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He will continue to captain South Africa and sees it as his responsibility to help with the transition

Firdose Moonda22-Oct-20194:32

India’s consistent pressure made us weak in every Test – du Plessis

Faf du Plessis will continue to captain South Africa despite overseeing one of their worst Test results since readmission – he sees it as his responsibility to ease them through the transition. South Africa last suffered successive innings defeats in Tests in 1935-36, and though they have been whitewashed by Australia twice since 1992, their defeats then were not as stark as they are now. Du Plessis, who has led the side since mid-2016, will not use the results as a reason to jump ship and wants to oversee a process that will enable a new leader to take over in due course.”How I see my journey unfolding with this team is to help with the transition period,” du Plessis said at the press conference after the Ranchi Test. “That’s something we spoke about before that wasn’t necessarily the case before. Graeme Smith was a successful captain for a very long time and then after that, it was like, ‘what now, who is going to captain the side, what’s going to happen?’ This period is to try and make that process a bit smoother, identifying the next leaders, identifying the next captains, working with them, and then when that time is right, that time will be right.”His reference to Smith and his golden generation will only make the India series’ result sting even more. It was under Smith that South Africa last won a Test in India, in 2010 and remained unbeaten in an away Test series for nine years. But earlier this year, South Africa lost a home Test series to Sri Lanka and now they haven’t merely lost in India, they have been outplayed and exposed, something du Plessis puts down to inexperience.”I found the tour really tough,” he said. “We have had a very mature Test team for a while, guys that have played 30, 40 and more Test matches. Now you look in the dressing room and its five, six, seven, eight, ten Tests.”South Africa’s most experienced player on this trip is du Plessis himself, with 61 Test caps, and only five of the 16-man squad had toured India before. Of those, Dean Elgar showed he has made some progress from 2015 by scoring a century, but Temba Bavuma did not. Similarly, in the bowling department Kagiso Rabada, who debuted in that series, showed flashes of brilliance but Vernon Philander, who was injured after one Test on the 2015 tour, didn’t. A combination of the inability to bowl out the opposition even once and a failure to bat big is how du Plessis summed up what went wrong.”When we play in the subcontinent, our style of bowling is not successful. You have to adapt your style to the style that is required. Obviously, someone like Dale Steyn was effective in the subcontinent because he has a similar skill set. He is a skiddy bowler off the pitch, hits the stumps, whereas if you are missing the stumps a lot or bouncing it over the stumps, it’s not as effective here.”Seam bowling is one area; spin they [India] were better than us and from a batting unit, exceptional ruthlessness in the way they put massive scores on the board. That’s one of the reasons why mentally we were so weak towards the end. Obviously, they did bat first every time, which made it easier but they still to put on 500, 500, 600 and the scoreboard pressure, the effect that it has on you mentally as a batting line-up, it takes a lot of energy and it takes a lot of toll. You just feel like there’s no opportunity or no moment in the game when you can hide. Your body is tired, your mind is tired and then you make mistakes.”Mind games have long haunted South Africa, mostly at major tournaments but now even in the longer format and du Plessis believes its an area that needs improvement fast. “Our next journey is to try and make sure we get a lot stronger as a cricketing team mentally. As you can see, a tour like this reveals that there is a lot of mental scars that can happen and then obviously it’s difficult to come out of the hole. We played our best match in the first match and the consistent pressure that was on us made us weaker with every Test match that we played. It tells me we are not mentally strong as a team and that some work is required in that department.”This tour is the first place du Plessis will look at when it comes to identifying who is mentally strong enough to keep playing at this level and who will form the next leadership group. “When you go through extreme hardships like this, in the hardships, you will still find guys that are up for Test cricket.”Like who? Quinton de Kock scored one century, Keshav Maharaj was brave with ball and bat, Senuran Muthusamy showed all-round potential and Zubayr Hamza played one sprightly knock.The same cannot automatically be applied to Bavuma, the man being groomed as du Plessis’ successor. He scored 96 runs in six innings and was moved down the order from No. 4 to 5, swapping places with du Plessis. His numbers suggest he is not ready to take over just yet, but his mindset reveals something else. In a revealing press conference in the second Test, Bavuma spoke frankly about his battle to convert and acknowledged that his best was not good enough at the moment. Like du Plessis, he recognised his responsibility and he knows what’s expected of him. For now, that’s all South Africa can ask for. It will take time before Bavuma is performing at the level required of a captain, or South Africa find someone else who is and no-one can say how much.The next few months will not be easy as South Africa host England at home for four Tests. When the same sequence of fixtures was played four years ago, South Africa lost both series and their captain, Amla. This time, if du Plessis sticks to his word, they are are only at risk of the former.

