Sunderland supporters will be hoping for a dramatically better season coming up after settling for a dire 16th-place finish last campaign in the Championship which left a bad taste in many a mouth on Wearside.

Regis Le Bris' appointment was a left-field one to say the least, after the Black Cats had gone without a permanent boss for some time, but the Frenchman could be the breath of fresh air Sunderland need from the dug-out to mount a promotion charge again.

The ex-Lorient manager will be keeping his fingers crossed that the club's star men are still at his disposal next season to make the task of competing near the top end of the division less challenging.

One of those players, away from the likes of Jack Clarke and Co is Northern Irishman Trai Hume, who has never looked back since moving to England in 2022, having walked away from his native country.

Trai Hume's time at Sunderland

Hume has amassed 84 appearances for Sunderland in that time span, with the 22-year-old ever-present all of last season in league action, as his importance shone through for the Black Cats regardless of who was occupying the dug-out.

Filling in at left-back 11 times across those 46 games he managed to accumulate, as well as occasionally even playing in the heart of the defence, Hume's adaptability made him a player that could be relied upon, even when Sunderland were suffering with poor result after poor result.

The six-time Northern Ireland international, who also has six goal contributions next to his name donning Sunderland red and white, has begun to attract interest from higher-up suitors as a result, with Leeds United one party keen on the tenacious full-back.

Unai Emery's Aston Villa are also supposed admirers of Hume's work – who was even described as being "outstanding" by football journalist Josh Bunting last season – with Sunderland potentially facing a losing battle to keep a firm grip on the 22-year-old beyond this transfer window.

The only plus side of Hume being moved on is the fact Sunderland would be set to make some serious profit on the former Linfield man, having only signed the defender for a meagre fee of £150k from the Northern Irish side.

Hume's transfer value in 2024

The in-demand defender is now worth even more than Black Cats stalwarts Daniel Ballard and Dan Neil, according to Football Transfers, as Sunderland brace themselves now for bids to come their way.

As per Football Transfers, Hume is worth £6m in the Stadium of Light camp, which is a significant rise from what the Mackems first paid for the 22-year-old two years ago.

Ballard and Neil, on the contrary, are both worth just £5m respectively, despite both players also being integral to the Black Cats cause, having only missed seven league clashes between them last campaign.

1. Anthony Patterson

£10m

2. Jack Clarke

£7m

3. Jobe Bellingham

£7m

4. Trai Hume

£6m

5. Pierre Ekwah

£5m

Looking at the table above, Hume is only below the likes of Jobe Bellingham, Jack Clarke and Anthony Patterson when it comes to the most valued assets at the Stadium of Light, with the Northern Irishman earning Sunderland a pretty penny if sold on soon.

It would be a big loss for the Wearside outfit still, with Timothee Pembele the only other recognised right-back in the squad alongside Sunderland's issues in the left-back area with injury, but the Black Cats wouldn't be able to begrudge Hume moving on if Villa came knocking.

Le Bris will be nervous at the amount of possible outgoings, but with the likes of Alan Browne joining the ranks, it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom.

Sunderland have a perfect Bellingham rival emerging in the academy

Regis Le Bris could call upon this Sunderland youngster to compete with Jobe Bellingham next season.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 10, 2024

Manchester City could now reportedly look to sign a player Pep Guardiola thinks is "incredible", changing their stance on him in the process.

Man City transfer news

The Premier League champions continue to be linked with elite-level players in the summer transfer window, as they look to make their squad even more formidable. Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is one such figure, with the Brazilian potentially eyeing an exit from St James' Park, coming in as a great midfield option.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is also reportedly wanted by City ahead of the 2024/25 season, being looked at as a possible upgrade on Jack Grealish, who endured a disappointing campaign last time around, failing to make England's Euro 2024 squad. The Eagles ace scored 11 goals in the league last term, also bagging four assists.

The Cityzens are believed to have made concrete moves to sign Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte, too, with the Uruguayan a wanted man this summer. Manchester United are also in the mix, but Guardiola would no doubt like to think a switch to the Etihad would appeal more.

Then there's Anthony Gordon, who is another Newcastle player who could be looking for a fresh challenge, with City eyeing up the England international as they look to strengthen their wide options. The boyhood Liverpool supporter is also wanted by the Reds, though.

