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He powered Perth Scorchers to their highest BBL score with an unbeaten 93 as Brisbane Heat fell short by 34 runs

Tristan Lavalette11-Jan-2020A belligerent Mitchell Marsh powered Perth Scorchers to their highest BBL score and an important 34-run victory over Brisbane Heat at Perth Stadium.After electing to bat, the Scorchers captain took advantage of a batting paradise with an astounding 41-ball unbeaten 93 highlighted by eight sixes to energise the Scorchers faithful. Marsh, who notched his highest BBL score, dominated a 124-run partnership with Cameron Bancroft (41*) to lift the home side to a mighty 3 for 213.In reply, Tom Banton hit a rapid 55 but lacked support as the Scorchers easily won for just the fourth time from 12 attempts at Perth Stadium. It was their second straight victory over Heat in as many weeks.Pattinson struggles amid Scorchers flurryAustralian Test fast bowler James Pattinson had a tough BBL season debut when a pumped-up Josh Inglis cracked his first ball to the boundary in a sign of things to come. Pattinson’s struggles forced captain Chris Lynn to turn to in-form spinner Zahir Khan in the third over, but Inglis – who hit six boundaries in his first 12 deliveries – was unperturbed as he pounced on uncharacteristically loose bowling.Inglis looked unstoppable until he tamely chipped back to Josh Lalor. Inglis’ exit meant a return of Pattinson, but his horror start continued when Max Bryant dropped a sharp chance at backward point to reprieve Sam Whiteman in the fifth over.After a sedate start, Liam Livingstone found his groove and attacked Zahir in the sixth over to cap off an outstanding Powerplay for the Scorchers, where they amassed 63 runs.Ben Laughlin deceived Whiteman with a slower delivery as Heat dried the runs. But with big-hitters Livingstone and Marsh at the crease, Scorchers appeared well poised at 2 for 87 in ten overs.Marsh eviscerates HeatHeat clawed back when a frustrated Livingstone ungainly fell to a Zahir full toss, as the contest tightened in the middle overs. Scorchers failed to score a boundary for six overs with Marsh and Bancroft content on knocking the ball around on the wide expanses of Perth Stadium.Marsh ended the drought in the 14th over when he clubbed a Laughlin short delivery into the crowd to signal his intentions. He set his sights on a returning Pattinson in the 16th over with two sixes to further dent the big quick’s grim figures. He finished with figures of 0 for 52 from 4 overs.Bancroft joined the party with several lusty blows to expose Heat’s lack of bowling depth. Marsh was dropped by Banton on 54 and made them pay with an outrageous flick into the crowd off Lalor in the 19th over, followed by another six.Marsh then outdid himself with three successive sixes off Laughlin to complete the innings in style and ensure Scorchers easily beat their previous highest BBL score of 7 for 203.Heat lose wickets around aggressive BantonHeat needed a flyer and Banton got them rolling with a slew of boundaries off Scorchers’ fast bowlers. His most astounding shot was a premeditated ramp shot off Jhye Richardson in the fourth over to fuel hope. But his partner Bryant couldn’t get going and holed out moments later to bring Lynn to the crease.Marsh unsuccessfully tried Fawad Ahmed inside the Powerplay with the spinner leaking 19 runs, marked by a towering six from Lynn over long-off. The partnership menaced until Lynn holed out to a brilliant catch from a sliding Livingstone to put the onus on Banton.Straight after the Powerplay, Joel Paris, who replaced youngster Matthew Kelly in the team, claimed Matt Renshaw as Scorchers continued to chip away. Banton proved a thorn and brought up his half-century with a crunching straight drive off Marsh, but fell shortly after when he skied a return catch to Chris Jordan. His dismissal left Heat 4 for 89 at the halfway point with their faint hopes slipping away.Party time for ScorchersAfter his tough start, Ahmed bowled much better in the middle overs to shackle Heat, who did not score a boundary for five overs. Ben Cutting needed to hit top gear immediately but couldn’t get going.He had a reprieve in the 15th over when Cameron Green dropped a sitter and then smashed a six next ball. But Cutting’s luck ended when he hit straight to backward square leg to effectively end the contest.The back-end was party time for Scorchers on the disco themed night at Perth Stadium, as the Heat’s three-game winning streak ended.

