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Al-Nassr were able to cruise past Al-Fateh with a 3-1 win despite Bento's howler almost giving the Saudi Pro League strugglers hope of a draw.

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Al-Nassr win 3-1 over Al-FatehMane shines in victory with an assistGoalkeeper Bento guilty of howlerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱TELL ME MORE

Al-Nassr hosted Al-Fateh at Al-Awwal Stadium as they looked to overtake third-placed Al Qadsiyah, who face off against league leaders Al-Hilal on Monday. However, what awaited them was not as straightforward a match against the last-placed side in the league standings as they might have expected, with Al-Fateh putting on a strong defensive showing in the first half.

Sadio Mane looked to have opened the scoring after just 15 minutes as he found space from his defender on the counter before ripping a strong shot past keeper Peter Szappanos. The shot rattled the underside of the crossbar before going in, however, it was ruled offside by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

The visitor had another let off when Ronaldo saw a header ruled out for offside after a ball in from Angelo. However, the Brazilian winger forced the opener just a minute later after a scruffy ball was turned into his own goal by Al-Fateh defender Marwane Saadane. Brozovic almost doubled Al-Nassr's lead in the last action of the first half as he saw a perfect shot from outside the box palmed away by Szappanos to keep Al-Fateh in the tie.

After a strong start to the second half, Al-Nassr looked close to doubling their lead as Ronaldo hit the post and claimed that the ball had gone in but was denied by goal-line technology. However, just seconds later the five-time Ballon d'Or winner had an easier chance to score but flopped as he skied his shot from inside the six-year box. Nonetheless, Al-Nassr were able to double their lead after Mohamed Simakan smashed a header into Szappanos' goal from Angelo's cross.

Al-Fateh then seemed to find a second wind as they dominated and hit the woodwork twice before Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento was guilty of a poor mistake. The stopper appeared to channel his inner winger as he dribbled past two players in his own box before gifting a pass to Mourad Batna, who halved the home side's lead.

Luckily for Stefano Pioli, Al-Nassr managed to hold their slender lead to take away all three points against the Saudi Pro League strugglers before Ronaldo struck to secure the three points late on. There was more drama in stoppage time as Ronaldo scored again but saw his effort ruled out by VAR for an offside that took place nearly 20 seconds before the ball hit the back of the net, leaving the Portugal star furious.

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Mane was impressive all over the pitch and created plenty of chances for his team-mates. The former Liverpool star twice found Ronaldo in a good position in the second half but missed out on assists as the Portugal international skied both attempts. However, towards the end of the game, Mane was able to set up Ronaldo yet again with a delightful ball which was tapped home by the Portuguese legend to finally give the forward his well deserved assist.

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Bento had little to do in Al-Nassr's goal as Al-Fateh defended deep and did not pose much threat. After Al-Nassr took the two-goal lead, Bento was suddenly called into action twice as Al-Fateh hit the post. The goalkeeper was then guilty of some really poor play to gift Al-Fateh a goal, and a potential way back into the match, before Ronaldo sealed the victory.

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WHAT COMES NEXT?

Al-Nassr will return to action on Thursday, January 30 when they travel to Buraydah to take on relegation battlers Al-Raed, who have lost all of their last five Saudi Pro League clashes.

Real Madrid are reportedly planning a second bid for Trent Alexander-Arnold, as they look to prise him away from Liverpool in January.

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• England international seeing deal run down
• Could become a free agent in the summer
• La Liga giants want him on their books

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Another transfer window has swung open in Europe, with leading clubs stepping up efforts to bolster their respective ranks early in 2025. La Liga and Champions League title holders Real are eager to bring more big names onto their books at Santiago Bernabeu.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  England international Alexander-Arnold is a player they have had in their sights for some time, with the buccaneering right-back seeing his contract at Anfield run down. With no extension agreed as yet, the 26-year-old is free to speak with teams outside of the Premier League.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  According to , Real are prepared to part with around £20 million ($25m) in a bid to land Alexander-Arnold at this stage, rather than waiting for him to hit free agency in the summer. Liverpool, though, have made it clear that they have no intention of parting with their home-grown star midway through another quest for multiple major honours in 2024-25.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The Reds remain hopeful that Alexander-Arnold can be coaxed into signing a new deal on Merseyside. There has been talk of the defender wanting to link up with England team-mate Jude Bellingham in Spain, but he has offered no indication – at least in public – that he is readying himself for a new challenge.