Man City could sign player Pep thinks is "incredible"

According to a fresh claim from Give Me Sport, Manchester City could look to sign Dani Olmo this summer, making a U-turn in the process.

It is stated that the reigning Premier League winners "could be sparked into life and reignite their interest in Olmo if Manchester United lodge a bid", despite them "deciding to rule themselves out of the running for the Leipzig talisman's signature at this stage".

Olmo's stock has risen greatly in recent weeks, following an excellent Euro 2024 campaign with Spain, with the 26-year-old proving to be one of the standout players of the tournament. He has scored three times in Germany, meaning he shares the Golden Boot heading into Sunday's final against England, and he has also assisted twice for good measure.

There is also the small matter of Guardiola speaking of his admiration for the attacking midfielder back in 2019, with City's legendary boss saying: "He's a top player – he has a bright future, of course. His performance today shows it. He is an incredible player and I am pretty sure he is able to play in the strong leagues in Europe."

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The £152,000-a-week Olmo may feel that this summer is the perfect time to leave RB Leipzig, considering he has arguably never been rated more highly in his career, and his quality, end product and work ethic could make him a brilliant addition at the Etihad for a number of years.

Jack Leach and Jeetan Patel have backed Dom Bess to recover from the disappointment of being dropped and play a major role if selected for England’s fourth Test in India as they look to square the series 2-2.Bess took 17 wickets at 22.75 across both of England’s Tests in Sri Lanka and the first Test in Chennai – all three of which England won – but was left out of the side for the second Chennai Test with Moeen Ali preferred, and was again omitted in the third Test at Ahmedabad as England opted for a seam-heavy line-up.England are unlikely to consider either of the back-up spinners in their touring group for the final Test, with Matt Parkinson and Amar Virdi still categorised as ‘reserves’ after Mason Crane flew home before the start of the third Test. As a result, Bess will be in line for a recall if they decide to revert to a side with two frontline spin options, having relied on Joe Root’s part-time offbreaks last week.Related

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Patel, who was unveiled as England’s full-time spin-bowling coach on Monday having travelled to Asia in a consultancy role, said that Bess was in “very good spirits” despite his disappointment at missing out on selection.”I think Dom’s pretty good,” Patel said. “I spoke to him yesterday and he’s in a very good state, actually. He knows that this last Test match is a big Test match for England: to go 2-2 in this series, through four Test matches, would be a fantastic effort.”I think he’s in very good spirits. It’s fair to say he was a bit disappointed he wasn’t selected in that third Test that’s just gone, but the feeling was that the pink ball would react differently and it didn’t go the way we thought it would go. We had a plan and it didn’t quite work, so that’s okay.”Leach, Bess’ long-term team-mate at Somerset before their respective breakthroughs for England, said that he had encouraged Bess to view being dropped as an opportunity to learn and get better.”Dom’s worked hard: he’s been working hard in the nets and he’s a great character, and he will see it as a good learning experience,” Leach said. “I’m sure if called upon in this last Test he’ll be more than ready to go.”From my experience, whenever I’ve had a low moment it’s always turned out to be a good thing, I think. It’s all about how you view that low moment: it’s not nice at the time but if you approach cricket in the right way then I think good things can come from it. That’s definitely what we’re talking about and how we’re thinking.”Leach, who has taken twice as many wickets in the series (16 at 26.75) as any other England bowler, said that his performances against some of the world’s best players of spin provided a major boost to his confidence after a year out of the Test side.”This series has given me a lot of confidence in general,” he said. “The guys you are bowling against are world-class batters and playing them in their own backyard I feel it’s a challenging experience. I feel like I’ve stood up to that pretty well and got some good wickets and it is a confidence boost.Jack Leach has dismissed Rohit Sharma four times in the series so far•BCCI

