وضعت قرعة ملحق دور الـ 16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا مانشستر سيتي في مواجهة صعبة أمام ريال مدريد ليغادر أحد الكبيرين مبكرًا من البطولة القارية.
وأعلن الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم أن موعد مباراة الذهاب سيكون يوم 11 فبراير على ملعب “الاتحاد، والإياب في ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” يوم 19 من الشهر الحالي.
وبالتالي، سيكون الاختبار القاري الأول لمحترفنا، عمر مرموش، مع مانشستر سيتي أمام ريال مدريد حال قيده في قائمة فريقه وفقًا للوائح “يويفا”.
اقرأ أيضًا | بالمواعيد.. مواجهات ملحق دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا 2025
مواجهات نارية تنتظر عمر مرموش ورفاقه 🔥
إليكم مباريات مانشستر سيتي خلال شهر فبراير ✅ pic.twitter.com/nQy5ibRUQn — Btolat.com (@Btolat) January 31, 2025
محمد صلاح أكثر المصريين بصمة أمام ريال مدريد
خلال التاريخ كان هناك العديد من المصريين الذين تركوا بصمة بهدف في مواجهة ريال مدريد سواء في مباراة رسمية أو ودية.
البداية تأتي مع إبراهيم حسن لاعب نيوشاتل زاماكس الذي لعب رفقة شقيقه، حسام حسن في النادي السويسري وواجها ريال مدريد في كأس الاتحاد الأوروبي في عام 1991.
ونجح إبراهيم حسن من تسجيل هدف رائع أمام ريال مدريد من ركلة حرة مباشرة من خارج منطقة الجزاء.
أما في عام 2003، كانت البصمة الثانية عندما سجل أحمد حسام ميدو هدفًا مع مارسيليا في دور المجموعات من دوري أبطال أوروبا في ريال مدريد والحارس، إيكر كاسياس.
محمد زيدان كانت له بصمة مع هامبورج أمام ريال مدريد في مباراة ودية ببطولة كأس الآمارات عام 2008 وهي كأس تقام قبل بداية الموسم.
وأخيرًا، محمد صلاح الذي يعد هو الوحيد الذي سجل هدفين في شباك ريال مدريد مع ليفربول في هزيمتين ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.
الأول كان في موسم 2020/2021 وخسر ليفربول بنتيجة 3-1 في ربع النهائي، والثاني في هزيمة الريدز بنتيجة 5-2 في موسم 2022/2023 في مرحلة دور الـ 16.
والآن سيلتقي عمر مرموش بنادي ريال مدريد فهل يكون اللاعب الخامس الذي يهز شباك النادي الملكي في ملحق دور الـ 16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا، سنرى؟
Andrew Salter, Dan Douthwaite stand firm for Glamorgan, who shake hands five down in second innings
ECB Reporters' Network07-Jul-2021
Ben Brown drives•Getty Images
Skipper Ben Brown scored his 20th first-class century as Sussex’s LV= Insurance County Championship match against Glamorgan at Hove ended in a draw.Brown got to three figures with a six off Tim van der Gugten and immediately declared Sussex’s second innings on 263 for 6, setting Glamorgan a target of 275 to win in 51 overs.Off-spinner Jack Carson took three wickets and there were still ten overs remaining when Kiran Carlson top-edged a sweep to leave Glamorgan 131 for 5, but Andrew Salter and Dan Douthwaite stood firm, taking their side to 154 for 5 when the players shook hands after two balls of the final over.Stuart Meaker had removed opener David Lloyd for 17 in his fourth over with the new ball, courtesy of a smart catch at second slip by Aaron Thomason, and after tea Carson took his tally of Championship wickets to 31, making him Sussex’s leading-wicket taker in the competition.Colin Ingram (27), Billy Root (12) and Carlson (23) all perished to catches by fielders clustered around the bat while opener Joe Cooke, who faced 89 balls for his 19, failed to pick Will Beer’s googly. But Salter, promoted from No.10, stood firm, absorbing 58 balls in his 19 not out.Both sides took 12 points, meaning Sussex will finish either fifth or sixth while Glamorgan have the chance to end third if they can beat Northamptonshire in their next match starting on Sunday.Related
Harry Swindells reaches 171 not out as Leicestershire secure draw at Somerset
Defiant Jack Leaning fifty allows Kent to hold out for draw against Lancashire
Brown had earlier extended his fifth-wicket stand with Ali Orr to 100 before opener Orr’s impressive innings ended the ball after they had reached their milestone when he was leg before to David Lloyd’s inswinger for 80, made off 193 balls with ten fours. It was an excellent effort by the 19-year-old left-hander who has made half-centuries in his first two Championship innings.Dan Ibrahim (17) was leg before hitting across the line at van der Gugten but Brown and Beer upped the tempo after lunch, adding 65 for the seventh wicket in 11.1 overs as the field spread and Glamorgan waited for the declaration.Brown’s second hundred of the season came off 134 balls, the second 50 taking 53 deliveries. He hit six fours and deposited van der Gugten over midwicket before going to his century later in the same over. Glamorgan’s most successful bowler was van der Gugten, who finished with three for 44.