The Australia batsman was able to resume his innings shortly after a sickening blow from Jofra Archer but it would have rekindled some awful memories

Daniel Brettig at Lord's17-Aug-2019Fewer than 1000 people were at the SCG a little less than five years ago when Phillip Hughes was hit on the neck, paused a few moments on his feet, and then collapsed. At the time we did not quite know what we were watching, the full horror of the moment only emerging in the subsequent minutes, hours and days.It was impossible for the mind not to flash back to that moment when, in front of 28,000 spectators and many many more following the broadcast, Steven Smith was also hit on the neck and instantly fell to the ground. For a few terrible, interminable moments, cricket stood still.First to reach Smith was Jos Buttler from short leg, then the non-striker Pat Cummins and the England slip cordon. Jofra Archer, author of a spell of rare speed and hostility that had already seen Smith struck on the forearm, kept his distance. As it emerged that Smith had remained conscious, and that he would soon return to his feet to be assessed by the team doctor Richard Saw, there were even a few awkward smiles and nervous laughs cracked among the hosts.”You kind of get a feel as a player when someone gets hit by the noise as much as anything, you could hear it was more fleshy, around the neck sort of area and when that’s the case you’re immediately worried as a player,” Chris Woakes said. “There were guys that were close to the action, Jos being at short leg he knew straight away and was straight on to him to check he was okay, which was nice to see. You don’t wish that on anyone.”There were none, however, on the Australian balcony. Among their number were Brad Haddin, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, David Warner and Travis Head. All played in that November 2014 Sheffield Shield game, where on the first day everything changed. In public view, their faces wore looks of concern but also masks against emotion – the mess of emotions all experienced in 2014, but had to hide after a while to return to the game. The former captain Michael Clarke has reflected that his career was more or less over once he had thought about it all.The England players crowd round Steven Smith after he was hit•Getty Images

“I shouldn’t have played another game. My career should have stopped then. It was too hard for me,” Clarke said in 2017. “It took me a lot longer to grieve his loss than it should have, or that I would have liked. I didn’t allow myself to grieve at the time because I had responsibility to his family, firstly, but then also as Australia’s cricket captain to my team-mates and getting us back out onto the field. My greatest strength as a small boy growing up and all through my career was that I was never scared.”The faster they bowled, the easier it would be to score. I liked batting without a helmet on occasions; they’d bowl at your head and I’d love playing the hook or the pull shot. Even if it was just my subconscious, when I lost one of my best mates playing the game that we love, I think my subconscious worked out that you can actually die playing this sport. Even if it was the smallest bit of fear, you can’t play at the highest level like that.”It’s a fear that many have had to push to the back of their minds in the ensuing years, some better than others. For Smith, who did not play in that match but had to do his own share of grieving and reflecting in private, the contemplation of the moment needed to share headroom with working out whether or not he had been concussed – something that would have forced him out of the Test match – or merely hit a stunning blow to the back of the neck. Speaking to Saw, he mouthed the words “I feel great”, though with an expression that indicated the opposite.At length, the decision was made to get Smith off the ground. For further treatment and to take stock. There were boos from some quarters of Lord’s, uncharitable in the extreme, but mostly applause and relief that he was okay. A little over half an hour later, the television cameras that had beamed Smith’s hit around the world found a close-up of him in the Australian dressing room, watching the game through the window. He looked pensive, sore but also reflective. So too were we all. In 2014 we did not know what we were watching. In 2019 we did, and a repeat was too dreadful to contemplate.Steven Smith is struck by a Jofra Archer bouncer•Getty Images

