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ECB respond to latest government advice after update from health secretary

Andrew Miller23-Dec-2020England’s tour of Sri Lanka is still scheduled to proceed as planned on January 2, according to the ECB, in spite of the UK government requiring any person who has been in South Africa in the past fortnight to quarantine immediately, due to the discovery of a new mutation of the Covid-19 virus.England’s white-ball squad returned from South Africa on December 10, just under a fortnight ago, following the abandonment of the three-match ODI leg of the series, due to concerns about the bio-security of the team hotel in Cape Town.And those squad members were briefly made to fear that they would have to quarantine over Christmas and New Year, when the UK health secretary, Matt Hancock, announced during a Downing Street press conference on Wednesday afternoon that a new variation of Covid-19 had been identified in the country, linked to two recent arrivals from South Africa.”Both are contacts of cases who have travelled from South Africa over the past few weeks,” Hancock said. “We are incredibly grateful to the South African government for the rigour of their science and the openness and the transparency with which they have rightly acted as we did when we discovered a new variant here.”Related

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Sri Lanka worried about new Covid-19 strain, but England tour likely to be on schedule

However, the ECB clarified in a statement that the measures taken to protect the players from infection, both during and since the South Africa tour, would exempt them from quarantine.”The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) can confirm that those team members and support staff who returned on 10 December from South Africa, as part of England men’s white-ball tour, have been following the Elite Sports International guidance concerning activity in the UK,” the ECB said. “During this period, they have undergone on-going symptom and testing checks and will not need to quarantine.”Question marks still remain about the viability of the Sri Lanka tour, which was rescheduled following the postponement of their original trip in March. Earlier this week, several countries, including Sri Lanka, suspended travel from the UK following the identification of a separate Covid mutation, which is thought to be up to 70% more transmissable.However, ESPNcricinfo understands that Sri Lanka Cricket, whose players are currently in South Africa preparing for a two-Test series beginning at Centurion on Boxing Day, are not unduly concerned at this stage about the implications of the new mutations. SLC medical staff have been in contact with their counterparts at the ECB, and are satisfied that the teams’ bio-secure bubble is robust.”I don’t think we should [look at the new strain as something that jeopardises the tour],” said Dr Daminda Attanayake, the Sri Lankan team’s physician, in response to the UK mutation of the virus. “Yes, anxiety is high at this stage from everybody. But when you look at the scientific evidence, I don’t think we should stop it. We might have to take extra precautions, but we don’t need to stop the tour.”England travelled to and from South Africa on a charter flight, and have similar arrangements in place for their flight to Hambantota on January 2 – where they will undergo 10 days of isolation before moving on to Galle for the first Test on January 14. As such, they are exempt from the arrangements outlined by the health secretary.”Regarding the England men’s Test squad and support staff, they will continue to prepare as normal ahead of the Sri Lanka Test tour. The touring party is due to leave on 2 January 2021. The ECB will continue to monitor the on-going situation in respect of international travel and working closely with Sri Lanka Cricket.”England players and staff bound for Sri Lanka next week have been made aware of their responsibilities during the Christmas break. However, it is understood that those in tier 1, 2 or 3 regions are not being instructed to avoid seeing family members.Earlier this week, it was announced that the former South Africa batsman Jacques Kallis would be joining England’s Test team in Sri Lanka as a batting coaching consultant.

Sunderland are battling Championship rivals Watford for the signing of a prolific 22-year-old this summer, and he could even be available on a free transfer soon.

Sunderland manager & transfer news

The Black Cats are going through a key period at the moment, with the club still looking to find their next manager, after interim boss Mike Dodds stepped down from his role at the end of the season.

A host of names have emerged as options to take charge at the Stadium of Light, including Queen Park Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes, who took charge of the west Londoners last year. Granted, he could only guide his side to 18th in the Championship table, but avoiding relegation was seen as an achievement in itself.

Former AZ Alkmaar manager Pascal Jansen has also emerged as an option for Sunderland this summer, having left the Eredivisie side earlier this year. He prefers a 4-3-3 formation, naturally adopting a defence-minded approach, which may not get Black Cats supporters off their seats.

In terms of potential new signings on the pitch, the Championship side have been linked with a move for Ajax ace Ar'Jany Martha, with the 20-year-old left-back starting eight league games for the Dutch giants in 2023/24, as well as featuring in the Europa League. He is viewed as possibly being their next version of Patrick van Aanholt, who was a successful player in the position for a number of years.

