Their own Rice: Spurs begin talks to force through "world-class" signing

Despite making a 100% start to life in the Premier League as Tottenham Hotspur manager, Thomas Frank still wants to add to his squad to bolster the options at his disposal.

The Dane has already splashed £85m on new additions to date, with Mohammed Kudus the most-expensive signing – costing £55m from West Ham United.

The big-money addition of the Ghanaian has already proved worthwhile, notching two assists in the opening-day triumph over Burnley in North London.

Joao Palhinha has already been added to the ranks, bolstering the options at the heart of the side – already impressing just like Kudus – scoring in the victory over Manchester City at the Etihad.

However, other new arrivals are set to be added to the middle of Frank’s side to provide needed talent and depth, with the September 1st transfer deadline rapidly approaching.

Spurs’ hunt for a new midfielder this summer

In an attempt to bolster the midfield department, Spurs have been preparing a move for Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss – with the Moroccan set to leave the Foxes before the summer deadline.

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It appeared as though he would be set for a move to Crystal Palace, but his transfer to the Eagles has collapsed in recent days – opening the door to a switch to North London.

However, another name has been thrown into the mix as of late, with Marseille star Adrien Rabiot a player in their sights, according to reports in France.

It states that the Lilywhites have entered preliminary talks with the player’s representatives over a move to North London after he was told he’s free to leave the Ligue 1 outfit after a changing room bust-up.

It’s also previously been reported that the Frenchman could be available for as little as €20m (£15m), with AC Milan and Aston Villa also interested in the former Juventus star’s signature.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be Frank’s answer to Rice

Spurs fans would’ve raised eyebrows when local rivals Arsenal forked out a reported £105m to land midfielder Declan Rice back in the summer of 2023.

However, as hard as it is for the Lilywhites faithful to admit, he’s been a superb addition for the Gunners, notching 16 goals and 20 assists within his 105 outings at the Emirates.

The 26-year-old has been triumphant in six of his 17 appearances against the Lilywhites, often providing a real presence in the middle of the park in such meetings.

His box-to-box nature allows him to have a real impact on proceedings at both ends of the pitch – but if Frank was to land his own version of the Englishman, it would likely cost a pretty penny.

However, a bargain deal for Rabiot could allow the club to land their own version of Rice, with the Frenchman possessing various similar qualities to the former West Ham United star.

The Marseille star was labelled as a similar player to the Gunners star by FBref based on their figures from last season, managing to outperform him in numerous key areas in the process.

Rabiot, who’s been labelled “world-class” by former French star David Trezeguet, posted more combined goals and assists, offering the Lilywhites an added goalscoring threat if he replicates such numbers.

Games played

29

35

Goals & assists

13

11

Pass accuracy

85%

83%

Passes into the final third

5.3

4.3

Progressive passes

6.2

6.1

Tackles won

1.2

0.8

Interceptions made

0.9

0.8

% of tackles won

59%

41%

Take-on success

52%

48%

Aerials won

1.2

1.1

He also managed to impress in finding other teammates, notching a higher pass completion rate, with more of his efforts per 90 being into the final third – offering the likes of Kudus added opportunities in front of goal.

Without the ball, Rabiot has been just as dominant, achieving a higher tackle success rate, whilst also making more interceptions per 90 – arguably being a more all-round box-to-box option than Arsenal star, Rice.

Given the stats produced by the 30-year-old in the 2024/25 campaign, the rumoured £15m transfer fee would be an absolute bargain – possessing the needed Champions League experience for Frank’s side ahead of their European adventure.

If he can replicate such levels in England’s top-flight, the Frenchman would be a superb signing and one that can hand the manager his answer to Rice – and a bargain one at that.

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Berta set to launch mega-money bid to sign Arsenal's best LW since Sanchez

While the elusive centre forward is yet to arrive, there is no doubt that this has been a great summer for Arsenal in the transfer market.

There’s no Edu-like hesitancy from the recruitment team as Andrea Berta is here and he’s making a stamp on the Gunners.

With a move for Viktor Gyokeres continuing to rumble on in the background, Mikel Arteta’s side have added Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke to their ranks.

Yet, they aren’t done there. It feels like a matter of time before Gyokeres becomes an Arsenal player and a new centre-back in the shape of Cristhian Mosquera has already completed his media duties ahead of being announced.

But, another winger could also arrive before transfer deadline day.

