Eagles reach target off last ball as Aron Nijjar’s rapid 32 sees them home

ECB Reporters Network03-Aug-2021Tom Westley’s patient innings of 71 led Essex Eagles to a thrilling two-wicket Royal London Cup victory over Gloucestershire at the Bristol County Ground.The home side posted 204 all out in 49.1 overs after losing the toss, rescued from 73 for 5 by Jack Taylor’s battling 62 and a valuable 64 from George Scott.Shane Snater took three wickets in his final over for figures of 4 for 48, but off-spinner Simon Harmer was the pick of the Essex attack with 1 for 22 from his ten overs.In reply, the Eagles made 207 for 8, reaching their target off the last ball of the game. Aron Nijjar saw them home with a rapid 32 not out after Westley had laid the foundation with his 90-ball innings.Needing two to win off the final delivery from Jared Warner, Snater cut a short ball past backward point for four.Gloucestershire’s early slump was much of their own doing, having reached 46 for 1 following the early loss of skipper Chris Dent for a duck.Tom Lace fell to a decent delivery, Ryan ten Doeschate’s first of the game, which nipped back and pinned him leg before for 19.But James Bracey was then run out in a mix-up with Ben Charlesworth, who clipped the ball to mid-wicket and called for a quick single. Charlesworth appeared unsettled by the incident and, having played well to reach 22, offered a tame catch to point off Harmer.Then Graeme van Buuren failed to commit fully to a lofted drive and was caught and bowled by ten Doeschate.Taylor and Scott had no option but to build steadily, taking the score to 98 for 5 after 30 overs. Taylor was first to his half-century, off 71 balls, with four fours and a six. The pair had added 99 when he was caught aiming a big shot to leg off Nijar.Scott’s fifty occupied 75 deliveries, with five fours. He celebrated with a six over mid-wicket off Snater.But the 49th over from the same bowler saw Matt Taylor caught at long-off, Scott edge to short third and Josh Shaw taken at mid-off before Ben Allison ended the innings.Essex lost Alastair Cook with the score on 14, bowled behind his legs by Matt Taylor before left-arm spinner Tom Smith began to make inroads, getting the ball to grip from the Pavilion End.He bowled Will Buttleman with a delivery that straightened and had Michael Pepper well caught by the diving Charlesworth, who had just been posted as a second slip.Westley moved to a sound fifty, made from 65 balls, with five fours, and found a reliable partner in 20-year-old Josh Rymell. Playing his first List A innings, the youngster moved to 30 before being bowled attempting to sweep a full delivery from van Buuren with the total on 120.The experienced ten Doeschate could make only five before lofting a catch to long off to give van Buuren his second wicket and Adam Wheater quickly fell lbw to Taylor.Harmer was stumped advancing to van Buuren before Westley was controversially run out, a bail apparently already dislodged before wicketkeeper Bracey broke the stumps.It didn’t matter because Nijar came in to smack two sixes and two fours, turning the game in the final overs.

It’s been a relatively quiet transfer window for Liverpool this summer, with the club’s dealings only ramping up over the last seven days.

Arne Slot’s side completed a deal to sign Georgian international goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, with the 23-year-old spending the remainder of the campaign at Valencia – joining the Reds in the summer of 2025.

They also clinched a deal to sign Italian winger Federico Chiesa from Juventus over the last couple of days, spending £12.5m including add-ons – bolstering the attacking options at Slot’s disposal.

However, as of yet, the club are yet to sign the midfielder they’ve been desiring all summer after Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi rejected the chance to move to Anfield.

It’s since been quiet on the club’s hunt for a new deep-lying talent, but that could be about to change on deadline day, with one player linked with a move to Merseyside before the closure of the window in less than 12 hours time.

Liverpool interested in £75m midfield talent

According to TyC Sports, Liverpool have had an attempt to land Porto’s Argentinian midfielder Alan Varela after previous interest in the talent.

The 23-year-old, who’s been on the club’s radar for some time, has been subject to discussions over a potential move to Anfield, with the hierarchy holding a huge interest in the youngster.

However, Varela has a €90m (£75m) release clause in his current deal, with the Portuguese side unwilling to let him leave unless the Reds trigger the deal in his contract.

He would be a huge addition for Slot’s side, potentially completing his midfield trio and following in the footsteps of his compatriot who’s currently plying his trade on Merseyside.