Sunderland battling rivals for prolific winger

According to Valencia Plaza [via Sport Witness], Sunderland are interested in signing Valencia B youngster Declan Frith this summer, with Watford also providing competition for his signature.

The 22-year-old is yet to make his debut for Valencia's first team, which shows why he could eye a move away in the coming weeks and months. It is even claimed that he could be available on a free transfer in July, should the La Liga not trigger a one-year extension to his current deal.

Frith may not be a huge name, but he could be a high potential option to bring in for Sunderland at relatively low cost. The Englishman has impressed for Aston Villa's Under-23s in the past, registering a prolific 15 goal contributions (eight goals and seven assists) in just 24 appearances, and he also played fives time for Chelsea at the same level, showing that he has pedigree as a highly thought of young player.

Moving to Sunderland could be far more beneficial than toiling away for Valencia's B team, and the fact that he could be available for free takes away a large amount of risk when it comes to the Black Cats making a move for him.

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The winger could provide some extra end product at The Stadium of Light after a season in which none of the club's centre-forwards stepped up and forced their way in as the recognised goalscorer.

Liverpool have a problem, and his name is Darwin Nunez. Of course, the nature of a problem suggests that there is a solution, and the Uruguay international has a superabundance of quality to point toward a long and prosperous future at Anfield.

But Liverpool have a problem. It lies at the centre of Nunez's stylish skill set, pervading like a stain. The club's record-fee striker is not clinical enough, scoring just 20 goals from 65 appearances in the Premier League after transferring from SL Benfica for a fee rising to £85m in the summer of 2022 and missing a staggering 47 big chances across his two league campaigns.

Poor finishing and questionable conduct at the end of Jurgen Klopp's reign have left Nunez alienated somewhat, with fans polarised and transfer rumours now surfacing concerning centre-forwards.

Michael Edwards, FSG's CEO of Football, has the trust of the Reds faithful, a proven negotiator and an astute marksman in the market, and an exciting Nunez replacement to charge Arne Slot's system has emerged.

Liverpool lining up Slot favourite

According to TV Azteca, Feyenoord centre-forward Santiago Gimenez is disillusioned by Slot's departure and now wishes to try his hand in a top division such as the Premier League, having forged a name as one of the Dutch Eredivisie's standout strikers.

Suitors for such a talented player are hardly few and far between, and lo and behold, Slot's Liverpool are among the contenders for the Mexican's signature, with Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United and Southampton also registering an interest.

The fee required to prise Gimenez away from Feyenoord has been changeable over recent months but GiveMeSport speak of an £87m outlay to convince the 2022/23 Eredivisie champions to part ways.

Santiago Gimenez's style of play

Gimenez would provide Liverpool with the closest thing to a first-choice out-and-out centre-forward since the days of Daniel Sturridge, such has been the fluidity and dynamism of Klopp's frontline over the past near-decade.

Standing at 5 foot 11, Gimenez is not the most physically imposing of strikers but he does use his body and movements to emphatic effect, ensuring that his innate shooting quality is harnessed, chances unearthed in excess.

And this is backed up by some astounding shooting numbers, scoring 49 goals and adding 13 assists from just 85 matches for Feyenoord – including merely 66 starts – with 21 goals and eight assists arriving during the recently completed campaign.

Indeed, as per FBref, the 23-year-old ranks among the top 1% of forwards across divisions similar to the Eredivisie over the past year for non-penalty goals scored, the top 7% for assists, the top 2% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 21% for progressive carries and the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90.

Last season, during Slot's brilliant league title triumph, the Argentina-born Mexico international scored 28 goals in all competitions but found a role from the outset just 21 times in the Dutch first division, clearly improving and earning greater trust from Slot, his now-former manager.

He had joined Feyenoord from Cruz Azul that summer, swiftly proving himself a fierce goalscorer and leading Dirk Kuyt to hail him as "the best striker in the Eredivisie".

High praise indeed, but supporters will rightly be wary of parting with a significant sum for a player from the Netherlands after the litany of wayward arrivals to the Premier League in recent years, notably Manchester United's £86m transfer of Antony from Ajax.

But Gimenez boasts the swagger and skill to score goals on tap at a team such as Liverpool, which has been begging for a top-class finisher this season, having created the most big chances in the English top flight this season (102).

