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West Ham United had a fantastic 2022/23 season that was rounded off with their historic Europa Conference League win in Prague, and at the halfway point of this season, they look set for another brilliant campaign.

David Moyes has taken his team to sixth place in the Premier League, and they are through to the knockout rounds of the Europa League, with every chance of winning the whole thing.

That said, sometimes the best time to improve a team is when they're flying high, which looks to be what the Irons are planning to do, as the latest player touted for a move to east London could take them to another level and turn Jarrod Bowen into a creative powerhouse in the process: Feyenoord's Santiago Gimenez.

West Ham United transfer news – Santiago Gimenez

According to The Times, the Hammers are on the lookout for a new striker in 2024 and are currently 'tracking' Feyenoord's ridiculously prolific striker, Gimenez.

The publication has revealed that the Mexican international, who has scored 18 league goals this season, is valued at around £30m, although the Dutch side are 'hoping to fend off interest until the summer'.

The player himself, while open to leaving the Netherlands, will only do so if he is guaranteed a starting role at the London Stadium, and while that might be an unrealistic demand for some sides, West Ham's current crop of strikers have not been good enough in recent years, and with Bowen spending most of his career out wide, Moyes should be able to grant Gimenez his wish.

While it might prove a complicated deal to complete, the idea of Gimenez getting on the end of the former Hull City star's chances should be all the convincing the club need to press on.

Santiago Gimenez could supercharge Jarrod Bowen

Aside from Declan Rice, there might not be a modern West Ham player who has had as much of an impact on the club as Bowen has in recent years.

He has scored some massive goals against the league's biggest sides over the last couple of years, but most important of all, he slotted home the winner in Prague last year to give the Irons the first piece of European silverware in their long history.

West Ham could repeat Bowen masterstroke with £20m "super talent"

The former Spurs man could help fire the Irons up the table.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 11, 2024

This season, Moyes has employed the fan favourite as a striker on multiple occasions, but it is not his natural position, so the arrival of a striker as prolific as Gimenez could allow him to move back out wide and potentially supercharge his creative numbers.

The "Mexican Machine", as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has been incredibly clinical with his finishing this season, scoring 17 non-penalty league goals from a non-penalty expected goals figure of just 12.7.

While an overperformance of this magnitude won't be sustainable in the Premier League, it is evidence of his outlandishly impressive finishing ability.

In contrast, Bowen's two league assists so far is an underperformance of 0.7 on his expected assists figure, meaning that if he had a number nine as efficient as the "insane" Feyenoord star, as described by u23 scout Antonio Mango, then he could expect his actual assists figure to at around four.

It isn't just his outright goalscoring numbers that are impressive when it comes to Gimenez, though, as the numbers around the goals, such as his shots on target, the goals per shot on target and his goal-creating actions, are all genuinely impressive.

Non-Penalty Goals

17

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

12.7

Shots on Target per 90

2.10

Goals per Shot on Target

0.57

Goal-Creating Actions per 90

0.56

All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season

Ultimately, if West Ham want to push even further up the table and give the Europa League their best shot this season, then signing the "on fire" Gimenez, as described by Kuilg, for £30m seems like a no-brainer, especially for what he could do for the creative side of Bowen's game.

The MCC World Cricket Committee made the proposals to improve the spectacle of Test cricket

Shashank Kishore and Saurabh Somani12-Mar-20192:45

Gatting, Warne want same brand of balls for all Tests

Countdown timer clocks to speed up the pace of play in Test cricket, free hits for no-balls in the longer format and the use of a standard ball in the World Test Championship are some of the radical proposals put forth by the MCC World Cricket Committee to “improve the spectacle” of the format.According to the MCC, the proposals, discussed last week during meetings held in Bengaluru, will be tested as well as forwarded to the ICC for consideration.In an exclusive chat with ESPNcricinfo, former England captain Mike Gatting, who chairs the MCC World Cricket Committee, and former Australia legspinner Shane Warne, outlined the idea behind each of these proposals which are as follows.Timer clocks to prevent time wasting A timer, to be shown on the scoreboard, to count down from 45 seconds from the call of “over”. This will be increased to 60 seconds for a new batsman on strike and 80 seconds for a change of bowler. If either side is not ready to play when the clock reaches zero, they will receive a warning, with further infringements in that innings resulting in five penalty runs being awarded to the opposition. A similar timer to be used at the fall of wickets, potentially with variable times, depending on the distance from the dressing rooms to the pitch, and at drinks breaks. Batsmen and fielders should be in position before the clock reaches zero. During DRS reviews, the standard protocol should be cut short as soon as the TV production team is aware that it will be ‘not out.’ For example, time is often spent trying to discern an inside edge for lbw decisions, only to see that the ball was missing the stumps. As soon as the ball tracking data has been loaded, if it will result in a ‘not out’ decision, the TV umpire should be informed immediately.Tim May, Sourav Ganguly, Vince van der Bijl, Shakib Al Hasan (standing), Shane Warne, Mike Gatting and Kumar Sangakkara (sitting) at the MCC World Committee meeting•MCC