“I don’t think I could really have expected much more of myself than how I’ve done and how I’ve got better through the tour. It has given me a lot of confidence that I can go on and play a lot for England and that I’m going to get better and better.”My belief in myself is more than it has been in the past, and again, doing it out here in India against some top batters has given me lots of confidence. I know I still have lots of hard work to do but I’ve seen how I can come back from disappointment or tough times in games and put in good performances. That’s more pleasing to me than having it all my own way and bowling sides out.”Patel and Leach also talked up Root’s credentials as an offspinner, after his haul of 5 for 8 in the first innings of the third Test. “Nicked a five-for off me, didn’t he?” Leach joked. “He bowled really well and he’s a really good offspin bowler. I think he should definitely think of himself as a genuine option.”Patel added: “If you take two frontline spinners in Leach and Bess, you know you have Root to then break that up. It is on Rooty himself to say ‘I can bowl, I can offer’. I think he has got a huge offering in that line-up, because he gets the ball to arrive differently and at a different pace and he gets it to do different things. In some ways, he is different to the other two.”The one thing that Rooty has is a fantastic mind for cricket. He understands batting techniques, pitches, the flow of the game. And so to be able to use those skills as well as some spin skill that he has – when I say some, he’s still advancing his spin skill as well – coupled with his knowledge of the game… he’s got a lot to offer this group.”

Leeds United have had to deal with losing some of their top talent since they failed to secure promotion back to the Premier League last season.

Academy graduate and Championship Young Player of the Year Archie Gray was the first major exit from Elland Road, as he moved to Tottenham Hotspur, and Glen Kamara soon followed with a permanent switch to Rennes.

Now, the Whites are set to cash in on the Player of the Year from the second tier as Crysencio Summerville has agreed to join West Ham United in the top-flight for £25m.

The Dutch forward's expected exit is set to leave Daniel Farke's side short of options in the wide areas and Leeds are reportedly looking at one winger from the Premier League.

Leeds eyeing Premier League winger

According to Sky Sports transfer centre (01/08/2024), the Whites are one of a number of teams interested in a swoop for Crystal Palace gem Jesurun Rak-Sayki.

The report claims that Championship rivals Burnley and Sheffield United are also keen on a loan deal for the young Eagles whiz this summer.

It states that Premier League side Southampton are in talks to secure a permanent deal for the left-footed star's services, but Palace would like to send him out on loan to continue his development next season.

If Leeds win the race for his signature for the 2024/25 campaign then Rak-Sakyi could help Farke to forget about Summerville with his potential attacking quality on the flank.

Why Jesurun Rak-Sakyi could be a good signing for Leeds

The 21-year-old is a right winger by trade and could line up on that side of the attack, which would then allow Wilfried Gnonto to play on the left – cutting inside onto his favoured right foot.

It will take a lot to replace Summerville, who produced 19 goals and nine assists in the league last term, but Rak-Sakyi's form at youth level and for Charlton on loan in the 2022/23 campaign suggests that he has the potential to be a fantastic replacement.

Starts

40

41

Goals

15

19

Conversion rate

17%

15%

Assists

8

9

Dribbles completed per game

1.8

2.3

As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi caught the eye as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the third tier during his time with Charlton.

The English ace also racked up an eye-catching 24 goals and eight assists in 40 outings at U21 level for Palace, as well as eight goals and eight assists in 17 games at U18 level.

These statistics show that the £5.1k-per-week wizard has the potential to replace Summerville's goals and assists, or at least come close to doing so, if he can translate that form over to the Championship next term.

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ByDan Emery Jul 31, 2024

Rak-Sakyi, who was described as "remarkable" by Roy Hodgson, could then help Farke to forget about the Dutch magician by coming in and providing an exciting attacking spark alongside the likes of Gnonto, Dan James, Mateo Joseph, and Georginio Rutter next season.

An agent is in talks with Chelsea over signing his £25 million client who's been compared to ex-Arsenal and Man United star Robin van Persie.

Chelsea expected to make senior attacking signing before August 30

The west Londoners have made nine signings in total already this summer, and it could be 10 soon, as it is believed Chelsea are on the verge of competing a deal for KRC Genk goalkeeper Mike Penders.

Chelsea agree deal to sell £98m player with Gallagher but key issue arises

The Blues have shook hands with an unexpected club.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 2, 2024

Indeed, Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham), Estevao Willian (Palmeiras), Omari Kellyman (Aston Villa), Renato Veiga (FC Basel), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City), Marc Guiu (Barcelona), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United) and Filip Jorgensen (Villarreal) have all joined, with Aaron Anselmino set to sign for Chelsea from Boca Juniors as well.

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

However, while they've been busy on paper, a lot of the aforementioned players are young and could be viewed as investments for the future, rather than upgrades for Enzo Maresca's squad right now.

