Pradosh Ranjan Paul made 163, the highest score of the match, in the drawn fixture against South Africa A
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2023Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna and batter Pradosh Ranjan Paul hit the high notes for India A in the drawn four-day game against South Africa A in Potchefstroom. Shardul Thakur also impressed as an allrounder with a wicket in the first innings followed by a brisk half-century.Prasidh, who is in India’s Test squad for the two-Test series in South Africa, could make his Test debut on Boxing Day if Mohammed Shami is ruled out because of a lingering knee niggle.Prasidh picked up his third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket in the fixture against South Africa A, triggering a lower-order collapse. From 293 for 4, the hosts slumped to 319 all out early on the third day. His figures of 5 for 43 in 18.1 overs included a hat-trick spread across two overs to dismiss the last three batters – all bowled. Prasidh’s wickets included Jean du Plessis, who top scored with 106, while Rubin Hermann made 95.Shardul and Vidwath Kaverappa picked up one wicket apiece, while left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar took 3 for 83 in 26 overs.India A’s reply was led by Paul, who made his fourth hundred in first-class cricket. Paul, Tamil Nadu’s highest run-getter at the 2022-23 Ranji season, scored 163, the top score of the match. He put together two century stands: 130 with Sarfaraz Khan, who made 68, and then 152 with Shardul to overcome a wobble and take the lead. Shardul smacked 76 off 98 balls and India A eventually finished with 417. Seam-bowling allrounder Evan Jones took 4 for 100 for South Africa A.After the washout on the first day, there wasn’t enough time to force a result, and South Africa A scored 152 for 2 in their second innings, with Yaseen Valli and du Plessis making half-centuries, before the game ended in a draw. Mumbai seamer Tushar Deshpande and Saurabh picked up the two wickets to fall.Members of the India A squad will play India’s Test squad in a three-day game before finishing the tour with another four-day game against South Africa A on Boxing Day in Benoni.
Invincibles skipper believes bowling focus has influenced T20 Blast approach as well
Andrew Miller26-Aug-2023Sam Billings, Oval Invincibles’ captain, says he is a converted Hundred sceptic ahead of the men’s final at Lord’s on Sunday, and believes that the tournament’s greater focus on bowling strength has already begun to affect how sides approach their tactics across the board in English T20 cricket.With six wins and a tie from their eight group games, Invincibles have been this season’s outstanding side – a fact that Billings admitted had been a factor in his heightened appreciation of the competition. As a captain, however, he feels his game has progressed significantly in the course of this campaign, due to the format’s subtle nuances – in particular, the prospect of “instant feedback” for any given decision in the field.”Of course it helps when we’re playing really well,” Billings said. “But it’s definitely felt different this year.”I’ll be honest, it’s taken a while for me to really invest myself into the format. I was sceptical, like a lot of people in the first year. But I’ve loved the format actually. It’s gone from strength to strength, and the quality of cricket this year has been as high a level as I’ve seen in this country.”One of the key themes of the tournament has been the difficulty of opening the batting, against a swinging Kookaburra ball and a range of teams armed with potent fast bowlers. Invincibles have been as tooled up as any of the teams in that regard, not least with Gus Atkinson’s eye-catching pace earning him a maiden England call-up.”I know people are sceptical of the speed-guns at times, but that’s as quick as I’ve kept to in a very long time,” Billings said, recalling Atkinson’s display against Manchester Originals in the week of the England squad announcement, in which he was clocked at 95mph/153kph. “I was [standing] miles back. I’m still spewing about the five byes that went over my head that should have been wides, but it really is proper pace. And we know that in any format of the game, ball speeds make a huge amount of difference. That’s a huge asset, not only in England, but everywhere around the world now.”The key difference between the Hundred and conventional T20 cricket is, of course, the use of sets of five balls rather than six. On the one hand, these can allow bowlers an early escape from punishment in the event of an unfavourable match-up, but it also allows the pressure to be maintained through back-to-back blocks of ten balls when any given batting line-up is put under pressure.Billings has led Oval Invincibles into Sunday’s final at Lord’s•Getty Images