Tellingly, though, Smith was still in his whites. And at the fall of Peter Siddle’s wicket, his unmistakable gait could be seen re-emerging through the Lord’s pavilion doors. Surely not, many thousands seemed to say. But there he was, smiting boundaries from his second and third deliveries back, and moving into the 90s. The official word about what had taken place indicated that Smith had passed the bar set for concussion tests.”Steve was hit on the neck below the left ear,” a Cricket Australia spokesman said. “He was assessed lying on the pitch at the instructions of team doctor Richard Saw. Dr Saw made the precautionary decision to remove Steve from the field of play to have him further assessed under Cricket Australia’s head impact protocol. Steve then passed his assessments and will now be monitored on an ongoing basis, as is routine.”Concussed or not, Smith’s return to the middle was to be as brief as it was stirring. It ended with the sort of misjudgment he almost never makes – lbw shouldering arms to a Chris Woakes delivery that nipped back at him. Archer, meanwhile, had warmed back up but was not required to bowl again. This little postscript was odd, and will raise a few more questions about exactly how much Smith had recovered from the earlier blow.”I suppose it is strange because he hasn’t left anything on the stumps all series so far,” Woakes said. “Whether he was … he’d just come back out, he hoyed me over midwicket for one bounce four, whether he was at that point trying to get to three figures as quick as possible not too sure, but it’s a tough one to answer. He hasn’t left one like that so far.”But for the most part it was proof that, as horrible as the moment was, it was nothing on what we saw in 2014, when we did not quite know what we were watching. Cricket stood still at Lord’s, but we are endlessly grateful that it was soon moving again.

Manchester United and England legend David Beckham could miss out on the prestigious knighthood due to his past tax affairs.

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• Beckham could miss out on the Knighthood
• Previously avoided paying UK taxes
• Appointed as ambassador to the King's Foundation

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to British writer Tom Bower, who authored a book on the football legend named The House of Beckham, the ex-United player tried to legally minimise his UK taxes while he was playing for Real Madrid in Spain.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The former England captain was recently unveiled as an ambassador to the King's Foundation and according to the , the move could boost his changes of getting knighted. However, as per Bower's book, his past tax affairs could seriously jeopardise his chances of obtaining the prestigious honour.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  In his book, the author wrote, "Legally avoiding British taxes appealed to Beckham. As a non-dom in Spain, he was not paying British taxes on income earned outside Britain. And he was not paying National Insurance. The genius of it was that no one in Britain realised that Beckham had become a tax exile. Instead, the public believed that he was a global success who paid his taxes in Britain.

  "Partly that was due to sightings of him in London. Legally, he could visit Britain 90 days a year and after five years the annual limit would increase to 120 days."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While European football is on a break due to the ongoing Euro 2024, MLS action continues in the US. Beckham's Inter Miami will be next seen in action on Sunday against Philadelphia Union.

A few months ago Pakistan were beaten 5-0 by their next World Cup opponents but they have already shown that recent form can go out of the window if things click

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan11-Jun-20192:58

Hussey: Stoinis’ injury is a big loss for Australia

Big PictureThings are starting to bubble up nicely. Both teams are entering a key phase of the tournament in terms of their semi-final hopes. Australia’s shortcomings were shown up by an impressive Indian performance at The Oval, and Pakistan have been kicking their heels since turning on the style to beat England with a washout against Sri Lanka.If you go by recent history, Pakistan would appear a long shot for this match. But, as we well know, that isn’t how it works. Their 5-0 defeat in the UAE a couple of months ago came with an underpowered side. If they can channel the form shown against England, with bat and ball, they are fully capable of overturning Australia – it would be a huge result ahead of their marquee clash against India on Sunday.Australia need to get the show back on the road to make a case for being serious contenders for the title. The format of the tournament means there is time to do that, but lessons will need to be learned from the India match and it will be interesting to see how rigid, or not, their game plans are. The batting order and balance of the side are raising questions with the news of Marcus Stoinis’ side injury creating a headache.The venue for the match, Taunton, could add a few more issues to consider with some short boundaries on offer and the weather forecast remaining uncertain. All that points to win toss, bowl first.Form guide(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia LWWWW
Pakistan WLLLLDavid Warner walks off after his unbeaten 89•Getty Images

