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Leeds United endured a dismal 2022/23 campaign as they were relegated from the Premier League after three seasons at the top level.

The Whites were promoted under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020 and enjoyed two seasons of survival before eventually going down under a combination of Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce.

They are now back in the Championship and are looking to return to the top-flight at the first time of asking, with German head coach Daniel Farke at the helm.

Leeds brought the former Norwich City and Borussia Monchengladbach boss in to bolster their chances of promotion and he has enjoyed a strong start to life in Yorkshire, with five wins and two defeats in 11 league outings.

A drop down to the second tier has afforded a number of players the opportunity to regain form and confidence at a lower level and one ace who could have benefitted from that was central midfielder Mateusz Klich, who left the club in January.

The Poland international moved on at the start of the year and former Whites boss Marsch seemingly had a mare with his decision to part ways with the talented gem, as he has more goals and assists than some of the club's current attackers – like Crysencio Summerville – this year.

How much did Leeds sell Klich for?

Leeds did not receive a single penny in return for Klich as they opted to release him from his contract, despite having 18 months left to run on his deal at the time.

Marsch stated that it was a mutual decision as the club allowed the central midfielder to move on from the then-Premier League side for £0 after he had made 14 top-flight appearances during the first half of the campaign.

The veteran maestro was then able to complete a transfer to D.C. United, who were managed by Wayne Rooney at the time of the move, on a free transfer in January.

How many goals did Klich score for Leeds?

He racked up 24 goals in 195 appearances for the Whites in all competitions during his time in England, which began after a switch from FC Twente ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.

The 33-year-old dynamo spent time on loan with FC Utrecht in his first season with Leeds before making his breakthrough as a regular under Bielsa the following term.

Klich exploded onto the scene with a phenomenal 2018/19 campaign as the club fell just shy of the play-off final. He contributed with ten goals and eight assists in 46 Championship starts from a midfield position.

The Polish whiz only missed two 'big chances' and created nine of them for his teammates, which shows that he was ruthless in front of goal and had the quality to provide his fellow attackers with excellent opportunities at the top end of the pitch.

He followed that up with six goals and five assists in 45 league starts throughout the 2019/20 season as Bielsa led the side to a Championship title and promotion to the Premier League. Klich only recorded five assists in spite of ending the campaign with ten 'big chances' created, which suggests that his teammates let him down in the final third.

The former Twente ace was then able to make the step up to the top-flight as he chipped in with four goals and five assists in 28 starts in his first year at that level.

After 18 more months in the Premier League with Leeds, Klich moved on from England with 24 goals and 21 assists in his 195 appearances.

How has Klich performed for D.C. United?

The 33-year-old gem has enjoyed a fantastic year in the MLS since his switch to America in January, with a string of impressive performances in midfield.

Klich has hit the ground running for D.C. United and has proved himself to be a consistent attacking threat from the middle of the park.

Sofascore rating

8.1

Goals

One

Chances created

Two

Pass accuracy

91%

Duels won

Four

Klich's most recent performance for D.C. United (via Sofascore)

The veteran wizard has contributed with four goals and seven assists in 32 MLS outings throughout 2023, which shows that the talented ace is getting back to the impressive form that he displayed under Bielsa earlier in his Leeds career.

He has only missed one 'big chance' and has showcased his terrific creativity with 2.5 key passes per game, as per Sofascore, and no Leeds player has managed more per match this term.

How many goals has Summerville scored this year?

Meanwhile, Summerville has scored three goals for Leeds over the course of 2023, whilst playing in the Premier League and the Championship.

He racked up one goal and one assist in 19 appearances in all competitions from January until the end of the 2022/23 campaign as the Dutch ace struggled to find consistency at the top level.

The 21-year-old wizard has contributed with two goals and two assists in nine outings so far this season under Farke, which mean that he has produced three goals and three assists in 28 matches in total this year.

This is five fewer goal contributions than Klich, who plays in a central midfield role, has managed in 2023, despite playing out on the wing.