Why Varela could be Mac Allister 2.0 for Liverpool

Argentinian star Alexis Mac Allister enjoyed a successful debut campaign at Liverpool last season, featuring in 33 Premier League matches, achieving a total of ten combined goal contributions.

He joined the club in a £35m deal from fellow English side Brighton – a bargain for a player of his quality – with the 25-year-old cementing his place as a regular starter at the heart of the Reds side.

Mac Allister could be joined by compatriot Varela before tonight’s deadline, with the duo potentially able to form an excellent partnership in the middle of midfield, handing the club a huge boost in their pursuit of a successful first season under Slot.

When comparing their respective stats from 2023/24 on FBref, the pair are very similar, with the Porto star matching or even bettering the Reds’ number 10 in various key areas.

The “monstrous” talent, as described by analyst Ben Mattinson, may have registered fewer goals and assists, but he did manage to achieve a higher pass completion rate and complete more progressive passes per 90 – showcasing his excellent ability at moving the ball into forward areas.

How Varela & Mac Allister compare in 2023/24
Statistics (per 90)	Varela	Mac Allister
Games played	30	33
Goals + assists	5	10
Progressive passes	7.3	7.2
Pass accuracy	88%	87%
Take-on success	70%	53%
Interceptions made	0.9	1.2
Clearances	1.1	0.9
Stats via FBref

He also completed more take-ons than the current Liverpool ace, demonstrating how effective he would be at keeping the ball in Slot’s possession-based system.

Defensively, Varela has also impressed, completing more clearances, and providing that added defensive cover in front of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahim Konate that the club have been searching for.

Whilst £75m is a huge figure for an unproven Premier League player, he would provide serious quality to the midfield department, allowing the Argentinian to link up with his compatriot at Anfield.

With less than 12 hours left in the window, Slot’s side will have to move quickly to secure a deal for the youngster to avoid a repeat of a collapsed move for Zubimendi, with it a chance to potentially end the search for a No.6.

After Chiesa: Liverpool eye up last-gasp move for £17m Zubimendi alternative

Things are ramping up on Merseyside…

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 30, 2024

Juventus chief Cristiano Giuntoli has not ruled out a January move for struggling Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Juventus looking at "interesting opportunities"
• Zirkzee left Bologna for United in summer
• Striker subbed before half-time against Newcastle

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Italian giants have been linked with a move for Zirkzee, who has only scored four goals in 27 appearances since signing from Bologna in a deal worth £36 million ($46m) in the summer and appeared to be jeered off by his own supporters when substituted in the first half of Monday's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle. The Dutchman scored 12 goals in Italy last season and a return could be the key to rediscovering some form.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United hoped the signing of Zirkzee, 23, would contribute towards a new wave of young, attacking talent, alongside Rasmus Hojlund, Amad Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford. Since scoring the winner on his debut against Fulham, however, the striker has struggled to make an impact for a team that looks bereft of form and confidence. Only Napoli have scored fewer goals than Juventus in the top six of Serie A and they could look to tempt Zirkzee back to Italy as they aim to maintain a challenge at the top of the table.

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  WHAT GIUNTOLI SAID

  Juventus management director Giuntoli is aiming to improve the club's squad this month. He said: "Zirkzee? It is not appropriate to mention names but we are keeping an eye on any interesting opportunities."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  Zirkzee's future is likely to be decided by new United boss Ruben Amorim, who has already shown a ruthless streak by leaving Marcus Rashford out of four consecutive matchday squads last month. After that brutal Newcastle withdrawal, Zirkzee has work to do to save a United career that has only just begun.

Tottenham Hotspur got back to winning ways in the Premier League after a disappointing defeat in last Sunday’s North London Derby. They secured all three points by beating Brentford 3-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, despite going 1-0 down thanks to a first-minute Bryan Mbeumo goal.

It was not long before the Lilywhites were back on level terms, however, and it was a moment to rejoice for Dominic Solnake. He got his first goal in a Spurs shirt to draw his side level just seven minutes after Thomas Frank’s side took the lead.

Just 20 minutes after Solanke’s first goal for the club, Ange Postecolgou’s side went into the lead. Welsh winger Brennan Johnson scored his second goal in a week after he got a late winner against Coventry City in the Carabao Cup. James Maddison sealed the win in the 85th minute, with the second and third goals being assisted by captain Son Heung-min.