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Nesta sexta-feira (03), a torcida do Santa Cruz conheceu o uniforme principal da temporada 2022 assinado pela Volt, fornecedora esportiva 100% brasileira. O lançamento oficial do primeiro manto aconteceu às 19h14, em referência ao ano de fundação da instituição. No sábado (04), a nova loja do clube será inaugurada e a diretoria tricolor, em parceria com a fornecedora de material esportivo, promoverá um evento para receber os torcedores no Arruda.

O modelo é listrado, potencializando as cores do Santa Cruz, com o escudo aplicado em TPU 3D, com textura que remete às escamas de uma cobra coral. A peça foi produzida no tecido ‘jacquard’, com o diferencial para a modelagem desenvolvida exclusivamente para o clube pernambucano. Nas mangas, há um tecido que também remete ao mascote do clube. A camisa 2 será lançada em janeiro, próximo a estreia no Campeonato Pernambucano.

Além disso, há um detalhe para simbolizar a Cobra Coral, marca própria do Tricolor. A frase “Nasceu e Viverá Eternamente”, expressão dita por Alexandre de Carvalho, um dos fundadores do clube, também está presente.

Para os goleiros, o Santa Cruz apresentou o modelo nas cores cinza e azul. O manto dos arqueiros faz homenagem aos 50 anos do Arruda e apresenta uma faixa sublimada, com as cores tradicionais do clube, em referência às arquibancadas do estádio.

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– Estamos muito felizes em lançar os novos uniformes de uma das torcidas mais apaixonadas do Brasil. Neste momento de reconstrução do Santa Cruz, queremos participar ativamente para alavancar a instituição. Nosso diferencial está no modelo de negócio, que dá muitas garantias financeiras, de enxoval e de distribuição. Estamos juntos com o Santinha, acreditamos neste projeto e vamos prosperar juntos – afirma Fernando Kleimmann, sócio-diretor da Volt.

– A parceria com a Volt acontece em um momento importante para o Santa Cruz, que trabalha para reerguer as forças e retornar ao lugar onde nunca deveria ter saído. A Volt tem sido muito relevante neste projeto de reestruturação do clube. A expectativa é a melhor possível, confiamos na força de nossa torcida e, diante de um material esportivo de qualidade, tenho confiança de que será um grande sucesso. Queremos uma parceria duradoura e o primeiro passo é o lançamento do novo manto coral – comenta Abdias Venceslau, CEO do Santa Cruz, sobre a relação entre o clube e a fornecedora.

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou was not happy after his approach was again questioned following his side's 6-3 loss to Liverpool.

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• Spurs beaten 6-3 by Liverpool
• Postecoglou's tactics questioned again
• Australian coach snaps back

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tottenham will head into Christmas Day sitting 11th in the Premier League table following an inconsistent first half of the season, with Postecoglou's tactics under the microscope. His side were hammered on home soil by Liverpool on Sunday, as Arne Slot's side continually exploited the hosts' high line.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After Tottenham's thrilling 4-3 win against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup on Thursday, Postecoglou took a swipe at pundits who bemoaned his high-octane tactics. Speaking after Sunday's loss, he reiterated his belief in his philosophy and refused to change his outlook.

• WHAT POSTECOGLOU SAID

  A fiery Postecoglou said at his post-match press conference: "Look, I think I've been really, really patient in the last 18 months sitting up here answering the same questions over and over again. If people want me to change my approach, it's not going to change. We're doing it for a reason and it's because we think it'll help us be successful.

