Manchester United are in need of another refresh in midfield. Despite selling key players in the centre of the park over the past few summers, including Fred in 2023 and Scott McTominay in 2024, it still feels like there is a big job to do in order to rebuild the central areas.

Former manager Erik ten Hag did not exactly leave the club in a good state despite spending £600m, and the current crop of midfielders reflects that. He signed the likes of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte to name two of his additions, and they are either getting on age-wise or the jury is still out on whether they’re good enough.

Under Ruben Amroim, the Red Devils need things to be different. He is believed to be targeting one man who could strengthen in the middle of the park.

Man United target new midfielder

The player in question here is French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni. The Real Madrid star is not a guaranteed starter at the Santiago Bernabeu, despite his obvious talent. In any case, his future at the club is up in the air, which might open the door for clubs to pounce.

According to one report from Spain, United are believed to be one of the sides who have ‘shown interest’ in signing the Frenchman. Los Blancos are ‘willing to part ways’ with the midfielder and the Red Devils could try and bring him to the Premier League.

However, they will not be the only English top-flight side trying to sign him. Arch-rivals Liverpool and West London outfit Chelsea are also targeting a move for the midfielder. It is not clear how much he would cost, but Los Blancos would only sell him ‘at a price that allows for immediate reinvestment’ in his replacement.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Why Tchouameni would be a good signing

There is no doubt that Tchouameni would be a strong addition to the Red Devils side. He has played a crucial role for the Spanish giants this season, featuring 21 times across all competitions.

The Frenchman has also shown great versatility, in the face of some defensive injuries. Although he is a defensive midfielder by trade, the 24-year-old has featured seven times at centre-back, stepping up when his side truly needs him.

Indeed, he is very highly rated as a defensive midfielder. As analyst Raj Chohan called it, Tchouameni is “one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet”, suggesting his skills as a defensive midfielder are second to none.

That certainly seems like he would be an upgrade on the ageing Casemiro, who will be 33 years of age at the end of the season. After being famously told by Jamie Carragher last season to “leave the football before the football leaves you”, he ended up staying at Old Trafford for 2024/25 but has had little involvement.

He has played 22 times in all competitions, scoring three goals, including a stunning strike against Leicester City. However, the experienced Brazilian has played just 1428 minutes, the equivalent of 15 full 90-minute games. He reportedly seems set to leave the club in 2025.

When looking at the stats via FBref, it is clear to see that the Frenchman is superior to United’s number 18. The Real Madrid star makes far more interceptions per 90 minutes, with 1.69 compared to 0.86 by Casemiro. On the ball, he is also far better, as shown by the 6.9 progressive passes compared to 4.73 from the Brazilian.

Interceptions

1.69

0.86

Aeiral duels won

1.97

1.94

Errors leading to shot

0

0.32

Pass accuracy

92.7%

79.3%

Progressive passes

6.90

4.73

Singing Tchouameni would be a big statement from United if they pull the deal off. Not only would they be upgrading on Casemiro, but they would be beating their rivals to the signing of a highly-rated midfielder.

Although he could cost a lot of money, United might well need to spend big to rebuild their midfield. Signing Tchouameni could be the perfect place to start.

The next Van Persie: Man Utd now looking to sign £354k-p/w "monster"

Man Utd are looking to strengthen up front

ByJoe Nuttall Jan 4, 2025

Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers has revealed how fellow Birmingham native Jude Bellingham helped him settle into the England squad.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Rogers earned first Three Lions call-up in November 2024
• Played a part in both Tuchel's first games in charge
• Has a close friendship with Madrid star Bellingham

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Speaking to GOAL, in association with PUMA, Morgan Rogers revealed that having Jude Bellingham already in the England senior squad made his transition into international football much smoother. Rogers highlighted how Bellingham's presence, as someone he knew from their shared Birmingham roots, provided a sense of comfort and familiarity, with former Three Lions interim boss Lee Carsley rewarding the 22-year-old with his first call-up back in November 2024 after his impressive form with Villa.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Both Rogers and Bellingham have emerged as two of England's brightest young talents, with both featuring in Thomas Tuchel's first games in charge of the Three Lions. Indeed, the presence of a familiar face like Bellingham's around the camp is likely to have been invaluable to Rogers as he looked to adapt to the demands and pressures of international football.