Arsenal looking to further bolster their forward line

Two of the biggest rumours this summer have concerned Eberechi Eze and Rodrygo.

Eze, who was once in the Arsenal academy, has reportedly already agreed personal terms with the Gunners but club-to-club talks are yet to open between the north Londoners and Crystal Palace.

If the attacker does make the move to the Emirates Stadium, then it’s likely his £68m release clause will have been activated.

But, how about Rodrygo? Well, this saga is one that looks as though it could continue until the latter stages of the window.

Transfer Focus

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The Brazilian played just 92 minutes at this summer’s Club World Cup and as a result, Xabi Alonso could well be looking to move him on from Real Madrid.

Arsenal have been at the table for a while now, but they are joined by Liverpool in the race. However, according to reports in Spain, the Gunners are now looking to steal a march on the Reds.

Real Madrid's Rodrygo

Those reports suggest that Arteta views Rodrygo as ‘the ideal player to strengthen the left flank’ and as a consequence, they are preparing an €80m (£70m) bid to bring him to London. It’s unlikely that will be accepted as Madrid have set their asking price at €100m (£87m).

Why Rodrygo could be Arsenal's best left winger since Alexis

While the centre forward position at Arsenal has been a problem for two years now, arguably so has the wide left position in Arteta’s side.

Gabriel Martinelli scored as many as 15 Premier League goals in 2022/23 but since then, he’s not scored more than eight in a single league campaign. As for Leandro Trossard, he did find the net on 17 occasions in 2023/24, but as far as league goals are concerned, it was an inconsistent term in 2024/25 for the Belgian too.

Arsenal's GabrielMartinellicelebrates scoring their second goal

Indeed, the former Brighton winger scored just eight in the top-flight, leading to concerns about the overall makeup of Arsenal’s attack.

It feels like a long time ago now that the Gunners had Alexis Sanchez dominating the left flank. Like Trossard, he also featured as the main centre-forward, but his quality far surpassed both him and Martinelli.

Cast your minds back to 2016/17 and you will recall just how magical the Chilean was, scoring as many as 24 Premier League goals. In all competitions, he found the net 30 times and supplied 18 assists too.

It’s numbers we’ve not seen from a forward player at Arsenal since Sanchez. Not even Bukayo Saka has enjoyed a season as good as that.

Alexis Sanchez

Well, Rodrygo could well be the type of winger who can emulate Alexis in north London. Like the Chile international, he’d arrive at the Emirates having played second fiddle to some major names in Spanish football.

Sanchez moved to Arsenal in the shadow of Lionel Messi and Co while Rodrygo is firmly behind the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vini Jr.

Rodrygo's Real Madrid career (timeless)

Yet, his quality is clear for all to see. In 2022/23, he scored 19 goals in all competitions and possesses a dazzling dribbling ability akin to the club’s former number 17.

Goals *

0.6

0.3

Assists *

0.3

0.2

Key passes *

2.2

1.4

Big chances created

10

10

Crosses *

0.4

0.2

Successful dribbles *

2.8

2.4

Times fouled *

1.8

1.4

Taking a fraction of the data from the best individual seasons of both players’ careers, there are obvious differences, notably in terms of output.

That said, they created an identical number of big chances and their dribbling is very much on par, with Rodrygo only 0.4 down when it comes to their success rates.

To rubberstamp that ability, the Madrid star ranked among the top 20% of positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues last year for take-ons and the best 14% for progressive carries.

On that evidence, the Brazil international is a captivating star and even though he’s not too consistent with regards to goals and assists yet, he is still only 24. Alexis, in contrast, was 27 during that 2016/17 campaign. There is plenty of time left for him to develop yet.

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All-round Daniyal, Khushdil help Lions KO Stallions

