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With the futures of numerous West Ham United stars looking uncertain, another of the Hammers' important talents is attracting interest from a Champions League side this summer.

Hammers aim to keep hold of key players

Whilst West Ham's new signings will likely grab the headlines this summer, the Hammers' biggest success during the transfer window could be in keeping a number of star players at the club.

Bigger deal than Kante: West Ham among favourites to sign £50m star

The Hammers have received a huge boost in the race.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 21, 2024

Jarrod Bowen is the name attracting the most interest at the moment, with Newcastle United eyeing a move for the England international to bolster their attack. After scoring 20 goals in all competitions last season, it would be a major boost for the Hammers if the winger is still a West Ham player at the close of the window.

Another West Ham talent who could depart during the transfer window is Mohammed Kudus. The Ghanaian attacker was touted for a move to Liverpool and Arsenal at the start of the summer and either link could be reignited before deadline day on 30th August.

With a number of West Ham's biggest names attracting interest, Julen Lopetegui could be dealt a further blow as a top European club has submitted a bid for an important part of the Hammers' side.

Atletico Madrid eye a deal for Nayef Aguerd

As first reported by CaughtOffside, Atletico Madrid have made an opening bid for West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd. The outlet claims that the Champions League side are proposing a loan move with a clause to make the deal permanent further down the line.

The report states that Aguerd would be interested in a move to the Spanish capital with the Hammers happy to let the Moroccan leave this summer so long as the deal includes an obligation to buy. Atletico have been keeping tabs on the 28-year-old for some time and even went as far as to request information on the player before making their bid.

Aguerd arrived at the London Stadium in a £30million move from Ligue 1 side Rennes back in the summer of 2022. Since then, the defender has gone on to make 58 appearances for the Hammers, scoring four goals for the club in the process.

During his two seasons in east London, the Moroccan has made himself an integral part of the Hammers' side. Speaking on Aguerd's time at the London Stadium, Nasser Larguet, who knew the 28-year-old as a youth player, praised his progression at the club:

“A lot of West Ham fans think Aguerd could be captain one day and they are not wrong,

“I’ve known him since he was 13 and he has always been an intelligent player. Just look at how he communicates on the pitch. He has the personality and the experience. Aguerd is a natural leader.”

With West Ham reportedly eyeing a move for AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori, getting Aguerd's £50,000-per-week wage off the books could be essential in their pursuit of further new signings.

He made a second-innings 108, but was ‘more hurt’ than satisfied due to South Africa’s series loss

Firdose Moonda08-Feb-2021Aiden Markram could not enjoy his first century in the subcontinent because it came in a defeat for South Africa, who have lost four of their last five series and have not won a series away from home since March 2017. Markram made his debut six months after the 2017 series win, and has since been part of tough tours to Sri Lanka and India, and the disappointment of losing again in the subcontinent denied him the opportunity to soak in his individual triumph.”We are competitive people so to lose a game and a series, means more than personal performances. There is a lot more hurt than satisfaction from my side,” a visibly despondent Markram said after South Africa’s 95-run loss in Rawalpindi on Monday. “It felt like there were stages where just when we started making progress and getting ahead, we would give it away. That’s where the hurt comes from. It’s time for us to take lessons and learn and to not make the same mistakes again.”South Africa squandered several positions of advantage in the second Test, from dropping Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 115, when he was on four, to unravelling against the second new ball when the chase was set up, and their inconsistency irked Markram. “The mood is pretty down at the moment. There have been patches through the series, where I felt we played really good cricket and looked the part but we couldn’t be in those patches for long enough. That’s the feeling in the camp,” he said.Related

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Babar Azam: No 'negative thoughts' even when Pakistan were under pressure