• WHAT ROGERS SAID

  "It might not be as daunting as you think, even though you might think it is when you go in there," said Rogers, reflecting on joining up with the England squad, where he now has four senior caps to his name. "It's usually never that bad. So yeah, it was really nice [to be involved with England]. Obviously the one that was really nice [in helping Rogers settle in] was probably Jude being there. Obviously playing against him and what not, and playing with him at earlier age groups."

  "It's nice to have someone that I already knew, someone that you can kind of bounce off, that you know already and that you can just be comfortable with," he added. "So yeah, that's nice to have. But to be fair, because the group's so young, you know a lot of them. Or even if you don't know them personally, you played against them. So it's easy sentence starters and an easy way to talk to people and to get to know them."

  Rogers also touched upon the importance of representing Birmingham and not forgetting his roots: "It's where I'm from, it's where I grew up. It's nice to have other people doing that. Hopefully more can come up behind me and behind Jude and Jack [Grealish]. You try to be role models and try and be leaders to follow, so yeah, it's just about not forgetting where you're from. Wherever you go to, wherever you might end up, you still know your roots."

• WATCH THE CLIP

Scorchers have lost Marsh, Evans, Munro and Patterson from last year’s title-winning XI while new recruit Phil Salt has also been ruled out

Tristan Lavalette15-Dec-2022Captain Ashton Turner
Coach Adam VogesSquadAshton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Faf du Plessis, Stephen Eskinazi, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Peter Hatzoglou, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kelly, Adam Lyth, Hamish McKenzie, Tymal Mills, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner, Andrew TyeIn Faf du Plessis, Stephen Eskinazi, Cameron Green, Adam Lyth, Hamish McKenzie
Out David Moody, Laurie Evans, Mitchell Marsh, Colin Munro, Kurtis PattersonWhat happened in the draft Scorchers skipped their platinum pick despite former player David Willey’s availability. They retained Laurie Evans, who was a hero in last season’s BBL final, after Sydney Sixers made a play for him, but the Englishman’s contract was later terminated following a positive result on an anti-doping test. Scorchers also selected big-hitting batter Phil Salt, but like Evans he will miss the BBL season after suffering a shoulder injury during England’s recent ODI series against Australia. Left-arm quick Tymal Mills was set to return to Scorchers after seamlessly fitting into their star-studded attack during a short stint last season but was a late withdrawal from the tournament due to a family emergency. Without Evans, Salt, Mills and injured star Mitchell Marsh, Scorchers had to make late changes with former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis and English batters Adam Lyth and Stephen Eskinazi coming into the squad.Related