Lions will now face Markhors in the second Eliminator on Friday

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2024An all-round show from Ahmed Daniyal and a three-wicket haul from Khushdil Shah helped Lions keep their campaign alive, as they held on for a 12-run victory in the Champions One-Day Cup Eliminator against Stallions in Faisalabad. Lions will now face Markhors in the second Eliminator on Friday, with the winner facing Panthers in Sunday’s final.Opting to bat, Lions were in a spot of bother at 43 for 3, before Sharoon Siraj (38) and Mohammad Taha revived the innings with a 77-run partnership. However, Stallions kept chipping away, resulting in another slide for Lions, who went from 120 for 3 to 140 for 7 in the space of five overs. With Lions staring at the possibility of a sub-200 total, Daniyal and Aamer Yamin launched a counterattack, their 81-run eighth-wicket stand eventually guiding the team to 263 for 9. While Yamin was run out for 46, Daniyal remained unbeaten on 65 off 59 balls, with two fours and five sixes. For Stallions, seamer Ubaid Shah was the pick of the bowlers, ending with 3 for 46.Stallions began their 264 chase well, courtesy an opening stand of 64 between Yasir Khan (39) and Maaz Sadaqat (27). However, three wickets in successive overs saw the team stumble to 68 for 3, with Khushil accounting for both Sadaqat and Adil Amin. Another threatening partnership – 69 for the fourth wicket between Tayyab Tahir and Hussain Talat – appeared to give Stallions a way back into the game, but Daniyal broke through to halt their momentum in the 30th over.Stallions captain Mohammad Haris and Jahanad Khan provided a late surge, but Lions stayed ahead with regular wickets. Stallions needed 23 off the last two overs, but they only had two wickets in hand, and Lions finally bundled them out for 251. Khushdil finished with 3 for 40 while Daniyal took 3 for 59.

ريال أوفييدو يصدر بيانًا بشأن واقعة العنصرية ضد كيليان مبابي

أفادت تقارير صحفية أنه تم اعتقال مشجع لنادي ريال أوفييدو بعد ضبطه وهو يوجه إشارة عنصرية إلى كيليان مبابي نجم ريال مدريد خلال المواجهة التي جمعت بين الفريقين في الدوري الإسباني هذا الموسم.

وكان الحادث قد وقع في 24 أغسطس الماضي أثناء توجه ريال مدريد إلى ملعب كارلوس تارتيري لمواجهة ريال أوفييدو في مباراته الثانية هذا الموسم.

وأكدت الشرطة الإسبانية اعتقال المشجع وقد قامت بتصنيف هذا الفعل أنه جريمة ضد النزاهة الأخلاقية وجريمة كراهية.

وبحسب صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية، فقد أصدر نادي ريال أوفييدو تحديثاً جديداً بشأن هذه الواقعة بالإضافة لتقديم اعتذار علني لفريق ريال مدريد وكيليان مبابي.

أقرأ أيضاً.. “قلّد صوت القرد”.. الشرطة الإسبانية تلقي القبض على مشجع أوفييدو بسبب مبابي

وقد أوضح نادي ريال أوفييدو أنه لا يستطيع حالياً الوصول لهوية المتهمين بسبب قوانين حماية البيانات، ومن المنتظر أن تتولى لجنة الانضباط الاجتماعي بالنادي اتخاذ الإجراءات التأديبية بعد الإعلان الرسمي عن المعلومات.

وجاء في بيان نادي ريال أوفييدو: “يرفض ريال أوفييدو بشدة أي سلوك ينتهك مبادئ العنف والعنصرية والكراهية والتعصب في الرياضة”.

وأضاف :”سنعمل بكل صرامة قانونية للقضاء على هذا النوع من السلوك في ملعبنا، هذه التصرفات فردية ولا تعكس رأي الجمهور، يقدم النادي اعتذار صادق لريال مدريد وكيليان مبابي الذي كان هدفاً لهذا الحادث المؤسف”.

PIF open talks to sign "perfect" £30m star who's keen on move to Newcastle

Newcastle United have begun negotiations for a “perfect” player ahead of a move to the club this summer, with things expected to “accelerate” next week.

Howe realistic about Newcastle's summer business

Magpies supporters will hope to see various new faces arrive at St James’ Park in the summer transfer window, but the club now have to be sensible when it comes to adhering to financial rules.

Speaking after the final game of last season, Eddie Howe made it clear that it won’t necessarily be easy for Newcastle to snap up numerous established stars on big money.

Newcastle United manager EddieHowebefore the match

That’s not to say that Newcastle won’t do any significant business, and Howe is thought to be calm about the situation at the club, with the likes James Trafford, Ousmane Diomande, Anthony Elanga and Dusan Vlahovic being linked with moves.

Newcastle talks underway to sign James Trafford

Writing on X on Monday morning, Romano claimed that Newcastle are in talks with Burnley over the signing of goalkeeper Trafford, with “next week” looking likely to see huge strides made regarding a move.