Nunez has been at the epicentre of criticisms regarding the Anfield side's profligacy, but with a player like Gimenez installed as the focal frontman, there's no telling how slick Slot's set-up might be next term.

Why Slot wants to reunite with Gimenez

While it might feel like Slot's arrival on Merseyside would see loose stories surrounding former players filter through, such is the nature of the rumour mill, there is a measure of believability behind Gimenez's possible transfer.

The sharpshooter offers a clinical threat beyond that of Nunez, without a doubt, but he has also avoided more than a smattering of injury concerns since moving to Europe.

Apps

96

85

Starts

59

66

Goals

33

49

Assists

17

13

G/A Rate

0.52

0.73

While the Premier League plays at a level higher than that of the Eredivisie, Gimenez boasts some positive underlying numbers that suggest he is ready for the step up, not least because of his proven track record under Slot, significantly outperforming Nunez in regard to goals and assists and even been hailed for his "unstoppable" striking by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Nunez, it is important to note, scored 34 goals and added four assists from 41 matches during the 2021/22 season, his last with Benfica, and scored against Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

But he's lacking in composure and temperament when falling into promising positions, something that Gimenez has proven to avoid tarnishing his skill set.

The club aan de Maas striker has scored 38 goals and missed 39 big chances in the Eredivisie since initially linking up in 2022. To put that in perspective, Manchester City's Erling Haaland has scored 63 Premier League goals across two campaigns but he has also missed 62 big chances.

What does that tell us? It certainly reveals Gimenez's natural goalscoring quality, something that Nunez – if you hark back to the start of the discussion – is missing, having converted just 20 of his 67 big chances in the league for Liverpool.

Gimenez is hardly a poacher either, eager to drive the ball forward and enjoy plenty of possession. If Feyenoord will accept and acquiesce to their striker's desire to raise the bar in his career, Liverpool might just be the perfect destination.

£85,000-a-week Liverpool "lifesaver" could repeat Henderson blow for Slot

This would be a frustrating start for Slot.

ByTom Cunningham May 31, 2024

Manchester City have confirmed star midfielder Rodri sustained ligament damage during his team's 2-2 draw against Arsenal last week.

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• Rodri out with ligmanet injury
• Will be missing for 'long time'
• Has been sent to see a specialist

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rodri had to go off within 20 minutes of the headline Premier League showdown at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, sparking fears of a long-term absence. A report claimed on Monday that City's worst fears had been realised, as Rodri appeared to have suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which could rule him out for the rest of the season.

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  City have finally issued a statement that stops short of confirming an ACL injury, but says that he is struggling with a ligament issue and has been sent to Spain to see a specialist to find out the full extent of his problem. It does appear he will be missing for a while, however, and that could well have big implications in City's quest for more titles in the 2024-25 campaign.

• WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  City manager Pep Guardiola admitted before the club's statement that he does not expect to be able to call on the Spain international any time soon. He said: "He'll be out for a long time, a while, but there is some opinions that maybe it will be less than we expect. Unfortunately he was injured. Right now, still, I cannot tell you [how long] because we're waiting the last phone calls from him and the doctors to know exactly what, definitely, he has and the type of surgery that he has to get."

  He added: "We don't want this but we will still have a good season. I trust a lot in my players, I have a duty to find a solution. Rodri is irreplaceable and the team won't play with the best midfielder in the world for a long, long time. Of course it's a big, big blow for us."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?

  City and Rodri will hope the 28-year-old will have a smooth recovery from his injury issue, while the Premier League champions attempt to defend their top-flight crown. They are next in action on Saturday when they face Newcastle.

The summer transfer window is due to open for business later this month and it will give Celtic a chance to make changes to their playing squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Brendan Rodgers already knows that a priority position to target is a goalkeeper as Joe Hart played his final game for the club in the SFA Cup final last month.

The former England international kept a clean sheet as the Hoops beat their closest rivals 1-0 at Hampden Park, thanks to a late goal from Adam Idah, to ensure that he ended his career with the club on a high.

Hart decided to retire from professional football upon the expiry of his contract with the Scottish giants and this means that the Bhoys are now in the market to land a new number one to play between the sticks at Parkhead from next season onwards.

The 37-year-old star leaves big gloves to fill after a trophy-laden three years in Glasgow after his permanent move from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2021.

Joe Hart's Celtic career in numbers

The veteran titan won a whopping seven domestic trophies in his three seasons with the Hoops; including three Scottish Premiership titles, two League Cups, and two SFA Cups.

