Gio Reyna not thinking about club future, but admits a decision will need to be made after Copa America
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Northamptonshire boosted their chances of promotion by wrapping up a 72-run victory over Derbyshire at Chesterfield before lunch on day three.Derbyshire’s prospects of reaching a target of 319 on a pitch that was marked as below average always looked slim when they went out on the third morning needing another 164 with five wickets left.Tom Lace top scored with 41 and Fynn Hudson-Prentice followed his first-innings unbeaten half-century with 26 not out but Luke Procter finished with 4 for 26 as the home side came up short on 246.Although in the words of ECB Cricket Liaison Officer Dean Cosker “variable bounce and deviation” on day two resulted in the verdict on the Queen’s Park surface, none of the wickets that fell on what became the last day could be blamed on the pitch.Lace clipped Brett Hutton firmly to midwicket where Temba Bavuma held a good low catch before Harvey Hosein played across the line at Proctor.Matt Critchley struck Matt Coles for two fours in an over but the on-loan Essex paceman had the final word by bowling him via an inside edge with Derbyshire still needing another 113.Tony Palladino fenced at Proctor and was caught behind but Hudson-Prentice again played well and Ravi Rampaul delivered late defiance by driving Coles into the sightscreen and pulling him for another four.The end came when he pulled Ben Sanderson to deep square leg where Bavuma, in his final match for the county, made no mistake which was fitting given his first-innings century was by some distance the highest score in the contest.”It was an important toss to win, getting runs on the board was important and Temba Bavuma’s innings was outstanding,” Northants head coach David Ripley said. “We are grateful for the way he played.”I think the pitch was just a little bit dry at the start and there was that little bit of uneven bounce for the seam bowlers which I guess means we are going home early. I’m just glad we got the points and three batting points so we’ve had a good three days.”Derbyshire head of cricket Dave Houghton said: “We lost the game with a bad session in the middle of the first day. We had a magnificent fightback to give ourselves a chance to win but realistically you lose a session by that much you are going to do well to stay in the game.”I look at the wicket and think back over the game and I didn’t see a batsman get hit on the fingers, I didn’t see any ball crawling along the ground. It wasn’t a road, it was a result wicket and I thought it played pretty well.”
When Granit Xhaka left Arsenal in the summer of 2023, Mikel Arteta and Edu knew they needed to go to great lengths to replace his extraordinary output last season.
A £105m move for Declan Rice was signed, sealed and delivered while Kai Havertz, certainly to less fanfare, arrived from another part of London in Chelsea.
The £65m addition hasn't quite made the grade after moving to the north of the capital, with it taking until November for the German to finally score a goal in Arsenal colours from open play.
Perhaps realising the error of their ways, the Gunners have been looking at signing another midfielder according to reports.
Two names on the club's shortlist for 2024 reside in the Premier League with Amadou Onana, touted at £60m, interesting Arsenal, while Joao Palhinha of Fulham is another to be tipped with a move to join the ranks at the Emirates Stadium.
A wildcard option could well be that of Joao Neves, Benfica's next hot property in the middle of the park after Enzo Fernandez.
The teenage sensation has been strongly linked with Manchester United in recent months but Arsenal are another casting their eyes towards Neves. Reports in the build-up to the January window suggested that the Gunners were tracking the 19-year-old but with a release clause of £103m and no intention of selling, any move is incredibly unlikely, at least for now.
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Yet, if the Kroenke's were to dip their hands into their pockets again for another mega midfield signing, Neves would offer some extreme quality to Arteta's side. Does anyone fancy another round of Santi Cazorla?
Who is Neves we hear you ask? Well, a quick look at his FBref scouting profile indicates what a fine young individual this budding teen is.
Compared to positionally similar players across Europe's top five leagues and the top continental competitions, he ranks among the best 11% for passes into the final third (via FBref), indicating his progressive nature in possession of the ball.
Further sitting inside the top 17% for passes attempted, it's clear Neves is a player who offers plenty of protection and composure on the ball. However, he's more than just about passing play. Neves happens to be adept in the defensive and offensive phases of play.