  "If people don't understand the circumstances and challenges we have at the moment as a team and squad, as obvious as you want to make them. I get the idea that people think I should just flip a switch and change, and that'll somehow miraculously make us a different team. But it is what it is. I'm just going to continue staying focused trying to build this team to be the team we want, and in the interim we'll have to accept there'll be challenges along the way."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Tottenham were without several key players for the visit of Liverpool and did not make any changes to their starting XI from the win against United, such is the depleted nature of their squad at the moment.

West Ham United completed the £27m transfer of Niclas Fullkrug this month, but technical director Tim Steidten is already considering signing a rival for the German.

Fullkrug, 31, is a proven goalscorer and has excelled with both Borussia Dortmund and the German national team in recent years, but West Ham have a bleak record when it comes to centre-forward signings and Michail Antonio's twilit age seems to have called for further depth.

Having spent lucratively this summer, the Hammers have a strong squad, but dependent on outgoings, more than one deal could still be struck.

West Ham set for a frenzied finish

Julen Lopetegui has been backed to the hilt this summer, but with James Ward-Prowse mooted for an exit alongside struggling striker Danny Ings, a creative midfielder is being eyed to supply Fullkrug and a possible positional peer at No. 9.

According to Fabrizio Romano, West Ham are interested in signing Carlos Soler, with the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder available if his £20m price tag is met.

Soler, aged 27, has a potent attacking edge to his game and would be perfect to ensure the success of Fullkrug. On that note, he could also be the dream addition for Tammy Abraham, who is also on the Irons' radar.

Why West Ham should sign Tammy Abraham

According to Football Insider – as reported over the weekend – the English centre-forward is on West Ham's list and could be signed before next week's deadline, having been made available for €25m (£21m).

For Abraham, the 2023/24 campaign was met with despair. Injury struck on the final game of the previous term and he was ruled out for an extended period, having ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament.

Resultingly, the AS Roma striker only started two Serie A matches, scoring once and assisting once more. Following the club's €38m (£32m) deal for Artem Dovbyk, it might be time for the 11-cap England international to move on.

He's proven himself as a top-class finisher for Roma and Chelsea (as well as Aston Villa and Bristol City in the Championship) while winning the Champions League and UEFA Super Cup with the Blues and playing a talismanic part in winning the Conference League for his current club.

AS Roma

119 (86)

37

13

Chelsea

82 (51)

30

10

Bristol City

48 (42)

26

4

Aston Villa

40 (40)

26

3

Swansea City

39 (21)

8

4

To put it another way, Abraham has the skills and the pedigree to make a real impact at West Ham, having been praised as a "goal machine" in the past by former coach Stephen Elliott and been predicted to become "one of the best strikers in the world" by Roma skipper Lorenzo Pellegrini after his arrival, scoring 27 goals across the 2021/22 campaign alone.

Moreover, he could be deadly with the likes of Lucas Paqueta and fellow target Soler threading passes through to him.

Soler might not be the most priceless of gems at PSG but he's a talented player with good technique, ranking among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 19% for assists and the top 18% for passes attempted per 90, as per FBref.

His ball-playing skill will indeed be perfect for Abraham, whose athletic ability and pace allow him to dart through the lines, creating a new dimension to the West Ham attack that would keep opponents guessing.

To flip that, Abraham also averaged one key pass per game across his opening two top-flight terms in Italy, thus showcasing a creative side to his game that could allow Soler's own goalscoring ability to flower.

Should Steidten prove himself once again and move the cards to ensure the signings of these two players, West Ham could be in for a fruitful season indeed.

West Ham can land instant Summerville competition with £25m signing

West Ham could sign yet another exciting attacker

ByConnor Holden Aug 22, 2024

Leeds United weakened one of their potential rivals for promotion from the Championship next season when they swooped for Jayden Bogle earlier this month.