Therefore, Chelsea co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley remain in the market for senior stars. Talks have been ongoing over a Chelsea move for Victor Osimhen, with Romelu Lukaku heading the other way. Meanwhile, reliable journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed they're still on the lookout for a right-winger after missing out on Michael Olise.

"Chelsea are also in the market for a right winger, having failed to secure Michael Olise," wrote Jacobs this week.

"The 22-year-old decided to join Bayern Munich with Chelsea pulling out due to the overall cost of the deal. Oscar Bobb is one name appreciated, but the 21-year-old is understood to be content to stay and fight for more minutes at Manchester City.

"At this stage, it is looking unlikely that Chelsea will add a senior left-winger, despite links with Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams and Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi, who is now a Juventus target. Raheem Sterling wants to stay at Chelsea and is viewed as a profile that fits Enzo Maresca's style."

While the search for a left-winger has concluded, a very astute option they've been linked with recently, and one who can play on both flanks, as well as at centre-forward, is Juventus winger Federico Chiesa.

The 51-cap Italy international has played on the right more times over his career than the left (Transfermarkt), and his contract expires next year, making him a potentially cheaper £25 million option.

Fali Ramadani in talks over Chelsea signing Federico Chiesa

According to newspaper La Stampa, via Tutto Juve, Chiesa's agent Fali Ramadani is in talks with Chelsea over the Blues signing him, but he's also in direct "negotiations" with Man United, Tottenham and Arsenal.

Ramadani appears to be trying to mediate a move to the Premier League for his client who scored 10 goals and bagged a further three assists in all competitions last season, not to mention 66 goals and 49 assists in total since making his professional senior debut for Fiorentina in 2016.

Chiesa's contract situation and experience make him a very viable target, and not one to be dismissed. The 26-year-old, who can play as a centre-forward and second striker, has even been compared to Arsenal legends van Persie and Thierry Henry.

تحدث ماركوس كروش، المدير التنفيذي لنادي آينتراخت فرانكفورت عن مستقبل النجم المصري عمر مرموش، مع غيابه عن مباراة اليوم ضد بوروسيا دورتموند في بطولة الدوري الألماني.

ويلتقي الفريقان في إطار منافسات الجولة الثامنة عشر من الدوري الألماني على ملعب “دوتش بانك بارك”.

وأصدر فرانكفورت بيانًا رسميًا، منذ قليل، للإعلان عن عدم تواجد مرموش في مباراة اليوم، لوجود مفاوضات مع نادِ آخر (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وأكدت تقارير صحفية في الساعات الماضية وجود اتفاق بين مانشستر سيتي وفرانكفورت حول ضم مرموش هذا الشهر.

وقال ماركوس كروش، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “بيلد” الألمانية: “نحن على تواصل وثيق ومستمر مع مانشستر سيتي، دعونا نرى كيف تتطور الأمور في الساعات والأيام القليلة المقبلة”.

وأضاف: “يبدو أن مرموش سيرحل ويغادرنا إلى مانشستر سيتي، احتمال ذلك الأمر مرتفع”.

وواصل: “مرموش لا يزال في فرانكفورت، هو يستحق ذلك، مانشستر سيتي خطوة ضخمة، نحن نقول ذلك مرارًا وتكرارًا، إذا تطور اللاعبون بشكل أسرع، نحن نمنحهم الفرصة من أجل اتخاذ الخطوة التالية إذا كانت الظروف مناسبة”.

وأردف: “ذلك الرحيل لم يكن مخططًا له في الشتاء، من الطبيعي أن يثير لاعب مهم مثل عمر ذلك الاهتمام، ولكن لم يكن مخططًا أن يصبح الأمر قريبًا إلى هذا الحد، لكن هذا جزء من العمل”.

وشدد: “هذا ليس وضعًا سهلًا، نحن نتمتع بموسم جيد جدًا، ومن الطبيعي أن يتلقى مرموش عرضًا، كما قلت، حدوث ذلك في الشتاء لم يكن مخططًا له، ولكن هذا جزء من العمل عندما يتطور اللاعب مثلما فعل عمر”.

واسترسل: “مرموش يستحق الإشادة على ما فعله في المباراتين الماضيتين (بعد انتهاء عطلة الشتاء وبدأ المفاوضات مع مانشستر سيتي)، لم يكن ذلك سهلًا ولكنه قدم كل شيء لنا”.