Free hit for no-ball in Tests The committee felt free hits had been successful “deterrents” in limited-overs cricket to bowling no-balls, and should be tried out in Test cricket, too.Warne cited an example to illustrate how free hits could prove to be an advantage. “Let’s say I bowl a ball, the umpire gives it out and it’s a referral. And then it’s found out that I actually bowled a no-ball. One, the batsman thought he’s out, but not only is he not out, but it’s also a free hit. Imagine what happens to the crowd. They go from ‘Oh no, my favourite player is out’ to ‘No, he’s not out, it’s a no-ball’ and ‘Wow, it’s a free hit.’ Imagine the excitement!”It’s in there for T20s and ODIs, why not in Test cricket? It actually helps the no-ball situation too. For instance, England only bowled their first no-ball in ODIs for three years, because of the free hits. I think it can help reduce the number of no-balls in Test cricket as well. I think it’s a good change and a recommendation to the ICC, hopefully they pick it up.”Dukes to be the preferred ball in Tests?Currently, SG, Kookaburra and Dukes are the major ball manufacturers engaged by various boards. With the World Test Championship kicking off with the Ashes as the first contest this summer, the MCC has proposed to standardise the usage of balls in Test cricket, barring day-night Tests where the pink Kookaburra has been used. One of the methods proposed is to have players from around the world vote in. Also, the MCC is going to try out the red Dukes ball in Asia and see the results.According to Gatting, the choice of which ball to use ought to be based on the opinions given by current players, including Indian captain Virat Kohli, who last year had been critical with the lot of SG balls used during the home Test series against West Indies. India’s senior offspinner R Ashwin had also given a thumbs up to the red Dukes ball, which he used while playing in county cricket in the last few years.”You take on board what people like Virat Kohli and others say about what sort of ball they like,” Gatting said. “And one would have to say that the Dukes ball has come up, and people have said that as a standard ball, maybe that’s what we should be looking to get and play with.”Because it seems to have given a better balance for batsmen and bowlers even on flatter wickets. I think we should be listening to the players about this. It’s not what I think, it’s the players. They’re going to play with it. And they’ve spoken out and they would like to see a standardised ball and it might well be a Dukes ball.”

كشف الظهير الأيسر لفريق ليفربول وقائد منتخب إسكتلندا، أندي روبرتسون، عن الصعوبات التي يواجهها بسبب إصابته وكيفية التكيف مع التغييرات التي طرأت على النادي.

وأوضح روبرتسون أنه أصبح خالي من الألم لأول مرة منذ خمسة أشهر في ليفربول حيث كشف الظهير الأيسر عن مشاكل الإصابة التي عانى منها في عام 2024.

وخاض روبرتسون 79 دقيقة من المباراة الافتتاحية للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز يوم السبت الماضي حيث تغلب ليفربول على إيبسويتش تاون بثنائية نظيفة.

اقرأ ايضاً.. “غامض ومقلق”.. ذا أثلتيك توضح آخر تطورات مستقبل محمد صلاح مع ليفربول

وقال أندي روبرتسون في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ليفربول إيكو”: “شعرت بأنني بحالة جيدة للغاية في مباراة إيبسويتش تاون، بالنظر إلى كل شيء، لقد كنت ألعب وأنا أشعر بالألم منذ مارس فصاعدًا، ومن الواضح أن هذه كانت فترة مهمة للغاية بالنسبة للنادي ثم فترة مهمة للغاية بالنسبة لبلدي”.