This means that Hart won the league title in all three of his years at Parkhead and ended his career with a perfect league record in Scotland.

In those Premiership campaigns, the English colossus kept 50 clean sheets in 109 appearances, with just 78 goals conceded in total in that time.

23/24 Premiership

Joe Hart

Appearances

37

Save success rate

68%

Saves made

61

Pass accuracy

88%

Clean sheets

14

Ground duel success rate

40%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Hart enjoyed a solid 2023/24 campaign in the division with 14 clean sheets and a high pass accuracy in his 37 outings.

However, he did lose 60% of his ground duels throughout the campaign and made one error that directly led to a shot for the opposition, which does not suggest that it was a perfect season for the experienced ace.

The club could, potentially, swoop to bring in a player who does not make errors to help the opposition and is, also, more dominant in duels against attackers.

Celtic are now reportedly plotting a bid to sign his replacement in the upcoming summer transfer window, with a Premier League goalkeeper in their sights.

Celtic's planned swoop for Irish titan

According to Football Insider, Rodgers is preparing a £10m swoop to sign Liverpool shot-stopper Caoimhin Kelleher to replace Hart next season.

The report claims that the Bhoys are interested in a deal to sign the Ireland international from the Premier League side and are ready to put money on the table to do a deal.

However, Arne Slot's team are set to demand 'much' more for the talented ace this summer and the Scottish giants are not able to afford much more than the £10m touted.

The outlet states that Celtic have made signing a goalkeeper a priority for the upcoming summer transfer window as they look to replace Hart, with Kelleher seemingly one of their priority targets.

Football Insider adds that the Irish star wants to become a number one and could push to move from Anfield in order to fulfill that dream, as he is currently behind Brazil international Alisson in the pecking order on Merseyside.

If Celtic can convince Liverpool to drop their valuation down to £10m, or agree an initial loan deal perhaps, then they could boost their UEFA Champions League hopes for the new season.

They were knocked out of the group stages of the competition, finishing bottom of their group, this term, but will compete in the new version of the tournament in the 2024/25 campaign.

Next season's Champions League group stage will see the Hoops play eight games in the new league phase (formerly the group stage). They will play eight different teams, rather than three sides twice, and play half of the games at Parkhead and half of the matches away from Glasgow.

Teams will need to finish inside the top eight in the league to automatically qualify for the knock-outs, whilst teams from ninth to 24th will then compete in two-leg play-off games to make the last 16.

How signing Caoimhin Kelleher could improve UCL hopes

Celtic could improve their chances of avoiding another early exit from Europe by signing Kelleher as he could be a big upgrade on Hart in European competitions.

Firstly, the Irish star, who was hailed as "outstanding" by Jurgen Klopp, could help to prevent more goals through quality shot-stopping for the Hoops, which would then provide the team with a greater chance of being able to pick up points.

In ten European matches, across the Champions League and Europa League, Kelleher conceded 0.9 fewer goals than expected based on the post-shot xG of the efforts on his goal for Liverpool.

Meanwhile, in 19 European games for Celtic, Hart let in 6.5 more goals than expected based on the post-shot xG of the strikes on his goal in the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League.

These statistics show that the Reds ace can be a net positive when it comes to saving high-quality shots, whereas the Englishman let in far too many low-quality efforts that cost the team.

Kelleher could also be a big upgrade in Europe when it comes to commanding his penalty area to alleviate pressure off his defenders from crossing situations.

23/24 Premier League

Caoimhin Kelleher

Appearances

10

Save percentage

72%

Goals prevented

0.40

Saves made

28

Duel success rate

100%

Stats via Sofascore

The 25-year-old gem stopped 9.6% of crosses into his box during the 2023/24 Europa League campaign, ranking within the top 16% of his positional peers.

Whereas, Hart did not collect a single cross in his six Champions League appearances during the group stage, ranking within the bottom 6% of goalkeepers in the tournament.

These statistics suggest that Celtic could fare much better in Europe with Kelleher between the sticks in comparison to Hart, due to his superior shot-stopping and his significantly better handling of crosses into the box.

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Therefore, Rodgers could boost the team's UCL hopes by securing a deal to sign the goalkeeper, who could help the team to concede fewer goals in the competition next term.

شارك المصري محمد صلاح في مباراة فريقه ليفربول أمام نيوكاسل يونايتد، ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وتعادل ليفربول أمام خصمه نيوكاسل يونايتد بنتيجة 3/3، خلال المباراة التي جمعت الفريقين على ملعب “سانت جيمس بارك”.