Stats: SA's horror run in Asia

Markram: A different challenge batting time

But the main cause of South Africa’s inability to consistently challenge Pakistan was a slew of batting collapses, which got worse as the series wore on. South Africa lost seven for 87 and nine for 70 in Karachi and five for 37 and seven for 33 in Rawalpindi, and Markram believes conditions contributed to their difficulties. “You have to appreciate the fact that we are in the subcontinent and getting in is really tough. The nature of the conditions often suggests that wickets will fall in clusters,” Markram said. While South Africa know the cause, they “haven’t got the solution for it,” according to Markam, although the answers may lie with his performances.Markram had his best series in the subcontinent and finished as the top run-scorer overall with 74 in Karachi and 108 in Rawalpindi. In both matches, he demonstrated the temperament to get through the new ball and the technique to play on surfaces where the ball turned and kept low. He also probably put paid to suggestions South Africa are still searching for a permanent partner to Dean Elgar at the top.Markram missed almost all of the 2019/20 season with hand injuries, so South Africa used Pieter Malan and after that they picked domestic run-scoring machine Sarel Erwee in their last two Test squads as a reserve opener. Markram’s form means Erwee’s window of opportunity could be closing while Markram’s own may be widening.With two fifties and a hundred from four Tests, measured assessments of how the team has performed (as opposed to the “I-don’t-knows “coming from temporary captain Quinton de Kock) and his history as an Under-19 World Cup-winning captain, Markram has made a case for the Test captaincy. Though he acknowledged it’s a job he would like to do, he was careful to play down his chances of succeeding de Kock immediately.”I haven’t given it too much thought. I don’t think, with four Test matches this season, it allows a player to all of a sudden think along those lines. It’s something I would naturally enjoy doing but nothing I have given too much time to,” he said. “My goal is ultimately to score runs and win games. That’s still the focus for me.”Markram won’t get the opportunity to do that for the rest of this season as South Africa do not have anymore Tests scheduled after a three-match series against Australia was indefinitely postponed. With the FTP still unclear, South Africa are only likely to play Tests again towards the end of the year but ESPNcricinfo understands there is some talk of Cricket South Africa attempting to organise a winter series, which Markram would welcome playing.”If it were to happen, it would be great and players would be over the moon,” Markram said. “It would have been nice to play against Australia in a home series. It’s always a really exciting series to be a part of and normally quite good cricket on display. It’s not ideal that the series isn’t going ahead. We’re just going to have to wait over the next couple of weeks to find out when the next Test series will be.”

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is ready to prioritise Kylian Mbappe's happiness over Vinicius Jr, according to a new report.

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Mbappe's entourage concerned with start at RealPlaying primarily as a centre-forwardMbappe prefers to play in Vinicius' left-wing positionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mbappe's entourage, per , are concerned about the France international being used primarily as a centre-forward under the management of Carlo Ancelotti. Since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain, he has scored eight goals in 15 games, and has drawn a blank in eight fixtures. He prefers to play off the left, a position currently occupied by Brazil superstar Vinicius Jr.

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reports that Perez would be willing to prioritise Mbappe's happiness over Vinicius', potentially pointing towards a possible positional change. Vinicius has scored nine goals and registered six assists from the flank. The report makes it clear that Perez would only be minded to prioritise Mbappe as a last resort, however.

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Mbappe had a clinical record playing as a left-winger for PSG, scoring 63 goals in 71 games and laying on 17 assists. It is unclear if Perez will speak with Ancelotti about his tactics, given that Real are already nine points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona, although they do have a game in hand.

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Real lost 3-1 to AC Milan in the Champions League in midweek – Vinicius scored the side's only goal – and they will be desperate to return to winning ways this weekend against Osasuna.

Leeds United have less than two weeks left to prepare for their opening game of the 2024/25 Championship campaign against Portsmouth at Elland Road.

The Whites failed to win promotion to the Premier League at the end of last season and they are now getting ready for a second year in the second tier.

Daniel Farke's side finished third in the division, just shy of automatic promotion, before they went on to lose in the play-off final to Southampton at Wembley back in May.

As a result of their failure to make their way back to the top-flight, Leeds have had to watch some of their talent move on from Elland Road in recent weeks.

Versatile academy graduate Archie Gray was sold to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur after he won the Championship Young Player of the Year award.

Central midfielder Glen Kamara, who had only joined from Rangers last summer, has also completed a move away from the club to sign for Rennes in Ligue 1.

Leeds have a gap to fill in the middle of the park and have reportedly turned their attention to a player who was relegated from the second tier last term.

Leeds interested in League One star

According to Football Insider, the West Yorkshire outfit are one of the teams interested in a swoop to sign Birmingham City midfielder Jordan James.