Jofra Archer has emerged as an injury doubt for the T20I series in India – and perhaps beyond – after suffering a recurrence of an elbow problem.Archer missed the final Test in Ahmedabad due to an elbow issue which first became apparent ahead of the Cape Town Test at the start of 2020. The injury was subsequently diagnosed as a stress fracture and ruled Archer out of England’s originally scheduled tour of Sri Lanka and the IPL; both events were subsequently rescheduled due to Covid-19 restrictions.While Chris Silverwood, the England head coach, dismissed talk of surgery at this stage, he did admit the ECB’s medical team “are talking about how we deal with this [issue in the] long-term”.Related
IPL 2021 to kick off on April 9; will be played across six Indian cities
Chris Silverwood: Test cricket remains a priority for England despite IPL demands
'We've built our strategy around them' – Royals bank on having Buttler, Stokes, Archer for full IPL
Jofra Archer ruled out of fourth Test by elbow injury
He also said they will be “monitoring” Archer’s fitness before any decision is made on whether he is fit to participate in the T20I series which begins on Friday and promised he will benefit from “every resource” in England’s attempt to ensure he enjoys a long Test career.”Jofra’s elbow did flare up a little bit and the medical staff are managing that at the moment,” Silverwood said. “Obviously we’ll monitor his progress. The medical staff are talking about how we deal with this long term.”He’s trained today with the white-ball squad. We’ll be monitoring his situation.”Archer also missed the second Test in India due to the issue although the England management said at the time the injury was not linked to any previous condition.The timing of the injury might be of particular concern. Archer bowled only five overs in the third Test and only 35.1 in the entire series. To suffer a recurrence of the problem having been lightly used is sure to increase concerns over Archer’s future at Test level, in particular. As one of the world’s most valuable T20 players, he could make a fine living without risking further damage to his elbow from the strains of the red-ball game.”I’ll be guided by the medics,” Silverwood replied to questions about workload management for Archer. “We’ll see where we end up with him. I want Jofra to be fit for all forms of cricket. I want him to have a long, successful Test career.”Could we limit the number of overs he bowls? It’s not something I would go out and predict but we’ll find out in the course of time. The important thing for me at the moment is that Jofra gets every resource we can provide to make sure he does have a long and successful Test career.”I’m not sure surgery has come up yet. I’ll be guided by the medics on that. I wouldn’t say I’m concerned, no.”Jofra Archer is suffering from an ongoing elbow problem•BCCI
While England are sure to want Archer fit for the home Test series in England, which starts in August, their real aim is likely to be the T20 World Cup and the Ashes towards the end of the year. With that in mind, if they feel he needs prolonged rest or even surgery, it is likely to take place sooner rather than later. That could raise questions about his availability for this year’s IPL, which starts in April and runs until the end of May.Silverwood confirmed on Sunday that England players involved in the knock-stages of the IPL would not be required back before the end of the tournament. With the final due to be played May 30 and the first Test against New Zealand starting on June 2, that could rule out several first choice Test players. The Rajasthan Royals squad, for example, contains Jos Butter, Ben Stokes and Archer.”They will be staying for the whole IPL as it stands at the moment,” Silverwood said. “We’ll be looking at the New Zealand Test series, working our way back and seeing what preparation time we need. We haven’t done that at this time, but it’s something we will be doing.”
Liverpool need to strengthen this summer. Arne Slot has allayed fears that FSG are going to hold off on bolstering the Anfield first team by confirming during his first interview as head coach that he is in constant communication with sporting director Richard Hughes.
