his four Championship hundreds in his breakout year, more than a third of deliveries he faced were bowled by spinners; in his first ton, against Warwickshire, Jeetan Patel bowled 48.8 percent of the balls he faced.ALSO READ: Hameed signs for Notts after Lancashire releaseIn truth, it is hard to isolate a single factor with any great confidence. What those outside of Hameed’s close circle know is that he is a talented young player who has lost his way dramatically and publicly in the past three seasons: a switch of counties will surely do him good.Hameed’s move to Nottinghamshire, initially on a two-year deal, seems like it will suit him. Several counties were interested in securing his signature, and while it is easy to point to the struggles of some of those batsmen who have moved to the club recently – Ben Duckett, Joe Clarke and Ben Slater, for example – as evidence that the grass isn’t always greener, it feels like a fresh start can only help him.It was no surprise to see Hameed mention both Mick Newell (director of cricket) and Peter Moores (head coach) in the press release that accompanied the announcement of his signing, and while it might seem like a stretch, the wording – “a special mention to [them] for believing in me” – hinted at a sense of isolation towards the end of his time at Lancashire. And while Moores’ wider reputation has never recovered from his second spell as England coach – in particular the fallout from the debacle that was the 2015 World Cup – he remains one of the most popular and respected coaches on the county circuit, and young players relish the chance to work with him.Throw in the prospect of playing on pitches that are generally pretty flat at Trent Bridge and the fact that his first season will see the club play in Division Two, and the move seems to lay the ideal foundations for a comeback. Hameed seemed destined for greatness three years ago, and is surely too good to endure many more lean seasons; both for his immediate interests and for his career in the long run, he needs this signing to work out.

Sky Sports: Liverpool eyeing move to sign "fast" new star ahead of Arsenal

Liverpool have been linked with a move for another attacker this summer, but could face competition from Premier League rivals Arsenal for his signature, it has been reported.

Reds stepping into the unknown

This summer promises to be one of significant change on Merseyside for owners FSG. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has already confirmed his departure after almost a decade at the helm, while Michael Edwards is returning to the club as CEO after leaving two years ago.

There is significant speculation about on-the-pitch stars too, with midfield likely to be an area that sees more major rebuilding in the upcoming transfer window, while both Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip are set to leave as free agents as things stand.

The major question mark surrounds Mohammed Salah though. Subject of intense speculation last summer, he was the no.1 target of the Saudi Pro League's spending spree and Liverpool knocked back a £150m bid for his services from Al-Ittihad, where he would have linked up with Fabinho once more.

Mohamed Salah celebrates for Liverpool

It could be different 12 months on though. He will be 32 ahead of the new season and down to the final 12 months of his contract, so should a similar offer come in for the Egyptian it could well be too good to turn down for the Reds, despite his continued importance to their side, with Salah having managed 15 goals and 9 assists in just 22 Premier League outings.

Were the Merseyside outfit to cash in on their superstar, they may have already identified a possible replacement.

Liverpool and Arsenal 'concrete options' for talented forward

That man is none other than Donyell Malen, who has reportedly caught the eye of both his former club and Liverpool with his performances this season.

Capable of operating across the front three but most comfortable on the right, Malen has grabbed 11 goals and three assists in 23 Bundesliga appearances, and at 25 years of age, may have his best years ahead of him.

Donyell Malen for Borussia Dortmund.

Now he could be on the market. As per Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Malen 'wants to leave' this summer and Dortmund could cash in, valuing the attacker at between €40m-€50m (£34m-£43m) in a new transfer update.

Both Liverpool and Arsenal appear to be some of the clubs who are battling it out for his signature, with the pair now 'more concrete options' than Premier League rivals Manchester United.

The forward has received high praise from former Dortmund midfielder and Germany's World Cup hero Mario Gotze, who said via the Bundesliga's official website:

"Donyell is extremely fast and very dangerous. If he has a chance, it's usually a goal, too. He's still young, but has really good abilities."

Donyell Malen vs Mo Salah 23/24

Salah

Malen

Appearances

22

23

Non-penalty goals

11

11

Assists

9

1

Shots on target (per 90)

1.39

1.73

Shot creating actions (per 90)

4.61

3.70

Progressive carries

3.76

3.69

With Darwin Nunez continuing to improve at Anfield and Luis Diaz showing signs of his pre-injury form, Malen could be just what a new incoming Reds manager needs to complete his attacking line-up, should Salah depart.

Corinthians mostra dificuldade quando enfrenta clubes de Série A ou estrangeiros na temporada

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A goleada sofrida pelo Corinthians diante do Peñarol, na última quinta-feira, reacendeu uma dúvida no torcedor corintiano: será que neste momento o time tem condições de bater de frente com adversários de alto nível? A subjetividade do futebol não permite que essa pergunta seja respondida de forma exata, mas os números desta temporada contra clubes de Série A e estrangeiros mostram que essa dificuldade é real, o que acende o sinal de alerta no Paulistão.

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Entre os jogos válidos pela temporada 2021, o Timão duelou oito vezes com oponentes da elite do futebol brasileiro ou de fora do país, e venceu apenas em duas oportunidades: diante do Santos, que jogou com reservas, e diante do Sport Huancayo-PER, que é um adversário bastante limitado tecnicamente.

Nas outras partidas foram quatro empates (Red Bull Bragantino, Palmeiras, River Plate-PAR e São Paulo) e duas derrotas (duas vezes para o Peñarol-URU). Isso representa um aproveitamento de somente 41,7% dos pontos disputados, desempenho bem fraco se pensarmos no tamanho do Corinthians.

O número de gols nesses duelos também chamam a atenção. O Corinthians marcou nove e sofreu dez, ou seja, tem saldo negativo, muito por conta da goleada sofrida para o Peñarol por 4 a 0, pela Copa Sul-Americana. Em quatro desses jogos o Timão não conseguiu balançar a rede do oponente: Red Bull Bragantino (0 a 0), River Plate-PAR (0 a 0) e Peñarol (0 a 2 e 0 a 4).

Não à toa o Alvinegro foi eliminado com duas rodadas de antecedência na fase de grupos da Sula. As partidas contra o Peñarol mostraram bem a diferença de nível atual entre as duas equipes e ligaram definitivamente o sinal de alerta para o futuro do clube nesta temporada, inclusive para as finais do estadual.

Até aqui, antes da fase semifinal, o Corinthians teve uma vida relativamente tranquila no Paulistão, sendo derrotado apenas uma vez, pela Ferroviária, fora de casa. Naquela que foi uma exceção na campanha consistente do time. Mas é preciso levar em conta o nível dos adversários, em sua maioria equipes que não estão na Série A do Brasileirão, o que pode medir o patamar corintiano.

Para garantir mais um título paulista para a sua coleção, o Timão precisará necessariamente passar um desafio com clube da elite nacional e terá de se provar competente para tal, a fim de entender o que o futuro reserva no Campeonato Brasileiro e na Copa do Brasil, em que o troféu é uma utopia.

Corinthians contra clubes de Série A e estrangeiros na temporada 2021:

8 jogos
2 vitórias (Santos e Sport Huancayo-PER)
4 empates (Red Bull Bragantino, Palmeiras, River Plate-URU e São Paulo)
​2 derrotas (duas para o Peñarol-URU)
41,7% de aproveitamento
​9 gols marcados
10 gols sofridos

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