Summerville is not the only Leeds attacker with fewer goals and assists than the Poland international in that time, though, as Italian winger Wilfried Gnonto has three goal and five assists in 28 games in all competitions for Leeds this year.

Was it a mistake to move Klich on?

These statistics suggest that Marsch had a mare by allowing Klich, who Rooney hailed as a "leader", to move on from the club on a free transfer in January as the talented maestro could have been a big player at Championship level this season.

His form in the MLS suggests that the 33-year-old technician still has the quality to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch from a midfield position, with goals, assists, and key passes.

He has been able to outperform exciting attackers like Summerville and Gnonto throughout 2023 and it is a shame that Farke did not get the opportunity to work with the former Eredivisie star at Elland Road this term.

New Zealand Cricket has turned down a request from the PCB to tour Pakistan later this year for a T20I series because of security concerns. New Zealand are set to travel to the UAE to play Pakistan for a full tour that is likely to comprise three Tests, three ODIs and as many T20Is in October-November, even though the fixtures are not announced yet. The PCB had hoped to convince New Zealand to play the T20I leg of the tour in Pakistan.”At the end of the day it came down to following the advisory and the security reports we’d obtained.” NZC chairman Greg Barclay told . “There’s no doubt they (Pakistan Cricket Board) are disappointed. I think they saw a tour by a country like New Zealand as being a great precedent for them to start to build an international programme back in Pakistan.”So they’re disappointed but they’re good guys, we get on really well with Pakistan, and I think they’re fully accepting of the decision that we’ve reached.”NZC had received a request to tour Pakistan earlier this year and was going to consult with security providers, the government, and the players.Since the terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009, Pakistan have played most of their home games in the UAE. Zimbabwe broke the deadlock in May 2015 when they toured for a short limited-overs series, which was marred by a blast near the Gaddafi Stadium.A World XI side led by Faf du Plessis, comprising a number of current internationals toured the country for three T20Is in September 2017. In April this year, a depleted West Indies squad also toured Pakistan for three T20Is in as many days. In between, Lahore and Karachi have hosted a few PSL matches.New Zealand last toured Pakistan in 2003, just a year after a suicide bombing outside their team hotel in Karachi had cut their tour short.”I can’t comment on the decision process that the West Indies went through, perhaps some of the timings may have been different as well,” Barclay said of West Indies’ decision to tour. “I just know that we went through a very thorough process and I’m comfortable with the decision that we got to.”We’re very sympathetic to the plight they find themselves in, we’re a member of the ICC, we’re very aware that the ICC are trying to facilitate more international cricket in Pakistan and we’re very supportive of that.”Although they were given three months to analyse the situation, NZC had not sent any of their representatives to Pakistan to conduct any personal checks.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Darren Sammy and their colleagues tested Australia like they haven’t been tested for some time