Jurgen Klopp has left Liverpool in a strong position, with a talented and expansive squad buoyed by winning the Carabao Cup and returning to the Champions League with a third-place Premier League finish last season.
But there's little question that reinforcements are required across a range of positions. Chiefly, central defence could do with some work, for Virgil van Dijk stands alongside only the up-and-down Ibrahima Konate and young and talented Jarell Quansah after Joel Matip's contract expired this month.
Leny Yoro is FSG's No. 1 target but there is an acceptance that the Lille prodigy will wind up at Real Madrid. There are, however, some interesting alternatives emerging.
Liverpool eyeing new centre-back
According to Football Insider – as reported earlier this week – Liverpool are in the mix to sign Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, with the Brazilian valued at £40m.
Liverpool will look to exploit the Tricky Trees' need for compliance with PSR, and given Murillo's left-footedness and modern-tailored skill set, he could be an impactful addition.
Nottingham Forest defender Murillo
Chelsea are also known admirers and have recently made checks on completing a deal, as per The Telegraph. Liverpool will need to ramp up their intrigue if they do wish to sign the 21-year-old this summer.
Why Liverpool should sign Murillo
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp claimed that Murillo "turns into prime Roberto Carlos" in the Forest rearguard, with his sparkling skills and technique placing him in a distinct category.
With a wand of a left foot and a robust approach to his play, he ranks among the top 15% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 2% for successful take-ons and the top 3% for clearances per 90, as per FBref.
While Murillo only completed 78% of his passes in the Premier League last term, he also averaged 1.6 tackles, 4.6 ball recoveries and 5.8 clearances per game, as per Sofascore, impressing on many occasions, including when Liverpool won at the City Ground in March, with Darwin Nunez's last-gasp header breaking the deadlock.
Murillo Stats: Forest 0-1 Liverpool (02/03/24)
Stats
#
Minutes played
90'
Touches
51
Accurate passes
30/40 (75%)
Long balls
3/11
Dribble attempts
1/1
Duels won
3/4
Tackles
2
Clearances
4
Blocked shots
2
Stats via Sofascore
Sliding in on the left of Liverpool's central defence, Murillo could prove to be a perfect fit for Slot's Liverpool, with his progressive, "bullish" style – as noted by scout Antonio Mango – even making him the perfect alternative to Konate, who is highly talented but prone to bouts of inconsistency, with his nosedive in form at the end of the 2023/24 campaign evidence of this.
Moreover, Konate made two errors for Liverpool last term, whereas Murillo avoided a single direct error across his 32 Premier League appearances, which is a testament to his character and composure in difficult conditions at the City Ground at times.
By signing Murillo, who has barely scratched the surface of his exciting Premier League career, Liverpool would secure a unique talent and a player who could see Van Dijk shift onto his favoured right side.
FSG must ensure that he is welcomed this summer, providing the depth and dynamism to ensure success.
Liverpool in contention for "monster" signing who's better than Fabinho
An elite mix of clubs are all considering a move for this high-profile star.
Celtic kick off their 2024/25 campaign in less than a month as they prepare to welcome Kilmarnock to Parkhead on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season.
The summer transfer window officially opened for business last month and the Hoops are yet to dip into the market to make their first signing, ahead of the first league game of the term.
However, they are reportedly closing in on the arrival of Kasper Schmeichel on a free transfer to finally replace Joe Hart as the number one in Glasgow.
The Daily Mail reports that the club are in advanced talks over a two-year deal to sign the Denmark international, who previously worked with Brendan Rodgers during their time together at Leicester City.
However, Schmeichel may not be the only player on his way to link up with the squad ahead of the tour of America in pre-season as they are reportedly eyeing a move for one of their loan players from last season.
Celtic submit bid for midfield maestro
According to the Daily Mail, the Scottish Premiership champions have officially submitted a bid to sign Paulo Bernardo on a permanent deal from Benfica.
The report claims that the Bhoys have put an offer of £3.5m on the table in an attempt to secure the Portugal U21 international's signature ahead of next season.
Bernardo spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Parkhead from the Portuguese side and helped the team to a domestic double, lifting the Premiership title and the SFA Cup.
Celtic midfielder Paulo Bernardo.
