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The loyalty, leadership, and pure quality that Heung-min Son has displayed throughout his Tottenham Hotspur career have been remarkable.

Between signing in 2015 for £22m and wearing the armband today, the South Korean has cemented himself as not just a Spurs legend, but one of the Premier League greats.

The number seven has played 408 matches for the Lilywhites, boasting an insane record of 162 goals and 84 assists in the process.

However, not every player can amount to the brilliance of Son, including a certain record signing…

What Spurs paid for Tanguy Ndombele

In the summer of 2019, Spurs’ answer to losing in the 2018/19 Champions League final was to reinforce the midfield.

Tanguy Ndombele was the main target, and he joined the club following an impressive Ligue 1 campaign for Lyon, where he registered eight contributions in 31 starts.

The French midfielder joined for a whopping £55m, signing a six-year deal as he became Spurs’ club record signing, a status he still holds to this day.

The 20 most expensive Tottenham signings of all time

Tottenham Hotspur have never been the biggest spenders in English football, but that doesn’t mean they’re without their expensive arrivals, as we found out.

Initially, Ndombele looked to be a great purchase, as he scored on his debut against Aston Villa and assisted versus Manchester City on his second appearance, but since then, it hasn’t exactly gone according to plan.

Ndombele’s transfer value in 2024

The 27-year-old’s best season in a Spurs shirt occurred during the 2020/21 term, when he featured 33 times in the Premier League, starting 28 of those.

However, three years on, and he’s only made six more league starts since for Tottenham, first joining Napoli on loan and Galatasaray last season.

Unfortunately, Ndombele has been unable to revive his career away from Spurs, starting just eight times in Serie A and only on four occasions in the Turkish Superlig.

In fact, his last start occurred on 15th January, and with his lack of game time over the last few years, a change of environment looks to be the best option.

Tanguy Ndombele

91

Ivan Persisic

50

Ryan Sessegnon

57

Japhet Tanganga

50

Eric Dier

365

Now, according to a report from The Standard, Ndombele may not have a say in the matter, as Spurs are set to release him this summer for free.

It’s mentioned that he looks likely to join Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier, Ivan Perisic, and Japhet Tanganga on the departure list as Daniel Levy aim to complete a squad overhaul.

Over his 91 appearances for Tottenham, Ndombele was often “frustrating,” as journalist Christian Radnedge described him, mainly due to his lack of appropriate attitude.

To think that he cost over two times more than Son, for example, just puts into context how poor of a deal it was from Spurs back in 2019.

There’s no doubt that Ndombele has immense quality, and it’s a shame to see a player with so much potential fail to reach anywhere near his expectations.

The Frenchman's transfer to Spurs will go down as an absolute disaster, especially considering they won't be able to recoup even a single penny of the £55m they once spent on him.

What Spurs' starting lineup could look like after £201m spending spree

Spurs will want to give Postecoglou everything he needs to build a successful side this summer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 9, 2024

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

With Raphael Varane set to leave Manchester United this summer, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reportedly turned his attention to landing a replacement for the Frenchman in a cut-price deal.

Man Utd transfer news

Varane confirmed the news that he would be leaving Manchester United at the end of the season following two years at Old Trafford. The Frenchman at least ended on a high, having started in the Red Devils' shock FA Cup final victory over Manchester City. Running out 2-1 winners, Varane bowed out in the best way possible.

Now, however, those at Old Trafford have turned their attention towards finding a replacement for the former Real Madrid star, with the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite and Antonio Silva already mentioned. Branthwaite, in particular, would be an interesting option given the season that he has just enjoyed at Everton as a clear standout. As the Toffees look to ease financial concerns too, United could swoop in.

Alas, Everton aren't the only club in need of funds. According to Charlie Gordon of the Daily Express, Sporting CP in Portugal need to raise money and Manchester United are considering a move for Ousmane Diomande in a deal that could be worth as little as £35m. What's more, with interest reportedly cooling elsewhere in the Premier League, Ratcliffe should be perfectly placed to land his Varane replacement.

Still just 20 years old and coming off the back of an excellent season in Portugal, Diomande could quickly prove to be the bargain of the summer if United make their move.

