One of the highlights of pre-season for those at Tottenham Hotspur has been rising star Mikey Moore.

The 16-year-old talent is proving that age is no barrier. If you're good enough, who cares?

Thought to be the next Harry Kane off the conveyor belt of academy talent in north London he earned his first first-team minutes last season and has been granted plenty of minutes by Ange Postecoglou in recent weeks.

He's even scored twice against Hearts and Vissel Kobe. How's that for talent?

Despite Moore's arrival on the scene, Spurs are still understandably in the market for a new centre forward to fire them to glory.

Tottenham's hunt for a striker

Fabrizio Romano revealed a few days ago that one of the options Spurs are considering this summer is Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke.

Solanke was in fine fettle last season but he's not the only option on their shortlist. Another happens to be Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen.

Reports emerged earlier last week that Spurs could make a shock move for the player and that viewpoint is now held by former Everton chief Keith Wyness too, who was speaking to Football Insider.

Wyness, who now runs a consultancy advising elite clubs, said: "I wouldn’t be surprised if Spurs are looking at and keeping themselves informed on Osimhen’s situation at Napoli. He’s one they need to keep their eyes on.”

How Osimhen compares to Solanke

From a natural goalscoring point of view then there is only one winner here; Osimhen.

The Nigerian powerhouse has been nothing short of a sensation in recent seasons and in the words of Joao Cancelo, has proven himself to be "one of the best strikers in the world."

Why? Well, his record in front of goal speaks for itself. An injury-hit 2023/24 season meant he bagged just 17 goals, a tally that was way off his 2022/23 numbers as Napoli won the Scudetto. During that year, Osimhen was one of Europe's premier goalscorers, finding the net on 31 occasions in 39 matches.

So, how does that compare to Solanke? Well, the former Chelsea man did score 19 times last season, ensuring he ended the campaign as the Premier League's joint-fourth top goalscorer but his record beyond that, certainly at an elite level, isn't much to write home about.

Osimhen vs Solanke: Goal record in last 4 seasons
Season	Osimhen		Solanke
	Games	Goals	Games	Goals
2020/21	30	10	45	15
2021/22	32	18	48	30
2022/23	39	31	35	7
2023/24	32	17	42	21
Stats via Transfermarkt.

Over the last four seasons, Osimhen has only actually scored three more goals than Solanke. However, those first two seasons for the Cherries attacker were in the second tier of English football.

The concern may well lie in Solanke's 2022/23 tally. It was a very poor year for a striker and although he improved a great deal in 2023/24, Tottenham would surely like to bring in someone with known pedigree, not just based on one season.

We can't just evaluate pure goalscoring, though. Where else does Osimhen better Bournemouth's talisman?

Osimhen vs Solanke: 2023/24 Statistics (League only)
Stat (per 90 mins)	Osimhen	Solanke
Goals	0.68	0.51
Assists	0.14	0.08
Pass success rate	66.9%	73.5%
Key passes	1.05	1.06
Progressive passes	1.05	1.63
Shot-creating actions	2.45	2.14
Successful take-ons	0.73	1.06
Progressive carries	1.55	1.41
Aerials won	1.68	2.63
Stats via FBref.

Well, it's Solanke who comes out on top in a wide range of metrics, most notably aerial duels and progressive passing. However, it's the Nigeria international who reigns supreme for progressive carrying and assists.

So, while Osimhen doesn't perhaps have the all-round game that Solanke has, Spurs need goals and after Kane's exit, they need a big name. The Napoli frontman should be their number one priority if they can negotiate a sensible price tag.

Ange wants him: Spurs chase £60m ace who'd turn Solanke into a goal machine

Ange Postecoglou would love to sign him…

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 3, 2024

After a slow start to the season saw two draws picked up against Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion, alongside a humbling 3-0 defeat in the EFL Cup to Middlesbrough, Leeds United finally got their 24/25 campaign underway with a 2-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday last time out.

The Championship promotion hopefuls will pray there are no more major missteps ahead, as they aim to finish near the top of the division, and secure a return to the Premier League after last season's agonising near miss.