Ange Postecoglou has certainly been backed throughout the first season of his Tottenham Hotspur tenure and that looks set to be the case once again this summer, when the Lilywhites could make their move to sign another defensive target.

Tottenham transfer news

The headlines were centred around Harry Kane and his departure to Bayern Munich last summer, but this time around, Spurs will be hoping to grab the spotlight for their incomings. With that said, the North London club have already been linked with several impressive moves, including for the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who has starred in the Championship this season with Leicester City, and Joshua Zirkzee, who has enjoyed a recent rise at Bologna.

A number of moves may well depend on Spurs' ability to attract players, especially if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season. As things stand, they sit three points behind Aston Villa with a game in hand. With 10 games to go, Postecoglou's summer ambitions hang in the balance, as he looks to finish his first season in North London on the biggest high possible.

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One move that is unlikely to depend on Champions League football, however, is one for Gleison Bremer, who Spurs were linked with earlier this season. According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Spurs have now been offered the chance to sign Bremer this summer, having been contacted via intermediaries in what is a boost for Postecoglou and co.

The Juventus man is reportedly keen on a fresh start in English football after struggling to continue his rise since moving to Juventus in 2022.

Any deal won't come cheap though, with Bremer's release clause sitting in excess of £50m and with Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle all offered the same chance as Spurs ahead of the summer window. So, it certainly looks likely to be a busy race for the defender's signature this summer.

"Complete" Bremer needs Juventus exit

Winning Serie A's defender of the year in 2022, Bremer more than earned his move to Juventus from Torino. But since then, he has struggled to make the same impact. Now 27 years old, the Brazilian may need a summer move to get back to his best and Spurs could represent the perfect option to do just that.

Given Micky van de Ven's injury struggles and Cristian Romero's occasional moment of madness, the Lilywhites would be wise to sign another central defender this summer and Bremer has proved that he has more than enough ability to keep up with the aforementioned duo.

Progressive Passes

90

69

126

Blocks

30

12

30

Interceptions

35

13

34

Tackles Won

34

22

32

Aerial Duels Won

81

24

53

Whilst £50m+ is a hefty deal to finance, Spurs need to keep up with the rest of the Premier League's top six, meaning they could be pursuing such deals this summer for Postecoglou. It's a move that Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig will be keeping an eye on, that's for sure, having dubbed Bremer the "complete package" back in 2021. Now, we could soon see that "complete package" in the Premier League.

Bowling coach expects team to adopt a ‘horses for courses’ approach to choose between Ashwin and Jadeja

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-2019Jasprit Bumrah’s injured back might not require surgery “as of now”, according to India bowling coach Bharat Arun. India’s fast bowling spearhead is, however, unlikely to play a part in the remainder of India’s home season, which features limited-overs series against Bangladesh, West Indies and Sri Lanka over the next three months.Earlier in October, Bumrah visited the UK with the National Cricket Academy’s chief physiotherapist Ashish Kaushik, and consulted specialists to treat the back problem. The BCCI hasn’t made public the nature of Bumrah’s problem, except saying in a press release that the injury was “minor”.ALSO READ: ‘Is it Ashwin and Jadeja or Jadeja and Ashwin?'”Fast bowling is an unnatural activity. Despite our best efforts there can be no guarantees. We expect Bumrah to be back sooner than later, hopefully in time for the New Zealand Test series that is our next big challenge,” Arun told the . “As of now, he doesn’t need surgery.”Bumrah’s absence hasn’t affected the performance of India’s fast bowling group, though, with Umesh Yadav stepping up to join Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma to form a solid combine against South Africa in the recent Test series.Arun, who has been working with the bowlers since 2015, was particularly impressed with Umesh’s comeback – he picked up 11 wickets in two Tests, a majority of those a reward for attacking the stumps.”He’s strong and quick and now he is bowling in better channels, making the batsman play around the off stump,” Arun said. “He’s got reverse swing, has a nasty short ball. He and Shami, who is fast, accurate and dangerous, are a potent combination.”Arun also conceded that there might be no immediate end in sight to the battle between R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to be the No. 1 Test spinner. Chances are the team management will go in for a “horses for courses” approach should they have to pick just one of the two.While their performances have been neck-and-neck with the ball, the team management has in the past considered Jadeja’s batting and fielding contributions as a valuable add-on, especially overseas.”He’s among the best spinners in the world, top class, and is approaching 400 Test wickets,” Arun said of Ashwin. “In fact, Ashwin went to England and Australia as our No. 1 spinner and then ran into fitness issues. Ravindra Jadeja grabbed his chance, giving us control with the ball, solidity with the bat and fielding brilliantly.”Away from home, if we have to pick one of the two in the eleven, it will be horses for courses looking at the conditions and the opposition. Then we have Kuldeep Yadav who picked five with his wrist spin in his last Test, in Sydney. We have an embarrassment of riches.”