وأضاف: “كنت أتمنى أن تكون الأسابيع الثلاثة من الراحة قد هدأت الأمور، لكن هذا لم يحدث، وكنت بحاجة إلى فترة أطول قليلًا، لذا تمكنت من رفع لياقتي البدنية إلى مستوى جيد حقًا من حيث عدم التواجد مع الفريق، وهو ما كان محبطًا للغاية”.

وأشار: “حرصت على التواجد في معسكر أمريكا، والذهاب إلى كل اجتماع للفريق، وطرح الأسئلة على المدربين، وأشياء من هذا القبيل، ومحاولة التعلم حتى عندما لا أستطيع أن أكون على أرض الملعب”.

وأكد: “لا يزال هناك الكثير لنتعلمه جميعًا، إنها طريقة جديدة تمامًا للعب وفلسفة جديدة وكل شيء، سيستغرق الأمر بعض الوقت، بالطبع سيستغرق الأمر بعض الوقت”.

وأردف: “من الواضح أنني بدأت أشعر بالتعب قليلاً في نهاية المباراة، وهو أمر طبيعي، لكنني شعرت بحال جيدة، لقد تخلصت من الألم للمرة الأولى منذ خمسة أشهر، وهو أمر إيجابي دائمًا، أتمنى أن يستمر هذا الأمر”.

وأضاف: “لم يكن سلوت سعيدًا في الشوط الأول أمام إيبسويتش لكننا كنا نعلم ذلك أيضًا، لم نكن سعداء بأدائنا ولم يكن هو كذلك أيضًا”.

واختتم: “لقد حاول مساعدتنا على رؤية كيف يمكننا أن نكون أفضل قليلاً في التعامل مع الكرة وأن نقترب قليلاً من الكرة عندما تكون بحوزتهم”.

Arsenal are in a good position heading into the winter period in the Premier League, but manager Mikel Arteta is a man of intelligence and cunning.

A strategist, he understands that to topple the purportedly indomitable Manchester City, the Emirates Stadium must be strengthened in January.

The London side have perhaps gone a bit under the radar this season, and despite a few wobbles are top of their Champions League group and are third-placed in the English top-flight, just one point off top spot.

But might it be fair to say there is something… missing? Maybe it's pedantic to claim that Arsenal – who have scored 26 goals from 12 matches – are lacking offensively, but then Arteta is indeed a perfectionist, and silver-laden success is nestled in his mind like a chick waiting to hatch.

Arsenal transfer news – strikers

According to Tutto Juve – as per TEAMtalk – Arsenal are in a good position to win the race for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic in January, with his Serie A outfit reportedly looking for €60m (£52m) to grant his sale.

Chelsea and Real Madrid are also interested in the Serbian, but it's unlikely that either would match the Gunners' bid and Arteta would ostensibly have a smooth route to his acquisition.

The 23-year-old is one of the best centre-forwards in Italian football but he has not quite clicked in Turin, and given the Old Lady's financial problems, it's believed that Massimiliano Allegri would welcome his sale, with Juventus second in the league.

Dusan Vlahovic's style of play

Juventus completed the £67m transfer of Vlahovic from Serie A rivals Fiorentina in January 2022 after his free-scoring feats had landed him an exciting move, but he has failed to match his return of

Last season, he scored 14 goals from 42 matches, impressing with his movement and finishing skills but unable to reach the kind of heights that were expected after he bagged 17 goals and four assists from his final 21 league outings for La Viola.

Described as a "monster" by reporter Carlo Garganese, Vlahovic is tall and powerful, boasting a mastery of his physicality and exceptional in receiving the ball under pressure and barging into dangerous areas.

As per Sofascore, Vlahovic has clinched four goals and an assist from just six starts in the Italian top flight this season, taking 2.7 shots per game and succeeding with 75% of his dribbles.

The 24-cap Serbia international has also been called "lightning" by pundit Micah Richards, who remarked that he has "everything you could need in a striker".

How Dusan Vlahovic compares to Victor Osimhen

The £219k-per-week talisman is perhaps failing to reach his apex at the Allianz Stadium but that certainly does not mean that he is not a first-rate forward.

To ventriloquise Richards, he boasts all the attributes that Arteta needs to serve as the perfect foil to Gabriel Jesus in the focal role up top – less creative, perhaps, but a natural sharpshooter.