It would be a huge surprise if Trafford wasn’t a Newcastle player come the start of next season, with the Englishman likely to come straight in as an upgrade on Nick Pope – reports earlier this month revealed he is happy to accept the Magpies’ terms.

Trafford enjoyed a fantastic season with Burnley, being hailed by pundit Don Goodman: “On individual performance, it would be difficult to have a more perfect month than James Trafford. He didn’t concede a goal in any of Burnley’s six games in January and he was the hero at Turf Moor against Sunderland, saving two late penalties to keep his team’s unbeaten run intact.

“Burnley’s defensive stability is going to be the key in their bid for promotion and Trafford is central to that.”

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Still only 22 years of age, Trafford has the ability to be a great player for Newcastle for around a decade, and possibly even be seen as England’s future No.1, so there are no negatives to the Magpies signing him at his widely reported £30m price tag.

3 strikers Chris Wilder could sign to replace Moore at Sheffield United

Despite reaching a hefty 90 points in the Championship last season, Sheffield United are now resigned to another campaign in the second t ier

Both Burnley and Leeds United soared into the top two spots in the division at their expense with a mammoth 100 points each, leaving Chris Wilder’s men to fight it out in the cruel lottery of the playoffs.

Sheff Utd vs Sunderland

To make matters worse, the Blades headed into their playoff showdown at Wembley versus Sunderland having never been promoted via this nail-biting route, with that unlucky streak unfortunately continuing against the Black Cats.

It was Tommy Watson who broke United hearts with a last-gasp finish, but the chance would never have fallen to the feet of the new Brighton and Hove Albion youngster kindly if it wasn’t for an inexplicable moment of madness from Welshman Kieffer Moore.

His head-in-hands back-pass could be his last ever cursed moment donning Blades red and white, with Wilder and Co. perhaps tempted to move on the injury-prone striker, having blown hot and cold throughout last season.

Indeed, the experienced EFL attacker would miss 17 games in total due to injury, meaning these three strikers on the potential United shopping list could be viewed as upgrades on the often missing 32-year-old.

1

Emil Riis Jakobsen

Preston North End'sEmilRiisJakobsen misses a chance to score

Emil Riis Jakobsen would certainly come in and be a similar striker to Moore, considering the Dane boasts a towering 6 foot 3 frame when contrasted wit the ex-Cardiff City man’s imposing 6 foot 5 build.

The soon-to-be free agent has been on Wilder’s radar before according to reports, and with his Preston North End contract confirmed as not being renewed, now could be the perfect time to finally add him to his Blades roster as a back-up attacking body.

After all, Jakobsen did manage to better Moore’s six-goal haul just this season gone with 12 league strikes in total, with the likes of Tyrese Campbell presumably keen to bounce off such an experienced EFL head as promotion is sought after once more.

2

Oli McBurnie

Wilder could also look to the past when recruiting a possible Moore replacement, meaning a deal might soon be on the table for Oli McBurnie to spectacularly return to Bramall Lane.

This wouldn’t be an unusual deal for Wilder to sign off on, considering United were reportedly keen on adding the £2m-rated Scotsman back to their camp in January.

Moreover, with 29 strikes already in his back pocket for the Blades, he wouldn’t need a long time you imagine to get back up to speed with proceedings, having also chipped in with a respectable five strikes for current La Liga employers Las Palmas across the 2024/25 campaign.

It would all rest on whether the Yorkshire-born attacker would fancy swapping Spain for the challenges of the EFL again, but it could be an inspired switch if it clicks into gear.

3

Charlie Kelman

Away from going after seasoned Championship veterans, the Blades could look to Queens Park Rangers hotshot Charlie Kelman as an alternative up top after an explosive loan spell at Leyton Orient.

United have been recently linked with a move for the slick 23-year-old, and after years of not being handed that many meaningful first-team opportunities at Loftus Road, he might well fancy a switch to Wilder’s men to become an exciting reserve option.

Kelman’s league numbers for Orient (24/25)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Kelman

Games played

46

Games started

37

Goals scored

21

Assists

5

Shots*

2.4

Shots on target*

1.1

Goal conversion %

19%

Big chances missed

20

Stats by Sofascore

Kelman would instantly burst into life leading the line for Richie Wellens’ promotion-chasers, as seen in his 21 strikes and five assists helping the O’s reach the League One playoff final, only to then fall at the vital finishing hurdle to Charlton Athletic.

