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Celtic are one step away from winning the Scottish Premiership title as they prepare to travel away to face Kilmarnock in the top-flight on Wednesday night.

The Hoops need just one point from the game to officially confirm themselves as the champions of the division for the third year running, after winning the league in both of Ange Postecoglou's seasons in charge.

A huge 2-1 victory over Rangers in the Old Firm clash on Saturday has put them in prime position to celebrate this week, whether that comes against Kilmarnock on Wednesday or at home to St Mirren at the weekend.

The Scottish giants will then need to turn their attention to the SFA Cup final against their local rivals at Hampden Park towards the end of this month, as they look to complete a domestic double under Brendan Rodgers.

They will then be able to fully focus on the upcoming summer transfer window and how they could improve the playing squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

One player who could be replaced, in terms of his position as a regular starter, is left-back Greg Taylor, and the Hoops have been linked with a move for a Premier League full-back already this year.

Celtic's interest in Wolves whiz

TEAMtalk reported in March that the Bhoys were very keen on a deal to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Hugo Bueno in the January transfer window.

They claimed that the club were 'extremely' interested in a swoop for the Spanish dynamo and went as far as making an offer to the Premier League club.

Celtic attempted to land the 21-year-old star on loan until the end of the season but Gary O'Neil's side rejected their approach, and opted to keep hold of him for the remainder of the campaign.

Rodgers wanted 'fresh legs' in the full-back positions and had identified Bueno as a key target in January to bolster his side ahead of the season half of the term.

They could not convince Wolves to part ways with the young gem midway through the campaign but TEAMtalk's report in March claimed that the Scottish side are set to return for the left-back in the summer.

The outlet stated that a move to Parkhead is still possible for him in the upcoming transfer window and that Rodgers is now set to battle it out with clubs from Spain and France to land his signature.

Bueno wants to play regular first-team football and the report claimed that a move to Paradise this summer could be his chance to go out and play week-in-week-out.

The left-footed ace could come in to replace Greg Taylor, who struggled in the Old Firm clash on Saturday, in the left-back spot in the starting XI next season.

Greg Taylor's form this season

Celtic ran out 2-1 winners against Rangers at the weekend and the full-back struggled at times with Dujon Sterling and James Tavernier pushing on down his side.

The Scotland international was awarded a match rating of 4/10 by Football Insider reporter Sean Fisher, who described his performance as 'uncomfortable' from a defensive perspective.

He lost 100% (3/3) of his ground duels on the day, as Rangers' players found it too easy to get the better of him on the deck, but did win eight of his 12 aerial battles.

Taylor, who failed in his only attempted dribble, also lost possession 19 times in total down the left flank, as he struggled to remain efficient in his use of the ball.

The Scottish dynamo has, however, offered an attacking threat on the left in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, whilst his defensive work has left a bit to be desired.

Appearances

33

Goals

3

Assists

4

Tackles per game

1.7

Interceptions per game

0.4

Duel success rate

51%

Aerial duel success rate

45%

As you can see in the table above, he has chipped in with seven direct goal contributions but has lost the majority of his aerial duels and only just won over half of his battles in total.

Rodgers wanting to sign another left-back, both in January and now in the summer, suggests that he is looking at players who could possibly come in as an upgrade on him, which is why the manager could ditch him by signing Bueno at the end of the season.

Why Celtic should sign Hugo Bueno

The Hoops should swoop to sign the 21-year-old star on a permanent deal if possible as, at his age, he has many years left ahead of him to develop and improve, which means that the talented gem would arrive as a long-term addition to the squad.

Bueno, whose development has been hailed as "incredible" by Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs, has only started seven of his 21 appearances in the Premier League this season but has showcased signs of quality in the top-flight over the last year.

Expected Assisted Goals

0.03

0.10

Progressive passes

8.33

1.01

Progressive carries

1.17

2.69

Successful take-ons

0.50

0.90

Tackles made

1.83

2.36

Interceptions

0.67

0.67

Blocks

1.00

2.02

Clearances

2.00

2.69

As you can see in the table above, the Spanish youngster has provided far more to his team from a defensive perspective than Taylor has for Celtic, with significantly more tackles, blocks, and clearances per 90 combined.

He has also created 0.07 more xAG per 90 in big competitions – against high-quality opponents – and this speaks to his ability to make things happen in high-pressure matches.