وخاض فرانكفورت مباراتين خلال الأيام الماضية، حيث سجل مرموش هدف الفوز ضد سانت باولي، في حين أحرز هدفًا وصنع هدفين أمام فرايبورج.

Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany has issued an injury update on Harry Kane after he limped out of his side's draw with Borussia Dortmund.

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Dortmund take on BayernKane picks up injuryKompany issues update on strikerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Just after the hour mark of Borussia Dortmund's home Bundesliga clash with Bayern, a game that ended 1-1, the England international was forced off the field with what looked to be a thigh injury. After the match, manager Kompany quipped he could "sense the English worry" following this setback but hoped for the best for the 31-year-old.

AdvertisementWHAT KOMPANY SAID

Kompany said on the striker: "Harry said it's not too bad. Hopefully that's the case. We'll have the tests today and let’s see what happens. I could sense the English worry there…"

The coach then spoken about Kane's chance of facing Leverkusen next: "It will be tight. I don't know many players who managed to recover in such a short time. We'll know more tonight.

"Of course Harry's goals are very difficult to replace, but we said from the beginning that we trust the squad and the team. We managed to create many chances in the second half. The team is very well equipped with a lot of quality in attack. It's tough to replace Harry's quality one on one, but we can solve it differently with the other guys we have in the team."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Kane has proven to be a goalscoring machine for Bayern over the past 15 months or so, notching a whopping 64 goals in as many games. The England forward became the quickest player to reach 50 Bundesliga goals earlier this month and much of Bayern's success will likely be down to him. He and his team – who are top of the Bundesliga – will hope this is not a serious injury as they bid to win silverware once again following a trophyless 2023/24. Kane said after the game he wasn't sure how bad the injury was, telling Sky Germany reporter Kerry Hau: "I don't know. We have to look. We'll do a scan today (Saturday)."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

While Kane and Bayern wait to see the extent of the former Tottenham man's injury, the Bavarians take on defending DFB-Pokal champions Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 of the competition on Tuesday night.

Ashwin explains the “different actions, different speeds, and different releases” he has had to use to stay on top of the batters

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Mar-20246:06

Dravid: ‘Really proud of how the team has evolved’

India, led by five-wicket hauls from Kuldeep Yadav and R Ashwin in the two innings, and an all-star batting display led by centuries from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, crushed England by an innings and 64 runs to win the series 4-1 in Dharamsala. Here is what Ashwin, who was playing his 100th Test, and head coach Rahul Dravid had to say afterwards on the official broadcast.Rahul DravidYeah, really proud, to be honest. To go behind in the first Test, obviously it was a little bit disappointing, but just credit to the team and all the players, the way they bounced back. I thought we were able to keep a lot of calmness in spite of losing that first match. I still believed that we had the skills and the abilities to compete. And just the way we performed, especially when we’ve been put under pressure at various stages in the series. We’ve always found people to step up, the team to stand up. So as a coach and as a support staff, I couldn’t be really prouder of this team and the way they’ve played right through the series.Related