Largie Ramazani and Manor Solomon are likely to be at Daniel Farke's disposal for upcoming second tier games, as Ramazani sat out the victory at Hillsborough and Solomon is soon to be announced, with a growing possibility that another attacker could also enter the building alongside the new duo before the close of the month.

Leeds working on signing Georginio Rutter replacement

As per an exclusive report from Football Insider, Leeds are eyeing up the services of Queens Park Rangers gem Ilias Chair, as they go about further strengthening their attacking positions.

With Solomon and Ramazani adequately bolstering the second tier side down the wings, the number ten spot is now a position of priority to add numbers to, considering Georginio Rutter's departure is yet to be addressed with any new faces in through the door.

That's where Chair could potentially come to the rescue, with Football Insider revealing that the West Yorkshire side are set to test QPR's resolve surrounding their Moroccan gem, with his contract now into its final year at Loftus Road.

Chair could fill the hole left behind by the Frenchman packing his bags for Brighton and Hove Albion, as he is known in Hoops quarters to be a tricky menace on the ball for Championship defences to contain, much like Rutter used to be for the Whites.

What Chair can offer Leeds

Leeds fans will be all too aware of Chair's ability to conjure up a moment of magic from nothing, having scored this sublime solo strike last season against Farke's downtrodden troops, on the way to a miserable 4-0 defeat being inflicted on the promotion chasers.

Away from that sickening sucker punch, however, Chair could soon be scoring sumptuous goals like this on a regular basis for Leeds if he is snapped up soon, with the Hoops number ten bagging 34 strikes across 217 second tier games to date in West London, alongside registering 34 assists.

Chair's Championship numbers for QPR (23/24)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Chair

Games played

44

Goals scored

7

Assists

8

Shots*

2.6

Big chances missed

2

Big chances created

11

Ball recoveries*

5.4

Total duels won*

4.0

Stats by Sofascore

As can be seen, looking at the table above, the QPR star was a lively attacker for many a Championship defence to contain last campaign, with seven goals and eight assists managed from 44 games.

Creating 11 big chances across the full season too, with Rutter creating double that remarkably, the "terrific" attacking midfielder – as he has been described by his boss Marti Cifuentes – could come into his own even more playing for a team fighting for promotion up near the top of the division, as opposed to ensuring they remain afloat in the league.

Chair could end up striking up a terrifying partnership with Manor Solomon in attack, therefore, who will be excited at the potential prospect of linking up with the EFL wizard.

Solomon needs a confidence-boosting season to come at Elland Road after having injury issues dominate his playing days of late, and might well find that he's even more devastating going forward dropping down a division with Chair next to him, having picked up four goals and two assists from only 24 games in Premier League action when fit and firing.

Bagging his own sensational screamer against Leeds in the FA Cup last year, both could make Leeds an even more stunning team to watch in attack, and would make Rutter moving on firmly a thing of the past.

Related Farke could land Gruev upgrade in late Leeds swoop for £23k-p/w star

Leeds United remain in the hunt for this midfield gem.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Aug 25, 2024

Celtic kick off their 2024/25 campaign in the Scottish Premiership this evening as they prepare to host Kilmarnock at Parkhead in their first game.

Brendan Rodgers starts his second season in his second spell in Glasgow and will be hoping to secure the league title once again, whilst also competing well across all competitions.

His side enjoyed an impressive pre-season with four wins in five games and eight goals scored across two wins against Manchester City and Chelsea.

The Northern Irishman now has the difficult task of selecting a starting XI to play against Kilmarnock and the boss must boldly unleash Mikey Johnston from the start alongside Kyogo Furuhashi.

Kyogo Furuhashi's impressive pre-season

The Japan international caught the eye throughout pre-season and is currently the club’s only senior striker option, after Hyeon-gyu Oh moved to Genk and Adam Idah returned to Norwich City.

Kyogo plundered six goals in five pre-season matches and found the back of the net in the wins over both Chelsea and Manchester City, which shows that he is heading into the Premiership campaign full of confidence.