There were certainly some standout performers from the Lilywhites, not least Maddison, who was impressive aside from his goal.

Maddison’s stats vs. Brentford

England international Maddison was one of the stars of the show for Postecolglou’s side at on Saturday afternoon. As well as his late goal, the 27-year-old pulled the strings in midfield and was also superb out of possession.

His goal was certainly well taken; the Englishman latched onto a pass from his captain, Son, and ran through one-on-one with Mark Flekken, cutely dinking the ball over Brentford’s number one to seal the points for his side.

His stats on Sofascore demonstrate perfectly how well he played. The former Leicester City man had 81 touches of the ball and an 88% pass accuracy.

He created three chances, and won an incredible ten of his 18 ground duels, showing it is not just his ability with the ball that makes him a crucial player for Spurs.

Football London journalist Alasdair Gold was also clearly impressed with Maddison’s efforts. He gave the attacking midfielder a 10/10 rating, claiming it was ‘arguably his best performance in a Spurs shirt’, before explaining how he proved to be a nuisance for the Bees, given he was ‘constantly twisting, turning and creating’.

There is no doubt that Maddison was very impressive, and he was not alone. There was perhaps another player who was just as good against Brentford, Spurs’ number seven Son.

Son’s stats vs. Brentford

The Spurs captain has been in superb form this season and added two assists to the two goals he previously had. The 32-year-old proved to be his side’s difference maker, with his assists providing the goals from which they won the game.

Indeed, his assists were both smart passes. The pass for Johnson’s goal which gave Spurs the lead, he found the Welsh winger in space, who proceeded to drive at the Brentford defence and fire low and hard across the goalkeeper. The pass for Maddison was a smart ball through the legs of Ethan Pinnock; the Spurs number 10 did the rest.

The attacker was given an 8/10 by Gold for his performance against the Bees. He was praised by the Football London journalist, who explained he was ‘always a threat’ at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The stats from Son’s performance also suggest he was impressive. The South Korean had 46 touches, and a pass accuracy of 86%. Impressively, the Spurs skipper made a staggering seven key passes and provided two big chances, to go along with his pair of assists.

Son stats vs. Brentford

Stat

Number

Pass accuracy

86%

Touches

46

Passes completed

32/37

Key passes

7

Big chances created

2

Assists

2

Stats from Sofascore

It was a superb showing from Son and his teammates, who will be hoping to carry this momentum into the upcoming Europa League fixtures and the Premier League, as they look to push for a top-four spot.

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Having initially set their sights on a move next summer, Manchester United have reportedly been so impressed by one target after sending their scouts that they’re set to speed things up.

Man Utd transfer news

In INEOS’ and new sporting director Dan Ashworth’s first summer at the helm, Manchester United arguably ticked every box of what they needed to recruit. The Red Devils welcomed a centre-back for the future in Leny Yoro alongside one in his prime in Matthijs de Ligt, whilst also signing an attacking reinforcement in Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte to replace Casemiro and a fresh face at right-back in Noussair Mazraoui. Yet, so far, they’ve been far from convincing.

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Erik ten Hag’s side, despite all of those aforementioned arrivals, once again failed to get near Liverpool in another humiliating defeat at Old Trafford, before they were forced to battle past Southampton in another unconvincing display. They did at least avoid an upset in the Carabao Cup, however, having put seven past Barnsley in midweek.

Meanwhile, off the pitch, INEOS look set to continue their transfer strategy focused on stars for the future. In fact, according to GiveMeSport, Manchester United have been so impressed by Sverre Nypan that they now want to secure his signature in January rather than next summer.

Scouts have reportedly been in Norway to track the midfielder who is also a Manchester United fan in what should only provide the Red Devils a boost in pursuit of his signature. The plan would apparently be to sign the 17-year-old and then send him back on loan to Rosenborg, where he can continue to develop as a key starter in their senior side.

Tipped to be the new version of Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong – who has been the topic of Manchester United interest more than once in the past – Nypan could now hand the Red Devils the perfect alternative to the Dutchman.

"Exciting" Nypan proves the change in Man Utd strategy

Before Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ashworth, Manchester United were guilty of signing players past their best and overspending on talents who do not have a long-term future among Europe’s elite, with Casemiro the most recent example of that. Since their arrival though, things have changed.

