It says much for the progress of Bangladesh in recent years that their senior players and coaches keep being asked a very similar question: is this the biggest moment in the history of the team?That a reasonable answer to that question – whether it was asked ahead of the World Cup quarter-final in 2015, when they defeated England in a Test in Dhaka or Sri Lanka in a Test in Colombo, when they won home ODI series against Pakistan, India and South Africa, or now, when they find themselves in the semi-final of a global tournament for the first time – is “yes” confirms the impression that, as their captain Mashrafe Mortaza put it, their “graph is pretty good. We’re coming up.”While most would accept that they have enjoyed a little fortune on the way to the semi-final – rain came to their rescue against Australia – the general impression remains: Bangladesh are a growing force in international cricket. Their future looks bright.There is no doubt that India are favourites in this semi-final, though. Strong favourites. It’s not just that they have a hugely experienced batting and bowling line-up, it’s that they have a huge amount of experience of playing in such high-profile games.But as if Pakistan’s victory over England had not already exposed the folly of presumption, Bangladesh have a record that demands respect. They have produced the two highest partnerships of the tournament to date (Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah added 224 for the fifth wicket against New Zealand, while Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim added 166 for the third wicket against England), they have recorded four of the nine highest individual scores (including three centuries) and they have won two of the last three ODIs between these sides.Most of all, they have a skillful, varied attack that, even on the fine batting surface anticipated at Edgbaston, provides Mashrafe with options.For all those reasons, Bangladesh should be a far more confident side than the one brushed aside by India in the World Cup quarter-final. Now they know they can win big games and fight back from tough positions. Now they know they belong at this level. India, Mashrafe said, are going to find a “changed” opponent.”Winning against England [in the 2015 World Cup] helped us a lot. We lost our next match, against New Zealand in New Zealand, but on a tough wicket we scored almost 300 and the team took a boost from that.”After that, we beat Pakistan, India and South Africa. Yes, it was at home, but we gained more self-respect by beating those sort of teams.”So this team has changed. Over the last two or three years, we’ve changed a lot, especially in the dressing rooms. Now we play with freedom. The coaches support the players and don’t drop them. These sort of things actually change teams.”Mashrafe took particular confidence from the victory over New Zealand. With 20 overs of the New Zealand innings remaining, they were 152 for 2 with Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson well set. A total well in excess of 300 looked likely.”That’s the thing,” he explained. “We never give up. They batted really well, but we came back strongly. And once you have played at your best, you know how well you can play and things can change. I know, on our day, we can do anything.”Might the pressure of the occasion prove a burden? Mashrafe accepted his side is in uncharted territory here, but, like his coach the previous day, attempted to alleviate the burden.”It is our first time in our life in a semi-final; that is a fact,” he said. “And if you look at it as a semi-final, the pressure will be very hard. But if you think of it as just another match, the pressure will come a lot easier. And India has more pressure than us as the population is huge there and people love cricket a lot. Both teams have a lot of expectations.”For a Bangladesh team of which very little was expected not so long ago, such hopes are another sign of progress. Few would bet against this being the first of many semi-final appearances over the coming years.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains arguably the biggest name to make the move to Saudi Arabia, starting a trend in doing so. It could be said that he is part of the reason why the league has welcomed so much talent this summer, starting a domino effect.

With that, Ronaldo may have been hoping to benefit – with a whole host of stars potentially joining him at Al Nassr – as he looks to win his first league title at the second time of asking in Saudi Arabia.

That might not be so easy, however, as the club have been banned from registering new players by FIFA, according to trusted journalist Ben Jacobs.

Why were Al Nassr hit with a transfer ban?

As per Jacobs, the ban comes after the Saudi club failed to pay add-ons owed to Leicester City in a deal for Ahmed Musa, after the forward triggered the additional fee of £390k between 2018 and 2020. Despite the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling in the Premier League side’s favour.

Jacobs also reported that sources expect the ban to be lifted in the coming weeks if the payment is made promptly, which Al Nassr have assured they will.

So far this summer, Al Nassr have only welcomed one player with that being Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan. The Champions League finalist looks set to be the only addition for now, however, after the ban.

Given the fact that N’Golo Kante, Karim Benzema, Ruben Neves, Jota, Kalidou Koulibaly – the list could go on – have all joined other clubs in Saudi Arabia, you have to worry about Ronaldo’s title charge.