Dusan Vlahovic: Similar Players
Player	Club
Ollie Watkins	Aston Villa
Victor Osimhen	Napoli
Timo Werner	RB Leipzig
Patrik Schick	Bayer Leverkusen
Rodrygo	Real Madrid
*Sourced via Football Transfers

Given that he is of a similar make to Victor Osimhen, goalscoring extraordinaire of Serie A champions Napoli, Arteta may well be wise to forge ahead with plans to bring him to the Emirates fold.

Nigeria international Osimhen was invariably destructive last season as his outfit secured the Scudetto, posting 31 goals and five assists across all competitions, even heralded as a "superstar" by The Athletic's Colin Millar.

Osimhen is also a robust, quick, powerful and intimidating striker who threatens through the blending of his athleticism, hold-up play and defence-splitting motions through the lines.

Vlahovic boasts that same innate predatory instinct, even if he is struggling to click into full gear with Juventus. Arteta could offer him the perfect platform to use as a launchpad, with his prolific exploits sending a frisson of excitement through the Gunner ranks as they surge toward illustrious success,.

Craig White, the former England allrounder, has left his position as Hampshire’s head coach after six years at the club

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2018

Craig White oversees warm-ups•Getty Images

Craig White, the former England allrounder, has left his position as Hampshire’s head coach after six years at the club. White’s decision was prompted by a desire to spend more time with his family.The 48-year-old has been in the role of head coach for the last two seasons, having taken over after Dale Benkenstein’s departure in 2016, and saw Hampshire lift the Royal London Cup this year. He previously worked as assistant coach and bowling specialist, having joined in 2012.”I’ve had a fantastic six years at Hampshire and I’m proud of what we’ve been able to achieve as a group in that time,” White said. “Whilst it’s certainly been a tough decision and one that hasn’t been made lightly, spending long periods of time away from my family has become more and more difficult and I feel that now is the right time to return to be with them on a more permanent basis.”I’d like to thank everyone at the club for their support throughout the last six years, from the players to the coaching staff, members and supporters, and I wish them the very best for the future.”White, who played in 30 Tests and 51 ODIs for England, previously coached at Yorkshire, the club where he spent his entire playing career before retirement in 2008.Hampshire’s director of cricket, Giles White, said: “Craig has been an integral part of the club since joining us in 2012, firstly as an Assistant Coach and then as Head Coach, and his dedication in that time has been outstanding.”We understand his decision to step down and have been aware of the difficulties of being away from his family. On behalf of the club I’d like to thank Craig for all the hard work and incredible contributions during his time here, he will be missed on both a personal and professional level. We wish him and his family well for the future.”

Chelsea have made an inconsistent start to their 2023/24 Premier League campaign and have struggled to throw down a challenge on the division's top four.

The appointment of a world-class manager in Mauricio Pochettino was designed to achieve the former and despite recording a 4-1 victory over rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night, the Blues still have it all to do with nine points separating them from fourth-place Arsenal.

Aside from scoring four goals against a Spurs side who were reduced to nine men, it is easy to dissect the immediate problem that has plagued Chelsea throughout this campaign and that is an inability to take their chances.

Their high volume of chance creation best illuminates this narrative – placing in fourth position – above the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal for xG accumulated, with 23.29 across their first 11 matches.

According to Understat, Chelsea are underperforming their xG by 6.23, having scored 17 goals this term, placing them as the tenth-highest scorers in the division.

Nicolas Jackson, who scored a hat-trick against their London rivals, has been a large contributor to that xG total (7.55), followed by Cole Palmer (3.43) and Raheem Sterling (3.32).

Whilst their struggles in front of goal have caused frustration, the Blues have formed a solid defensive structure since Pochettino arrived at the club and this is demonstrated by their low volume of chances conceded.

Only Manchester City, Newcastle United and Arsenal have outperformed Chelsea's expected goals against (xGA) of 13.43 and that is complemented by a total of 12 goals conceded.

One man who has been instrumental towards achieving that defensive solidity is veteran Thiago Silva, with the Brazilian featuring in every Premier League minute so far this term, despite being 39 years old.

Thiago Silva's statistics this season

Since arriving at the club in 2020, praise has been forthcoming for Silva, whose staggering longevity at the top of world football continues to leave many in awe of his talents.

Described by pundit Jamie Redknapp as a "born warrior" for his world-class defensive displays and praised by former manager Frank Lampard for his leadership qualities, there is no doubt that Silva is one of Chelsea's best signings of recent years.