Daniel Brettig at Kensington Oval08-Apr-2012Not since March 2009 against England had West Indies enjoyed the luxury of declaring their first innings closed. Not since Sri Lanka, nine Test matches and more than six months ago, had Australia’s cricketers been made to sweat in the field like this. In their contrasting styles the old and new of West Indies cricket, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Darren Sammy, each found a way to enhance the visitors’ sense of disorientation.The Bridgetown pitch demanded a substantial first innings tally to do justice to its trueness of bounce and ease of pace, and after Kraigg Brathwaite, Kirk Edwards and Darren Bravo had smoothed a path, Chanderpaul and Sammy made sure it was achieved. Their manner of doing so reflected the typical method of each batsman: Chanderpaul the ultimate survivor, Sammy the ebullient cameo artist. But they also demonstrated qualities in tune with the occasion, stretching Australia’s patience and leaving their spin bowler Nathan Lyon, in particular, with plenty to ponder about his technique and mode of attack on these shores.If Sammy’s innings of 41 was no more substantial in volume than many of those he had previously played for West Indies, its manner was highly significant. Fairly bristling with attacking intent, and the confidence derived from his firm-handed contributions during the limited-overs matches that served as the entree to this series, Sammy advanced boldly towards the tourists at the fall of Carlton Baugh’s wicket.His first target was Lyon, who had to this point bowled tidily without impact on a surface that offered only a fraction of the spin he had found at the Three Ws Oval during the Australians’ only tour match. Lyon has typically prospered via an enticing loop that finds the batsman short of the ball’s pitch more often than not, but here Sammy leapt into him, pinging boundaries and a six over the bowler’s head.Still possessing the aggressive attitude that had launched his international career so successfully in Sri Lanka last year, Lyon did not shirk from tossing the ball high, but Sammy’s attack narrowed focus on the bowler’s apparent wrestle with his technique. In his approach to the wicket, the position of his front arm and the torque of his body action, Lyon gave Sammy little trouble picking his length and swinging accordingly. Turn was elusive, and while Lyon furnished his figures with a tail-end wicket, he spent most of the innings reminding locals more of Greg Matthews’ destruction by Viv Richards and Richie Richardson on the 1991 tour than Lance Gibbs’ feats in the 1960s and ’70s. If that weren’t unsettling enough, David Warner claimed the best figures of the innings, his leg breaks now less likely to carry the prefix “occasional”.Having forced Lyon’s exit from the attack, Sammy turned next to Shane Watson, a commonly crafty operator on wickets offering little to others. Watson greeted his allround opposite number with a skidding bouncer that struck Sammy a fierce blow to the helmet, forcing its change. Now followed the most compelling passage of the day. Watson’s next delivery was fuller, on off stump and inviting a cautious prod down the wicket. However Sammy, still somewhat dazed and destined to call for further treatment at the end of the over, chose now to be the right time to launch into the purest lofted straight drive for six, sending Kensington Oval into raptures and obliging Watson to resort to another bouncer and a Bollywood villain’s stare next ball.Having been looked over once again by the team physio, Sammy renewed his attack, forcing Watson to join Lyon in exiting the bowling crease, spanking him straight for four then depositing him uproariously into the Greenidge and Haynes Stand for six. Ben Hilfenhaus resorted to a less than edifying string of bouncers at a batsman who had suffered a blow to the head, but after one more straight six Sammy miscued a hook and was taken in the deep. His performance offered a staunch example of the attitude Sammy wants from his team, and he need only add a little more duration to his stays at the batting crease to become a bowling allrounder of genuine chops.At the other end, Chanderpaul had simply done what he does, scratching his way to a substantial score via the legside nudges, third-man deflections and occasional forcing strokes that have driven all manner of international opponents – not to mention impatient spectators – to distraction. Apart from an lbw referral by Lyon when he was 85, Chanderpaul did not offer a chance for six-and-a-half hours, balls both good and bad treated without the merest trace of premeditation. Along the way he passed Brian Lara as the man to score the most Test runs at Kensington Oval, a marker of his persistence but also the commitment to the game that he had reasserted after Sammy and the coach Ottis Gibson sought to enlist him to their cause in 2010.As the innings wound down, Chanderpaul’s search for a 25th Test century was intertwined with another matter of some importance. Each ball the hosts kept Australia in the field would add to their fatigue when batting, and each run would enhance the hosts’ chances of pressuring the visiting batsmen when their turn came to take the ball. Chanderpaul trusted the last man Devendra Bishoo, his fellow Guyanese, with a little of the strike, and was not harried into a risky single or an attempt to turn one into two. Clarke became as preoccupied with denying Chanderpaul as ending the innings, but his efforts to do both were thwarted: the 37-year-old former captain kissed the Bridgetown pitch and added a pesky 28 with Bishoo before Sammy called them in. Bishoo’s innings meant that all 11 Caribbean batsmen had passed double figures for the first time in the region’s history: a statistic to warm hearts.Trudging off after 153 overs of sobering Caribbean reality, Clarke’s team was weary but also a little more worldly-wise. Over the next three days, and the next three weeks, they must find ways of blunting Chanderpaul, and of sapping Sammy’s enthusiasm before it filters completely through his team. The second day of the Barbados Test made these two tasks appear far more vexing than many might have predicted. Having given West Indies a foothold, Australia must locate the kind of resourcefulness not required in quite some time to prise them out.