The report claims that Farke has made a move to sign the Wales international by registering an interest in the talented youngster this summer.

It states that the Whites have a 'strong interest' in the 20-year-old midfield sensation, who they view as a potential replacement for Glen Kamara.

Football Insider adds that an unnamed Premier League club are also showing an interest in the Birmingham midfielder, which means that Leeds could face some strong competition for his signature.

HITC recently reported that Ipswich Town are leading the race to sign the League One starlet and that Newcastle United are also in the mix to secure his services.

The outlet added that James is expected to move on from St. Andrew's following their relegation from the Championship at the end of last season.

HITC also revealed that it would take a fee within the region of £10m to tempt Birmingham into cashing in on their prized asset, and it remains to be seen whether or not Leeds would be willing to offer that.

If the Whites do end up winning the race for his signature, though, then they could land a dream replacement for Kamara in the middle of the park.

Glen Kamara's season with Leeds

The Finland international was brought in from Scottish giants Rangers on a permanent deal last summer to bolster Farke's options in midfield.

He enjoyed a strong season with the Whites as he showcased his metronomic qualities in possession to help the team to dominate matches.

Kamara ranked within the top 2% of midfielders in the division for pass completion rate (92.7%) and the top 6% for progressive passes per 90 (6.87), which shows that he was reliable and progressive with his use of the ball to find his teammates in dangerous positions.

These statistics show that Farke could rely upon the ex-Gers man in midfield as his ball retention was fantastic and allowed him to dictate the tempo of games.

However, one criticism of his performances – and this could extend to the rest of the midfield options – was that he did not make much of an impact at the top end of the pitch.

No central midfielder in the squad managed more than one goal or three assists in the Championship last term, which shows that the manager did not have much of an attacking threat from that position.

Appearances

37

Goals

0

Big chances missed

3

Big chances created

2

Assists

3

As you can see in the table above, Kamara did not provide much in the way of quality in the final third with just three goal contributions in 37 league appearances.

These statistics suggest that Leeds could land a dream replacement for the Finnish whiz by landing a midfielder with the potential to offer more in attack, which is why James could be an excellent addition.

What Jordan James could offer Leeds

Firstly, the Birmingham youngster would come in as a long-term prospect for the Whites at the age of 20. He has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve, which means that it would be a signing for the here-and-now as well as the future.

This means that he is a player Farke could work with on the training pitch to help him grow over the years to come, which could see his performances improve and value grow – leading to the potential for the club to make a profit in the future.

James, who was described as a "standout" young player by journalist Josh Bunting, is also a proven Championship performer who could come in and be a fantastic option for the manager to call upon in the middle of the park.

Appearances

37

42

Goals

0

8

Big chances missed

3

2

Big chances created

2

3

Assists

3

0

As you can see in the table above, the 20-year-old star has the quality to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch after his return of eight goals and just two 'big chances' missed last term.

He was also unfortunate to end the season with three fewer assists than Kamara as the midfielder, in fact, created more 'big chances' for his teammates than the Finland international did.

The Welsh star also held his own out of possession with a duel success rate of 51%. This shows that he did not allow opposition players to bully him in physical duels.

Leeds could find new Raphinha in swoop for £14m "unsung hero"

The Whites have been linked with an interest in the forward this summer.

ByDan Emery Jul 31, 2024

These statistics suggest that the £10m-rated star has the potential to be a dream replacement for Kamara as he can hold his own off the ball whilst offering far more than the now-Rennes ace at the top end of the pitch to help Leeds to win valuable points.

Ambati Rayudu, Ruturaj Gaikwad part of preparatory camp starting from March 9

Nagraj Gollapudi04-Mar-2021MS Dhoni has landed in Chennai. That means the Chennai Super Kings are back in town ahead of IPL 2021. Dhoni reached Chennai on Wednesday evening for the Super Kings preparatory camp, which is set to begin on March 9. Among the other Super Kings players that will join Dhoni in the camp, which will be held at the MA Chidambaram stadium, are the batting pair of Ambati Rayudu and Ruturaj Gaikwad along with the uncapped Tamil Nadu players.Related

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Team review: Ageing Chennai Super Kings need an immediate revamp