"Elite" Diomande can fill Varane void

Whilst Varane's time at Manchester United may go down as what might have been at some points after injury troubles, replacing a World Cup and Champions League winner is still no easy task, but signing Diomande would do exactly that. Described as "elite" by Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig, the central defender can step into the Frenchman's role and more with a move to Old Trafford.

Starts

25

16

Progressive Carries

0.94

1.05

Progressive Passes

5.15

3.86

Tackles Won

1.02

0.72

Ball Recoveries

5.62

4.38

As Ratcliffe looks to finally transform Manchester United into a club capable of competing among the Premier League's very best, signings such as Diomande would go a long way.

The Sporting man ticks the box for his age, potential and current ability, which is particularly important when rebuilding Erik ten Hag's backline, given that Jonny Evans is 36 years old and Harry Maguire is 31. Only time will tell whether Diomande is the man that Ratcliffe turns toward, however, with a number of options linked with a summer move.

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.”

There are not many youth systems in English football as successful as Chelsea’s Cobham academy. In recent years, Chelsea’s academy products have dominated English football, and not just whilst playing at Stamford Bridge.

Some, like Conor Gallagher and Mason Mount, make a major impact at Chelsea, via a loan spell where they hone their skills in a first-team environment. Gallagher is now a key member of Chelsea’s first-team squad, and Mount won the Champions League with his boyhood side, before leaving for Manchester United last summer.

Mount was not the only Cobham product to win the biggest prize in European football in 2021. The likes of Reece James, now club captain, Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi, who now play for Roma and Nottingham Forest respectively, were some of the other Cobham graduates involved in the squad.

Not only do the Blues take British talent and turn them into superstars at Cobham, but they also buy players from further afield. A recent example of this is Charly Musonda, a highly-rated winger who joined Chelsea from Anderlecht in 2012. Sadly, due to injury issues, it did not work out for Musonda at Chelsea, and he now plies his trade in Cyprus for Anorthosis.

However, the west Londoners might have a more recent youngster brought in from outside of Britain, who could turn out to be one of the club's most profitable academy graduates in recent years.

Ian Maatsen’s transfer value in 2024

In 2018, Chelsea signed young left-back Ian Maatsen from PSV Eindhoven’s academy for a fee of just £94k. Since joining the club, Maatsen has managed just 16 appearances and is yet to register a goal involvement.

However, he has been on loan at various clubs, particularly impressing at Burnley last season, where he scored four goals and assisted six in the Championship to help the Clarets get promoted to the Premier League.

Now, Maatsen finds himself on loan at Borussia Dortmund, a move which took place in January and will last until the end of the season. Despite signing a new contract before he departed on loan, Football Insider, believe the Blues are considering selling Maatsen during the summer transfer window.

The rumoured price tag set by Chelsea for Maatsen is £30m. If they managed to get that much money, it would represent excellent profit from the £94k they spent on the Dutchman, a margin of a whopping 31,478%, to be exact.

However, Chelsea’s expectations for Maatsen’s cost might be too high. The "special" talent – as described by Blues writer Tom Overend – is valued at £17m according to Football Observatory, £13m less than what Todd Boehly and Co would allegedly accept for him in the summer.

Ian Maatsen’s season in numbers

Maatsen has had an impressive time of things at Dortmund during his loan spell so far. The 22-year-old has played 18 games, a stint which has yielded four goal involvements, two goals and two assists.

The Netherlands U21 international has been superb in attack for Dortmund and has been tucking into midfield and holding width on the left-hand side at times. He has been a constant creative threat. According to Sofascore, Maatasen has created three big chances in the Bundesliga and averages 0.6 key passes per game.

Chelsea could forget Maatsen by unleashing Cobham's next teen sensation

They aren’t short of upcoming talent

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 17, 2024

Defensively, the left-back has also performed well. As well as being part of five clean sheets in the Bundesliga, Maatsen averages 1.9 tackles per game and an impressive 5.1 ball recoveries per game. This is no surprise, given his pace helps him to make quick recovery runs and win the ball back for his side. On average, the defender also wins 3.2 ground duels per game.