Tottenham Hotspur landed a terrific creative midfielder last summer when they decided to swoop for impressive England international James Maddison.

The dynamic number ten had been relegated to the Championship with Leicester City and Spurs took advantage of that to secure a deal for his services ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Ange Postecoglou has got him firing in the Premier League this season with a return of three goals, six assists, and seven 'big chances' created in 14 appearances so far.

The former Norwich City starlet has finally filled the creative void that has been there since Christian Eriksen left the club to join Italian giants Inter in January 2020.

Spurs did, however, come close to signing a perfect replacement for the Denmark international shortly before his official departure from North London, as they fumbled a swoop for Bruno Fernandes.

When Spurs almost signed Bruno Fernandes

The Lilywhites identified the Portuguese dynamo as a target to bolster their options in midfield during the summer of 2019 and made a bid for his services.

Sporting president Frederico Varandas confirmed that Tottenham came in with an offer for the impressive dynamo but it was not enough to convince them to part ways with their star player.

He claimed that the English side submitted a bid of €65m (£55m) but that €20m of that came as add-ons, which would only be activated if Spurs won the Premier League and the Champions League.

Varandas, who was well within his right to do so, believed that these add-ons were too difficult to achieve and, as a result, decided to reject the offer.

The Standard, who covered the Sporting chief's comments, added that Spurs were looking at Fernandes as Eriksen's future at the club was uncertain at that time.

Although the Denmark international stayed at the club for another five months in the end, Daniel Levy fumbled the perfect replacement for the former Ajax star.

Eriksen departed in January of that season and it took Spurs over three years to find another mercurial playmaker to spearhead their midfield in the form of Maddison.

Meanwhile, Fernandes has gone on to become a star in the Premier League for another team and, arguably, better than the Danish maestro.

Bruno Fernandes' Premier League emergence

The Portugal international finally earned his move to the English top-flight in January 2020, the same window Eriksen moved to Inter, as Manchester United snapped him up from Sporting.

Sky Sports reported that the Red Devils agreed a £46.6m deal that could rise to £68m including add-ons, which suggests that they offered the Portuguese side more realistic add-ons to make the move worthwhile for Varandas.

Since his move to Old Trafford, Fernandes has emerged as a star in the Premier League with his outstanding performances as both a scorer and a creator of goals from an attacking midfield position.

Like Eriksen, the 29-year-old maestro is not blessed with phenomenal pace or impressive physicality but he has the technical ability to consistently punish teams in the final third.

In four years at United so far, Fernandes has racked up an eye-catching 47 goals and 37 assists in 147 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils. That is a return of one goal contribution every 1.75 games on average, which speaks to how consistent he has been at the top end of the pitch.

Interestingly, the experienced whiz has produced a staggering 48.4 Expected Assists (xA) in the top-flight during that period, which suggests that his teammates have let him down at times in front of goal with their wasteful finishing.

Had his fellow attackers performed as expected, the United star would have 48 assists to go along with his 47 goals, and that would be a return of one goal or assist every 1.55 outings on average.

Appearances

23

Goals

Three

Assists

Five

Big chances created

12

Key passes per game

3.1

Stats via Sofascore

Fernandes, who was once hailed as "sensational" by Red Devils legend Paul Scholes, has been in impressive form for the club so far in the Premier League this season, as you can see in the table above with his constant creativity.

Overall, it is clear to see that the former Sporting magician has taken the Premier League by storm over the last four years and been a huge success for United, with his ability to score goals and create chances at an exceptional rate.

Christian Eriksen's Premier League career

You could argue that Fernandes has forged a more impressive career in the top-flight of English football than the man he could have once replaced at Spurs, and is now teammates with at Old Trafford.