Having established himself at the epicentre of their Champions League success in 2021, the Brazilian has since become a shining light during a period of upheaval in west London.

Despite approaching his 40th birthday next year, the former PSG stalwart is still an integral part of Pochettino's plans and the veteran has reinforced that claim by putting up incredible defensive and passing metrics

In the Premier League this term, Silva has averaged 6.5 ball recoveries per game, a duel success rate of 70%, 1.2 tackles and a near-faultless pass completion of 96%, underlying his sensational ball-playing capabilities, as per Sofascore.

It is remarkable that he's still performing at a high level but given his contract expires next year and Brazilian side Fluminese have already outlined their dreams of acquiring the defensive artist, Chelsea need to have a replacement lined up.

Chelsea transfer news – Jean-Clair Todibo

According to a report from 90min last week, Pochettino is eyeing up a move to lure OGC Nice central defender Jean-Clair Todibo to Stamford Bridge next summer to replace the ageing Silva.

The 23-year-old has been told that he is allowed to leave the club as they want to cash in on the player, whose value has been mooted at €40m (£35m) by several outlets previously.

Chelsea aren't the only European powerhouse interested in luring him out of France, however, with the report suggesting that the former Barcelona star is also attracting the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle United.

Todibo has played a pivotal role in Nice's excellent start to the season. His side are currently top of Ligue 1 – one point ahead of PSG – and the stalwart has formed an impressive partnership with Dante that has only shipped four goals.

Jean-Clair Todibo's style of play

A progressive ball-playing defender whose blistering pace and ability to read the game are talents that have shone in France after being dampened at Camp Nou.

The Catalan outfit originally captured Todibo from French side Toulouse in 2019 but having arrived as one of the hottest young prospects on the planet, he would only feature five times for the LaLiga giants before moving on to pastures new.

Following difficult loan spells at Benfica and Schalke 04, his reported €8m (£6.9m) move to Nice would prove to be the catalyst for his trajectory back to the summit of European football.

Since arriving at the club permanently in 2021, the 6 foot 3 titan has showcased the potential that his formative years promised, with his ball-playing abilities, confidence at bringing the ball out of defence and superb defensive awareness are all attributes that have flourished.

The statistics certainly illuminate that claim with Todibo ranking in the top 5% across Europe's top five leagues in the past year for tackles, the top 7% for successful take-ons, the top 19% for progressive passes and the top 20% for pass completion, as per FBref.

The £19k per-week goliath's incredible passing range and exceptional ball-carrying skills would fit seamlessly into Pochettino's progressive system and the Argentine must simply prioritise signing the Frenchman to become Silva's heir.

How Jean-Clair Todibo compares to Thiago Silva

Whilst Todibo – who has been lauded as the "complete package" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – is still at the beginning of his career and Silva is reaching his twilight years and although there are 16 years between the two in age, there isn't much to separate them on the pitch.

Much like the Frenchman, Silva's ball progression – as demonstrated earlier – is one of his major strengths while his positional awareness and confidence in possession are attributes that Chelsea will need to replace once he departs, with the statistics below implying that the players are of a similar ilk.

Statistic

Jean-Clair Todibo (Ligue 1)

Thiago Silva (Premier League)

Tackles

2.26

1.18

Interceptions

1.13

0.82

Blocks

1.64

1.00

Aerials won

1.33

2.09

Pass completion

90.2%

95.7%

Progressive passes

4.52

3.73

Successful take-ons

0.62

0.09

All stats sourced via FBref

As the table delineates, Todibo is better at the defensive fundamentals, throwing himself into tackles and winning more challenges than Silva, whilst the veteran thrives more in aerial battles against centre forwards and is more tidy in possession.

However, what the Frenchman could provide Chelsea that the Brazilian currently doesn't is risk-taking from deeper areas, driving out of defence with purpose and lofting clever passes from deep having averaged more progressive passes and successful take-on this term.

If Pochettino was to win the race to capture the "very talented" centre-back – as dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy – they would be landing themselves a dream heir to the sensational Silva.

One club's "lion" of a defender is apparently readying a January exit and Tottenham Hotspur are a very possible destination for him.

Spurs thriving without Kane

Ange Postecoglou is a man growing ever more popular in the Spurs dugout as the weeks go by. The 58-year-old has enjoyed an absolutely brilliant start to life in north London, with his side still unbeaten after winning eight out of a possible 10 top flight games. It's the best start ever made by a new manager in the Premier League, and this is all being achieved without star striker and club-record goalscorer Harry Kane, who joined Bayern Munich in the summer.