The youthful loanee has developed a good understanding with Dortmund’s left-wingers. Whilst the German outfit do not have a set option out wide, Maatsen has a good partnership with the likes of Karim Adeyemi, Jadon Sancho and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, all options for Dortmund on the left.

It has certainly been a productive loan spell for Maatsen in Germany thus far. He has played a big part in his side reaching the Champions League semi-final, where they will face PSG, and the Dutchman will also have a large role to play as they push for a top-four finish this season.

It remains to be seen whether Dortmund themselves will match Chelsea’s £30m price tag for Maatsen. Regardless, it is a fee that represents great profit for the Blues and can be reinvested to help improve their squad and push them up the table.

MatériaMais Notícias

A derrota do Flamengo para o Red Bull Bragantino passou pela vulnerabilidade da equipe na transição defensiva, um componente que faz Rogério Ceni ligar o alerta para adversários velozes em contragolpes, uma estratégia corriqueira para adversários da equipe. O técnico admitiu que gols na recente derrota por 3 a 2 poderiam ter sido evitados com faltas, “matando jogadas”, mas o time sofreu com a falta de oxigênio nos minutos derradeiros e a não alteração no principal setor de desarmes, a cabeça de área. A perna pesou para voltar.

RelacionadasFlamengoCeni explica apenas uma alteração em derrota do Flamengo e lamenta o time não ter ‘matado jogadas’Flamengo19/06/2021FlamengoVÍDEO: assista ao golaço de bicicleta de Muniz na derrota do Flamengo para o Red Bull BragantinoFlamengo19/06/2021FlamengoATUAÇÕES: Rodrigo Muniz faz dois gols, tem a melhor nota, mas não consegue resolver para o FlamengoFlamengo19/06/2021

– […] Sofremos dois gols de transição, em que poderíamos ter matado a jogada na origem, em que tomamos decisões erradas na construção da jogada, na parte final, e tínhamos condição de ter encurtado mais, para dar tempo de recompor. Há dias que as coisas não acontecem como esperamos. Criamos um bom volume de chance, tivemos defesas importantes do outro lado, tivemos finalizações bem feitas, mais de 20, mas além de fazer dois gols, sofremos algumas transições – analisou Ceni, em entrevista coletiva.

ATUAÇÕES: Muniz faz dois gols, tem a melhor nota mas não consegue resolver

Pela postura corajosa, o RB Bragantino conseguiu finalizar sete vezes dentro da área rubro-negra: um número alarmante para um favorito que estava com o sistema defensivo, além dos dois meio-campistas (Diego e Gerson), titular. Aliás, para a sequência, já é necessário “descobrir” a melhor alternativa para a saída de Gerson, que fará a sua despedida nesta quarta-feira.

Ceni havia falado, anteriormente, que o Fla estava no mercado em busca de reforços para repor a saída do camisa 8 ao Olympique de Marseille. Por ora, sem uma contratação iminente, o treinador admite que é difícil pensar em que o substituirá, já que, fatalmente, o dinamismo da construção meio-ataque terá que ser remodelado.

– É difícil. Para substituir (Gerson) dentro das características nós não temos. Poucos têm essa característica de jogar de costas, pisar na bola, se virar contra um e dois adversários e construir jogo, ter a saúde e a parte física que ele tem, principalmente na construção do jogo. Temos algumas alternativas. Temos o João, que todos conhecem, o Hugo, o Arão para voltar, temos o Thiago Maia… Vamos ter que testar algumas alternativas. No momento, com jogo de três em três dias não dá tempo de testar, a não ser o time que vai iniciar a partida. Então, com o tempo vamos tentar descobrir. Jogar da mesma maneira que ele joga é impossível, mas vamos tentar uma alternativa que nos dê condição de seguir o trabalho – falou o técnico.

No geral, se pegarmos números ofensivos e território de ocupação do Fla contra o Bragantino, o time de Rogério Ceni fez uma partida boa dentro de sua normalidade com a bola nos pés. No entanto, a falta de “pegada” gradual na entrada da área e no meio, que terá que se reinventar sem Gerson em poucos dias, causa preocupação visando à sequência da temporada. Será importante que os três pontos deixados em casa sirvam de lição quanto a esse aspecto.