Eriksen has made 280 appearances in the Premier League throughout his time in England with Tottenham, Brentford, and Manchester United, and contributed with 54 goals and 80 assists.

That is a return of one goal or assist every 2.09 matches on average across those three spells, which means that he has provided quality in the final third less frequently than Fernandes has during his career in the division.

Interestingly, Eriksen has produced 59.12 xA in the Premier League since the start of the 2014/15 campaign and been rewarded with 71 assists, having registered nine assists and seven goals in 25 games in the 2013/14 season.

Had his teammates performed as expected in front of goal, the Danish gem would have 54 goals and 59 assists in 255 games in the league since the summer of 2014, which is one goal contribution every 2.26 appearances on average.

Appearances

15

Goals

One

Assists

One

Big chances created

One

Key passes per game

0.9

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 32-year-old gem has struggled to make a consistent impact as a scorer or a creator for United in the division so far this season, as Fernandes has established himself as the main man for United in that regard.

In conclusion, Spurs made a huge blunder in the summer of 2019 when they failed to present Sporting with a worthwhile offer that included realistic add-ons, and the Red Devils have benefitted from their mistake.

Tottenham could have signed a dream replacement and, based on their respective statistics, a big upgrade on Eriksen had they signed the gem, who is now a £68m-rated Premier League star.

Promotion-chasing Gloucestershire dismiss the hosts for 221 before limping to 87 for 4 in reply

Jon Culley at New Road16-Sep-2019Gloucestershire 87 for 4 (Barnard 3-16) trail Worcestershire 221 (Wessels 72, Higgins 4-55) by 134 runs
Only Leicestershire have endured a longer exile from county cricket’s first division than two of the contenders for promotion this year. Gloucestershire and Glamorgan were both relegated in 2005, the last season of three up and three down before it was decided that the clubs in the upper tier should feel a little more secure.The converse of that has been an increased degree of difficulty for the teams trying to make the transition in the opposite direction. Clearly, the change has disadvantaged this trio in particular, in which case Gloucestershire, in third place going into the final two rounds, will feel they ought not to miss the opportunity.They meet second-placed Northamptonshire at Bristol next week, which might yet have one promotion place riding on it depending on how the table looks in a few days. Win this one first, however, with Northamptonshire and another contender, Durham, locking horns at Wantage Road, and the prize could be within touching distance.Momentum is said to count for a good deal at this stage of the season and although they were beaten by Sussex last week, Gloucestershire had won three matches in a row before that one. They defeated Worcestershire by 13 runs in a thrilling finish at Cheltenham in July, a result which ended any lingering hope that Worcestershire themselves might still sneak into the race.Yet after an opening day largely dominated by seamers under a cloudy sky, Gloucestershire had control for a while only to have it taken from them in a difficult final session in which Ed Barnard undermined them three times by taking wickets with the last ball of an over. Any optimistic notions entertained in the visitors’ dressing room that the home side might have been distracted in their anticipation of defending their Vitality Blast crown at Edgbaston on Saturday, a date that Gloucestershire had pencilled into their diary before Derbyshire surprised them in the quarter-final at Bristol, proved without foundation.Gloucestershire’s bowlers had given them the upper hand in the first session, delayed by one hour after a damp morning, to the extent that when Ben Cox was out four overs after lunch, falling to the second of two fine catches by Tom Smith at third slip, Worcestershire were 71 for 5. Ryan Higgins, the allrounder whose runs and wickets are a large element of why his side are in contention, had taken three, going round the wicket to pin the left-handed Hamish Rutherford leg before and two balls later bringing one back sharply to bowl Alex Milton, who shouldered arms.Without Moeen Ali, taking time out to nurse some minor “niggles” ahead of Saturday, Worcestershire’s often fragile batting appeared in danger of caving in rather rapidly.That they did not was down to Riki Wessels, whose approach to batting is consistently to attack. It comes off less frequently in the red-ball game than it did in white-ball cricket in his pomp but on this occasion it did, bringing him a 58-ball half-century and 72 off 89 deliveries before, attempting the reprise the slog-sweep that had brought him six off Higgins earlier, he found Ben Charlesworth on the square-leg boundary.After a brief experiment opening, Wessels is back in the middle order and looks more comfortable there. His sixth-wicket partnership with Barnard (30) gave the innings some substance. With the game evolving quickly, Gloucestershire had their three bowling points – their first objective – in the 48th over, but Joe Leach and Adam Finch built on the impetus provided by Wessels enough to ensure it was the basis of a genuine recovery. Higgins, with 4 for 55, had been Worcestershire’s most dangerous opponent with the ball. Shannon Gabriel, the West Indian Test fast bowler brought in for the final push, proved as ineffective as he had against Sussex.The downside for Gloucestershire of bowling the home side out by tea was two hours of batting in light that did not really brighten until the last throes. James Bracey and Chris Dent weathered the new-ball threat but when Barnard came into the attack as first change, he immediately broke through as Bracey was caught behind and Dent edged to third slip.Mitchell took his first Championship wicket of the season by having Smith leg before and Barnard combined again with Cox to leave Gloucestershire four down for 56, before Gareth Roderick and Charlesworth survived until the close.Umpire Nick Cook, who was suffering from a sore knee, was replaced by Mike Burns mid-way through the afternoon session.

Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakadza has written to sports minister Kirsty Coventry to ask for “urgent intervention” after Zimbabwe Cricket’s suspension by the ICC. Masakadza’s letter follows similar communication from women’s captain Mary-Anne Musonda, who had asked the minister to step in and resolve the apparent impasse between Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) and the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).While it was the ICC’s perception of government interference that initially lead to Zimbabwe’s suspension, the leaders of both senior national teams have openly called for the government to step in directly to resolve the situation.The ICC has ruled that the “unconditional” reinstatement of ousted chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani’s board is required to end the suspension, and both Masakadza and Musonda have thrown their weight behind this solution.”It is important to note that ICC, as the world cricket governing body, has made its ruling and at this stage it is pointless to argue whether they were right or not,” Masakadza wrote in a letter addressed to Coventry.”We implore you to get the SRC to give the game a chance and reinstate the recently-elected ZC board,” Musonda had written in her letter to Coventry. “Police action, anti-corruption action all that can always be done while we are playing and those found on the wrong side can then be arrested. As for now only one decision needs to be made: reinstatement.”The captains’ letters follow the statement from the SRC earlier this week, in which it insisted that it was up to ZC to ensure an end to the suspension, and that “SRC and the interim committee are not required to do anything” in terms of the ICC’s directive.”The SRC expresses its total confidence in the ability and willingness of the suspended Board members of ZC in ensuring for an outcome that is in the best interests of Zimbabwe’s cricket, particularly the players themselves, in the shortest time possible,” SRC’s statement had said, leaving the situation deadlocked as it placed responsibility for action on Mukuhlani and his board.Masakadza detailed the “catastrophic” effects of Zimbabwe’s suspension, emphasising the human cost of the sanctioning and warning of the dire consequences for cricket in the country should Zimbabwe not comply with the ICC’s directive. He also bemoaned the power struggle that has put Zimbabwe in this position, and hinted at a rift within the national team.”At this stage the whole issue has regrettably been reduced to a contest of who has the strongest argument or who has the power, when what is at stake are human lives and the very future of the game.”I wish to have it on record that our meeting last week was the first official communication by the Zimbabwe senior men’s team since the suspension of the ZC board by the SRC. I am doing this because it has come to my attention that there are some players who have been making statements saying they are speaking on behalf of the team. Their actions are divisive and in fact compromised change-room harmony during our tour of Netherlands and Ireland,” he wrote.Masakadza added that he would like to “dissociate the team from the actions of those players who were seen at the ICC meeting in London,” adding weight to a rumour that at least two players tried to talk directly to the ICC at their board meeting.While the Zimbabwean players who agreed to speak to ESPNcricinfo about Masakadza’s letter – on condition of anonymity – were united in their desire to be able to play cricket for Zimbabwe again as soon as possible, the response to the full contents of this letter was mixed.One player said that Masakadza’s comments about division did not fully represent what the squad felt, while another suggested that many were not even aware of the contents of a letter that Masakadza said was written on their behalf.Another said that whatever was in the letter, Masakadza was simply trying to act to get Zimbabwean cricket back on its feet and that many players agreed with most of the contents of the letter. Masakadza himself had not responded to ESPNcricinfo’s request for a comment on the letter at the time of publication.