Instead of signing another Raphael Varane or Casemiro, those at Old Trafford welcomed Yoro and Ugarte in the summer, who will both have a role under Ten Hag for years to come rather than just the one campaign. It’s a strategy that should pay off and one that could continue with the arrival of Nypan to land a cheaper option to De Jong.

A midfielder with an “exciting future” according to Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig, Nypan will be one to watch in the January transfer window.

A youngster who’s earned rave reviews from Manchester United, Nypan’s move may well be fast-tracked from the summer of 2025 to as soon as the winter window.

Manchester United have a promising academy star on their transfer radar, with Dan Ashworth a long-term admirer of the player, according to a new report. The Red Devils will be preparing for their third match in a week as they travel to London to face Crystal Palace, and Erik ten Hag will be hoping it is three wins from three after victories over Southampton and Barnsley.

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1 ByBrett Worthington Sep 18, 2024 Man United transfer updates

The transfer window has been shut for a few weeks now and doesn’t open again until January, but United officials seem to be getting their homework done on potential new recruits. The Red Devils have already been linked with moves for AS Monaco defender Vanderson and Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Unai Simon, and now they are looking at other options as well.

According to a recent report, United had scouts in Norway last Sunday to watch young midfielder Sverre Nypan. It’s been reported that United “put out feelers” for the player back in April, and they have continued to keep an eye on his development since.

Nypan, who has been struggling with illness recently, was watched not only by United officials on Sunday, but Bayer Leverkusen also had people in attendance to take in the 17-year-old. Nypan is said to be a United fan though, which is something that could give the Premier League side an edge were they to pursue a move for the talented star.

But Nypan isn’t the only promising talent that the Red Devils are keeping their eye on, also looking a little closer to home when it comes to landing young stars.

Man Utd and INEOS considering move for Tyler Dibling

According to Give Me Sport, Manchester United have placed Southampton player Tyler Dibling on their transfer radar. The Saints are looking to tie the player down to a new long-term contract, but United’s sporting director Dan Ashworth is hoping to lure Dibling to Old Trafford after watching him for a while.

Dibling is a product of Southampton’s academy, and he has really impressed in the top flight this season, appearing in all four league games. The winger started in their last game, which was against United, and he caused havoc against defender Diogo Dalot, with the Portuguese ace fouling Dibling for the penalty.

This report states that United could be interested in trying to turn Dibling’s head, despite Southampton having hopes that he will sign a new contract. Ashworth has already tried to sign the player before, when he was at Newcastle United, and he remains a fan of his despite him rejecting a move to St. James’ Park.

Apps

11

Goals

0

Assists

2

The Red Devils are looking to add more under-21 talent to their squad after adding Chido Obi Martin, Sekou Kone and James Overy this summer, and Dibling could be the latest, given Ashworth’s fondness for the winger. However, Southampton will hope the guarantee of first-team football will be enough for him to remain at St. Mary’s.

The deadline for the summer transfer window officially passed on Friday night and Glasgow Rangers were able to bring in two new additions to Philippe Clement's squad at Ibrox.

Rangers brought in defender Neraysho Kasanwirjo on a season-long loan and secured a permanent deal for attacking midfielder Nedim Bajrami, who was playing for Sassuolo in Italy.

The Light Blues ended the summer transfer window with 11 signings added to the group, including Jefte, Liam Kelly, Mohammed Diomande, Oscar Cortes, Clinton Nsiala, Connor Barron, Vaclav Cerny, Hamza Igamane, and Robin Propper joining alongside Kasanwirjo and Bajrami.

Clement's array of fresh recruits, barring Bajrami who was unavailable, were unable to get the job done against fierce rivals Celtic in the first Old Firm clash of the season on Sunday.

The Light Blues were comfortably beaten at Parkhead in a 3-0 defeat, thanks to goals from Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi in the first half and a strike from Callum McGregor in the second 45.

It was a disappointing afternoon for the Glasgow giants and a timely reminder of how much work there is to do for Rangers to be in contention to win the Scottish Premiership title, which was not helped by their failure to sign a winger on deadline day.

Rangers failed to land Premier League forward

It was reported by Fabrizio Romano just after 10 pm on deadline day that the Gers were in 'advanced talks' to secure a deal for Southampton winger Sam Edozie.