His form over the summer will be particularly pleasing for Rodgers after the forward endured a difficult 2023/24 campaign in front of goal in the top-flight.

Appearances

38

Goals

14

Big chances missed

24

Conversion rate

14%

Pass accuracy

67%

As you can see in the table above, the Japanese attacker missed a staggering 24 ‘big chances’ and only scored 14 goals in 38 outings in the division.

Why Mikey Johnston should start with Kyogo

With Kyogo starting through the middle, Rodgers must boldly unleash Johnston from the start on the left flank ahead of Daizen Maeda after his impressive spell on loan with West Bromwich Albion last season.

The Ireland international scored two goals in his last three pre-season outings for Celtic this summer and appears to be grasping his opportunity to come back to Glasgow and fight for a place in the starting XI.

In the Championship last term, Johnston scored seven goals and did not miss a single ‘big chance’ in 18 appearances for the Baggies, as he showcased his goalscoring prowess.

Meanwhile, Maeda only scored six goals and missed a whopping 12 ‘big chances’ in 28 outings in the Premiership for Celtic from a left wing position, which immediately suggests that the Irish sensation has the potential to offer far more quality as a finisher.

The Japan international also created five ‘big chances’ for his teammates and made 0.5 key passes per game for the Hoops in those 28 appearances, whilst Johnston created four ‘big chances’ and made 1.2 key passes per match in just 18 matches.

During Sky Sports coverage of West Brom’s 3-1 play-off loss to Southampton (17/05/24), commentator Gary Weaver claimed that the winger had “magic in his boots” and the 25-year-old ace’s statistics back that up.

Celtic turn attention to £3m star who'd be a better signing than Idah

The Hoops are reportedly interested in a swoop for the Premiership star this summer.

4 ByDan Emery Aug 1, 2024

He is a talented forward who can provide more quality than Maeda as a scorer and a creator of goals and that is why Rodgers must boldly unleash him to cause havoc in the final third alongside Kyogo against Kilmarnock today.

Chief executives of cricket boards will start hammering out on Thursday what cricket’s next eight-year calendar will look like. CEC (the ICC’s chief executives’ committee) meetings on the 2023-31 cycle have so far been exploratory in nature, in trying to suss out member views on various competitions, ICC events, and the growing space domestic T20 leagues now occupy.But the real work of getting the calendar into shape begins now, with two broad questions to answer: One, how much time and space is available for bilateral cricket given ICC events and domestic T20 leagues. And two, what should the structure of international cricket, including the World Test Championship (WTC) and the ODI Super League, look like?These discussions are likely to be more complicated than ever, and not just because figuring out a common virtual window for every board from around the world to attend is relatively tricky. The demands on the calendar are growing and have amplified, even in the time since these discussions last took place, across 2017 and 2018. Ahead of the meeting, we look at the four issues that need resolving in the next calendar.Related

• If ODIs feel irrelevant now, just wait till the next FTP cycle

• ICC makes U-turn, to revisit plan for extra global event in next cycle

• BCCI upset with ICC for overlooking objections to new events in 2023-31

• T20 leagues threaten new international schedule

The neglected middle format: ODIs

T20s and Tests are fairly settled for the moment but it’s bilateral ODIs, and specifically in relation to global ODI events, that are under the scanner.Ostensibly, the ODI Super League is providing context to bilateral ODIs with the reward of World Cup qualification at the end of it. But it has yet to gain real traction and momentum, given its start was postponed because of the pandemic, and the immediate focus is firmly on the two upcoming T20 World Cups. One of the points of discussion will be an expanded 50-over World Cup – with 14 rather than ten teams – though the push for this is coming from those Full Members who weren’t in the last World Cup. Full Members like their teams to be in World Cups, as one official said, and there are currently 12 Full Members but a ten-team World Cup.If there is a larger World Cup in 2027, what happens to the ODI Super League? Currently it features 13 teams, out of whom the top eight qualify directly for the 2023 World Cup. If it was kept to a 13-team league but eventually 12 qualified from it, that would defeat the point of a league.If that league becomes larger – and for 12-14 teams to qualify, it would have to be much larger – then it starts eating into the calendar, which already has too little space in it. And there might still be an appetite for a World Cup qualifier tournament, given the great spectacle that the 2018 tournament in Zimbabwe was.Ireland and Afghanistan have begun playing Test cricket recently•Getty Images

Nine or more for the World Test Championship?