MatériaMais Notícias

O jovem Mikael anotou mais um tento na temporada atual na partida do último domingo, no empate entre Sport e Santa Cruz por 1 a 1 pelo Campeonato Pernambucano. O jogador já fez três gols em apenas quatro partidas como titular na temporada atual. O atleta falou sobre esse bom momento na carreira.

‘Estou muito feliz pelo gol e pelas oportunidades que venho tendo nessa temporada. Tenho conseguido pegar ritmo de jogo, fazer atuações consistentes e pegar confiança. Vou continuar trabalhando forte no dia a dia para poder cada vez mais ajudar o Sport agora na nova temporada. 2021 será importante para mim. É uma honra muito grande poder marcar em um clássico e espero que nas próximas vezes possamos vencer também’, contou.

Com três gols, o atacante de apenas 21 anos marcou 60% dos gols do time nesta temporada. Sendo eles justamente nas últimas três partidas da equipe pernambucana. Sua boa fase rendeu elogios do técnico Jair Ventura, em coletiva de imprensa realizada após a partida.

‘O Mikael tem um futuro promissor. É um “9” de muita força, que tem uma patada de esquerda como poucos. É um menino ainda que está em formação. Na nossa análise é um jogador que tem um futuro brilhante pela frente e por isso que está no Sport. Veio tendo algumas oportunidade no final, ainda tem um pouco de dificuldade de se manter nos 90 minutos, sai hoje cansado, é um menino, uma situação que temos que evoluir. Mas tem um potencial enorme, faz a parede como poucos, se movimenta, tem uma canhota invejável e com certeza vai ser um dos grandes jogadores do Sport’, disse o treinador.

Mikael teve sua quarta oportunidade como titular em seis jogos do Sport na temporada, o jogador também respondeu aos comentários do técnico.

‘Só tenho a agradecer a ele pelas palavras e por acreditar no meu trabalho. Ele é um cara que o grupo todo respeita. Treino duro todos os dias para ter essas chances em campo e para poder desempenhar o meu melhor. O Sport ainda tem muito a evoluir na temporada e tenho certeza que o caminho das vitórias vai chegar’, disse.

O Sport volta a entrar em campo já nesta quarta-feira, para encarar o 4 de Julho-PI, em mais um confronto válido pela Copa do Nordeste. A partida está marcada para às 18h (Horário de Brasília), na Ilha do Retiro.

Wolves star Pedro Neto is reportedly expecting to be given a chance to leave the club this summer, with Jorge Mendes thought to be lining up potential replacements for the Portugal ace.

Neto played a key role as Wolves booked an FA Cup third-round replay against Brentford on Friday night despite a numerical disadvantage, with Gary O'Neil's side finding a leveller midway through the second half thanks to Tommy Doyle, Neto being the architect.

Even though Neto missed around two months of action with a hamstring issue (Transfermarkt), it's still probably fair to say that he's been Wolves' outstanding player this term.

Remarkably, despite the fact that he's been limited to 12 appearances, only Arsenal's Bukayo Saka (11) and West Ham's James Ward-Prowse (10) have set up more goals than his nine in all competitions (Opta).

His tally of seven in the Premier League ranks him fourth across Europe's top five divisions (FBref), and much of his creative threat stems from his ability to find space out wide and deliver dangerous balls into the box. Only Newcastle's Kieran Trippier (2.9) and Luton's Alfie Doughty (2.2) have averaged more accurate crosses per game than Neto (2.1). His dribbling adds another dimension to his game, with the Portuguese sitting sixth for successful take-ons per match (WhoScored).

Neto plans Wolves exit

The only problem with performances like these is that they're bound to attract attention from elsewhere and strengthen Neto's belief that he's ready to step up to a higher level with a team competing in Europe.

Indeed, Sky Sports reporter Johnny Phillips now says that "Neto is expecting [the] chance to leave" Molineux this summer, with super-agent Jorge Mendes already "lining up options". Based on his form, that will be a long and enviable list.

Neto already offered Wolves hope

Wolves set a new club record for a departure in the summer when Matheus Nunes joined Manchester City for £53m (Sky Sports), and that deal may offer something of a benchmark here as the big boys come knocking again, though Diogo Jota's £45m switch to Liverpool in 2020 (BBC Sport) may be seen as more directly comparable given his position.