Celtic had an option to make the deal instantly permanent for a pre-agreed price of £6m but have decided to haggle with Benfica, in an attempt to almost half that fee – to £3.5m.
The Daily Mail claims that the Hoops are hoping that add-ons on top of the £3.5m offer and a sell-on percentage included in the deal will convince the Liga Portugal side to cash in on Bernardo.
It adds that they are hoping to also iron out personal terms with the 22-year-old central midfielder to ensure that he remains at Paradise heading into next season.
23/24 Premiership
Paulo Bernardo
Appearances
22
Starts
11
Goals
3
Assists
3
Big chances created
4
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Bernardo was not a regular starter in the middle of the park but he did showcase his attacking quality in the few starts that Rodgers did award him with.
The Portuguese youngster could now come in as a long-term option for the manager to have at his disposal, with the 22-year-old having plenty of time on his hands to develop and improve.
Celtic do, though, already have a similar player on their books who the Benfica gem will have to push past in order to become a regular starter – Reo Hatate.
The Hoops have struck gold with the Japan international, who was signed by Ange Postecoglou, as his value has soared in recent years, to a point where he is currently worth more than Bernardo.
How much Celtic paid for Reo Hatate
In the January transfer window at the start of 2022, the former Bhoys head coach swooped to sign the midfielder from J-League champions Kawasaki Frontale for a reported fee of £1.4m.
Hatate did not take long to make an impression in Glasgow as he started 15 of his 17 appearances in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign in the Premiership.
The right-footed midfielder immediately showcased his attacking quality with a return of four goals, two assists, and four 'big chances' created in those 15 outings.
He followed that up with an impressive year in his first full Premiership campaign with the Scottish giants under Postecoglou's management during the 2022/23 season.
22/23 Premiership
Reo Hatate
Appearances
32
Goals
6
Assists
8
Big chances created
10
Ground duel success rate
56%
Aerial duel success rate
59%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Hatate was directly involved in 14 goals in 32 appearances from a central midfield position, and more than held his own in physical duels.
The 26-year-old star won the majority of his battles on the deck and in the air against opposition players in the Premiership, which shows that he offered plenty of quality to Celtic in and out of possession.
Reo Hatate's soaring value
Former Aberdeen chief Keith Wyness recently told Football Insider that Hatate is worth around £15m and even claimed that he is worth "more" than that to Celtic.
Meanwhile, at the time of writing (14/07/24), Transfermarkt has the central midfielder's current market valuation at €10m (£8.6m), a bit less than Wyness' valuation.
Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate.
Irrespective of whether you decide to go with the £15m or £8.6m value, it is clear to see that the Japan international's stock has soared over the past two-and-a-half years at Parkhead.
Celtic and Postecoglou struck gold by bringing him to Scotland for just £1.4m as he has become a key player on the pitch and his value has skyrocketed, to a point where he is currently worth significantly more than the £3.5m the club have offered for Bernardo.
Hatate, unfortunately, missed 40 matches for club and country with a hamstring issue and two calf injuries last season, which limited his involvement in the Premiership.
However, he did show glimpses of his quality when fit with his ability to make a big impact when bursting forward from midfield to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.
23/24 Premiership
Reo Hatate
Appearances
16
Starts
12
Goals
3
Assists
4
Big chances created
3
Key passes per game
1.1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old star was directly involved in seven goals in just 12 starts, more than one every other start on average.
His aforementioned statistics in the Premiership show that he is a proven performer who can provide goals and assists from a number eight position for the Scottish giants.
Tom Rogic 2.0: Rodgers keen on Celtic swoop for "terrific" £9.4k-p/w star
The Hoops have been linked with an interest in the attack-minded midfielder.
ByDan Emery Jul 13, 2024
This is why Bernardo will have to prove himself to be a better option than Hatate, if the club get a deal over the line for him, as the Japanese dynamo, whose value has soared in recent years, is an established star who will need to be pushed out of the XI.
يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي بيراميدز، لمواجهة قوية أمام نظيره المصري البورسعيدي، في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
وتقام مباراة بيراميدز أمام المصري على أرضية استاد السويس الجديد، اليوم الثلاثاء، ضمن مواجهات الجولة الثالثة من منافسات الدوري المصري.