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Obviously when you do lose players of the kind of experience and quality [Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami missed out altogether and KL Rahul played just one Test] that we probably didn’t have in this series, it can be tough. I mean it can be tough just from an entertainment perspective for people who come to watch the series or follow the series – you want to watch some of the greatest players in the world play. But, having said that, I just always really believe that there’s an incredible amount of talent in India and a lot of young people, young players coming through. And it was a great opportunity for them to step up and show how good they are. And we saw that right throughout the series. And I think from our perspective, it was terrific to see the young players do well, but also I thought our performances were all-round; we had sort of total team performances. If you went down our whole squad, you’d see almost everyone contributed at some stage in the series, at critical stages. So, that was a pleasing thing for us from our perspective.[On the new players coming through] I think it’s nice. I think I’m privileged to work with a lovely team. It’s not just about me. And I think this is a fantastic bunch of professionals that I have the privilege of working with. And I’m learning from them all the time. Rohit [Sharma] has been fantastic to work with. I think he’s a terrific leader. And just the guys gravitate towards him phenomenally, which is fantastic to see. And also, I’d just like to give a big shout out to [chief selector] Ajit [Agarkar] and his team as well. A lot of the youngsters that come in, honestly, as a coach and as a captain, we don’t actually get to see them because we don’t see as much domestic cricket as Ajit and his team of selectors do. And they’ve pushed us and they’ve challenged us to pick some of these young players and they’ve picked the right ones and they’ve come out here and performed. So sometimes it’s not easy being a selector because you always get the criticism but a big credit and a big pat on the back to Ajit and his team as well.[Standout moment from the series] I don’t know. I mean, some great performances all through. Hard to pick probably one standout moment. Maybe, I’d just say Ashwin coming back to the team after what he went through. Yeah, performances are there and you’re expected to perform and you’re expected to do well. But, you know, Ash coming back after what he’d gone through for the team and wanting to come back and contribute to the team and the series, I think for me really signified what this team is about and what the character of this team is. And I think that was just for me, probably the standout moment of the series and really gladdens your heart as a coach to kind of environment that that had been created.Young guns: Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrate India’s 4-1 win•AFP/Getty ImagesR AshwinVery happy, can’t really put a wrapper on how I’m feeling. It’s been quite a lot that has happened over the last week or so, a lot of talk about the 100th Test. Overwhelmed, a lot of well-wishers have come forward and wished me well. Great previews by the media team of the BCCI. But to have a good game in terms of wickets, what more can a bowler ask for?[Five-for in 100th Test] Through the series, I have gone to different actions, different speeds, and different releases all because India is one place where we play in so many venues and every surface requires a different sort of skillset to be executed. But overall, I was pleased with how the ball came out in this game, even though I went for a few big hits. It’s probably because of the fact that the ball is hanging on both sides of the blade. Probably most pleased with this performance and the second innings at Ranchi.[On Ollie Pope’s wicket in Dharamsala] In India, sometimes the beauty is what’s gone by. And largely, cricket is a game played between the two sides of your head here. What went by was definitely going on in his head. I was expecting him to probably reverse his sweep. It looks like a lot is happening because the new ball is biting off the surface. That’s a time where you can utilise if you can gauge the batsmen properly. One good spell I went through this morning, and picked the batsmen’s particular shot as well.[On his experiments] I am least bit insecure about what people feel about me. I know as a cricketer or anybody at the top level of any other profession will have to take criticism from experts. This is one such case, I have kept my eyes open. I have listened to good feedback and good criticism and taken it on board. Unless I try, I will never be able to learn. So I lock away what I learn. I lock away the limitations of a particular learning. If I’m confident of trying and executing something, I will try that. I don’t want to hold back.I feel times have rolled along and, in a way, the number of video footages that you get, the video analysis you can do, and how frequently you play among the top Test nations, the batters are constantly prepared and they can line you up beautifully if you are the same person that you keep coming. Of course, there will be phases where you will keep it, you will find good lengths in certain spells, but sticking to one method won’t be good enough to dismiss batters. I am not saying it won’t work but thankfully, I am one of those who has experimented, learnt, and it has worked for me. I can’t say this is the method somebody else should stick to. But nevertheless, with all the video footage and analysis going on, it’s better if you stay on top of it.Yashasvi Jaiswal finished the series with 712 runs•AFP/Getty Images[On bowling with Kuldeep] From the far end, there was more bite, from the other end there was a bit more speed off the surface. If you can use it really well as you execute your skills you’ll learn about it, it really works. With the new ball, I got some bounce and kick today, that was really good. In the first innings, when Kuldeep came on that side, he was able to utilise it and all in all, I thought, the way the ball is coming out of Kuldeep’s hand is unbelievable. Watching a wristpinner in such flow and the kind of switches he has been able to make through the series and especially in the last ten months is so heartening to see. I can’t be more happy for somebody.Yashasvi JaiswalI think, I really enjoyed [the series]. It gives me a lot of experience and I’m really happy with the way I’ve played throughout, and I really enjoyed my innings. I was just thinking to play my shots, if I feel like I can score runs and if I feel like I can take the bowler down, then okay I need to take him down. [No goals in Test cricket] I’m just trying to play one match at a time and enjoy [it] and make sure that I do something for my team and help my team win. I’m always thinking that I need to contribute in any way to my team winning the game.Kuldeep Yadav[Is this the best he is bowling?] I think yes. It’s the hard work I did from the last couple of years, and I’m getting the reward.[On his best performance in the series] I think I bowled really well in Ranchi. I’d probably choose the Ranchi Test match. The way I used the drift over there was fantastic.I liked the Ben Stokes wicket as well in Ranchi. Probably I love the Zak Crawley wicket (too), it was a beautiful ball.[On improving as a bowler] Just the length. Just focusing on the length, just keep trying to bowl on a good length, that’s very important for any spinner in any format you play. It’s actually helping me a lot, not trying too much… not thinking about [anything else] but the length and what pace I am bowling. And my rhythm as well.[On his improvement as a batter] Credit goes to batting coach [Vikram Rathour]. He helped me a lot. Not only the skill aspect, I think mental aspect as well, just backing [yourself] every time I am doing a net session.