+ Veja a tabela do Brasileirão

Em tempo:com seis pontos em três jogos, o Flamengo volta a campo pelo Brasileirão nesta quarta-feira, às 19h, para enfrentar o Fortaleza no Maracanã.

The difference between Tottenham Hotspur this season compared to the 2022/23 campaign is absolutely crystal clear.

From the playstyle and approach of the team to the entire atmosphere surrounding the club, it’s an exciting time to be a Spurs fan.

The introduction of Ange Postecoglou is one of the main reasons for this development as a whole, utilising his entire squad to put them in the driving seat of a Champions League spot for next season.

However, the Lilywhites missed out on Europe all together last campaign, with certain individuals costing the club millions despite barely playing.

What Spurs paid for Lucas Moura

During the 2016/17 campaign, Lucas Moura was on fire for French outfit Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 12 goals and providing four assists in 29 starts.

With those performances fresh on the mind, Spurs selected the Brazilian as the best choice winger to cement himself as a key player for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, forking out £25m to acquire his services in January 2018.

It took the speedy ace a while to settle in the Premier League, playing only six times for Spurs in his first campaign. However, Lucas really began to show his true ability in his first full season, scoring ten times across 25 league starts.

Unfortunately, that would go on to be the versatile attacker’s best record in a Spurs shirt, despite giving the club their most memorable moment in recent years.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Lucas Moura’s salary in his final season at Spurs

The 8th of May 2019 will be a date that both Lucas and the Spurs faithful will never forget, with the former PSG ace becoming a “superhero,” as per Pochettino, for his second-half hat-trick, which saw Spurs beat Ajax in the Champions League to send them to the final.

Lucas’ career at Tottenham well and truly peaked at this moment, and because of that match he will always be remembered as a hero at the club, but his final years at Spurs failed to match the standards set after that tie.

The “ridiculous” ace, as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting, dealt with a few injuries over the past two seasons in particular, missing five games in the 2021/22 campaign and eight matches last term due to a calf injury.

This meant that during his final season at the club, before moving to São Paulo last year, Lucas didn’t start a single Premier League game, picking up the same number of red cards as goals, which certainly doesn’t justify being paid £90k-per-week.

Harry Kane

£200k

Heung-min Son

£190k

Ivan Perisic

£180k

Cristian Romero

£165k

Clement Lenglet

£145k

Dejan Kulusevski

£110k

Lloris, Hojbjerg

£100k

Lucas Moura

£90k

Across the campaign, Lucas earned a whopping £4.7m according to Capology, which is nowhere near the highest at the club, but it’s a rather hefty amount for a player who failed to have any positive impact on the team, especially in his final spell.

Despite that famous night in Amsterdam, it’s clear to see that Lucas cost Spurs a great deal more than they hoped for his overall output, especially during last season. Indeed, it was a rather disappointing ending for a player who provided one of Tottenham’s best moments in recent years.