ويدخل بيراميدز اللقاء بهدف تحقيق الفوز وحصد النقاط الثلاث لمواصلة مشواره نحو المنافسة على القمة، بينما يسعى المصري لتقديم أداء قوي وتحقيق نتيجة إيجابية تُعزز من تصدره جدول الترتيب.
وكان بيراميدز قد حقق نتائج متباينة في الجولتين الماضيتين، فيما يحاول المصري الحفاظ على تصدره لمسابقة الدوري بعد خوضه لـ مباراتين.
ويتصدر فريق المصري، ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 6 نقاط من فوزين متتاليين بالجولتين الأولى والثانية أمام الاتحاد السكندري وطلائع الجيش.
طالع | يورتشيتش يٌعلن قائمة بيراميدز لمباراة المصري في الدوري
بينما بيراميدز يحتل المركز السابع، في جدول الدوري، برصيد 4 نقاط، من تعادل مع وادي دجلة في الجولة الأولى وانتصار على الإسماعيلي في الجولة الثانية. موعد مباراة بيراميدز والمصري اليوم في الدوري
تُقام المباراة اليوم الثلاثاء 19 أغسطس، في تمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة بيراميدز والمصري اليوم في الدوري
وتذاع المباراة بين فريقي بيراميدز والمصري عبر قناة أون سبورت 1.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا
With Enzo Maresca’s announcement just around the corner, Chelsea can finally start to conduct their summer business.
Plenty of new faces are expected to arrive at the club before the 2024/25 season starts, as Todd Boehly looks to rebuild his side again.
The aim for the new boss will be to find his best starting eleven quickly, meaning that trial and error will likely occur to begin with.
However, there’s one current Chelsea target who’s even better than Levi Colwill, and he’d simply walk into the lineup.
Chelsea’s search for Maresca’s first signing
According to a report from Italian outlet Tuttosport, Chelsea are interested in signing Riccardo Calafiori.
The report states that the Blues 'have already knocked in the last few days' as they look to secure Maresca’s first signing.
Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori
It mentions that the Bologna star will be available for around £19m, which wouldn’t be an issue for Chelsea.
However, what could be a problem is the amount of clubs in the face for the defender, with Atletico Madrid and Juventus lurking.
Calafiori would be even better than Colwill
This season, Colwill was supposed to push on and cement himself as the future of Chelsea’s backline.
Instead, the 21-year-old started 20 games in the Premier League, with an injury slowing down his progress, but luckily, he’s back up to speed now, having featured in the squad recently.
Levi Colwill
In Maresca’s 4-3-3 setup, the left-back is often instructed to act as a third centre-half when in possession, with the right-back tucking inside to create a numerical overload in the buildup.
This means that Colwill’s best-suited position could be that left-back role, but unfortunately for him, there’s no way he'd get in the side over Calafiori in that position, if he were to join.
Calafiori vs Colwill 23/24 League Stats
Stats
Calafiori
Colwill
Touches
80.54
69.72
Passes completed
62.15
48.33
Pass accuracy
89.6%
83%
Shot-creating actions
1.76
1.35
Tackles
1.8
2.4
Interceptions
1.92
1.3
Balls recovered
7.43
4.81
Carries into final third
1.07
0.85
Via FBref
As you can see from the table above, the Bologna defender is the definition of a complete player who can pretty much do anything on the field.
Just like Colwill, he’s also left-footed and can comfortably play as a full-back despite being a centre-back by trade, impressing over his 26 Serie A starts.
Riccardo Calafiori.
If you were to search for a single fault in the Italian’s game, you’d be looking all day without finding one, as his overall ability is insane.
Firstly, Calafiori is up there as one of the most technically gifted centre-backs in Italy, taking 80.54 touches and making 62.15 passes per game with an accuracy of 89.6%, which is far superior to Colwill.
Yet, he’s not just brilliant at retaining the ball, as he also tends to take the game by the scruff of the neck, as shown by his shot-creating actions, carries into the final third, and the fact he has made seven goal contributions this season.
This technical excellence would be perfect for Maresca’s approach, which entails playing out from the back and bravery on the ball, which Calafiori has in abundance.
New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca
On top of that, he’s also an absolute “monster” when it comes to defending, as per football analyst Ben Mattinson, as he takes a proactive approach that enables him to make interceptions, tackles, and recover the ball.