أعاد ظهير نادي الهلال، فتح باب الجدل بين جماهير الكرة السعودية، بعدما نشر رسالة غامضة تزامنًا مع توقف منافسات دوري روشن السعودي بسبب مشاركة المنتخب السعودي في بطولة كأس العرب.

وكتب البرتغالي جواو كانسيلو كانسيلو منشورًا لافتًا عبر حسابه الرسمي على منصة “إنستجرام”: “أنا لا أعتمد على الآخرين في حياتي، ولا أتملق أحداً، ولا أنحني لأحد، ولا أسعى وراء أحد لأحظى بالتقدير، أنا شخص واقعي، لا يسهل التلاعب بي، لدي رأيي الخاص، إذا لم يعجبني الوضع سأنغلق على نفسي بدلاً من التظاهر بالابتسامة لإرضاء الآخرين”.

وتابع في رسالته: “هكذا أنا، منذ ولادتي، بهذه الشخصية والطباع، ولهذا السبب لا يحبني الكثير من الناس”.

طالع أيضًا | يشعر باستياء شديد.. نونيز يخطط للرحيل عن الهلال في أقرب وقت

هذه الكلمات أثارت تساؤلات واسعة بين أنصار الهلال، الذين حاولوا فهم الرسائل الخفية وراء هذا الطرح، وما إذا كان يعكس شعورًا بعدم الارتياح أو ضغوطًا يعيشها اللاعب داخل أروقة الفريق، خاصة في ظل ازدحام الموسم بالمنافسات المحلية والقارية.

يُشار إلى أن الهلال كان قد تعاقد مع كانسيلو في يوليو الماضي قادمًا من مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي، ونجح منذ انضمامه في ترك بصمة واضحة، حيث خاض 44 مباراة في مختلف البطولات، أحرز خلالها 3 أهداف وقدم 14 تمريرة حاسمة.

West Ham have held loose talks to sign a striker who’s allegedly spoken with Thomas Frank about joining Tottenham, according to a report this week.

West Ham identify striker targets ahead of January

West Ham are accelerating their pursuit of centre-forwards ahead of the January transfer window, with Nuno Espírito Santo making the signing of a number nine one of his absolute priorities.

The Hammers currently languish in the relegation zone with just 13 points from 15 Premier League games, having scored a meagre 17 goals all season, even if they’ve enjoyed a recent mini-revival under Nuno.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Liverpool

Man United 1-1 West Ham

Brighton 1-1 West Ham

Niclas Füllkrug’s potentially imminent departure has intensified the need for another option upfront, with the German flop expected to complete a return to the Bundesliga after managing just three goals in 29 appearances since his £27 million arrival from Dortmund last year.

Man United’s Joshua Zirkzee is one option under consideration by West Ham.

The Dutch forward has struggled for opportunities under Ruben Amorim and was previously labeled a “future West Ham player” last year, and you can make a case that Zirkzee’s versatilitywould suit Nuno’s system far better than Fullkrug.

West Ham are also monitoring Midtjylland sensation Franculino Dju, who has scored a pretty incredible 21 goals in 30 total appearances this season.

The 21-year-old represents a younger, longer-term investment compared to more experienced alternatives, while Union Saint-Gilloise’s Promise David continues to attract West Ham interest after his impressive performances for the Belgian champions.

West Ham 'set to sign' prolific Tottenham starlet as Mark Noble seals 'coup' of a deal

The Hammers sporting director played a key transfer role.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 6, 2025

A bigger name option who’s been repeatedly linked comes in the form of ex-Brentford star Ivan Toney.

The Al-Ahli striker, who’s been on fire in Saudi Arabia with 50 goal contributions (42 goals, eight assists) in 62 appearances, is reportedly under catching West Ham’s eye prior to January.