Wilder and Co. tasted similar agony, but will hope landing promising new strikers such as Kelman can get them over the line this campaign to come.

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Burnley have struck gold on "superstar" talent who's as good as Trafford

Whilst Leeds United lapped up most of the praise in the Championship this season, winning the second-tier title, Scott Parker’s Burnley were more than worthy challengers to the West Yorkshire side’s throne.

After all, Daniel Farke’s side only clinched the title on the final day via goal difference, with the Clarets hoping and praying for a shock Plymouth Argyle victory in Devon, but Parker’s men had to make do with the tag of being runners-up despite also achieving a remarkable haul of 100 points.

Still, there would be celebrations aplenty as the Lancashire side instantly returned to the promised land of the Premier League.

Burnley certainly have their unbelievable defensive record to thank for sealing automatic promotion, with James Trafford a formidable option in between the sticks all season long.

Trafford's standout season in goal for Burnley

Unfortunately for the Turf Moor side, some of their standout performers could still depart for more luxurious pastures this summer, even as the Clarets return to the elite league.

Trafford definitely fits into this category, with rumours circulating that Newcastle United are keen on adding the ex-Manchester City stopper to their roster off the back of his unerring quality in the second tier.

Unbelievably, the Carlisle-born ‘keeper would only concede 16 goals across Burnley’s triumphant 46-game marathon, leading to a jaw-dropping 29 clean sheets being tallied up.

Parker has even gone as far as labelling Trafford as “world class” off the back of such a memorable campaign for his promoted side, but he isn’t the only standout figure in the Clarets camp that is attracting deserved Premier League action.

James Trafford for Burnley.

Indeed, there was a performer who was just as lively, albeit at the complete opposite end of the pitch.

The Burnley "superstar" who is ready for the Premier League

Parker will already be wary about the difficult challenge ahead, considering he has only picked up nine career wins at Premier League level as a manager.

But, he will be slightly less hesitant about diving back into the tricky division if he can keep Josh Brownhill situated at Turf Moor, with the 29-year-old keen to make an impression on the top-flight again after taking the second tier by storm in 2024/25.

Staggeringly, the experienced EFL head managed to bag more goals in Championship action this season than Trafford would ship, with a bumper 18 goals coming his way to help his team soar into the top two spots.

With six assists also next to his name, the midfield “superstar” – as he was previously labelled by one of his former bosses in Lee Johnson – will be raring to go in the top-flight next season with or without his current employers.

The likes of Everton and West Ham United are reportedly taking an interest in the skilful Clarets captain to boost their own options centrally.

Championship

231

41

25

Premier League

111

6

6

League One

67

8

4

After all, even with the table above confirming that Brownhill’s most comfortable location is the Championship, he has shown flashes of his immense quality in the Premier League before even whilst Burnley have struggled, with his 2023/24 output seeing him pick up six of his overall 12 goal contributions.

This is why both the Toffees and the Hammers are presumably keen, but if Parker and Co are serious about staying put in the top-flight for the long-term, losing Brownhill would be a disaster.

The much-loved number 8 does already have two top-flight relegations on his CV, but after such a sensational personal season alongside the strong Trafford, he could be just what the Clarets need moving forward to return back to their former Premier League glory days.

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Big upgrade on Zirkzee: Man Utd agree personal terms to sign £30m "monster"

Manchester United’s dismal season in the Premier League continued to hit new lows after a 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Vitor Pereira’s side, who have been battling relegation all season, are now level on points with the Red Devils on 58 points, only behind them on goal difference.

A stunning free-kick from Pablo Sarabia was the difference between the two sides in Manchester, as a moment of quality decided the match in a stadium where that has often been the case for the home team in the Premier League era.

A lack of quality sums up where United are at this moment in time – sat 14th in the league table – and their selection of strikers is a damning indictment on the recruitment work done behind the scenes in recent years.

Rasmus Hojlund

Rasmus Hojlund, signed from Atalanta in a £72m deal in 2023, started against Wolves and failed to score, which means that he has scored three goals in 28 Premier League matches.

Joshua Zirkzee was unavailable and is set to miss the remainder of the season due to a hamstring injury, but he has rarely provided the quality that United need in the final third.

Why Man Utd could move on from Joshua Zirkzee

The Red Devils reportedly paid a fee of £36.5m to sign the Netherlands international from Serie A side Bologna last summer to compete with Hojlund for a spot in the starting line-up.