However, the deadline passed and Rangers did not announce the signing of the talented young flanker, which meant that they failed to get a move over the line in the end.

It was then reported by The Sun that Edozie was unable to land a loan because of the Premier League side's demands. They wanted a £1m loan fee as well as wanting the team taking him to pay all of his £30k-per-week wages.

That meant that Rangers ended the window without bringing in the extra left winger that they seemingly wanted, as the 21-year-old ace is a right-footed forward who typically operates off the left – cutting inside onto his favoured foot.

Edozie has only made two appearances as a substitute in the Premier League for the Saints this season, but did contribute to their Championship promotion last term.

23/24 Championship	Sam Edozie
Appearances	32
Goals	6
Assists	3
Big chances created	1
Key passes per game	0.8
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the English wizard was directly involved in nine goals in 32 outings in the second tier as Southampton went up via the play-offs.

Clement and Koppen seemingly saw something in him that they liked, as they reportedly wanted to add him to the squad on deadline day, but a deal could not be ironed out in the end, possibly due to Southampton's huge demands.

How Rangers can forget about Sam Edozie

The Rangers manager was recently asked if he would be open to looking at the pool of free agent players to bolster his squad and confirmed that it is a "possibility", which suggests that the club are prepared to explore that route.

Of course, the summer transfer window officially slammed shut last week and that means that the Gers cannot go and sign players, permanently or on loan, from other clubs until January.

However, they can swoop to bring in free agents, who are not currently contracted to any club, to bolster their options if they decide that they do not want to wait over three months to make further additions.

The Gers could, now, assess their options in the market and see if any of the available players would bring the required quality to Ibrox to improve the squad.

Following the failure to sign Edozie on loan from Southampton in the final minutes of the window, it appears as though a left winger would be a welcome addition to the club.

With this in mind, there is one name that stands out on the current list of free agents as a potentially brilliant coup for the Light Blues if they can convince him to move to Scotland – Sofiane Boufal.

Why Rangers should sign Sofiane Boufal

Rangers should swoop to sign the Morocco international in the coming days or weeks as he has the quality to make Clement and Koppen forget all about Edozie.

The 30-year-old forward was recently with Qatar-based outfit Al-Rayyan SC but endured an injury-hit 2023/24 campaign before being released this summer.

Boufal missed a whopping 35 matches through injury and that restricted him to making just 16 appearances for the club, in which time the winger produced four goals and two assists.

This means that it would be a risky move by Rangers, due to his injury issues, but there is a reason these players are free agents and there will be an element of risk with any signing from that pool of players.

Prior to his injury-hit spell in Qatar, the left winger caught the eye with his impressive performances on the flank for Angers in the French top-flight.

Sofiane Boufal (Angers)	22/23 Ligue 1	21/22 Ligue 1
Appearances	13	29
Goals	4	8
Big chances created	5	9
Assists	3	4
Key passes per game	2.1	1.9
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Boufal produced 12 goals and created 14 'big chances' in two Ligue 1 seasons, whilst creating around two chances per game on average.

The forward would also arrive at Ibrox with Premier League experience under his belt, having racked up four goals and three assists in 70 games for Southampton earlier in his career.

During his time with the Saints, Boufal scored their 'goal of the decade' with an amazing solo run and finish against West Bromwich Albion, as shown in the clip below.

The 30-year-old star, who was once hailed as "unbelievable" by former teammate Nathan Redmond, is capable of incredible quality on his day, which is also backed up by his superb contributions in Ligue 1 during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.

Therefore, Rangers could forget about Edozie by taking a gamble on this free agent in the hope that he can recapture his form from his time in France after his injury troubles in Qatar.

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Manchester City went into the first international break of the 2024/25 campaign at the top of the Premier League table with three wins in three matches.

The Citizens secured wins Chelsea, Ipswich Town, and West Ham United to maintain a perfect start to the season, with Erling Haaland scoring hat-tricks against the Tractor Boys and The Hammers.

Pep Guardiola's side have won the last four Premier League titles and are on the hunt for a fifth, whilst also looking to compete in all competitions.

They were knocked out of the League Cup, the FA Cup, and the Champions League in the 2023/24 campaign, which meant that the league title was the only major honour won last term.