Wins over Bournemouth, Man United, Burnley, Sheffield United, Liverpool, Luton Town, Fulham and Crystal Palace have cemented Spurs' place at the top of the table, with Kane recently expressing his delight at his former club's electric start to the new season.

"I have made it clear my whole career I am a Tottenham fan and I would love to see Tottenham do well," he said at a press conference with England," said Kane on Tottenham's form.

"It's great to see. I think I've said before, the manager is doing great for them with the way they're playing. The fans are right behind the team and it's definitely what they needed after the last few years. I'll always keep an eye on Spurs and the Premier League. There is no other team in the Premier League I would want to win than Tottenham.

"I have to be respectful to Bayern Munich and of course, the fans know I will always have a soft spot for Spurs – there is no question about that. Of course, I hope [Tottenham] do as well as possible but my main attention is where I am now and trying to perform for Bayern."

Next up, the Lilywhites take on Chelsea next Monday, in what will be a great opportunity for Spurs to inflict more pain on former manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Nelsson "preparing to leave" and could join Spurs

Despite Tottenham's exceptional form without Kane, the north Londoners are believed to be chasing more additions to bolster Postecoglou's options at the back. They're arguably bereft of quality behind centre-back pairing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, so much so that Spurs have eyes on another defender this January. Tottenham are interested in Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah as an option, while Galatasaray's Victor Nelsson is a Spurs transfer target too.

According to Turkish newspaper Aksam, it is now believed Nelsson is "preparing to leave" Galatasaray this January, and Spurs are a possible destination for the Denmark international. Both Arsenal and Ajax stand out as other mooted landing spots for Nelsson, who looks set for the exit door in what will be a "club-record" transfer.

While his future is now far away from the club, there has been praise for Nelsson and his performances in recent years, with the 25-year-old being called a "lion" by Galatasaray board member Resit Omer Kukner.

Victor Nelsson strengths

Aerial duels

Concentration

"Dear Victor Nelsson, You are Galatasaray's first Danish player," said Kukner on X.

"Beside being a great athlete devoted to his Club, your attitude on and off the pitch is winning hearts of millions. Your jersey gesture after the match is beyond description. You are our Danish lion."

Tottenham Hotspur and manager Ange Postecoglou have been told there is a very promising young player in their ranks with seemingly endless potential.

Spurs fixtures and results

There is barely any rest for Postecoglou's high-flying Lilywhites after their 2-0 win over Fulham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday. Indeed, Spurs take on fellow Londoners Crystal Palace on Friday, and it is safe to assume they're serious favourites heading into the contest.

Over Tottenham's best start to an English campaign since 1960/1961, Postecoglou has also officially overseen the best early-season run made by any new manager in Premier League history. The Australian's style of attacking football has both thrilled supporters and helped Spurs to a very impressive unbeaten streak; winning seven out of their opening nine league matches.

Precious victories over Bournemouth, Man United, Burnley, Sheffield United, Liverpool, Luton Town and Fulham, mixed in with 2-2 draws against both Brentford and north London rivals Arsenal, cement Spurs place at the top of the league. Postecoglou has transformed certain squad members in the process with former Antonio Conte outcast Yves Bissouma earning praise for their Tottenham performances this season.

As well as the Mali international, young full-back Destiny Udogie has become a star since fully linking up with Tottenham in the summer. Indeed, pundit Ian Wright has even heaped praise on Udogie as a player going "under-the-radar" despite his excellent displays.

"You know someone who has to get some love as well for going under the radar, Udogie," explained Wright on his podcast last month.

"You watch Spurs and they have put together some players that you look at and think it’s a team that are shutting up everything. He has given them a stability and a progression of the ball that is very impressive. The man is going under the radar. I cannot wait to see this guy, I can’t wait to see him live.”

Destiny Udogie is "getting better and better"

The 20-year-old youngster has been one of the many success stories of Tottenham's season thus far, starting all nine league matches and registering two assists to boot. Udogie and Pedro Porro on the other side have starred as Postecoglou's inverted full-back options, with the defensive duo becoming mainstays and almost undroppable members of Spurs' starting eleven.

Now, ESPN pundit Janusz Michallik has joined in on the praise for Udogie, going on to say that the Italy international has a seemingly endless ceiling and unlimited potential.