Members see the WTC, by and large, as a success, enough in any case to indicate it will be around beyond the current cycle. The build-up to the finalists being confirmed, as well as the build-up to the final itself, has gone down well.But the question hovering over the league is what to do with Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland. The three are not part of the WTC in the league’s second cycle, which ends in 2023, but are keen to get some definition around their involvement going forward beyond that – even if it is a pathway that ultimately leads to inclusion.When the league was first devised, those three teams weren’t playing enough Tests to be part of it. They have only played nine Tests between them – Ireland none at all – since the WTC began in August 2019. They have a slightly busier Test calendar in the second cycle of the WTC, but not by much.The challenge, again, will be limited calendar space. Six series (three home and three away) over two years for each team works currently. Adding more teams will mean somehow squeezing more time out of the cycle, or not playing more than the six currently stipulated series – which dilutes further the idea of a league, in that a growing number of sides won’t play each other.The Champions Trophy was scrapped after the 2017 edition•Getty Images

That ICC event

In some ways this extra event is at the heart of the game’s current tensions. As things stand, the extra event – whether it is an ODI tournament or a T20 one – has been approved by the ICC board, despite objections from the BCCI.But with CA and the ECB joining the BCCI in their opposition, and ICC chairman Greg Barclay suggesting an extra event was not a done deal, don’t take it as final. It does have majority support among members currently – many of whom rely significantly on ICC event revenues – and is an acknowledged starting point for discussions, but whether that means it will still remain at the end of these discussions is a different matter.And if it is an ODI event, that will only complicate the status of the ODI Super League. It used to be that ICC events would be scheduled into an eight-year cycle and members then went and built their own bilateral schedules around it. But with extra context now with the WTC and Super League – in essence, two more competitions – getting clarity on what they look like is just as important as knowing when – and where – ICC events will be played. Once members work out their bilateral match-ups in these competitions, a calendar can start to be built.

The other calendar

One of the main points of difficulty in the 2017-18 scheduling discussions were the various domestic T20 leagues that members were running – an alternative calendar to the year, essentially. At that time, South Africa’s Mzansi Super League (MSL) and the PSL were difficult to work around, in that they took two elite teams out of international cricket for a total of six or so weeks in the October-March window – which is when the majority of the member teams are in their international season.This time, add to those leagues the Lanka Premier League, the Afghan Premier League, the Abu Dhabi T10, from this summer on, The Hundred, and from 2022, an expanded IPL. That creates many more moving parts for members to juggle with. The ICC has no control over this, of course, but because they all eat into one calendar, it all has a direct impact on international cricket.

كشفت تقارير صحفية فرنسية، أن يوفنتوس الإيطالي يستهدف التعاقد مع الإسباني تشافي هيرنانديز، لخلافة تياجو موتا في تدريب الفريق.

تشافي رحل عن برشلونة بنهاية الموسم الماضي بسبب سوء النتائج، وحل محله هانز فليك، وكان قد ارتبط مؤخرًا بالتعاقد مع ميلان، قبل أن يجلب الروسونيري سيرجيو كونسيساو.

صحيفة “ليكيب” الفرنسية، كشفت أن يوفنتوس اتصل مع تشافي، رغم أنه لا توجد نية حاليًا لإقالة تياجو موتا، ولكن تحسبًا لاستمرار تذبذب النتائج.

وخسر يوفنتوس مباراته الأولى ببطولة الدوري الإيطالي يوم السبت الماضي أمام نابولي 2-1، مع 13 تعادلا والفوز في 8 مباريات فقط من أصل 22 خاضهم بالكالشيو.