His side already lost out on the league title last season, finishing second behind Al-Ittihad, who have signed Kante, Benzema and Jota. So, not only will Ronaldo be without new teammates, but he’ll be up against a title rival with players still capable of playing in the Champions League.

It really does feel as though the former Manchester United man has had a nightmare few years.

How much is Cristiano Ronaldo paid per week?

Despite Al Nassr’s failure to pay Leicester City what they are reportedly owed, they reportedly shed out £3.6m per week to pay Ronaldo. An eye-watering sum, the football icon could pay the Foxes himself, and it would just be pocket change.

With that salary may still come the expectation of trophies, though, and after finishing second last season, the pressure will be on.

So far for the club, Ronaldo has scored 14 goals in 16 appearances, whilst also making two assists for at least one goal involvement a game. It’s the type of numbers that you’d expect from such a legendary player.

In his first full season, he will no doubt have his eye on the Golden Boot, even though he’ll be forced to compete with former Real Madrid teammate Benzema. As the duo battle it out, those tuning into the Saudi Pro League could get themselves quite the spectacle.

One thing that we do know for sure, however, is the fact that, as things stand, Ronaldo will be doing it without the addition of fresh faces. The forward will hope to see a resolution of the issue in the coming weeks, especially as it won’t be too long before the season gets underway in August with a whole host of new stars playing for rival clubs.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in Sporting CP forward Youssef Chermiti, as Julen Lopetegui bids to end his side’s woes in front of goal.

It’s been a busy summer for the Midlands club, who have offloaded ten players ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The latest news has reported a move away for Raul Jimenez, who has been approached by Fulham where a fee has been agreed, giving Lopetegui another incentive to chase a new forward.

Could Wolves sign Youssef Chermiti?

As reported by Portuguese outlet Record last week, Wolves have had scouts present at Sporting’s recent friendly to watch Chermiti.

The 19-year-old could be available for a fee in the region of £17m, with the report claiming that the Portuguese giants expect €20m for their forward.

With a release clause of €80m (£69m) included in his contract, Lopetegui could pounce on the teenager's rumoured availability for a cut-price.

How good is Youssef Chermiti?

Rising through the ranks at Sporting, the academy graduate made a breakthrough last season, recording 22 appearances in all competitions for his boyhood club.

Deployed as a traditional centre-forward, the “very interesting” teen, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, got among the goals last term, scoring three and assisting two in 16 Liga Portugal appearances, via Sofascore.

Lauded as a “superb prospect” by Kulig, Chermiti made a fast start to his senior career, scoring two and assisting once in his first three starts for the first team.

Despite only averaging 58 minutes per game in the league, the 19-year-old needed little time to make an impact, averaging 1.8 shots per game and acting as a strong presence leading the line.

For Wolves, the bright talent could be an encouraging capture this summer, as the club prepares to bid farewell to much-loved striker Jimenez.

The Mexican scored 57 goals in 166 appearances for the Old Gold, including two consecutive rich scoring streaks to get the side comfortable on their return to the Premier League.

Scoring 30 goals over his opening two campaigns in the Premier League, the 32-year-old fired Wolves to claim two consecutive seventh-place finishes to seal the club a place in the Europa League.

Jimenez was the leader of all things positive at Molineux on their return to the top tier, however, the former Benfica forward had his career halted by a life-threatening skull fracture sustained in 2020.

Missing the remainder of that season impacted the Mexico international, who was lucky to play again, however, his form was unable to be recaptured, with him netting just ten goals since his return.

A goalless campaign last term suggests that the 32-year-old’s departure comes at the best time for club and player, with Chermiti posing as a strong candidate to take his throne.

Described as a ‘pure striker’ by The Scouting App, the teenager has had his strengths identified through his ‘physicality, explosiveness, sense of goal and eccentricity’ by the scouting site, making him the perfect fit to replenish Lopetegui’s side in front of goal.

Still very early into his career, the teenager could be given the chance to shine as the leading man at Molineux, in a move that could ease the sadness of Jimenez’s pending departure.