According to Kasi Viswanathan, the Super Kings’ chief executive officer, Suresh Raina, the second-most senior player in the franchise, is expected to join the camp at some point next week. Viswanathan said that the majority of the squad, along with head coach Stephen Fleming and the other overseas support staff, are expected to assemble around March 18. Former India fast bowler L Balaji, who is the Super Kings’ bowling coach, along with fielding coach Rajeev Kumar, will assist Dhoni during the initial part of the camp.Ravindra Jadeja, who has been ruled of the Test and T20I segments of India’s series against England due to a finger surgery he underwent during the Test series in Australia, will be joining the Super Kings only in the first week of April. Jadeja is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, and earlier this week posted videos and pictures of him returning to active training. It is not clear if he will picked for the three-match ODI series against England, scheduled in Pune in late March.”The camp will begin with all available players from March 9. The tentative plan is to go on until the tournament starts,” Viswanathan said. Viswanathan pointed out that the Super Kings will operate out of bio-secure environment, a mandatory requirement during the pandemic. Incidentally, several members of the Super Kings contingent tested positive – including the pair of Gaikwad and fast bowler Deepak Chahar – last August, immediately after landing in Dubai for the 2020 IPL. The franchise has decided to be extra vigilant this time around.Asked whether the franchise planned to vaccinate players, Viswanathan said no firm decision had been taken. “All the players, coaching staff and those part of the team bubble who arrive to Chennai will be in quarantine for five days at the team hotel, where they cannot come out of the room during this period,” Viswanathan said. Post quarantine all members in the bubble will undergo testing before starting the camp. Testing will carry on every fifth day.Ahead of IPL 2020, the Super Kings were the only team to conduct a preparatory camp before heading to the UAE. However once more than a dozen positive cases were reported from the Super Kings contingent in the UAE, questions were raised about how secure the camp was in Chennai.Vishwanathan said that the franchise had taken all necessary precautions last year, too. He said crowds and media would not be able to enter the ground to watch the preparatory camp. Also, the groundstaff and security at the venue would be undergoing testing and stay away when the squad is training. “The entire staff at the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, along with ground staff and security, will be tested frequently.”

Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai was reduced to tears after Hungary's clash with the Netherlands was halted due to a medical emergency.

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Emergency on Hungary bench halted gameSzoboszlai seen wiping tears from his eyesHungary staff formed protective barrier Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Hungary star Szoboszlai was seen in tears after their Nations League clash with the Netherlands was halted due to a medical emergency on the Hungarian bench. Videos appeared to show the team's staff reacting quickly to another person on the bench losing consciousness, and they formed a protective ring as treatment was administered. Medical staff rushed to the stricken individual's aid and the game was paused as they were attended to after seven minutes of the game. It has since been reported Hungary coach Adam Szalai is the individual involved.

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Neither team have made any comment on the situation, but Szoboszlai's emotional reaction, and the speed and intensity of the rush to aid the individual, points to a distressing situation. Hungarian Football Xtra, on X, claimed that Szalai was the staff member involved, and they quote MLSZ, a Hungarian news outlet, who say he was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Amsterdam. He is said to be stable.

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Szalai joined Marco Rossi's coaching staff in October. A former striker, he earned 86 caps for his country.

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Hungary will hope to receive a positive update on Szalai's condition swiftly. Football is ultimately secondary when it comes to matters of life and death.

Brendan Rodgers could not have asked for a much better start to the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership season for Celtic against Kilmarnock last weekend.

The Hoops ran out convincing winners in a 4-0 rout at Parkhead to shoot straight to the top of the division after matchday one, as they look to defend their title.

Reo Hatate, Liam Scales, Nicolas Kuhn, and Anthony Ralston all got their names on the scoresheet for the Scottish giants, to secure all three points for the team.

Only one player made their debut for the Bhoys on the day despite the summer transfer window having been open for almost two months, with Kasper Schmeichel lining up between the sticks as Joe Hart's replacement.

Paulo Bernardo, who joined on a permanent deal from Benfica, and Viljami Sinisalo, who signed from Aston Villa to be Schmeichel's back-up initially, were both unused substitutes in Glasgow on Sunday.

The Hoops do have their eyes on further additions to the squad before the summer transfer window slams shut for business at the end of the month.