Indeed, the Benfica starlet is in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe for goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, the best 1% for tackles won (3.95) and the finest 13% for interceptions (1.58 per 90). To put that into context, Rice makes 2.01 tackles per 90 and 1.73 interceptions.
Can you imagine the thought of the two playing together, therefore? Yeah, it's a dreamy picture to envisage. The progressive and classy nature of the two is a tantalising prospect.
Already we're getting a sense of why Neves is similar to Cazorla though. He's intricate with his passing play, progressive and capable of doing his fair share of the dirty work. The comparison is supplemented by analyst Ben Mattinson.
Cazorla was one of the most gifted players in the Emirates Stadium era and is remembered particularly fondly by those of an Arsenal persuasion. He played a key hand in ending the club's trophy drought in 2014, scoring a scorching free-kick in the FA Cup final versus Hull City but overall, he was just marvellously gifted at football.
The Spaniard left in 2018 after a period of sustained injury hell that nearly ended his career but he did so with a mighty fine record in Arsenal colours, scoring 29 goals and supplying 45 assists in 180 outings.
With such a creative marvel in mind, let's dive a little deeper into how he compares to Neves.
|
Joao Neves vs Santi Cazorla |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90) |
Neves (23/24) |
Cazorla (18/19) |
|
Shots |
0.89 |
0.95 |
|
Pass Success |
88% |
81% |
|
Key Passes |
0.74 |
2.41 |
|
Progressive Passes |
6.52 |
8.67 |
|
Shot-creating Actions |
2.89 |
4.63 |
|
Tackles Won |
2.44 |
1.16 |
|
Interceptions |
1.48 |
0.95 |
|
Carries |
51.7 |
41.9 |
|
Progressive Carries |
1.78 |
2.35 |
|
Stats via FBref. |
||
Despite there being some differences in the volume of each stat, you can see how their playstyles are alike. Both registered a high number of progressive passes and shot-creating actions, showcasing a preference for getting on the ball and creating openings for teammates.
Cazorla was one of the finest in the Premier League era at such a quality and thus, signing Neves would be truly exciting for supporters. With such a huge asking price, however, we might never see him in Arsenal colours.
Having slipped to 3 for 3 in pursuit of South Africa’s 138 for 3, Pakistan were revitalised by a 77-run stand between the duo
Liam Brickhill19-May-2019On Saturday, South Africa completed a tight chase with only a ball to spare to draw level in the series, but Pakistan have now pulled off their own last-over finish in the third T20I to make it 2-1.Having slipped to 3 for 3 in pursuit of South Africa’s 138 for 3, Pakistan were revitalised by a 77-run stand between Nida Dar and Iram Javed, who struck her maiden T20I fifty.Pakistan needed seven from the last over, and South Africa’s decision to leave that over to Nadine de Klerk seemed to have been justified when Javed carved the first delivery out to wide long-on, where Tazmin Brits held a stunning diving catch at the boundary’s edge. But that was as good as it got for South Africa, Sana Mir slamming the first ball she faced to the square-leg boundary and then swiping two more runs in the same area to secure victory with two balls to spare.Pakistan’s turnaround was all the more remarkable considering the trouble they were in at the start of their innings. Shabnim Ismail struck twice in consecutive overs, while left-arm pacer Moseline Daniels also made an early incision to help send Pakistan’s top three back to the pavilion inside the first three overs.Dar and Javed took a little time to get going, and it wasn’t until the final over of the Powerplay that Pakistan finally found the boundary, but they picked the pace up thereafter. Javed took a particular liking to Tumi Sekhukhune’s medium pace, while the pair also combined to plunder 19 runs from Sune Luus’ second over.Their efforts brought the required rate down to a manageable level, and after Dar was bowled by Daniels for 32 in the 12th over, Aliya Riaz helped Javed to keep the momentum going. Back-to-back boundaries off de Klerk took Javed to a 39-ball fifty, and although she and Riaz both fell before the job was done, Mir ensured there would be no further slip-ups.While she was unable to defend South Africa’s total in the final over, de Klerk had played a hand in the most significant stand of her team’s innings, adding 80 for the second wicket with Brits. After a mix-up led to the early dismissal of Lizelle Lee, run out for 2, Brits and de Klerk combined to take South Africa to a steady 31 for 1 at the end of the Powerplay.Brits brought up her maiden T20I fifty off 47 balls in the 14th over before the dismissals of de Klerk and Chloe Tryon in quick succession dented South Africa’s progress and their run rate dipped below a run a ball. Luus’ adventurous innings helped to up the tempo as she dominated a 44-run stand with Brits, who ended the innings with a massive six over midwicket, but thanks to Javed’s personal best with the bat, South Africa were unable to defend their total.The series now moves to Benoni for the final two matches, with the next one taking place at Willowmoore Park on Wednesday.