Toney has only managed to make one England squad since moving to the Middle East last year, and with the World Cup looming, reports suggest he could be tempted to move back to the Premier League.

West Ham hold 'informal' talks to sign Ivan Toney

According to some media sources, Toney has even spoken to Frank directly about a potential move to Tottenham next month.

However, as per journalist Graeme Bailey, both Spurs and the Irons could be set for disappointment.

Writing for TEAMtalk, Bailey says that West Ham have held ‘informal’ talks to sign Toney, but a move back to England for the 29-year-old hinges on Thomas Tuchel.

The Three Lions boss wasn’t impressed by Toney the last time he was called up in the summer, so the prospect of him playing his way into the World Cup squad is already slim at best.

Because of this, the forward and his camp aren’t anticipating a call-up, regardless of where he moves from now until the squad selection.

This lack of hope threatens to quash any hope of West Ham, or indeed Spurs, signing Toney, with a potentially huge financial bill also coming as a major roadblock.

If Toney returns to England under two years after his Saudi move, the attacker would be forced to pay massive taxes, but if he waits until the summer, the fees would be more kind in that regard.

It therefore makes more sense for the player to wait until later in 2026 to consider a move back to the UK, by which point Spurs or West Ham may have already signed their desired new target man.

Taking this into account, a potential move to the London Stadium for Toney is seen as a long shot.

Striker greenlights January exit with West Ham bid expected ahead of immediate move

He wants to leave.

ByEmilio Galantini 4 days ago

With the January transfer window now open, Chelsea have the chance to make up for a summer of deals yet to pay off and potentially hand Mauricio Pochettino further reinforcements to turn things around. The Blues currently sit as low as 10th and are already 12 points adrift of the Premier League's top four, as they remain on course for another season without European qualification.

In an attempt to prevent what would be another disastrous campaign, Todd Boehly could spend even more money in a transfer window that he must get right if the Blues are to pave the course back to their best. Among those who could help steer a sinking ship is one exciting young defender who is set for a vital decision this month.

Chelsea transfer news

It's a rare day when Chelsea aren't in the headlines for their transfer activity these days and those headlines aren't always positive. The London giants spent big in the summer to welcome the likes of Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Romeo Lavia and several others, only for Palmer to be the only real standout so far. Yet to see their transfer tactic pay off, Chelsea could now turn to a Benfica star to solve their problems.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

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ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

According to The Sun, Chelsea are eyeing a move to sign Manchester United target Antonio Silva in the January transfer window. The Blues have reportedly already had their first proposal of £52m plus Armando Broja turned down, however, and have been told that they will need to pay the central defender's release clause of £87m if they want to secure his signature.

Money has rarely stood in the way for Boehly at Chelsea, but the need to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations may prove to be an obstacle in such a big-money move, potentially handing those at Stamford Bridge a frustrating blow.

Given that the report claims Silva is Manchester United's number one summer target though, Chelsea may have to move quickly to welcome the Benfica man, getting one over on their rivals in the process.

"Talented" Silva can be better than Disasi and Badiashile

Since arriving, Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi have struggled to find their feet at Stamford Bridge, playing their part in the side which has already suffered eight defeats in 20 Premier League games this season. Silva could make the impact that the aforementioned duo have failed to, however, despite being just 19-years-old. Silva's stats, when compared to Disasi and Badiashile, show that he is already bettering them in some areas.

Player

Progressive Carries

Progressive Passes

Tackles Won

Blocks

Antonio Silva

16

67

27

31

Axel Disasi

18

73

12

14

Benoit Badiashile

0

17

9

6

Benfica manager Roger Schmidt will be keen to keep hold of Silva, having been full of praise for the teenager last year, saying via talkSPORT: "Antonio is 18, but when you see him on the pitch, he doesn't look that age. It was obvious in pre-season that he is a talented player and that he is already a professional player who is able to withstand the pressure playing for the Benfica first team, and he has shown it many times this season."