Bueno, who won 88% of his duels in the EFL Cup this season, has the potential to come in as an upgrade on Taylor if he can translate that form over to the Premiership, whilst possibly improving upon it with the dominance Celtic have in matches.

The 21-year-old star could come in as a fantastic prospect with room to grow and develop over the years to come, whilst also having the ability to instantly replace the Scotland international, which is why Rodgers could brutally ditch his current left-back by signing the Wolves ace.

The former CA chief executive could not galvanise the game amid questions over the financial impact

Andrew McGlashan17-Jun-2020March 15Two days after the Australia-New Zealand ODI is played behind closed doors at the SCG the remainder of the Australian season is cancelled.”We’re in uncertain times, and it’s difficult to project precisely what will transpire over the next number of months,” Roberts said. “We really empathise with the situation for winter sports, we are more fortunate with the timing of this.”April 16A report in early April, put together by CA’s chief medical officer Dr John Orchard, painted a positive picture of the 2020-21 cricket season being able to take place as planned, but a week later the sport is thrown into chaos when it is announced that the majority of staff are being stood down on 20% pay.April 21Amid growing resentment from various parties, including staff and the ACA, about the way the stand downs had been managed, Roberts addresses the issue publicly for the first time.”It wasn’t an overreaction because we’re dealing with a situation that’s hitting us unfortunately at the low point of our cash cycle over four years,” Roberts said. “We reach a point in early September where if there’s more shocks as we’ve had over the last month or more, where our reserves are very thin and in fact effectively we’d chart a path to zero if we didn’t take drastic action.”April 29With anger mounting, Roberts apologises to staff for the way the stand downs were announced but insists the cuts have to go ahead despite many questions over whether the financial position is as dire as is being made out. Earl Eddings, the CA chairman, becomes increasingly involved in the situation.May 6The first major response from the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) highlights the significant fault lines that are emerging around CA’s financial forecasts particularly as signs for the 2020-21 season are improving and India’s tour, worth A$300 million, looking like it will happen in some capacity.In an email to members, ACA chief executive Alistair Nicholson wrote: “Cricket is able to express an optimistic and confident posture about its capacity to weather the pandemic, and has the opportunity to put in place effective plans for cricket to be played this summer. With this, cricket’s financial position will likely remain positive.”May 18Amid growing talk that financial cuts will see reduction in domestic competitions, ACA chairman Greg Dyer pens a strongly-worded column slamming CA. “That at the first sign of a headwind, states are being asked to take significant cuts, which are in turn filtering down to local cricket, suggests that something is horribly wrong with the current model.May 26Tensions continue to rise among the states with New South Wales and Queensland opposed to 25% cuts in their grants (which had been negotiated down from an initial figure of 45%) while Western Australia say they will only sign up to the deal if there is a collective agreement. Job losses among the states grow towards 150, including a swathe of community cricket staff at Cricket Victoria. A few days earlier Roberts had given the India tour a “9 out of 10″ chance of taking place.”We have been told for a long time how big a deal the Indian tour is, so to hear that optimism brings the depth of the cuts into focus,” Queensland chairman Chris Simpson said. “Eighty percent of our funding comes from one source [CA] and they have said they potentially have solvency issues, so it is our duty to act on that information. We disagree with a lot of the information provided but we still had to act.”June 3After a number of delays, Roberts presents CA’s financial position and outlines the need for 25% cuts across the business saying they faced a deficit of A$142 million if no action was taken. “Given the economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, many organisations are working with scenario plans rather than developing precise financial projections that may need to be updated various times in ever-changing circumstances,” he said.Roberts increasingly becomes sidelined from talks with states and the ACA with Eddings and board member Paul Green taking charge.June 4The ACA swiftly responds to CA’s financial projections – the players’ body is not impressed by the lack of detail provided to them – and confirms it will formally challenge the board’s forecast of a 48% reduction in revenue and the subsequent impact on player payment.”The ACA expresses a lack of confidence in these reforecasts,” Nicholson said. “They do not appear to be reasonable or consistent with an obligation of good faith, as required. From what the ACA has been able to determine so far, cricket is yet to suffer a significant adverse revenue event and the outlook for the game remains positive.”June 15There had been suggestions of a breakthrough with hope of bringing all parties together for talks, but tellingly this was being led by Eddings. After a weekend of board meetings it emerges that Roberts’ position has become untenable and he tenders his resignationJune 16Nick Hockley, who ran the T20 World Cup organising committee, is installed as interim chief executive.”Kevin and the board and I have been working hand-in-glove over the last three to four months around this,” Eddings said. “We thought it’s time now and Kevin agreed with the board that it’s time for a new leadership and he tendered his resignation accordingly for the good of the game.”