اقرأ ايضاً.. فيديو | في ليلة توهج محمد صلاح.. ليفربول يسقط في فخ التعادل أمام نيوكاسل يونايتد بـ الدوري الإنجليزي

وشارك محمد صلاح أساسيًا في مباراة اليوم أمام نيوكاسل يونايتد، وخاض اللقاء بشكل كامل.

وبحسب شبكة “فوت موب” حصل محمد صلاح على تقييم 9.3 من 10 في لقاء اليوم وهو الأعلي بين لاعبي الفريقين.

وتمكن صلاح من تسجيل هدف ليفربول الثاني والثالث بحلول الدقيقة 68 والدقيقة 83، وتمكن أيضاً من صناعة الهدف الأول لـ كورتيس جونز.

ولمس محمد صلاح الكرة 49 مرة من بينها 10 داخل منطقة الجزاء، وقام بالتسديد على مرمى الخصم في 4 مناسبات.

وقام محمد صلاح بصناعة 3 فرص في المباراة، ووصلت دقة تمريراته إلى 71%. ملخص لمسات محمد صلاح امام نيوكاسل في الدوري الانجليزي

West Bromwich Albion will still believe it's their season to clinch promotion to the Premier League, regardless of recent poor form seeing their solid grip on a Championship playoff spot become weaker.

The Baggies have only won one of their last six games in the division, with that 2-0 victory coming in fortunate fashion against Rotherham United with one of the goals a dubious penalty call.

However, Carlos Corberan's men won't let their spot in the top six slip completely and will want to return to the top flight for the first time since dropping out of the elite league at the end of the 2020-21 season.

Memories of playing against the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal regularly are soured somewhat by the numerous transfer blunders the Baggies fell victim to, this £15m buy in particular back in 2017 going down as one of the club's worst misfires.

Oliver Burke's transfer to West Brom

The world was expected of Oliver Burke when he entered the Hawthorns six years ago, joining for a bumper £15m fee after impressing at Nottingham Forest earlier in his career.

RB Leipzig would end up being the winners in this deal, however, offloading their lacklustre attacker for mega money who never really got going in his new German location after waving goodbye to the City Ground.

Burke would manage to only score one goal and pick two assists from 26 forgettable appearances at Leipzig, already a fall from grace for the winger expected to be a star after exiting Forest.

Leipzig didn't just go after Burke wildly in the hopes he would suddenly become a key performer overnight however, with the Scottish attacker bagging six goals for Forest from 31 games to catch the eye of higher-up suitors.

Yet, much like his time out in the Bundesliga, Burke would flop even on his return to English soil with the Baggies to make that £15m splashed out by the West Midlands club look like a colossal waste of money.

Oliver Burke's time at West Brom

The ex-Forest man would struggle in a West Brom strip throughout his three-season stay at the Hawthorns, amassing just 24 appearances over that time span with a meagre five of those managed over his last two campaigns.

Burke would be as goal-shy as he was out in Germany in the Midlands, only finding the back of the net once in action for the Baggies against Luton Town in the EFL Cup during his up-and-down debut season.

His pay packet whilst with West Brom would also have troubled the club's finances further, with Burke costing the Baggies £1.3m in wage costs alone during his disastrous stint on top of the transfer fee fee originally forked out.

1. GK – Boaz Myhill

2. RB – Allan Nyom

3. CB – Ahmed Hegazy

4. CB – Craig Dawson

5. LB – Chris Brunt

6. CDM – Gareth Barry

7. LM – Matt Phillips

8. CM – Jake Livermore

9. CM – James Morrison

10. RM – Jay Rodriguez (Oliver Burke)

11. ST – Salomon Rondon

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Only given two minutes to shine in his first game off the bench, Burke would never bed himself into the West Brom first team effectively and would later be shipped out on loan to various different clubs as a result.

His time away at Celtic on loan would even see Burke criticised numerous times, branded a "disgrace" by former Hoops great Frank McAvennie after the Baggies dud put in an anonymous display in one Old Firm Derby.

There must have been a collective sigh in West Brom quarters when Burke was officially off the club roster for good in 2020 when Sheffield United snapped him up, with Callum Robinson joining the Hawthorns ranks in a swap deal as part of the transfer.