That was the case, for instance, in Birmingham Phoenix’s final match of the group stage, when New Zealand’s fast bowler Adam Milne reduced London Spirit to 3 for 3 in the first ten balls of their run-chase.”It definitely has brought bowlers back into game because, as a batsman, you can get stuck,” Billings said. “If you’re really struggling, you get stuck down one end, and if you stink up ten balls, that’s a tenth of the innings.”There’s definitely different challenges, different rhythms to the game, and it’s way faster as captain, so it has definitely progressed my captaincy. You’ve got to make quicker decisions. And you get instant feedback from those five balls. Then you change ends, and you’ve got to really think on your feet. So I can’t say anything but positive things about the cricket this year.”As for whether such nuances are unique to the Hundred, however, Billings reckoned he had already seen signs of “front-loading” being carried over to the T20 Blast – most obviously with the success of Somerset in this year’s tournament, who not only lifted the title with a record 15 wins in 17 games, but also claimed a remarkable 151 out of 170 wickets across the competition.Related
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Somerset flatten competition as Blast battles to stand out from crowd
“In terms of making decisions, whether it’s with the data behind it or your gut feel, it definitely does develop you as a captain,” Billings said. “Somerset did it brilliantly this year in the Blast with Craig Overton and Matt Henry bowling in that powerplay and breaking the game wide open by taking wickets.”We’re seeing a lot more front-loading in terms of pace bowlers. If someone’s bowling really well, you’re worrying about saving two or three at the death. If it’s going right, you want to get your best bowler on, try and get their best players out, and then if we have to bowl an over of spin at the end, then so be it.”One of those spinners who Billings was able to trust at the death was Australia’s Adam Zampa, who did for Trent Rockets’ Colin Munro at a crucial juncture of their five-wicket victory at The Oval, but who will be missing – along with the left-arm quick Spencer Johnson – following his call-up to Australia’s ODI squad in South Africa.”It’s a shame, but that’s just one of the challenges that directors of cricket face,” Billings said. “There’s just so much cricket on that you can’t get everyone available for blocks nowadays. But it’s brilliant in terms of opportunities that it will provide for one of the guys who have got us to the final.”One of those, inevitably, will be Zampa’s fellow Australian legspinner, Nathan Sowter – one of the stories of this year’s competition after fearing this time last year that his professional career was over. “He’s a fiery little fella, and he just gives everything on the pitch. He’s a brilliant team man,” Billings said. “I’m so happy for him.”However, Billings acknowledged that, when it comes to big-game players, there are few in his team with a more proven record than Sam Curran. He was the player of the match and tournament when England won the T20 World Cup in Australia last November, and with another big final looming, his captain backed him to come good once again.”It’s pretty much ingrained in him,” Billings said. “For such a young player, he’s got a huge amount of evidence behind him to suggest that he is that big-game player and does it consistently.”He’s a huge asset to have on your side, character-wise and off the pitch, regardless of how on the pitch he’s going. He’s someone I’d have on my side every single day of the week.”
GOAL takes a look at the can't-miss matches in the Group Stage of this summer's competition
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is just days away, and anticipation is higher than ever. Thirty-two teams are set to clash, going head-to-head in the expanded format of the marquee summer competition, and some scintillating matches are on the cards.
Clubs from six of the seven continents around the world are sending representatives to the competitions, and as a result, there are some fantastic storylines early on in the competition. With nearly $1 billion in prize money being handed out to all participating teams, the stakes are higher than ever.
From the opening match featuring Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and Egyptian heavyweights Al Ahly to a European showdown between giants Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, GOAL takes a look at the top five Group Stage matches to watch ahead of this summer's competition.
Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now
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Inter Miami vs. Al Ahly
When: Saturday, June 14 – 8 p.m. ET
Where: Hard Rock Stadium – Miami Gardens, FL
Why: It's the opening match of the competition, it's the game that sets a precedent for the tournament, and it's a "home" match for Lionel Messi and the The contest will serve as the beginning of a month of footballing festivities around the competition, while establishing the excitement and hype for the tournament.
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Atletico Madrid vs. PSG
When: Sunday, June 15 – 3 p.m. ET
Where: Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA
Why: Two global powerhouses going at it, and two intense managers in Luis Enrique and Diego Simeone, who have opposite ideals, battling it out on the touchline – for fans, this is a final in the Group Stage. Simeone and Atletico Madrid are a possession-based team who are known for their defensive prowess around Europe. Enrique's PSG, meanwhile, are the reigning European champions and offer a blockbuster attack that tore apart some of Europe's best this season.