Casemiro was spoken to by Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag after the signing of Manuel Ugarte from PSG.

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Ugarte arrived from PSG for £43mCasemiro struggled in Liverpool lossBrazilian benched against Southampton WHAT HAPPENED?

Casemiro has struggled mightily this season, the Brazilian at fault for two goals against Liverpool and then taken off at half-time. The arrival of Ugarte threatens his playing time, and he was benched for Saturday's game against Southampton. Ten Hag has revealed that he spoke to the former Real Madrid midfielder following Ugarte's signing.

AdvertisementWHAT TEN HAG SAID

Ten Hag said: "I normally do talk to him and in this case I did as well but players in our club know you are playing at this level there is always competition, they also know you can only be successful if you have a squad that covers. You can’t have a squad where you only have one player who can cover this – you need at least two for each position, sometimes it is three for two. That is okay when you have very robust players.

"All the players will understand – then it’s about what is the best fit for the team. They have to prove it, the key word, they have to take responsibility and win games for the club."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Ugarte didn't feature for PSG at all this season and only played 11 minutes of Uruguay's two World Cup qualifiers during the international break as he tries to gain match fitness. He was the last international to return to Carrington, only arriving back for Thursday afternoon's training session, and was on the bench along with Casemiro for the game against Southampton.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CASEMIRO?

The two howlers against Liverpool might have called an end to his spot in the starting line-up as he will have to try and fight for his place again. Ugarte won't expect to occupy the bench and Kobbie Mainoo is also deserving of a spot in the starting line-up.

The summer transfer window is just around the corner, and after being one of the few Premier League clubs to spend in January, Tottenham Hotspur look poised to make another splash in the market.

Ange Postecoglou has overseen a reasonably impressive first season in charge of the Lilywhites. However, with no Harry Kane in the squad, goals have been a bit harder to come by, as evidenced by the club boasting just the seventh-best attack in the league.

However, if recent reports are to be believed, that could soon change, with the latest player touted for a move to N17 potentially being the perfect upgrade on Son Heung-min as the team's primary number nine.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from the Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Noticias (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur have joined the clubs interested in Porto's in-form striker Evanilson.

The report has named the Lilywhites as a potential destination for the Brazilian forward alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.

According to the report, the 24-year-old's impressive form and the subsequent interest from English sides mean that the Dragões are confident of securing a fee in the region of €100m for their star player, which comes to around £86m.

This would be an undeniably hefty investment from Daniel Levy and Co, but with the forward's impressive exploits this season, it might be one worth making, especially if it allows Son to return to his best position.

How Evanilson compares to Son

Now, what is the most vital metric to consider when comparing two players tasked with playing as a nine? Their ability to put the ball into the back of the net.

There are, of course, other elements to a striker's skillset worth considering in the modern game, but simple goalscoring still reigns supreme – just look at Erling Haaland – and when it comes to the comparison between Evanilson and Son in this regard, there is no competition.

In his 36 games this season, the Chuncheon-born ace scored 17 goals and provided ten assists, whereas in his 41 games, the Fortaleza-born Porto star scored 24 goals and provided six assists.

Appearances

41

36

Goals

24

17

Goals per Match

0.58

0.47

Assists

6

10

So, while both players averaged a goal involvement every 1.33 games, the "electric" Brazilian, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, averaged a goal every 1.70 games to the Spurs captain's 2.11.

Moreover, signing the Fortaleza-born marksman would allow Postecoglou to start the Lilywhites star out on the left and leave Richarlison – who has just 12 goals to his name this term – on the bench.

Lastly, while the South Korean might not have quite the same explosiveness he did a few years ago, he has still shown himself to be effective out wide.

For example, FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, places the veteran in the top 1% of wingers for expected assists, the top 5% for non-penalty goals and non-penalty expected goals plus assists, the top 9% for pass completion, the top 10% for touches in the opposition's penalty area and the top 14% for assists, all per 90.