West Ham United, with Mohammed Kudus on international duty with Ghana at AFCON and Jarrod Bowen sidelined through injury, have suddenly been left short on attacking options this month. Despite their need for attacking reinforcements, however, reports suggest that the Hammers could suffer a transfer blow at the hands of Premier League rivals Manchester United.
West Ham transfer news
Even if Kudus and Bowen were available, it would come as no shock if West Ham focused on offensive players in the January transfer market. Barring the aforementioned duo, David Moyes has just Danny Ings and Michail Antonio to choose from when it comes to leading the line. And Ings' record doesn't exactly make for pretty reading, leading to links over a West Ham exit this month amid reported interest from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Meanwhile, Antonio's recent injury history has made for a frustrating watch, with the forward out with a knee issue since November.
The London club were perhaps hoping to solve their attacking problem with the arrival of a Bundesliga star. According to earlier reports, West Ham were in ongoing talks to sign Serhou Guirassy from Stuttgart and were stepping things up. Now, however, they could lose out to a Premier League rival. As per Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Manchester United could hijack West Ham's deal to sign Guirassy amid plans to make their move for the forward currently at AFCON.
Guirassy, of course, has a £15m release clause, which has seen the likes of AC Milan, United and West Ham all swarm in an attempt to land his signature. With such competition, it seems increasingly likely that Moyes will miss out on the Stuttgart star and face a battle to find the attacking depth that his side so desperately needs this month.
West Ham need to win race for "machine" Guirassy
If West Ham want to secure a permanent place in the Premier League's top six, then welcoming a striker capable of hitting 15-plus goals is crucial. A move to sign Guirassy would be ticking that box too, and it could allow Bowen to move out wide to form a deadly front three of Kudus, Bowen and the Bundesliga star. Guirassy's stats paint the picture of a player at the top of his game, with 19 goals in 16 games placing him among Germany's best in the current campaign. Opta Franz's post on X earlier this season summed up the forward's electric form:
It could speak volumes about just how far West Ham have come if they managed to beat Manchester United and AC Milan to Guirassy's signature either this month or during the summer transfer window. But as things stand, it looks likely that the Red Devils could hijack the Hammers' move in what may deal Moyes a frustrating blow courtesy of his former club.
Everton have been doing a lot better under Sean Dyche than the table suggests. The Toffees would be sitting in the top half of the table within four points of the final European place had the club not been punished for breaching FFP regulations.
Nevertheless, the reality of the situation is that Everton are just one point above the relegation zone, having lost back-to-back games in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.
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However, with the January transfer window set to open in just a matter of days, Dyche could be set to dip into the loan market to bolster his squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.
Everton transfer news – Amad Diallo
Over Christmas, it was reported by Football Insider that Manchester United are willing to send Amad Diallo out on loan for the remainder of the season, having not played a single minute yet for the Red Devils this term. Championship outfits Southampton and Sunderland were keen to bring the tricky Ivorian back to England's second tier.
However, it is now being reported by journalist Seb Ecrivain, via the Liverpool Echo, that Everton are keeping tabs on the winger's situation at Old Trafford and could make a move for him once the January transfer window opens in a few days. The player's market value currently sits at £9m but it's unlikely that the English giants will take any money for Diallo.