The Australia vice-captain told Channel Nine that players were committed to ensuring that all players shared in the game’s upside, not just an elite few

Daniel Brettig18-Jun-20173:46

The pay dispute at a glance

Australia’s vice-captain David Warner has underlined the willingness of the nation’s top players to go without employment in order to achieve the retention of the fixed revenue percentage model at the heart of the pay dispute between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association.Less than two weeks remain before the expiry of the current MoU, with CA and the ACA making very little progress in talks over how to reach a compromise on the next deal. CA is adamant in its desire to break up the revenue sharing model and fix the wages of all but the top male and female players.Warner, who has been the most outspoken critic of the board in recent weeks after the chief executive James Sutherland threatened they would be left unemployed if the ACA did not agree to CA’s terms, told Channel Nine that the players were committed to ensuring all cricketers shared in the game’s upside, not just an elite few.”We’re prepared as players to give a little bit more in that revenue share [percentage],” he said of the ACA’s proposal to reduce the players share from around 26% to 22.5% with more money to go to grassroots levels. “But that’s what we want. We’re not going to budge from the revenue sharing model, we want equality, and a fair share for domestic and female players. That in a nutshell is what it’s all about.”We’ve been offered contracts and we’ve knocked them back. That’s because we want to make sure the female players and domestic players are in this revenue share model. In the decades that have gone past, the past players that have been in our situation have stood up for us. I was a domestic player, I was a young kid coming through, we’re doing the same as what they did as well.””From where I stand and the position I take on this, I try to take as much heat off [Steven Smith] as possible.” – David Warner•Associated Press

CA last week named a squad for the scheduled Test tour of Bangladesh in August, but Warner stated bluntly that there would be no players boarding the plane for the series if no agreement had been reached. He also reiterated his view that the Ashes, too, would be threatened by a lengthy dispute.”From our point of view I want to play for Australia and so do the other boys,” Warner said. “But if there’s nothing that’s put in place for what we’re trying to achieve here, from both point of views, we’re not going to tour Bangladesh, there might not be an Ashes if we don’t have an MoU.”We want to keep playing cricket for Australia, that’s our goal. If there’s no cricket in summer, what are we going to do? We’re going to be locked out. Where do we train? They can lock us out from all the different training facilities. It’s going to be disappointing if it comes to that, we want to keep playing for Australia. But if we don’t have the MoU done, it’s going to be hard for us to walk on that plane come Bangladesh.”From July 1, we’re unemployed. We’ve been threatened with that. We’re hopeful there’s going to be an agreement done — it’s a sticky situation.”There has been a contrast in Warner’s outspokenness next to the more measured words of the national team captain, Steven Smith. Warner said he was happy to stick his head above the parapet on the issue, though admitted Smith could perhaps also be more vocal as the days tick down to the MoU expiry.”From where I stand and the position I take on this, I try to take as much heat off [Smith] as possible. He does lead us on the field, and rightfully so off the field as well, he does a great job,” Warner said. “In this circumstance I’m willing to go out there into bat for everyone. Yeah sometimes he could probably push a little bit more, but I think he’s doing a great job, as well as the other players like Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood as well.”Talks between CA and the ACA are expected to continue this week.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of a defensive reinforcement ahead of the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

According to The Guardian, the Magpies are set to sign Southampton right-back Tino Livramento during the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Saints are 'close' to selling the former Chelsea academy prospect to Eddie Howe's side, as they are currently struggling to hold on to their top talents following relegation to the Championship.

It states that the fee will be within the region of £30m, although it does not explain how much of that consists of add-ons or future instalments.

The Northern Echo have backed up this claim by stating that a fee is close to being fully agreed upon and that the young defender is poised to arrive at St. James' Park after the £38m deal for Harvey Barnes from Leicester.

How good is Tino Livramento?

A knee injury kept the 20-year-old ace out for 43 competitive matches between April 2022 and April 2023, which means that it is difficult to gauge where he is at from a performance perspective.

However, his prior form for Southampton in the Premier League and for Chelsea's academy suggests that there is a talented player to be unearthed, who would be perfect for Miguel Almiron at his best.

Livramento started 25 games as a teenager for the Saints during the 2021/22 top-flight campaign and showcased his defensive quality with 3.6 tackles and interceptions per match. Whereas, no Newcastle full-back managed more than three per game last season.

The England U21 international could, therefore, be an excellent defender for Howe due to his ability to cut out opposition attacks on a regular basis at Premier League level.

It could be difficult for teams to break Newcastle down on that flank as no Magpies attacker managed more tackles (1.4) or interceptions (0.3) per outing than Almiron last term, which shows that the ex-MLS star works his socks off for the team.

However, it is Livramento's attacking potential that could make him the perfect partner for the Paraguay internation on the right wing.

The exciting Croydon-born youngster racked up 10 assists – more than any Toon player managed last term – in 26 appearances for Chelsea's academy during the 2020/21 season, which came after he produced four assists in six FA Youth Cup games the previous campaign.