Scorchers suffer double blow with Mitchell Marsh and Phil Salt ruled out of BBL

Laurie Evans denies wrongdoing after positive dope test

Last season: winnersScorchers returned to the top of the BBL after a remarkable triumph against the odds. Scorchers’ fourth BBL title was arguably their best after only playing one home game due to strict Covid-19 border rules in Western Australia at the time. After beating Brisbane Heat at Optus Stadium in their season-opener, Scorchers had to endure more than 50 days on the road but it didn’t matter as they won 11 of 14 games to finish the regular season on top of the ladder. They then twice beat two-time defending champs Sydney Sixers in the finals, including a 79-run thrashing in the decider to cap one of the greatest title campaigns seen in T20 franchise cricket.International impactTest allrounder Cameron Green should be available after the South Africa series. He’s only played 13 matches previously in BBL08 and 09 with little success, but there is much intrigue over how he’ll fare ahead of what might well be his first IPL season. Du Plessis and Lyth will be available for the first half of the season before heading to new T20 leagues in UAE and South Africa. Eskinazi, who has a terrific T20 record in England, is available for the whole season.Key playerScorchers will boast a new-look batting order this season. Along with the aforementioned Munro, Evans and Marsh, they will also be without opener Kurtis Patterson who signed with Sixers after a big season as a belligerent batter against type. Local batters Cameron Bancroft and Nick Hobson will probably get more of a run than initially expected in a Scorchers batting line-up that suddenly looks a bit vulnerable. They’ll be hoping explosive wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis can fire and he should be available throughout the season. Inglis, who made his T20I and ODI debuts this year, was a late withdrawal from Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign after a freak hand injury sustained while playing golf. He has struggled with the bat in his return but a rapid 85 against South Australia in the Marsh Cup reinforced his match-winning abilities. Inglis is highly rated by national selectors and should figure in calculations for the next ODI and T20 World Cups. A strong BBL will only strengthen his standing.Young player to watchFollowing in the footsteps of Marsh and Green, there is growing hype over emerging allrounder Aaron Hardie who is likely to finally carve out a permanent spot in Scorchers’ line-up. The 23-year-old had a breakout domestic season last year capped by scoring a century in the Sheffield Shield final to help Western Australia end a 23-year title drought. With his batting and seam bowling compared to childhood friend Green, who is five months younger than Hardie, he has caught the eye of national selectors and was part of Australia A ‘s tour to Sri Lanka mid-year and last month represented a formidable Prime Minister’s XI team against West Indies. Hardie’s form has been modest so far this domestic season, but with more responsibility amid a settled role for Scorchers he looms as a new BBL star.

Leeds United still have plenty of football left to play between now and the end of the season in their pursuit of automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking.

The Whites failed to finish in the top two in the 2023/24 campaign, finishing third in the table, and ultimately lost 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley back in May.

Daniel Farke and his men will be hoping to avoid a repeat of that failure by finishing first or second in the Championship this time around, and they are on course to do so.

A thumping 4-0 win over Oxford United at Elland Road on Saturday ensured that they remain second in the table, three points behind Sheffield United, heading into Christmas Day.

The January transfer window is right around the corner, though, and the Whites could look to strengthen their chances of achieving automatic promotion by dipping into the market to bolster their options across the park.

One area of the pitch that could be addressed is central midfield, and a player Farke previously wanted at Elland Road in that position was Norwich City star Kenny McLean.

Leeds United's bid to sign Kenny McLean

In the summer of 2023, shortly after the German’s arrival in West Yorkshire, Leeds were interested in a deal to sign the Scotland international from the Canaries.

It was reported that the Whites had an offer of £4m rejected by Norwich for the former Aberdeen star, who later put pen to paper on a new contract at Carrow Road.

He would have arrived as someone Farke trusted as he was a regular for the German head coach in two Championship title-winning seasons, in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns, with McLean playing 114 games in all competitions for him during their time together.

The Whites would have been signing an experienced midfielder who knows exactly what it takes to get automatically promoted from the second tier, having done it twice with the Leeds boss in Norfolk.

After the West Yorkshire outfit failed to get a deal over the line for McLean, the Scotland international then played a key role in the Canaries reaching the play-off semi-final clash with Leeds.

Starts

46

Big chances created

7

Pass accuracy

84%

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.2

Duel success rate

59%

As you can see in the table above, the 32-year-old star started all 46 of their league matches and offered quality as a box-to-box midfielder, with his contributions at both ends of the pitch.

McLean is a dynamic midfielder who can provide quality in possession, with his creative passing, whilst also being able to hold his own defensively, winning the majority of his physical contests in the Championship.

Instead of going back in for the experienced ace, Farke could find his new version of McLean in the January window by swooping for one of the club’s reported transfer targets.

Leeds United's interest in English midfielder

Back in November, The Sun revealed that Leeds are one of the clubs interested in a deal to sign Nottingham Forest central midfielder Lewis O’Brien, who is currently on loan with LAFC in the MLS.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The report claimed that LAFC have an option to make the deal permanent for £7m when the January transfer window opens for business, but there are English teams who would like to compete with them to sign him.

It stated that Leeds and Hull have both made enquiries about a potential swoop for the former Huddersfield Town star, who is settled in America and would like to stay there long-term.