Expected Assists

0.37

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.45

Top 5%

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.68

Top 5%

Pass Completion

82.8%

Top 9%

Touches in the Opposition's Penalty Area

6.43

Top 10%

Assists

0.33

Top 14%

Ultimately, while the price is certainly something the club will have to seriously consider, signing Evanilson would represent a genuine upgrade on Son as a traditional number nine while also allowing the 31-year-old to get back to his best on the left wing.

Spurs hoping to beat Arsenal to sign "prolific" £56m upgrade on Son

The in-demand star could move to the white side of North London.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 21, 2024

With the six franchises allowed to sign overseas players outside the draft, no player attracted the top bid of USD 160,000

Deivarayan Muthu06-Jul-2020Afghanistan allrounder Mohammad Nabi, Nepal legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane, and Australian batsman Ben Dunk headlined the CPL 2020 draft that was held virtually on June 24. All three players fetched deals worth USD 130,000 each, with Nabi being the first pick in the draft. The CPL is scheduled to be played in Trinidad & Tobago between August 18 and September 10 behind closed doors, subject to the permission from the local government.Nabi had been part of St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in 2017 and was snapped up by St Lucia Zouks, who finished second from bottom last season in the six-team league.A total of 537 players had registered for the draft, but a few names including New Zealand seamer Tim Southee and England allrounder Ravi Bopara pulled out. No player in the draft attracted the top price of USD 160,000. That was mainly because the CPL allowed the six franchises to sign overseas players outside of the draft for the first time.Accordingly, Australian opener Chris Lynn was signed by St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, while Afghanistan leggie Rashid Khan was scooped up by defending champions Barbados Tridents. Both players are understood to have fetched USD 160,000. Rashid’s Afghanistan team-mate Qais Ahmad was signed by Guyana Amazon Warriors while South African batsman Rilee Rossouw was hired by Zouks.Nabi will help fill the void created by the absence of Chris Gayle, who pulled out of CPL 2020, citing personal reasons. Lamichhane, who had played for the champions Tridents last season before leaving midway through the tournament for international duty, will turn out for Jamaica Tallawahs in the upcoming season. He is set to team up with former West Indies and Patriots captain Carlos Brathwaite at Tallawahs. It is understood that the 31-year-old big-hitting allrounder was bought for USD 110,000.As for Alex Hales, he was the only Englishman to be picked up in the draft, with reigning champions Tridents retaining him for USD 70,000. Hales, who was the first pick in the 2019 CPL draft, had an underwhelming stint that year, managing 197 runs in 12 innings at an average of 16.41 and strike rate of 124.68. Hales hasn’t been involved with England since being dropped from the World Cup last year following a positive drug test.Ben Dunk slashes through the off side•Getty ImagesDunk was rewarded for his hot form in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Mzansi Super League (MSL), getting a gig with Patriots. He had been part of the CPL back in 2014, when he represented the now-defunct Antigua Hawksbills. Dunk was the top-scorer in the last MSL, with 415 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate touching 150. He then tallied 266 runs in seven innings, striking at an incredible 186.01 in PSL 2020, which was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic.England’s batting sensation Tom Banton, and his captain Eoin Morgan went unsold, as did former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi. Quite a few high-profile Pakistan players, including Shoaib Malik and Wahab Riaz, were set to play CPL 2020, but the tour to England meant they were all unavailable for the league. T20 specialists Asif Ali and Sohail Tanvir, though, were selected by Tallawahs and Patriots respectively.USA’s Ali Khan (TKR), his national team-mate Jessy Singh (Amazon Warriors), and Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar (Zouks) were among those who secured ICC Americas contracts in the CPL.Afghanistan players in demand