These statistics suggest that Livramento – like talismanic Kieran Trippier, who led the club with seven Premier League assists, has the quality to bomb on from right-back to provide a threat on the overlap.

If Howe can help the English dynamo to translate his creative ability over to senior football then he could worry opposition defenders with his runs forward.

This could then make him the perfect foil for Almiron as the left-footed marksman, who was Newcastle's second-top league scorer with 11 goals last season, would be able to use Livramento's presence to cut inside onto his favoured foot.

Having a right-back with a big attacking threat would force the other team's left-back with a difficult choice to make. Unless their teammates help them out, they would either need to leave the current Saints gem in acres of space or allow Almiron to drift infield to unleash a shot with his left foot.

Therefore, signing Livramento, who has been dubbed a "future star" by ex-teammate Theo Walcott, could provide Howe with a dream pairing on the right flank from a defensive and attacking perspective.

West Ham have had a £14.6m bid for Strasbourg forward Habib Diallo rejected, according to a key update from journalist Papa Mahmoud Gueye.

Who is Habib Diallo?

The 28-year-old has been an impressive performer for his current side since arriving from Metz back in 2020, shining in their attack and producing a consistent end product.

Last season, Diallo scored a highly impressive 20 goals in 32 Ligue 1 starts for Strasbourg, also winning an eye-catching 3.6 aerial duels per game (as per WhoScored), showing what an excellent focal point he was. His overall tally currently stands at 41 strikes in 103 appearances, with six assists also thrown in for good measure.

The Senegalese's current deal expires in the summer of 2025, and while next year would be the last chance for Strasbourg to realistically earn good money for him, now could be the best opportunity to receive the biggest amount possible.

West Ham have been linked with a move for Diallo recently, seeing him as someone who could potentially transform their attack, but a new update has now emerged regarding their pursuit of him ahead of the new Premier League season.

Have West Ham bid for Habib Diallo?

According to Gueye, journalist from Senegalese outlet Taggat [via Sport Witness], the Hammers have been rebuffed in their efforts to sign Diallo in the summer transfer window:

He wrote on Twitter: "West Ham have just seen their offer of 17 million euros (£14.6m) for Habib Diallo refused by Strasbourg."

This is clearly a setback for West Ham as they look to bring in a striker this summer. The Hammers were not exactly prolific in the Premier League last season, only scoring 42 times in 38 matches. No player scored more than six goals for the Hammers in the competition, with Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma leading the way with that amount.

Meanwhile, Gianluca Scamacca failed to set the world alight in his first campaign at the London Stadium and has been linked with Roma over recent weeks.

It does suggest that the east Londoners are still pushing hard to snap up Diallo, however, and the hope is that a bigger offer is tabled soon – one that could sway Strasbourg's thinking and persuade them to accept a bid, allowing West Ham to seal the signings of someone currently at the peak of his powers.

Either way, a new centre-forward has to make the move to the London Stadium in order to improve West Ham next season, and the huge fee received for Declan Rice's signature will certainly generate plenty of transfer funds, allowing David Moyes to improve in several key areas.

Diallo is an 18-cap and four-goal Senegal international, and Strasbourg coach Frederic Antonetti recently praised the impact he had made over the past 12 months, saying:

"Habib Diallo is simply confirming his good season and all the good things everyone thinks of him. I told you… that he was reliable, and he's proved it again."

Diallo looks prepared to test himself in the Premier League, and the hope is that his future belongs at West Ham rather than elsewhere.

Crystal Palace may have waved goodbye to key man Wilfried Zaha this week, but another big name could soon be arriving at Selhurst Park in Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah.

Who are Crystal Palace's forwards?

Zaha's departure to Galatasaray on a free transfer will leave a huge void to be filled, the winger departing the club he has called home for close to two decades, either side of a doomed spell with Manchester United.

Palace still have talented pair Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze, assuming they fend off interest from top-flight rivals, but their squad is otherwise looking a little bare in attack.

Jean-Philippe Mateta struggled in his first season at Selhurst Park and may be moved on this summer, which would leave Jordan Ayew and Odsonne Edouard as Roy Hodgson's only senior forwards.

However, according to TheEaglesBeak, via football.london, Palace are looking to bolster their ranks and have made signing Nketiah their priority between now and the end of the transfer window on September 1.

How many goals has Eddie Nketiah scored?