Football Insider added that the Whites have been long-term admirers of O’Brien and that Marcelo Bielsa once wanted to bring him to Elland Road, and came close to doing so.

The report added that Nottingham Forest have deemed him surplus to requirements, hence the £7m option to buy in his LAFC loan contract, and he is set to be available in the January transfer window.

It is down to Leeds, however, to convince O’Brien that a move to Elland Road ahead of the second half of the season is a better option than remaining in the MLS with his loan club.

Why Leeds should sign Lewis O'Brien

The Whites should try to sign the left-footed midfielder because he could come in as Farke’s new version of McLean in the middle of the park, as an experienced and dynamic number eight who can provide quality in and out of possession.

As per FBref, McLean is one of the most similar players to O’Brien in the Men’s Next 14 Competitions (outside of the major five leagues and European competitions) over the last 365 days, based on their respective statistics.

As you can see in the chart above, the two central midfielders rank incredibly similarly in a host of actions, defensively and offensively, per 90 for LAFC and Norwich respectively.

They are both progressive players who want to get the ball forward to find their teammates in dangerous positions. McLean has averaged 5.78 progressive passes per 90, whilst O’Brien has averaged 6.11 per 90 in the MLS – ranking in the top 25% of his positional peers in he Men’s Next 14 Competitions.

Appearances

13

Key passes per game

1.8

Pass accuracy

88%

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.6

As you can see in the table above, the £7m-rated star can also offer a defensive presence in the middle of the park, with 8.9 tackles, interceptions, and recoveries per game in the MLS this year.

The 26-year-old dynamo, who was described as “very special” by ex-Leeds coach Carlos Corberan, could come in to provide Farke with another left-footed option in that position, as the injured Ilia Gruev is his only left-footed midfielder at this moment in time.

With Joe Rothwell’s loan expiring at the end of the season, O’Brien could also be a longer-term solution for the club, which is why he could be an excellent addition to the squad.

Ampadu repeat: Leeds eyeing move for £6m star with "crazy athleticism"

Leeds United are interested in a swoop to sign the defensive midfielder in January.

ByDan Emery Dec 24, 2024

كشف الهولندي لويس فان جال، المدير الفني السابق لمنتخب هولندا، عن احتمالية عودته للتدريب مرة أخرى بعد شفائه من مرض السرطان.

وفي حديث أجراه خلال ظهوره في برنامج “هومبرتو”، تحدث عن معاناته مع مرض السرطان وابتعاده عن الملاعب وسبب عدم تفضيله لتدريب الأندية خلال الفترة الماضية.

وقال مدرب برشلونة الأسبق في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: ” لم أعد أشعر بالقلق بشأن المرض، أخضع للفحص كل بضعة أشهر والأمور تسير على ما يرام، أصبحت أكثر لياقة الآن”.

وأكمل: “على الرغم من مرضي، تلقيت العديد من العروض لتدريب أندية خلال العامين الماضيين، لن أدرب أي نادي لأني لا أشعر بالرغبة في العمل يوميًا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | موقف جالطة سراي من التعاقد مع تير شتيجن في انتقالات الصيف

وأضاف: “أنت مدرب للمنتخب الوطني 8 مرات في السنة، ولكن من يرغب في مدرب يبلغ من العمر 73 عامًا ومصاب بسرطان البروستاتا؟ ربما كوراساو أو ما شابه”.

وأردف: “لن أوافق على تدريب منتخبات صغيرة، أي أنني لن أفعل ذلك إلا مع دول مثل إنجلترا وألمانيا”.

وعن معاناته مع مرض سرطان البروستاتا أتم: “قبل عامين خضعت لعدة عمليات جراحية، كان كل شيء يسير بشكل خاطئ، كنت أعاني من مشاكل في التبرز والحفاضات، كان شيئًا سيئًا للغاية لأنني شخص نظيف”.

MatériaMais Notícias

da stake casino： O meio-campista Kawan, de apenas 20 anos, está fora da temporada por conta de nova lesão no joelho, detectada em exames feitos pelo Athletico-PR nesta semana.Esta é a segunda oportunidade em que o jogador, formado nas categorias de base do Furacão, lesionou o local.