Unfortunately, neither of them have performed well enough to nail down the position of Manchester United’s first-choice number nine, instead taking turns at struggling at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League.

Zirkzee has started 14 of his 32 appearances in the division, which shows that he has failed to perform well enough to be a consistent starter, and scored three goals from 4.82 xG in that time.

Non-penalty xG

0.31

Bottom 36%

Non-penalty goals

0.19

Bottom 16%

Shots

1.89

Bottom 9%

Assists

0.06

Bottom 19%

Expected Assisted Goals

0.10

Bottom 41%

Shot-creating actions

1.99

Bottom 31%

As you can see in the table above, the Dutch centre-forward ranks incredibly lowly among strikers in the Premier League in a host of key goalscoring metrics.

These statistics show that Zirkzee does not get into high-quality goalscoring positions on a regular basis and that he fails to make the most of his opportunities when they do come his way.

Joshua Zirkzee

The former Bayern Munich gem turns 24 next month, almost two years older than Hojlund, and could be moved on this summer to make room for a new striker. He cost more than £30m less than the Danish prospect, which could make it more appealing to sell to limit any losses on their initial outlay.

Man Utd reach agreement with £30m striker

According to Africa Foot, as relayed by TEAMtalk, Manchester United have already reached an agreement with Victor Osimhen and his representatives ahead of a possible transfer.

The report claims that the Red Devils have struck a deal with the Nigeria international ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window, as they look to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

Galatasaray's VictorOsimhenreacts

It reveals that Osimhen wants to move to the Premier League to take the next step in his career, and he has now given the green light to a transfer to Old Trafford.

The outlet adds that a permanent exit from Napoli is on the cards for the striker this summer, despite his contract not ending until 2026, and that a fee of up to £30m could be enough to secure his services.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Whilst an agreement may have been reached with Osimhen and his representatives, Manchester United still need to agree a deal with the Italian club to ensure that the forward is part of Ruben Amorim’s squad for the 2025/26 campaign.

The agreement with the player does suggest that they are closing in on the Galatasaray loanee, though, and that may not be good news for Zirkzee and his future in Manchester.

Why Manchester United should sign Victor Osimhen

The Red Devils must continue on their path to signing Osimhen from Napoli this summer because he could come in to solve the problems that they have had in the striker position this season.

The 26-year-old marksman is a prolific and reliable goalscorer who has proven his quality at the top end of the pitch in recent seasons, in Italy, France, and Turkey, whilst the United front two have struggled throughout the 2024/25 campaign in the Premier League.

24/25

Galatasaray

33

29

23/24

Napoli

32

17

22/23

Napoli

39

31

21/22

Napoli

32

18

20/21

Napoli

30

10

19/20

Lille

35

17

As you can see in the table above, Osimhen has scored 17 goals or more in five of the last six seasons for Lille, Napoli, and Galatasaray, with a staggering 29 goals in 33 matches in the current campaign.

The Napoli forward, who was once described as a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, was particularly impressive in the 2022/23 Serie A season, scoring 26 goals to guide his side to the title.

Zirkzee, meanwhile, has only scored seven goals in 48 matches in all competitions in his debut year in England, which would be Osimhen’s lowest tally in any of his last six years.

This suggests that Osimhen, who currently ranks within the top 1% of forwards in the Men’s Big 5 Leagues and European competitions for non-penalty xG per 90 (0.98), would come in as a significant upgrade on both Zirkzee and Hojlund due to his ability to consistently and reliably find the back of the net, adapting to new countries and leagues with ease.

Galatasaray's VictorOsimhencelebrates scoring a goal that was later disallowed

In terms of what that would mean for the current United strikers, Zirkzee being older and less expensive than Hojlund could result in him being the one to be sent packing to make room for the Nigerian striker ahead of next season.

Therefore, the news that United have reached an agreement with Osimhen should come as bad news to the Dutch attacker, whose days at Old Trafford may already be numbered.

He's "like Palmer": Man Utd keen to step up move for £100m Semenyo rival

Man Utd could be ready to break the bank for a standout Premier League sensation

ByRobbie Walls Apr 19, 2025

It is now down to the board to ensure that they can reach an agreement with Napoli, whether that is for a fee of £30m or not, to bolster Amorim’s attacking options.