City need to have quality strength in depth to compete on all fronts, due to the rotation needed and injuries caused by playing in multiple competitions, and one player who needs to step up is Jack Grealish.

The England international was d eployed in a number ten role and, as you can see in the clip above, scored against Ireland for Lee Carsley and the Three Lions on Saturday, after a difficult period at The Etihad. Jack Grealish's struggles with Manchester City

Grealish has started one of the club's three Premier League matches so far this season, featuring in two of them, and did not contribute with a goal, assist, or 'big chance' created.

The 28-year-old star also ended the 2023/24 campaign as an unused substitute in the last three games, including the FA Cup final defeat to Manchester United.

Signed from Aston Villa for a whopping £100m in the summer of 2021, the versatile midfielder, who can play out wide or in the middle, has not been totally convincing for the Premier League giants.

Appearances

20

Starts

10

Goals

3

Assists

1

Key passes per game

1.4

Dribbles per game

0.9

As you can see in the table above, Grealish struggled for game time last season and failed to contribute with much in the way of quality in the final third, with four goal involvements in 20 appearances in the top-flight.

Since his move to The Etihad, the England international has contributed with 14 goals and 18 assists in 127 outings in all competitions for the club.

The £100m-rated forward has not hit double figures for goals or assists in a single Premier League season with the Citizens in his three campaigns to date.

Ultimately, City have not got value for money on the £100m they spent to sign him from Aston Villa over three years ago, as Grealish has not made a consistent impact in the final third as either a scorer or a creator of goals.

He has also only started 11 league games since the start of last season, which suggests that Guardiola believes he has better options on the flank and in midfield.

The City boss could have had another superior alternative to Grealish if the club had not fumbled talented youngster Jamie Bynoe-Gittens back in 2020.

Manchester City fumbled Jamie Bynoe-Gittens

Manchester City swooped to sign the teenage whiz from Reading in the summer of 2018 and had the promising talent in their academy for two years.

The England youth international made two appearances for the club at U18 level, as he was still in the early stage of his academy career, and contributed with one goal before making the decision to move on in 2020, at the age of 16.

He had not signed a professional contract with the Cityzens and that meant that Borussia Dortmund were able to make him an offer without having to agree a fee with the English outfit.

Bynoe-Gittens decided, after watching former City academy star Jaden Sancho thrive after a similar move, to part ways with City and make the switch to Germany in the summer of 2020, with the potential of first-team football reported to be one of the deciding factors.

It was reported that the Bundesliga giants only had to pay €90k (£76k) in compensation for the young gem, which now looks to be an incredible piece of business by Dortmund.

Bynoe-Gittens has gone from strength to strength since his move to Germany and has outperformed Grealish since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

Why Man City must rue losing Jamie Bynoe-Gittens

Firstly, Transfermarkt currently has the winger's market value at €28m (£23.6m) and that is significantly more than the £76k that the Cityzens raked in for his services just over four years ago.

This shows that City lost a hugely valuable asset for a virtually inconsequential fee when they failed to convince him that The Etihad was the best place for him to continue his development.

Phil Foden, Rico Lewis, and Oscar Bobb emerging as first-team stars for Man City in recent seasons shows that Guardiola is willing to give chances to young players, but Bynoe-Gittens seemingly did not believe that he would get the game time he needed.

Since his move to Dortmund, the England U21 international has starred at youth level – with 11 goals and five assists in 20 academy games – and worked his way into the first-team.

Appearances

27

22

Starts

15

11

Goals

3

3

Assists

4

1

Big chances created

4

3

As you can see in the table above, Bynoe-Gittens has made more appearances and more starts, whilst also being involved in more goals, than Grealish at league level since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

Last season, the 20-year-old starlet produced two goals and eight assists in 34 appearances in all competitions, whilst Grealish managed three goals and three assists in 36 outings.

These statistics suggest that Bynoe-Gittens, who was hailed as a "threat" in transition by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has outperformed his compatriot at club level over the past 13 months or so.

This is another reason why Man City must rue losing the young forward, who is eight years younger than Grealish, as he is a terrific prospect who has already shown great quality at first-team level for his age and could have been a big asset for Guardiola to work with.