The English right-back has joined on a permanent deal from Sheffield United, who were just relegated from the Premier League, in a blow for Chris Wilder's side.

Daniel Farke has now added four players to his squad during the summer transfer window, with Bogle joining Joe Rodon, Alex Cairns, and Joe Rothwell.

The West Yorkshire side could be ready to deal another blow to their South Yorkshire rivals, as they are reportedly battling for the same player.

Leeds eyeing League One star

According to The Boot Room, Leeds have made contact with Peterborough United over a potential deal to sign impressive left-back Harrison Burrows.

The report claims that Sheffield United have been in advanced talks to sign the 22-year-old starlet but the Whites are now threatening to come in and hijack their move.

It states, however, that is is unclear as to whether or not the club have formalised their interest with an actual bid for his services, which could leave the Blades in the driving seat if they have not.

The Boot Room adds that a fee of £3m is on the cards for the League One dynamo, who has one year left to run on his current contract with Peterborough.

Leeds must now press ahead and follow up on their initial contact with a bid for him, if they have not already, as he could replicate Georginio Rutter's immense creativity at Elland Road.

Harrison Burrows' creative quality

Despite playing at left-back, Burrows has the creative quality to replicate the Frenchman's incredible chance creation numbers for the Whites next season.

The English defender's form in League One for Peterborough suggests that the potential is there for him to be an exciting addition to Farke's attacking roster.

Burrows, who has been hailed as "unbelievable" and "amazing" by boss Darren Ferguson, is yet to prove himself in the Championship but his statistics from last term indicate that it is a worthwhile gamble to bring him to Elland Road.

23/24 season	Georginio Rutter (Championship)	Harrison Burrows (League One)
Appearances	45	45
Goals	6	6
Assists	15	14
Big chances created	22	20
Key passes per game	1.9	2.6
Pass accuracy	69%	83%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Posh wizard posted incredibly similar numbers to Rutter at league level last season, with one less goal contributions in the same number of games.

Burrows, actually, provided more key passes per game than the French ace, despite the Leeds star being an attacking midfielder, and these statistics speak to the immense creativity he can provide from a left-back role.

Now, imagine if the Whites have both left-footed magicians in their side next season to consistently break down opposition defences to create high-quality chances for their teammates.

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Leeds could break down low blocks with ease with the invention and passing quality of Burrows and Rutter in their side, which is why this could be an exciting addition if they can get it over the line.

Several performers against Bangladesh, including Kyle Mayers, retain their place in the side

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2021

Mominul Haque and Kraigg Brathwaite at the toss•BCB

West Indies have named their first Test squad since their captaincy swap, with outgoing leader Jason Holder and Darren Bravo both featuring in the Kraigg Brathwaite-led side.Though they return, the squad announced by Cricket West Indies for the first Test against Sri Lanka also retains several “second-string” players who starred in West Indies’ series win in Bangladesh, including the hero of the first Test, Kyle Mayers. Ten players had pulled out of that tour due to concerns over travelling during the pandemic.Jermaine Blackwood is the vice-captain. The first Test will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium from March 21 to 25.Speaking on the squad, chief selector Roger Harper said: “It is good to be able to put together a Test squad with a number of players coming off very good performances in their last series in Bangladesh. It is a fantastic opportunity to build on the good work that was done in Bangladesh. It is very important to continue the process of working hard, playing with great passion, playing with determination and a great desire to succeed. Doing that consistently will bring us the right results.””A number of players seized the opportunity that the tour of Bangladesh presented and booked a place for themselves in the Test team for this series. This now means that there is keen competition for places which should drive better individual performances and that of the team. I also think that these players are looking forward to displaying their skills on home soil.”Sri Lanka play two Tests in Antigua, with the second Test starting from March 29.West Indies squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican

Leeds United have lost two of their key players from the 2023/24 campaign since they failed to earn promotion back up to the Premier League.