Stats – India go faster, bigger, stronger in magical T20I year

The T20 World Cup win was the highlight, but right through the year, India set new benchmarks in T20I batting

Sampath Bandarupalli16-Nov-2024India ended their 11-year ICC trophy drought in 2024 with the T20 World Cup win – their second, after winning the inaugural one in 2007. It came in a year in which India found immense success in the format, wherever they played.They won all five bilateral T20I series they played this year, and lost only two matches – one of them played a week after their World Cup win with a fairly depleted line-up in Harare.Overall, India won 22 of the 26 completed T20Is they played in 2024 outright. They also won the two matches they tied via Super Over. And they lost only two, including the second match of the latest series in South Africa.

All of that added up to a win percentage of 92.31, including the two Super Over wins.It’s the highest win percentage for any team in a calendar year in men’s T20Is, bettering Pakistan’s 89.47 in 2018, when they won 17 out of the 19 they played.Only one team across all men’s T20s have a higher win percentage in a calendar year – 93.75 by Tamil Nadu in the Indian domestic circuit in 2021, when they won 15 of the 16 they played.

India go big and go fast with the batIndia’s attacking approach with the bat was a major point of difference. They hit a four or a six every 4.68 balls through the year, the second-highest for a team in a calendar year behind Australia’s 4.39, also in 2024. They hit a six every 12.19 balls, their best in any year and the fourth-highest for any team in any year.So they scored fast, but they also scored big, recording monster totals, and there were seven individual centuries – three by Sanju Samson, two by Tilak Varma, and one each by Rohit Sharma and Abhishek Sharma. That’s comfortably the most by any team in a calendar year across all T20s, and they beat their own record from last year in T20Is.

India crossed the 200-run mark each time someone scored a century – in fact, they got there nine times this year. No team had posted more than seven such totals in men’s T20s in a year prior to this. The mammoth totals got India an overall run rate of 9.55, the second-highest for a men’s T20I team in a calendar year (minimum 15 matches) behind Australia’s 9.87 this year.All of this was possible because India went hard, taking risks and not taking a backward step, from the get-go. India’s top-five batters had a collective strike rate of 135.08 in their first ten balls this year. It’s the third-highest strike rate for the top five of any team in a calendar year where they played 15 or more men’s T20Is (where ball-by-ball data is available). Australia’s top five struck at 148.51 in 2024 across 19 matches, while Malaysia’s top five had a strike rate of 136.24 in 20 T20Is in 2022.

A total of 11 India batters scored 200-plus runs in 2024, of whom eight had strike rates of over 150. There have been 57 cases of India’s batters scoring 200-plus runs in men’s T20Is in a calendar year until 2023, but only 11 of them at a strike rate of 150 or more.

The fast scoring this year came with consistency. Five of the eight batters with 150-plus strike rates in 2024 also had averages of 40 or more, while there were only four such instances until 2023.Bowlers play their part in India’s big winsHow about the other 20 overs?India bowled their opponents out in ten of their 26 matches this year, the joint-third-highest by any team in a calendar year in men’s T20Is.Uganda top the list with 19 out of 33 in 2023, while Japan did it in 12 of 25 games this year. India also bowled out their opponents on ten occasions in 2022, but that was across 39 innings.India took 8.39 wickets on an average per innings this year, the second-best ratio for any team in a calendar year where they played 15 or more matches, behind Uganda’s 8.49 in 2023.

India won by a margin of 100-plus runs three times in 2024, which they had achieved only four times until 2023.This year also contained two of India’s top-five biggest wins by balls remaining, and one of their only two ten-wicket wins in the format.

Afghanistan look to spring a surprise against Shadab-led Pakistan

Not too much rides on this T20I series in an ODI World Cup year, but expect plenty of intrigue nonetheless