In the spotlightDavid Warner is scoring runs, but not at the rate that everyone has become accustomed to and that Australia ideally need him to. In the space of three innings at the World Cup, he has twice set a new mark for his slowest ODI fifties. Against Afghanistan, it wasn’t an issue, but needing 353 against India, it left Australia well behind the required rate. Team-mates have come out in support, with Glenn Maxwell saying conditions have been trickier than expected, but Australia need some impetus at the top. At the very least, if Warner is going to soak up a lot of deliveries, he needs to bat through for a big hundred.Four years ago, Wahab Riaz was half of one of the most thrilling duels of the 2015 World Cup as he put Shane Watson through the wringer which a vicious spell of short bowling in Adelaide. Little more than a month ago, it did not seem like Wahab would be back for the 2019 event but a typically last-minute change of plans altered that. Against England, he shipped 82 runs but, crucially, claimed three wickets to help secure Pakistan’s victory. Australia’s top order was rattled by the West Indies bouncers. Can Wahab reprise 2015?Team newsStoinis’ injury leaves Australia with two ways to go, both significantly changing the make-up of the team. They can either bring in Shaun Marsh, which would leave Maxwell as the fifth bowler, or add another frontline bowler which would shorten the batting order – although Stoinis hasn’t contributed many runs of late.Australia (possible): 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (capt), 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Shaun Marsh, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Jason BehrendorffAgainst Australia, there is always the temptation to play more spin, so, ideally, Imad Wasim should into the equation. But the weather and conditions could have a say in team selection too. Pakistan are keen to play the same top seven from the England game and keep the batting strong; the bowling dilemma is whether Shaheen Afridi comes in, his swing perhaps more useful than Wahab’s pace.Pakistan (probable): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Asif Ali, 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Shadab Khan, 11 Mohammad AmirPitch and conditionsTraditionally a high-scoring venue for domestic one-day cricket, Taunton’s first match of the World Cup saw New Zealand’s seamers prove too much for Afghanistan’s flimsy batting. The forecast is for a cloudy day with a chance of showers so it could again be the quicks who prosper.Fakhar Zaman plays a pull•Getty Images

Strategy punt Warner has struggled to up the tempo so far at the World Cup and Pakistan have three bowlers in their likely line-up – Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Hafeez – against whom he has scored significantly under a run-a-ball and has a dot ball percentage of over 50. The bowler Pakistan may want to hide from Warner is Hasan Ali – the left hander has a strike rate of 168 against him. If there isn’t a frontline pace bowler operating when Hafeez comes to the crease, Aaron Finch should quickly change the bowling. All seven of his ODI dismissals this year have been against pace. Against England he skipped down the pitch to his first ball against Moeen Ali to dispatch a boundary which kickstarted his match-defining innings of 84 off 62 balls. The short ball from the quicks is worth considering, too, with Hafeez falling 11 times in his ODI career from 161 short balls he has faced – although his strike-rate against them is a handy 126.Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins will need to avoid length deliveries against Fakhar Zaman who has made positive starts in both his innings without converting. It is better to err full or short; Fakhar’s ball-per-dismissal ratio is considerably lower – 19.5 in both cases – to those two lengths compared to good length (30.5) and back of a length where he is most comfortable and has only been dismissed once in 110 deliveries.Stats and Trivia Both Nathan Coulter-Nile and Shadab Khan need one wicket each to reach fifty in ODIs Maxwell’s average of 55 against Pakistan is his best against any opposition in ODIs – he has scored seven fifty-plus scores in 15 innings against them In the domestic Royal London Cup, Somerset made scores of 353 and 358 on their home ground

MatériaMais Notícias

Parte do elenco do São Paulo trabalhou nesta manhã de sábado (20), no CT da Barra Funda. Com a rodada do Campeonato Paulista adiada neste fim de semana, a diretoria e comissão técnica deram folga para parte do elenco.

São Paulo contrata meia ex-Palmeiras: relembre jogadores que passaram pelos dois rivais

Quem treinou realizou atividades voltadas para troca rápida de passes, enfrentamentos individuais e finalizações, sob o comando dopreparador físico Alejandro Kohan e do auxiliar-técnico Tobias Kohan.

VEJA A TABELA DO CAMPEONATO PAULISTA

RelacionadasSão PauloCom Miranda, parte do elenco do São Paulo treina no CT da Barra FundaSão Paulo20/03/2021São PauloConvocado para a Itália! Relembre a passagem de Toloi no São PauloSão Paulo20/03/2021São PauloSão Paulo procura zagueiro para fechar elenco para a temporadaSão Paulo19/03/2021

Estiveram presentes no treino os atletas que chegaram recentemente ao clube, como Miranda e Orejuela e os garotos das categorias de base que têm trabalhado com o grupo principal.

