Former Barcelona midfielder Sergi Roberto has heaped praise upon Lamine Yamal, saying there is no limit to the teenage star's potential.
Roberto praises Yamal after Como clashEx-Barca star says he will achieve 'great things'18-year-old gunning for the Ballon d'OrFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Roberto, 33, came up against the Ballon d'Or candidate on Sunday when his Como side lost 5-0 to the Catalan giants in the Joan Gamper Trophy, with Yamal scoring two goals against Cesc Fabregas' side. The midfielder was left stunned by Yamal's talent and his "incredible potential".
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Ever since breaking into the senior team as a 16-year-old, Yamal has been regarded as one of the best talents in the world. At 17, he won the European Championship for Spain, and last term achieved the domestic treble at Barca. His talent and progression have garnered the praise of many, and Roberto is convinced he is fully worth the hype.
WHAT ROBERTO SAID
He told reporters: "Lamine's ceiling is whatever he sets for himself. He's doing very well and has incredible potential for his age. I encourage him to continue with the same dynamic, and I'm sure he'll do great things at this club."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL AND BARCA?
Yamal's next game for Barcelona is on August 16, when they take on Mallorca in their La Liga opener.
Home truth for hosts on a sobering day: they can’t rely on Anderson forever
George Dobell27-Aug-2021Well, life can’t be all sangria and zoo visits, can it? There’s often a hangover the morning after a perfect day.It wouldn’t be at all fair to suggest that England didn’t bowl well on the third day in Leeds. Neither fair or accurate. There were times, particularly in the first half of the day, when Craig Overton and Ollie Robinson bowled beautifully. And while, in India’s first innings, 71 false shots produced 10 wickets, in the second, 88 false shots have so far produced two wickets. We might not always like to acknowledge it, but luck plays its part.That’s not to say England’s performance couldn’t have been improved. There was, for example, a failure to review a leg-before decision (Joe Root actually appeared to call for it, but after the permitted time) which would have seen Rohit Sharma dismissed for 39. These things happen, of course, but an earlier review – also off Robinson – had looked optimistic and perhaps led to them not reviewing this time. It’s an area where calmer heads might lead to an improved performance.You could also make a case that England allowed the emotion of the situation to affect their performance for the second match in succession. On the second afternoon of this game, for example, with England three wickets down and the lead approaching 300, there was a case for knuckling down and grinding out an innings that lasted anything up to 200 overs. This would not only have kept a jaded-looking Indian attack in the field for longer, but put more wear into a pitch that looks easy-paced now. It might have been a tactic that had consequences for later into the series in terms of exhausting those bowlers.Instead, England took the attack to India. And while that was a perfectly reasonable tactic – they may have known they would need a long time to bowl India out – it was, perhaps, just a little naïve. It was the second day, after all. There really wasn’t any need to hurry. It’s just possible they could yet face a tricky final day.Related
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James Anderson wasn’t quite at his best, either. So good has Anderson been for so long, that there might be a temptation to take his performances for granted. But he is 39 and here, in between trips off the pitch, he was hit for nine fours in 19 overs (he didn’t concede any in his eight first-innings overs) allowing Cheteshwar Pujara to settle in with a leg-stump half-volley to get off the mark.It’s now seven Tests – including this one and England’s innings defeat in Ahmedabad in March – since Anderson took a wicket in the second innings of a Test. Given how sparingly he was used in the first innings here and you wonder how relevant a statistic it is. But equally, given that he has taken 18 in the first innings of Tests in that same period it is hard to dismiss this as a coincidence. Indeed, going further back, he has now claimed just five wickets at a cost of 66.60 in the second innings of his 14 most recent Tests including this one. It might be noted he didn’t bowl in two of those second innings.But his record in the first innings of those 14 Tests is 40 wickets at an average of 17.30. It’s hard to dismiss that as aberrational.That’s not to say that Anderson should be dropped. That would be ridiculous. But he probably does need more support, not just from the other bowlers but from England’s batters who, all too often, don’t allow him they time he requires to recover between shifts with their inadequate performances. There might be a case for rotating him in series involving back-to-back games, too.In other circumstances, that support might have come from the likes of Stuart Broad or Jofra Archer. But, as it is, neither of them are available. And with England’s two best seam-bowling all-rounders, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes, also on the sidelines, England have been persuaded to pick Sam Curran as a fourth seamer and No. 8 batter.There’s some logic in the selection, too. With his left-arm angle, his ability to swing the ball and his aggressive lower-order batting, he is, without doubt, a handy cricketer. It might be remembered, too, that he was England’s player of the series the last time India’s Test side toured in 2018.But in this series he’s taking his wickets at a cost of 79.33 apiece. And he’s conceding 3.21 runs an over, too. A batting average of 18.50 is hardly off-setting that relative impotence with the ball, either. Going back further, to the start of 2020, he is taking his wickets at 47.53 having not taken more than two in an innings in any of his 10 Tests. In the same period, he is averaging 17.08 with the bat.Blessed with neither great pace or great height, there are days when he looks short of the weapons required to be a viable frontline seamer. And for all the talk of his batting talent, he has played well over 100 professional matches – 73 of them first-class – without registering a century. He is, in short, looking more Ian than Tony Greig.England still hold many of the best cards in this match. They have a new ball to utilise at the start of the fourth day and they will know that India’s tail remains long and fragile. There’s not much margin for error available for India. But this was a sobering day for England. They can’t rely on Anderson forever.