Nabi wasn’t the only Afghanistan player to make a splash at the draft. Fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq will join Qais Ahmad at Amazon Warriors while exciting wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz will play for defending champions Tridents. Gurbaz has a variety of unorthodox strikes in his repertoire like his idol AB de Villiers. After leading Afghanistan to a 2-1 T20I series win over a full-strength West Indies side, led by Kieron Pollard, in India, the teenager cracked an 18-ball half-century on his Bangladesh Premier League debut for Khulna Tigers in Dhaka.ALSO READ: Naveen-ul-Haq hopes to start a pace-bowling revolution in AfghanistanNoor Ahmad, all of 15 years old, got a gig with Zouks. The left-arm wristspinner has a big-turning wrong’un in his repertoire, and was particularly threatening against right-handers in the 20-over Shpageeza league. Against right-handers, he took six wickets in 130 balls while conceding 131 runs. All up, he claimed eight wickets in the league and was named the Emerging Player of the tournament. He then pressed onto play for Afghanistan in the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year in South Africa.The 48-year-old Pravin Tambe will play for Trinbago Knight RidersTKR sign up Tambe
Forty-eight-year-old Pravin Tambe, the former Mumbai and Rajasthan Royals legspinner, was hired by Trinbago Knight Riders for USD 7,500. He is set to become the first Indian to feature in the CPL. Earlier in 2019, Tambe was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL auction, but was forced to withdraw later after the BCCI pulled him up for playing in unsanctioned cricket leagues like the T10 League. Tambe was one of the two Indians in the CPL draft along with former Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Asad Pathan, who found no takers.Zimbabwe allrounder Sikandar Raza also went to TKR for USD 7,500, as did fast bowler Anderson Phillip. Australian legspinner Fawad Ahmed was back at TKR after playing for Zouks last season. In 2018, Ahmed had spun TKR to back-to-back title wins, taking 22 wickets in 13 games at an impressive economy rate of 6.18.Locals rewarded for Super50 form
Chemar Holder, who broke into West Indies’ Test squad for the England tour, will join Kesrick Williams at Zouks. Mystery-spin bowling allrounder Mark Deyal, who can turn the ball both ways with his knuckles, switched from TKR to Zouks.The strong performers in the Super50 Cup – West Indies’ domestic 50-over tournament – were rewarded with CPL contracts. Wicketkeeper-batsman Joshua Da Silva, who is currently on tour with the national Test side in the UK, was drafted by Patriots. Da Silva hit 310 runs in nine innings in West Indies Emerging team’s run to the title. Nkrumah Bonner, who has been among the runs in both the Super 50 and the four-day format, was picked up by Tallawahs.Batsman Tion Webster was retained by TKR while 33-year old left-arm spinner Dennis Bulli went to Patriots. Bulli took 12 wickets in six games at an economy rate of 5.28 for Jamaica in the Super50.The CPL has told all franchises to assemble their squads from August 1, with the players and support staff having to undergo a two-week period in quarantine before the tournament gets underway on August 18.Squads
Jamaica Tallawahs
Retained: Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, Glenn Phillips, Chadwick Walton, Oshane Thomas
Signed: Tabraiz Shamsi
Drafted: Sandeep Lamichhane, Carlos Brathwaite, Asif Ali, Fidel Edwards, Preston McSween, Andre McCarthy, Nicholas Kirton, Jeavor Royal, Nkrumah Bonner, Veerasammy Permaul, Ryan PersaudSt Lucia Zouks
Retained: Daren Sammy, Colin Ingram, Andre Fletcher, Kesrick Williams, Obed McCoy, Rahkeem Cornwall, Kavem Hodge
Signed: Rilee Rossouw, Anrich Nortje, Noor Ahmad, Kimani Melius
Drafted: Mohammad Nabi, Chemar Holder, Mark Deyal, Leniko Boucher, Javelle Glen, Saad Bin ZafarTrinbago Knight Riders
Retained: Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Colin Munro, Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Amir Jangoo, Tion Webster, Akeal Hosein, Ali Khan
Signed: Fawad Ahmed, Tim Seifert, Jayden Searles
Drafted: Sikandar Raza, Anderson Phillip, Pravin TambeSt Kitts & Nevis Patriots
Retained: Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Sheldon Cottrell, Rayad Emrit, Alzarri Joseph, Dominic Drakes
Signed: Chris Lynn, Rassie van der Dussen, Sohail Tanvir, Ish Sodhi
Drafted: Ben Dunk, Dennis Bulli, Joshua Da Silva, Colin Archilbald, Jon-Russ Jaggesar, Sunny Sohal
Via transfer: Denesh RamdinBarbados Tridents
Retained: Jason Holder, Harry Gurney, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Hayden Walsh Jr, Ashley Nurse, Jonathan Carter, Raymon Reifer, Justin Greaves
Signed: Rashid Khan, Marcus Stoinis, Nyeem Young
Drafted: Alex Hales, Kyle Mayers, Joshua Bishop, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shayan JayangirGuyana Amazon Warriors
Retained: Imran Tahir, Nicholas Pooran, Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Green, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Odean Smith, Anthony Bramble
Signed: Ross Taylor, Qais Ahmad, Kevin Sinclair
Drafted: Naveen-ul-Haq, Ashmead Nedd, Jessy Singh

FIFA's massive Club World Cup expansion plans are in disarray as questions linger over broadcast rights and players threatening to go on strike.