This will be a thrilling affair.
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Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal
When: Wednesday, June 18 – 3 p.m. ET
Where: Hard Rock Stadium – Miami Gardens, FL
Why: Saudi Arabia's best club over the past two years, Aleksandr Mitrovic and Co. will look to make a statement at the tournament this summer – and it begins with a tango against Madrid, meanwhile, will look to start their tournament out hot as they look to claim their sixth Club World Cup title with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham in their ranks. Former Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo is set to return from injury for the competition, handing the Asian outfit a massive boost, too.
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Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors
When: Friday, June 20 – 9 p.m. ET
Where: Hard Rock Stadium – Miami Gardens, FL
Why: A crossover between continental giants, Harry Kane and the Bundesliga powerhouse will clash with Edinson Cavani and the Argentine club in a highly anticipated contest. The greater Miami area is home to one of the largest Argentine populations in the USA, and Bayern have one of the biggest American fanbase contingents as well, meaning both clubs should be well-represented in the stands for this showcase.
Nottingham Forest have now stepped up their interest in a £20m transfer target by making contact over a summer deal.
Marinakis ready to splash the cash for Nottingham Forest this summer
It promises to be an exciting end to the season on the pitch for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, who are on course to qualify for the Champions League in the manager’s first full season in charge.
Currently third in the Premier League table, Forest are currently six points clear of Manchester City who sit fifth, and the Reds are also preparing for an FA Cup quarter-final against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday evening.
Should Forest be preparing for Champions League football over the summer, it looks as if owner Evangelos Marinakis is ready to break the bank and spend big on some marquee signings.
Those at the City Ground have been linked with an ambitious move for Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.
Victor Osimhen has also been linked with a move to Nottingham Forest, and domestically, Forest also have targets. Wolves star Matheus Cunha and Brentford forward Yoane Wissa are two of those with Forest working on deals, whereas Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham is of interest to the Reds.
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Now, a new transfer update has emerged regarding Forest and Bellingham.
Forest make contact over signing Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham
According to TEAMtalk, Nottingham Forest have made contact over a deal for Bellingham this week, as the club step up their interest in the Championship star.
The 19-year-old is also being eyed by Manchester United, however, ‘Forest are pushing hard to secure his signing ahead of a huge summer of spending at the City Ground’.
Thought to be valued in the region of £20m, Bellingham would be keen to move and play at the highest level, should Sunderland miss out on promotion over the coming months.
Capable of playing as a defensive, central or attacking midfielder, Bellingham has already made more than 100 senior appearances during his career.
Sunderland
Birmingham
Games
81
26
Goals
11
0
Assists
4
0
He’s caught the eye of his teammates as well, with fellow Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil calling him a “freak of nature” in the past: “He’s an absolute freak of nature, physically. I have never seen a 17-year-old that size. Technically, he is a top, top, player as well.”
Now, it looks as if a move to the City Ground for Bellingham could be a real possibility, and who knows, he could challenge the likes of Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolas Dominguez for a starting spot in midfield during the 2025/26 season.
Ipswich Town are now showing interest in a summer move for an “excellent” defender who is currently starring in the Championship, according to a report.
Ipswich fighting to avoid the drop
It was always going to be a tough task for Ipswich to avoid relegation from the Premier League, but they are refusing to go down without a fight, and it was another spirited performance away at Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon.
Despite going down to 10 men in the first half, with Axel Tuanzebe being shown a red card, the Tractor Boys managed to pick up a point at a tough place to go in Villa Park, with Liam Delap once again getting on the scoresheet in a 1-1 draw.
Kieran McKenna’s side are still two points from safety, but Saturday’s performance should give them confidence heading into another tough period.
Tottenham Hotspur (h)
February 22nd
Manchester United (a)
February 26th
Nottingham Forest (a) (FA Cup)
March 3rd
Crystal Palace (a)
March 8th
Nottingham Forest (h)
March 15th
There is still uncertainty as to which division Ipswich will be playing in next season, but they are starting to look at potential recruits ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to a report from GiveMeSport, the Tractor Boys are now showing interest in Millwall’s Japhet Tanganga, who has impressed in the Championship this season.
However, there could be a great deal of competition for Tanganga’s signature, with Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United and Southampton also name-checked as potential destinations.