📍 CT da Barra Funda

Mais uma manhã de treino por aqui 💪🏼⚽️#VamosSãoPaulo 🇾🇪 pic.twitter.com/GWyJfbZA2c

— São Paulo FC (@SaoPauloFC) March 20, 2021

Além deles, os atletas que não vêm de grande sequência de jogos, além de Liziero (em fase final de recuperação após cirurgia no tornozelo) e Arboleda (liberado recentemente por uma semana) também participaram da atividade.

Este mesmo grupo trabalhará na segunda-feira (22), novamente pela manhã. A reapresentação dos jogadores que receberam este período de descanso está marcada para terça-feira (23).

Former Manchester City financial advisor Stefan Borson has warned the club about the seriousness of their 115 Premier League charges.

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• Man City warned about their charges
• Could be relegated if found guilty
• Date set for the findings to be made public

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Man City head towards a record fourth-straight Premier League title win, however, despite their incoming glory, their season has been marred by the 115 charges that have been pinned on the club with regard to financial irregularities. It has been suggested earlier that the Citizens could very well be relegated if they are found guilty of those charges, and Borson has reiterated the same concerns.

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• WHAT BORSON SAID

  Speaking to iNews, the former Man City advisor said: "If the charges are proven, it couldn’t be any more serious.

  "Could Man City be relegated? That seems even more obvious after the way sporting advantage was appraised and dealt with in the relatively simple [Everton and Nottingham Forest] PSR cases.

  "It feels as though there’s nothing left to say until the case is heard. I understand people want it to be quicker but it’s not possible and people are going over the same thing time and time again.

  "I don’t know what the solution is in fairness. If you’re not familiar with litigation of this sort, why would you know how complicated it is or how long this would take?"

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It is still unknown as to when exactly the ruling will be made by the Premier League's independent panel regarding the charges. However, Premier League CEO Richard Masters has mentioned earlier that a resolution can be expected in the "near future". Masters has also stated that a hearing date has been scheduled; however, the date has not yet been made public since they intend to keep the proceedings confidential until then.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?

  The club still has two crucial clashes left this season on the field as they look to win the Premier League and the FA Cup. They will take on West Ham in the league on May 19 as they look to confirm their title win over Arsenal. They will then prepare to take on Manchester United in the FA Cup final on May 25.

McKenna is only the fifth coach to reach the Premier League via back-to-back promotions, but his success is no surprise to those who worked with him

"I love Kieran McKenna and Michael Carrick to bits. Top coaches and they’ll prove it," Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told last year, reflecting on his assistants during his time with Manchester United.

McKenna has certainly vindicated his blessing after leading Ipswich Town back to the Premier League for the first time in 22 years. And the Northern Irishman did not inherit a team destined to return to the top. When he took charge of Ipswich they were in their third season in League One, the third tier of English football, closer to the relegation zone than the play-off picture.

In his first full campaign he secured automatic promotion back to the Championship and after his side beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 to finish second on 96 points, he became only the fifth manager to take a team from the third tier to the Premier League in successive seasons, and the first to do so in 12 years.

Not bad for someone who had never previously been head coach of a senior team and who was forced to abandon their dream of becoming a professional footballer due to injuries, instead enrolling in a university degree in sports science.

Less than three years after departing United, the club he supported growing up in Northern Ireland and which was his home for five years, McKenna will be returning to Old Trafford next season in the opposing dugout. And don't rule him out one day sitting in the home dugout once more, calling the shots…

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  Fighting off giants to promotion

  Ipswich are a historic club in their own right, winning the English First Division title in 1962 with England's future World Cup-winning manager Sir Alf Ramsay. They enjoyed another golden era under Sir Bobby Robson, winning the FA Cup in 1978, finishing runners up in the league in consecutive years and lifting the UEFA Cup, their only European trophy, in 1981.

  But they had fallen on hard times ever since they were relegated from the Premier League in 2002, when a hotly-disputed Ruud van Nistelrooy penalty put one of the final nails in their coffin. They sank down to League One in April 2019 and when McKenna was put in charge he became their fourth manager in the space of three-and-a-half years.

