Category Uncategorized

Liverpool are heading back in the right direction after slipping out of the top four last season, with a lot of Jurgen Klopp’s side’s progression attributed to their successful summer of transfers.

It was a tedious transfer window for the Reds, as they completed the majority of their deals done early in welcoming Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister at the start of the business period.

While the Reds had a quiet period in the market while other club’s seemed busy, Klopp recruited well in adding the two midfielders to the fold, with both already repaying their fees with a strong start to life at Anfield.

Business hasn’t always been so sharp in the red corner of Merseyside, as highlighted by one of the deals sanctioned to welcome a certain player back in 2017, who called time on his Liverpool career after six years this summer.

When did Liverpool sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain?

In the summer of 2017, the Reds announced the signing of former Arsenal ace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had spent six years in north London before making the move to Merseyside.

The then-24-year-old was signed for a fee of £35m, a price that was poised to rise to £40m based on appearance-related add-ons to the joy of the Gunners.

At the time of his departure, the Englishman had just one year remaining on his contract with Arsenal, making the collection of £35m a strong deal for those at the Emirates for a player whose future was far from guaranteed in the favoured XI.

How many goals did Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain score?

Oxlade-Chamberlain left Arsene Wenger’s side having scored just 20 goals in 198 appearances, with only nine Premier League goals to his name in 132 league appearances, seeing him once branded as “awful” by journalist Miguel Delaney.

It was a confusing deal for a club as ‘on the up’ as Liverpool to agree to the expenditure of a versatile forward that didn’t have many goals to his name, however it quickly became apparent that Klopp saw the winger’s position further back.

For Liverpool, things seemed to click for the 5 foot 11 menace at first, as he was integrated into central midfield and given licence to roam.

The positional change seemed to work as Oxlade-Chamberlain had a hand in ten goals in his debut Premier League season at Anfield, scoring three and assisting seven in 32 appearances.

Fast-forward to the summer of 2023, and the Portsmouth-born whiz departed Liverpool having scored 18 goals in 146 appearances, a far from admirable tally but he had rounded the jaded edges of his game that had not been tamed at Arsenal.

How much did Liverpool spend on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain?

The most pivotal factor of the misunderstood England international’s game was his inability to keep fit, seeing him missing almost 600 days of action at Liverpool, amounting to just under two years of availability over his six-year stay.

While the Englishman’s tally in front of goal marginally improved, his development was hugely hindered by his consistent battle with injury and subsequently, his slip down the pecking order.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's career earnings

Club

Year

Weekly Wage

Arsenal

2013-2014

£52k

Arsenal

2014-2017

£55k

Liverpool

2017-2019

£80k

Liverpool

2019-2023

£120k

Besiktas

2023-2026

£48k

All stats via Capology

Despite his unfortunate injury woes not being any fault of his own, Liverpool were drained financially by the entire deal regarding the now 30-year-old’s stay at Anfield.

In total, the Reds spent roughly £68m to accommodate the midfielder’s tenure, due to his £35m price tag plus his colossus £33m picked up in wages over the six years he was employed by the club.

When he first arrived, the former Arsenal dud was earning £4.1m-per-year, which increased to £6.2m-per-year in 2019 when he penned a contract extension, amounting to a weekly wage of £120k, via Capology.

Did Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain deserve to earn so much?

Putting aside the fact that the midfielder, despite being frustrating at times, was a likeable figure on Merseyside, his presence and inability to secure consistent game time made his price tag and wage bill difficult to merit.

When dividing the £33m in wages that the Englishman received at Liverpool by the number of goals he scored in six years, the figure amounts to around £1.8m-per-goal-scored which is harrowing reading for the Reds.

This summer, the decision was made not to extend Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract as he made nine appearances in the 2022/23 campaign, resulting in him leaving as a free agent at the expiration of his £120k-per-week deal.

Today, the 30-year-old is valued at €6.2m (£5.3m), conveying his decline over the years as he progresses in a new chapter of his story at Besiktas.

With one Champions League medal and a Premier League winners medal, the midfielder departed with silverware to add to his 18 goals scored, while Liverpool continue to weigh up the benefits of his expense.

How much do other Liverpool players earn?

While Oxlade-Chamberlain’s chapter has closed, the Reds continue to have some well-paid earners at the club, despite not pulling their weight on the pitch.

The Englishman was in the top-ten earners at Liverpool based on last season’s calculations of wage payments, with another questionable name in the lucrative list.