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da bwin： >Jornais revelam novos capítulos da relação entre Neymar e Mbappé

Em junho de 2021, ele precisou passar por uma cirurgia em razão de problemas no menisco e no ligamento, tendo se recuperado e retornado as atividades em julho deste ano. Porém, com a nova necessidade de cirurgia, o atleta não tem possibilidade de retornar antes do término da temporada para a equipe da Baixada.

Nas redes sociais, Kawan foi bastante sincero com os seguidores ao apontar que chegou a pensar em desistir da carreira de atleta profissional quando recebeu a notícia. Entretanto, tratou de completar dizendo que este não será o fim da sua trajetória:

-Hoje recebi uma das piores notícias da minha vida. Enfrentarei mais uma lesão. Mil coisas passando em minha cabeça, sendo uma delas desistir do meu sonho, porém esse sonho não é apenas meu e sim de minha família também, se tratando de sonho, não é tão simples desistir – destacou.

Newcastle United have now tabled an offer to sign a new talented defender in January, according to a fresh report, as they look to beat Manchester City to his signature.

Newcastle looking for a new centre-back

It is no secret that Eddie Howe is keen to add another centre-back to his ranks, with the club trying and failing to land Marc Guehi over the summer transfer window.

They could yet return for the Crystal Palace defender, but there is now believed to be more interest in his services, which could make any potential move to Tyneside difficult.

Currently 12th in the Premier League, other sides are in a better position to offer the potential of European football next season, with both Liverpool and Chelsea thought to be weighing up a move for the England international.

This could force Howe’s side to pivot on their transfer targets, and they may instead look for a younger, more promising talent who would command a lesser fee than Guehi, allowing them to spend in other areas of the squad.

Abdukodir Khusanov is one player that the Magpies are considering, while they are believed to hold a long term interest in Sporting defender Ousmane Diomande.

Newcastle and PIF keen to sign "explosive" £90m star who's scored at SJP

He could be perfect for Eddie Howe’s counter-attacking football.

By
Ben Browning

Dec 18, 2024

Howe is keen to add fresh faces to his side in January after he admitted that his squad needed freshness: “I think freshness is important in a squad – I won’t sit here and deny that. Sometimes, the same squad can produce a staleness and a negative product.”

Despite this, it is unclear the budget that the Magpies will have to use in the winter window, which could force them to sign some younger gems rather than established stars. Now, they may have found a potential bargain.

Newcastle make offer to sign young defender

That is according to SportItalia [Via Sport Witness], who report that Eddie Howe’s side have tabled an offer to sign Juma Bah, currently playing in Spain with Real Vallodolid.

The 18 year-old defender is on loan from Sierra Leone side AIK Freetong, and has featured 10 times for his temporary club this season, drawing plenty of admiring glances and being labelled “quality” by his side’s official X account.

Standing at 6 foot 5 inches tall, he is unsurprisingly dominant in the air, winning more aerial duels than Newcastle’s Dan Burn and winning a higher percentage of them too.

Juma Bah vs Dan Burn 24/25 (Domestic League)
	Dan Burn	Juma Bah
Appearances	15	9
Tackles and interceptions per 90	1.6	1.97
Pass Accuracy	90.4%	77.4%
Clearances per 90	4.53	6.76
Aerial Duels won per 90	3.33	4.08
Aerial duel % success	64.9%	70.7%

Manchester City are thought to be among his admirers, but Newcastle have looked to beat Pep Guardiola’s side to the punch. According to the report, they have already tabled a €10m bid to sign the defender in the January transfer window.

Any deal would involve Vallodolid having to buy Bah first, before then selling him on at what would likely be a substantial profit. However, Newcastle’s offer was not deemed substantial enough and Vallodolid “turned it down” and are “demanding more money” to let him leave.

Despite this, they are open to letting him leave in January, which could provide an opportunity for any interested party to steal a march on rival interest and land him at a potential bargain fee.