The 21-year-old spent all of last season on loan at Sunderland, with the former Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray calling him "magic", but featured for United in pre-season before picking up a nasty knee injury which has kept him out of action ever since – although he has recently returned to training.
Nevertheless, United head coach Erik ten Hag admitted that Diallo was in contention to be named in the squad this past week so a comeback doesn't seem long away.
Amad Diallo stats comparison vs Jack Harrison
On Wednesday night, Jack Harrison scored Everton's only goal of the game, taking the lead just before the half-hour mark. However, the winger had an off night concerning his overall performance, and not for the first time this season.
The Leeds United loanee won just one of his seven total ground duels, was dribbled past three times and made merely one pass into the final third all game. Additionally, Harrison whipped only one successful cross into the box for Beto who had little to no service throughout the match, leaving the pitch in the 61st minute with an xG total of 0.09.
Furthermore, Harrison's goal at Goodison Park in midweek was just his second of the season and his fifth goal contribution in 16 matches in all competitions. Dyche needs to sign a winger who can provide a greater output on the right-hand side, mirroring Dwight McNeil's five assists on the opposite flank. Diallo could be the perfect player to fill this void.
The last time Everton signed a player from Manchester United was eighteen months ago when the club secured James Garner's signature for £15.5m. This season, Garner has been instrumental to the side's success under Dyche and was superb against Tottenham last Saturday despite the team's defeat.
Everton need the right-winger version of Garner, someone who can make a real difference on the flank in Harrison's place and Diallo certainly fits the bill as his stats from the previous campaign with Sunderland are levels above the Toffees' attacker from this term.
Goals
0.41
0.14
Expected Goals
0.28
0.17
Assists
0.13
0.22
Expected Assists
0.13
0.14
Progressive Passes
5.12
2.46
Progressive Passes Received
7.87
5.35
Progressive Carries
3.73
2.37
Key Passes
1.39
1.32
Take-Ons Success Rate %
42.5%
36.8%
Stats via FBref
If Diallo is available, as reports have suggested, Dyche would be silly not to sanction a deal given the Ivorian's quality and ability to not only score goals but to create chances too, which is something that Everton are missing on that side.
Since Eddie Howe arrived at Newcastle United two years ago, the club have gone from strength to strength, aided by a newfound wealth funded by the PIF.
The Magpies went from being a team struggling to survive in the Premier League to one battling among Europe’s elite in the Champions League within a matter of 18 months. However, Newcastle have begun to suffer their first real blip under Howe which will be a real test for the board’s faith in the head coach.
The Geordie outfit have suffered five defeats in six games in all competitions and find themselves seven points off top four.
Nevertheless, Howe is already eyeing up potential recruits in January to ease the side’s woes on the pitch.
Newcastle United transfer news – Goncalo Inacio
According to a new report from Portuguese outlet Record, Newcastle United are leading the race for Sporting Clube de Portugal defender Goncalo Inacio and are best-positioned to sign the centre-back in January.
The outlet are also claiming that Newcastle have scouted the player frequently throughout the past year and that Sporting have accepted they could lose the 22-year-old this winter.
It was reported during the summer transfer window that the Magpies were keen to make a move for Inacio and were preparing to activate his £39m release clause, but a move never came to fruition. However, the centre-half has since signed a new deal with Sporting and his buyout clause has now risen to £52m.
Howe may be wishing Newcastle pulled the trigger on a move for Inacio as his side have been riddled with injuries this season and even lost club captain Jamaal Lascelles on Saturday during the 1-0 defeat away at Luton Town. The team now have ten players unavailable, including nine through injury.
Nevertheless, Inacio could help alleviate the club’s injury woes and defensive issues on the pitch and could even offer Howe a change of formation.
How Goncalo Inacio would fit into Newcastle's system
In the 2022 summer window, Newcastle completed the signing of Sven Botman for a reported £35m from French outfit Lille. The Dutchman has recently returned to the side, following three months on the sidelines.