One way we can estimate how much Wolves will receive is to assess the state of the market. Neto is 23 years old, under contract until 2027 and a five-cap Portugal international (Transfermarkt) – all of which will enhance his value. If you're Wolves, you could easily argue that Neto is comparable in status to Antony and Mykhailo Mudryk, two young wingers who joined Manchester United and Chelsea for £82m and £88.5m respectively last season.

There's no doubt that it would be a big blow to lose Neto, but he offers evidence that Wolves should be able to cope. When Jota left in 2020, he took on a greater role in the side, stepping up from nine Premier League starts to 30 and helped mitigate the impact of his compatriot's exit by reaching 11 direct goal contributions.

Wolves will be aware of the cyclical nature of the transfer landscape by now, so if and when Neto leaves, it will be all about delivering another worthy replacement.

The January transfer window is fast approaching and Liverpool could be in the market to improve the forward areas of their playing squad.

Jurgen Klopp's side are currently top of the Premier League and will remain there unless Arsenal pick up all three points against West Ham United on Thursday.

The Reds have enjoyed a terrific start to the 2023/24 campaign and are well on course to be in the mix to secure the title at the end of the season.

This has come off the back of a disappointing term last year as they failed to qualify for the Champions League with a fifth-placed finish.

They are now back to their best and look set to be in contention to win the title ahead of the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Manchester City.

Liverpool rumoured forward targets for January	Latest update
Kenan Yildiz	20th December
Momodou Sonko	16th December
Maximilian Beier	11th December
Kyanno Silva	8th December
Kylian Mbappe	1st December

The German head coach could give his team a boost ahead of the second half of the season by securing a deal for reported transfer target Federico Chiesa, who could be a dream rival for Luis Diaz's position in the side.

Liverpool transfer news – Federico Chiesa

It was recently reported by TuttoJuve that the Reds are one of a number of teams interested in a possible swoop to sign the Italy international in 2024.

The outlet claimed that Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Arsenal were all keen on the exciting attacker during the summer transfer window.

They all remain interested in the Juventus whiz and have 'broken through the ground' ahead of a potential move for him in January or at the end of the campaign.

The report stated that offers could come in from the aforementioned Premier League sides after the European Championships in Germany next summer, where Chiesa could be on show for Italy.

It could result in offers within the region of €80m (£69m) and Juventus would need to evaluate any formal bids should they come in for him next year.

However, there is no guarantee that the Serie A giants would be prepared to cash in on him and it could, therefore, be a difficult deal for the Reds to complete.

If they are able to beat off competition from the likes of Arsenal, Newcastle, and Spurs, though, then Chiesa could be a fantastic addition to the squad to act as a rival for Diaz's position on the left side of Klopp's attack.

Luis Diaz's season in numbers

The Colombia international registered his first Premier League assist of the campaign with a clever flick for Diogo Jota to smash in the second against Burnley on Tuesday night.

Diaz has produced three goals, one assist, and one 'big chance' created in 18 league appearances, 13 of which have come as a starter.

The forward has not been at his best this season and that is understandable when you consider that his father was kidnapped. Thankfully, his dad has since been returned to his family but it has been a difficult period for the attacker off the pitch.

He currently ranks within the bottom 15% of Premier League wingers and attacking midfielders for Expected Assisted Goals (xAG) with 0.12 per 90, and this is one area in which the talented ace could look to improve over the coming weeks and months.

However, the forward does rank within the top 17% for non-penalty goals xG (0.31) per 90 and this shows that the exciting gem is getting himself into excellent positions to score.

Finding consistency in the final third is the next task for Diaz as he struggled to deliver a reliable stream of goals and assists from the left wing last term.

The 26-year-old whiz managed four goals and two assists in 17 top-flight appearances throughout the 2022/23 campaign and ranked within the bottom 45% of his positional peers for xAG (0.14) per 90.

This means that the Liverpool forward has produced seven goals and three assists in 35 Premier League matches since the start of last season.

Diaz also ranks within the bottom 49% and the top 46% for progressive passes (3.77) and progressive carries (3.40) respectively in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days.

These statistics show that the Colombian ace has not been an outstanding performer for the Reds as a progressive force, a goalscorer, or as a creator over the last 18 months or so.