Similarly to Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thiago Alcantara has made a minimal impact at Anfield, despite being one of the squad’s top earners at present.

The Spaniard picks up an eye-watering £200k-per-week on Merseyside, and after three years has made only 97 appearances in all competitions following his £25m arrival from Bayern Munich.

Last season, the 32-year-old recorded 18 Premier League appearances, just nine more than Oxlade-Chamberlain, yet continues to reside as Klopp’s third-highest earner on £10.4m-per-year.

The two-time Champions League winner and seven-time Bundesliga winner will earn a total of £41.6m in wages alone as he plays out his fourth and final year of his contract with the Reds, making the total expenditure around the sum of £66m including his transfer fee.

Still, Thiago has cost Liverpool a lower amount than Oxlade-Chamberlain did during his time at the club, identifying two of the most frustrating, draining deals in the recent Anfield squad.

By leaving England, the 30-year-old closed his chapter in his homeland after representing Southampton, Arsenal and Liverpool, in a 13-year professional spell that amounted to 48 goals and £50.8m generated in wages alone.

All in all, the Portsmouth-born midfielder failed to make an adequate impact at either club, departing Anfield having rinsed the Reds for millions with little in return.

Big Picture

The battle between the eighth and ninth-ranked Test sides will not necessarily attract a lot of viewers, particularly with the football World Cup getting into its business end at the same time. The Antigua Test, therefore, might go under the radar, but it will still be mightily important for West Indies and Bangladesh.If Bangladesh win, they will be back to winning ways after a difficult 12 months. West Indies winning would mean more progress for them, which will do wonders for their young Test players. The home side is fresh off a tough Test series against Sri Lanka in which they started very well but ultimately gave away a 1-0 lead.Against Bangladesh, they can hope to see more runs from the likes of Shai Hope and Kraigg Brathwaite, their leading Test batsmen in the last 12 months. Shane Dowrich was their top run-getter in the three Tests against Sri Lanka, but Roston Chase, Kieran Powell and Devon Smith were not in form.The bowling attack was mostly outstanding, particularly Shannon Gabriel, who recently crossed 100 Test wickets. His 20 wickets at 14.95 against Sri Lanka must have rung alarm bells in the Bangladesh dressing room, while Miguel Cummins and Kemar Roach aren’t any less menacing.Captain Jason Holder balances the line-up with his runs, wickets and catching, while Devendra Bishoo will also pose a threat against a batting line-up that struggles regularly against legspin.Bangladesh are marking a new beginning under Shakib Al Hasan, who missed his return to captaincy in February due to a hand injury. Shakib will require help from Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque to once again carry Bangladesh’s batting and, given the shape of their bowling attack, he will also have to shoulder the burden of the bowling.Among the batsmen, Mahmudullah, Imrul Kayes and Liton Das have much to prove, with Nazmul Hossain Shanto knocking at the door for a Test return. If conditions are in favour of spinners, Bangladesh also have Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam – but whether they can perform consistently is a question that remains to be answered.

Form guide

West Indies: LDWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh: LDLLL

In the spotlight

All eyes will be on fast bowler Shannon Gabriel after he became the first West Indian to take 20 wickets in a Test series in 16 years. He averaged a spectacular 14.95 against Sri Lanka, picking up the Player-of-the-Series award. Gabriel is also the first West Indian in 37 years to take 20 or more wickets in a three-match Test series since Michael Holding in 1981.Liton Das has shown improvement over the last nine months, and will be one of those tasked with tackling Gabriel in Antigua. Liton has so far made 248 runs in eight innings, which includes two fifties. He is known to have the ability to negotiate fast, short deliveries, a trait that will be key to his, and potentially his side’s, fate.

Team news

Shimron Hetmyer has returned from illness with a century against the touring Bangladeshis last week. He could be called up if West Indies want to strengthen their batting. Keemo Paul is a fast-bowling option, but it is likely that the Roach-Gabriel-Holder-Cummins foursome will not be tinkered with.West Indies (probable): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Devon Smith, 3 Kieran Powell, 4 Shai Hope, 5 Roston Chase, 6 Shane Dowrich (wk), 7 Jason Holder (capt), 8 Devendra Bishoo, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Miguel Cummins, 11 Shannon GabrielBangladesh have three automatic changes as Sabbir Rahman, Abdur Razzak and Mustafizur Rahman didn’t make it to the West Indies-bound Test squad. They will also be employing a vastly different bowling attack than the one that played in their last Test, back home in February.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim, 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Litton Das (wk), 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Shafiul Islam, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Abu Jayed

Pitch and conditions

The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua has hosted only one first-class match since its last Test match against India in 2016. In the five Tests played at this venue, teams have averaged just under 450 runs batting first.The weather should be mainly fine over the first four days, with rain forecast only on the fifth day.