Overall, although Colwill is fantastic, it’s clear that he’s not quite as influential as Calafiori. There’s nothing that the Italian cannot do, and for such a small fee, Chelsea must sign him.
Chelsea could replace Silva with "one of the best defenders in the world"
The Chelsea target would be a great replacement for Thiago Silva.
Anderson claims three with Pakistan already on the ropes, thanks to Crawley’s 267 and 152 for Buttler
The Report by Matt Roller22-Aug-2020James Anderson took three late wickets to ram home England’s advantage on the second day of the third and final Test against Pakistan after Zak Crawley’s 267 led them to an imposing first-innings total.With 11 overs left in the day after Joe Root’s declaration, Anderson bowled a superb new-ball spell to remove both of Pakistan’s openers and their best batsman, leaving them reeling at 24 for 3 and some 559 runs behind ahead of the second day.England had piled on 583 for 8 declared, their highest total in four years, despite the absence of their best batsman Ben Stokes for family reasons. Crawley turned his overnight score of 171 into a maiden first-class double hundred in a commanding 359-run partnership with Jos Buttler, who buckled down to bring up only his second Test hundred.In a morning session twice interrupted by the weather, Buttler and Crawley struggled to score with the fluency they had demonstrated on the first evening – Crawley spending 40 balls on 171 before eventually adding to his score.Buttler survived two scares. The first came on 91 when he was trapped on the pad by Shaheen Afridi. Michael Gough shook his head, and Hawk-Eye showed that the ball was going over the top of the stumps after Pakistan reviewed.The second was a heart-in-mouth moment, as he was given out caught behind on 99, groping at a ball in the off-stump channel from Mohammad Abbas with the wicketkeeper up to the stumps. He reviewed the decision immediately, and it was clear that the only shimmer on Ultra-Edge came when his bat hit his pad. A ball later, he brought up his hundred with a punch through point off Abbas, saluting the dressing room with a beaming smile and exhaling in relief.Crawley ticked off various landmarks of his own in the afternoon session, moving to 200 with an edge through the slips, nudging a single off Yasir Shah to go past his mentor Rob Key’s highest score of 221, and whipping Abbas through square leg to bring up 250.Buttler, meanwhile, struggled to find the tempo that he had settled into on the first day. He went 106 balls without a boundary, spanning the whole of the afternoon session, though he did continue to tick over with regular singles and twos. Pakistan’s heads dropped as fatigue set in, and Azhar Ali found himself turning to part-timers in the hope of a breakthrough.It was Asad Shafiq who eventually removed Crawley, though not before he had 267 to his name. He speared one in down the leg side which Crawley charged, turning round to find Mohammad Rizwan had completed a sharp stumping.That meant the end of the joint sixth-highest partnership in England’s history, their highest for the fifth wicket, and their 10th-highest individual innings; unsurprisingly, Pakistan’s fielders rushed round to congratulate him, with the England balcony offering a standing ovation.”It’s always nice to score all round the ground,” Crawley said. “Luckily the pitch was very nice to bat on so it was nice to score a few runs.”Jos was exactly the right man at the other end, telling me to calm down. He batted brilliantly as well. He played better than me today, he was flawless.”Buttler brought up his 150 soon after tea, crashing Naseem Shah through the covers for four, but chipped a straightforward return catch to Fawad Alam four balls later, looking furious at his dismissal despite it following his highest Test and first-class innings.England batted on past the drinks break, with Fawad making Chris Woakes his second Test victim as he picked out cover after an enterprising 40, while Dom Bess and Stuart Broad both struck lusty blows. Joe Root eventually called time on the England innings with the score on 583 after Afridi cleaned up Broad, leaving 11 overs for his seamers to wreak havoc with the light fading.After Masood survived an early scare, successfully reviewing after Broad had trapped him on the pad, Anderson continued his stranglehold over him, pinning him lbw in the third over. He added Abid, nicking off as he prodded forwards, before taking the key scalp of Azam in the day’s final over, trapping him on the knee roll in line with the off stump to leave Pakistan staring down the barrel.Anderson’s three scalps leave him only four wickets away from the 600 mark in Tests, and with every chance of reaching that milestone before the home summer is out; it is hard to believe that he was denying rumours he was on the cusp of retirement barely two weeks ago.Jofra Archer chipped in with a lightning-quick spell of his own, regularly touching the 90mph/145kph mark as Azam and Azhar ducked, weaved and hopped on the crease. With four frontline seamers in their attack, England will offer no respite on the third day, not least with some rain in the forecast for the final two days. Pakistan, meanwhile, know that they desperately need to put at least one substantial partnership on the board if they are to escape with a draw.