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FIFA wants a revamped CWC to be held in June 2025Struggling to find broadcasters, venues and sponsorsPlayers' unions have already slapped a lawsuit against FIFAWHAT HAPPENED?

With just nine months remaining until the tournament’s scheduled start in June 2025, several critical issues remain unresolved. These challenges have raised questions about the tournament's viability, with concerns over broadcasting rights, venue selection, and player participation putting FIFA in a precarious position.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

One of the most pressing concerns is the lack of broadcasting deals. According to FIFA initially entered discussions with Apple to secure a global streaming partnership for the Club World Cup. However, the deal fell through, leaving the organisation scrambling to find alternatives. FIFA launched an international tender in July 2024 to attract broadcast sponsors for both the 2025 and 2029 editions of the tournament. Despite this, no bids were submitted by the recent deadline for several major markets, including the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and the MENA region. In response, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has scheduled an emergency meeting with global television executives to spark interest in broadcasting the tournament. But his efforts have not yet yielded results.

FIFA CAN'T LAND A SPONSOR

In addition to the broadcasting dilemma, FIFA has encountered difficulties in attracting sponsors for the 2025 tournament. Sponsors, like broadcasters, are hesitant due to the uncertainty surrounding the venues and training bases, which have yet to be announced. Without these critical details, potential sponsors are unable to gauge the level of exposure and value they would receive from the tournament. FIFA is believed to be pinning its hopes on Saudi Arabia as they hope Riyadh will extend its interest in hosting the club competition.

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FINANCIAL REVENUE TO CLUBS UNDECIDED

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti stated that the revenue FIFA was offering clubs for the entire tournament was equivalent to what some of these teams earn from a single match.

"One of our games is worth twenty million euros, FIFA wants to give us that amount for the entire tournament", Carlo Ancelotti told in early June. "FIFA can forget about it, players and clubs will not participate in that tournament".

However, the manager later clarified that his remarks were misunderstood. Still, though, the clubs still do not have a definite answer from FIFA as to how the governing body intends to generate sufficient revenue to make the competition attractive.

Arsenal came agonisingly close to winning the Premier League title for the second season running this year, only to narrowly miss out in the face of Pep Guardiola's Sky Blue juggernaut.

Mikel Arteta has created an incredibly dynamic and entertaining side in North London, one that could boast the best defensive record in the division.

However, ending the campaign with five goals fewer than Manchester City clearly hurt their title bid.

Edu Gaspar and the board are clearly cognizant of this shortcoming in the squad, as the latest player touted for a move to the Emirates is one of the most exciting forwards in Europe and, as such, could supercharge the team's chief creator, Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal's striker search

According to a recent report from John Cross of the Mirror, Arsenal have maintained their interest in RB Leipzig's star striker, Benjamin Šeško, and have now placed him at the 'top of their wanted list' ahead of the summer.

Cross claims that the Gunners will likely face competition for the 20-year-old's signature in the coming weeks, but the club have been proactive, already making 'overtures and inroads' into the player's camp and informing his agent of their interest.

The story does not mention a price, but a report earlier this month from Simon Collings claimed that the Slovenian international's contract has a release clause worth £55m that's active until the end of June.

It wouldn't be a cheap deal to complete, but if Arsenal can secure the services of the up-and-coming young striker, they should, especially as he could make Odegaard even better.

How Šeško could supercharge Odegaard

It was another brilliant season for Arsenal's captain fantastic this year as he racked up 11 goals and 11 assists in 48 games for the club, but it could have been more.

Appearances

48

Minutes

4053

Goals

11

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.45

Minutes per Goal Involvement

184'

According to Understat, the Norwegian underperformed his Premier League expected assists tally of 11.58 by 1.58, suggesting that he would have been able to provide that bit more with a more clinical striker in front of him.