Stats and trivia

• Tamim Iqbal is 15 runs away from becoming the first Bangladesh player to reach 4,000 Test runs
• Mushfiqur Rahim will equal Mohammad Ashraful’s 61 Tests to become the most capped Test cricketer for Bangladesh
• Jason Holder will become the sixth West Indies captain to lead the side in at least 25 Tests

India’s selection committee has named Suresh Raina as Ambati Rayudu’s replacement in the ODI squad for the tour of England. Rayudu was dropped from the 16-man squad on Friday after failing to clear a mandatory fitness test in Bengaluru.

India’s ODI squad

Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Siddarth Kaul, Umesh Yadav

Raina hasn’t played an ODI since October 2015, when he was dropped after a poor run of form following the series against South Africa, but has featured in India’s T20I contests this year – against South Africa and in the Nidahas Trophy against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.Raina was already named in the T20I squad for India’s games against Ireland and England. Since January 2018, Raina has scored 170 runs in eight T20I innings.In the yo-yo fitness test that Rayudu failed, players are required to attain the 16:1 mark, the minimum level set for Indian players by the team’s strength and conditioning coach Shankar Basu. It is understood that Rayudu fell short of the minimum cut-off by a reasonable distance.India’s three-match ODI series against England starts on July 12 in Nottingham and ends in Leeds on July 17.

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes has taken Major League Baseball by storm, and he has a chance to become the second player to ever win the Cy Young award as a rookie.

Fernando Valenzuela is the only other player to complete that feat, but Skenes' odds to win Cy Young have skyrocketed this month, pushing him into the No. 3 choice at DraftKings at +300 odds. Back on July 11, Skenes was +1200 to win Cy Young, but that number has shrunk all the way down to 3/1 after he tossed 8.1 innings of two-run ball on Tuesday night.

Based on implied probability, Skenes has gone from a 7.69 percent chance to win the award (+1200) to 25.0 percent (+300) in less than two weeks!

Skenes has dominated night in and night out, and it appears that he's in a three-man race with Zack Wheeler and Chris Sale for the NL Cy Young at this stage in the season.

2024 NL Cy Young Odds

• Chris Sale +140
• Zack Wheeler +175
• Paul Skenes +300
• Tyler Glasnow +2500
• Logan Webb +3500
• Ranger Suarez +4000
• Dylan Cease +5000
• Reynaldo Lopez +5000

Our own Jennifer Piacenti recently broke down Skenes' case for the NL Cy Young award, but his odds have moved even more since then (he was +500) after throwing 8.1 innings of two-run ball on Tuesday night.

The body of work for Skenes so far in 2024 can't be denied. He's allowed three or fewer earned runs in all 12 of his starts, striking out a ridiculous 97 batters in 74.2 innings of work.

Does he have enough time to truly catch Wheeler or Sale? It's not impossible, especially if Skenes can keep a pace close to the one he's set through 12 starts.

The rookie has 1.93 ERA (better than Wheeler and Sale who are at 2.55 and 2.70), a 2.58 FIP, and he ranks in the 97th percentile in expected ERA. Not only that, but the Pirates star ranks in the 91st percentile or better in strikeout percentage, walk percentage opponent expected batting average against and pitching run value.

That's the profile of a Cy Young candidate.

Pittsburgh is also 8-4 in Skenes' 12 starts (he has a 6-1 record in games he's earned the decision), and it is in play for a playoff spot in the NL, sitting just 1.5 games back of the final wild card spot.

If Skenes keeps up this pace over the final two months of the season, he's going to have a real case to win the Cy Young in 2024.

Wolverhampton Wanderers were rock bottom of the Premier League heading into last year's World Cup break back in November but were rescued in the end by Julen Lopetegui, who arrived at Molineux having guided Sevilla to three consecutive top-four finishes in La Liga.

Lopetegui worked wonders with the Old Gold as his side climbed from 20th to 13th and finished seven points from safety. However, Wolves did end the campaign with the worst goal return in the league, having scored just 31 times in 38 games.