Moeen Ali’s unbeaten 155 was the sort of innings to make hearts beat faster, as well as a reminder that statistics only tell half a tale

George Dobell at Chester-le-Street28-May-2016Do you remember the moment you fell in love with cricket?Everyone will have a different experience but, for those of us of a certain age, the sight of David Gower playing a cover driver was the gateway drug to a lifelong affair that has endured long after other loves have dulled or departed.Gower didn’t really drive the ball. He didn’t even persuade it. With the most gentle forward movement, he more suggested the ball might like to speed to the boundary and, as enamoured with him as everyone else, it seemed only too happy to oblige. If you judged Gower by stats you missed the point; you judged him more by the purrs of pleasure he generated. Was he great or very good? Who cares: he was beautiful.But there is a danger, in the business of analysing a day’s cricket, that we forget such fundamental pleasures. There is a danger that, with our caveats and our context, we crush the joy out of the moment and lose sight of the bigger picture: cricket is entertainment; it’s meant to be fun.Moeen Ali reminds us of this. It is perfectly reasonable that critics look at his statistics – a bowling average approaching 40 and a batting average that was, before this match, under 30 – and presume he is, by the lofty standards of Test cricket, a relatively mediocre player.But then he plays like this. He drives and cuts and pulls with such sweet timing, he brings up his century with a gloriously uncomplicated lofted drive for four over mid-off, he brings up his 150 with a flicked six over midwicket. And he tells you afterwards with a bashful grin that “it was nice”.His first fifty, coming with England in danger of being dismissed for somewhere between 300 and 350, took 109 balls. His second took 43 and his third just 41. Despite eight men on the boundary, despite turning down singles, he played with such overwhelming dominance, timed the ball so crisply and demonstrated such an array of strokes that it seemed preposterous that he has scored so few Test runs.