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Premier League scouts are planning to watch the defender in action next month when Crystal Palace take on the Lions at Selhurst Park in the FA Cup.
In the January transfer window, Millwall warded off interest in the centre-back with a £12m asking price, but it is unclear how much they would be looking to receive for him in the summer.
Tanganga could be an "excellent" signing
Regardless of which league Ipswich find themselves in next season, the 25-year-old could be a fantastic addition to the squad given his top-flight experience and performances in the second tier this season.
As per Sofascore, the former Tottenham Hotspur man has averaged a match rating of 7.18, the highest of any player in the Millwall squad, and he has established himself as a key player, making 29 appearances in the Championship.
Millwall's JaphetTangangain action with Portsmouth's Thomas Waddingham
Ex-Millwall boss Neil Harris was also full of praise for the Englishman earlier this season, saying: “He’s a Premier League player all day long, we all know that.
“We want him on the pitch every week and he knows his place in the team. I know what he’s excellent at, which is pretty much everything.”
As such, it is promising news that Ipswich are now in the race to sign Tanganga, and they should continue to monitor his performances in the Championship for the remainder of the season.
Manchester City are 20 points behind Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title and have already been knocked out of the FA Cup and the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola may already have one eye on the summer transfer window and it was recently reported that several stars are set to be on the chopping block.
The Daily Star claimed that Ederson, Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish, and John Stones are among the players who are expected to move on from The Etihad.
Manchester City have had mixed success with their decisions to sell players in the past, with Cole Palmer one example of a poor piece of business.
How much Man City sold Cole Palmer for
The Cityzens decided to cash in on the academy graduate in the summer of 2023 and Chelsea swooped in to secure his services for a fee of £40m, with a further £2.5m in potential add-ons.
That sale has turned out to be a huge blunder by the Premier League giants as the England international has gone on to soar in value and star in the top-flight for the Blues.
The left-footed star has racked up 39 goals and 21 assists in 75 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, which has helped his Transfermarkt value to soar to £108m.
This suggests that City made a mistake when they cashed in on the English magician for a fee of just £40m, as he is now worth significantly more than that at Stamford Bridge.
Market Movers
Manchester City have also had some success stories, however, and one of their best pieces of business was the sale of Gabriel Jesus, who they hit the jackpot with.
Manchester City struck gold with Gabriel Jesus
The Sky Blues signed the Brazil international from Palmeiras for a reported fee of £27m in the summer of 2016, arriving alongside the likes of Ilkay Gundogan and Leroy Sane.
Jesus enjoyed a successful career at The Etihad with a return of 95 goals and 45 assists in 236 appearances in all competitions, which shows that he offered a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch whilst exciting supporters with his performances – as shown in the clips above.
However, City eventually decided to sell the Brazilian forward in the summer of 2022 and raked in a fee of £45m from Arsenal for his services, which meant that he cost even more than Palmer did for Chelsea.
His value, therefore, soared by a whopping £18m in his six-year career at The Etihad, from the £27m that they paid for him in 2016, which shows that the club hit the jackpot when they brought him to England.
Gabriel Jesus’ Arsenal career
Season
Injuries
Games missed
Goals
24/25
25
2
7
23/24
16
4
8
22/23
17
1
11
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Jesus has struggled with injuries in his three seasons at The Emirates and has offered very little at the top end of the pitch as a result of that.
At the time of writing (26/02/2025), Transfermarkt values the 27-year-old number nine at just £37m, which means that his value has plummeted by £8m since his move to the Gunners.
Therefore, City also struck gold with their deal to sell him to Arsenal as his value has only gone down since his exit, in contrast to Palmer’s soaring value after leaving the club for less money.
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Such has been the amount of change in recent seasons that it feels like a lifetime ago that José Mourinho was in the hot seat at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Special One was appointed the club’s manager in November 2019, mere days after the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino, and to say English football was shocked would be an understatement.
However, less than two years later – just before the League Cup final – the legendary coach was sacked, with little to show for his time in N17.
That said, he did make several additions to the team, including one international just sold by the club who has won comparisons to Granit Xhaka and Rodri.
Mourinho's lacklustre Spurs signings
Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at a couple of the other signings made by Mourinho during his time with Spurs, although the unfortunate reality is that most of them didn’t work out.