Nevertheless, despite this woeful record in front of goal, Lopetegui's last act as manager was to sell Wolves' top goalscorer in the Premier League era.

Raul Jimenez's statistics at Wolves

Raul Jimenez was one of Wolves' first major acquisitions after being promoted back to the Premier League in 2018. Having initially signed the Mexico international on a season-long loan, the Midlands club made the move permanent for a record fee of £30m, although Jimenez has since dropped down to being the fourth most-expensive player in Wolves' history.

The centre-forward quickly cemented himself as a legend at Molineux, scoring 57 goals and registering 24 assists in all competitions across five different seasons, although a nasty head collision during the 2020/21 campaign hampered his ability to add to this tally.

Regardless, Jimenez broke two club records by scoring more Premier League goals than anyone else for Wolves while also becoming the side's top-scorer in Premier League history, with 40 in total. Former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo described Jimenez as a "special player" during his stint in charge of the attacker.

Unfortunately, in his final season with Wolves, the 32-year-old scored only three goals in 20 matches but failed to find the net once in the league. In the end, the striker was sold to Fulham for £5.5m, which is just less than six times what the club signed him for four years ago.

Jimenez's stats this season

After years of yoyoing between the Premier League and the Championship, Fulham had finally found stability, maintaining their top-flight status last term by finishing impressively in tenth place.

However, Marco Silva was dealt a massive blow during the summer when the club accepted a £43m bid from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for star striker Aleksandr Mitrovic, who managed a 111-goal haul in his six seasons at Craven Cottage. While Jimenez may have initially been signed as a backup, he was quickly handed the number one spot up top due to Mitrovic's departure.

So far, the move has been disastrous. After the previous campaign's top-ten finish, the Cottagers are sitting 15th, seven points off the relegation places. Fulham are currently the joint-second-lowest goalscorers in the Premier League too, having converted merely 10 chances in 12 matches.

A late consolation goal in a 3-1 away defeat at Aston Villa prior to the November international break was Jimenez's only strike of the season so far since moving to London.

In fact, Lopetegui's decision to offload the Mexican has proven to be the correct one as Hwang Hee-chan has outscored Jimenez this season, having stepped up to become Wolves' first-choice number '9' in his absence. Hwang is Wolves' most potent player this term and has outperformed Fulham's summer signing in a number of key attacking metrics.

Per 90 Metrics	Raul Jimenez	Hwang Hee-chan
Goals	0.13	0.70
Expected Goals	0.23	0.31
Shots	1.97	2.09
Shots On Target	0.79	0.70
Shots Per Goal	0.07	0.03
Stats via FBref.

Jimenez's goalscoring statistics had been declining for the past two seasons so it was a wise decision to pass the torch to Hwang and recuperate some of the former's transfer fee by selling an ageing and declining striker to a Premier League rival.

da betano casino： Wolverhampton Wanderers' five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League was halted by bottom-of-the-league Sheffield United last time out, Paul Heckingbottom's Blades winning the contest 2-1 to pick up their first three points of the season at the expense of Gary O'Neil's side.

da winzada777： The Wolves manager would have felt annoyed that his team didn't at least come away from the encounter at Bramall Lane with a share of the points, substitute Jean-Ricner Bellegarde scoring with a minute left on the clock before Oliver Norwood's penalty deep into ten additional minutes spoiled the away day for the West Midlands outfit.

Everyone connected to the Old Gold will hope they can immediately bounce back from his disappointing loss versus Tottenham Hotspur at home, a hard ask arguably with Ange Postecoglou's Spurs flying high with eight wins from 11 so far in the top-flight.

O'Neil will be presented with a selection dilemma for this visit of the Lilywhites to Molineux, the 40-year-old's usually dependable star-man Mateus Cunha way off the pace in Sheffield last time out with various other first-teamers also having off days in the Steel City.

Cunha's performance in numbers versus Sheffield United

Wolves' number 12 joined the West Midlanders on a club record £44m deal after starring on loan, relocating permanently to Wolverhampton from Atletico Madrid earlier this year.

He's been played predominantly as a centre forward under O'Neil's tenure to date, although the 24-year-old has been used as a second striker and attacking midfielder for the Old Gold as well sparingly in recent times.

Netting two goals from a centre-forward position this season – his last strike coming away at AFC Bournemouth in a 2-1 win on the South Coast – it was the tactical decision to move him behind sole striker Saša Kalajdžić into a less favoured second striker role versus Heckingbottom's men that ended up working against Wolves.