The transfer strategy at Chelsea under Todd Boehly has clearly shifted towards signing young talent who can lead the club towards a decade of success.
Whether that’s signing already-made superstars for crazy fees like Moises Caicedo or looking further afield for talent such as Kendry Paez.
Mauricio Pochettino also shares a similar vision, with the Blues’ starting lineup against Brighton & Hove Albion having an average age of 23.4.
However, Chelsea aren’t finished with signing youthful talents just yet, as they look to complete a move for a gem who could lead the rebuild alongside Cole Palmer.
Chelsea will look to sign a new attacker
As per a report from Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are preparing a bid to sign the highly-rated Estevao Willian.
The club intends to pay more than the attacker's £47m release clause, which should be enough to secure his services ahead of competitors.
The reasoning behind this is that Chelsea will benefit more from the “payment terms and more than 40% of the potential final fee in add-ons".
Estevao would become the 20th Brazilian to play for Chelsea, alongside notable icons such as Thiago Silva, David Luiz, and Ramires.
Why Estevao could thrive alongside Palmer
The 2023/24 Premier League campaign has well and truly been Palmer’s season, with the attacking midfielder ripping the league apart with his brilliance.
Everyone clued in with the Premier League knew that the England international was extremely talented, but nobody would have predicted that he would score 22 goals and provide ten assists this season. For context, no player in the English top flight has more.
What makes the Chelsea number 20’s signing even sweeter is that he arrived at Stamford Bridge for £40m from 'rivals' Manchester City, which looks like an absolute bargain given the influence he’s had on the side.
There’s the potential that Boehly views the signing of Estevao in a similar light to Palmer, with the hopes that the 17-year-old could bring frequent silverware back to the club.
Goals
1
Key passes
6
Shots
5
Successful dribbles
11/15
Duels won
13
Touches
89
According to Transfermarkt, the tricky winger has played 21 times in 2024 since being integrated into the squad, boasting a fantastic record of seven goals and three assists.
However, the game that really put the spotlight on him was Palmeiras’ Copa do Brasil clash against Botafogo-SP, with his stats highlighted above.
Firstly, the statistics that stand out above all are his incredible six key passes and 11 successful dribbles, which are far superior to Mykhalo Mudryk's, for example, who boasts one and 1.3, respectively, per game in the league this season.
This proves that Estevao is an incredibly dangerous player, as he can not only create via his passing ability, but he can slice defences apart with his mesmerising dribbling, hence why he's been compared to an early version of Neymar Jr by football analyst Ben Mattinson.
On top of that, the Brazilian is clearly able to hold his own against the physical opposition, and he’s not shy of confidence, winning 13 duels and taking five shots, with a goal being the cherry on top of a complete performance.
There's simply no debate that Estevao and Palmer would be a frightening duo that could tear the league apart for years to come, and the attacker's ability to score and assist could genuinely make Chelsea unstoppable.
Chelsea star Cole Palmer
Additionally, It’s clear that the number 41 is one of the most exciting prospects in the world, and it’s no surprise that Ben Mattinson has also labelled him a “future Ballon d’Or winner.”
That said, despite all the hype surrounding his name, forking out such a large fee on a player with such little experience comes with plenty of risk, but the upside is more than worthwhile.
Chelsea's 8/10 sensation just proved he could be as important as Palmer
The Chelsea star had more touches than Jackson against Brighton.
Celtic's place at the top of the Scottish Premiership table is safe for now after their rivals were beaten on Sunday, leaving them four points clear.
The Hoops smashed St Mirren 3-0 on Saturday to move four points ahead of Rangers at the summit, and the Gers went on to lose 3-2 to Ross County on Sunday.
Brendan Rodgers' side could see the gap reduced to one point if their rivals win their game in hand against Dundee on Wednesday night, but the title is still in their hands as it stands.
The Scottish giants are fighting to avoid a trophyless end to the 2023/24 campaign and they still have the Premiership title and the SFA Cup to compete for over the coming weeks.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers watches on.