For example, he was in the dugout when the club spent around £27m on PSV Eindhoven star Steven Bergwijn.
The Dutch winger could, at times, be incredibly exciting to watch and was responsible for one of the best Premier League comebacks in recent seasons, but he ultimately failed to make any real impact in N17.
Fortunately, when he did leave for Ajax in 2022 with a paltry tally of eight goals and eight assists in 83 games for the club, he did so for around £26.4m, almost covering the fee the Lilywhites paid.
Another of the Portuguese manager’s failed additions was Irish right-back Matt Doherty, who joined the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 2020 for a fee of around £14.7m.
Former Tottenham defender Matt Doherty.
While the defender impressed for the Old Gold, he could never quite get to grips with life at Spurs.
Over the next two and a half seasons, he registered just eight assists and three goals in 71 games for the club before his contract was terminated by mutual consent in January 2023.
Harry Winks and Harry Kane warm up for Tottenham Hotspur ahead of their Premier League clash against Leeds United.
With all that said, not every signing made by Mourihno at Spurs was a disaster, with one player at least establishing himself in the team for seasons to come, a player who’s been compared to Xhaka and Rodri this year.
The ex-Spurs ace playing like Rodri and Xhaka
With so many of Mourinho’s additions failing to carve out a place for themselves in the Spurs lineup for any considerable period, it should come as no surprise that the player in question is Pierre-Emile Højbjerg.
Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
The Danish international joined the North Londoners from Southampton for around £15m in August 2020, and while he certainly wasn’t the flashiest, or even most popular, of players at the club, he was a regular face in the starting lineup for four years or so.
Across those four campaigns, the “excellent” midfielder, as dubbed by Ange Postecoglou, made 184 appearances for the first team, in which he scored ten goals and provided 16 assists.
However, following Postecoglou’s first campaign as manager, it was decided that the former Saints ace would be sold to Marseille, moving on an initial loan move with an obligation to buy at £17m.
Given the specific way the Australian wants his teams to play, it would be fair to say that this was a move that suited all parties.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.25
0.24
0.20
Progressive Passes Received
1.62
1.68
2.11
Goals per Shot
0.07
0.13
0.13
Expected Assists
0.16
0.19
0.16
Clearances
1.27
1.23
1.31
Blocks
1.14
0.99
1.01
Nevertheless, since joining the French giants, the 29-year-old has been immense and won comparisons to Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga-winning star Xhaka and Ballon d’Or-winning Rodri.
The comparisons stem from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League; then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Spaniard is the fourth most similar midfielder to the Dane, while the Swiss international comes in at seventh on the list.
The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the trio rank closely in both this season for Xhaka and Højbjerg while also including last season for Rodri due to his injury.
When doing this, we can see that all three have similar underlying numbers for important metrics, including but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, goals per shot, expected assists, clearances, blocks and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, agreeing to sell Højbjerg in the summer was probably the right decision for everyone, but with the power of hindsight, we can’t help but think his presence in the middle would have helped Spurs pick up a few more points this season.
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Lecce's Serie A fixture with Atalanta has been postponed in wake of the untimely passing of physiotherapist Graziano Fiorita.
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Fiorita was just 38 years old
Was at a training camp in Coccaglio
Lecce devastated by the news
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Fiorita, just 38 years old, died unexpectedly while he was with the team during a training camp in Coccaglio. His death has left the club and the wider Italian football fraternity in mourning.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Fiorita was said to be more than just a medical professional for Lecce; he was part of the club's fabric. His ties to the club ran even deeper through family as his father, Fernando Fiorita, had previously been employed by the club in the role of team masseuse. Lecce, devastated by the news, have taken the decision to return home immediately, and the league has moved to postpone their upcoming match with Atalanta.
WHAT LEECE & ATALANTA SAID
In a message released by the club, Lecce said: "U.S. Lecce is deeply upset to announce that Graziano Fiorita has suddenly passed away. The physiotherapist, who has been in the Giallorossi ranks for over 20 years, was with the first-team at the Coccaglio training camp. The team will return to Lecce immediately, as tomorrow’s game against Atalanta will be postponed. In this moment of deep pain and total disbelief, the club can only huddle around his wife, Azzurra, children Carolina, Davide, Nicolo and Riccardo, his mother Francesca and all members of his family."