Celtic return to Champions League action on Tuesday night as they go in search of their first win in the group stages of the competition this season.

The Hoops are firmly rooted to the bottom of the table and have managed one draw and three defeats from their opening four European ties.

Brendan Rodgers' side were humbled by a 6-0 defeat to Spanish giants Atletico Madrid last time out and they now travel to Italy to face Lazio.

The Northern Irish head coach's side come into this match off the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw with Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

He could look to make a few alterations to his starting XI after that draw and here is our predicted line-up – including four changes – to face the Italian side on Tuesday…

1 Joe Hart

The former England international – Joe Hart – could start between the sticks as the veteran shot-stopper has only missed one match in the Premiership and Champions League combined so far this season. This suggests that the boss trusts him and that is why he may start on Tuesday.

2 Alistair Johnston

At right-back, Alistair Johnston could return to the starting line-up after Anthony Ralston came in to play the full 90 minutes against Motherwell.

The Canada international has started all four of the club's Champions League matches so far this season and it remains to be seen whether or not his Scottish teammate has done enough to oust him from a fifth European selection.

Johnston has made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per match in Europe, whilst Ralston is yet to feature in a single game in the competition, and could provide a strong defensive presence on the right side of the backline.

3 Cameron Carter-Vickers

It would not be a shock to see the former Tottenham Hotspur enforcer at the heart of the defence. The 25-year-old colossus has won 61% of his duels in the competition this season and could be a commanding presence at the back with his dominant defending.

4 Liam Scales

Next to the USA international, Liam Scales could complete the central defensive pairing. He has started 16 of the club's 18 matches in the Premiership and Champions League so far.

5 Greg Taylor

At left-back, Greg Taylor could keep his place. He has started all four of the club's European matches so far this season and has contributed with 1.8 tackles and interceptions combined per match.

6 Callum McGregor

Starting in midfield, it would be a surprise to see the captain lose his position in the side as Callum McGregor has started all 18 of the club's Premiership and Champions League matches so far this season.

7 David Turnbull

The second alteration that could be made to the starting XI is Scotland international David Turnbull being brought in for Odin Thiago Holm, who could be ditched from the midfield.

Against Motherwell, the Norwegian midfielder was named in the starting line-up and flopped with a disappointing display. He lost five of his six duels and failed to create any chances for his teammates, to go along with zero shots on goal, before being withdrawn at half time.

Whereas, Turnbull came off the bench and impressed with one key pass, a 100% duel success rate (2/2), and one goal from the penalty spot to secure a point.

The Scottish whiz, who was once lauded as a "terrific" player by ex-Hoops man Peter Grant, has four goals in his last five games for Celtic and could provide an attacking threat from midfield.

He has also created four 'big chances' in the Premiership and could offer creativity as well as goalscoring, whilst Holm has zero goals and two 'big chances' created in eight matches in the top-flight.

8 Matt O'Riley

The third and final position in midfield could go to Denmark U21 international Matt O'Riley, who has two 'big chances' created and two assists in four European outings this season.

9 Hyun-jun Yang

Hyun-jun Yang could retain his position on the right side of the attack as Daizen Maeda and Liel Abada continue to recover from their respective injury woes.

10 Hyeon-gyu Oh

In the number nine position, Hyeon-gyu Oh could start ahead of Kyogo Furuhashi as the third change to ensure that the Hoops have a useful outlet at the top end of the pitch.

In the 6-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid, the Japan international struggled badly and failed to provide his team with an outball to relieve pressure when the hosts were piling it on.

Minutes played

61

Sofascore rating

6.4

Goals

Zero

Assists

Zero

Touches

Eight

Passes completed

Zero

Duel success rate

25%

As you can see in the table above, Kyogo was a lightweight who offered incredibly little in and out of possession and this was also the case against Motherwell on Saturday.

The striker completed three passes and failed to score a goal or create any chances for his teammates whilst also only winning one duel in 67 minutes.

Oh, who has scored three Premiership goals this season, came off the bench against Motherwell and caught the eye by winning three of his five duels and a penalty, which was converted by the aforementioned Turnbull.