  After ending a four-year stay in League One few people would have had Ipswich as candidates for promotion. Indeed, Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday, who came up alongside them, spent the season fighting against relegation.

  But McKenna's side have ended up finishing above two relative giants in Leeds and Southampton, who were bolstered by parachute payments from the Premier League in addition to the wealth they accrued from their years in the top flight.

  Local rivals Norwich City had also recently been in the Premier League, as had West Bromwich Albion. They too could not compete with McKenna's Ipswich, who were the highest-scoring team in the league this season.

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  Solskjaer: 'The most analytical coach'

  McKenna left his home in Northern Ireland aged 16 to join Tottenham's youth academy but a persistent hip injury ended his hopes of making it as a professional and he was forced to retire aged 22. He then studied sports science at the renowned Loughborough University, but continued to work with Tottenham as a youth coach.

  His first group was a particularly talented one, containing Ryan Mason, Andros Townsend and a striker by the name of Harry Kane. In 2016 he left Spurs to work in United's academy, coaching the Under-18 team.

  He rose through the ranks and two years later was chosen by Jose Mourinho to succeed his long-time faithful assistant Rui Faria. He would work with the Portuguese for less than four months but McKenna and Michael Carrick were kept on by Solskjaer.

  “Kieran was a surprise to me when I got to United. Michael, I already knew. We’d been coached by Sir Alex, from the old school. Kieran was not," the former United manager told . "He’s the most thorough and analytical, step-by-step, process-driven coach that I’ve worked with. He makes it so easy for the players to see and understand what we wanted from them. He’d do that the day before a game and his memory was also fantastic, his eye for detail too."

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  Nine games without conceding

  At United, McKenna was asked to focus on United's out-of-possession work, while Carrick concentrated on what they did with the ball. McKenna can take some of the credit for United's incredible run of not losing a Premier League away game in the 2020-21 season.

  And his Ipswich side also became renowned for their excellent defence, going a club-record nine matches without conceding a goal last season. That reputation has gone in the Championship, with his side letting in 57 goals this season, but it has been compensated for at the other end, with Ipswich scoring 92 times.

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  Possessional dominance

  McKenna favoured a back-three in League One but has reverted to a four-man defence in the Championship. But one constant has been a double-pivot in midfield, allowing his side to dictate games and control them.

  "My principles are really, really strong and I don’t think I will ever go away from them,” McKenna told . "I believe in trying to play football a certain way. It’s not just about playing out from the back or pressing high. I want my team to be excellent in all aspects.

  "We take a lot of time going through the details that might seem minute but over the course of time will add up to making us a much better team. I am steadfast in my principles. I will always want my team to be pro-active to try and dominate games."

  Ipswich have been one of the most entertaining teams in the Championship this season and replays of one of their goals against Coventry in December went viral. It was an eight-pass move beginning with goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky, involving seven players and ending with Wes Burns curling into the top corner with the outside of his boot.

It would be hard to describe Chelsea's season this year as anything other than a disaster. Despite a positive pre-season and a faint hope that Mauricio Pochettino would be the man to lead the Blues back up the Premier League table, they currently find themselves in tenth place and closer to 17th than fourth.

The west Londoners have spent an egregious amount of money in recent transfer windows to seemingly go backwards on the pitch, but with a team crammed chock-full of exciting young talents, there could be a bright future on the horizon if they're managed well.

One of the club's most exciting talents is Ecuadorian 16-year-old Kendry Paez, who is currently still at Independiente del Valle in his home country.

His eventual development into a first-team player when officially walking through the door could help guide Chelsea to more success, especially if the club signs the latest exciting South American touted for a move to Stamford Bridge, 17-year-old Claudio Echeverri.

Chelsea transfer news – Claudio Echeverri

According to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have contacted Argentinian giants River Plate to be "informed" of the situation of 17-year-old midfielder Claudio Echeverri.

The Italian journalist has also revealed that, alongside the Blues, Manchester City and Barcelona are also keen on the talented youngster, although the latter's situation regarding FFP complicates their interest.

The 5 foot 7 dynamo has a release clause of €25m (£22m) in his contract that will reportedly rise to €30m (£26m) in the closing days of the transfer window, meaning time is of the essence should Todd Boehly and Co wish to save some money.