With a small gap of eight points, the positions might change again before the World Cup ends
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2024Sadia Iqbal briefly became the first player from Pakistan to top an ICC women’s T20I player rankings table when she overtook Sophie Ecclestone to become the top-ranked bowler in the world. It didn’t last long, though, as Ecclestone snatched it back by the end of the week when the updates were made public.Ecclestone has been the top-ranked women’s T20I bowler since February 2020 – and continues to be – but for a few days over the week past, the throne belonged to Iqbal. Iqbal first drew level with Ecclestone after taking 3 for 17 against Sri Lanka in Pakistan’s women’s T20 World Cup opener. Ecclestone, in her first match of the World Cup, returned 0 for 21, and slipped behind Iqbal as a result. But Iqbal then took 1 for 23 against India, and Ecclestone bounced back with a Player-of-the-Match winning 2 for 15 against South Africa to claim the top spot again.There’s just an eight-point gap (762 and 754) between the two, though, so it’s quite possible that the positions might change again before the World Cup is done.
Full rankings tables
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As such, left-arm spinner Iqbal is having her best year in T20Is. Among all players at the World Cup, she has the most wickets in 2024 – 28 wickets in 17 games. Sana Mir, the former Pakistan captain, is the only other Pakistan woman cricketer to top an ICC player table – she was the top-ranked ODI bowler in 2018-19.The tussle at the top of the T20I bowlers’ rankings aside, a number of other players have made notable movements as the World Cup has worn on.Among batters, Suzie Bates’ 27 against against India has lifted her two spots to seventh, while Harmanpreet Kaur is up to 12th, a jump of four spots, after her 15 against New Zealand and 29 (retired hurt) against Pakistan. One of the top performers at the World Cup so far has been Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who has so far hit 41 and 43 against Bangladesh and South Africa, respectively, helping England win both games. That’s lifted her from No. 20 to joint 18th, where she is joined by team-mate Nat Sciver-Brunt, who was 19th last week, after she scored 48 not out in the win over South Africa.Among bowlers, Megan Schutt has risen nine places to enter the top ten at No. 10 after picking up 3 for 12 against Sri Lanka. Within the top five, Sarah Glenn is up one place to third, behind Ecclestone and Iqbal, after picking up a wicket in each of England’s two games so far. Below her, Ash Gardner is up three places to sixth and Rabeya Khan is up one place to No. 9.Nonkululeko Mlaba, who set up South Africa’s opening win against West Indies with returns of 4 for 29, and has since picked up 1 for 22 against England, has zoomed up nine spots to 13th.
da cassino： Tottenham Hotspur have now held direct talks to appoint an “outstanding” manager, with Ange Postecoglou heading for the exit door, according to a report.
Ange could be set to leave despite Europa League triumph
da poker： One year ago, INEOS arguably made the mistake of keeping Erik ten Hag in the Manchester United job after the Dutchman led them to victory in the FA Cup, and it appears as though Daniel Levy doesn’t want to make the same error this summer.