Glen Kamara recently completed a move to Ligue 1 side Rennes after one year at Elland Road, following his switch from Rangers last summer.

The Whites also cashed in on versatile starlet Archie Gray. Top-flight side Tottenham Hotspur swooped in to secure his services for a reported fee of £40m.

At the age of 18, Gray is full of potential and could develop in the years to come. However, in the here and now, Leeds could land an upgrade on him by signing one of their reported transfer targets.

Leeds learn price for Championship enforcer

According to the Belfast Telegraph, Sunderland are set to demand a fee within the region of £10m for Northern Ireland international Trai Hume.

The report claims that the Black Cats are not interested in cashing in on their star defender and will not entertain any offers unless they meet their demands.

It adds that they have already turned down a bid of £7m from Turkish giants Galatasaray for the right-back, which shows that they are serious about keeping hold of him.

The Belfast Telegraph adds that Leeds, Aston Villa, Napoli, and Bournemouth are among the other clubs to have been linked with the full-back.

Daniel Farke must now encourage the board to splash some of the £40m that was received for Gray to secure a deal for Hume, as he could be an immediate upgrade on the teenager at right-back.

Why Trai Hume could be an upgrade on Archie Gray

The former Leeds star spent the majority of last season in a right-back position, away from his natural role in midfield, and that is a role in which the Sunderland ace can shine for the Whites.

At the age of 22, Hume is still a young player with room to grow and improve under Farke's coaching, but he is four years older than Gray and – naturally – a more refined option in the immediate term.

This is reflected in their respective statistics in the Championship for Leeds and Sunderland during the 2023/24 campaign, as the Northern Irishman came out on top in and out of possession.

Appearances

44

46

xA

1.65

3.48

Big chances created

2

4

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.8

4.7

Ball recoveries per game

4.5

5.3

Duel success rate

55%

58%

As you can see in the table above, the Black Cats star provided more creativity for his team at the top end of the pitch and won the ball back far more frequently with his impressive defensive work.

Hume, who was hailed as "outstanding" by journalist Josh Bunting, also ranked within the top 20% of full-backs in the division for progressive passes per 90 (4.80), whilst Gray ranked in the top 44% with 4.15 progressive passes per 90.

These statistics come together to suggest that the £10m-rated star could offer a greater threat in the final third whilst being more active and more efficient in his defensive work, which could improve Leeds' defensive record.

Therefore, Hume could come in as an immediate upgrade on Gray due to his proven ability in and out of possession in the Championship, which is why Farke should swoop for him.

Glasgow Rangers officially brought U23 international Hamza Igamane to Ibrox on a permanent deal to bolster their forward options earlier this week.

The versatile attacker has become the seventh addition of the summer transfer window for Rangers' head of recruitment Nils Koppen and head coach Philippe Clement.

Jefte, Oscar Cortes, Mohammed Diomande, Liam Kelly, Connor Barron, and Clinton Nsiala had already been snapped up by the Gers prior to Igamane's arrival.

The Ibrox giants have also been linked with a move for experienced midfielder Kenny McLean from Norwich City but the Gers may already have a player in the squad who could step up and perform in the middle of the park.

Rangers struck jackpot with Dujon Sterling

Michael Beale brought Dujon Sterling to Glasgow on a free transfer from Premier League side Chelsea last summer and the club have struck the jackpot with the versatile star.

Transfermarkt valued the English battler at €2.8m (£2.3m) at the time of his £0 switch to the Light Blues, which immediately suggested that the Gers had landed a bargain.

The former England youth international went on to rack up 36 appearances across six different positions throughout the 2023/24 campaign for Beale and Clement combined.

His performances for the Scottish Premiership side have helped his market value to soar to €4m (£3.4m) on Transfermarkt, which shows that Rangers struck the jackpot by signing him as he has become an excellent asset whose market value has increased.

A right-back by trade, the 24-year-old star made five appearances as a defensive midfielder last season and could be moved into that role full-time to negate the need for McLean to join.