It would certainly represent a significant investment in the potential of the young wonderkid, but the prospect of him developing alongside Paez could be temptation enough to convince the American billionaire to splash the cash once again.

Imagine Kendry Paez and Claudio Echeverri

When clubs start to build out their squads and look to construct the perfect midfield, one that can see them through five plus seasons of football, age profile is of paramount importance.

A player could be fantastic, but if he is already over 30, an ownership generally won't want to build their team around them, as by the time some of the younger players reach their potential, it will be time to replace the more senior players, which can create a cycle which wastes time and money.

Chelsea: Poch's stunning starting XI in 2025 built around Kendry Paez

Chelsea’s starting XI in 2025 which includes the exciting Kendry Paez is a mouthwatering prospect.

ByMatt Dawson Oct 23, 2023

A good example of this could be at Arsenal, where they have a team full of exciting youngsters, but a 30-year-old – and increasingly injury-prone – Thomas Partey at the centre of midfield.

This is a problem Mikel Arteta has seemingly solved this season by signing Declan Rice, but Chelsea could avoid it altogether by looking to play both Paez and Echeverri in their future midfield.

Games

22

Goals

13

Assists

5

All Stats via Transfermarkt

The former has already scored five goals and provided one assist in senior football for Independiente and is regarded as a "10/10 talent" by football scout Jacek Kulig.

Whereas, the "crazy talent" Echeverri, as described by Kulig, has one assist for River Plate in five appearances, but has been a force of nature for Argentina's U17 side, captaining them at the U17 World Cup this year.

While it is going to take some time and require some patience from both Chelsea fans and the board, a midfield duo of Paez and Echeverri could be truly immense in the future and help lead Chelsea to another decade of dominance.

Ipswich Town cemented their stronghold on the automatic promotion positions with a 3-2 home win against Swansea City just before the International break, eight points now separate Kieran McKenna's Tractor Boys and their nearest challengers Leeds United who occupy third.

Scoring a league-best 36 goals for the Championship, Ipswich have been enthralling to watch going forward – forwards such as Nathan Broadhead and Conor Chaplin unnerving second-tier defences with their potency so far this season, whilst other unexpected figures in the first-team set-up have also chipped in with goals to give Ipswich a continued element of surprise in attack.

Omari Hutchinson has helped when needed too, the Chelsea loanee joining Portman Road in the summer in the hopes of learning the ropes at senior level fast and excelling with the Tractor Boys.

The 20-year-old has two goals and three assists from 19 games in all competitions since making the short-term switch from Stamford Bridge, one of those goals helping his new employers overcome Southampton 1-0 away at St Mary's.

Ipswich will hope they can add to their squad with more useful loanees if possible, even going back to Chelsea and potentially recruiting another couple players from the Blues when the transfer window re-opens.

Here are three Chelsea players that could follow in Hutchinson's footsteps in relocating to Suffolk…

1

Jamie Cumming

Ipswich could do with adding fresh blood into the goalkeeper positions at the club, first-choice shot-stopper Vaclav Hladky underwhelming in between the sticks with 21 goals conceded from the 16 Championship games he's featured in.

Goalkeeper Jamie Cumming could well be a welcome addition from Chelsea on a loan deal for the Tractor Boys therefore, who do already have Cieran Slicker as a young back-up purchased from Manchester City this summer.

But, the Blues keeper is far more experienced figure than his ex-Man City counterpart – the 24-year-old a recognisable figure to EFL fans at this point in time, featuring for Stevenage, Gillingham and MK Dons out on loan.

The 6 foot 2 goalkeeper would even win Player of the Year whilst at Milton Keynes in League One, Cumming keeping 14 clean sheets in total across all competitions last season.

McKenna could look to the 24-year-old as a useful utility figure to sign if Hladky continues to leak goals at his current rate, the Chelsea man eager to get back out there and gain more experience with a new club.

2

Josh Brooking

Named on the bench in the Premier League against Fulham in October, 21-year-old Chelsea talent Josh Brooking could be ready for his first loan move ever away from Stamford Bridge to get a taste of senior football.

Brooking has amassed 75 appearances as a centre-back for both the Chelsea U21s and U18s, helping himself to two goals from the back along the way.