In fact, they are said to be eyeing up a move to sign a player who would bolster the manager's attacking options for the 2024/25 campaign…

Celtic preparing bid for star forward

According to Football Insider, Celtic remain interested in a deal to sign Adam Idah on a permanent transfer from English Championship side Norwich City.

The report claims that the two clubs have been in discussions throughout the summer transfer window but no move is close to being agreed at this moment in time.

It adds that the Premiership champions have already had an offer of £4m turned down by the Canaries, who believe that their academy graduate is worth more than that.

That rejection has not deterred Rodgers, though, as the Hoops are still looking to bring the 23-year-old attacker back to Parkhead this summer.

The outlet reveals that Celtic are now set to make a new bid to sign the Ireland international, as they prepare a formal offer for the 6 foot 3 marksman. It does not, however, outline how much they are prepared to put on the table for him.

Earlier this summer, HITC reported that the Championship side are looking for a fee in the region of £8m to allow the striker to move on from Carrow Road, which is double the fee the Hoops had previously offered.

If this new bid does do the business and secures a deal for the centre-forward, though, then he could be an exciting partner for Kuhn in the final third this season.

Nicolas Kuhn's attacking potential

The 24-year-old star had five months to settle into life in Glasgow in the second half of last season after his loan move from Rapid Wien in the winter window.

He did show glimpses of his attacking potential in that time with his impressive displays out on the right wing for Rodgers in the Premiership.

The young forward had produced five assists and 11 'big chances' created in just 16 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga during the first half of the campaign.

Appearances

14

Starts

9

Goals

2

Assists

2

Big chances created

5

Key passes per game

1.3

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn did not quite maintain the same level of performance after his move to the Premiership but promising signs were there.

Five 'big chances' created and four direct goal contributions in nine starts was a solid return for a player who had moved to Scotland for the first time midway through a season.

It is now down to Kuhn to kick on and enjoy a strong first full campaign with the Scottish giants, and the early signs suggest that he is set to do so.

The German whiz fired in two goals and provided one assist in the 4-3 win over Manchester City in pre-season and then started the Premiership term by finding the back of the net, by cutting inside onto his favoured foot and scoring via a deflected left-footed effort.

He is a direct and exciting winger with the potential to score and create goals, which is why the gem will be hoping that the club strike a deal for Idah.

Why Idah would be a dream for Kuhn

As aforementioned, Kuhn is a creative flanker who looks to beat opposition defences and play passes and crosses to create high-quality chances for his teammates.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the left-footed whiz created 16 'big chances' in the Bundesliga and the Premiership combined but was only rewarded with seven assists, which suggests that his teammates let him down at times.

Idah, who was praised for his "incredible" talent by Rodgers last term, could come in and provide the winger with a striker who could make the most of his sublime creativity.

Appearances

15

38

Goals

8

14

Big chances missed

7

24

Conversion rate

27%

14%

Minutes per goal

76

179

As you can see in the table above, the Irish forward was significantly more clinical than Kyogo Furuhashi in the Premiership last season, with a much higher conversion rate and over 100 fewer minutes per goal on average.

Kyogo's wasteful nature in front of goal was on display on the opening day of the season against Kilmarnock, as the striker failed to score from a whopping eight shots and missed two 'big chances'.

Idah has proven himself to be a lethal goalscorer at Premiership level and that is why he could be a dream signing for Kuhn, as it would provide the winger with a centre-forward who can finish off the chances he creates.

The Ireland international could also help the German wizard with his back-to-goal play as the 6 foot 3 ace could use his strength and intelligence to provide the flanker with shooting opportunities, just like when they linked up for Kuhn's goal against Aberdeen back in February.

Celtic could land dream signing for Hatate in swoop for £7m star

The Hoops have been linked with an interest in the central midfielder this summer.

ByDan Emery Aug 7, 2024

Therefore, Idah could be a dream signing by Celtic for the former Bayern Munich youngster and, hopefully, this new bid will be enough to bring him back to Parkhead.