Nketiah has made 89 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, but he has found the net just 14 times, while his overall record for the Gunners is 32 goals in 131 appearances.

The 24-year-old was called upon by Mikel Arteta in the midst of a tense title race with Manchester City last season after Gabriel Jesus sustained an injury that ruled him out for three months.

Nketiah initially took full advantage of his big chance by scoring six goals in six games in all competitions, including a double in Arsenal's thrilling 3-2 win over Manchester United in January.

That led to praise from captain Martin Odegaard, who hailed Nketiah for the "amazing" manner in which he stepped up to lead the line in Jesus' absence.

However, Nketiah – on wages of £100k-a-week at the Emirates Stadium, according to Capology – did not score in his next 14 appearances and ended the 2022-23 season with four goals in 30 appearances.

Still, Nketiah's return of 0.33 goals per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season, as per FBref, was bettered by only Eze – just – among Palace players last season (0.34). Nketiah's 0.41 goals and assists combined per 90, meanwhile, was near enough on a par with Olise (0.43).

In fact, Nketiah's figures were a lot better than he was perhaps given credit for. According to FBref's comparison model, the Englishman was very alike Manchester United's Marcus Rashford in a number of metrics last season.

Nketiah and Rashford fired away shots at an almost identical rate per 90 minutes (3.39 v 3.38 respectively), had a very similar pass-completion rate (80.4% v 76.7%), and likewise when it came to progressive carries per 90 (2.64 v 2.66).

While Rashford did register more goals and more assists than Nketiah, the pair recorded an identical expected assisted goals figure of 0.11 per 90, effectively meaning that they created the same quality of chances for teammates.

That is not to say Nketiah is on a par with Rashford, but should he be given a regular run of starts in a team full of talented young players, it may well be that he finally gets a chance to truly fulfil his potential at a London club.

South Africa’s attack got overs in the legs but not many wickets in the column in their final competitive outing ahead of the four-Test series against England, which starts at Lord’s on Thursday

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jul-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
File photo – Kagiso Rabada went wicketless on the final day•Getty ImagesSouth Africa’s attack got overs in the legs but not many wickets in the column in their final competitive outing ahead of the four-Test series against England, which starts at Lord’s on Thursday. After declaring overnight on 382 for 4, South Africa’s frontline bowlers dismissed only two England Lions’ batsmen, one of whom they will come up against in the Tests.Keaton Jennings was bowled by Morne Morkel on what was a tough day for the pack. Chris Morris was the only other specialist bowler to taste some success – he had Sam Robson caught behind – while Kagiso Rabada went wicketless. Theunis de Bruyn’s medium-pace claimed the other two wickets while Vernon Philander, who is recovering from an ankle injury, sat out the match. South Africa are hopeful he will be available for the first Test.South Africa’s sole specialist spinner, Keshav Maharaj, had a decent workout and bowled 18.1 overs for 46 runs while JP Duminy also turned his arm over, albeit it expensively. His eight overs cost 51. De Bruyn bowled seven overs and had more to show than any of his team-mates. He got both Gary Ballance and Sam Billings out lbw; Ballance got his eye in ahead of the Tests with a half-century and shared a 136-run third-wicket stand with Tom Westley, who went on to score the only century of the match.Overall, South Africa may not have got all the preparation they would have hoped from the rain-affected match. They batted once and although opener Heino Kuhn, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock were among the runs, stand-in captain Dean Elgar and Duminy – whose form has been a long-term concern – did not cash in. De Bruyn, who played ahead of Aiden Markram, was out for a duck.On what appeared a placid pitch, the bowlers toiled. Particularly Rabada, whose lean patch on the tour continued. The fast bowler has managed only eight wickets in six ODIs since South Africa arrived in the UK, sat out the T20I series, and did not find his rhythm in this game, going for 59 in his 16 overs. Should Philander not to be able to take the field, it will be up to Rabada to lead South Africa’s attack, while Morris seems to be the preferred allrounder. Andile Phehluwakyo is also in the squad.South Africa travel to London on Sunday to finalise preparations for Lord’s with coach Russell Domingo back in the camp. Domingo had to return home on a family emergency last week but will oversee the team at the start of the series.

تحدث تشابي ألونسو المدير الفني لفريق باير ليفركوزن عقب الفوز التاريخي والتتويج بلقب الدوري الألماني للمرة الأولى في تاريخ النادي، وكسر هيمنة بايرن ميونخ على اللقب التي استمرت 11 عامًا متتاليًا.