Botman was integral for Newcastle’s fourth-place finish last season, having played 44 times in all competitions under Howe and was a mainstay in the starting lineup before a knee injury in September derailed his form. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp even described Botman as a “real leader of men” for some of his displays in a Newcastle shirt.
Given how important he is at St. James’ Park, Inacio won’t be Botman’s replacement despite both men being left-footed. However, he could become Dan Burn’s permanent successor in the team. Burn, having just recovered from a back injury, is now on the wrong side of 30 and Howe may be eyeing Inacio to take his place in the team in the long run.
In fact, Inacio has statistically outperformed Burn in a number of key metrics this term and has even been described as a "sensation" by football scout Jacek Kulig.
Goals
0.17
0.18
Expected Goals
0.11
0.13
Progressive Passes
7.66
3.25
Progressive Carries
1.31
0.58
Pass Completion %
88.4
81.9
Passes To Final Third
8.63
3.25
Tackles Won
0.86
0.91
Interceptions
1.20
1.03
Stats via FBref
In his 79 matches as a Newcastle player, Burn has played 55 times at left-back. In 95 appearances for Sporting so far in his career, Inacio has never played in that position, meaning his arrival on Tyneside could potentially trigger Howe to switch from his preferred 4-3-3 formation by deploying a back three.
Newcastle already use a back three but only in possession. A permanent switch to either a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3 offers an extra man defensively and could diminish the fullbacks’ defensive responsibilities as the shape would revert to a back five out of possession.
Across their recent five defeats, Howe’s side have conceded 11 goals, more than two a game on average. The last time Howe used a five-man defensive line was during his Bournemouth days, particularly against the league’s best opposition but this could be a saviour for the Geordie club over the coming weeks, with matches against Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa on the near horizon.
Glasgow Rangers decided to change their manager at the start of last month as they opted to ditch Michael Beale before a swoop for Belgian tactician Philippe Clement.
The former AS Monaco head coach has enjoyed a terrific start to life in Scotland with six wins and one draw from his opening seven matches in all competitions.
However, one drawback of bringing in a new boss after the transfer window has closed is that he did not have an opportunity to assess the squad before decisions were made on players, both in and out.
Clement may now keep a close eye on players who were sent out on loan over the summer; including academy centre-forward James Graham, who has produced more goals and assists combined for his current club and Rangers this season than current first-team attacker Kemar Roofe.
James Graham's season in numbers
The 19-year-old striker joined Annan Athletic on a season-long loan to gain regular first-team experience in the third tier of Scottish football this term.
His form for the third division club has not been particularly impressive as the teenage finisher has only produced one assist, with zero goals to his name, in eight league appearances so far – four of which were starts.
However, Graham did start the campaign with one goal and one assist in four Challenge Cup outings for the Gers B Team, which means that the forward has been directly involved in three goals in all competitions this season.
This has come after a return of five goals and one assist in 30 Lowland League appearances for the B Team throughout the 2022/23 campaign.
Rangers signed Graham from Ross County for a reported fee of £45k in 2020 and then-Head of Academy Craig Mulholland hailed him as a "dynamic" and "tenacious" attacker.
Roofe's season in numbers
Meanwhile, Roofe has also struggled in front of goal this season for the Light Blues as he has been unable to provide a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.
The Jamaica international has produced one goal in six Scottish Premiership appearances and 292 minutes of action, alongside zero goals and one assist in four Europa League and League Cup matches combined.
This means that the former Leeds United marksman has averaged one goal involvement, be it a goal or an assist, every five outings this season.
Appearances
122
16
88
Goals
33
Seven
37
Assists
14
Three
Seven
Whereas, Graham's three combined goals and assists in 12 matches for Rangers and Annan this term works out as an average of one contribution every four games.
Roofe, who managed two goals and zero assists in six competitive clashes for the club last season, has not set the world alight and has the likes of Cyriel Dessers and Danilo ahead of him in the pecking order as it stands.