Indeed, widespread reports are now suggesting that Levy is set to sack Postecoglou, despite the historic Europa League triumph against Manchester United last month, which puts captain Son Heung-min among some esteemed company.
It may be a divisive decision to sack the manager responsible for leading Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years, but appointing a top-quality replacement could go some way to getting the fans back on side, and contact has now been made with a coach who could be in that category.
According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna on X, Tottenham have now made “direct contact” with Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who spoke about his project and potential targets for the summer transfer window.
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Several candidates are said to be under consideration as potential replacements for Ange, but Frank is believed to be “high” on the list, and Spurs have now made their first move to appoint the Danish manager.
In another report from France, it is detailed that Ange’s future remains very much up in the air, with talks to discuss his position as manager due to take place at some point in the next week.
Frank could be "outstanding" Ange replacement
Deciding whether to sack the 59-year-old will no doubt be a difficult decision for Levy, given that Tottenham’s torrid Premier League form cannot be ignored, finishing 17th as a result of collecting just 38 points across the entire 2024-25 campaign.
However, the former Celtic boss has suggested his side’s first experience of success will make them more eager to make sure they’re in the same position again, saying: “I also wanted us to think about what’s next, you know — don’t settle for this. We’ve got a taste of it now. My players have got a taste for it. The club’s got a taste for it. Well, let’s make sure we’re back here again.”
Should Levy decide to sack Ange, there are signs Frank could be a fantastic replacement, having been lauded as an “outstanding” manager by Troy Deeney, while leading Brentford to a very respectable 10th-placed finish last season.
Brentford managerThomasFrankbefore the matc
Having transformed the Bees from a Championship club into a solid Premier League side, the 51-year-old, who utilises a 4-3-3 formation, has earned the opportunity to prove himself at the top level, showing a knack for turning attacking talents into some of the biggest stars in their division.
Said Benrahma, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins and Neal Maupay all thrived under his guidance, with only Watkins able to replicate that form elsewhere, while current forwards Yoane Wissa (19) and Bryan Mbeumo (20) combined for nearly 40 top flight goals this season.
Levi Colwill has been a regular fixture for Chelsea this season. The 22-year-old, who is a full England international, has featured 32 times in the Premier League and, more recently, twice in the UEFA Conference League, and will now be looking to guide the west Londoners to a trophy and a top-five finish.
That said, the Cobham graduate hasn’t been without his critics, having notably been “bullied” in the defeat to former club Brighton, in the words of Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, while regularly drawing the ire of supporters.
In the league alone, the youngster has made three errors leading to a shot, one error leading to a goal and given away one penalty, as per Sofascore. He also ranks in just the bottom 46% for tackles, the bottom 13% for clearances and the bottom 31% for blocks per 90 among his centre-back peers in the top-flight, as per FBref, further exposing his defensive woes.
Chelsea defender Levi Colwill
With that in mind, Chelsea have actually been linked with a new defensive signing this summer, perhaps to potentially dislodge Colwill – even amid Enzo Maresca’s faith in him.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Dean Huijsen
It seems like Chelsea, along with several other big clubs in the Premier League, are going to try and sign Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen. The Spaniard has been incredibly impressive this season, and given he has a £50m release clause, a move seems inevitable.
Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen
Well, Chelsea will be one of the sides vying for his signature, according to TEAMTalk, with the Blues the team ‘who have offered Huijsen the more tempting financial package’, in order to convince him to switch the South coast for West London.
However, Liverpool are also in the race, and several other European heavyweights, including Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, have also been linked at various times during the race for Huijsen’s signature.
Bournemouth's DeanHuijsencelebrates after the match
As for why Chelsea want to sign Huijsen, well, he has been excellent at the back for Bournemouth this term, and was described as a “gem” by Sky Sports commentator Bill Leslie earlier in the season.
He has featured 29 times in the top flight this term, scoring three goals in that time and recording seven clean sheets so far. The young Spain international has certainly made a big impression, hence every major club in Europe has been linked with him.
If Chelsea can’t get this deal over the line, then they might not have to worry too much. The Blues actually have a perfect in-house alternative to Huijsen.
Chelsea’s in-house Huijsen alternative
If Huijsen has impressed for the Cherries this season, then Josh Acheampong has certainly made waves for Chelsea, despite the fact he has had far less of an opportunity in the first team at Stamford Bridge.