Losing possession 22 times in total, as per Sofascore, Cunha didn't look switched on to the task at hand whatsoever against the lowly hosts.

It was a poor 90 minutes from the Brazilian attacker, registering only one shot on target in his efforts to trouble Blades goalkeeper Wesley Foderingham – the leaky goalkeeper conceding a dire 30 goals all season.

His starting spot for the home game against Tottenham could be under threat as a result, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde a plausible replacement for the underwhelming Cunha.

Bellegarde scored Wolves' solitary goal at Bramall Lane, despite only playing for 29 minutes.

Rayan Aït-Nouri will also be left wondering whether he did enough last time out to start this time around, following a poor day at the office for the wing-back turned winger.

Aït-Nouri's performance in numbers vs Sheffield United

Aït-Nouri was equally wasteful with the ball at his feet in the narrow loss last weekend, losing possession 13 times, which contributed to Sheffield United gaining an eventual foothold in the contest and grinding out a win.

He also only crossed into the Sheffield United box once all afternoon, with more balls into the area potentially unlocking a resolute backline if tried.

Jayden Bogle running down the flanks for the hosts was far more effective, winning six of his 11 attempted ground duels in the contest per Sofascore to help his team pull off their first victory in the top-flight after ten painful games prior.

Whereas, the 22-year-old winger for Wolves was marshalled out of the game effectively by Blades shirts and could run the risk of losing his spot in O'Neil's lineup for the game against Postecoglou's full-throttle north Londoners.

Highlights of the ICL’s second season

Siddhartha Talya15-Nov-2008The curtain is coming down on the second season of the ICL 20-20 Indian Championship. Cricinfo looks at some of the highlights:

Dream spell: Ali Murtaza’s 4 for 7 against Lahore Badshahs was the most economical in the ICL © ICL
The bowl out
Delhi Giants and Chandigarh Lions were involved in perhaps the best game of the tournament, with both sides scoring heavily and the winner being decided by a bowl-out. Chandigarh batted first and got off to an ideal start, with the openers putting on 98 in a little over ten overs. Graeme Hick, one of ICL’s newer recruits, made 36 as Chandigarh scored 200. Delhi, though, replied strongly, with the openers adding 126, but then lost quick wickets. They needed nine off the final over. Andrew Hall bowled the first five balls accurately but, with five needed to win off the last ball, Paul Nixon glanced down to the fine-leg boundary to level the scores. The bowl-out yielded just two hits, both from Delhi, and Bipul Sharma, Chetan Sharma, Daryl Tuffey and Hall failed to hit the stumps for Chandigarh. Ali Murtaza and Dhruv Mahajan struck their target to hand Delhi a nerve-wracking win.The knock
Reetinder Sodhi’s unbeaten 41 brought Ahmedabad Rockets within four runs of victory against Hyderabad Heroes in Gurgaon. Chasing 166, Ahmedabad were 113 for 1 in the 17th over. However, their acceleration came late and they went into their final over needing 27 more to win. Just when it seemed that Hyderabad had the match wrapped up, Sodhi gave them a serious scare, dispatching Shahabuddin’s first two balls for a six and a four. However the next three yielded only seven runs but Sodhi lofted the last ball, off which ten were needed, for a massive six over the bowler’s head. He finished with 41 off 15, a valiant knock, but his team was left ruing their decision to accelerate so late.The fiasco
Hyderabad Heroes lost by one run against Delhi Giants, losing their way thanks to some shoddy running after being in control for most of the run-chase. Four of their six dismissals were run-outs and they slipped from 75 for 1 to 113 for six. The seventh wicket pair of Anirudh Singh and Chris Harris revived the innings and reached a situation where 16 runs were needed off the last over, and 12 off the final two balls. Dale Benkenstein had bowled an economical final over until then but Anirudh almost spoilt Delhi’s party. The penultimate ball of the match was struck powerfully over long on for six. Benkenstein, however, made amends by bowling a yorker which produced a thick outside edge to the third-man boundary for four.The catch
It was a catch that swung the match Hyderabad Heroes’ way. Ahmedabad Rockets were 113 for 1 and Damien Martyn, batting on 16, was just getting into his rhythm. They needed 54 off the last four overs. Chris Harris bowled a short ball on middle and leg and Martyn pulled it powerfully between long on and deep midwicket. Ambati Rayudu, who was fielding at deep midwicket, ran to his left and dived full length to pluck the catch inches away of the boundary. Ahmedabad ended up losing the match by three runs, but if Martyn, who added 59 for the second wicket with Murray Goodwin, had stayed till the end, the result might have been different. Rayudu was given the Man-of-the-Match award for that catch, despite a poor performance with bat.The crowd
Ahmedabad once again provided the ICL with a much-needed fan-base, with over 40,000 people thronging to the match between Lahore Badshahs and Dhaka Warriors. Lahore won that match by five wickets and all but ensured their place in the ICL semi-finals. Most of the matches in Ahmedabad were nearly housefull.The debut
Mohammad Yousuf’s 12 against Dhaka Warriors may not appear among the most impressive of debuts but those who witnessed his brief stay at the crease will testify that his innings was one of the main highlights of the season. Yousuf was ICL’s latest recruit and he got off to a near perfect start, hitting boundaries off his first three balls. The first was a delightful square-cut followed by a trademark on-drive wide of mid-on. The third was the best of the lot, a beautifully executed extra-cover drive, but then an attempted drive on the up through cover produced a thin outside edge which was snapped up by Dhiman Ghosh.The controversy
Chris Cairns and Dinesh Mongia were suspended for the entire season. Cairns was reportedly carrying an ankle injury into the tournament, which he did not disclose to the ICL officials. As that constituted a violation of the player’s contract, Cairns was sent back. Mongia apparently knew about Cairns’ injury in advance but did not share the information with the ICL authorities. However, there were rumours that allegations of match-fixing may have been the reason for such a harsh penalty, but Mongia categorically denied that match-fixing had anything to do with his suspension, and so did Cairns’ lawyer.The spat
Deep Dasgupta and G Vignesh were involved in an on-field altercation during the match between Chennai Superstars and Royal Bengal Tigers in Panchkula. Dasgupta dispatched a full-length ball from outside off stump for a six and then got into a scuffle with Vignesh. Both players were fined 50% of their monthly fees for the incident. Royal Bengal Tigers stakeholder Mithun Chakraborty said Dasgupta had been provoked on the field, and was satisfied that both the “offender” and the “conspirator” were found to be equally guilty and duly penalised.The spell
Ali Murtaza took 4 for 7 in four overs to put the brakes on Lahore Badshahs as Delhi succeeded in restricting them to 147, which they successfully overhauled with nine balls to spare. Murtaza’s spell was the most economical in the ICL and each of his victims in that match was a frontline batsman. Murtaza first dismissed Imran Farhat who tried to loft him over the long-on boundary, but holed out to Justin Kemp. The second wicket, that of Humayun Farhat, was a result of a brilliant stumping by wicketkeeper Paul Nixon. Shahid Yousuf was trapped lbw in the same over but the biggest scalp was that of Inzamam-ul-Haq who was also lbw to a quicker ball that would have hit off stump.The find
Dhaka Warriors proved to be a worthy addition to the teams participating in the ICL. After all the turmoil their players went through after joining the league, they put up an admirable show and at one point, were among the front-runners for a semi-final berth. They started off poorly, losing to Chennai Superstars by six wickets, but won hearts in their next match against tournament champions Hyderabad Heroes. Alok Kapali scored the competition’s first century and Dhaka were favourites to win until some sloppy fielding and a terrific innings from Chris Harris helped Hyderabad snatch a win. Dhaka came back strongly, winning four out their next five games, but lost a must-win game against Lahore.

Aston Villa’s transfer activity this summer has been a careful balancing act, reflecting both ambition and necessity.

After losing academy graduate Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle and contending with persistent Premier League profit and sustainability regulations (PSR), Unai Emery’s side have sought reinforcement across multiple positions.

The Midlands outfit have already added Evann Guessand from Nice, but there remains a pressing need to bolster creativity and experience in midfield, particularly in the event of Morgan Rogers’ departure.

The club’s early campaign has been patchy, with a draw against Newcastle followed by a 1-0 defeat away at Brentford.

Despite summer interest from Newcastle and Manchester United, Ollie Watkins continues to lead the line.

However, there is a growing recognition that midfield reinforcement is required to support their talismanic striker, which in turn will unlock the team’s full attacking potential.

Previously, Aston Villa have gambled on other technically gifted Brazilian midfielders, exemplified by Philippe Coutinho’s arrival after struggling for form at Barcelona.

Now, another South American talent is emerging on the radar, with the potential to recapture that same blend of flair and influence.