وحقق باير ليفركوزن فوزًا بخماسية دون رد أمام فيردر بريمن، ليتوج باللقب قبل انتهاء المسابقة بخمس جولات.

وقال ألونسو في مؤتمر صحفي بعد المباراة: “الأمر لم ينته بعد، سنرى إلى أي مدى يمكننا الذهاب، لدي شعور جيد حيال ذلك، ولدينا أهداف عظيمة ما زلنا نريد تحقيقها، لكن يمكننا التفكير في ذلك يوم الثلاثاء، اليوم وغدًا، علينا أن نحتفل”.

وأضاف: “أريد أن أكون بالقرب من اللاعبين، وأتحدث معهم، وباعتباري لاعب سابق أعرف ما يشعرون به”.

وتابع ألونسو: “لدي تعاطف وتواصل مع اللاعبين، وهو أمر مهم في غرفة تبديل الملابس، أحاول الحفاظ على هذا التواصل مع الفريق”.

وتابع بشأن كسر ليفركوزن هيمنة بايرن ميونخ على اللقب: “هذه الكأس ملك لكثير من الناس وعلينا أن نستمتع بها، ربما يكون من الجيد بالنسبة للدوري الألماني وكرة القدم الألمانية أن تفوز الفرق الأخرى، وإنه لمن دواعي سروري أن نكون نحن”.

وأصر: “هذه لحظة خاصة للغاية بالنسبة للنادي، الفوز بالدوري الألماني لأول مرة منذ 120 عامًا هو شيء استثنائي”.

وأتم: “اللاعبون هم الأفضل، هذا هو الفريق الأفضل، أنا فخور جدًا بهم جميعًا، إنه شرف لنا، شرف أن أعمل في مثل هذا النادي”.

With the new Premier League season commencing in less than a month, the most important task for West Ham United boss David Moyes is to replace Declan Rice’s quality and influence on the pitch.

One of the leading candidates is Edson Alvarez, who the Hammers has already expressed a keenness to sign.

What’s the latest on Edson Alvarez to West Ham United?

According to a piece published by The Athletic last week, the Hammers have contacted Ajax to start the conversation over the transfer of the midfielder.

An offer is yet to be made, but it is expected, with the Dutch Giant set to command a fee of around £40m for Alvarez’s services.

The 25-year-old was also the subject of Premier League interest last year, with Chelsea close to sealing a deal that eventually broke down as Ajax felt there was insufficient time to find a replacement.

Christian Falk believes that the Irons could be front-runners for Alvarez, ahead of Bayern Munich in the pecking order.

Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, he said:

“Bayern Munich also had him on the radar — and still — but it's not so hot. He's not the only one in this position — and it would only happen after everything is done with Kane and perhaps Kyle Walker — so he's not the first option. For West Ham, they have the money and Ajax want to see money, so they have a good chance."

Would Edson Alvarez be a good signing for West Ham?

Alvarez has been at Ajax since 2019 and has made 147 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Upon his arrival, then-director of football Marc Overmars described him as “versatile.” This has been proven by the Mexican’s ability to play in defensive midfield (139 games) or centre-back (83 games) across his career, as per Transfermarkt.

For the Irons, he could be a key midfielder and is an infinitely better option than Flynn Downes. From a defensive perspective, the 69-cap international outranks the former Swansea man for tackles per 90 (2.47 vs 1.89), interceptions per 90 (1.25 vs 0.83), and aerials won per 90 (3.38 vs 1.06).

Furthermore, Alvarez also performs better than Downes on the ball, with more progressive passes per 90 (7.76 vs 2.60), progressive carries per 90 (2.54 vs 0.35), and successful take-ons per 90 (0.63 vs 0.12).

These damning statistics place Downes are part of the reason as to why the Englishman only managed seven Premier League starts last year. It is perhaps even more eye-opening when you consider that he couldn’t get game time over the abject Tomas Soucek.

Last September, the ExWHUemployee slammed the Czech for his poor form, saying: “Honestly, I’ve been saying this for over a year now, I’ve been saying this for about a year and a half. The game just bypasses him.”

Therefore, the signing of Alvarez could put the final nail in Downes’ unsuccessful West Ham career as the chance of regular minutes looks like a far-fetched dream.

Once lauded as a “monster” by Felipe Cardenas, this transfer would be an excellent way to help the east London faithful recover from Rice’s exit.