He has won 60% of his aerial battles in the Champions League this season, compared to Kyogo's 0%, and could, therefore, offer more of a presence for Celtic to compete with opposition defenders.

After initially getting off to an impressive start in the Championship this season, to say that Norwich City's form has come to a crashing halt would be an understatement. Desperate to get back to the promised land of the Premier League, those at Carrow Road have seen their side go from one loss in their opening six league games to one win in their last ten, leaving them as low as 17th and six points adrift of the dropzone.

As their league run continues, doubts over the future of David Wagner will only increase, and one man is already reportedly high up on the Canaries' shortlist to replace the former Huddersfield Town boss.

Update on David Wagner's Norwich future

Appointed in January of this year, it's looking increasingly unlikely that Wagner will last up until the anniversary of his arrival, given recent results. If the German does lose his job, he'll go down as yet another failure at Carrow Road, as Norwich look elsewhere for the manager to take them back to the Premier League. The last time that they were in the top flight was, of course, in the 2021/22 campaign – a swift managerial change could yet turn things around, however.

According to TeamTalk, Frank Lampard is high up on Norwich's managerial shortlist in the event that they sack Wagner, who they've had talks with regarding his future at the club. The former Chelsea and Everton manager previously impressed in the Championship with Derby County, but eventually failed to take them up following play-off heartbreak.

Out of a job since a caretaker stint to forget at Chelsea last season, Lampard is reportedly willing to drop down to the Championship to take the Norwich job and get his managerial career back on track. Having held talks with Rangers and clubs in the USA previously, perhaps this is the job that the midfield legend, whose playstyle is an attack-minded 4-3-3, is waiting for.

Lampard a strong candidate for Norwich job

Closer to the foot of the table than the Championship play-off places, Norwich would be doing themselves little harm by taking a risk and appointing Lampard. Things look to have gone as far as they can under Wagner, who looks unlikely to turn their disastrous form around, and before the festive fixtures come thick and fast, Norwich would be wise to make a decision as soon as possible.

Whilst he struggled in the Premier League, Lampard's Championship record speaks for itself. During his time at Derby, the former manager won 26 games, drew 15 and lost 16. In comparison, at Norwich, Wagner's record currently stands at 14 wins, seven draws and 18 losses in a run that doesn't look likely to improve anytime soon. Lampard's record against Norwich is also impressive, given that he's never lost against the Canaries.

Norwich still have time to turn their season around and Lampard is no longer the inexperienced manager who took Derby to the play-offs only to suffer the ultimate heartbreak – this is now a coach who has experienced both ends of the Premier League table, as well as Champions League football. If Norwich replace Wagner with Lampard, they could finally bring an end to their woeful form.

Newcastle United have had a strong start to the 2023/24 season, currently sitting sixth in the Premier League table and are still fighting for qualification out of the group stage in the UEFA Champions League despite losing last week to German outfit Borussia Dortmund.

However, the Magpies suffered a crushing blow during the 1-0 loss to Dortmund in Europe a week ago as star striker Alexander Isak was taken off early into proceedings and is expected to miss the next few weeks with a groin injury.

Callum Wilson is now Eddie Howe's only fit striker, with some big games on the horizon, but there is one man set to return to action soon after a lengthy absence that many Newcastle fans may have loved to see take Isak's place in the team.

Ivan Toney set to return

Ivan Toney's career kickstarted in League Two with Northampton Town eleven years ago this month. The 6 foot 1 striker bagged 11 goals in 60 appearances for the Cobblers before Newcastle came calling.

Although Toney recently revealed that a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers collapsed as the club discovered scoliosis in his back, the Magpies capitalised on the situation, signing the frontman for a reported £250k in 2015.

Unfortunately, Toney made merely four appearances for Newcastle and was sold three years later to Peterborough United in League One for £650k. Eventually, the striker's impressive goalscoring form for Posh earned him a transfer to Brentford who were pushing for their first-ever promotion to the Premier League under Thomas Frank. The London club gave Peterborough £10m to secure his services.