Chris Morris proves his worth at the death with both bat and ball in tight win

Firdose Moonda20-Nov-2019

JJ Smuts celebrates a half-century•MSL

The Nelson Mandela Bay Giants leapfrogged the Cape Town Blitz to the top of the Mzansi Super League (MSL) table with a successful chase of 187 under lights at St George’s Park. The Giants recovered from 4 for 2 after nine balls to win with four balls to spare in dramatic fashion. Chris Morris swung hard at a Sisanda Magala delivery to deep midwicket, where George Linde attempted a diving catch but dropped the ball onto the boundary rope to allow the Giants to complete a record chase at their home ground.Blitz quick out the blocksQuinton de Kock has made more of an impression on this tournament as a captain than a batsman so far but showed glimpses of his destructive potential at St George’s Park. De Kock had to wait 14 balls before he faced a delivery after his opening partner Janneman Malan kept strike early on and he wasted little time showing what he can do. After two balls to get his eye in, de Kock hit back-to-back sixes off the Giants’ best bowler Morris and then 18 runs off Junior Dala’s first over which included three fours and a six. De Kock’s first 31 runs came off 11 balls and he looked set for a fast 50 and more but fell for 39.Morris issues selectors a reminderThe Blitz’s top five all scored 20-plus but their middle and lower order fell away to ensure that the Giants kept them under 190. he Blitz lost 6 for 33 in the last 5.4 overs of their innings and it was Morris who put the squeeze on. His penultimate over cost only two runs and included the wicket of Liam Livingstone, caught at fine leg, and the run-out of Wahab Riaz, who tried to test the arm of Heino Kuhn, to further Morris’ claims on a place in the T20 World Cup squad.Reprieve for Jon-Jon Smuts, twiceA target of 187 needed a strong start which the Giants’ didn’t get and it was left to captain Jon-Jon Smuts to steady the ship and mount a challenge. He managed both but was almost thwarted in his efforts, twice. Smuts was on 16 when he was caught by Greg Mahlokwana at deep backward square leg off Wahab and was walking off the field when the umpires check for the no-ball revealed Wahab had overstepped. He added 15 runs to score and kept the scoring rate above eight an over when he swept Magala to Linde at short fine leg. Linde dived forward to take the catch but wasn’t sure if he had done it cleanly and neither were the umpires. Smuts survived again. His fifty came off 41 balls and he took the Giants to within 37 runs off a win.But not a third timeSmuts was on 73 when he slashed Wahab to backward point where Magala claimed a catch low down. Initially it seemed the umpires were looking at whether the catch was clean but replays focused on whether Wahab had overstepped again. His front foot appeared to be on the line and slid over milliseconds after he landed but the delivery was ruled as fair and Smuts had to go.Dale and Wahab who? Dale Steyn was brought back on mid-innings to break the 46-run fourth-wicket stand between Smuts and Kuhn and he did exactly that. Kuhn miscued a pull shot to midwicket where Asif Ali took the catch. That brought Marco Marais, from the farming town of Stutterheim, to the crease and reputations don’t seem to bother him. Marais cut Steyn behind point for four off the ball he faced and then uppercut Steyn over the third man boundary for six. Then, two balls after Smuts was dismissed, Marais outside-edged Wahab to third man for four before sending him straight down the ground for six to create another of those “remember the name,” moments.

It hasn't been the best of seasons for Newcastle United this year.

Eddie Howe's side have been decimated by a slew of injuries and have struggled to compete domestically and in Europe.

That said, there have been some bright spots for the Toon, notably Swedish striker Alexander Isak, who continues to wow fans and pundits alike.

However, the fan favourite was actually outscored by a former Newcastle flop last year.

Alexander Isak's Newcastle career in numbers

Newcastle signed Isak from La Liga side Real Sociedad in August 2022 for a club-record fee of £63m, and while that's certainly a lot of money, it's been well spent.

Described as a "different level" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the former Borussia Dortmund star took no time at all to get up to speed with life in the Premier League, scoring his first goal for the club on his debut, which just happened to be at Anfield.

While injuries certainly disrupted his first season with the Magpies, a final haul of ten goals and three assists in just 27 games is rather impressive for a striker's first year in the league.

The 24-year-old has had to deal with yet more injury problems this year. However, despite that and the team's overall poor form, the Sweden international has still scored 16 goals in 29 appearances for the club, giving him a seriously impressive average of 0.55 goals per game and fully justifying his hefty £120k-per-week wage.

Season

2022/23

2023/24

Appearances

27

29

Goals

10

16

Assists

3

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.48

0.55

However, as impressive as Isak has been since moving to Tyneside, a former Toon flop actually outscored him last season.

What Yoshinori Muto cost Newcastle

The player in question is Japan international Yoshinori Muto, who joined the Magpies in a £9.5m transfer from Bundesliga side Mainz in the summer of 2018.

The former FC Tokyo ace had a relatively successful spell in Germany, racking up 23 goals and 11 assists for the team in just 72 appearances. Unfortunately for the Toon, he didn't get anywhere near this rate of return in England.