Atalanta also released a statement of solidarity and support via social media, which read: "Atalanta BC joins the family and Lecce in mourning the sudden passing of Graziano Fiorita, physiotherapist of the Salento club."
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WHAT NEXT?
As of now, there has been no official announcement regarding when the postponed match will be rescheduled. Both clubs have five matches left to play this season.
Arsenal’s hunt for a new striker has led them to Aston Villa star man Ollie Watkins, with Mikel Arteta’s side having a £60m bid rejected earlier this week.
The Englishman has been a constant source of goals for Unai Emery’s side in 2024/25, registering 11 goals and ten assists in 32 matches across all competitions.
However, whilst he would be a good addition for the Gunners, it’s a huge fee to be paying for a 29-year-old who will be entering the final years of his professional career in the coming seasons.
As a result, Arteta’s men could return with an improved offer for the England international before the end of the window, but they may need to target other options at the top end of the pitch.
Numerous players have already been touted with a move to the Emirates this month, with the hierarchy looking to resurrect previous interest in one talisman before Monday’s deadline.
Arsenal interested in landing European talisman
According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal are interested in making a late move for Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović to try and hand Arteta the ammunition he’s desired this month.
The 24-year-old has impressed for the Italian giants once again throughout 2024/25, registering 12 goals across all competitions, including four in the Champions League.
The report claims that RB Leipzig frontman Benjamin Sesko is Arteta’s main target after having a bid rejected for Watkins, but that Juve are open to allowing the Serbian to depart after landing Randal Kolo Muani from PSG earlier in the window.
It’s not the first time that the Gunners have pursued a move for Vlahovic in this window, with the former Fiorentina ace previously on their shortlist a couple of weeks ago.
However, should they make a move to land the striker who earns £315k-per-week, as per Capology, it would allow one current first-team member to star upon his return to action from injury.
Why Vlahovic would be perfect for Bukayo Saka
Academy graduate Bukayo Saka has developed into a leading star in European football in recent years, highlighting how crucial the club’s academy setup is to their first-team success.
The 23-year-old has now made over 250 appearances since his debut back in 2018, scoring on 67 occasions – cementing his place in the right-wing position, with Arteta playing a huge role in his development.
The England international was in stellar form during the opening months of the ongoing Premier League, scoring five but registering ten assists, still sitting second in the assist tally throughout the whole division, with only Mohamed Salah posting more.
1. Mohamed Salah
13
2. Bukayo Saka
10
3. Antonee Robinson
9
4. Mikkel Damsgaard
8
= Jacob Murphy
8
5. Trent Alexander-Arnold
6
= Cole Palmer
6
However, he’s been missing since the middle of December after picking up a hamstring injury in the victory over Crystal Palace, with Saka still yet to return to action.
When he does, he could be aided in his efforts within the final third should Vlahovic move to the Emirates, with the Serbian international allowing the youngster to take his game to the next level.
The Juve striker, who’s been described as “world-class” by one analyst, has averaged 1.8 aerials won, providing that focal point that Saka has been craving given his tally of three chances created per 90 along with 2.2 successful crosses.
Vlahovic has also averaged 1.4 shots on target per 90 in Serie A this campaign, potentially thriving alongside the Englishman in attack, with his tally of 0.7 assists per 90 aiding the striker, whilst potentially improving his own tally.
It’s unclear how much a late move for the frontman would cost the Gunners’ hierarchy in the coming days, but the prospect of him linking up with Saka in the final third is certainly a frightening one – allowing the pair to form a deadly partnership.
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Given the club’s 20-year wait for a league title, the striker is arguably the final piece in Arteta’s Arsenal puzzle, massively increasing their chances of ending the generational wait for a top-division triumph.