Chelsea finished the 2023/24 Premier League campaign with five straight victories, but Mauricio Pochettino was still dismissed at the end of the term and Enzo Maresca, viewed as the club's 'project manager', has been appointed.

Whether Todd Boehly and Co were correct to part ways with the Argentinian tactician is uncertain, but the jury will not be called to question until Maresca's squad commence their campaign.

The Blues, as ever, have been active in the transfer market this summer, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall signed from Leicester City for £30m and Tosin Adarabioyo welcomed on a free transfer, along with a host of younger signings to continue to reinforce Stamford Bridge's foundations.

It's common knowledge that Chelsea are in the market for a new centre-forward, and amid several months of scouring the market, there's an update arriving for one of the outfit's lesser-known targets.

Chelsea eyeing new striker

As per journalist Ben Jacobs, Chelsea are still hoping to sign Atletico Madrid striker Samu Omorodion this summer despite seeing multiple bids rejected already, suggesting that another approach could well be in store.

Whether the Londoners would be willing to meet Atleti's €70m (£58m) demands is unclear, but the 20-year-old seemingly has the world at his feet and could bloom into one of the Premier League's finest forwards.

What Samu Omorodion would bring to Chelsea

Chelsea have been desperately seeking a new centre-forward this summer, with Aston Villa's rising phenom Jhon Duran of a vested interest back in June before talks simmered down and West Ham United moved ahead in the race.

Duran is similar to Omorodian in that both are hulking forwards with top strength and clinical attacking games, but Omorodian has already proved himself as a first-team regular in a top-five European league, scoring nine goals from only 22 starting appearances on loan with Alaves in La Liga last season, his very first taste of sustained senior action.

Samu Omorodion: La Liga Stats (23/24)
Statistics	#
Matches played	35
Matches started	22
Goals	9
Assists	1
Shots per game	1.9
Key passes per game	0.5
Duels won per game	3.5
Stats via Sofascore

Duran, conversely, was consigned to a bit-part role with Aston Villa last season, scoring eight goals across all competitions but also only being entrusted with ten starting berths.

Of course, this makes a telling comment on the Colombian's prolificness, but it also suggests that he is not ready for a starring position at the front of a team such as Chelsea.

As The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell ponders over the good call to sever ties with Duran at Villa Park, so too have Chelsea concluded that a raw talent with an issue of temperament might prove to be more trouble than he's worth if brought to west London for a big fee.

Omorodion outscored the Lions striker, and while he did play more football, nine goals from 22 starts is hardly a bad tally for a player just starting their career. With a little fine-tuning, he could blossom into an extraordinary attacking outlet.

Speaking of Omorodion's qualities, Alaves head coach Luis Garcia said: “He’s a player with a privileged physique, imposing just looking at him. Big, strong, fast, wants to learn and improve. His movement into space is very good, and he wins a lot of duels. He needs to demand more of himself to become a really top player.”

It's understandable that Omorodion is not yet the finished package, but it's exciting to think that he has already proven himself a high-level goalscorer, with analyst Ben Mattinson already claiming that he is capable of scoring an "[Erling] Haaland-esque goal".

Haaland is of course the gold standard when it comes to goalscoring in the Premier League, having scored 63 goals and added 13 assists across 66 outings in the English top flight.

The Manchester City goal machine is one of Omorodion's most comparable players, as per FBref's statistical ranking, with both adept in using their pace and power to terrorise opponents and burst into space.

Let's not forget that this time 15 months ago, Omorodion was an 18-year-old hopeful without a senior showing to his name. As far as debut campaigns go, he didn't do half bad.