Attention will then turn to the summer transfer window and how Celtic can improve their playing squad by dipping into the market to add to their options.
Celtic's interest in prolific forward
It was recently reported by Football Insider that the Hoops are one of a number of clubs interested in a possible summer swoop for Blackburn Rovers star Sammie Szmodics.
The initial report claimed that Celtic and Brentford are battling it out to land his signature ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, after his prolific season in the English Championship.
It also added that other unnamed teams in the bottom half of the Premier League could also provide competition to sign the Republic of Ireland international.
Sammie Szmodics
Football Insider followed up on that with an update shortly after and they claimed that the Bhoys could be blown out of the water if Premier League teams decide to act upon their interest with firm offers, due to the financial advantage they have over the Scottish side.
However, there was no mention of how much Blackburn would demand for the attacker and it remains to be seen whether or not Celtic can swoop in before others have the chance to make their move.
Rodgers could land a dream partner for current Hoops star Adam Idah, who is currently on loan from Norwich City, if he can get a deal for Szmodics over the line.
Football Scotland report that the Canaries are likely to demand a fee within the region of £6m for the Irish marksman, and claim that is within the club's transfer budget for the summer.
With this in mind, the board must push the boat out to land Szmodics and Idah to bolster Rodgers' attack for next season, as the prolific duo could form a terrific partnership at the top end of the pitch.
Adam Idah's form for Celtic
The Hoops snapped the 6 foot 3 striker up on loan from Norwich on deadline day at the start of February, and he has been a superb addition to the squad.
Idah had scored six goals in 28 Championship matches, including 12 starts, for the Yellows during the first half of the ssaon before his switch to Glasgow, and has already bettered that tally at Parkhead.
The 23-year-old dynamo has plundered an eye-catching seven goals and two assists in just ten appearances for Celtic in the Premiership since the start of February.
23/24 Premiership
Kyogo Furuhashi
Adam Idah
Appearances
33
10
Goals
11
7
Minutes per goal
200
65
Conversion rate
13%
30%
Big chances missed
21
6
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Idah has been far more effective in front of goal than Kyogo Furuhashi in the Premiership, with a goal every 65 minutes of action in comparison to the Japan international's one every 200.
No Celtic player has outperformed their xG by more than the Irish star, who has scored seven goals from 5.24 xG. Meanwhile, no Hoops man has underperformed their xG by more than Kyogo, who has scored 11 goals from 15.4 xG in the Premiership so far this season.
These impressive statistics suggest that Rodgers should be pushing for the club to sign Idah to lead the line as the starting number nine for the team next term, as he has been a prolific addition to the side.
Adam Idah
He would also be the perfect foil for a signing like Szmodics, who operates in an attacking midfield role and stands at 5 foot 6, as he has won 69% of his aerial duels in the Premiership and can provide a physical presence up front that allows the smaller whiz to focus on his work in possession.
Sammie Szmodics' goalscoring record this season
The Ireland international has plundered a fantastic 30 goals and four assists in 45 appearances in all competitions for Blackburn so far this season.
Former Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson hailed Szmodics as "incredible" at the start of the year, and his sensational statistics this term back that comment up.
23/24 Championship
Sammie Szmodics
Appearances
41
Sofascore rating
7.28
xG
19.21
Goals
24
Minutes per goal
152
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old star has been a prolific presence in the number ten position for Blackburn in the Championship, with more than one goal every other game on average.
24 goals from an xG of 19.21 means that he has outperformed his expected tally by almost five goals, which speaks to how clinical the Irish whiz has been in front of goal.
Szmodics, who has played the bulk of his games as an attacking midfielder but can also play as a centre-forward, could thrive alongside Idah at the top end of the pitch for Celtic.
His compatriot could occupy opposition defenders with his physical presence, standing at 6 foot 3 with an impressive aerial duel success rate, and free up the current Blackburn star to make runs and pick up clever positions in the box to find the back of the net in an attacking midfield or second striker role.
Both players have been lethal scorers for their respective clubs this season, both outperforming their xG, and could combine to form a sensational pairing for Celtic next season to improve Rodgers' attack as they attempt to compete domestically and in Europe.
It is now down to the board to ensure that they can wrap up deals for both attackers during the upcoming summer transfer window to provide the manager with a clinical forward line for the 2024/25 campaign.