Moreover, while it's not a dramatic underperformance, he might be attempting fewer killer passes – like the one against Porto – than he would if he was more confident in the finishing ability of the striker ahead of him, which is precisely where Sesko comes in.

According to Understat, the "complete forward," as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, scored 14 goals from an expected figure of just 8.60 in the Bundesliga this season, an impressive overperformance of 5.40 from the young striker.

Now, while he's unlikely to consistently outperform expected goals to this extent for his entire career, the fact he's already scoring more than would be expected of him at such a young age is an auspicious sign, especially when you compare his figures to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus'.

Šeško

8.60

14

Havertz

13.47

13

Jesus

7.29

4

For example, while the German's return of 13 goals from an expected figure of 13.47 is perfectly serviceable, it's not elite, and the Brazilian's return of four goals from an expected figure of 7.29 is simply poor.

That's not to say the two attackers don't bring something else to the table as a starting nine, but when the margins are as close as they are now, the Gunners need a striker up top who they can rely on to finish their chances.

Therefore, while it wouldn't be a cheap deal and may even be a little harsh on their current forwards, Arsenal should do what they can to bring Sesko to the Emirates this summer.

His finishing could make up that two-point gap next season and supercharge Odegaard's assists haul as well.

Arsenal could sign "future £100m" star in potential Ben White repeat

The “generational talent” shares a lot of similarities with the Gunners’ star right-back.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 30, 2024

Says thoughts like forgetting how to “pick line and length” kept him awake at night at times

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2020KL Rahul had moments when he worried he would forget the basics of batting during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. Thoughts of forgetting how to “pick the line and length of the ball” kept him awake at night at times, the India and Kings XI Punjab batsman has said, and his first batting session back was “so bad it was scary”.He found his rhythm in the next few practice sessions, though, which helped him overcome those fears. “Couple of nights, I had nightmares,” Rahul said in an interview with the . “I woke up with the feeling, ‘Oh s**t, what if I can’t pick line and length of the ball? What if I become slower? What if I don’t have the same cover drive as before?’ All these question marks were there. And the first [practice] session didn’t help: all those fears came true. I batted so badly in that session it was scary.ALSO READ: KL Rahul: ‘Aggression for us will be to adapt, not go kaboom from ball one'”Once or twice I did have sleepless nights thinking what if once I get back to playing cricket, I am not the same player. That was a bit scary but luckily, in Bengaluru, we got a few practice sessions and that made me feel good.”

music to my ears @lionsdenkxip pic.twitter.com/m8xim6pchV

— K L Rahul (@klrahul11) August 10, 2020

Before dealing with his fears in the nets, Rahul had to keep laziness at bay at home. In order to keep himself fit during the lockdown, he made a schedule but found it hard to follow initially.”I did get anxious sitting at home,” he said. “My fear was that I would get lazy, so I trained at home during the day. I made a plan for a day and tried to stick to it. But initially, I didn’t bother as I felt I deserved to be lazy and that I can wake up at whatever time I want to. Even if I didn’t train, it was acceptable for me because my body needed that break after years.”Later on, though, I told myself I needed to plan my day, be it doing household work or getting up at a particular time. Most days, I stuck to my plan. I didn’t want to waste my time watching TV. I cooked, walked my dog and designed clothes for my brand.”Rahul, who will be captaining the Kings XI in IPL 2020, last played a competitive match almost six months ago, when he appeared for Karnataka against Bengal in the Ranji Trophy semi-final in Kolkata. On Thursday, along with team-mates he travelled to the UAE, where the players will be undergoing a mandatory six-day quarantine period before starting practice. The IPL starts from September 19 with the final to be played on November 10.

The last week at Chelsea football club has been the definition of a whirlwind, with Todd Boehly looking to find a Mauricio Pochettino successor.

After making the likes of Roberto De Zerbi, Kieran McKenna, and Thomas Frank potential targets, they’ve finally found their man, Enzo Maresca.

The Leicester City coach is expected to become the next boss at Stamford Bridge, with the Italian set to sign a deal until 2029.

So, who could the new boss bring with him?

Chelsea could make their first signing under Maresca

According to a report from the Telegraph, Chelsea are eyeing a move for Crysencio Summerville.

It’s expected that a fee of around £30m should be enough to tempt Leeds into selling their star.

The Leeds United attacker will be at the centre of a bidding war this summer, with plenty of clubs interested in acquiring the youngster.