Described as a player with “elite potential” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, the 19-year-old has featured 11 times across all competitions for the Blues this term. Six of those games have come in the Conference League, where he has played 495 minutes so far.
The underlying numbers via Sofascore from Acheampong’s performances in the Conference League this term show just how well he has played. For example, he makes an average of 2.5 tackles and interceptions and wins an average of 0.9 aerial duels per game.
Passes completed
453
82.4
Pass accuracy
95.6%
95.6%
Long balls completed
7
1.3
Tackles and interceptions
14
2.5
Aerial duels won
5
0.9
The other thing that really stands out about the youngster is his ability on the ball. The 19-year-old, who can play as a right centre-back or a right-back, is clearly tidy in possession, as his 95.6% pass accuracy in the above table shows.
Not only that, but the London-born defender reads the game superbly, and can use his physicality to his advantage in defensive situations. Just look at this piece of defending in the Conference League, where he is able to use his strength to shepherd the ball to safety.
There is no doubting Acheampong’s ability. He has all the tools to become a genuine superstar, capable of playing in multiple positions across the back four, which is ideal for Maresca as he plans his defensive options for next season.
He is a player Chelsea will surely look to integrate into the first team in 2025/26. At the very least, if they do miss out on Huijsen, they are in safe hands, even more so, perhaps, than with Colwill at the back.
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da bet esporte： O Fortaleza vem em um bom momento na temporada. Após duas vitórias seguidas, uma pela Sul-Americana contra o San Lorenzo e outra contra o Vasco no Brasileirão, o Leão da Pici agora volta suas forças para a Copa do Brasil, na qual tem uma difícil missão: reverter a derrota por 3 a 0 contra o Palmeiras. O atacante Guilherme sabe da dificuldade, mas admite que as vitórias deram confiança ao clube.
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da fazobetai： + Veja tabela da Copa do Brasil-2023 clicando aqui
– Vai ser um jogo muito complicado, sabemos da força do Palmeiras. Mas com certeza com as duas vitórias seguidas que tivemos, em dois jogos muito difíceis, nos dá sim confiança para fazer um grande jogo e tentar buscar o que precisamos, ao lado do nosso torcedor – disse Guilherme, que garantiu que o Leão não priorizará nenhuma competição:
– Nós não priorizamos uma só competição. Temos um elenco forte, e sabemos da importância das três competições que estamos, então encaramos com muita responsabilidade. Cada uma tem sua importância pro clube. Queremos chegar o mais longe possível na Copa do Brasil e na Sul-americana, e no Brasileiro brigar até o fim por coisas importantes.
+ Fortaleza x Palmeiras: onde assistir, prováveis escalações e desfalques
Contratado pelo Fortaleza em fevereiro deste ano, Guilherme já tem 19 jogos com a equipe do técnico Juan Pablo Vojvoda, com quatro gols marcados e três assistências. O camisa 29 comemorou a rápida adaptação ao Leão.
– Me sinto muito bem adaptado ao clube e à cidade também. Desde que eu cheguei aqui, fui abraçado tanto pelos companheiros de elenco, quanto por todos no Pici, além, claro, da torcida. Estou me sentindo muito bem. Espero poder continuar ajudando o clube nos objetivos da temporada.
Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus put in a fine all-round show but it wasn’t enough
Vithushan Ehantharajah06-Jun-20244:19
Finch: Berrington showed his experience and class
Scotland produced a stunning run chase to beat Namibia by five wickets in the T20 World Cup 2024. Returning to the Kensington Oval after their washout against England, they achieved a target of 156 with nine balls to spare, securing their first T20I victory over Namibia at the fourth attempt.A 74-run partnership between Richie Berrington and Michael Leask, ultimately, saw Scotland home. Berrington finished 47 not out after Leask injected impetus into the chase with a 17-ball 35.Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus had earlier turned matters in his side’s favour with the ball, taking 2 for 29 after his 52 underpinned their 155 for 9 in the first innings.Erasmus’ decision to win the toss and bat first on what has been an unpredictable Kensington Oval pitch was not immediately vindicated as Namibia found themselves 55 for 4, thanks largely to the excellence of the new ball pair of Brad Wheal and Brad Currie.But Erasmus put the Namibia innings on his back with his 11th fifty-plus T20I score, 37 of which came in a rebuilding stand of 51 with Zane Green for the fifth wicket.Despite losing George Munsey earlier in their chase, Scotland had chipped off 49 midway through the eighth over for the loss of just one. Michael Jones stepped up the gears, scoring 15 of the 18 runs in the final over of the powerplay, but Erasmus returned to the fray with to instigate a collapse.With his wily offspinners at one end, and Bernard Scholtz’s slow left-arm at the other, the pair pocketed three wickets between them as Scotland fell from 49 for 1 to 73 for 4 after 11 overs.It was at that point Leask joined forces with Berrington to take Scotland to the brink with a 42-ball partnership that included seven boundaries, including four sixes from Leask. Though he would fall, Berrington finished the match off in style, carting David Wiese into the pavilion at long on as Scotland triumphed to put them top of the group.Leask the beastHow about that for a cameo? In just 17 balls, Leask turned this chase upside down and inside out. He arrived at a time when the boundaries had dried up, with Scotland requiring 80 from 50 deliveries. By the time he was done, that equation was 9 from 13.After playing out a dot ball first, he was never below a run a ball, and would score off all but one of his next 16. He was the ideal foil for Berrington, who, having been out there from the 10th over, was finally getting to grips with the pitch.Once Berrington had blown the horn on the boundary pursuit with a six and four off consecutive deliveries from Tangeni Lungameni, Leask took the lead. Erasmus was the first to get it, heaved to midwicket for the first of Leask’s four sixes.Then came the killer: a 17th over that went for 19. David Wiese, the hero of Namibia’s Super Over victory over Oman, was treated with disdain, sent over the sponge at cow corner twice by Leask – strikes which sandwiched a Berrington four in the same region.Leask’s final six was his biggest of the lot – reading a slower ball from Ruben Trumpelmann and sending it back with interest over to the leg side for all of 101 meters. The scale of the strike was more than its distance as it took Scotland’s ask to under a run a ball for the first time in the innings.Gerhard Erasmus was stumped one ball after reaching his fifty•Getty Images
Spin shocks JocksAfter Michael Jones had blitzed the sixth over, Erasmus decided to take pace off. Together with Scholtz, they set about pinning Scotland’s middle order down.Erasmus operated exclusively around the wicket, darting his off breaks across the right handers, limiting their scoring by restricting their ability to swing straight. Jones’ half-hearted attempt to do so resulted in a caught behind. An absent-minded Brandon McMullen was then stumped at the second attempt after dancing down the pitch and failing to reclaim his ground with his back foot.Scholtz was subsisting on a wicket-to-wicket line at the other end, a frugal tactic that saw him go for just one boundary. In a bid to break the shackles, Matthew Cross fell lbw attempting to sweep a ball that was a touch too short to sweep. It spoke of the panic Namibia had concocted at the time. After a Powerplay of 43 for 1, the next six overs had produced 35 for 3.Erasmus all-round display in vain”It would be better if had come in a win,” bristled Erasmus at the end of the match. He’s right, of course. For the longest time, it looked like it would.Before his two wickets had tilted the chase Namibia’s way, his 52 from 31 had made the game competitive. The knock was an anomaly in a stodgy batting effort where opener Nikolaas Davin was the only other Namibian top-order batter to strike in excess of 120. Erasmus struck his second ball for six, and his third for four – both coming at the start of the sixth over, as Scotland tried to sneak six balls from Mark Watt in at the end of the powerplay. The point region was peppered throughout, likewise midwicket, for all of his seven boundaries.Who knows how long he could have gone on had he controlled his aggression instead of trying to blast Leask over his head after slog-sweeping him for six the ball before. The strike saw him pass JJ Smit’s record of 51 T20I sixes for Namibia. Had others stood up, he would have been a worthy Player of the Match.Brad Currie struck in the powerplay for Scotland•Getty Images
Currie does it for the medium pacersIn a tournament where the out-and-out quicks are already dominating the column inches, Currie put in a display that showed there is glory to be had with mediums.The 25-year-old has been doing that for a while, both domestically for Sussex and with Scotland, coming into this match with a T20I record of 19 dismissals and an economy rate of 4.94. Those numbers have now moved in different directions after 2 for 16 from his four overs.Currie had the ball on a string throughout, mixing up cutters and the odd cross-seam delivery amongst his stock deliveries. The left-armer’s first two overs utilised the swing on offer with the new ball, assisted by Cross standing up to the stumps to keep Davin and Jan Frylinck honest.While Davin was able to impart his own pace on the ball to strike a four through backward point in the fourth over – the only boundary against Currie – Frylinck played on when attempting to do the same two balls earlier.He returned for the 11th over, before conceding just three runs off the 19th, in which he varied his lengths to prevent the lower order from hitting down the ground. Trumpelmann’s attempt at a six into the wind gave Currie a well-deserved second wicket.