“Micky Van de Ven, show me a better centre-back right now. Top three in the Premier League easily the way he’s played so far. I look at Udogie, the upside and his ceiling, where is it right now? Another player who came from a modest side in Serie A and he’s getting better and better every game,” said Michallik.

Destiny Udogie style of play

Likes to dribble

Likes to play short passes

Likes to tackle

Udogie, who spent the entire 2022/2023 campaign on loan at Udinese from Tottenham, could have been a good option for Conte last term – but it appears the left-back has saved his best ever form for Postecoglou. Indeed, James Maddison has even privately hailed Udogie recently.

Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique seemed to confirm Kylian Mbappe's imminent departure from the club as he wished the Frenchman "the best".

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• Mbappe benched against Reims
• PSG draw 2-2 at Parc des Princes
• Enrique sends odd message to Frenchman

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former Spain national team coach dropped Mbappe from the Parisians' starting lineup during their underwhelming 2-2 draw at home to Reims. The World Cup winner was brought on in the 73rd minute of the game but failed to make an impact on proceedings.

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• WHAT ENRIQUE SAID

  Talking to Amazon Prime Video after the game, Luis Enrique said: "I wish all the best to Kylian Mbappé for his future. He’s a fantastic player and even more as a person. I really wish him all the best."

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Spaniard's comments have all but confirmed the 25-year-old's upcoming departure from the French capital, as has been apparent for the last few weeks. Luis Enrique has been regularly either benching or subbing off Mbappe as he prepares the team for a future without the former Monaco forward, who is set to leave the club when his contract expires in June.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

  The likeliest destination for Mbappe has been touted as 14-time Champions League winners Real Madrid. The French forward has been linked with a move to the Spanish capital ever since his rise to fame with Monaco in 2017 and it appears that the move will finally come to fruition this summer.

MatériaMais Notícias

O resultado financeiro do terceiro trimestre do Flamengo foi divulgado neste fim de semana. No balancete, o clube informou os valores das transferências de Caio Roque e Vinícius Souza aoLommel SK, da Bélgica, concretizadas em agosto de 2020. De acordo com o documento, as negociações dos “Garotos do Ninho” renderão aos cofres rubro-negros um valor total de R$ 26,400 milhões.

O meia Vinícius Souza, que atuou com Jorge Jesus nas campanhas do Brasileiro e da Libertadores em 2019, foi vendido por 2,5 milhões de euros. Já Caio Roque foi negociado por 1,5 milhões de euros. Neste mês de outubro, o Fla recebeu as primeiras e respectivas parcelas das vendas, de 1,7 milhão e 1 milhão de euros.

As segundas parcelas das transferências de Vinícius Souza e Caio Roque, de 800 mil e 500 mil euros serão respectivamente pagas em julho e setembro de 2021.

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IDA DE PAQUETÁ AO LYON GERA RECEITA

A transferência de Lucas Paquetá – negociado pelo Milan, da Itália, ao Lyon, da França – também gerará receita ao Flamengo. Clube formador do meia, o Rubro-Negro terá direito de receber 800 mil euros por conta do mecanismo de solidariedade – cerca de R$ 5 milhões e 288 mil segundo a cotação da época.

São três parcelas a serem recebidas pelo Fla – a primeira em 21 de novembro de 2020, a segunda em 31 de outubro de 2021 e a terceira em 31 de outubro de 2022 – nos valores de 267 mil euros (cerca de R$ 1,67 milhão), respectivamente.

CLUBE APONTA REDUÇÃO NO PREJUÍZO ANUAL

Em comparação ao demonstrativo do primeiro semestre de 2020, o balancete do terceiro trimestre apontou uma redução no prejuízo anual do clube. De um déficit de R$ 26,1 milhões indicado em junho de 2020, passou para R$ 19,8 milhões ao fim de setembro. A receita total do clube, nos nove meses do ano, é de R$ 495 milhões.

Os impactos da pandemia do Covid-19 – que suspendeu as atividades do futebol brasileiro por cerca de seis meses, além de esvaziar os estádios desde o retorno dos jogos – explica a situação. Esta a avaliação do clube, que também perdeu contratos com parceiros neste período. Para efeito de comparação, no primeiro trimestre de 2019 o clube da Gávea obteve lucro de R$ 74 milhões.