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The Cityzens allowed the talented young defender to move on before his career flourished.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 6, 2024

Nottinghamshire Outlaws, already assured of a home quarter-final, suffered only a second defeat of the season in the Vitality Blast as bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire Foxes won by two wickets with two balls to spare.Josh Inglis and Arron Lilley were joint top-scorers with 42 and though the Foxes suffered some jitters after needing 35 from 25 balls and six off the last over, Naveen-ul-Haq hit back-to-back fours off former Leicestershire fast bowler Zak Chappell to get them over line after Steven Mullaney had taken 3 for 33 and Calvin Harrison 2 for 21.The Foxes had dismissed Nottinghamshire for 173 in 19.2 overs, Naveen picking up 3 for 33 and Colin Ackermann 3 for 35. Joe Clarke hit 57 in 27 balls and Ben Duckett 45 off 27 but the Outlaws lost their last six wickets for 22 runs, Lilley holding four outfield catches.Ackermann claimed an early blow for the Foxes after winning the toss when Alex Hales hit a full toss straight to deep midwicket but Clarke launched Gavin Griffiths for back-to-back sixes and Naveen for three consecutive fours as the Outlaws ended the Powerplay on 62 for 1.Clarke struck two more sixes off Ben Mike as he reached fifty from 24 balls and cleared long-on for a fifth six as Ackermann returned, only to follow Hales in finding Lilley at deep midwicket. Three fours in a row by Duckett off Ackermann advanced the total to 110 for 2 at halfway.Lilley then applied the brakes with the ball, conceding only 20 in his four overs of off-spin and dismissing Mullaney as the Outlaws innings fell apart. The demise of Duckett, leg before sweeping, sparked the loss of their last six wickets for 22 in 23 deliveries, Naveen taking three wickets in seven balls.The Foxes lost Rishi Patel early but with Inglis hitting sixes off Dane Paterson, Chappell and Matt Carter and Lilley another off Samit Patel, the home side were ahead of what was needed at 75 for 1 after six.Inglis and Lilley fell in turn to Harrison, both perhaps guilty of taking liberties with the young leg-spinner, Inglis hitting straight to long-on, Lilley comfortably stumped, yet at 107 for 3 after 10 overs, the game was there to be won.Scares followed for the home crowds as Harry Swindells was caught behind off a bottom edge, Ackermann sliced to short third man, Lewis Hill ramped straight to short fine leg, Louis Kimber was caught at midwicket and Callum Parkinson at cover but Naveen picked up four off the edge before pulling Chappell for the winning boundary.

Bangladesh batter to miss T20Is in Zimbabwe as well as home fixtures against Australia and New Zealand

Mohammad Isam20-Jul-2021

Tamim Iqbal is expected to be fit in time for England’s tour of Bangladesh in October•AFP/Getty Images

Tamim Iqbal will miss competitive cricket for at least two months because of a knee injury. He will return home from Harare after the ongoing ODI series against Zimbabwe – the third game is taking place today – and miss the entire three-match T20I series as well as the upcoming T20I series against Australia and New Zealand at home.”Tamim will return home alongside Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam from the ODI side,” Minhajul Abedin, Bangladesh’s chief selector, said. “Tamim has been advised to rest for six to eight weeks. He won’t be able to play against Australia [in August] and New Zealand [in September] at home, but he might play against England [in October]. We have asked Rubel (Hossain), (Mohammad) Mithun and Mosaddek (Hossan) to stay back with the T20I side as part of our contingency plan for the Australia series.Related

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“We have to keep players in quarantine for ten days ahead of the Australia series bio-bubble. We want to have as many options as possible as we won’t be able to call up players from outside the bio-bubble.”Iqbal reportedly sustained the injury in Sri Lanka in April, but recovered enough to play the ODI series against them in May. He also played 11 matches in the T20 Dhaka Premier League, but the injury forced him to miss the Super League phase of the competition.He went on to miss the one-off Test against Zimbabwe earlier this month, before saying that he would “manage” the injury and play the ODI series, chiefly because it is part of the World Cup Super League.The decision to take time off came following a recommendation from Dr David Young, the Melbourne-based orthopedic surgeon, who many Bangladesh cricketers, including Iqbal and Mashrafe Mortaza, have consulted over the years.Australia are expected to arrive in Dhaka next week to play five T20Is, scheduled from August 2 to 8. New Zealand are likely to play three or five T20Is in Dhaka starting early September, before England arrive in October to play three ODIs and three T20Is.