وأشارت التقارير إلى أن يوفنتوس لا يتوقع رحيل تياجو موتا الذي يخوض موسمه الأول، ولكن النتائج الأخيرة جعلت الإدارة تبدأ في البحث عن بدلاء محتملون خلال الفترة المقبلة إذا استمرت النتائح بهذا الشكل، وعدم التأهل لـ دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويمكن الإشارة إلى أن يوفنتوس حاليًا في مرحلة جمع المعلومات عن العديد من المدربين، ولكن لم يتم ظهور أي اسم الآن سوى تشافي هيرنانديز حسب الصحيفة الفرنسية.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Athleticoestá de volta à decisão da Copa do Brasil. O Furacão, assim como aconteceu em 2019, voltou a eliminar o Flamengo, no Maracanã, ao golear por 3 a 0, e agora terá como rival na grande final o Atlético-MG. Um dos destaques do duelo contra o Rubro-Negro carioca foi o volante Erick.

O jogador, que foi campeão com o Athleticoda competição nacional, exaltou o elenco e a atuação diante do Flamengo.

‘Todos estão de parabéns. Enfrentamos com muita seriedade o time que é um dos principais, se não o principal, do futebol sul-americano nos últimos anos. Respeitamos o Flamengo, mas jogamos com inteligência e aplicação. Cumprimos o que o Valentim nos passou, e tivemos uma grande atuação. Ofensivamente fomos precisos nas chances criadas, e soubemos segurar o adversário na defesa. Foi uma vitória do coletivo’, afirmou.

Erick vive um momento especial no Athletico.No primeiro jogo da semifinal contra o Flamengo, o volante completou a marca de 100 jogos com a camisa rubro-negra. Feliz, ele falou que quer coroar o final de temporada com titulos para a torcida.

‘Teremos uma reta final de temporada intensa e decisiva. Serão duas decisões, em dois torneios diferentes, contra grandes rivais. Vamos trabalhar duro e manter o foco. Me sinto um privilegiado por fazer parte deste momento histórico do Athletico. Um clube que sempre acreditou no meu potencial desde o início, e que recentemente consegui alcançar uma marca importante, que foi a de 100 jogos’, finalizou.

Após a classificação na Copa do Brasil o Athletico agora volta se concentrar no Campeonato Brasileiro. No sábado, terá pela frente o Santos, em casa, às 17h.

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Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne and Dhananjaya de Silva move up in Test batting rankings

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Apr-2021Mohammad Rizwan continued his rapid rise as a T20I batter by entering the top 10 in the ICC rankings on the back of his player-of-the-series performance in Zimbabwe.Rizwan hit 82* and 91* in the two matches Pakistan won, and that took him up five slots to tenth. He went past Eoin Morgan and Rohit Sharma on the table where Dawid Malan, Aaron Finch, Babar Azam, Devon Conway and Virat Kohli retained the top five positions.Haris Rauf was the other Pakistan player to make a noteworthy gain, up 17 places to 21st after taking four wickets in three matches.Zimbabwe, who won the second T20I to give themselves a chance of a rare series win, moved up one slot – past Ireland – to No. 11 in the team rankings, while Pakistan remained in fourth place. Elsewhere, Nepal’s victory in the T20I tri-series at home against Netherlands and Malaysia meant a move up (by one spot, past Scotland) to No 14, while Netherlands slipped from 17th to 18th and Malaysia stayed at No. 31.The drawn first Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Pallekele had a number of major performances by the batters of the two sides, and that reflected in the Test batting rankings too.Dimuth Karunaratne’s career-best 244 helped him gain seven places to reach the 15th position. His 676 rating points was also his best since last January.The other Sri Lanka batter to move up was Dhananjaya de Silva, who scored 166, and was involved in a 345-run stand for the fourth wicket with Karunaratne in Sri Lanka’s only innings. He gained seven spots to reach his career-best 28th position.Among Bangladesh batters, Mominul Haque’s 11th Test century, and first overseas, took him from 35th to joint 31st, while Vishwa Fernando was the only bowler to have a decent haul, and his 4 for 96 in the first innings took him to 43rd place.

Time is running out for Celtic to complete the rest of their incoming business as the summer transfer window officially slams shut on Friday night.