However, according to a further report from The Sun, it’s Chelsea and Liverpool who are the front runners at this moment in time.

Why Summerville would be perfect for Maresca

It’s been all but confirmed all season that Summerville will be playing in the Premier League next season, even if Leeds stayed in the Championship after failing to earn promotion.

The 22-year-old mainly operates in a left-wing role, starting 41 league matches this season, terrifying the life out of the opposition defenders in the process.

Over these appearances, the Dutch forward scored an impressive 19 goals while also providing nine assists, ending the season as the third-highest goal contributor in the entire division.

Even based on his output alone, it’s clear that the number ten would be an upgrade on Mykhalo Mudryk, who scored five Premier League goals this season from the left wing, but the rest of the statistics prove that as well.

Goals

0.49

0.29

0.30

Shots

3.16

2

2.21

Assists

0.23

0.11

0.15

Key passes

2.88

1.83

1.81

Successful dribbles

2.52

2.23

1.73

Shot-creating actions

6.10

3.43

3.76

Evidently, Summerville is superior to the Ukrainian in every aspect, from being more creative to scoring more goals and taking a far more direct approach in his play.

Under Maresca, it’s demanded that the left-winger not only be able to contribute to goals but also be able to create moments of magic from nothing, something Summerville knows all too well about doing.

Stephy Mavididi has played that role this season at the Foxes, scoring 12 goals and supplying six assists, which just highlights how important the role is in the Italian’s fluid 4-3-3.

When in possession, it’s important that the left-winger is able to dominate 1v1 scenarios while also having the ability to play quick combinations in and around the box. With Mudryk not reaching the statistics of Summerville, clearly an upgrade can be sourced.

The left-back in the system often tucks inside to become a wide centre-half, which means that the majority of the support comes from the left-sided central midfielder, which in Leicester’s case was Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Now, what makes Summerville such a “sensational” star, as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig, is his technical class and speed, which enables him to breeze past opponents in tight spaces and play clever passes, notably registering high dribble, key pass, and his shot-creating actions statistics.

Summerville is far more dangerous in these types of situations than Mudryk and even Mavididi, who excelled under Maresca, which proves how fantastic the right-footed winger could be.

It’s quite clear to see that the Dutchman has the potential to explode, and it seems there’s no better boss to guide him towards success than the 44-year-old Maresca.

Chelsea may have to sell £25m star who's perfect for Enzo Maresca

The Chelsea star is reportedly up for sale this summer.

ByTom Lever May 28, 2024

Chelsea sensation Cole Palmer has been told how to emulate Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in order to earn legendary status.

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Palmer found the back of the net 25 times last seasonAlso started new season brightlyGallas wants Palmer to maintain consistency over a decadeFollow GOAL's official WhatsApp channel!Join nowWHAT HAPPENED?

Palmer's incredible 25 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions during his debut season at Stamford Bridge earned him widespread recognition. He was subsequently rewarded with a European championship call-up by Gareth Southgate and made five appearances for England at the summer tournament, notching a goal in their final defeat to Spain.

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In the early stages of the new Premier League season, Palmer has continued to impress. He provided three assists and scored a goal against Wolves in a 6-2 rout and then followed it up with another assist against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge. This has left former Chelsea defender William Gallas raving about the youngster, who he has challenged to reach the same level as Messi and Ronaldo.

WHAT GALLAS SAID

Speaking to , Gallas said: "Cole Palmer needs to stay at his level. Produce a season like that again. And again. And again. Season after season, that’s what the very best players – the legends – do. Messi and Ronaldo, these guys were the best for almost 15-20 years. It’s remarkable, and that is the standard if you want to be considered the best."

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Achieving such longevity and success in football is no easy task. And Gallas warned that it takes an enormous amount of mental strength and discipline to reach the pinnacle of the sport by maintaining peak performance over a sustained period.

"What Palmer did last season with Chelsea was just incredible," he said. "I want to see him do it again. We’ve seen a lot of players have one season at the top level. The most difficult challenge for players is to stay in that level. To do it takes unbelievable commitment, huge sacrifices. You must live your life like a monk. You must be happy knowing that you’re going to have three weeks in the year to switch off, and then you have to work even harder than the year before. It's not easy to do that. Not many players have the mental resources to deliver that kind of commitment."