In total, the Setagaya-born attacker, who was earning £54k-per-week at the time, scored just two goals in his 28 appearances for the club, which amounted to a grand total of 943 minutes of football.

After two years of poor performances, he was sent on a season-long loan to Spanish outfit SD Eibar, where he continued to underwhelm, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 28 appearances.

He was finally moved on in 2021 after returning from his loan spell, meaning that he cost the club around £5.6m in wages, or around £15.1m, when his transfer fee is considered.

Therefore, he cost the Magpies a whopping £7.5m-per-goal, £541k-per-appearance, or £16k-per-minute.

Transfer Fee

£9.5m

Total Wages

£5.6m

Total Cost

£15.1m

Appearances

28

Cost per Appearance

£541k

Minutes

943'

Cost per Minute

£16k

Goals

2

Cost per Goal

£7.5m

Yoshinori Muto's record after leaving Newcastle

With how badly his spell in the northeast went, fans might have expected the 5 foot 10 attacker to continue to disappoint at his next club, but that couldn't have been further from the truth.

In all, Muto has scored 23 goals and provided 23 assists in 86 appearances for Vissel Kobe, and his return of 11 goals and 12 assists last season is better than what Isak could muster in black and white, albeit in a much tougher league.

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In the current day, the striker has played two matches in the J-League which has just kicked off, failing to score yet from 129 minutes of action.

Although now performing rather away from St James', signing Muto from Mainz in 2018 proved to be one of Newcastle's worst transfers in recent memory, and one the new ownership probably wouldn't have made.

As things stand, Ipswich Town are on course to secure sensational back-to-back promotions to reach the Premier League under Kieran McKenna. But that success could come at the ultimate cost with a European club now eyeing a move for their impressive manager.

Kieran McKenna's Ipswich future

It's no surprise that McKenna has been linked with a move away. A manager of his calibre, who has transformed Ipswich, is destined for the top. It just seems a matter of when and not if he'll become a top-flight manager, whether that is with Ipswich or elsewhere in years to come.

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Crystal Palace were, of course, reportedly interested in securing his signature to replace Roy Hodgson earlier this year, before eventually turning to former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner. McKenna remained at Portman Road and now looks set to finish the Championship promotion job that he started.

Amid any potential celebrations, however, clubs will undoubtedly begin to circle once more as the manager is left weighing up his options yet again. Among the clubs that could circle is VfB Stuttgart, who have enjoyed an excellent Bundesliga campaign so far this season. But, like Ipswich, Stuttgart's success could come at a managerial cost, with Sebastian Hoeness already linked with the Bayern Munich job.

Now, according to Sport Bild via Sport Witness, Director of Football Fabian Wohlgemuth and Stuttgart have placed McKenna on their shortlist of options to replace Hoeness should they need to this summer. Given that Hoeness has taken the Bundesliga club from 16th all the way up to third this season and just four points adrift of Bayern Munich, he would be some act to follow. But McKenna has more than proven his credentials at Portman Road.

In a summer of mass managerial change, McKenna could complete a shock switch to deal Ipswich a major blow.

Ipswich can't afford to lose McKenna

It almost goes without saying just how vital it is that Ipswich keep hold of McKenna for as long as possible. He has been the key to their recent rise and he is the one who is most likely to unlock the Premier League doors sooner rather than later. If Ipswich do fail in their bid for promotion, however, then luring McKenna away should be far easier, given his own ambitions of managing at the best level.

Stuttgart are an ideal next choice too. Whilst on paper, they may seem an unorthodox choice, Stuttgart's rise isn't dissimilar to that of Ipswich's, who also went from a struggling side to one of their division's best teams under the guidance of a young manager. Now, McKenna is perfectly placed to pick up where Hoeness potentially leaves off this summer, should Stuttgart need to make their move.

What's more, the Ipswich Town manager's preferred system also uses a 4-2-3-1 like Honess' does in another concerning similarity for those at Portman Road hoping to keep the man who has already achieved so much at the club. As things stand, McKenna's future is at Ipswich, but if Stuttgart are in need ot a new manager this summer, then the promotion hopefuls will have every right to be concerned.