Villa enquire about potential Rogers replacement

According to journalist Santi Aouna, Aston Villa have opened discussions with West Ham regarding the possibility of signing Lucas Paquetá.

The 27-year-old Brazilian, who has amassed 55 caps and 11 goals for his national side, is considered one of several midfield options should Villa need to replace Morgan Rogers before the close of the transfer window.

West Ham are understood to be holding out for a fee in the region of £60m, with initial inquiries suggesting Villa would need to meet a minimum valuation of £40m before talks could commence.

Paquetá has undoubtedly experienced a turbulent period at the London Stadium, having faced betting allegations in August 2023.

Although he was cleared of all charges in 2025, the episode is reported to have affected him profoundly.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Nevertheless, he continues to be highly rated.

Former West Ham player Declan Rice praised the attacking midfielder’s abilities, describing him as “mind-boggling” in terms of quality and vision.

Clubs including Crystal Palace, Manchester City, and Tottenham have reportedly monitored the player, though news of Spurs’ recent acquisition of RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons will reduce the likelihood of any continued interest.

For Villa, Paquetá represents a chance to combine proven Premier League experience with the technical finesse necessary to complement both new arrivals and established stars such as Watkins.

Why Paquetá could be Villa’s next Coutinho

Tactically, Paquetá offers Aston Villa a multifaceted solution.

Primarily an attacking midfielder, the Brazilian excels in creating and progressing offensive sequences, with metrics that underline his all-around capability.

According to FBref, last season, he ranked in the 74th percentile for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (2.89) and the 79th percentile for progressive passes (6.16), demonstrating his ability to influence both goal-scoring opportunities and build-up play.

Additionally, he boasts the 84th percentile for touches in the opposition penalty area and the 75th percentile for tackles per 90, illustrating a willingness to contribute defensively – a balance Emery prizes in transitional play.

His aerial ability is also notable, with the 89th percentile for aerial duels won per 90, making him a threat in both open play and set-piece scenarios.

The comparison with Coutinho is plain to see.

Before arriving at Villa Park, the Brazilian struggled to live up to his colossal pricetag at Barcelona before briefly flourishing on loan at Bayern Munich.

When at his best, Coutinho combined exceptional vision, dribbling, long-range shooting, and set-piece delivery, ultimately making him a dangerous attacking asset.

Paquetá, arriving at a stage in his career where his technical maturity and Premier League familiarity intersect, could offer a more immediate and sustained impact than his predecessor.

From a squad composition perspective, Paquetá could integrate seamlessly with Villa’s existing framework.

He would complement Watkins in attack, add creativity in the final third, and relieve pressure on newly-signed Guessand, allowing Emery greater flexibility in rotation and tactical setups.

The midfielder’s proficiency in linking play and breaking lines would enhance Villa’s transitional play, which has been a key focus under Emery’s management.

If the deal progresses, it would also signify Villa’s commitment to international-level talent capable of impacting the Premier League immediately.

After losing Ramsey, and with ongoing interest in Rogers from external clubs, adding a player of Paquetá’s calibre would send a clear message regarding the club’s ambitions.

Aston Villa are prepared to invest in both technical skill and experience to remain competitive domestically and in this year’s edition of the Europa League.

Ultimately, a successful move for Paquetá could mirror the allure of Coutinho’s signing while avoiding the pitfalls that hindered his predecessor.

Villa would acquire a player with vision, creativity, and finishing ability, tempered by Premier League experience and tactical maturity – qualities capable of elevating both the midfield and the team’s overall attacking profile.

For supporters, it represents an opportunity to witness Brazilian flair integrated into a system designed for consistency and results, potentially bridging the gap between raw talent and polished Premier League performance.

Emery's own Grealish: Aston Villa agree terms for "magical" late signing

Aston Villa are ready to welcome one or two late signings to their squad as the transfer window draws to a close.

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 29, 2025

Celtic look to be using the January window as an opportunity to offload several fringe players, but the exit of one highly-rated player could now lead to a new striker signing.

Celtic outgoings take precedence

Brendan Rodgers has made no secret of his desire to trim his squad where possible as he looks to streamline his options ahead of the return following the Scottish Premiership winter break.

Cited by The Scotsman, the Irishman explained in a recent interview why he is willing to offload some of his fringe players, stating: "You have to for multiple reasons (offload fringe players), for the players themselves and for their football careers, they need to play. For financial reasons, you can’t be carrying numbers of players each month who aren’t contributing. It then allows us the opportunity to bring players in. That’s just a natural process."