أكد بيب جوارديولا، مدرب نادي مانشستر سيتي، سعادته الكبيرة بعودة لاعب الفريق من الإصابة التي كان يعاني منها خلال الفترة الماضية، موضحًا أن النادي الإنجليزي افتقد إلى خدماته كثيرًا.
فيل فودين عاد مؤخرًا إلى تدريبات نادي مانشستر سيتي، وذلك عقب الإصابة التي كان يعاني منها خلال الفترة الماضية، والتي أبعدته عن الملاعب لفترة ليست بالطويلة.
ويستعد فودين رفقة بقية لاعبي مانشستر سيتي لمواجهة مانشستر يونايتد في قمة الجولة الرابعة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على ملعب الاتحاد.
طالع .. إصابة عمر مرموش تجبر أموريم على قرار فني أمام مانشستر سيتي
وتمنى جوارديولا خلال المؤتمر الصحفي الخاص باللقاء عبر موقع مانشستر سيتي الرسمي، أن تبعد الإصابات عن فودين، حيث قال: ”نقول لأنفسنا أن فودين سيعود، وبعد أسبوع أو عشرة أيام من إصابته يتوقف ويصاب من جديد، وبعد عودته تأتي إصابة أخرى، على جميع اللاعبين العودة وخوض المباريات يومًا بعد يوم، هذا ما عليه أن يحاوله على أي حال”.
وأضاف جوارديولا في حديثه عن فودين: ”إنه متحمس للمشاركة ويشعر بالسعادة للعودة، يبتسم في كل جلسة تدريبية ويمكنه المساهمة في المباريات، هذا أحد أسباب معاناتنا الموسم الماضي لأننا افتقدناه كثيرًا في الثلث الهجومي الأخير، يتميز فودين بالإبداع وأخلاقيات العمل، إنه من الأفضل”.
وعن لقاء ديربي مانشستر، أوضح: “سأكون سعيدًا بإنهاء الموسم بطلًا للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، هذا ما أحبه ويجب الفوز على مانشستر يونايتد، لكن في بعض الأحيان لا نفوز عليهم، ونفوز بالدوري”.
وأردف: ”بصراحة، ليس لديّ الكثير من الأمور الشخصية، بالطبع، إنها مواجهة مهمة لأنها خاصة، لكنها مجرد محاولة للتركيز على ما يجب علينا فعله”.
وتابع: “أحترم مانشستر يونايتد، أنا لطيف للغاية وأحترم تاريخهم وما قدموه في الماضي، وإرثهم في كرة القدم الإنجليزية”.
وواصل: “في التسعينيات، كانوا دائمًا في المقدمة وربما تغلب عليهم مانشستر سيتي أحيانًا، وفي 27 عامًا، فازوا بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز مرات عديدة، في السنوات التسع الماضية، فزنا بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ست مرات”.
واختتم: “الأمر المهم في النهاية، كنا أفضل ومنذ وصولي، كنا دائمًا أفضل منهم في آخر عشر سنوات تفوقنا عليهم كثيرًا”.
Chelsea are now determined to move ahead of Real Madrid in the race to sign a “phenomenal” £50m defender who’s been compared to Sergio Ramos, according to a report.
Blues considering defensive rebuild
The Blues have continued their approach of signing up-and-coming talents, recently sealing out-of-window moves for Sporting CP youngster Dario Essugo, who operates in central midfield, alongside 17-year-old winger Geovany Quenda, who is set to arrive in the summer of 2026.