Burke has since struggled to make a name for himself for a whole host of clubs after departing West Brom on bad terms, the now 27-year-old lining up for Gary Rowett's Birmingham City in a relegation dogfight at the bottom of the second tier on loan from Werder Bremen.

His once extortionate £15m valuation has taken a significant dent as a result, with the nomadic winger now worth less than Josh Maja in the current Baggies camp even with the striker having an injury-disrupted season.

Oliver Burke's transfer value in 2024

Burke's value now comes in at a paltry £1.6m according to Football Transfers, with the one-time Forest starlet struggling at yet another new employer in the Blues.

Surprisingly picked to start Birmingham's last match against Rotherham United, which led to a social media storm about his inclusion, Burke would last just 45 minutes against the Millers before being hauled off.

Minutes played

45

Touches

18

Accurate passes

7/12

Shots on goal

0

Duels won

2/7

Sourced by Sofascore

Looking at his numbers from the 0-0 draw at the New York Stadium above, it's not a great shock to see why Rowett substituted Burke for the second half in South Yorkshire.

His continued woes on the pitch with whoever he lines up for have contributed in his transfer value falling off a cliff, with Maja worth just a bit more than Burke at £1.7m despite not playing a game in 2024 of yet.

Maja will hope he can fire in plenty of goals next season for Corberan's men when he's shrugged off his recurring injury problems, giving Brandon Thomas-Asante fierce competition up top in the process.

The ex-Sunderland striker had only fired in one Championship strike from the 11 games he managed before a season-ending injury in late December, but he can't be written off just yet.

Burke's future back at Bremen looks very much up in the air on the other hand, with the Bundesliga side not exactly head over heels for the 27-year-old anymore based on his torrid spell at St Andrew's to then give him another chance.

If West Brom do end up returning to the top flight through the drama of the playoffs, they will have to be cautious about overspending so as not to have another expensive mistake on their hands.

West Brom could sign a "fantastic" replacement for Alex Mowatt

West Bromwich Albion could sign this young star to replace Alex Mowatt.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 22, 2024

As Aston Villa prepare for Champions League football under Unai Emery, they seem to be well aware that squad depth is the key to maintaining form in four competitions, with a back-up for Ollie Watkins now on the agenda.

Aston Villa transfer news

To say that the Villans have enjoyed an excellent campaign would be an understatement. Some would have been quick to chalk down their early season success as nothing more than that, but now in May, they remain on course to seal a place in the Premier League's top four. That will come with its transfer benefits too, especially with fear around Financial Fair Play at an all time high throughout the league.

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He could be available on the cheap this summer too.

Posts ByBen Browning May 1, 2024

With that said, reports have already linked Villa with the likes of Jonathan David in an attempt to find a back-up option for star man Watkins. The last thing that those in the Midlands need is to overwork their forward to result in a dip in form. The England international has been one of the standout players in the entirety of the Premier League this season and looks to only be getting started under Emery.

That's not to say Aston Villa need to splash the cash to find a back-up, however, with a far wiser option available. According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Aston Villa want to sign Kelechi Iheanacho in a free deal this summer after the forward rejected a number of contract offers from current club Leicester City. An experienced Premier League forward, Iheanacho represents a summer bargain that could make all the difference in the next campaign at Villa Park.

"Fantastic" Iheanacho can bridge gap in quality to Watkins

Finding a player who's capable of stepping up in place of Watkins to hand the England international a rest will be no easy task, but Iheanacho is capable of doing just that when at his best. A similar player to Watkins as a hybrid between a finisher and a creator who can drop slightly deeper, the Nigerian could quickly become a smart acquisition if he completes a move to Villa Park this summer.

League stats 23/24 (via FBref)

Kelechi Iheanacho

Ollie Watkins

Starts

10

34

Goals

5

19

Assists

1

12

Expected goals

6

16

Whilst the sample size this season makes Iheanacho difficult to predict, when he has started for Leicester this season, he has maintained a record of scoring every other game in a trait that would work with the role he'd be likely to play at Villa Park.

It's the type of consistency that justifies the forward's reported £65,000-a-week salary and the type that previously earned the praise of former Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers, who told Sky Sports: "Since he has come into the team he has just been fantastic. I am delighted for him because he is such a conscientious guy, such an honest guy, and as you can see now, a very talented player."

Sonia Bompastor has expressed her eagerness to carry on Emma Hayes' legacy at Chelsea by expanding on the foundation that she created.