Rodgers could ignite Kyogo with Celtic move for £3m SPFL star

The Hoops have been touted with an interest in the impressive centre-forward.

ByDan Emery Jan 10, 2024

On Tuesday, Celtic announced through their official channels that forgotten man Yosuke Ideguchi has joined Japanese giants Vissel Kobe on a permanent basis, and he is unlikely to be the last to leave the building over the coming weeks.

Summer signing Gustaf Lagerbielke is attracting interest from the likes of Genoa and Lecce. At the same time, Benjamin Siegrist, Alexandro Bernabei, Kwon Hyeok-kyu and Marco Tilio could all become part of a cost-cutting operation at Parkhead before the window expires.

Now, a fresh report has emerged detailing that another Celtic man has been given permission to speak to another club as Rodgers continues to enact a clearout in Glasgow's east end.

Rocco Vata could form Bologna swap deal

Taking to social media platform X, Sky Sports News reporter Anthony Joseph has let it be known that Celtic have allowed youngster Rocco Vata permission to speak to Bologna over a move, and both avenues of a permanent transfer this month or a pre-contract agreement are being explored by the Serie A high-flyers.

The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international has been involved with the Hoops' B team this campaign and has notched 13 goals in 20 appearances across all competitions (Vata statistics – Transfermarkt).

Scottish reporter Scott Burns has indicated that the Glasgow giants haven't offered Vata a new deal despite his current terms expiring later in the year and it now seems as if the 18-year-old could move on to new pastures after featuring just four times for Celtic's senior side.

There could be a positive twist in the tale for the Hoops, with reports from Italy, via Sport Witness, claiming that Bologna may try to use striker Sydney van Hooijdonk as a "pawn" in negotiations to "unblock the operation" amid Rodgers' rumoured interest in the Dutchman, who is the son of club icon Pierre van Hooijdonk.

With Celtic on the hunt for a goalscorer, the 23-year-old's record of 92 strikes from 196 games would likely appeal, given Oh Hyeon-gyu and Daizen Maeda's absence courtesy of being called up for the Asian Cup.

Liverpool are admirers of a marquee new defender, but they aren’t the only club who like him in the Premier League, according to a new report that has emerged.

Liverpool facing depth crisis at centre-back

The Reds have Virgil Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Jarell Quansah and Joel Matip as their natural centre-back’s in the building as it stands, but the club have recently suffered a huge blow regarding the fitness of the latter. Last week, Matip was confirmed to have sustained a serious ACL injury, which means that he has been ruled out for the remainder of the season, so with Jurgen Klopp losing his stalwart and Quansah still so young, FSG should be eyeing replacements during the upcoming transfer window.

Barcelona‘s Ronald Araujo has been highlighted as a potential candidate, with the 24-year-old having worked his way up through his club’s youth ranks to become a regular feature of their first-team, making 127 senior appearances in total to date (Transfermarkt – Araujo statistics).

Liverpool are watching Barca star Araujo

According to 90min, Liverpool are interested in Araujo, but they are likely to find it difficult to prise him away from Barcelona and the Camp Nou in the coming weeks.

“Bayern Munich are interested in signing Uruguay centre-back Ronald Araujo, who would like to stay at Barcelona but has doubts over his place in the side in the long-term, sources have confirmed to 90min. Several clubs are keeping an eye on Araujo amid this uncertainty. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United are all fans of his, but it is not expected that Barcelona will sanction an exit anytime soon.”

In La Liga this season, Araujo has provided a real physical presence at the heart of Barcelona’s backline. He’s currently averaging 2.5 aerial wins and 1.6 clearances per game, highlighting the impact he can make both on and off the ground (WhoScored – Araujo statistics).

Standing at 6 foot 2, Rivera’s native also has the versatility to operate at left-back, right-back and higher up as a defensive midfielder alongside his usual role at centre-back, so he would be a great player to bring into the building considering the cover that he could provide in various other positions outside of his own. He would even offer Klopp the chance to switch to three at the back if required, although that is not a system we have seen the German coach utilise often.

Centre-Back

177

Right-Back

20

Defensive Midfield

4

Left-Back

1

According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Araujo even gives off “prime Van Dijk vibes”, referring to the season in which the Dutchman landed second on the Ballon d'Or podium, and with the winning mentality and leadership that he will possess having won three pieces of silverware since the start of his career, this is a no-brainer of a deal to complete if the opportunity were to present itself in the coming weeks.