However, there are also indications Enzo Maresca’s side could look to upgrade their defence this summer, with targets being identified at both full-back and centre-back.
There could be a departure from the west Londoners’ usual focus on youth, with a deal for 28-year-old Nottingham Forest right-back Ola Aina now being worked on, following the defender’s impressive performances in the Premier League this season.
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Another Premier League defender enjoying a solid campaign is AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, with David Ornstein recently revealing the centre-back is being looked at closely by the Blues ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop.
There has now been a further update on Chelsea’s pursuit of Huijsen, with a report from Spain revealing they are now determined to move ahead of Real Madrid in the race for the 19-year-old’s signature.
AFC Bournemouth's DeanHuijsenduring the warm up before the match
Maresca’s side could be the club most willing to shell out the €60m (£50m) release clause included in the defender’s Bournemouth contract, despite widespread interest in his signature, with Newcastle United, Bayern Munich and Liverpool also keen.
Interestingly, the report states the Blues could look to make an ‘aggressive’ offer to ensure they win the race for the Spaniard, which may include tabling a more financially appealing contract than Madrid would be willing to offer.
"Phenomenal" Huijsen likened to Ramos
The teenager spent time with Malaga as a youth player, where he attracted attention from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, so it is perhaps a little surprising he ultimately ended up at Bournemouth, arriving on a six-year deal last summer.
However, the youngster’s decision to sign for the Cherries has been validated by the amount of game time he has received this season, making 23 appearances in the Premier League, during which time he has scored two goals.
The Spain international’s goal-scoring ability has drawn comparisons to Madrid legend Ramos, who was his idol growing up, and he once scored 12 goals in half a season during his time with Malaga, despite featuring at centre-back.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded Huijsen as “phenomenal” after a solid performance against Newcastle United earlier this season, and his performance on several key defensive metrics over the past year indicates he could be a fantastic signing for Chelsea.
A “world-class” striker has identified Manchester City as a destination in the summer transfer window, having made it clear he wants to move to the Premier League, according to a report.
Man City planning major rebuild
After winning an unprecedented four titles on the spin, Man City have finally dropped off this season, having lost nine of their 28 Premier League games up to this point, and manager Pep Guardiola is now planning a major summer rebuild.
The overhaul got underway back in January, with the likes of Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez and Abdukodir Khusanov moving to the Etihad Stadium, but Guardiola has his eye on several other targets.
A report has suggested City may have closed a deal for Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, with Rodri’s absence exposing the need to bring in additional options in midfield, while they are also weighing up a move for Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga.
Guardiola is also keen on bolstering his wide options, with SC Braga winger Roger Fernandes recently emerging as a target, amid the uncertainty surrounding Jack Grealish’s future.
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One position in which there is seemingly little need to strengthen is striker, given that Guardiola has Erling Haaland at his disposal, however a new report has suggested there could be an opportunity to bring in a new option in the summer.
According to A Bola (via Sport Witness), Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres wants to move to the Premier League, and he has made it clear he wants to join either Man City, Arsenal or Liverpool.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates after the match
Gyokeres’ summer exit is described as ‘inevitable’, and a move to the Etihad Stadium could be on the cards, should the Sky Blues be willing to stump up the €70m (£59m) asking price, which could rise even higher if a bidding war breaks out.
"World-class" Gyokeres in red-hot form
The Swedish striker has been extremely impressive this season, scoring 39 goals in 40 games in all competitions, 11 more than Haaland, albeit in a much weaker league.
The 26-year-old has had a steady rise to the top since emerging as a consistent goalscorer for Coventry City in the 2021-22 Championship campaign, and he is on course to record his best-ever goal return this term.
Season
League appearances
Goals
2021-22
45
17
2022-23
46
21
2023-24
33
29
2024-25
24
27
Having been lauded as “world-class” by members of the media, there is every indication the former Coventry man could make a real impact at one of Europe’s top clubs, but there are major doubts over whether he would be a necessary addition to Guardiola’s side.
It is unlikely any player in the world would be able to dislodge Haaland in the City starting XI, and Guardiola would risk both strikers becoming unsettled if he decided to bring in Gyokeres this summer, so it is probably wise to focus on strengthening other areas of the squad.