Rvel Zahid23-Mar-2023High-octane matches between Pakistan and Afghanistan in showpiece events are nothing new, but this first-of-its-kind bilateral series offers the tantalising promise of normal cricketing ties in the future. The shared love of the game on both sides of the border acts as a binding force and a hedge against volatile political relations between Kabul and Islamabad.Afghanistan were originally slated to kickstart their season with an ODI series against Australia this month in the UAE but Cricket Australia shelved its plans to play in protest at the curbs placed on women’s cricket in Afghanistan, paving the way for this series.Not much is riding on this T20I series for both teams, given this is an ODI World Cup year. Both teams are well-accustomed to the conditions given the fact that the UAE is Afghanistan’s home venue and was Pakistan’s home away from home for a decade. Pakistan’s record against its northwest neighbour is unblemished but they will be without several key players, who have been rested, potentially balancing the scales. Afghanistan could back themselves to get the better of a Shadab Khan-led side in the three T20Is.Afghanistan will be buoyed by their recent 2-1 T20I series win over UAE and, before that, a pretty decent outing in the 2022 Asia Cup, where they outgunned eventual champions Sri Lanka in the group stage and went on to overwhelm Bangladesh to make it to the Super Four round. They came within touching distance of victory in a low-scoring humdinger against Pakistan, too, until two Naseem Shah sixes denied them at the death.With a young batting line-up, Pakistan’s vulnerability to collapse can’t be ruled out because they will be up against a potent bowling attack. The 22-year-old Fazalhaq Farooqi has gone from strength to strength since his stint in IPL 2022 – where he worked under the tutelage of Dale Steyn – after which he went on to make a mark in the inaugural edition of the ILT20. His ability to bowl with control up front keeps opening batters on their toes.A well-rounded Afghanistan batting line-up has a wealth of international experience, which could put pressure on a young Pakistan pace attack. It won’t be easy to cover for Shaheen Afridi, who was phenomenal in the just-concluded PSL, but the likes of Naseem, Ihsanullah and Zaman Khan, have the skill set to pose significant challenges for Afghanistan batters. Ihsanullah, who hails from Matta, Swat, claimed his maiden five-for against Quetta Gladiators and ended the PSL season as its second-leading wicket-taker with 22 scalps.A notable addition to Pakistan’s squad is Imad Wasim; he ended PSL 8 as the tournament’s best allrounder, scoring over 400 runs and snapping up nine wickets. Having fallen way down the pecking order, he now links up with Mohammad Nawaz as they vie for that spin-bowling allrounder spot.Imad Wasim is back in Pakistan’s squad after an outstanding PSL season•Getty ImagesAfghanistan have mainly relied on their spinners to weave magic but now they have match-winners in their pace battery, too. Afghanistan have an opportunity to enhance their reputation among Full Members, and for that they’ll need to hold their nerve at crucial junctures. This being a bilateral series will help them play in an uninhibited manner given there is not a lot at stake.Pakistan have included Saim Ayub whose performances made everyone sit up and take notice during the PSL. His audacious shots were a treat to watch, notably a no-look scoop over fine leg that had social media swooning. Saim, alongside the belligerent Mohammad Haris, entertained the crowd royally in the PSL, and these purveyors of modern-day cricket almost seem genetically wired to thrive in limited-overs cricket. Shadab spoke glowingly of the new talents that the PSL has unearthed, and wants them to have a proper chance at the international level.Afghanistan, meanwhile, have recalled Mohammad Nabi after he was dropped for the UAE series. The old hand has seen it all since the early days of Afghanistan cricket and has been the fulcrum of their batting line-up. His canny offspin will come in handy in what should be spin-friendly conditions. He will be eager to locate his mojo after a poor run of form of late, only managing 45 runs and seven wickets in his last 10 matches. Nabi relinquished the T20I captaincy last year following the T20 World Cup in Australia.Uncapped opening batter Sediqullah Atal made his T20 debut for Kabul Eagles in the 2020 Shpageeza Cricket League and was part of Afghanistan’s squad for the 2020 Under-19 World Cup. He will now get to test himself against a strong international attack.Swashbuckling opener Hazratullah Zazai didn’t get the selectors’ nod, while Nijat Masood and Zahid Khan have been added to the reserves. Ibrahim Zadran and Karim Janat have been in sublime touch of late and both thumped half-centuries to script Afghanistan’s outstanding six-wicket win over UAE in the T20I series in February. A series win could be a major tipping point in the progress of Afghanistan cricket.The bowlers struggled in the sweltering heat during last year’s Asia Cup, with Naseem cramping during the high-voltage clash against India, but the weather will be milder at this time of the year, which will certainly help the fast bowlers bowl at full tilt.Emotions can flare up during Afghanistan-Pakistan contests, particularly during closely-fought matches. There was unrest in the stands during the 2019 World Cup and during last year’s Asia Cup in Sharjah. This time around, the organisers have decided to keep the two sets of fans in separate stands and have put on-site security and stewards on alert to prevent any crowd trouble. But cricket will take centrestage, and that should be enough of a draw on its own.

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