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Chelsea hire Bompastor as head coachFrenchwoman heaps praise on HayesReveals coaching philosophy GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Chelsea selected Bompastor as their chosen coach to take over after Hayes' departure. The 47-year-old coach called time on her 12-year career with the Blues at the end of last season, taking over the USWNT following their disappointment performance at the 2023 Women's World Cup.

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In her first official interview with Chelsea, Bompastor heavily praised Hayes for her work, with the legendary coach leading the Blues to seven Women's Super League titles along with a string of other domestic honours. The ex-Lyon coach has pledged to continue working on these foundation as she prepares for her first season with the London-based club.

GettyWHAT BOMPASTOR SAID

Speaking with the Chelsea club media, Bompastor said: "I've been really impressed with all the work Emma did for such a long time. It’s wonderful.

"She started from the bottom and built the club up on her own. I say on her own and I say that knowing there were a lot of others behind the scenes, too – but, she was the leader. The true leader and I have so much respect for that.

"I will be careful building on this legacy because she left the club in such a good place. Now, I just want to make sure we go for the next step. I will be respectful while bringing my own identity and my own vision to the project.

"I just want to say thank you to Emma because she’s been very supportive. We have talked to each other and she has been trying to help me as much as she can. I can feel she really loves the club and she wants to make sure the club stays in the right place."

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WHAT NEXT FOR BOMPASTOR?

Quizzed on her aims for the season, Bompastor added: "The main expectation here is to win trophies. This is why we are here.

"I also will make sure and will work very hard to make the team look good on the field. I want the fans when they come to watch to just enjoy the game. Enjoy the fact we are going to score a lot of goals – I hope so! We are working hard to do that."

Almost every single player in the Tottenham Hotspur squad has had a role to play this season, with Ange Postecoglou putting trust in each individual to perform.

When looking at the current Spurs side, almost all of the players will stay with the Australian as the club begins their new era, which just shows how impressive their start to the rebuild has been.

All of the summer incomings have adapted instantly, while the seasoned squad members have also stepped up, helping the side be in a brilliant position to achieve Champions League football.

But there’s one player in particular who deserves a lot of credit for his start to life in England, with his performances causing his market value to explode.

What Spurs paid for Destiny Udogie

During the 2021/22 Serie A campaign, Destiny Udogie announced himself to Italy as one of the most talented prospects in the country.

Playing as a left-wing back with the freedom to express himself, the confident teenager starred in his first real campaign, showcasing his ability to affect the game in the final third with five goals and three assists in 35 matches.

After his breakthrough season, plenty of clubs across Europe were interested in signing the Italian, even Manchester City, but it was Spurs who eventually got the deal done, spending £15m on Udogie in the summer of 2022.

However, he didn’t join the Lilywhites instantly, instead returning to Udinese on a season-long loan, where he continued to impress, but he’s only gone to another level under Postecoglou this season.

Tottenham eyeing "brilliant" star with more assists than Udogie this season

He’s a wanted man.

ByTom Cunningham Mar 4, 2024 What Udogie is worth in 2024

Going into the campaign, the “quality” defender, as dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig, was always going to be the first-choice left back.

Udogie had proven to be more than capable of performing amongst the very best in Italy, and despite being just 21 years of age, he was definitely more than ready to be handed an opportunity to shine.

Luckily, the defender has taken it with both hands, becoming one of Spurs’ most reliable and consistent players across his 27 Premier League starts.

Over these matches, Udogie has impressed at both ends of the field, picking up five goal contributions and making 2.5 tackles per game, with his well-rounded profile making his value increase dramatically.

Destiny Udogie

£68m

Dejan Kulusevski

£68m

Pedro Porro

£51m

Cristian Romero

£51m

Brennan Johnson

£51m

Udogie is now the joint-highest valued player in the entire Spurs squad alongside Dejan Kulusevski, with an estimated worth of £68m.

This also makes him the most valuable left back in the entire Premier League and the joint-highest valued across all of Europe’s top five leagues, as per CIES' Football Observatory.

Incredibly, his value is even greater than both James Maddison’s (£34m) and Heung-min Son’s (£26m) combined, who have 11 and 24 league goal contributions between them, respectively, this campaign, which just further highlights how special Udogie truly is.

Spurs certainly hit the jackpot by signing Udogie for such a cheap fee, but what’s arguably just as impressive is their management of the youngster, with last season’s loan at Udinese playing a vital role in his progress this season.