This suggests that Liverpool could benefit from bringing in another left-sided attacker who could either come in as an upgrade on Diaz or provide fierce competition for his place to drive both players to up their performances on the pitch in order to nail down the position.

The statistics that show why Liverpool should sign Chiesa

Chiesa has been in impressive form for Juventus and could be a dream rival for the left wing spot if Klopp can secure his services in January, or next summer.

The 26-year-old dynamo, who former Italian forward Antonio Di Natale once lauded as "unpredictable", has produced five goals and one assist in 15 Serie A appearances so far this term.

Last term, the former Fiorentina star racked up two goals, five assists, and four 'big chances' created in 21 league outings, despite only being a starter in six of those matches. This was alongside one goal and one assist in three Europa League outings for the Old Lady.

Most similar players to Chiesa over last 365 days (via FBref)
Player	Rank
Bryan Mbuemo	1
Alexis Sanchez	2
Omar Marmoush	3
Sheraldo Becker	4
Rodrygo	5

Chiesa also caught the eye for Italy in two European Championship qualifiers in November as he plundered two goals and created one 'big chance' in two appearances.

Over the last 365 days, the Juventus star ranks within the top 5% of forwards in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for shot-creating actions (4.06) per 90. He also ranks within the top 2% for progressive carries (4.64) per 90 in that time.

These statistics suggest that the Liverpool target has the quality to drive his team up the pitch with multiple carries per match to get at the opposition and into the final third. When he is at the top end of the pitch the right-footed wizard also has the ability to make something happen, as evidenced by his shot-creating actions per 90.

Therefore, Chiesa could come in and provide Diaz with real competition for his place and both players could motivate each other to improve and give Klopp a nice selection headache on the left flank.

Arsenal are thought to be leading the race for an in-demand target in the New Year, according to a fresh report.

Arsenal transfer news

The Gunners find themselves in a solid position in the Premier League table as we approach the halfway stage of the campaign and can return to the top of the league standings with a win over West Ham on Thursday evening.

Sporting director Edu, who works together with manager Mikel Arteta, could look into new signings with the January transfer window just around the corner to bolster their squad for the season half of the season. A new forward appears to be on the to-do list in 2024, with a number of targets being linked.

Arsenal's rumoured striker targets for January

Latest update

Ivan Toney

20/12/2023

Boulaye Dia

16/12/2023

Dusan Vlahovic

23/11/2023

Marcos Leonardo

24/11/2023

Santiago Gimenez

28/10/2023

However, despite the Gunners having the joint-best defence in the league, a new centre-back has also been rumoured to join. Recent reports have claimed that Arsenal are preparing to trigger the release clause in the contract of Sporting CP star Goncalo Inacio, and a new development has now emerged.

Sport Witness relayed an update from Portugal regarding Arsenal and Inacio in the last 48 hours, claiming it is the Gunners who are in fact leading the race for the centre-back. The Gunners are ‘best positioned’ to win the race for Inacio and are well-placed to ‘advance for the signing’ ahead of January, with any deal needing to be his €60m (£52.1m) release clause.

There is plenty of interest in Inacio, though, with rivals Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool also keen on the Portuguese star.

Inacio compared to Gabriel and Saliba

Inacio, who football talent scout Jacek Kulig described as "complete", is just 22 years of age but already boasts a wealth of senior experience for Sporting. The player has made 145 senior appearances for the club after progressing through their academy, scoring 14 times and providing eight assists along the way. (Gonaclo Inacio stats – Transfermarkt)

He’s gone from strength to strength and is now a full Portugal international with a career-high €30m Transfermarkt valuation. Thee left-footeed defender even helped Sporting knock Arsenal out of the Europa League last season by scoring in the last 16 first leg. Gabriel and William Saliba have become Arteta’s first choice pairing, but as can be seen below, Inacio has outperformed the pair in a number of areas so far this season.

Player

Progressive Carries

Progressive Passes

Successful take-ons

Interceptions

Goncalo Inacio

20

96

7

13

Gabriel Magalhaes

7

45

1

13

William Saliba

8

70

2

11

Therefore, you could argue that securing the services of Inacio in 2024 would be a major coup, especially considering the amount of interest from England in the player from some of their biggest rivals. Arsenal are seemingly in a good position to get a deal done given this latest update, so it’ll be interesting to see if they make their move in the coming weeks.