That could then make Vlahovic the perfect alternative to Watkins, as deadline day looms…
England captain says Hales the “obvious pick” as injury replacement for Jonny Bairstow
Matt Roller15-Sep-2022Alex Hales’ success in Australia made him “the obvious pick” to replace the injured Jonny Bairstow in England’s T20 World Cup according to Jos Buttler, who suggested that Hales is “a different person” after three-and-a-half years out of international cricket.Hales was back in England training gear for the first time since a camp before the 2019 World Cup when he arrived in Pakistan, carrying a dartboard as part of his hand luggage as he prepared to spend three weeks in close company with team-mates old and new under tight security conditions in Karachi and Lahore.Thursday marked exactly two weeks since he had spoken to Buttler on the phone about his continued exclusion from the England set-up after learning that he would not be part of the squads for the Pakistan tour or the World Cup that were due to be announced.Related
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But Bairstow’s ankle injury – suffered while slipping at Pannal Golf Club near Harrogate while Rob Key, England’s managing director, was telling the press he would open with Buttler at the World Cup – opened the door for Hales’ recall and, after discussions with senior players over the following days, the interim selection panel made a unanimous decision to bring Hales back into the fold.”Initially, we thought the best option was Jonny at the top of the order as that’s arguably his best position in T20 cricket,” Buttler explained in Karachi on Thursday, speaking to the touring media after his official arrival press conference. “But with his freak injury, it presented an opportunity for someone to come in.”It was literally as Keysy was telling you the news that he was going to open and speaking up his credentials [that Bairstow was injured]. As soon as he’d finished speaking to you guys, I had a message saying that Jonny had hurt his leg. I was hoping it wasn’t as bad as it turned out to be. He’s obviously had such a brilliant summer, so we’ll miss him greatly, but the opportunity is then given to someone else.”I spoke to lots of the senior players to make sure that no-one would have any issues with Alex being back in the team if we wanted to select him. No one had any issues. He’s obviously been in excellent form. We know what a talented player he is and he’s gained a lot of experience as well since the last time he played for England.”He’s played for a lot of franchises and had great success out here at the PSL. Looking ahead to the World Cup, his Big Bash record is fantastic [1857 runs, 33.16 average, 151.34 strike rate]. Australia is a place that he’s done well, and so he seemed the obvious pick.”Hales was dramatically axed from England’s squad for the 2019 World Cup a month before the tournament after a suspension for recreational drug use came to light, prompting Eoin Morgan to accuse him of showing a “complete disregard” for team values. He has not played for England since.But Morgan’s retirement from international cricket in June seemed to open the door for Hales to return, which came to fruition when his recall was confirmed while he was holidaying in South Africa last week.”He did message me to ask whether it would be possible to have a chat about why he’d not been selected,” Buttler said. “I spoke to him then: we had a good chat, and I explained the reasons he didn’t get the nod. Of course, he was disappointed with that… that’s exactly right, and how it should be. Very quickly, though, things changed and it became obvious there was going to be someone from the next pool of players picked as a replacement.”There’s been a lot of water under the bridge, I think. It’s been a long time and I’m sure Alex is a different person. He spent time out of the team and it’s great that he’s performed well and forced his way back in. We look forward to seeing him perform in an England shirt again.”Alex Hales is back in the England fold•Getty Images
On his discussions with senior players, Buttler added: “I think that was important. It’s no secret that when Alex got left out of the 2019 World Cup squad, Eoin did a similar kind of thing. He spoke to many of the senior players, all of the coaching staff and as a team I think it’s important that you give ownership to other guys and gather opinions.”I just wanted to double check. I had my own view, but I wanted to just make sure that everyone was on the same page. Everyone was, so that’s great. I’m just looking forward to having him back in and around the group. It won’t be long until Moeen Ali is taking the mick out of him again and all will be well.”Buttler also backed Jason Roy, a high-profile omission from England’s winter squads, to get back to his best as “one of the most intimidating batsmen to bowl at in the world” and confirmed that he still sees him as “my first choice 50-over opener”.”It was a really difficult phone call,” he said. “But one of the important things that I said to him was ‘it doesn’t mean it’s the end – it’s not terminal’. We know what a brilliant player he is when he’s on song… we spoke about a plan for him to get back to that point.”Buttler’s own role in the early stages of the tour will be limited by the calf injury he sustained during the Hundred, but he said felt it was important for him to be a part of England’s first trip to Pakistan since 2005. “Whether fit to play the games or not, I felt there would be a lot of value in me being here,” he said.”[I will] take it as I see it and very slowly build it up. It’s an injury that’s not bad, but one that has a risk of recurrence. You don’t want to push it too soon, especially with what we have ahead: we still have games in Australia and warm-up games so there’s no desperate need to get as fit as possible.”If I was available for the last couple, that would be the best-case scenario at the minute. It might come earlier that that; it might not at all. The picture will become clearer in a week or so. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in.”