McKenna could swoop in for the young English defender to bolster his centre-back positions and give first-teamers Luke Woolfenden and Cameron Burgess some friendly competition, both players in question always guaranteed starters under their manager.

When the fixture schedule becomes congested towards the end of December, Brooking's potential addition could prove to be a masterstroke and allow the Ipswich manager more freedom with his line-up selection in the New Year.

3

Leo Castledine

The standout performer for Chelsea U21s from this current Premier League 2 campaign, Leo Castledine could be in line for a loan move away to an EFL club soon to show off his talents at a senior level.

Casteldine's numbers for the youthful Blues are staggering, contributing to ten goals this season for Chelsea from only eight games played – scoring four times and assisting a further six goals, the attacking midfielder arguably outgrowing his current age bracket.

McKenna's side could do with some reinforcements in central attacking midfield, Chaplin is operating there at this current point in time in a second striker style role but Castledine would – much like Brooking – keep another first-team figure on his toes if he was signed.

The 18-year-old is tipped to have a very bright future in the game, Ipswich Town in their current free-flowing state going forward also a perfect environment for the teenager to come into and grow from.

Newcastle United's preservation of form in the Premier League despite the spate of injuries to key players is a glowing testament to the spirit and togetherness that Eddie Howe has instilled over the past few years.

With only six points separating them from the Champions League places, Newcastle have been immense across the park, but notably devastating in the forward positions.

The Magpies have accumulated the fourth highest expected goals (xG) in the league (26.26), as per Understat, and are joint third for most goals scored (27) with title chasers Liverpool.

Much of that clinical edge in front of goal can be attributed to Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, who have netted 14 goals between them, however, both are currently sidelined with injuries.

With this in mind, United are in the market for a clinical goalscorer in January, and there isn't much better out there currently than Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy.

Newcastle transfer news – Serhou Guirassy

According to Football Insider, – as reported earlier this week – Newcastle are weighing up a transfer swoop for red-hot striker Guirassy, who has been in blistering form this season.

Guirassy, aged 27, was brandished as an attainable target for the club in January with the report stating that he 'ticks a lot of boxes' for the Magpies.

With the Stuttgart goal machine boasting a release clause of £15m in his contract, he's an affordable option too, and could fix their ongoing injury crisis in that position.

Serhou Guirassy's goal record this season

Guirassy has shot onto the scene this season as one of the most fierce goal-scoring weapons in Europe and he's been utilising that weapon to cause mass destruction on defences.

Despite the arrival of the irrepressible and world-class force of Harry Kane to Germany, the Guinea star still became the first player ever to score 14 goals in the first eight matchdays of a Bundesliga season.

Dubbed "unstoppable" by journalist Antonio Mango for his unrivalled strength and power, Guirassy has used his physical prowess and incredible finishing to plunder 15 goals in nine matches this term and although Kane's record of 17 in 11 somewhat steals the limelight, he's still scored more goals than both Isak and Wilson combined (14).

Indeed, it seems ludicrous that the 6 foot 2 machine could be available for a bargain price of £15m in January.

However, it wouldn't be the first time Newcastle have landed a powerful goal-machine for a meagre fee, having captured the sensational Demba Ba on a free transfer from West Ham United in 2011.

Demba Ba's goal record for Newcastle

There are many parallels to the striker profiles of Ba and Guirassy, including the strength to shrug off defenders, the power in the air and an incredibly sharp eye for goal.

When the Magpies stole the Senegalese hitman from under the noses of the Hammers, he would go down as one of the biggest bargains in the club's history.

After netting seven goals in 12 appearances for the Irons between January and May 2011, he would soon strike up a deadly partnership with fellow countryman, Papis Cisse.

In the 2011/12 season, the indestructible duo wreaked havoc on Premier League defences, scoring an incredible 29 goals between them in the top flight, with Cisse notching 13 of those strikes from January onwards after sealing his move from Freiburg.

In a hugely successful campaign under Alan Pardew, as Newcastle finished in fifth position and qualified for the Europa League, the sensational Senegalese pairing carried the weight of scoring on their shoulders.

Despite only spending 18 months at the club before being captured by Chelsea in January 2013, Ba plundered an eye-watering 29 goals in 57 appearances for the Magpies.

If Howe manages to get his hands on Guirassy in winter, he has the opportunity to replicate such form while striking up a deadly partnership with Wilson or Isak.