Graham has also not been in outstanding form for Annan but the youngster has, at least, outperformed Roofe's goals and assists combined this term and, hopefully, he will be able to improve his output for the third tier side and enjoy an impressive remainder of the 2023/24 campaign.
Fabio Capello is unsure if Cristiano Ronaldo will shine at Euro 2024 after a “year in Arabia”, with England considered to be tournament favourites.
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CR7 now plying his trade in Saudi ArabiaThree Lions star shining for Real MadridBid for continental glory opens this summerWHAT HAPPENED?
A bid for continental glory on German soil is due to get underway on June 14, with Italy aiming to defend the crown that they captured at Wembley Stadium back in 2021. There will be plenty of superstar performers on show, with evergreen Portuguese forward Ronaldo still going strong at 39 years of age.
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Ronaldo has been impressing in the Saudi Pro League this season, passing the 40-goal mark once again, but former Real Madrid and Juventus boss Capello has said of question marks over the five-time Ballon d’Or winner: “There are two players who make the difference, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe. And we will have to see how the year in Arabia has been for Cristiano.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Capello, who led England to the 2010 World Cup, considers the Three Lions to be favourites for Euros glory, with Real Madrid sensation Bellingham leading the way. He added on seeing the 20-year-old midfielder make a stunning impact in his debut season at Santiago Bernabeu: “It is a surprise that an Englishman has triumphed so soon in La Liga.”
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Bellingham has registered 21 goals for the Blancos this season, including a dramatic winner in a Clasico clash with Barcelona last time out, and is expected to be joined by France international Mbappe in the summer transfer window when he reaches the end of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain and becomes a free agent.
Derby County are believed to be plotting a move to sign a "phenomenal" player for Paul Warne, according to a fresh transfer update.
Derby eyeing January signings
The Rams have made a promising start to the 2023/24 season, currently sitting seventh in the League One table ahead of the festive action in the coming weeks. Granted, Derby could be in a better position towards the automatic promotion positions where Portsmouth and Oxford United currently are, but they are nicely poised to finish in the playoff places, hopefully making their way back into the Championship next year.
The January transfer window will allow Warne the chance to add to his squad, should the money and right targets be available, and the Rams have been linked with a number of players in recent weeks. Young Irish midfielder Adam Murphy is one player who has been backed to move to Derby, being seen as a long-term acquisition, while AFC Wimbledon's Ali Al-Hamadi is also seen as an option for the Rams. It looks as though another player has now joined the list of potential additions at Pride Park in January, with a fellow League One ace tipped to head there.
Derby want to sign CJ Hamilton
According to Football Insider, Derby are one of the clubs interested in signing Blackpool winger CJ Hamilton, with the Rams "plotting a move" for him.
Huddersfield Town and Queens Park Rangers are also seen as potential suitors for the 28-year-old wide man, who is out of contract at his current club at the end of this season. That means Blackpool could jump at the chance to earn a fee for him in January, rather than lose him on a free transfer next summer.
It is claimed that "Derby are keen to strengthen in the new year to boost their promotion bid", with numerous clubs "ready to test Blackpool's resolve". Derby may not find it easy to bring in Hamilton in January, considering there is interest from clubs higher up in the Football League currently, but he could be such a shrewd addition if they get a deal over the line.
This season, the Rams transfer target has four assists in League One so far this season, highlighting the creativity he can provide from out wide and at 28 years of age, he is someone with lots of experience, not to mention being a left-footed player who can play on either flank, which could appeal to Warne.
Hamilton has even earned huge praise from former Mansfield Town manager David Flitcroft in the past during their time at the club together, saying of him:
"I can play him anywhere and he is phenomenal. He's had another match-winning day today. Winning goals are the ones you remember."
Derby may need an extra injection of attacking quality in their squad to further enhance their hopes of going up to the Championship this season, and in Hamilton, they could have a perfect option to bring in. An overall tally of 24 goals and 34 assists combined in the Championship, League One and League Two combined further outlines why he could be a smart signing.