“I am quite loose but I don’t really care”Moeen Ali

Yes, he was dropped twice. Yes, on this docile pitch he was hardly tested by the short ball that has caused him discomfort in the past. And yes, there are probably quite a few batsmen in county cricket who, given 25 Tests, might score a couple of centuries.But not many of them would have taken 65 wickets with their offspin. And not many of them would have lit up a dispiritingly uncompetitive day’s cricket – Moeen rated Sri Lanka’s tactics as both “strange” and “perfect” for England – in a dispiritingly uncompetitive series with such a glorious display of strokeplay. On an increasingly sluggish pitch on which nobody else can time the ball, Moeen evoked memories of Gower. There isn’t much higher praise.And, just as you don’t want to be person at a wedding who mutters “40% of these things end in divorce, you know; the rest of them end in death,” so you don’t want to be person who applies reason to rainbows and sunsets and Moeen’s batting. Modern sport hasn’t become so results oriented that all the joy has been driven out.His fragility is part of the charm of Moeen. Oh, yes. It will infuriate at times. But, what’s that line about never feeling more alive than when you’re on the brink of death? Well, there’s an element of that to Moeen’s batting. He will probably always have a weakness outside off stump in the way that George Best always had a weakness for a night out. The slip cordon will always be in business; the bowler will always feel he has a chance. As he put it: “I am quite loose but I decided today, I don’t really care.”Can you imagine Alastair Cook saying that? But while Cook is all about the bottom line and practicalities, Moeen is all about feel and touch. He is the DeLorean to Cook’s Volvo. His batting offers charm more than security; joy more than insurance. In a pragmatic world, he bats like an artist.He doesn’t mean to, of course. When he made a century in his second Test, he impressed with his discipline outside off stump. Steeped in the skills of a top-order batsman from the moment he was old enough to pick up a bat, he batted like the No. 3 he is for Worcestershire.But, somewhere along the way, he has learned some bad habits. Knowing he will often be left with the tail, knowing he has limited time to make runs, he has lost the rhythm that defines so many good batsmen and instead started searching for the ball. Often he has not given himself time – or circumstance has not given him time – to build an innings. So instead of the elegant drives or effortless pulls, he has fallen to some ugly heaves and unworthy hacks.He believes the mentality of batting at No. 8 has been responsible for his decline. That and the decision to demote him in the limited-overs side after he had scored two centuries as opener. Confidence undercut by batting with men who grew-up as bowlers, he has increasingly batted like a tailender. Just as Ben Stokes was backed for the No. 6 position in the belief that he would react positively to the extra responsibility, so Moeen has reacted negatively to the lack of responsibility. The promotion to No. 7 for this match “definitely” helped him, he said. “It’s just not the same.”A lot may be made of his average at No. 7 – an eye-watering 276.00 – compared to his average at No. 8 of 29.33 from 18 innings. But he has batted just three times and been dismissed only once at No. 7. It is too small a sample size to draw conclusions. Besides, he averages just 21.00 in 11 innings at No. 6.Moeen Ali’s second Test hundred left England in complete control•Getty ImagesThere is little scope for promoting him at present. Jonny Bairstow looks a more complete batsman and Ben Stokes is a special cricketer who can win games with bat or ball. His average may never show it but then Stokes is a far from average cricketer.Realistically, Moeen has to get used to batting at No. 8. While it might not help England get the best out of him, it is a team game and individuals have to compromise for the general good. Perhaps, in Asia later this year, he may move up the order again to make space for another spinner. But, generally, this isn’t such a terrible dilemma for England. They have wrestled with far more troubling problems in recent years than a surfeit of good middle-order batsmen.It may pain Sri Lanka supporters to know that Moeen credits watching Kumar Sangakkara for his improved form. Struck by Sangakkara’s high back lift and “rhythm” of his trigger movements earlier this season, Moeen went home that night and practised in front of the mirror using the same technique. “I watched two balls and just tried to copy him, really,” he said.”I feel like I’m getting it back,” he said. “I owed the team a score. But, coming in at No. 7, you can put your batting mind on and contribute with a big score.”He is quietly putting together a decent career. During the day, he became the fifth-fastest England player to reach the milestone of 1000 runs and 50 wickets in Test cricket. All four of those who did it quicker – Ian Botham, Tony Greig, Trevor Bailey and Ben Stokes – are widely respected allrounders. He’s in pretty good company.Cricket isn’t just about winning. And it’s not just about stats. It’s about joy and feeling and pleasure every bit as much. And, one day way in the future, long after they have forgotten the scores, the drops or even the result, those fortunate enough to have been at Chester-le-Street on Saturday will look back and be glad that they saw Moeen Ali bat.

Wolverhampton Wanderers fans will hope the Vitor Pereira bubble doesn’t burst heading into January, as ex-Old Gold boss Nuno Espirito Santo prepares to bring his high-flying Nottingham Forest troops to Molineux next in Premier League action.

Before that fixture gets underway on the 6th, however, there will be plenty of eyes on the transfer window swinging back open, with fears growing in the air that a higher up poacher could win Matheus Cunha at some stage across the hectic month.

On the contrary, Pereira picking up two wins and a draw from his opening three games in charge might well mean the Brazilian star isn’t tempted by a move away.

On top of having to stay alert regarding outgoings, Wolves will also be looking to add in some players this January to maintain positive spirits around Molineux.

Wolves' search for a striker

As reported late last week, Wolves are looking to sign Borussia Mönchengladbach star Tim Kleindienst when the window reopens in order to boost their attacking ranks even more.

The suggestion is that the Old Gold have asked for more information on the explosive German, who is also on the radar of Everton as they too search for more goals to aid their ongoing battle against the drop.

Now capped by his nation at a senior level after showing off his deadliness in front of goal in the Bundesliga, it remains to be seen whether the breakout 29-year-old could make a name for himself in a similar manner in England.

If the £39k-per-week striker enters the English game with this same goalscoring prowess coursing through his veins, he would be a big upgrade on Nordic attacker Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has impressed those at Wolves this season with his own promising displays up top.

What Kleindienst would offer Wolves

Coming in at a towering 6 foot 4 frame – which is identical to Larsen’s own imposing build – Kleindienst can boast that he has more goals next to his name playing in Germany this season than the Wolves number nine has managed to tally up.