At Brentford, Toney has gone from strength to strength, becoming the club's all-time top goalscorer with 68 goals and even being labelled as "remarkable" by head coach Frank. The 27-year-old was handed an eight-month ban back in May for breaching the FA's betting rules, although he is set to return to action this coming January.

The two clubs play each other once more on the final day of the Premier League season and Toney will certainly want to make his former club regret selling him, especially now that he is worth 47 times what Newcastle sold him for five years ago.

Toney's stats comparison

Last season, Toney scored more goals than both Newcastle strikers Isak and Wilson, bagging 20 and registering four assists in 33 Premier League appearances. In 31 games, Wilson scored 18 times while Isak finished with 11 goals in his debut campaign in the top flight from 24 matches. However, Wilson's goals per 90 record of 0.86 was far better than Isak's 0.59 and Toney's 0.61, according to FBref.

That being said, Toney was more prolific when it came to scoring chances that arose as the England international was having fewer opportunities per game than the duo up north. The Brentford talisman averaged 2.65 shots per 90. Newcastle's Swedish sensation boasted 2.8 shots per 90 while Wilson averaged the highest number of shots per 90 with 3.35.

The main reason for this was because Brentford had the fifth-lowest share of possession in the Premier League last term with 43.8% compared to the Magpies holding the seventh-highest with 52.3%.

In addition, Toney's xG per 90 average during the 2022/23 league campaign was 0.57 while Wilson maintained a 0.84 xG per 90 rate. The former scored more goals despite having fewer quality opportunities.

There is no doubt that Isak and Wilson are fine frontmen and have served Newcastle well during their respective stints at St. James' Park. However, the stats show that Toney would outperform the double-act if he still played for Newcastle, a sale that may still haunt the previous ownership.

Worcestershire have never reached Finals Day in the Vitality Blast and they are putting their faith this season in bolstering their batting strength

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Mar-2018

Martin Guptill leans into a drive•Getty Images

Worcestershire have signed Martin Guptill and Callum Ferguson as overseas players for the Blast T20 competition.Worcestershire, who have never reached Finals Day and finished eighth in the North Group in 2017, have already signed Australian Travis Head as their primary overseas player in the 2018 season. The addition of Guptill, who will be available to play in all formats from June 20 to July 29 (Head is expected to be absent on international duty) and Ferguson, who will take over in the Blast once Guptill departs, provides further batting strength to a team that will also include the England Lion Joe Clarke and six-hit specialist Ross Whiteley.Add the by no means unrealistic prospect that Moeen Ali might not hold his place in the England side, and so be available for at least some of the Blast season, and Worcestershire’s top order could be among the most dangerous in the competitionGuptill, the New Zealand opening batsman, is currently No. 5 in the ICC’s T20 rankings and has been (in 2012) as high as No. 2. He has made two international T20 centuries and, in 2015, plundered an unbeaten 237 against West Indies in an ODI. It is the second highest ODI score of all time.A vastly experienced international player – he has played 47 Tests, 159 ODIs and 75 T20Is – he has also had previous spells in county cricket with Derbyshire and Lancashire. He is expected to be available for eight Blast games before departing for the Caribbean Premier League.While less experienced at international level, Ferguson is a veteran of Australian domestic cricket. If the T20 record – he averages 22.34 and has a strike-rate of 119.43 – looks modest, it should be remembered he bats in the middle-order.”Martin is a world class player,” Worcestershire’s new head coach, Kevin Sharp, said. “With Martin and Travis and the rest of our batting line-up, it will be quite a scary prospect for some opposition sides to think what might happen.”It is exciting for us to sign someone of his quality and I’m sure he is someone all the Rapids supporters will look forward to watching. In white ball, he is a destructive batsman – and his record proves that – and for him to be available for the first eight T20 games is excellent. But he also has a good record in red ball cricket and will also be able to play the two Championship matches in June when Travis is on international duty.”