One of five men to debut in nine-wicket win over Pakistan hopes opportunity could lead to World Cup selection

George Dobell09-Jul-2021Lewis Gregory believes England’s success in the first ODI of the series against Pakistan demonstrates the depth of talent within the county game and the strength of domestic competitions.And Gregory, one of five men to make his ODI debut as England cruised to a nine-wicket victory, hopes the unexpected opportunity for county players to show what they can do on the international stage could lead to some of them breaking into the T20 or 50-over World Cup squads.There is a danger that the quality of England’s performances of late could be minimised by concerns over the strength of their opposition. And it’s true that Sri Lanka, who were well beaten in both limited-overs formats in recent days, are a shadow of the team that routinely used to thrash England out of sight.But this Pakistan team actually have an impressive record. Before arriving in Cardiff, they had lost just one of their 12 previous completed ODIs and, if they win at Lord’s, they could still rise to second in the World Cup Super League. They didn’t enjoy perfect preparation, it is true, but England’s success against them is no mean achievement in any circumstances. Coming, as it did, with a hastily-assembled squad lacking around 20 of the best white-ball cricketers in the land, it was even more impressive.Related

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England return to Lord's with series win in their sights

Gregory, at least, feels that is, in part, due to the quality of domestic cricket in recent seasons and the improvement in wickets used in limited-overs cricket.”I think Thursday’s result shows the strength in depth that there is in white-ball cricket in this country,” Gregory said. “There are a lot of guys who have been brought up with T20 cricket and you see that in the way people go about their white-ball cricket.”It was a fantastic result and it shows the calibre that is in county cricket. There are a lot of guys who are thankful for what county cricket has given them. This is an opportunity for them to showcase what they can do on the big stage.”I think the standard in English cricket is very, very good. I think you see that across the T20 Blast and the Royal London One-Day Cup. The standard is phenomenal.”The wickets you play on tend to be pretty flat and some of the grounds are pretty small, which I think naturally raises the standard. Bowlers have to be spot on or you do disappear.”The call-up was obviously pretty unexpected. It’s an opportunity to show what I can do and put your hand up for selection for the T20 World Cup and the 50-over World Cup that follows. There’s a lot of excited people around.”All this sounds terrific, doesn’t it? But there should be a note of warning. The county game is currently undergoing huge changes – not least the introduction of the Hundred, which threatens to marginalise the Blast and reduce the One-Day Cup to something approaching a second XI competition – which could undermine the foundations of such performances. In performance terms, at least, English limited-overs cricket seems to be faring pretty well without a new competition.It would probably be unfair to ask Gregory, who is hardly in a position of great authority within the England set-up at this stage, to comment on such matters. But, as a player with experience of the BBL, the PSL and the BPL, he is well-placed to comment on the quality of the respective competitions.Lewis Gregory has played in a number of franchise leagues•Getty Images”Yes, the standard [of county competitions] compares to these other competitions definitely,” he said. “The only thing with these other competitions is the majority of them their national players are playing in them, which obviously we don’t see a huge amount of with the schedule that the England lads normally have. But yeah, the standard across the UK is phenomenal. Thursday showed the depth of white-ball cricket in England.”While Gregory felt England’s players may well have benefited in coming straight out of a busy domestic schedule, he did admit to feeling “a little bit lonely” as Covid protocols are prohibiting social contact among the squad.”A lot of guys have been playing a huge amount of cricket, which helps,” Gregory said. “They are match sharp and match ready.”But yes, things have tightened up a little bit more. We’ve pretty much been stuffed in our hotel rooms because guys have come together at pretty short notice. It’s a little bit lonely but these are the times we’re in at the moment. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to watch the football together on Sunday. We had to watch the last game in our rooms on our lonesome.”It’s not ideal. But Gregory knows he’s lucky to have this opportunity and he knows if he can back up his positive start in Cardiff over the next few days, he has a chance to win more opportunities in an England shirt.”I hadn’t given up on breaking into the England ODI side,” he said. “But I realised it was going to be pretty difficult to break into that squad. I’d not written it off but I knew it was going to be hard to break into the first 16 or 17 they will take to the World Cup.”But you never know in this current climate. Injuries can happen and then there’s what’s going on with Covid. There are always going to be things that are sprung upon us. I’m thankful to be here and it is an opportunity to showcase what I can do.”

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has been warned about a potential move to Spanish giants Real Madrid by former Reds striker Michael Owen.