The Hoops have added four new players to their squad since the end of the 2023/24 campaign, with two goalkeepers, a central midfielder, and a centre-forward coming in.

Goalkeeper Joe Hart retired when his contract expired at the end of May and the club reacted by signing Viljami Sinisalo and Kasper Schmeichel to compete for the number one shirt.

Brendan Rodgers also dipped back into the market to re-sign Paulo Bernardo and Adam Idah on permanent deals after their respective loan spells at Parkhead last season.

The Northern Irish head coach looks set to do further business before the deadline passes on Friday after the club confirmed on Monday that central midfielder Matt O'Riley has left the club.

Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion swooped in to snap the Denmark international up on a permanent deal and that has left a gap in the middle of the park for Celtic, after his return of 18 goals and 13 assists in the Scottish Premiership last term.

The Hoops have reacted to that by making moves to add to their squad in that area of the park, as they are eyeing up a new midfield addition.

Celtic eyeing up midfield signing

According to Football Insider, Rodgers is pushing to secure a Celtic deal to sign Los Angeles FC central midfielder Mateusz Bogusz this week.

The report claims that the Bhoys boss is desperate to bolster his side in order to continue their dominance of Scottish football and to compete in the new-look Champions League format.

It states that the Scottish giants are now looking to bring the former Leeds United gem to Parkhead before the end of the summer transfer window on Friday, whilst they are also keen on Augsburg starlet Arne Engels alongside their pursuit of the Polish whiz.

The outlet adds that Engels and Bogusz have both been identified as top targets to come in and improve the team's options in the middle of the park, following O'Riley's £25m+ move to the Premier League.

It has previously been reported that the LAFC star is valued at around £8m and Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claims that a bid has been lodged for him, with talks underway between the two sides.

If the Premiership champions can get a deal over the line for the 23-year-old talent before the deadline then Rodgers could land an exciting partner for Adam Idah at the top end of the pitch.

Adam Idah's potential for Celtic

Celtic showed that they have huge hopes for the Ireland international when they agreed a £9.5m deal to bring him back to Glasgow on a permanent basis this summer.

The Bhoys have agreed to an £8.5m fee with Norwich City and it could rise by another £1m if add-ons are met, which would make it a club-record deal – exceeding the £9m paid to Paris Saint-Germain for Odsonne Edouard in 2018.

Idah was handed his second full debut with the Hoops against St Mirren on Sunday and looked short of match sharpness, as he completed just five passes and missed one 'big chance' before being substituted.

However, his form during his loan spell at Parkhead during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign suggests that there is far more to come from the 6 foot 3 marksman.

He joined on loan from Norwich in the winter window and made an instant impact in Glasgow with his clinical performances in the final third.

Appearances

15

Starts

5

Goals

8

Big chances missed

7

Conversion rate

27%

Minutes per goal

76

As you can see in the table above, Idah only missed seven 'big chances' and scored eight goals in just five starts in the division, scoring more than one in every four shots on average.

These statistics show that the potential is there for him to be a lethal scorer for the Scottish giants if he can recapture and then build upon that form this term.

Celtic will need players who can support and create chances for him in matches on a consistent basis, though, and that is why Bogusz could be a dream signing for the Irishman.

Why Celtic should sign Mateusz Bogusz

The 23-year-old star has been in stunning form for LAFC in the MLS this year and his performances suggest that he has the potential to be a fantastic signing for Rodgers.

Firstly, Bogusz is a goalscoring midfielder who can also play as a centre-forward when required. His return of 13 goals in 24 MLS appearances this year speaks to his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

Those 13 goals also came from an Expected Goals tally of 6.97 and he only missed four 'big chances', which shows that the midfield whiz is a clinical finisher who can provide a huge goal threat from the middle of the park.

This could take some of the pressure off Idah's shoulders because Bogusz could run beyond him to chip in with goals to prevent the striker from being relied upon as the only source of regular goals.

Appearances

24

xG

6.97

Goals

13

Key passes per game

2.2

Big chances created

8

Assists

5

As you can see in the table above, the Polish maestro is also a creative midfield player who has the ability to split open opposition defences to create chances for his teammates.