In total, the Gladbach ace has fired home a stunning nine strikes in the Bundesliga, whilst also picking up four assists, with Larsen just coming up short in contrast with seven goals and two assists himself.

Always just finding himself in the right place at the right time to power home a strike, it’s been a remarkable rise for Kleindienst, who had been playing in the lower depths of German football most of his playing days before Gladbach swooped in.

Everywhere he has been to date, Kleindienst has proven himself to largely be a goal machine, with anticipation in the air that he could be prolific for Wolves all the same if a big move was to occur.

Competition played in

Games played

Goals scored

Bundesliga

74

23

2. Bundesliga

140

67

3. Liga

35

13

Sourced by Transfermarkt

As can be seen looking at the table above, the in-demand 29-year-old has been a success at every step he has played at in his native country, with 103 career goals tallied up across Germany’s top three divisions.

Whilst Larsen has been a success at points this season for the Old Gold, he only boasts one goal from his last six league games, with Kleindienst – who is an “exquisite one-touch player”, according to The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor – perhaps the better option as a lofty centre-forward if a move can be reached.

Wolves majorly gambled on Hwang Hee-chan to work when snapping him up from RB Leipzig, and that move has worked for the most part with two goals coming his way under Pereira’s short stint so far.

Everyone at Molineux would be hoping Kleindienst can be a success story too, in what would be a dream first signing for Pereira, with his crucial contributions potentially seeing the Old Gold rise up the league and away from any relegation danger.

Saved by Larsen: Wolves let down by 4/10 star who lost 71% of his duels

One Wolves star had an outing to forget in north London

1 ByConnor Holden Dec 29, 2024

Chelsea are interested in signing a former Arsenal defender who has been named as one of Mikel Arteta’s worst-ever signings, according to a new report.

Chelsea latest transfer news

Despite recently recalling Trevoh Chalobah back from his loan spell at Crystal Palace, Chelsea are still thought to be in the market for a new defender this month due to injuries to both Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile.

Fofana is expected to miss the remainder of the season having suffered a hamstring injury against Aston Villa last month, while Badiashile is also set to be out until at least February with a similar issue.

Caught Offside have recently reported that Chelsea are actually favourites to beat Arsenal and Bayern Munich to the signing of Sporting centre-back Ousmane Diomande.

Chelsea now battling Arsenal in race to sign £68m "elite talent"

The Blues are among the favourites to secure the defender’s signature.

1 ByDominic Lund Jan 19, 2025

The 21-year-old has a release clause of around £68 million, and though publicly the Portuguese club is insisting that this is paid, CaughtOffside claim that an offer of between £42 million to £50 million would be enough for Sporting to consider selling up.

Diomande, who was signed by Sporting while the now Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim was in charge, has previously been described by scout/writer Jacek Kulig as an “elite talent”.

Chelsea make approach for Nuno Tavares

Another defender reportedly on Chelsea’s radar is Arsenal flop Nuno Tavares, who is currently on loan with Serie A club Lazio. Nuno Tavares joined the Italian outfit from Arsenal on loan with an obligation to buy, and according to Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla, Chelsea have now made an enquiry to Lazio about signing the Portuguese full-back.

The Blues are thought to be eyeing Tavares as a potential replacement for Renato Veiga should he leave Stamford Bridge, though Pedulla claims Lazio do not want to lose him.

Tavares struggled during his sole season at the Emirates in 2020/21, which saw him make 28 appearances across all competitions for the Gunners and score one goal. So poor were his performances, he is considered to be one of Arteta’s worst-ever Arsenal signings.

He’s been doing just fine in Italy, however, producing eight assists in 16 games, with Pedulla describing him as “the best left back in Serie A to say the least”. Lazio president Claudio Lotito has also heaped praise on Tavares, saying after he got two assists in a game against AC Milan earlier in the season: “Did you see how good he is? Nuno is an excellent player.”

If Chelsea do sign Tavares, they’ll be hoping they get the Lazio version, not the Arsenal version.