Why Rangers may not need Kenny McLean

Clement could unleash Sterling in midfield permanently in the 2024/25 campaign and that would prevent the club from needing to spend money on signing him from Norwich.

The former Chelsea prospect is already more valuable as an asset than the Scotland international, who is valued at €900k (£762k) by Transfermarkt. This suggests that it could make more financial sense for the Gers to reposition the English ace than sign a new player.

Sterling holds more value and, given he is eight years younger than McLean, also has far more time on his hands to develop and grow over the years to come.

Appearances

24

Starts

11

Duel success rate

50%

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.7

Assists

2

As you can see in the table above, he was not a regular starter last season and it was difficult for him to rack up impressive statistics when being used in so many positions; left-back, right-back, midfield, right wing.

One of his best performances of the campaign, though, came in a defensive midfield role in the 1-0 win over Aberdeen at Hampden Park in the League Cup final.

The Daily Record handed him a player rating of 8/10 and hailed his athleticism and ability to break up play as being key to the team's success on the day.

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Clement must now look to extract that level of performance out of Sterling on a regular basis in midfield to help his value continue to soar, whilst preventing the need for a player like McLean to join the ranks.

A £25 million player, who Mikel Arteta personally wants at Arsenal, is ready to give his green-light to join the north Londoners alongside Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.

Riccardo Calafiori agrees personal terms to join Arsenal

The 22-year-old is firmly in Edu's sights as their first outfield signing of the summer, with Fabrizio Romano confirming this week that Arsenal have now opened talks with Bologna over a deal for Calafiori.

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Romano says both clubs are negotiating the fee right now, and these discussions are set to continue over the next few days as Bologna demand around £42 million to sell their star defender.

Calafiori has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal on a five-year contract, though, which is an undoubted boost for Edu as he seeks to provide Arteta with a highly-rated new centre-back who can alternate with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.

The Italian, who helped guide Bologna to a place in next season's Champions League, also enjoyed an impressive campaign with his country at Euro 2024. World Cup winner Gianluca Zambrotta praised Calafiori for some "extraordinary" showings at the tournament, and he was a sore miss through suspension in the Last 16 against Switzerland.

The Swiss put Luciano Spalletti's side to the sword, easing to a 2-0 victory in Berlin, and Calafiori's absence was widely agreed to have played a significant role in their defeat.

Statistics

Calafiori

Gabriel

Games

29

34

Goals & assists

7

4

Progressive carries

28

13

Pass accuracy

90%

89%

Tackles won

37

28

Interceptions

56

31

Aerials won

71%

55%

The former FC Basel starlet, who can also play left-back if needed, would come to the Emirates with bags of potential and allow Arteta to cover multiple positions.

Patrick Dorgu ready to join Arsenal alongside Calafiori

As Calafiori green-lights a move to Hale End, in a transfer twist, he may be joined be another Serie A defender in Patrick Dorgu.

According to Pianeta Lecce, Dorgu is ready to say yes to joining Arsenal this summer, and so are his club Lecce. Arteta personally considers the left-back one of his first choices to reinforce that side, and the Gunners will apparently move to open talks with Dorgu's entourage through intermediaries soon.

The 19-year-old, who'll cost around £25 million according to Pianeta, made 32 Serie A appearances for Lecce last season, scoring two goals, and can play further up field as a left winger.

"You can just say that with some players it can go incredibly fast," said Denmark Under-21s coach Steffen Højer to bold.dk.

"He has already had a lot of playing minutes in Serie A with Lecce, and he has done really, really well. What is special about him is that he is a quiet and calm guy, but things are just incredibly natural for him on a football pitch.

"When he is put on a field, and it doesn't matter which team, he just fits in, and he just makes incredibly many good choices for such a young player He has clear qualities, and then there is a lot of work that needs to be done in relation to both being part of the U21s, but also eventually making the national team."