Only Matt O'Riley (2.5) and Luis Palma (2.4) made more than 2.2 key passes per game in the Premiership for Celtic last term, which shows that Bogusz could come in as one of the most creative players in the squad for Rodgers.

The LAFC sensation, who was once described as a "dangerous" player by journalist Greg Beacham, could create opportunities on a regular basis for Idah to find the back of the net, which is another reason why he would be a dream for the £9.5m-rated centre-forward if Celtic can bring him to the club this week.

Alongside Engels: Celtic can ease O'Riley blow by signing "remarkable" gem

The Hoops have been linked with an interest in the young attacker this month.

ByDan Emery Aug 27, 2024

Middlesex’s faith in their young bowling attack looked fully justified as Leicestershire were dismissed for 136 in this shoot-out between the fifth and sixth placed teams in Group Two, although it was the seamers rather than the two rookie spinners among them who inflicted 90 per cent of the damage.Martin Andersson, the 24-year-old, was the most successful, his 4 for 27 representing his best bowling for Middlesex and including a burst of three in six balls as Leicestershire, having been 17 for 3, reeled again at 42 for 6.Ethan Bamber, 22, followed with 3 for 36 and head coach Stuart Law’s smile broadened further when Luke Hollman, the tall 20-year-old leg spinner, turned one past the bat to dismiss last man Ed Barnes, his second first-class wicket in his third match.He and Thilan Walallawita, the 22-year-old left-arm finger spinner who bowled eight occasionally threatening but wicketless overs, may play a bigger part in the fourth innings after Middlesex, 159 ahead on first innings on the back of John Simpson’s unbeaten 95, declined to enforce the follow-on. By the close, they had stretched the lead to 216 for the solitary loss of opener Sam Robson, leg before to a full ball from Chris Wright.Related

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The swing towards the visiting team that had begun in the final session on Thursday was momentarily checked but then accelerated again on the second morning as Leicestershire’s response to Middlesex’s 295 took some early hits, leaving them three down for 21 at lunch.Simpson, 73 overnight, had missed out on what would have been a first century since September 2019 and Middlesex missed out on a third batting point, but those regrets were soon forgotten as Bamber removed Hassan Azad and Tom Helm saw off Leicestershire’s two best batting hands in consecutive overs, following his dismissal of Australian Test opener Marcus Harris with that of the Leicestershire captain, Colin Ackermann.Middlesex have left themselves a seamer light by going with two spinners here but Bamber and Helm made their presence count emphatically as Leicestershire unwittingly exposed themselves to 40 minutes at the crease just before lunch in which neither bowler held back.Azad, who took a painful blow on his bottom hand while fielding at short leg on day one, was deemed in good enough shape to open as usual but had barely time to work out how comfortable or otherwise he was when Bamber produced a ball that squared him up slightly and took the edge, Stevie Eskinazi pouching a routine catch at third slip.Ackermann likewise found himself dealt an unplayable delivery, Helm finding some bounce off a pitch that looked to have quickened up a little, the ball taking the shoulder of the bat and caught brilliantly at second slip by Sam Robson, leaning back to make the grab with both hands above his head.By contrast, there were no extenuating circumstances for Harris, who made a complete misjudgement of a ball in Helm’s previous over that bounced much less, the left-hander taking a shuffle-step forward in his crease but deciding he’d leave it alone, which is not a wise policy when it is going to hit middle and off.John Simpson scored an unbeaten 95•Getty Images