Chelsea will need to weigh up whether they have the requisite firepower to allow the Spaniard to seamlessly integrate and polish his instincts to a fine point, but if so, there's no reason why Omorodion shouldn't be signed, for he could become the 'Haaland-esque' phenomenon that the Blues need at Stamford Bridge.

Imagine him & Palmer: Chelsea can land £152k-p/w ace who's like Bellingham

The star has caught the attention of multiple sides across Europe this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jul 27, 2024

India arrived a little too late on this tour but announced themselves with a display of complete control to claim a consolation win in the T20 series.The final match was a non-contest before it even really began with South Africa reduced to 17 for 3 after seven overs, 40 for 4 after 11 overs and 68 for 5 after 15 overs. They managed to drag themselves to a triple-figure total but it was never going to be enough.At a venue where the chasing team has won every match on this tour, India eased their way to the target in 11 overs. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana shared an opening stand of 96, with Verma contributing 60 of those runs from just 30 balls, including her third T20 half-century. Mandhana was the perfect foil, acted as the accumulator to Verma’s aggressive approach and was there at the end to take India to victory in a flurry of boundaries. In total, India hit 16 fours and five sixes, several of successive deliveries. Mandhana finished the match with three fours off Nadine de Klerk, who, along with Shabnim Ismail, conceded at more than 10 runs an over.Shafali v Shabnim If Shafali Verma was taught to respect her elders, she definitely doesn’t show it on the cricket field. Shabnim Ismail is almost double her age but Verma wasn’t thinking about that when she slammed her opening over for 18 runs to get India’s chase underway in the most assertive way possible. Verma helped the first ball off her hips to the fine leg fence, walked outside her leg stump to make room to launch the second over long-on for six, cut the fourth ball for four and slashed at the last ball, a short one, to send over the wicket-keeper’s head. Verma batted Ismail out of the attack temporarily but treated the rest of the attack with similar disdain. She hit Tumi Sekhukhune between midwicket and long-on for six and Nadine de Klerk for two sixes down the ground. By the time Ismail came back on, Smiriti Mandhana was in the mood and drilled South Africa’s best bowler for three fours, punishing the full ball, the back-of-a-length delivery and the short ball in equal measure.Deepti drops and then dives India’s fielding has been forgettable through much of the series and the first few overs seemed to be headed the same way. Deepti Sharma was at midwicket when Lizelle Lee inside-edged an Arundhati Reddy ball that she hoped to hit through the on-side and should have taken an easy catch. Instead, the ball popped out of her hands and, knowing the form Lee is in, would have been concerned about the impact of her miss. Lee only lasted into the next over before being bowled by a Rajeshwari Gayakwad arm-ball to leave South Africa 16 for 2 after the Powerplay. And then came Deepti’s shot at redemption. Laura Wolvaardt pushed at a Radha Yadav delivery that turned away from her and looped up to extra cover. Deepti had to scramble forward and drive full stretch to take the catches inches off the turf and did to show that India can still hold on to some chances.Gayakwad’s series gains Rajeshwari Gayakwad has flown under the radar in this series but has been India’s best bowler throughout. She was the joint-leading wicket-taker in the ODIs, alongside Jhulan Goswami, with eight wickets, and in the T20s, level with Shabnim Ismail’s four. Gayakwad picked up three of her four wickets in this match, for a career-best haul of 3 for 9. She bowled Anneke Bosch in her first over after Bosch swiped across the line and missed and could have had Faye Tunnicliffe in the next over when the ball turned past her attempted slog, and in the over after that, she beat the outside edge. Instead, Gayakwad also bowled Lee with a quicker delivery that she played too early and then returned for a second spell that saw the end of Nadine de Klerk, also playing across the line to an arm ball and missing. Gayakwad left South Africa at 68 for 5 at the end of 15 overs,First sight of Sinalo Jafta Perhaps the only reason South Africa did not end up with a double-figure score was Sinalo Jafta, who was required to bat for the first time on this tour. She ran the second ball she faced fine past short third and then laced the next ball through short fine for back-to-back boundaries in South Africa’s best over. Jafta got off strike after her twin fours and let it to Lara Goodall to loft Simran Bahadur over short fine for a third four. South Africa scored 16 runs off that over, and 39 off the last four overs to ensure they got into triple-figure territory albeit well below-par.