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Alexander-Arnold's future uncertainHas been linked with Real Madrid moveOwen sends England star warningFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Alexander-Arnold's future at Liverpool has been the subject of speculation as the England star is into the final year of his contract at Anfield. A free transfer to Real Madrid has been speculated on, with Los Blancos believed to have already been in touch with Alexander-Arnold about a move that would see him link up with England team-mate Jude Bellingham at the Santiago Bernabeu.

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Owen knows all about swapping Liverpool for Madrid, having made the switch to the Spanish capital in 2004 after coming through the ranks at Anfield. The former England striker has now warned Alexander-Arnold that he risks losing the adoration of the Liverpool faithful if he does decide it's time for a new challenge at the end of the season.

WHAT OWEN SAID

He told The Telegraph: "The Trent situation is an interesting one… Trent has done everything for Liverpool. He adores Liverpool. If he goes, no one should begrudge him a different experience in his life and career. Whatever happens he should be regarded as a hero. Sadly, it does affect the way people view you. It will tarnish him in some eyes even though it shouldn’t."

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Alexander-Arnold is set to come up against Real Madrid next in the Champions League. Los Blancos are due at Anfield on Wednesday and manager Arne Slot will be hoping his right-back is fit for the crunch clash after he sustained an injury in the team's win over Aston Villa before the international break.

Chelsea's pre-season has come to its conclusion, with a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge against Inter Milan.

Despite having 21 shots, forcing Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer into six saves, and having more possession, the Blues were unable to score until the 90th minute.

Lesley Ugochukwu, who came on for a brilliant ten-minute cameo at the end of the game, scored the equaliser, to rescue Chelsea from their third consecutive defeat in pre-season, and their fourth overall.

With the Premier League kicking off next week, this was Enzo Maresca's last chance to see his side in game action, before picking his side next weekend to face Manchester City in their opening fixture.

The latest on Samu Omorodion's move to Chelsea

Fabrizio Romano broke the news last week that Samu Omorodion would join Chelsea from Atlético Madrid, signing a seven-year contract for the London club.

The Spanish striker landed in England on Sunday, according to Romano, and will undergo the final steps of his move.

The 6 foot 4 Spaniard adds a box threat to the Chelsea squad, winning 2.75 aerials per 90, managing a 0.52 xG per 90 (top 15% among strikers in the top five leagues), and taking 3.02 shots per 90 on average.

Omorodion made 36 appearances last season for Alaves (and Atletico Madrid), scoring nine goals, providing one assist, and totalling 2,096 minutes played.

Based on the performances of his positional competitors on Sunday, he may not find it too hard to walk into the starting lineup.

Jackson & Marc Guiu vs Inter

Guiu played the first 56 minutes of the game, leading the line, and looking really hungry in the press. His intensity out of possession was excellent, charging down Sommer on multiple occasions, and sparking Stamford Bridge into life, especially early on in the game.

However, of the chances that fell to him, Guiu managed three shots, two of which tested the keeper, and the other being blocked. The 18-year-old only managed just 14 touches – fewer than goalkeeper Robert Sanchez's haul of 27 – and struggled to have a real impact on the game outside those few chances spurred.

Despite a promising pre-season from the youngster, it remains to be seen if the Blues can rely on him to score regular goals, and it might be a case of continuing his development with substitute and cup appearances, or even a loan move.

Minutes played

56

34

Touches

14

9

Accurate passes

5/7

2/2

Shots

3

1

Dribbles

0

0/1

Duels won

2/6

2/5

Possession lost

3x

4x

Fouls

4

0

Chelsea fans got their first look at Jackson in pre-season against Inter Milan today, coming on for the final 34 minutes of the game. Whilst he was shaking off the rust, he only managed nine touches, had one shot which was off target, and lost possession four times.

Now this is expected in his first minutes, coming back from an injury he's been nursing throughout pre-season.

However, if Jackson is going to take time to get up to speed, and Guiu is currently looking promising, but without that final bit of finesse in the box, Chelsea will be looking to bring Omorodion into the fray as soon as possible.

If Chelsea continue to create a host of chances, having 21 shots today, and forcing Sommer into six saves (five from inside the box), a striker with the xG creation of Omorodion will give the Blues that extra chance of converting high-percentage chances, and not relying on a 90th-minute equaliser.

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ByEthan Lamb Aug 11, 2024