Sam Evans and Lewis Hill sought to repair the damage after lunch, but the introduction of Andersson as Helm took a breather simply inflicted more, the change seamer drawing the benefit of batsman error as Evans got himself caught behind down the leg side before dismissing Harry Swindells and Ben Mike, both leg before to consecutive balls, the former playing round one, Mike pinned in his crease by a full inswinger.If anyone was likely to mount anything resembling a fightback, on this season’s form, it would be Hill, and for an hour he and Callum Parkinson stemmed the bleeding, Peter Handscomb turning to spin for the first time with Walallawita, who was not afraid to give the ball some air.Yet it was Andersson, switching to the Bennett End, who broke the seventh-wicket resistance after 44 had been added, finding just enough movement to pass the outside edge as Hill offered a defensive push, the ball clipping off stump.Parkinson battled gamely, he and Wright adding 39, but Bamber removed both in consecutive overs before Handscomb offered Hollman the chance to take the last wicket and he duly obliged with the first ball of his second spellEarlier, Helm and Barber had been the two wickets claimed in an impressive seven-over spell from Mike, who did not bowl at all on Thursday, having missed Leicestershire’s trip to Southampton last week with what was described as a side niggle.Walallawita played a couple of nice shots against Wright, picking up four from the second of them, to which Wright responded by uprooting his off stump, leaving Simpson stranded on 95 for what had been a composed and chanceless innings of 15 fours.

Chelsea have spent £252m on a midfield trio of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Roméo Lavia, with all three joining the club during 2023.

Fernandez (who joined first in January) made 40 appearances for Chelsea last season in all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing three assists while Caicedo made 48 appearances last campaign, scoring one goal and registering four assists. He also played a part in the club keeping 11 clean sheets.

Lavia spent the entire season out through injury, missing 43 fixtures through various problems including hamstring and ankle issues, only managing one appearance in the 2023/24 season which lasted 32 minutes.

It's evident the future of Chelsea's midfield looks bright, however, and in Andrey Santos they have another option to slot in before too long.

Andrey Santos' loan spell so far

Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos has returned to Strasbourg on loan for the 2024/25 campaign following a successful loan spell there for the 2023/24 season. Santos made 11 appearances in Ligue 1 last season, scoring one goal and contributing to two clean sheets.

The 20-year-old midfielder was signed from Vasco for around €20m (£16.8m) in January 2023, with the deal being agreed the month prior. The Brazilian youngster had already impressed, captaining his youth national team, and earning a senior call-up.

Impressively, Santos has scored two goals in his first two games this campaign, playing 180 minutes and proving to be a key figure in the Strasbourg side.

Santos vs Fernandez & Caicedo

Both Caicedo and Fernandez could be in trouble as Santos goes from strength to strength and offers an extremely complete midfield profile, described as a "superb" box-to-box midfielder by scout Jacek Kulig.

FBref's "similar players" feature compares Santos to Fernandez, as well as Arsenal midfielder, Declan Rice, which just shows the complete nature of this midfield profile.

So, how do they all compare? We've got the answer.

How Santos compares

Stats (per 90 mins)

Santos

Fernandez

Caicedo

Rice

Goals

1.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Progressive Carries

2.00

0.67

1.07

1.60

Progressive Passes

5.50

3.67

3.57

7.20

Shots Total

1.50

1.00

0.36

1.20

Shots on Target

1.00

0.33

0.00

0.40

Key Passes

2.50

1.00

0.36

0.80

Tackles

5.00

3.00

3.21

0.40

Blocks

1.00

0.67

1.79

0.80

Interceptions

0.50

0.00

2.14

1.20

Stats taken from FBref

These metrics are from the 2024/25 season so are based on minimal data so far. However, this really shows the strong start Santos has made in Ligue 1, coming out on top in six of the nine metrics assessed.

Santos has scored one goal per 90, scoring two in two so far, while also recording 1.50 shots, with one of those shots on target per 90 minutes. This goal threat is far superior to any of the other midfielders here, who haven't scored yet and also aren't known for their goalscoring qualities.

An area these midfielders are known for is their progressive passing and Santos is right up there for those metrics too, averaging 5.50, bettering the numbers of the Chelsea pair, and only 1.70 less than Rice.

Rice and Caicedo are well known for their defensive abilities, and Santos is actually averaging more tackles than both, with five per 90, compared to Rice's 0.40, and Caicedo's 3.21 per 90.

Mix this defensive output with his passing progression (also making 2.50 key passes, the most of all the midfielders here), and you can see why Santos is a hybrid of Fernandez and Rice, which could spell trouble for Caicedo if his form continues.

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